United States Sailor

Experimenting with flash and close up photography.

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Barn

Barn near Charles City, Iowa

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Cedar Rapids Home SHow

Stained Glass Gallery Exhibit at the Cedar Rapids Home SHow

This is Laura, our daughter-in-and law and proprietor of the Stained Glass Gallery. I frequently see this expression, "Are you taking my picture...again."

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Flags Fly High

My Mother-in-Law gave me a flag pole for one of my birthdays a few years back and I proudly fly the American and Navy Flags. I used to buy the less expensive flags, but the wind would shred them in no time. Last year my Sister-in-Law gave me a quality Navy Flag, and I added a higher quality American Flag and they are "hanging in there" [pun intended].

A Happy Birthday Wish to my youngest daughter Jessica who turns...I won't put the years in as I am certainly not old enough to have a 32 year old youngest child.

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Leading Lines

I'm taking a photography course and the assignment calls for a photograph with "leading lines" where the lines in a photo draw a viewer to the subject - sounds simple until you try and find an example. I drive by here every day and yesterday I "saw" it for the first time...a perfect example of leading lines.
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Then and Now or Old and New

Went on a road trip yesterday and if you take a look at the new header photograph you can see another angle of the windmills that are popping up all over northern Iowa. As I was framing the line of windmills I looked to my left and this is what I saw... the old windmill setting next to the new one.

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Fat Tuesday

We had a Mardi Gras themed pot luck at the church yesterday. It was much tamer than the celebrations that happen in New Orleans. I think we have some "closet" Cajuns in the group because some of the "fixns" were as good as the food served in the finest Southern restaurants.

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Katharine

Granddaughter Katharine in one of her "brief" quiet, pensive moods. It didn't last long - maybe 2, 4, or 5 seconds. She's a busy girl so if you want to take her photo you need to be quick about it. Come to think of it all the grandkids move at that pace - m-m-m - perhaps I move slow...

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Blue Water

I spent a couple of hours yesterday trying to perfect the technique for taking a photograph of a water drop. I've found it difficult to find the right combination of aperture, shutter speed, focus and lighting. This one is the best out of 1,134, 234 exposures (I exaggerate for effect).

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Sturdy Leaves

The trees were covered with frost again yesterday. These two leaves, the last on the tree in my front yard, just continue to hang on. They've stayed put storm after storm, blizzard strength winds, freezing rain and ice, and so many days of frost I've lost count.
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Daniel

Grandson Daniel paid us a visit from Iowa City so I just HAD to take a photo or 12... Daniel's Dad takes A LOT of photos so Daniel is quite comfortable in front of the camera. If you have a moment or 2 you can visit "All Things Daniel" at http://www.flickr.com/photos/spcummings/.
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Hot Peppers

Hot Peppers from the produce section of Target.

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RAH

In one of my past lives I was a printer and had my own print shop. Just as an aside the computer I am typing this on has more capabilities than the 7+ machines I had to generate copy and print.

The letters above are all that remain - I didn't have to set type by hand (gladly), but there was an old set of lead typesetting letters laying around that went with a very old press in the basement of the shop. I sold the shop (minus the R, A and H)...

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Snow On The Roof

Snow on the bird house roof.

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3 Trees

Still winter...

Do I have too?

On a good day I'm not a fan of taking out the garbage, but - when I have to shovel, and then clear the container and THEN take the garbage out I really don't like it. I just heard the "weather lady" say something like 6" to 10" - oh joy - where is SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!! (PS) To my friends on the East Coast there's more coming....
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Candle

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Shopping at Target

Peppers


Purple Flowers


Red Pepper

We went grocery shopping last evening at Target and the colors in the produce isle were just vivid - worthy of a photograph. But, I had a dilemma - no camera. But, wait... my iPhone is also a camera and I have a gazillion (exaggerated for effect) photography apps so I decided to use my iPhone to take some photographs.

I did learn a lesson - when taking photos of produce in the case - every so often a fine watery mist is sprayed over the produce - so, if you are taking a closeup with your head nearly in the case - well, I'll let you imagine what happened. I do believe a few people who were wondering what I was up to to got a laugh...
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Pens

A few of my pens - color and B/W versions.
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Snow Fence

This snow fence has gotten a work out this winter - and from what I hear of the forecast for the next couple of days it will have additional snow to catch.
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Old Cameras

Feeling better - not quite good enough to go anywhere - but, brave enough to venture into eating something besides toast and chicken noodle soup Besides one "toe" picture is quite enough. I went foraging around the house and put this display of photography books and old cameras together.
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Feet

It's taking every bit of strength I have to do this post - have the flu - but, I haven't missed a day since 01-01-2009. My feet taken with my iPhone.

