Photo of the Day......If Trees grew on Mars

Highly filtered sun through thick clouds.  I played with hue and thought this might be what trees would look like on Mars. 

Bonus Photo of the Day......Meridian in the Mirror

Piper Meridian airplane  sitting on the ramp reflected in the reflective glass of the general aviation building at SGF.

                CANON POWER SHOT SD 7D0 IS  18.6MM LENS F/4.9 EVALUATIVE 01/11/2010 @ 2:06:10 pm CST

Photo of the Day...... Taxi signs at SGF

If your looking for runway 32 go left.  If your looking for runway 20 go right.   Clear as mud?

          EOS 40D. EF100-300MM F/4.5-5.6 USM LENS @300MM-F/5.7 SPOT METERING 01/09/2010 @ 10:39:43 AM. 

Photo Journalism from the Boston Globe

I was doing a search on a railroad located in Orange, Texas when I came across these Hurricane Ike photos from the Boston Globe.  It reaffirms the impact of excellent photojournalism on the hearts and minds of people.  These photos will get your attention and hold it fast. 

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

Photo of the Day......Male Cardinal

Male Cardinal from last winter.  Seems like winter is here already.   Crazy how we may have to go from air conditioning to heat in one day with no time off.  88 to 48 in 24 or so hours.  GRRRR!

Bonus Photo of the Day......More Sandhill Cranes

Another photo of the same Sandhill Cranes.  You can see the setting sun like studio "catch lights" reflected in their orange eyes.  There is a good deal of subtle browns in their feathers which you can see better if you click on the image to expand it.

Photo of the Day......Sandhill Cranes

Two Sandhill Cranes taken on February 17, 2008 at 6:22PM PST.  The sun was starting to get low over the Pacific ocean.  You can see shadows being cast across the back of the nearest Crane.  Photo was taken at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary located on the delta of the Fraser River in Delta British Columbia, Canada. 

Photo of the Day.....Patron Ad recreation

I've decided to give up on plan A for now and work on plan B so I would have a photo by the end of the month to meet the deadline.  I feel fairly close on this one.   I need to buy some translucent plastic for the bottom of the photo to get the lighting even and the tone equal from top to bottom.  I need a smaller glass than we have since I don't intend to use the shot glass with gin in it.  I should get plastic ice to match the magazine ad but not going to.  I'll use real ice.  And, on the overall it needs some more illumination.  Finally I'll try the pencil trick to see if i can get the bottle sides to edge out more by drawing a line along each side to create more contrast.  As I approach the right lighting I'll add the green ribbon and the slice of lime in the glass.

Photo of the Day....Maintence Hanger at SGF

Snap taken while driving by a maintenance hanger at the airport. 

Photo of the Day...... Xylocopa virginica

Eastern Carpenter Bee.  They are big!  Only the female stings I've read.  Why does that seem right to me?  Like a Brit once said,  "Why does everything in the States bite, especially the women?"   I decided this ugly "sucka" needed soft focus.   Bumble Bees are beautiful.  Carpenter bees are BUFs like B52s.   Big and slow.

Photo of the Day......Boeing B-17G Liberty Belle

Until I come up with something new I want finish up the Boeing B-17G Liberty Belle photos from Springfield-Branson National Airport.

Test Shot ............

Did some test shots with hard lighting to see how the color would reproduce.  I now know that I can get the color right.  I will need to invest in some soft boxes to get the lighting even and equal all around the glass.   I knew that the lighting was going to be harsh but was concentrating on the gold.  I will also have to shoot at a higher depth of field since the back rim is out of focus.   this is going to be a lighting challange for sure.  I might give it a try in the  the small light box tomorrow to see how that looks.  

I am also getting tired of working with tungsten bulbs.  They get so damn hot, but can I justify getting flash with modeling lights?  I'm not so sure. 

Bonus Photo of the Day..............Winter Blue Jay

I am actually making progress on the next photo assignment, the advertising shot.  I am working out a means to hold the objects in the air in front of the white translucent background.  Which means I will end up buying something.  I've also been studying the lighting through the translucent  background to see which will work best with the objects.  Definitely will need an umbrella or investment in a soft box.  Also seem to be time to get a reflector.  I Hope to have a few test shots before the day is over.

Also making progress on the fashion shot.  Now that I seem to have a model I have been able to select a pose that seems to match her face best.  

Too far down the road to talk about the remaining four projects.

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And, still visiting old photos trying to get them  reorganized so here is another from January of this year

click to enlarge

Photo of the Day.............Red Tailed Hawk

I took this in the back yard on a very cold January day this year.  As I was revisiting these shots I started to wonder what he was thinking while I was down below taking his picture.  I think he was saying.  I have super sharp vision.  I can turn my head 180 degrees and see all around me.  I have a sharp beak and sharp talons, and I can FLY.  What can you do puny human?   I am so jealous.