Tuliptree Blossom with Guest
Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
B&W
Praise from On High
The bright, morning sun and a congregation of clouds created a dramatic scene over the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier; located on the western shore of lake Michigan.
When I woke up, I saw promising clouds in the sky and made my way to the lake shore to catch the sunrise. I got some good shots as the sun made its assent but decided to hang around a bit longer to see if the sun would produce a few sunbeams once it got higher in the sky. As you can see, the wait paid off.
I decided to make the image monochrome because I believe the subtle contrast between light and dark are easier to detect when you are viewing the monochrome tones, as opposed to multiple colors.
This image was captured from Selner Park. Normally I get my shots from the beach but this shot was taken from a slightly elevated position – about half-way up the stairway from the parking lot to the upper level of the park.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Coldest Lonely
Sub-zero temperatures and open water create an interesting blend of ice, frost and fog around the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse and pier. Kewaunee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
I took this photo from shore with a telephoto lens which makes the lighthouse appear relatively close to the shore. In fact, the Kewaunee pier extends hundreds of feet into the lake. Of course, the buildup of Ice along the shore also contributed to the closer-than-reality effect.
This is one of the images I captured back in the bitter cold of January, 2014. It was one of the coldest days I’d ever been out shooting. I thought a monochrome treatment would bring out the dramatic fog and cold, lonely feel of this scene.
You can get more of the crisp detail of this image by viewing the full-screen version. To do so, simply click on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Sleeper Hold
There is nothing as peaceful as a sleeping baby. This little one seems comforted by holding the thumb of the one holding her.
I like this image because of the peaceful warmth it instills in me. I also love the contrast in size and age between the two hands. A great study in texture and tone.
This is an image featuring my wife and a newborn niece. A very sweet baby who was very cooperative…as sleeping babies tend to be.
You can get a larger, more detailed view of this image by clicking on the the photo. When you do a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Considering the Next Move
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With the look on her face I can’t help but wonder, what was she thinking at the moment this photo was snapped.
This image was taken during an afternoon with family in Ohio. Our granddaughter was away from the group, exploring the surroundings at a park. As you can see, I was keeping my eye (and focus) on her and snapping photos.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. (I’m not sure why you would want to purchase this one unless you were family, but I invite you to check out some of the others on this site.) If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Sugar and Spice
What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice. That’s what little girls are made of.
This is a portrait of one of our granddaughters. We were blessed to have an opportunity to spend a little time with her and her parents recently.
Of course, whenever we have the pleasure of visits with any of the grandchildren, I usually try and grab a few photos. After this visit, as we were driving home, I told my wife I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to get any good photos of our granddaughter. When I downloaded the day’s images to my computer I was delighted to find this gem. This is the only decent image I captured of her on this visit, but it’s a definite keeper.
You can get a better look at those big, beautiful eyes by clicking on the photo. When you do, a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Evening In Duluth
The renowned Aerial Lift Bridge of Duluth, Minnesota is the prominent feature when overlooking the city at night. Well, anytime of day, for that matter.
This is an image I took from Enger Park, high on a hill overlooking the city. I had scouted out a place to catch some good shots of the Duluth Canal area. I knew they flood the bridge with lights at night and decided to try and capture the scene. It was a mildly-cool evening on July 16, 2017 and a bit breezy.
Now the rest of the story…. Earlier that day, my wife and I took a ride up the scenic coast to visit and photograph some waterfalls and lighthouses. While working on shots of the Split Rock Lighthouse, standing on some rocks along the shore, my tripod-secured camera tipped over. When it hit the rocks the lens broke off and went one direction, the camera went another direction and took a quick dip in the water.
I scrambled to grab it and believe I kept it from being submerged but it did get quite wet. Without the lens attached, the sensor area was open and had received some moisture. I quickly did my best to dry everything. I don’t have cameras to spare…or the money to buy them…so it was a hugely, disheartening event. It put quite a crimp in the fun weekend we were having.
The more I examined the camera insides, the more water I could see. With a soft dry cloth, I rubbed the mirror element. I thought it was made of glass, and it may be, but it has some sort of plastic coating on it that I damaged. In the right light I could see a definite “L” like line. The camera body, itself, was also jacked up.
Surprisingly, with another lens, I was able to get the camera to turn on and used it to take more photos there. It was having hiccups now and then – displays weren’t working right, occasional errors writing to memory, etc. Still, I was happy it still showed life and was hoping it would dry out and function; albeit with some nasty scars.
It wasn’t until later, when I downloaded the photos to my computer that I could see the seriousness of the mirror damage I caused. In a normal DLSR the mirror flips up, when you press the shutter, to expose the sensor to the image. My Sony, mirrorless model, has a “translucent” mirror that reflects the image up to the viewfinder, but it doesn’t flip up to expose the sensor – the light actually passes through the mirror to the sensor. So any damage to the mirror will effect each image taken.
