Photo of the day...........James River Flooding

View of the James River flooding from the bluff overlooking the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery.  It was raining very hard at the time and both me and the camera were getting pretty water logged.  It's amazing how well a garbage bag can protect a camera.  Put it in the bag.  Punch out a hole for the lens and shoot.  

Click on the image to enlarge

 

Video of the Day.......Hydraulic Jump and Debris

This is a short rough video taken below the Lake Springfield Dam about an hour ago.  Towards the end you can see the hydraulic jump line reaching from shore to shore parallel to the damn.  Watch the trees being tossed about in the turbulant water.  Water is powerful. 

Photo of the Day......Thunderstorm Outbreak of April 23, 2011

I realize that I should be talking about storm images from Saturday April 23rd even though the storms started Friday afternoon and are, more or less still going on two days later.  This second lightning photo was taken during the same storm passing to the north of my location.  This time I burrowed a bit deeper into the storm to capture this cloud to cloud  stroke.  This image was captured at 6:51:30 PM.

 Click on image to enlarge

 Camera: Canon 40D  Lens: Canon EF24-70 f/2.8 USM  Processor: Photoshop CS5

Photo of the Day......Thunderstorm Outbreak of April 22, 2011

At about 6:37 PM another storm slipped to the north of my location with a good amount of cloud to cloud lightning.  I was able to capture a few strokes.  During this storm passage there was light rain falling and a lot of humidity misting around so sharpness is lacking.  With the time being closer to sunset and the sun setting off to the left, in the photo, created some interesting colors and seemed to create a dilemma regarding brightness, contrast and photo detail integrity. 

Click image to enlarge

 Camera: Canon 40D  Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 USM   Processor: Adobe CS5

Photo of the Day......Thunderstorm Outbreak of April 22, 2011

Mammatus clouds over Springfield, MO at 5:15 PM.  These are the only Mammatus clouds I saw last night.  

Click on image to enlarge

 Camera: Canon 40D  Lens: Canon EF24-70 f/2,8 USM   Processor: Photoshop CS5

Photo of the Day......Thunderstorm Outbreak of April 22, 2011

I wasn't able to travel far from home base last night but I tried to capture some storm moments.  The main imaging issues were trees and humidity.  Being close to a storm at each imaging attempt there was high humidity which impacted the clarity of the images.  I will post the best I have over the next few days starting with a Cumulus buildup occurring to the east of my location in SE Springfield at 2:40 PM 

                                            Click image to enlarge

 Camera: Canon 40D   Lens: Canon EF24-70 f/2.8 USM  Processor: CS5

Photo of the Day......I think its been raining

Photo of Lake Springfield dam taken April 15, 2011 at 5:41 CDT. 

Camera: Canon D10   Process: Picassa

Photo of the Day........Deep Cove British Columbia Canada

From the archives.  A photo of Deep Cove British Columbia Canada taken on A foggy Feb. 10, 2008 at 5-PM local time. 

Photo of the Day.................Happy Birthday

This month these four little furry stinkers turn four years old.  From left to right they are:  Willow McBitey Longshanks, Goosafur "Goose" Longshanks, Rooster Longshanks, and Rowan Longshanks. 

No Photo of the Day....................Last Day???

The old saying "Out of sight. Out of Mind" rings so very true for the internet.  Especially for blogging and tweeting.  

I have my photography computer back up and running.  I had to reload the operating system.  Reload all the application software.  Reload all my working photos and then reload a new anti-virus.  The McAfee would never reload so I installed Norton 360, and on first glance the Norton Anti-virus is very impressive.  Did I say that since I could not find the wireless adapter driver anywhere I installed a new adapter?     

Everything is up and running beautifully except for Flash Player so I still have video issues. I think I am on the verge of solving that issue too. 

For you who are actually reading this blog here is a wonderful video created by taking a photo approximately every 2 miles on a flight from San Francisco to Paris using a Canon EOS 5D Mark-2 camera 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j36Erxd5rc

Photo of the Day........Winter Sunset over Lake Springfield

I took this photo on the evening of Feb. 21, 2011.   Shows why the term "Golden Hour" rings so true.

Camera: Canon D10     Process:Picassa

BONUS PHOTO OF THE DAY....I KNOWS YOUR HOLDING OUT ON ME

He seems to think I have food and insists that I have some for him. 

Camera: Canon D10   Process:Picassa

Photo of the Day........Duck Tailed Drake

While on my evening walk I made friends with a couple Drakes.  I know that look when I see it.  That "You got noms?! look.  That feed me now look.  Sorry no food for you.  You got plenty all around you.  Don't be a mooch.  No matter how cute you are your not getting any food from me. 

