pfarrier the photographer

Harmon Family Reunion 2010

2010-09-05T18:20:00.002-04:00

Check out the slide show...

If you want a set of 4 x 6's for all 100 images, e-mail me and let me know.

If you want enlargements, you can either email me or order them directly from:
http://www.photosamericana.photoreflect.com/

Do not try to make prints from the electronic images. The quality is too lousy for doing that.

Church gate / Winchester, KY

2010-03-21T13:16:00.000-04:00

Defused and desatured produces an mystical image. I discovered how to do this digitally while at the Winchester Ball Room and Gallery. I always learn something when I go to town.

Cola Blessings

2010-02-06T09:35:00.000-05:00

A panoramic image of a stucture built in the 1930's and has fallen into disrepair. This building is located about 10 miles northwest of Dayton, Ohio near the corner of Union and Westbrook Roads.
As a teen I had a lawn mowing service and this is where we took my Wheelhorse tractor to be serviced.

Musical break...

2010-02-05T17:01:00.000-05:00

David Nelson Band perform

Natchez Trace "S" Bridge

2010-02-03T09:13:00.001-05:00

I suppose for different reasons than the early road builders in Ohio, the DNR constructed an "S" bridge on the Natchez Trace near the northern head in Tennessee. Regardless of their reason, the bridge does not disrupt the beauty of the winding highway where ancient migrations took place, formed a path for native americans and early white settlers.

1941 Packard One Eighty Model

2009-12-12T01:30:00.000-05:00

Another random photo. This time 1161 came up and it was some work that I was doing for the Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio

Random Photo / Vicksburg, Mississippi

2009-12-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

Vicksburg, Mississippi

A randomly picked photo.

Dayton, Ohio / Fountain at Riverscape

2009-09-06T09:51:00.004-04:00

The fountain at Riverscape in Dayton, Ohio is the reportedly the world's largest river based fountain. It is symmetrically designed with five perimeter towers, equally spaced as if points on a five pointed star, and a center fountain that shoots water straight up. If you want to know more, click here: Riverscape Fountain.

The view is from the arch foot bridge across the Mad River just before it joins the Great Miami River in the background. The small peninsula is the tip of Deed's Point, named after Edward Deeds, an early 20th Century industrial leader and engineer. He was also a co-founder of the historic Engineers Club in Dayton and the first Chief Engineer of the Miami Conservancy District - a flood control governing body of which he played a leading part in its development.

This image was created by stitching three images together. Each was taken in "portrait", 3000 high by 2000 wide. Up close, the fountain is too large to all be seen at once, even with the natural view.

Huffman Prairie Flying Field

2009-08-04T20:53:00.003-04:00

The hue of the one above has been changed and the result is an image that is practically 3 D. Enlarge the photo by double clicking on it then look directly at the Monarch Butterfly - see if it doesn't take on a 3 D quality.

The spider's web has collected morning dew and I've manipulated the image to enhance the image.

Rendering a Photo

2009-07-19T02:29:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a photo just will not come out the way I expect it to - and eventhough this young lady is photogenic, the image I created just was not satisfactory. I did a couple of things to make it something else. These are some things I did.
1. did a little touchup.
2. evened out some skin tones.
3. desaturated and reduced contrast considerbly.
4. cropped the photo and made it landscape instead of portrait
5. increased image size
6. rendered it to similate an oil painting
7. increased the saturation
8. increased the contrast

If you double click on the photo it will enlarge and you will see more of the rendering qualities in a double image.

Thanks, Miss Naomi, for your great patience.

My Father's Eyes

2009-07-11T08:08:00.004-04:00

Sailing down behind the sun,
Waiting for my Prince to come.
Praying for the healing rain
To restore my soul again.
Just a toerag on the run.
How did I get here?
What have I done?
When will all my hopes arise?
How will I know him?
When I look in my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
When I look in my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.

Then the light begins to shine
And I hear those ancient lullabies.
And as I watch this seedling grow,
Feel my heart start to overflow.
Where do I find the words to say?
How do I teach him?
What do we play?
Bit by bit, I've realized
That's when I need them,
That's when I need my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
That's when I need my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.

Then the jagged edge appears
Through the distant clouds of tears.
I'm like a bridge that was washed away;
My foundations were made of clay.
As my soul slides down to die.
How could I lose Him?
What did I try?
Bit by bit, I've realized
That He was here with me;
I looked into my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
I looked into my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.
I looked into my Father's eyes.
My Father's eyes.

Eric Claptan

#'s 9 & 10

2009-07-09T08:28:00.005-04:00

We added two new members to my family over the past week. Our daughter, Jessica and her husband, Kevin have their second child. Our son, Abram and his wife wife Kimberly had their third.

We now have ten grandchilren, 9 of which are under 3 years old.

#9 - 7/1/09
Griffin Oliver Titus DeCamp
8lbs 5oz, 20in

#9 - Ian Alexander Nathaniel Farrier
7/8/09 7lbs 8oz 20in

Random - 0037 / Camp Oty’Okwa in Hocking County, Ohio

2009-07-03T00:59:00.005-04:00

On January 1, 2004, we were visiting friends in Hocking County, Ohio. One of our friends works at Camp Oty' Okwa and she offered us a tour of the property. At the end of the ridge, there are huge boulders with deep crevasses. It appears that ions ago these boulders were one huge rock now broken up - shattered. The tops are all even with one another, and the crevasses go deep. This photo shows a portion of the "maze" that was created between the broken pieces.

Aullwood Audobon and Nature Center

2009-06-30T08:26:00.003-04:00

Here are some images from Aullwood, in Montgomery County, Ohio.

Our vision is an amazing thing. Our sight is an irreducible complexity. Our field of vision has a center, and our mind assesses what we see and tells our eyes to scan and find the irregular and the different.

A photograph has a center as well. That is why usually a more pleasing photo, a more attractive photo does not put the "subject" in the center or divide the photo horizontally and/or vertically in half. A photo needs to have the ability to draw our eyes away from its center and stimulate our minds to want to scan the photo - assessing it, usually from left to right, just as we read words on a page or screen.

Using the rule of thirds - the Golden Ratio

When looking through your viewfinder or your LCD screen, divide the image in thirds vertically and horizontally. Imagine the dividing lines and place the objects of interest at the intersection of those imaginary lines. Put horizontal lines, such as horizons, on the upper or lower line - not across the middle of you photo. Put vertical lines that go from top to bottom on the imaginary 1/3 vertical lines as well. This effectively divides your photo into thirds rather than halves. With this in mind, you will see an improvement in the composition of your photographs.

Kentucky Captured

2009-06-27T21:49:00.002-04:00

How about a break?

