Snowy Sunrise

A snowy sunrise this morning - a couple of inches on top of a couple of inches on top of ice. The streets are pretty clear, but walking is at times difficult.

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Merry Christmas Aftermath

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.

Filled With Love

Stocking were hung (OK - laid) by the chimney with care. And, Santa filled them with love...

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Nanook of the North

Yesterday we had family traveling from Minnesota, land of ice and snow, and everyone arrived with no travel incidents. The photo is Ania, my oldest granddaughter in her winter hat - I affectionately refer to her as Nanook of the North......

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Waiting Room

Taken with my iPhone and manipulated with the iPhone application PhotoShop Mobile - all while I was waiting in the Exam Room for my turn to be seen by the physician.

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Different Seasons

George Wyth Park in September,,,

Same bench in December...

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Ice

An extremely large chunk of ice hanging off the roof at our church. It was knocked down after I took the picture.

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Chilly Picnic

It would be a bit chilly for a picnic....

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Hope Martin Park

Hope Martin Park in Waterloo.

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Snowy Tunnel Different Look

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Snowy Tunnel

I was driving around yesterday and came across this view - a gorgeous winter tunnel. Winter may be cold - but it does provide some beautiful opportunities for photographs.

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I also caught a glimpse of an eagle - I was driving the wrong type of vehicle to get any closer, so using my 400 mm lens I took this photo of what appears to be a female eagle. I'm still looking for that perfect eagle photo, but this is a start (at least I saw one).

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HDR

I've been experimenting with HDR (High Density Resolution) techniques and I worked on a photograph I took last Memorial Day. After transforming it to HDR I added some color effects - an interesting look.

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Aunt Andrea

Aunt Andrea holding Daniel... I do understand that he doesn't sleep all the time...and exercises his lungs in the middle of the night.

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Baptism

Daniel Mason Cummings was baptized yesterday. Here James is holding Daniel while Katharine anxiously awaits her turn...

17 Days to decide if I am going to do a second year of a daily photo... It's kinda become part of my daily routine. I'm undecided at this point, but I am leaning towards doing a second year.

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POPS Concert

Yesterday afternoon and evening Helen and I sang in a community chorus which performed with the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony. I took this photo with my iPhone of the Harp Players providing background music before the concert started.
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Snow Covered Pine Trees

The view out my back door.
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After the Storm

Our concrete frog was buried during the blizzard... Still smiling though...


I believe he's much happier now that he can see...
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Red

A touch of red...
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Angel In The Snow

Part of our neighbors Christmas display.
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Reflection

If you look closely you can see my reeflection in the ornament.
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Red Ornament

The Christmas Tree is a handy place to take photographs. I don't have to go outside and be cold, plus - I have dozens of choices.
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An Old Film Camera Brought Back to Life

Photo Taken with a crisscross filter

I have recently resurrected an old film camera (Minolta SRT SC-II) that I used in the 70's and 80s. I must say there are differences between then and now... (1) After I shoot a picture I automatically look to the back of the camera for an LCD Screen to see what the picture looks like - oops - not there. (2) I forget, almost every time to advance the film - so, after I frame my picture and set the aperture and shutter speed and I go to release the shutter - I have to stop and advance the film... argh.

The above picture is from the first roll of black and white film shot through that camera in about 20 years. With today's film cameras you can have the camera automatically choose the right settings and the film is advanced (no picture on the back though). Kinda spoils the fun.

When I took the film to be developed I was asked if I wanted them put on a CD - I said yes. The question seemed odd to me - however, it did enable me to cross the divide between film and digital. Now I've got a digital copy I can manipulate - I didn't, but I could have. However, it kinda spoils the creative process and the fun of shooting the film where what you shoot is what you get with no chance to fix the photograph. It seems I took a long way (and a more expensive way) to get a photograph that I could have gotten if I had just taken a photo with my digital camera - I would have had my photograph - quicker and cheaper.