Camera:Canon D10  Processor:Picassa

NO PHOTO OF THE DAY............ALMOST BACK UP AND RUNNING

Since letting McAfee attempt to repair their software on my computer I have had to reinstall the operating system.  I fixed everything but none of the wireless adapter drivers I have installed will work.  Fortunately everything else is working and all my files are intact.  I'll get the wireless running......there are ways to make things work. 

During the down time I've been wondering what this blog should really be about, and honestly I am not at all sure what that should be.  Maybe it should continue to be about nothing.  Just whatever photo or occasional video that interests me that day.  Maybe it should be about photography or a specific photographic subject.  I am tending towards leaving it as eclectic as it can be and posting whatever tickles my fancy.  Isn't that essentially what blogging is about?  Talking to anyone who will listen, even if it is just the wind, about whatever is on your mind no matter if anyone cares or not?  According to Dictionary.com a "blog" is:

a web site containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other Web sites.

Sounds like a good enough definition to me.  Narcissistic? Certainly!  At least I am not posting photos of myself.

NO PHOTO OF THE DAY

Sometimes I hate computers.  Had a lightning strike and power surge a few days ago.  The computer and software survived just fine except for McAfee.  It went insane.  Can't fix it.  Spent hours on phone with McAfee tech. support.  Finally let them fix it remotely.  They said I can now reboot and and reinstall.  So I did.  BLUE SCREEN!!!  I have to reload Windows now.  Last time I let someone else touch my computer.  Three computers on the network and  McAfee went insane on all three at the same time.  Oh well at least I am getting some shooting done. 

VIDEO OF THE DAY...LITTLE BLACK DUCKS BOBBING ON THE BIG BLUE SEA

Well they are not ducks and this is not the big blue sea, so how about some Coots bobbing on a Midwest Lake?  Do they get sea sick?  I wonder how furiously their little legs are paddling against the wind. 

PHOTO OF THE DAY.................STIRRING UP MUCK

Photo taken yesterday while on my evening walk of a Canadian Goose stirring up the muck from the bottom of the lake. 

CAMERA: CANON D10 - SETTINGS:AUTO - PROCESS: PICASSA 

PHOTO OF THE DAY......INDUSTRIAL SUN

Industrial sunset. 

Camera: Canon D10  Processor: Photoshop CS5 

PHOTO OF THE DAY........SILO SUNSET

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone.  I am sorry I am unable to offer up something green and Celtic for you.  Unfortunately my day is occupied by things unartistic.  So I am offering up a sunset from last month. 

CANON D10 PROCESSED IN PICASSA

PHOTO OF THE DAY........SUNSET OVER ENGLISH BAY

Sunset over English Bay Vancouver British Columbia.  Taken back on March 25, 2002

OLYMPUS D40Z AUTOMATIC

BONUS PHOTO.........HOW DID I KNOW THAT?

How did I know that was a Yellow Rumped Warbler?  That looks like a mighty yellow rump to me.

PHOTO OF THE DAY........YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER

This is a Yellow Rumped Warbler. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology it is a very common bird in the Ozarks during winter, but is not a bird feeder visitor.  Being winter, it is wearing it's drab winter feathers. The photo was taken on Jan. 30, 2011, a very gray day. It was taken through a window so quality is not very good but my goal was to record it. Hopefully I will get another opportunity to take a portrait of this tiny little cutie under better conditions. I have added a link to the Cornell Lab Website so you can hear it's song. Watch your volume it can be an ear piercing melody.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/sounds

 

CANON EOS 40D w/ EF 7-200 f/2.8 IS USM

PHOTO OF THE DAY.............MORALITY SIGNS

A Not so hidden message.  100 'Get out of Hell Free' Points for anyone who guesses where these signs are located.  Locals ineligible to play.

PHOTO OF THE DAY........AIRCRAFT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE

It has been sometime since I have driven down the flight line and there was a Saab 340 parked on the ramp with US Air Force markings.  By the look of it, it seems to be a coastal or maritime surveillance aircraft.   It sure has a lot of "things" hanging off of it and two bug eyes in the nose. 

CANON D10

PHOTO OF THE DAY........MELTING ICE

CANON EOS 40D with CANON EF-60MM F/2.8 MACRO USM  

PHOTO OF THE DAY......BROTHERLY LOVE

Would you believe as I write this these two brothers are beating the snot out of each other behind my chair.  "Don't you love your brother?  Nah but I'm used to him"   Chico Marx.  The grey guy is Goosafur 'Goose' Longshanks.  His brother is Rooster Longshanks.