Here's someone with a different "eye" and not afraid to get close. She is quite remarkable...

Check the link to Kentucky Captured in my "Links".

Pennsylvania Farm

2009-06-27T07:37:00.005-04:00

This panoramic is three photos stitched together. The lens, a Nikkor 18-200, zoom was set to 50mm focal length to minimize lens distortion and the camera set to manual. Aperture and shutter speed was set and the photos were taken from left to right, overlapping the previous photo by about 1/4. Typically, a tripod should be used to keep the roll angle of the camera level and consistent, but having the far horizon visible, the horizon was aligned with the framing grid in the view finder. No perspective control adjustments were needed and the photo fit flawlessly.

Doorway Columbia Market House

2009-06-26T18:02:00.005-04:00

This was taken in the morning - about 10:00 or so. There are three doors on the front (south) entrance to Columbia Market House in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This is the one closest to the east side - and this is the interior of the door. The light is coming through the window to the left.
This produces an image of shapes. If you were to outline the basic shapes, what would it look like to you?
I find photographic or digital images much more intriguing when I break them down to two dimensional shapes and flip back and forth - to and from 2 and 3 dimensions.

Lighting 101

2009-06-18T08:46:00.004-04:00

A photo taken inside with a window spilling daylight onto the subject is the most pleasing to me of any source of lighting.

Aullwood Road - Fall in Infrared

2009-06-18T02:38:00.003-04:00

DSC_0849 - randomly chosen photo

Bear's Mill - Greenville, Ohio

2009-06-18T02:24:00.001-04:00

Wright B Flyer in A Box

2009-06-14T13:07:00.002-04:00

Random photo dsc_0696 is a documentation photo of a test being performed on the elevator of the new Wright B Flyer.

Grandmmother & Grandchild

2009-06-01T09:12:00.005-04:00

This photo was created on April 8, 2008 and was chosen randomly to appear on this blog. The random number for the day is 0013.

I chose to desaturate the color instead of creating a programmed black & white rendition. Why? Just to be different. Can you tell?

Random - 4903

2009-05-28T22:49:00.002-04:00

Warren County Farm, Kentucky

2009-05-28T22:31:00.002-04:00

Random - 4153

2009-05-25T22:00:00.009-04:00

Buck Creek State Park

New Richmond, Ohio - on the Ohio River

University of Georgia at Athens (UGA Bulldogs)

Women's High Jump during a high school track meet at Piqua High on May 16, 2006.

Random Shot / Memorial Day

2009-05-25T08:08:00.004-04:00

Today's random number between 1 and 9999 inclusive is 9260. Bethany, on November 26, 2006, was the subject of DSC_9260. This is one of the takes that was not chosen for her senior picture.

Mt. Mitchell

2009-05-25T01:34:00.005-04:00

Standing atop Mt. Mitchell on a new raised platform. The mountain peak is the highest in the United States of America east of the Mississippi River with 6682' above sea level. It was 42°F and the wind was fairly stiff. I got cold but it was will worth it.

Note: This mountain is about 4,000 feet above the City of Asheville, NC. The city of Denver is is about the same elevation Mt. Mitchell. The Great Divide in the Rocky Mountains is about 4,000 feet above the City of Denver. You see - the mountains' heights from the base are not that much different.

Little Girl

2009-05-25T01:07:00.006-04:00

A little girl is captured off guard. After she saw this photo she liked it but she was initially intimidated by the large camera and the big ol' man behind it.

I used a wide angle lens (18mm) and a Nikon SB800 flash extends several inches from the center of the lens. The angle of the light is exagerated because of the close proximity of the subject. She was less than 18" away when I pressed the plunger.

Ordination of a Deacon

2009-05-25T00:46:00.005-04:00

It seems that a black and white print fits the purpose best in the case where men and women in leadership positions are acknowledged and awarded for their service. So - staying with that tradition, here are the ordained deacons and elders who were there for the ordination of Mr. Yoder as a deacon on May 23, 2009 near Cambridge, Ohio.

Blue Ridge Parkway

2009-05-25T00:41:00.004-04:00

Scenic route is an understatement.

This image was created from 5 images, each adjacent to the previous, balanced, and then stitched together. The image file can be used to produce a print up to 72 inches in length without losing quality. Enlargements any larger than that would be a more commercial or utility grade, not a fine print. Of course, this is a greatly reduced version of that image file - so don't even try it.

Tulip - Yellow Poplar

2009-05-25T00:35:00.005-04:00

While visiting the grave site of Alvin C. York near Pall Mall, Tennessee, I noticed a tulip tree in full bloom. Perfect.

Blue Ridge Sunset

2009-05-23T04:26:00.005-04:00

This past Tuesday I made an unplanned detour and got on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Asheville, North Carolina - and headed north, looking for a place to pull over and make a few phone calls to friends and family members who lived in the area. Shortly, I was pulling into the visitor center about 10 minutes before closing. After picking up some information which included a pamphlet map just like the one I got for the Natchez Trace Parkway, I talked to a gentleman and he mentioned that they were just at 5,400 feet up on a mountain, less than an hour before.

That was all it took - so headed on up the Parkway. I got more than I bargained for. I ended up atop of Mt. Mitchell, which is the highest peak in the United States east of the Mississippi River. I stayed there a little longer than I should have. It was cold and windy and I got chilled to the bone. I thought would catch the sunset there but I thought there may be a place just as good on the way back. After a quick bite to eat at the restaurant there at the Mt. Mitchell State Park, I ended up where I wanted to be - a clearing and a view point that sets on a ridge.

Sunsets are easy - but if you remember the rule of thirds, they can be a bit more pleasing. Notice that the sun is not centered in the picture. Notice also that the sky only takes up the top third and the near and far mountain ranges take up the lower third. The far mountain range takes the top third, and the near mountain range takes up two thirds. This is not exact, but I've adjusted the cropping to where I like it.

Below is a Google Earth rendering of the same view.

Here's a link to a Google Map...

Pick 4 - 4874

2009-05-16T09:22:00.007-04:00

Two image files answered to the search of 4874. (The number was chosen at http://www.random.org/.) One is of a young lady at a picnic in July of 2006 and the other is an historic building in Chillicothe, Ohio. There is a poetic contrast between the two images with the same file name.

Even from my beginnings in photography in the 1960's as a teen, looking for something to photograph was teaching me to see. It was not only teaching me how to see but also how to feel. It was teaching me to question what I saw and to try different perspectives.