Quicker and cheaper doesn't always trump an activity - it can't replace the enjoyment I got from hearing the "sound" of the shutter going off, the feel of the camera in my hand, figuring out the correct aperture and shutter speed and even the anticipation of waiting for the film to be developed. I won't be doing a lot of shooting with the camera, but I've got to say I think I'll continue to experiment with the it. It's a good way to improve my skills and I get to travel back in time - even if it is just for a few minutes. A roll of color is next... so stay tuned...
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Brown - Another Popular Winter Color

In addition to white - brown is another popular color.
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It's That Time of Year

I guess we've had it good - Dec 3rd and so far no snow - temperatures close to 60 on Wednesday and now snow on Thursday - the unpredictability of weather. I need to find my scrapers, snow brush and see if I can get the snow blower started. Now white will be the color to photograph....
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Railroad Bridge

This is a railroad bridge which runs across the Cedar River in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It's one of my favorite places to take pictures.
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Somebody Had A Bad Day

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Stained Glass Gallery

Our son and daughter-in-law own and operate the Stained Glass Gallery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This is a piece they did for us and the light was hitting it just right yesterday...so...well you know - I had to take a photograph.


Here is another one of their pieces...
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Grandsons

Grandson James holding brandy-new grandson Daniel.
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Looking Through the Christmas Tree

My Grandson James was lying on his back and looking up into the Christmas tree. My first inclination as a Grandpa was to to tell him, "Get out of there before you to tip over the tree." Then I thought - I was a kid once too - so, I managed to get myself (mostly my head) under the tree (with a camera of course) and took a look at the view. Here's the view... it was cool.
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My Mother - A Photographer?

Yellowstone Lake Circa 1948

It's unfortunate that I am just discovering that my mother was quite the photographer. As I go through her albums there are a lot of good photographs. I always knew that my Aunt Mary took and developed her own photos, and I recently discover that my Grandmother Myers did the same thing. As I think back my mother did seem to have a camera in her hands a lot. I don't think she developed her own (I would have remembered that I think). She was great at labeling and dating - something I think I'll try to do better at so that when my kids and grand kids look at my photos 50 years from now they won't say who's that or what's that, or why did he take that picture? - they'll probably say that anyway -


Moon on Yellowstone Lake Circa 1948

Kooking, Karing and Konversation

Kooking, Karing and Konversation - it all happens in our Kitchen - the hub of all the activity...
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Happy Thanksgiving!!

Stuffed and ready to go - I am thankfull for this turkey who gave his life so that we may feast!!
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Grandma's Elves

Grandma's Elf James...


Grandma's Ef Katharine...
Grandma gets a lot of help this time of year as Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near.
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For Rent

It appears that the previous tenants of this nest are looking to rent out their digs while they winter down South...
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USO

"Cigar, cigarette...cigar cigarette?"


In true USO fashion local celebrities were in attendance at the 1st Anniversary celebration of the opening of the Sullivan Brothers Museum. Manning the serving line are KWWL (NBC) local anchorman Ron Steele, and Betty Grable impersonator waving as they noticed I was taking pictures. To Ron's right is a Clark Gable impersonator - I believe his moustache was from an eyebrow pencil. My favorite - the "Cigarette Lady" -

A Night at the Hollywood Canteen

The Liberty Bells as seen on a video feed to a large screen in the lobby of the Grout Museum.


One of the Singers.

We attend an event last night, A Night at the Hollywood Canteen, at the Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. This event was in celebration of the 1st anniversary of the opening of the Sullivan Brothers Veterans Museum. As part of the entertainment a group of performers, The Liberty Bells, came in from New York to put on an USO Show.

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Remaining Color

As we get closer to the snow falling the colors are turning shades of brown. Every once in a while though you can spot a touch of red.
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Combines

You see a lot of these in Iowa this time of year. This is a smaller model - I swear there are some that are so large you could sleep a family of 4 in them.
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Lights

What more can I say? They're lights... Ok, I'll try - we went to a 6th Grade Band Concert at Roosevelt Middle School in Cedar Rapids. The cornerstone was laid in 1921 and the school opened as a Junior High in 1923. It was built in an era when they built school buildings that looked like a school building. The auditorium spanned 2 floors and was equipped with a sound booth and several of these lights. They reminded me of some of my old theatre days so I took the photo. I knew I could say more...
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Cornet Player

Grandson James (the young man in the middle) playing his cornet at his 8th grade concert. The music was good - and, they DID NOT play Twinkle, Twinkle...
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Mother and Son

Daniel with his mother Cheri...
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Interesting Lines

I was sitting in my son's apartment and just happen to notice these shapes and lines and how they just seemed to fit together - so, I took a photograph...
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