Reminiscing

This picture was taken on our trip to California last year. Sometimes I like to take a fresh look at pictures I’ve taken in years past. The drive along the coastal highway was one of the most exciting parts of the trip for me. My passion for photography was blossoming and the views were spectacular. So leaving the car to venture out on the seaside cliffs was a frequent occurrence. I’ve learned a lot about photography since then, but the pictures are still some of my favorites. I’ve thought about what I would do differently were I standing there now, with more “know how”, more sure of my techniques, more ideas, more swagger, more stuff to sift through in my head, more lenses, more pressure to perform more... more... junk! That’s when I remembered words I read a long time ago. Words to live by, not only for photographers, but for everyone. It was something like...If you want to take more interesting pictures, put your camera in front of more interesting things. If you want beautiful pictures, put yourself in front of beautiful places. If you want wonderful life experiences, put yourself into those memories. I look at it this way. Do the things now you want to remember enjoying when you reminisce in the future.

Nikon D5100 Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 17mm f/11 ISO 100 1/180 sec

Attention

I’ve never looked twice at this field. I’ve driven by dozens of times and never paused to spend a few minutes. I don’t know what was different this time. Maybe the clouds, maybe the colors in the trees, maybe that patch of blue in the sky, who knows? Something caught my attention enough to make me pull over. Maybe it wasn’t even in the landscape, this poke at my mind to stop and stare. I don’t know, maybe you can see it.

Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48mm f/8 ISO 100 5 image HDR

The Quiet Peace of Dawn

Each day is birthed by the ascending Sun. Dawn is a unique and humbling moment. Anticipation of a new day glows around us on this ever spinning Earth. Breathing in our brief existence, as we imagine the endless eons of sunrises, helps us cherish our mortality. For us, each dawn is new, different, fleeting and ephemeral. We steal a glimpse of celestial grace with each passing moment, during the quiet peace of dawn.

Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm f/18 ISO 100 5 image HDR

NHRA at Maple Grove Raceway

On Friday I had the unique opportunity to cover the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) National competition held at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton Pennsylvania. I have visited this track a few times before to watch events and was never disappointed. This year turned out to be even better. Covering the event for Independence Sports Magazine meant I was granted special access to photograph the races from a close, and I mean very close, vantage point.

In my orange vest I was able to experience the deafening roar of a Top Fuel Dragster from five feet. I can’t express how this feels in words. I had earplugs in and was wearing headphones over my head and it was still, by far, the loudest thing I had ever felt. To describe what happened I can only tell you how it affected me. I took positions beside the racetrack that ranged from right beside the starting line to about 20 meters down the track. I was shooting pictures on almost every pass. Each time a Funny Car or a Top Fuel Dragster passed me, my eyes would close tightly (not on purpose) and my teeth would grit shut, my arms would shake (sometimes banging my face with the camera) my chest would feel like an elephant was dancing on it, I would almost always have to take a step back (except when I was kneeling) and twice, snot was literally blown out my nose. Gross I know, but when the wave of air pressure went by, it was so forceful that if my mouth was open at all, I needed a tissue immediately.

A learning experience certainly, something really fun, definitely. Hopefully the pictures tell the story for you.

Let Me Through

Searching for more of nature’s color this morning while doing service calls, I came across this red bush thrusting its way between its neighbors. I haven't seen evergreens develop the golden yellow color like this one, but mingled with the green bristles it really sets off the reds from the middle tree. Ah the wonders of Autumn.

Nikon D4 Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 3 images blended to allow more focusing possibilities, all at 70mm f/2.8 ISO 100 1/200 sec