In the case of the photo here of an historic building in Chillicothe, the original file was not properly composed, and appeared to be taken in haste. It was not a very good 2 dimensional representation of the subject. I had to change the roll of the image and remove the color. The color rendition looked dynamic and alive. The building is actually abandoned and looks like it has been waiting a long - long time for restoration. Removing the color makes it look more dramatic more closely resembling the reality.

When I take photos of people at functions, I prefer to catch their natural expressions. When folks know someone is taking their photo they often change. Catching someones most attractive features is difficult. What ever expression is naturally in their eyes is lost when the expression of fear or self-consciousness takes over.

Candace did not know I was taking her picture - and I believe I caught the peaceful look she usually wears. It is part of what makes her so beautiful.

It's like winning the lottery!

2009-05-15T07:32:00.004-04:00

Today's random pick is... 4491

Here is DSC_4491 taken on June 11, 2006.

Aulwood Road

2009-05-12T08:32:00.003-04:00

Upper left - Color
Upper Right - Black & White Vivid
Lower Left - Black & White Infrared
Lower Right - Black & White with Infrared on green and light green, Vivid on darker shades of green.

What do you think?

(This was a random photo of the day.)

DSC_4246

2009-05-10T08:29:00.002-04:00

This is another random photo but I had to do a few things to it to make it more interesting. Yes - believe it or not, it was less interesting than this. That is the chance one takes when picking photos randomly.

If you would like to see the original file, have me tell you what I did and how I did it, let me know.

This Sabbath Morning

2009-05-09T10:05:00.005-04:00

There is a nest a dove made in a maple tree. When I went to check on her this morning, she was sitting on a limb. She appears unafraid as I point the "large eye" of my telephoto lens at her - or perhaps her fear causes her to be still and silent. Regardless, she is a beauty. And her chick waits for her return.

Happy Mothers' Day

Photos DSC_7217

2009-05-08T18:57:00.004-04:00

Chose a random number between 1 and 9999. The RNG chose 7217.

Here's two photos that I kept with that number in the file name.

Random Picture

2009-05-07T21:32:00.005-04:00

I've got to pick a photo to post. How do I do it? Let's make it random.
I've got digital images from 2004 to 2009. First I need to pick a year. How do I randomly pick a year?
I wonder if there is a random number generator? Yes - yes there is at http://www.random.org/. Minimum 4 - for 2004 and max 9 for 2009.
Random generator picked 6 for 2006.
Now I need to pick a month... between 1 and 12 inclusive.
The RNG picked 11.
All my photos are numbered by my camera. The first number for 11/2006 is DSC 8777 and the last number is DSC9388. The RNG picked 8931.
DSC8931 was not saved. But I do have DSC8930 and DSC8933. If we were playing The Price is Right, we would use the number below. So - let's do that.
This photo was taken on November 15, 2006. It is of my new-born granddaughter, Olivia.

That was fun. We'll do this again!

"About me" photo

2009-05-04T11:20:00.006-04:00

Some may find it interesting to note that the photo of me under "about me" was taken by Billy Laymon while I was wearing his hat. It's a great hat. It was after a show in PA and Billy, David Nelson, and Ron Stoner and I were sitting in my motorhome eating dinner and having some wine.

Here's a photo of Billy that I took during that show a few years back.

The Ryman in Nashville

2009-04-30T08:45:00.007-04:00

The Ryman, being not so photogenic, is typically shot from this angle. I used PC on this. Had I stayed with the wide angle shot with all the distortion, the building would look even larger than it is.

What is PC? It is perspective or proportional control. Before digital, it was either done with a PC Lens that would offset the angle of the lens to film plane or it was done in the lab by offsetting the angle of enlarger. Now it can be done on the computer.

It is commonly used by photographers who shoot for architects to give a more realistic representation of the building.

Windows on the north side of the Ryman are a trow back to stained glass windows of the 1950's.

In contrast, here is the new visitor center in Nashville. It appears they were trying very hard to get away from PC even in their design. "Let's build something that changes shape, creates a new reality, with every change of angle."

Sunset on the Tennessee

2009-04-29T05:12:00.002-04:00

A bridge now crosses the Tennessee River where the Colbert Ferry gave rides nearly 200 years ago.

Tobacco Barn

2009-04-27T23:45:00.005-04:00

The shadows on the barn caught my eye. I muted the color somewhat and worked a little with the contrast.

The Natchez Trace Parkway has not been in continual use since it was first changed into a "highway" from what was just a well warn path. It had been replaced by canals, riverboats, railroads and other highways. But, it did have its place in history in the development of the lands and the economy of several peoples. As late as the 1950's, some of this land was privately owned and this particular tobaco barn was new then and on the property of a farmer. Now the Trace is opened from Nashville to Natchez - 444 miles long.

Part of the old trace can be seen just behind the barn and was actually still in use as a graveled lane for a mile or so from this point running northeast. This is one section where the traveler can get off the highway and drive on the old trail, much like it was a couple hundred years ago. I think it is cool - pot holes, ruts, and all.

More stops along the Trace

2009-04-27T22:46:00.006-04:00

I left Clarksville on Sunday around noon, and I wanted to reach Tupelo by the evening. There I would spend the evening and arive in Amory on Monday morning. As I left the Parks family in Clarksville, Mona mentioned how much she liked photographic prints of waterfalls, nature scenes, and wildlife. Because they graciously had me in their home, I had in mind then to search for a print or create a new photograph for them. Now I am very happy to have found one that I think will please them. It will be a vertical panorama of one of the falls I stopped to see that same afternoon.

I traveled straight south following Tennesse State Routes 48, then 46, and then 7 until I found an entrance to the Natchez Trace Parkway near Santa Fe, Tennessee.

Below are a representation of several of the images that I created from scenes along the way. We will have to wait until I get home for me to work with it in photoshop. These are are not tweeked - but I think some may enjoy seeing them.

It is not hard for me to imagine folks traveling through here just 200 years ago. This is old road bed which sunk a little more every time a traveler past through. Paths are created when the soil is compacted by beast, man, or wagon. Here a rut was formed about 7 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. It is a remnant of what once was, not so very long ago.

Five "joe" photos...

2009-04-22T04:40:00.011-04:00

...worth 5,000 words.

Photos to be published in LIMITED PRINTS

2009-04-05T09:47:00.007-04:00

LIMITED PRINTS
by Paul Farrier

Note: If you desire to take advantage of the links, please do so by right clicking on them and selecting "Open in New Tab" or "Open in New Window". That way, you will not be directed away from this site.

I am in the process of selecting some of my best images for publishing in a book. When I select an image I make changes and adjustments to make unique and more interesting. I offer single, one of a kind, prints through my store at http://www.photosamericana.photoreflect.com/. If you like, please visit my store to view others I have selected to be published.