An Angel

I noticed this statutue on a shelf in the church library and almost crawled onto the shelf to get a different angle to take a photo. Now that I think about it I suppose I could have moved the statue without crawling onto the shelf...

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Possum

Watched this possum "waddle" across a partially frozen creek. I guess he didn't know about thin ice - he made it though.
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Full Moon

A gorgeous full moon last night...
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Thermometer

One of those days when I had to find a photographic opportunity around the house. I've never been able to read this glass thermometer. I think you have to add the number on the bottom of each floating bulb, divide by 2 and find the square root - I don't know, but it is pleasant to look at...
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More Stained Glass

There are several separate panels in our church's stained glass display - this is yet another view.
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A Tagger's Canvas

As we sat at a train crossing waiting for a 100+ car freight train to clear the highway, I noticed a lot of "art" on the cars. I have to say some of it was pretty interesting. I can't say I understood all of it - but it was appealing to look at. There was the occasional "f*** the cops" message, but other than those it took some talent to do the work - and I imagine most of it done in the dark. The train companies should just give up and hire the taggers to decorate the cars. It would add jobs to the economy, enhance the look of the boring freight car, and make the wait at the crossings interesting. Just a thought...
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Red Water Drop

I was playing around again with the water drop and chose a red background this time. I think the blue one came out better.


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Shoreline Mississippi

I do not believe that you can go any farther south in Iowa than the shoreline of the Mississippi at Fort Madison. This is a photo of that point.
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Too Many Choices

It was an excellent weekend for taking photographs and I can't decide which one to use - there are too many choices - so, I'll just have to share a couple...


We picked up my Mother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law who were returning from a Trip to California. Just had to take a train picture while we were waiting.


The HWY 34 Bridge going into Illinois. Looks like a big "H".


While I was shooting Eagle Photos this guy popped his head up as to say, "Whatsup?"


This is next to the old Fort Madison and as we were driving by I noticed the Eagles sitting on the ice. Now, what was I to do? I just HAD to stop and shoot some pictures. Although the temperature was 37 degrees there was a stiff wind coming off the river and it felt like 112 below zero. I didn't stay long...
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Coming In for the Kill

We're back in Burlington, Iowa to pick up my sister-in-law and mother-in-law from their train trip out West and of course we had to pay a visit to Lock and Dam #18 - the location where I got my last Eagle picture. It was a bit after noon, foggy, and a bit misty, and the Eagles weren't as plentiful as the last trip - but, there were two!!

There were plenty of gulls fishing but when the Eagles came out and they got out of the way. I took this photograph seconds before his feet hit the water. He came up empty, but it was great fun to watch. I watched, and waited for over an over and got a variety of different photos.

We're staying with our friends the Jones (thanks Tom and Lin) and if you note the time of this post it's early - I hope to perhaps catch a cardinal or two this morning...
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Ice Cave

I didn't notice this at the time I took the photo, but there is a person with a dog under the frozen falls.
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Footbridge

A footbridge at Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN.
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The Frost Continues

The frost just keeps hanging on - word has it that thought that today will bring ice - my least favorite kind of precipitation.
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Frost At Night

A friend called me last night and said that there was frost on her husband's car antenna that would make a good photo. My wife and I drove over and I took some shots - I can say that I agree with her - it made for an interesting photograph.
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Frosty Morning

We had a foggy, foggy night and as a result we have a gorgeous frosty morning.
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Fence

The perspective on this fence caught my eye. It's not a special fence, doesn't really protect anything - just sits there and looks cool - thought I'd share.
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Frozen Falls

Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis, MN


I've taken this picture before, but it was a different time of day, and with another camera. Thought I would pay another visit.
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Water Droplet

I read an article today, I guess now it was yesterday, about water photography and the techniques to use in photographing a water droplet as it hits the water or shortly thereafter. That's one good thing about digital photography is that you can get an immediate response and can adjust your technique and exposure. It took me several attempts and I really only got the one good splash. I'll keep trying and experimenting - but, for my first one it didn't turn out to bad.
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