Last Night's Moon

I've spent 100's of hours behind a telescope or astro-binoculars.   Slewing from coordinate to coordinate and trying different eyepieces.    There is something majestic about actually seeing planets, nebulae, galaxies with your own eye.

I've spend just as many hours trying to capture photo and video so that I can accurately convey the experience to my friends online who haven't been able to hang out for a star session in person.    Strange combinations of eyepieces and adapters, I've connected nearly every camera I've ever had to a telescope in varied ways and the process of collecting a solid-looking image continues to challenge me. 

(This photo, was taken with an iPhone mounted onto an 25mm eyepiece on the telescope)

Whenever I look at our orbital neighbor, at the scars on the moon's surface from impacts over history, I truly stand amazed that more events like what occurred in Russia on Friday do not occur more frequently.   As if the moon is tells a cautionary tale reminder to keep one eye on the sky, you never know what's coming :)

As for DA-2012.  When it was first announced, I used NASA's own tracking app and varied data models did show an impact with Earth.  Over time, that changed.  It's always interesting to watch those models change as new data sets get parsed and added, making the models more accurate.   Fun stuff!

Life by the Bay

I've been organizing my shots from last year -- getting ready to pick up and shoot a bunch more this spring and summer, picking up the bottom of the barrel, as they say.

This one has been in my //TODO folder for a bit.   I really liked it because it was of one my favorite spots and I love how the colors dance and tweak in the twilight in Fairhope in the evenings.  Ironically, I didn't do much to the color to get this effect.

Still, I had this image stashed away, awaiting various tweaks before I called it "done" -- because I planned to make a print of it for my Office wall.  I'm developing this theme of B&W/Color Alternating prints that I think will work well for this room I spend so much time in.   Over the fall, I donated so many prints that the bare walls have been a drag!

Finally, this evening I found a little time to work on the contrast and the crop, boosted some details saturated lightly. (Less than you might think!)

Pretty happy with the result!

What the Optimist Sees..

I'm not really a "The Glass is Half Full" or "The Glass is Half Empty" type of fella.  

I'm more of a, "The beaker apparently contains a substance that is currently in the liquid phase of matter and seems to occupy 50% of the available container volume." type of guy.

...and as more news of our nation's economy retracting emerged this week, I wonder how the optimist v pessimist point of views would respond to such news.    Then I turned on the news and found out.

FoxNews: "OBAMA IS KILLING IS THE ECONOMY"
  (oh, and he's a Muslim and will personally collect your guns and Bibles)

CNN: "REPUBLICANS PUT US CLOSE TO ECONOMIC COLLAPSE"
  (blame the cigar-smoking bankers and guns are bad, K?)

MSNBC: Didn't report anything.   Rachel Maddow & Chris Matthews just sat for an hour embracing an Obama Campaign poster, reciting "The Precious....."

Jon Stewart: Grilled Al Gore on selling CurrentTV to Al Jazeera and the seeming inconsistencies between Al Gore, the Mogul and Al Gore, the Climate Change Activist

Stephen Colbert:   Dick jokes and a Bill Gates Interview.  IMO Bill may adopt a more active role in MSFT in the next 2 years.

Al Jazeera: "U.S. Economy Slides on Core Economic Indicators"

..When the heck did Al Jazeera become the objective news source and did honest journalism fall on the backs of the comedian?

I mean.. I don't (really) care.. it's all just frequencies of electromagnetic radiation surfing through the air or timed flashes of light on a piece of fiber in the ground, anyway.      :)

Staight on til Dusk..

Last week was a challenge for me.   Seems like nothing wanted to work out for me.   Looking forward to a new week. :)

Things aren't always so black and white..

Daphne, Alabama

The Jungle

.. I really like the challenge of shooting through a fence and trying to hide the waffle/pattern..

The Path Beckoned

I really miss that (rental) 14-24mm lense, lol.    One day, .. soon ... :)

The Temple and the Path

Fairhope, Alabama December, 2012.

(been swamped.   some posts coming this week though :) )

Shoot the Gap

I guess another name for this shot could have been "Maximum Vignette"    

Both would work for a summer Hollywood action movie name, though -- right?

The Portal to the Future

2012..

In technology, 2012 gave us more iPhones and iPads.  We saw more-of-the-same computers.   We saw dozens of iterative Android Phones and Tablets, so many that they are like fish in a barrel, clammering over each other for momentary superiority.   Really strong products drowning in a sea of their own making.  We saw Microsoft, struggling to re-invent itself through bold, but probably - too late - to dent the universe - product releases and marketing millions.   We saw Apple, shifting under new leadership trying to maintain its stride but largely failing to dazzle and inspire.

In photography, we saw some new gear.  Much of them obvious iterations on existing strong products.   The D700 v 5dMk2 debate turned to a D800 v Canon 5D Mk3 debate.    At least Lytro tried something new.   We saw social media clammering to channel the massive flood of photography brought about largely by explosions of phone/cameras.    We saw some of the same people at the top of the social media/photography pyramid continue to inspire and train and of course, sell their warez along the way.   I saw a half-dozen around me, new-to-photography and trully talented try to break out into the industry with the same frustrating setbacks we all experience at first.  