When the book is published, anyone who has purchased a print will be listed in the book as the owner along side the image in the book along with the description.

Here are some that I just added to the collection.

Inspired by some incredible artistic work by John Agnew, I took advantage of a nature walk through a Cypress Swamp that is conveniently located along the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. I also photographed some wildlife while there. You can see those photos from earlier postings to this blog.

This is a panoramic image created by stitching 4 photos together. I would suggest that this be printed to 24 - 30 inches long to get the full effect and still maintain excellent quality.

More cypress knees. I boosted the color and the sharpness of this photo, and did a couple of things with the certain colors to attract the eye.

Also, while in historic Vicksburg, Mississippi, I had just a little time to create some images. Although this building is not typical, it does represent a richness in the culture through some of its architecture. Although the colors in this image were also very attractive - producing a black & white print makes it more dramatic and suitable for framing and hanging on any wall.

I'll be returning to Vicksburg soon and hope to take in more of the sites while conducting business in nearby Jackson, Mississippi.

Paul Farrier © 2009

Vicksburg, Mississippi

2009-04-04T07:18:00.008-04:00

I got a chance to capture a few images while in Vicksburg - but a local got my attention. He wanted to tell me the history of his life in Vicksburg. He said, 'Hey buddy, have you got a dime? Do you have a dime for a cup of coffee?"

"I don't havd a dime, but I've got some time to hear your story."

From my few photos you might think I thought the doors were interesting. Apparenlty, that is the case.

Old Dixie Hwy - 25W

2009-04-04T06:33:00.017-04:00

From Jelico to La Follette

The photo above is a panorama - 4 photos stitched together.

I first traveled this highway in a Olds Cutless in the Spring of 1968 on a trip to Ft. Lauderdale from our home in Dayton. This is the road many took because the highway that now runs the ridge 600 feet above was not yet open for traffic.

Step back and admire your work...

2009-04-03T20:49:00.005-04:00

A panoramic image is not just a photo done in "letter box" - it is more than that.

One could use a wide angle lens but to get this much in there would have to be a lot of distortion. Or, one could get further away from the subject and then crop out the top and the foreground - but that severely limits the size of the print when enlarging. But in order for me to back up on this one, I would have to leave the trail and as I moved back, more trees that were behind me would then be in front of me.

I want to get a wide view and the only way to do that is by taking four photos from left to right with the manual settings on the camera so my aperture and shutter speed stay constant. Lapping each picture by one third over the previous, I can use a photo merge program that will "stitch" the photos together.

Swamps are extremely photogenic. I've never got so many good photos from such a small location. Only about 10 acres of the swamp were accessible. It's located along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.

So - if you want to step back and admire the view - try creating a panorama.

Cypress Swamp

2009-04-02T09:31:00.009-04:00

Shots from the Cypress Swamp along the Natchez Trace.

Natchez Trace

2009-04-02T09:09:00.004-04:00

Here are some shots of the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Old Natchez Trace used until about a 100 years ago.

Natchez Trace Parkway

2009-03-24T07:24:00.005-04:00

While traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway, I stopped to take this panoramic shot. This area is called the Black Belt, because of it's rich, dark soil, left behind by an ancient coral sea.

The parkway is 444 miles long. It is a road created by migratory animals, followed by the first human inhabitants of the land, then by the Spanish, and now by me. It is a parkway that allows no commercial traffic - just motorhomes, cars, vans, and pickup trucks. It has limited access and two lanes. There are no utility poles, no driveways, very few crossroads, and in my 200 mile treck, I passed less than 50 cars during the day. The speed limit is 50 mph, and that's fine because there is a lot of beautiful scenes to see.

2009-03-15T20:50:00.003-04:00

Falls of the Ohio - here's a link

There is a lot of history, natural and human, relating to these falls. Clarksville, Indiana is the first American settlement of the Northwest Territory. The riverbed is made up of a 365 million year old coral reef. That is Louisville, Kentucky in the background. Louisville became a thriving city due to the portage needed to circumvent the falls. In the movie, "How the West Was Won" a family was nearly wiped out when they mistakenly took their raft through the worse part of the Falls of the Ohio.

Weathervane vs. Weather

2009-02-16T06:49:00.006-05:00

It is said that this copper weathervane has not been touched by human hands since installed on one of the roofs of the Dayton Art Institute in 1930.

This is one of the images that will be included in my book Limited Prints / Digital Photography. Other prints can be viewed on line and purchased at photoreflect.

The house on the hill

2008-11-03T22:51:00.003-05:00

This is the hill on which my boyhood home stood. We move from there, I believe, in the Summer of 1964, maybe 1965. I'm not sure.

As a young man I use to describe the hill being 100' above the Stillwater River, it was more like 50, maybe 60 feet at the most.

The two slump rocks at the bottom were actually huge bolders made of fossils cemented together with a limestone. The one on the left actually has a divet in it which was good for a couple of young boys to sit there with cane poles in hand and fish for bluegill.

I did notice that the river is much, much cleaner now than it was when I was a boy. It looks and smells much better. We can thank Richard Nixon for that - he created the EPA.

Wisp Resort Golf

2008-10-23T07:03:00.003-04:00

This is a reduction of a panorama shot taken at the Wisp Resort in McHenry, Maryland.
Size: 5851 x 2068. Contact me if you want a print.

JEF & Family

2008-09-22T09:18:00.004-04:00

Here are some selected photos of their family while at their cottage.

Panoramas at Pine Lakes Lodge

2008-09-10T10:47:00.004-04:00

The valley to the east.

The valley to the west.

The Todd - Keefer Wedding

2008-09-10T08:27:00.005-04:00

I was a guest, not the official photographer, but...

View Album

Get your own

1946 Packard Limo

2008-08-14T08:05:00.005-04:00

While stopping by America's Packard Museum to drop off some photos, we found the timing right to take a couple of the cars out and make some more photographs.

This time I got to drive one - it was a 1946 Packard Clipper - a limo in size. Of all the photos I made, this is one I find most appealing.

The only effects used in this image is to change it to black and white with an infrared type filter. This gave the sky and clouds a little more definition, lightened up the leaves on the tree and put more contrast on the car with the blue sky and white clouds reflecting off the black paint.

Col. Greg Johnson, Astronaut

2008-08-08T06:38:00.006-04:00

Astronaut and Space Shuttle Pilot on mission STS-123, Col. Greg Johnson was a guest at the Engineers Club in Dayton, Ohio. I got to take a few photos of him along with fellow members of the Club. Greg said that the Engineer's Club is "the best club in the universe." I believe him.