I’m sharing this long, sad, story to point out the flaws in the image I’ve posted here. You will notice the long light streaks on the right side of the bridge. Those are a result of the damaged mirror. Also, the mushy bunch of lights just to the left of the bridge are from the damaged mirror. The lights to the left should look like clear, individual dots similar to the dots inside the bridge frame.
The distortions were not so noticeable on the camera’s screen when viewing bright, daylight images. It’s painfully obvious with the night scenes. This could have been a very nice image and, I’m sure some will still like it, but I’ll always focus on it’s flaws. I debated with myself whether to post it and, of course, I decided to. I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone would comment on the flaws…who picked up on them without reading the details of this post. I wonder how many people might think it was some artistic effect.
As far as the camera goes, I had to replace it. I believe it would have cost more to repair than it was worth. I purchased the same model camera body (Sony A77) from a seller on eBay for half what a new one would cost. I had hoped to upgrade soon, but this unexpected expense will delay that for awhile. I was also able to order a part to fix the lens that was broken. It was a lot harder to repair than I thought, but I got it done and it’s working perfectly. It was a favorite lens, so I’m glad I didn’t have to replace it.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image – flaws and all – by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Brooding Virtue
This is a white tulip. By converting it to a monochrome image, it becomes a moody collection of light and shadow, texture and form.
I’ve been working on tulip images that I shot a couple years ago. This was a nice macro shot of a white, tulip bloom. It was a nice image, in color, but I thought it became a much more interesting image in monochromatic form.
You can view more of the finer detail by clicking on the photo. When you do, a new tab will open with a full-screen version.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Bright Dark of Night
In the deep dark of night, the city waterway reflects lights of life. This is a view along the Riverwalk in downtown Milwaukee, WI.
This is an image I captured a couple of years ago. A photography friend from the Milwaukee area took me to some great spots for some night photography. I was looking through some of the shots I took that night but never got around to processing. I thought this one was worth a little effort.
I had posted another image from this taken the same night from this same area, in color, awhile back. (See Big City Serenity) This one, in monochrome tones, has become my favorite of the two. Take a look at the other one to see which one is more appealing to you.
To get a better view of the fine detail in this image, click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Caged Competitor
The season may be over, but this is one baseball player who remains serious about his game.
This is one of my favorites from a recent “senior portrait” shoot. Baseball was an important part of this young man’s high school career so they wanted some photos of him in his uniform.
The basic idea for this shot (ball player looking through the fence) was brought to me by the subject’s parent who saw a similar shot on Pinterest and wanted us to try it. During the shoot, we made a quick trip to a nearby, small town ball field to grab a few shots. I believe the version she showed me was in color but, while I was working on it, I thought a gritty, monochrome style would best suit the players mood.
There are a lot of things that make this a favorite for me. First, the general mood of the shot. You can easily imagine a story behind this image. (In fact, several stories.)
I also like the detail of the ball, glove and uniform. Don’t miss other interesting touches…like the bruises on the player’s elbow (An element that adds to the story), the tufts of grass on the unkempt infield, the way the light poles and the wisps of clouds frame the photo. (I wish I would have thought to throw a bat on the field in the background.)
The one aspect I question… Is the fence too distracting? Of course, it’s important to this scene, but I think it is almost too symmetrical around the facial features. I didn’t try to get it that way, it’s just the stance he took. I think it might seem more natural if the fence didn’t intersect right on the bridge of the nose and chin. If it was just offset a little to one side or another it might seem more natural, less posed. Of course, now I might be just nit-picking. What do you think? (If it didn’t occur to you before I mentioned it, than it is just me being the nit-picky perfectionist.)
You can view a more detailed version of this image by clicking on it. When you do, a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Strolling Through the Weeds
A young boy, with a contemplative look, strolls through the tall grasses and weeds of an rural farm field.
I don’t often get to shoot photos of people, but when I do, it tends to be close friends or family. I just don’t have the time in my schedule to set up portrait sessions and the work of post processing. In this case, I got to spend some time with this three -year-old cutie – my grandson. Just the two of us took a little walk in the country…with my camera, of course.
I wasn’t really intending to grab a shot of him. We were just out for a stroll while Papa (what he calls me) looked for interesting things to photograph. We looked for birds and pretty leaves, talked about, walked over a dry creek bed. The perfect subject eluded us.
It was a tough time to shoot – mid day, under a bright sun. I didn’t find much that caught my eye. So, naturally, on the walk back I turned the camera on the most interesting thing I could find.
Because of the overpowering contrast created by that bright sun, I thought the best treatment for this shot was to convert it to a monochrome image. I think it turned out well. In fact, one of my all time favorites. (Of course, that’s from the Grandpa in me as much as the artist.)
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.