Photo of the Day........Ice fog over Lake Springfield

Yea it's called Lake Springfield or Springfield Lake.  Yea it's a man made lake.  Yea it sounds like something out of the Simpsons, and if you're thinking that, trust me, you wouldn't be far from wrong.  But, when I see Lake Springfield I don't always see Lake Springfield.

BONUS PHOTO OF THE DAY ............SHUTTLE LAUNCH

I decided to post a second photo from the launch.  I enlarged one of the photos I took as large as I could because I had thought I noticed the condensation forming around the nose of the shuttle and solid rocket booster from reaching trans-sonic speed.  The image is small and grainy but I think you can see the shock waves forming.

PHOTO OF THE DAY......................SHUTTLE LAUNCH

In honor of the final flight of Discover OV-103 I am posting a scan of a print of a photo I took back on May 4, 1989 of Atlantis OV-104.  While witnessing my one and only space shuttle launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Amazingly not many people were there.  Maybe because the shuttle launches had become pretty routine by then.  Maybe because it was  a Thursday.   Maybe because it was in the spring.  I was fortunate enough to be travelling from Miami to Jacksonville and stopped in to visit my college roommate who worked at KSC.  I rode a bus to the edge of the water opposite the launch pad.  I had to be using my EOS Elan and EF 100-300  4.5-5.6 lens.  At 300mm of course.  I took a lot of photos but have only scanned in three.  I don't remember what film I used.  I'd have to look into the archives to find the film.  So here is an old photo of Atlantis.  Remind me to tell the story of watching an Air Force satellite launch when they launched the rocket into the middle of a thunderstorm and had to blow it up.  Never saw a thing. Just a very loud roar and then KA-BOOM!!  I think I have a few photos of that event archived.

PHOTO OF THE DAY...............BUMPER STICKERS

Most of the bumper stickers I have captured have come in from right field so what a thrill to find a set of stickers from left field for a change.  As always click on the pic to get a better view.

Taken with Canon D10

PHOTO OF THE DAY..................GEESE ON THE FROZEN LAKE

Geese on a partially frozen lake.  Taken on Jan. 20, 2011 at 3:25PM 

EOS 40D F/9.0 1/200 ISO-100 EF70-200 F/2.8 IS USM 

VIDEO OF THE DAY....................................BIRD, ANGEL OR FRACTUS

Yes, a video.  For those of you who are spiritual you might say it's an angel descended from heaven.  For you imaginitive romantics a white dove of peace.  For me its a stationary Fractus cloud formed below the wind shear level under fast moving Altostratus clouds associated with a warm moist fast moving airmass from the Southwest.    But, ..."I've seen clouds from both sides.......I really don't know clouds at all." 

PHOTO OF THE DAY............................REMINDER TO SELF

A reminder to self.  Next time I complain about how cold it is remember this! 

PHOTO OF THE DAY..........LAST OF THE AERIAL SUNSET SERIES

This is the last of the American Airlines Boeing 757 from Vancouver to Dallas sunset photos from 37,000 feet  series taken back on November 24, 2010.  This last photo attempts to capture the magenta glow within the cabin. 

                 Shot with Canon D10.  Processed with Adobe CS5

PHOTO OF THE DAY........AERIAL SUNSET OVER THE WESTERN ROCKIES

I think it is time to spruce up the blog. Give it a new look and maybe a bit more boldness. If you feel the blog has gotten stale I agree. Like the snow melting outside my door it is time to melt off the winter blog blahs.



Today's photo was taken back in November from the cabin of an American 757 over the western rockies at sunset. The same time other sunset photos I have posted were taken. I wanted to emphasis the shadowing, colors and contrasts of the setting sun across the mountain peaks and valleys. Showing how late sun can bring out contrasts and details through shadowing.

    Canon D10.  Processed with Adobe CS5

PHOTO OF THE DAY.........................TRAM CAR TO WHERE?

The goal here was to emphasis the sky car by more than just centering it within the frame. With very little supporting information to place it in relation to the mountain I simplified the shot by drawing your attention to the tram by removing any reference to it's supporting towers.  I de-saturated the snow covered mountain by minimizing what little color there was and I saturated the tram car red exterior. What else could I have done? I could have removed the cables completely and suspended the car in space. I might try that next.

            Shot with Canon D10.  Processed with Photoshop CS5

Photo of the Day...................Another Beautiful Day in the Ozarks

Can you just feel the cynicism in my title?  Another beautiful day indeed.  More snow and more cold (16F/-9C)  More shades of gray. 

Snapped through the windshield using the Canon D10 and quick processed in Picassa.

PHOTO OF THE DAY..........................WILL THIS SNOW EVER GO AWAY?!