Here is pictured with Debbie Desch Anderson (daugter of Joe Desch), Amanda Wright Lane (great grand niece of Orville and Wilber Wright), Harry Siefert (Past club President) and Harry's Grandson.

I usually wouldn't post a posed group shot - but I happen to like this one because it's balanced and I'm not too ashamed of the composition. Even though Greg is in his 'pajamas', my eye falls on the face of the youth, with an expression of "Me too someday!"

Alison

2008-06-28T08:15:00.002-04:00

Sings, dances, acts. Incredible stage presence.

Goddess of Speed

2008-06-28T08:03:00.002-04:00

The sculptured radiator cap became the hood ornament of modern cars. This is from a Packard from the 1930's.

Packard Motor Cars

2008-06-27T23:06:00.002-04:00

Eldean Road Bridge

2008-06-27T22:55:00.002-04:00

Let me tell you something about this bridge. For a covered bridge, it very long. In fact, it's believed to be the longest Long Truss bridge in existance. Long Truss. Long was a man's name who designed the truss system in the bridge. The trusses are not unusually long at all. They just are Long trusses.

Shane & Michelle's daughter rides her bike

2008-06-27T22:47:00.002-04:00

America's Packard Museum

2008-05-18T08:25:00.005-04:00

In Dayton, Ohio which is not known for cars but for Aeronautics, is the Citizen's Motor Car Company which was originally a Packard dealership. It has been for the past couple of decades the home of America's Packard Museum.

I have volunteered to photograph many of the artifacts and contribute to preserve the history of what use to be one of America's finest automobiles.

My father owned Packards. The last one he owned was a 1956 Packard 400, very similar to this 1955 Packard I photographed a few years back.

I have installed a little slide show so you can see some of my favoite photos I've taken at the Museum to the right of the blog. If you double-click on the slide show, it will open up and enlarge. If you would like any prints - please let me know and I'll fix you up.

Whirlpool - Any questions?

2008-04-08T17:11:00.004-04:00

At 32' above normal, the flood waters behind the Englewood Dam (Miami Conservancy District, Ohio) creates the perfect whirlpool. Two 10.5' x 13' conduits suck air and water into a singular giant maelstrom with such force that the earth trembles beneath ones feet.

Englewood Dam in Storage

2008-04-08T08:57:00.003-04:00

Here are two photos taken from nearly the same position. The location is Englewood Reserve, on the North side of Englewood Dam in Western, Ohio.

One shows the flooded area at 32' above normal - the other shows the water receded to it's normal level in the shallow lake that forms behind the low dam.

For more information about the Englewood Dam and other dams in the same system, check out www.miamiconservancy.org. The five dams they created nearly a century ago were high-tech at the time and have prevented many floods in the Dayton, Middletown, and Hamilton areas for many years.

Winter

2008-03-02T08:42:00.003-05:00

Winters in West-Central Ohio are usually dry but this year it seems we've had more opportunities to get out an enjoy the snow.
This photo was taken at the Englewood Reserve upstream from the dam.

Olivia

2007-11-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

Olivia is now just over 1 year old. Will her hair turn red? I think so. Her eyebrows are red and her hair is blonde. She's walking, but doesn't do much talking.

Her mother's hand folded over her chest as she looks into the camera.

Olivia Gabrielle, you are beautiful.

180 MPH

2007-10-07T10:41:00.000-04:00

On our way to Seneca Rocks one morning last week, we stopped on top of this mountain in West Virginia on US 219 to check out these wind driven generators.

The generator sits atop this pole. How high? I don't know. And not much of a breeze forces the these giant propellers to turn. How long are these propellers? 150' from tip to center.

There's not much there in the picture to indicate the relative size and show just how big these things are except for a truck parked near the base.

I've seen propellers like these being shipped westward on I-70, e x t r a l o n g loads on extended trailers. They dwarf the tractor that is pulling the load.

Anyway - standing on top of the mountain with a couple of engineers - they marvel at this creation. Ken Parks, an engineer formerly with GE who is familiar with wind turbines, said the diameter of the spinning blades is approximately 300'. David Barnes, an engineer visiting from England calculated in a matter of a few seconds that the speed of the tips was currently 180 mph. Yes, 300' diameter with a rotation just less than four seconds. That's 180mph +/- tip speed. Then I noticed a low noise that sounded like an aircraft on a quiet night 30,000 + feet up, but the pitch and volume never changed. It was the sound of the blade tips passing through the air.

The digital image has been rendered as if it were taken with infrared film to dramatically darken the deep blue sky and highlight the white wind turbine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine

1964 Ford Fairlane 500

2007-09-03T12:24:00.001-04:00

The simplicity of the American auto in the past is only surpassed by the artistic design, sculptured to reflect the era in which it was created. Craftsmanship incorporated form and function - the definition of sharp curves and angles added strength and durability.

Friends of our just purchased this classic Ford in Wisconsin and stopped by for a visit while driving it home.

What a beautiful car. We took the time to capture it's image in front of two sculptured lions from China. They seem to compliments the auto's beauty.

Focus Photo Club August Winners

2007-08-22T11:09:00.000-04:00

Three out of four of my most recent entries won ribbons at the August Focus Photo Club meeting.
2nd Place - Black & White, open
2nd Place - Color, Theme (food)
3rd Place - Color, open

I'm back

2007-08-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

I'm back in the saddle again...

Hey, I was just down in Chillicothe, Ohio this past Saturday night and Sunday. I wanted to catch a meal there a the smokehouse on Water Street, but we got there after 10:00 PM and the kitchen was closed. (If I owned a place, I would never turn someone down who was looking for food. I might have a very limited menu, but I'd feed them something.)

So we went to Max & Erma's. That's a good restaurant chain that started in the German Village District of Columbus, Ohio back in the early 70's. They became more sophisticated as they grew, keeping pace with the changes and have always served really good food. We had a good time at the one off Bridge Street just north of downtown Chillicothe.

Early, the first day of the week, we got up early and drove back down off of Carlisle Hill and into the First Capitol District of Chillicothe. I toured the area alone as Roxanne stayed in the motorhome and read. I took a number of pictures and I thought you may want to see this one.

This is Ross County Courhouse. My "wide angle" lense is not sufficently side angle to get this picture so I had to take it two shots. The lower half, and the upper half. They are stitched together. When we get the money, and when Roxanne let's me, I'll be purchasing a newer lense, with a "wide angle" that suits a SLR digital.