As a nation, we saw the continuance of the polarized politics that prove our form of Government no longer works. Our country is still dedbating the same issues they were 20, 30 years ago.   Abortion, gun control & equal rights for citizens.  We the taxpayers pay them to flip back and fourth on these topics every four years in probably the greatest con-game ever devised.   We heard about the dangers of fiscal cliff's and then road right over it.  We heard about a pending apocalypse and skipped right over that.  We watched a monster commit unthinkable atrocities to children and our typical national response to limit the rights of citizens in response.    We watched one of Washington's most powerful lobbies respond to the event with a poorly times, weak and tired argument instead of contributing to a national discussion on the viability of Assault Weapons.    After all Mortal Kombat is to blame.    (throws freeze ray, then teleports to the next paragraph)

As a family, my wife and I watched my children grow a little older and develop little quirks and nuances that will one day form their adult personalities.   Ever-pressed by the notion that these little people in my house will all-to-soon be big people moving away to their own lives, I tried my best to balance work & life.    In that balancing act, something always gets dropped but from the smiles of my kids and the conitnued paycheck, I guess I got the balance right.

As a career, I came to some powerful realizations concerning others' motives and planted the seeds for future endeavours.    I can't control my title, I can't control the markets but I can always make plans and work towards the goals.  In the end, I'm sure it will all work out well.  

As for what 2013 will hold?  I'm sure that next December the Earth will still be spinning.  We'll all be a little older, we'll have crappier music to listen to and we'll see more of the same.   A government that disappoints at least half of the population (the left or the right half, does it matter?). We will see companies do what companies do, maximize profits and we'll see employees do what employees do -- gripe about their bosses.   We'll see death and life, we'll be touched by extraordinary loss and inspired by moments of magic.   That's life.  and it continues in a new arbitrary unit of measurement today, that we call, the new  year..

I hope yours is fantastic.

Spanish Fort Veteran's Memorial Cemetary

A few hours ago the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort was dedicated.

An agreeable nod to today's significance in US and Military history.

This project has been 10 years or more in progress, with proponents making dozens of trips to D.C. with no expectations to "get anything" out of it in return.   I visited the site and it is a tremendously nice location.

From a photography perspective, the thing that makes a cemetery interesting is the stories of the heros who are memorialized within it's grounds.  This cemetery's story is just starting.  

While the photographic results of my lunchtime outing are underwhelming, I met and spoke with a couple of the more outspoken of the 500 Veterans that attended today's ceremony.  

Utopian Ideas

Quick question for those who may be Fairhope - knowledgeable.

During the photo walk last weekend, I noticed this young lady riding a white bicycle downtown.   

Just curious.. has anyone seen this collegish-aged kid riding the white bike through Fairhope dressed essentially like a younger Gwen Stefani in pastel colors. I'm just curious, is that some sort of marketing gag for this business: 

or is it just some artsy kid going about her day?

Because, if it's marketing, I'm trying to envision that job interview.

"so, basically I need you to dress up in bright pink/blue combinations in a costume that is a cross between a antebellum maiden and light/hipster pop-rocker-theme and ride a bright white bike up and down the block to promote our stuff.."

Meet Ace (He Needs a Home)

We tried to adopt this little guy over the weekend.  We kept him for a 'trial run' over night.  

He was great with my kids and in/around the house but my son's allergies got out of hand really quickly. 

(Which was strange b/c this part lab/ part hound mix isn't really known to be an highly - allergenic breed)

My son's dog allergies are off the chart - so we didn't get the Adopt Ace. Sunday, he went back to his temporary home.

Ace is about a year old, pretty much fully grown but with a good bit of puppy playfulness.  He's a Baldwin County Humane Society Rescue dog from Summerdale currently residing in a home/kennel in Daphne.

If you know someone looking for a family dog, I couldn't imagine a better fit.

Baldwin County Humane Society Posted about him yesterday on facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151326912710049&set=a.171235535048.150603.59130605048&type=1&relevant_count=1

and they have some info on their site here:

http://baldwinhumane.org/Adoption/AdoptablePetfromBARC/tabid/920/agentType/View/PropertyID/683/Default.aspx

Adoption fees are waived in December and the dogs come with some rudimentary free obedience training, either in-home or on-site with the trainer.

Like I said, if you know someone looking for a great family dog you can contact the Baldwin County Humane Society at this number:

251-928-4585 ext 100 or (toll free) 1-800-547-6518 (Mon-Thru 9am-4pm CST).

Ye Ol' Bladdity Blah

As my great grandpappy used to never say, there are basically four types of people in this world.

1. Those who will think nothing about busting up in your Boutique dressed like a fatter - balder Jimmy Buffet, lugging 20 lbs of camera gear and happily snapping away about the wonderful array of holiday colors on display in your shop.

and

 2.   People who really have too short of an attention span to count to four.

Fire and Slate

Sort of a differ'd perspective on the Fairhope Pier beach areas just south of the pier.