The  art of photography is to find beauty where there seems to be none.  When your days are all gray over gray where do you find the beauty?!  The snow has come and and now the snow remains.  The hazy grayish winter skies and the grayish winter snow obscures the horizon and as the days pass by the two become one and landscape becomes 18% gray broken only by darker stark shades of gray.  Boring at it's best.  Depressing at it's worse.   But, I'' keep looking.

   

PHOTO OF THE DAY...................ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE OZARKS

It took a long time to get home last night.  Rush-hour snow slowed the Queen City to a crawl.  The bad news?  It took me an hour and half to get home.  The good news?  I drive a Prius. I think I used a 1/4 cup of gas.   

 

BONUS PHOTO............................THE ENCHANTED ICE FOREST

BONUS PHOTO ......................... FAIRY ICE PALACE COURTYARD

I know it is a big stretch to turn a  power plant into a fairy palace but its all I have to work with now.  But, being snow bound for all these days and now seeing more snow falling might be turning my brain into an ice palace of silliness. 

Photo of the Day.............The Ice Palace

The ice palace itself in all it's glory.  Well the coal fired power plant trying to be a fairy ice palace.

BONUS PHOTO OF THE DAY...........THROUGH THE ICE PALACE GATE

Entering the bridge over the lake dam.  The entrance gate to the ice palace.  As the first, photo this was taken with a Canon D10 and processed in Picassa.

PHOTO OF THE DAY..........ENTERING THE ICE PALACE

It's another very cold day in the Ozarks.  With a morning low temperature of
-4F/-20C.   I am entering the Lake Springfield ice palace that surrounds the dam and power plant on cold mornings.

Photo of the Day.........Sunset over the Pacific Ocean and San Juan Islands

I took this photo on an American Airlines Boeing 757 climbing out of Vancouver British Columbia enroute to Dallas, TX.  Using the Canon D10.  I tried to capture the sunset over the ocean.  I intend to post different variations on this photograph to see how the look can be changed and still retain the drama of the sunset.  I recommend clicking on the photo to view it in it's larger size and observe the textures of the sun reflecting off the rippling, swirling waters. 

Photo of the Day..........Snow Sisyphus

Like Sisyphus rolling the rock up hill this snow shoveller is not going to reach his goal with the snow coming down faster than he can shovel it.  I wondered what pentance was he paying.  How foul was his deed?  I had to assume, like Sisyphus he too violated the laws of hospitality and was forced to shovel the lodge balcony in a snow storm by the Zeus of Grouse Mountain. 

Photo of the Day........Rockie Mountain Sunset from 39,000 feet

Photo taken from the passenger seat of an American Boeing 757 somewhere over the rockies at 39,000 feet.  Using the Canon D10

Photo of the Day..........Grouse Mountian Sun through Snow Fog

Taken back in November on Grouse Mountain British Columbia Canada

THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Check this link to a short article on photo journalist Charles Moore with a couple of his photos. 

http://jpgmag.com/news/2011/01/charles-moore-i-fight-with-my-camera.html

Photo of the Day..........Ice Fog

I took this snapshot while driving over the dam on Lake Springfield.  The powerplant discharges warm water into the lake that flows over the damn warm and that puts out mist that freezes quickly when it is cold leaving ice on the trees. 

Photo of the Day.........................................Fun in the Park

PHOTO OF THE DAY..........COLD MORNING AT THE DAM

I took a quick photo of the spillway this morning while driving to work with the temperature reading 9 degrees Farenheit, -18 Celsius.  Had to be a quick shot it was SO COLD!

BONUS PHOTO OF THE DAY..........OZARKS SUNSET

A silhouetted sunset taken with the D10 November 11, 2010.

Photo of the Day...........Depth of Field Study

I took this photo by hand in the late afternoon of a very bright afternoon at hyper-focus.  Even with all the light I should have shot this from a tripod.  I can see where the image gets a bit fuzzy. 

Photo of the Day......................................Winter Dusk

Seems the only time I get to shoot is during my evening walk.  Today I was late arriving at the trail so had less sunlight.  I am so looking forward to the days getting longer and gaining more time in the evenings.  Still a winter setting sun can set the most drab winter scene aglow.

Photo of the Day..........Winter Sunset over Lake Springfield

I have become frustrated with my work the past month.  Boring seems to be the right word to describe the results.  I have a number of projects to complete in January so I am hopeful that will stir up the creativity. 

Today it is a sunset taken with the Canon PS D10 on full automatic. 

Photo of the Day..................Expensive Toys

First of all please allow me to apologize for the lack of posts during the month of December.  I fell off the photo Hay Wagon and I am finally getting back on.

I titled this photo "Expensive Toys".  Please note that none of these "toys" are mine.  I've "played" with each toy except the motorcycle.  I've sworn off bikes.