Focus Photo Club Winners

2007-07-06T07:41:00.000-04:00

Color - Theme (Hair) Honorable Mention

Black & White - Theme (Hair) Honorable Mention

Color - Open (non theme) Extended (can be digitally manipulated) 2nd Place

Camping Outing

2007-07-04T23:35:00.000-04:00

This past weekend my wife and I went camping with some good friends, about 25 of us all together. I think all had a good time but it makes a good time better when you have Yoder, the 'magic' camper with you. Yes - Mr. Yoder has a gift of helping others.
With folks like him, the time is not just spent with friends, time is invested in friends. That is the mark of a true leader.
Even though this was not a photographic expedition, I did take some photos but mostly for private use. A few shots of nature, a shot of the full moon (a blue moon) and an old Chevy pickup truck was the only serious work that I did. I added those to my portfolio just today.
Portfolio - that's a good word. What if I call it an e-portfolio at my website? How would that sound? Would that be better than 'gallery' ?
Tell me what you think, okay?

Fort Boonesboro

2007-06-19T10:04:00.000-04:00

A detour on a return trip from Berea, Kentucky took me to Fort Boonesboro. I saw a short movie, talked to a guy who showed me how they made fire with flint, a charcoal they made from fabric and a little bit of dried grass. It was almost as easy as striking a match. This same young man then demonstrated hatchet throwing. He made that look easy too.

While touring I thought how unfortunate it was that I had not brought my tripod. There were many things of interest to photograph but the strong sunlight makes for deep shadows, and the things in shadows needed a very still camera to properly photograph.

The wood grain of the logs and the color contrast of the milled lumber gave textures and colors that I wanted to capture. A tripod would have given me the advantage. I was only able to photograph a few things with quality. This small burlap bag sitting in the sunlight is intriguing. The color, the contrast, and the texture all seem to make this very attractive to me.

So, what's in the bag?

The Ohio River

2007-06-05T07:26:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks have been extremely busy but I did take a break while driving through Cincinnati to climb Mount Adams and pay a short visit to the Art Museum there. On the way down I stopped to take photos of the Ohio River where it loops north.

I set the camera on full manual, made adjustments, and clicked off seven photos from left to right. The seven photos were stitched together forming this one panoramic scene of the river and Northern Kentucky on the far bank.

The sky was digitally redone to improve the fidelity. Curves in lenses cause slight deviations in light intensity and change the constrasts from middle of each photo to the edge. This had to be corrected because the sky appeared light and dark and light and dark and light again in a very unnatural way. To correct this I chose the lightest part and the darkest part of the sky as my two colors on my palette. Then I selected the sky and created a new layer in the photo. Then I filled in the sky with a fade from the two colors.

And this is the result. The original is printable up to 90" x 20" and maintain quality.

If you want a print, double click on the image.

The Memorial Tournament

2007-05-31T08:13:00.000-04:00

Dublin, Ohio

The second day of practice rounds were on Tuesday, May 29th. Since they allow cameras on practice round days only, this was an opportunity I did not want to miss. I was able to get a few shots of two of the most famous and still living golf personalities, Jack Nicklaus (67) and Arnold Palmer (78) during opening ceremonies.

Mayapples

2007-04-30T08:22:00.000-04:00

I first noticed Mayapples when I was very young and when I see them each spring, it reminds me where I was when I first took notice of them.

Very green, perfect, and there before the leaves on the trees. The first sign that warmer weather was here to stay - for awhile.

The Bride

2007-04-27T00:11:00.000-04:00

I do not seek to shoot weddings. I tell people that I don't care to shoot weddings, but still I've done several over the past twenty five years. This is the bride from my most recent wedding project. She is beautiful and inspired me to get very creative in lighting and angles.

I had to lay on the floor to get this angle. The lighting was supplied mostly by three flash units; two umbrella and a camera mounted flash. We staged photos before the guests arrived to take advantage of natural lighting through the stained glass windows.

Chair by the Red Door

2007-04-11T09:21:00.000-04:00

Now and then, when out on a mission there is something else that is easily missed. While photographing a building across the street, this red door and chair was right behind. I was focused on something big, and yet this very simple but attractive setting was right behind me. I turned around-- click!

I didn't miss this one.

The Castle

2007-04-11T07:48:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite subjects to photograph is the Castle in Urbana, Ohio.

The Castle was Urbana High School at the turn of the 20th Century, and has since been changed to the Junior High and added on to the North. The new High School was added on to the South in the 1950's.

The building is very photogenic from many different angles. Taking advantage of the bare trees in early spring, I thought this angle might be unusual.

Trillium

2007-04-11T07:32:00.000-04:00

We've had some hard freezes since the flowers started blooming. The Trillium, however, are plentiful at Indian Mound Reserve in Green County, Ohio. The reserve is on State Route 42 between Wilberforce and Cedarville.

Early spring hikes are great because there is color but the trees are still bare - allowing a great view of the surroundings. There is life and there is color once again.

Dreams

2007-03-29T21:53:00.000-04:00

I like to dream.

When I go to bed I'm hoping to have some good dreams. Last night I had a pretty cool dream.

I was entering back stage where I expected to meet up with some friends who were about to perform. There, in the midst of my friends, getting into the zone and mentally preparing himself for the performance was Jerry Garcia. Of course I wasn't expecting to see Jerry for obvious reasons, but nevertheless, he was there. I was actally looking for his very close friend, his life long friend, David. Although David and I call each other friends, David and Jerry were FRIENDS for a long time.

David was kind enough to give me a picture of him and Jerry when they were still teenagers. David and I have known each other only for the past six years.

Anyway - Jerry was there, getting ready to play.

Billy Laymon, still recovering from Typhus and wasn't able to perform and Pete Sears wasn't able to make it. So guess who they wanted to play bass? Yep, yours truly. So, I had my '72 Guild and my B15 all set up and ready to go and was going over some of the cords with Barry Sless and Mookie Siegel. I was feeling extremely apprehensive when David finally showed up. We had been waiting for him to arrive before we started.

He asked me what I wanted to start out with, and I said I was feeling queasy so let's start with some 3 chord rock-n-roll to warm up. Jerry said, "Here's something to warm up with." And turned to me so I could see the chords he was playing.

I picked right up on it, and started playing. Sorry, I don't remember the song or if it really was a real song. But there I was folks, a fill in for David Nelson Band with Jerry Garcia, Barry Sless, Mookie Siegel, and a drummer I'd never seen before. Man, I just realized, where's Charlie?

The photo is one I took of David when we were in PA a few years back.

Eldean Road Bridge

2007-03-29T07:50:00.000-04:00

Between Troy and Piqua, Ohio, visible from US 25 (County Road 25A) where it intersects Eldean Road, is the Eldean Road Bridge over the Miami River. Previous photos that I made were just before the renovation. It looked great - it looked old. Now it looks very nice but perhaps lost some of it's historic value.