-Taken during the ESCC Photo Walk over the Weekend.

ESCC Holiday Photo Walk

This evening was the annual ESCC Holiday Photo walk in Downtown Fairhope.

I believe my take-home from the outing is about 30 gb of RAW files to parse through in the coming weeks.

The shop/storefront decorations didn't feel as "complete" ( to me ) this year.

What did feel complete was the the smiling faces of the awesome group of friends from the Eastern Shore Camera Club that descended on Fairhope this evening to practice their craft.       I always look forward to the inspiring contributions from this wonderful group of folks!

I managed to pluck this photo out during the download this evening to act as my first submission.   Can't wait to see what everyone captured!

The Prehistoric Waterfront

For the weekend, I picked up a Nikon 14-24mm from BorrowLenses.com to use for a holiday photowalk in Fairhope, Alabama on Sunday.

I've added this lens to my Amazon cart half a dozen times but haven't followed through b/c of the $1800 price tag.

Getting familiar with the lens today at Historic Blakeley Park, a few miles from my home I took this shot on the waterfront.  

So far, I'm thinking.. the next time this gets added to my cart, it'll probably get ordered! ;)

Another one from this outing... 

A-HA!  Well, not really A-hA!  More like.. mehhm...

Okay, before you get critical and say, this is too busy or is poorly composed or weirdly processed, I just gotta say:

6 times I've walked past this tree and tried to get a shot of the whole tree in the frame.   6 times!   I just can't find the right way to shoot this tree!!  

Plus, I believe the park officials would be grumpy with me if I brought a machete with which to clear things out of the frame :)

So, this is one of those "I learned 100 ways to not make a lightbulb moments.."

..  Plus.. It's still an interesting enough scene that I wanted to share, even though I'm not thrilled with the composition.

..and finally..

 I arrived at Blakeley Park around 4pm CST.   I've tried a number of times to get in around sunset and always get smited by something pedestrian.  Last time I attempted, it was the small order of cash.

It costs a token amount to enter and I had zero american presidents at my disposal. 

Plus, I doubted this place has a card swipe machine or RFID google wallet reader :)

This time!  --  Ohh this time I was prepared..   I scooted off with a crisp $10 bill and made it to the gate at 4.    The park guy was great, recommending that I be gone by 5:30.  As he put it, not for his convenience but so that I wouldn't be eaten by an alligator or carried off by mosquitos.    

The latter was more likely.

As I walked down the boardwalk  I heard plenty of critters below and I couldn't help but feel for the men who were tasked with building this boardwalk.   Do they have snake-repellent boots?

At any rate, this is one of the first times I've been able to get a shot of this particular scene that I'm pleased with.  In part because of the loaner lens, in part because of the good light and in part b/c of the cool atmosphere.    I hope you enjoy!

"Mr. Santa Claus, Sir.."

Now that the Turkey is devoured and people have been able to take out their repressed angst on strangers on Black Friday, we are coming around to Santa Season, once more.  

I’m a huge fan of the season, if for no other reason than for the photographic opportunities. :)

I took this shot last year, my daughter was pleading with the Santa at Bass Pro Shops, on my behalf.    We had been joking that I had been bad throughout the year so/she felt inclined to use some of her Santa face/time to appeal for my reinstatement to the nice list.

I’m probably not going to be able to out-do this shot, this year.   But, I’ll try!

Alien Sunset

As an idle-passerby'r in this universe and reader of things beyond my intellect, I have a passing fascination with Quantum Physics.  My daughter asked me one day about a Quantum Physics book I was reading, I explained it to her ( for now ) that Quantum Physics is the construct of made-up/probably never applicable physics. 

She's 7.  Usually, she just blinks, calls me silly and goes about her day of DS/Wii/Homework/Cartoons/Kid-Dom.

Quantum Physics is really impossible for someone of my practical mindset to grasp.   Particles with hard-to-imagine behaviors.   For instance, a particle, that if you were to imagine it as a playing card (a standard plane of n width and infinite planal surface), that you could flip the playing card over and see not only the suit, the number but also any infinite number of other supposed "states'.

I mean.. What the hell?   Playing cards with two sides but infinite states?  Who thinks this crap up?

Some of my favorite ideas borrowed from Quantum Physics are the ideas that for every possible outcome of a situation there are matching infinite universes based on those outcomes.    Maybe that means there is a universe where I attended enough college and neglected enough video games in order to understand this stuff.   

I guess, somewhere, there are other pBranes housing universes where the sun doesn't set in the colorful display we see but maybe the sun sets onto silvery lakes of molten Mercury.   I visited this alternate universe recently, and captured this shot.

Or.. I used an IR filter in post. Which-ever.

Intradimensional travel vs photoshop filters.  They are virtually the same thing, anyway.  Until someone flips over the cosmic playing card...

Not a Bad Way to Spend an Afternoon

Either photo-walking or canoeing, either is better than Black Friday shopping, I'm thinking.. :)