May 18, 2015 | Landscape Photography
Spent the last few days in the Great Smokies looking for the story “Great Smokies.” Summing up such a gorgeous locale as this in just a photo or even a series of photos was a challenge for me especially going after just the “smoke” aspect. To this story, I offer up these from our first morning.
I’ve not spent nearly as much time as I would like exploring The Smokies. It’s got lots of mysteries within its borders and lush forests. I’m fortunate to know a couple of cool locales for sunrise, this being one of them. The ground fog which forms easily here is of course the subject and what we chase. It comes and goes so quickly while defining the story. Capturing it just right, that’s the trick!
Shooting the Df / 24-70AFS, I jumped from spot to spot as the fog would dance about the field. I love this kind of action where no matter how fast you click the shutter, each image is different. While these are a good representation of the morning, I don’t think they are for The Smokies.
May 13, 2015 | Photography
Once the practice flight was over, the activity just increased. This was / is all about the WWII vets and they were as they should be, treated like celebrities! The over 120 news agencies present talked to them all it seemed and it was great. The smiles on their faces as they could tell their stories and share their insights were priceless. This kept on going for over 24hrs. It was truly special and at the heart of what the even was all about!
The folks at Texas Flying Legends Museum once again painted their C-53 is D Day Invasion stripes just as they did 75yrs ago in England. The public and press ate this up and they all learned a very important part of WWII history. This painting was done in just hours in 1944 to thousands of aircraft, painted with mops and rags in the dark of night. The stripes told ground troops the aircraft were friendly so they wouldn’t be shot at. Here, you can see the B-29 “Fifi” flying overhead.
My good friend Logan from Minot, ND became the press darling during this since he was the same age as those in England in 1944. He doesn’t like being in the limelight so it was a ton of fun to kid him about it. The next day when he face was all over the papers around the world, it was really cool to see how he brought history alive for so many.
While the painting went on, the Texas Flying Legends Museum FG-1D Corsair flew over practicing the Missing Man which they would be flying the next day at the ceremonies. And the “reinactors” are all ground crew for TFLM with one of these the genius behind a couple of their aircraft being restored to being airworthy. It was truly the most amazing apart of the whole event. A ton of patriotic, aviation passionate and thankful folks came together simply to tell one generation, thanks!
And the pilots whose skill and passion are flying these aircraft received overdue attention for their contribution. Here my dear friend and pilot of “Betty’s Dream” Alan gets interviewed about the experience and the mission. Not comfortable in front of the lens, he did a great job expressing for all present the honor we felt being able to participate in the event.
And this was very much a family affair for us. My lovely bride was busy shooting video the whole time. It’s fun to watch her because she gets so caught up in the vets and their stories, her smile just grows and grows. I cruised the afternoon events with the D4s, 24-70AFS and 80-400V3 and had the great pleasure of not being “on duty” and just shooting for myself which at an aviation event has become very rare. I was a fly on the wall listening and watching and it was such a pleasure and treat. Wow … what a day!
May 6, 2015 | Landscape Photography
One of Sharon’s and mine favorite past times is to wonder through Central Park in spring. It is simply a magical place where life is renewed. We wondered for about four hours watching the critters, from squirrels to people with great delight. I cruised with the Df / 85f1.8AFS clicking and elements came into play that said, spring in the park. Now it’s well known I’m don’t do macro, flowers very rarely so to post such an image is rather amazing! And wouldn’t you know it, when we came upon these tulips and I decided it would make a cool photo, the wind came up! Shooting at f/1.8 I focused on the one flower you see sharp and then ripped of over 30 images. I have one, just one where that one tulip is sharp. But that’s all I need, just one, to remind Sharon & I of our delightful walk during spring in the park.
May 6, 2015 | Wildlife Photography
We spent the morning at the awesome American Museum of Natural History. I went through the halls enjoying the exhibits until I came to the African mammal halls. You walk in to a very dark room and in dim lights, a herd of elephants seem to be move silently through. But in real life, elephants are anything but silent. As we went by the various exhibits with Bushbucks, Leopard, Cheetah it occurred to me, something was very wrong. The main important element of these critters was horribly missing. Life!
Then we came to the Black Rhino exhibit and it occurred to me, I might never see them other than as live mounts in an exhibit. Even though I’m going to where they should be in two months, the odds off seeing them are slim to none at best. And not that I’m trying to depress you, but I was rather depressed with that thought. Sadly, we’ve all experienced the passing of someone dear in our lives and know the emptiness that brings. Loosing a species to extinction and for such a stupid reason as poaching, well, leaves an even greater emptiness. Leaving that hall and those live mounts, it was simply a very sobering moment.
Apr 29, 2015 | Landscape Photography
Sharon and I ended up walking 9 miles with the London Nikon Group on a Photowalk of epic proportions! Twenty-five folks meet at Big Ben (the bell, not the clock) and for hours and hours walked, shot, laughed and as advertised took the Yank for a walk. I wish I could share with you everything that was shared with us as it was stunning! We did many of the iconic London things and then we did some of the more hidden sights. For example you’ll see a green detail shot in the slideshow below. That’s from one of the last 11 taxi stands from the turn of the century. The group was simply brilliant with all they shared and the excitement they had to share it. Half way through the day we had a great lunch in the bottom of an old pub down a tiny alleyway, so English is was killer! We finished off our day at the Tower Bridge with gorgeous skies. It began at 09:30 and ended at 18:30, a nine hour photowalk! Sharon & I want to thank the ENTIRE group for such a brilliant day and taking us under their wings to share THEIR London with us. I’m still shaking my head realizing this adventure, these new friends all come from photography. The power of the click … wow!
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Oh … what did I walk with? I had the Df, 24f1.4AFS & 85f1.8AFS
Apr 28, 2015 | Landscape Photography
Sharon and I left for London starting off on our three hour drive from our home to Reno. We have done this drive hundreds of times, the truck know the road so well, I can sleep in route. That was not the case this morning. I’ve been very fortunate to enjoy sun rise in the Eastern Sierra for decades, but none come close to the majesty we had this morning! It made the drive one that is burned in our hearts as it was so glorious! The sad note, had to keep going, had a plane to catch to England and that was frustrating to be polite!
Finally, at Bridgeport, 45min in our drive I could stand it no more! I had to pull over and at least make one click as a preservation of this special memory of the beginning of our trip. So I grabbed out of the Think Tank Int’l the Df / 24-70AFS and shot for a couple of minutes before jumping back in the truck, speeding back up the highway. The photos you see here have had nothing in post done to them, they are straight out of the camera. That’s just how perfect it was!
The Pano was assembled in less than 30sec in Adobe Camera Raw. If you didn’t know, ACR now has AMAZING HDR and Pano assembly built-in (LR isn’t the only Adobe product to have that upgrade!). As you can see, it looks just a marvelous as the single click with, just a single click in ACR. It’s just one of many reasons you should have Photoshop CC in my opinion. Cause when you have such a spectacular site as we did creating such deep memories, finishing should be as simple as the view, creating the every lasting joy.