It is a long bridge and to cross over the timbers in you car is safe, but it sure doesn't feel safe. I also tried out some of my panorama techiques while photographing from the side. Check it out at http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/thumbpage.aspx?e=2661970.

Rike's Parking Garage

2007-03-28T08:25:00.000-04:00

The last remnants of Rike's is being demolished. The department store and the newer parking garage was demo'd a few years ago. This was their parking garage that was built at the corner of Main and Monument Avenues in Dayton, Ohio after the demolitian of Steele High School around 1960. It outlasted Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

Wet Tracks

2007-03-24T09:34:00.000-04:00

It is important to be on the right track AND going the right direction. That is all.

Now - the photo.

This was taken just south of Tipp City, Ohio on obviously a dreary day. I went to Tipp City to work on my Smallvilletonberg project. It started raining so I went in a tavern. You can get a feel for the community as you listen to folks talk about the latest news (which for Tipp isn't too good today), sports, some political figures, and their ideas on human and racial relations.

Then I left and drove south along the old Miami Erie Canal. I turned right on Evanston Road and stopped at the tracks. It stopped raining momentarily so I got out and took a couple of dozen photos.

I tweeked this one with Photoshop. On the color version the grass became just a bit greener, the light-brown buds became a little brighter, and the dark woody bushes were brightened to give a little more detail. Of course, then I changed it to Black & White, brightened it just a tad and treated the contrast the same.

The Todds

2007-03-18T21:48:00.000-04:00

I was given the opportunity and the priviledge of photagraphing this family. Of course, this being a very public blog, I will not get into the personal details. But, each one of us are faced with challenges from time to time and this families challenges has been a great encouragement to others.
What can we suffer that would be so great that would be greater than the lessons we can learn? If our intent is to learn - to grow - to be more than what we are, what is it that we would not be willing to indure?
Gold is refined in fire and diamonds are created under great pressure.

Summer

2007-03-15T21:35:00.000-04:00

When we were children,
especially young children,
summers lasted.
The heat was rarely noticed.
Running in a field, throwing stones in the river,
or wading up a wooded creek flipping rocks and catching salamanders.
We did those things randomly,
spontaneously.
There were no calendars,
no schedules,
no itinerary,
but somehow ever day was filled with activity -
and everyday moved slowly
allowing us to fit in enumerable accomplishments.
Now I'm told,
if I want to play golf,
I cannot do it spontaneously,
I have to play it on purpose
scheduled at least a week in advance.
Recreation is best if it is on an itinerary
with multiple other commitments.
It must be rationed
and redeemed
with regularity -
part of a strict regimen.
That's what I'm told.
We looked forward to summers
when we were young,
didn't we?
I'm looking forward to summer again.
I want to watch the children play.
See if I can learn something.

Smallvilletonburg, Ohio

2007-03-12T08:29:00.000-04:00

The concept of capturing typical small town, Ohio and then creating something interesting and hopefully funny is changing. Rather than that, I think it's best to capture the beauty that small towns have to offer, and show it in a real (digitally untouched) way.

So, I will not photograph and show what I intended at the Smallvilletonburg, Ohio blog. Like this historically beautiful but artistically ugly monument in Pleasant Hill will not be shown. It's not that the actual statue is ugly, it's more the way it is presented. The base has these ugly black and white traffic warning stripes because it sets in the middle of an intersection. The base is too small but if it were any bigger, trucks wouldn't be able to get around it. No matter how you look at the statue, it has big utility lines cutting across and distracting from it's view.

The statue has been victim to many pranks. So it's been painted to look like molded plastic rather than bronze or copper, whatever it really is.

Perhaps they should form a new foundation on one of the corners, put a little park around it and give it the respect it deserves.

It was this picture that changed my mind about what Smallvilletonburg, Ohio should be. And this is not it.

Englewood, Ohio

2007-03-12T08:19:00.000-04:00

Englewood, Ohio has been in my viewfinder several times in the past year and likely will continue. During the several months, the focus will be on people in Englewood as I develop into capturing lifestyles. I've always found people to be most interesting to photograph.

My objective is to present my collection to the Englewood Arts Council when I have sufficient to show.

Cox Arboretum

2007-03-09T10:23:00.000-05:00

I submitted several photos to Cox Arboretum for use as the cover on next winter's quartely. This is one of them.

Panorama!

2007-03-07T23:02:00.000-05:00

When I say it, "PANORAMA", I think I should say as if making an announcement. Saying it a little louder, and little more distinct every time I say it; with a rhythm and each syllable getting equal time. One can put the accent on any syllable and will get the same result. We've got a big, WIDE picture.
*

*
When a 3000 pixel wide picture just can’t do the trick, why not take several, starting from the left and moving to the right? When I first started doing that I found out that my metering changes just a bit with each shot, the light changes and the camera adjusts. That didn’t work out too well when I tried to stitch the pictures together. So, what I did was switch over to manual settings on the camera, found the right exposure, and then started to left, then moving to the right, each time overlapping from one picture to the next by about 1/3rd.
*
Then I let Photoshop do the rest. It stitches and blends and does things I didn't think was possible. It takes several pictures and blends them into one, homogeneous blend of color, form, and light without a hint of where they were stitch. Coooool.
*
I also had to learn that on wide angle, the blending isn’t too cool. What happens is the light at the edges gets a hint darker and then it still shows up in blending. So, it’s better to take five shots at 55mm then three shots at 28mm. Going from left to right – click, click, click, click, and then click. Rather than click, click, and click and cover the same area.
*
Now my little Nikon has a PANORAMA mode. It shows exactly where to overlap from the previous picture to get the best stitching. That’s cool. But I haven’t fooled enough with it to tell if it holds the metering from the first shot. I’ll have to check that out.
*
This picture is from the top of the mountain in the Smoky Mountain National Park above Gatlinburg on US Route 441 and it was taken with my Daddy Nikon. I could have posted a wider one, but then when you go wide you don’t get very high when I’m posting such a small image. These images are HUGE. They can print out at least to 60 inches wide and still maintain a fairly good quality – at least National Geographic grade.
*
With that, let me just say, one more time. “PANORAMA!”

Frozen from Top to Bottom

2007-03-06T06:57:00.000-05:00

Flashback - January 2003

Perhaps the temperatures and weather conditions were right this year - I don't know. But I think it got cold enough for a long enough period to create the conditions we had here at the beginning of 2003. No matter - when it got warm enough to make the trek, the forecast called for windy conditions and I didn't want to put up with the windchill. The right temperatures are between 25 and 30 degrees.

A winter hike is best just below freezing so the gigantic icycles are not breaking and falling to their death, and perhaps anyone else's who is standing below.

These pictures are taken in Hocking County in a location that is private and is not to be plublished.

Although the falls in the public area can be very nice when frozen from top to bottom, I believe these are spectacular. Someday I hope to get

back there when the conditions are right.

The photo here were taken back in 2003 with a more simple digital camera, of the Olympus variety - which did a good job for what it was and the technoligy availabe at that time.

See the little people next to the huge frozen waterfall. I used those because they give it perspective.

Contentment & Happiness

2007-03-05T16:17:00.000-05:00

I am just getting around to going through some photos that I took a couple of weekends ago in Camridge, Ohio. This is one of the photos that I made at a square dance on Saturday night. These are the faces of contentment and happiness. I saw a lot of that there, but these sisters reflected it most.

I made the photo black & white and darkened the background a bit. Black and white adds to what the photo is communicating - simplicity.

Above all things I like to capture , it is the simple Amerciana Lifestyle. It is this image that makes me realize it.

Won 3rd in Competition

2007-03-02T09:32:00.001-05:00

On Thursday evening, March 1 - The photo of the Lower Falls at Old Man's Cave won 3rd Place in Black & White Theme (water) competition. Three other photos won honorable mentions, including Black & White Open, Color Print Theme, and Color Open.

I was told I was the first to have won four ribbons in their first competition.

One of the things that I believe makes the photo more interesting is how the long exposure shows how the ribbon of water is flipped over at a turn in its path.

The prints were 10 x 15 matted out to 16 x 20.

Rapid Global Warming?

2007-02-28T16:50:00.000-05:00

After reviewing climatological data provided by NOAA scientists, there is irrefutable evidence that we are on a collision course with rapid and severe global warming!

You may have wondered why the sudden rise in temperature here of late? Temperatures have been below freezing for several weeks now and the snow has accumulated in many parts of the northern United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. This sudden rise in temperatures is expected to climb higher. It has risen 22 degrees just since this morning! The scientist say that we can expect temperatures to climb another 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit by summer.

What does this mean?

The first thing we expect to happen is the snow will melt. There's nothing we can do about it. But the ice on the lakes is going to melt too. Let this be a warning to those ice fishing to get their shanties and vehicles off the ice. If this warning is ignored, literally thousands of sportsmen and sportswomen will be lost and property damages could reach into the billions!

As the temperatures climb, people are going to have to adjust. They won't be able to wear their thermal underwear and heavy coats, hats, and gloves when they venture outside. It will be too dangerous. If people do not wear less clothing, we could expect millions to suffer and die from heat stroke. Some suggest drinking cold beverages instead of hot will relieve some discomfort caused by higher temperatures. There appears to be a general consensus from scientist that temperatures in the upper 70's to low 90's could have catastrophic results if people do not heed the warnings and make all necessary adjustments.

Dr. Algore Chicenlitel, from Havad University says that high carbon emissions from heating fuel and industry have caused a greenhouse effect. He has rallied world leaders, most from the pourer nations that do not have air conditioning and some wealthier nations whose customs do not include frequent bathing. These nations are at extreme risk not just from the heat but from the odor as well. Dr. Chicenlitel leads the charge against worlds largest producers of CO2. However, some large producers are at a severe disadvantage economically and therefore should be excused.

But not all scientists agree. Some say we should not be alarmed by this warming trend. Some say that nature has contributed to this climate change. They cite the defoliation of the northern hemisphere's deciduous trees last fall. Without their leaves, they are not breaking down the CO2 in to Carbon and Oxygen. Without this process (photosynthesis), the excessive CO2 in the atmosphere is building up and that is the major contributor to the greenhouse effect and the rising temperatures. The cure for this is to cut down the deciduous trees and plant evergreens but this process is much too slow.

However, there are a few scientist who disagree entirely. Of course these scientist are quacks and should be ignored. They say that this is a natural cycle.

They suggest the earth has gone through heating and cooling cycles many times in the past and there is not much mankind can do to stop it, to speed it up or slow it down in the future. They blame it on the sun. This is what they claim. "The earth rotates on a tilted axis and the northern hemisphere has been pointed away from the sun. As the earth orbits the sun, the northern hemisphere will actually be pointed more toward the sun, providing more direct solar and UV radiation. The increase in direct radiation will cause temperatures to climb. They believe this is what has caused it in the past and is the most likely cause in the future. Dr. Algore Chicenlitel claims this is incredible deceipt! "We all know that the sun is billions of miles away from the earth and in between is the void of space. No way could heat travel that far in cold space. Anybody who believes differently is just stupid." says Chicenlitel.

But be assured that political leaders from around the world will follow the wise council of over 2500 scientist and put this information to their political use. These forward thinking leaders will use their power to divert $578 trillion dollars to come up with and implement plans to bring an end to the crisis. The first $150 trillion will go to the committees to come up with the perfect global temperature. Then $250 trillion will be spent on the process of evaluation, developement, and production of the global thermostat and where to put it. Then another $900 trillion will be spent on entitlements to those people who were put out of work in the process of shutting down industries in capitalist countries. Sure that's over the $578 trillion estimated, but now we've calculated the expected budget overruns.

Meanwhile, things that were important before will just have to wait until this crisis is solved. Funding for AIDS research and treatment will have to be diverted. Health care for children and poverty stricken nations will have to wait. The vast majority of Iraqui's will have to be left to butchering Islamic Fascist Warlords as the US and Allied forces are prematurely pullout of the region for lack of funding. The hungry and starving around the world may have to be sacrificed while we focus on saving our ski slopes. And, I hate to be the one with bad news, but Main Street in downtown Dayton will no doubt have to go another year without repairs.

WE MUST FACE THE PROBLEM BRAVELY. Do NOT ignore it. We are in for a long and hot summer.

If you think this is not serious, here is positive proof. I took this photograph of the melting snow in my front yard just today!

THINK ABOUT IT! Then call your congressman today!

Is photography art?

2007-02-28T09:57:00.000-05:00

art: the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

Modern Language Association (MLA):
"art." Dictionary.com
Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 28 Feb. 2007. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/art.

I believe it fits the definition.

Unlike a painter, the photographer has to deal with what is there. A painter gets to create a "reality" whereas the photographer has to deal with reality.

It's more of a skill in "seeing" than it is with "imagining".

A photographer has to know what is visually interesting and then capture it. Timing, lighting, color, contrast, composition, and working within the limitations of his/her equipment makes creating an appealing two-dimensional image difficult.

Perhaps photography is not a fine art, but some who read this may reconsider just how much of an "art" it may really be.