New Camera

Ron is right I am a avid hunter. Although I didn't get a chance to shoot a big buck today I made sure to take my camera and do a little different type of shooting with my new D80, that the best dad in the whole world gave my for my birtrhday! After I got done hunting today I took sometime to do some walking around. I really liked this shot with all the leaves changing against the blue sky. It has been pretty windy here so there aren't many leaves left on the trees. I hope to learn all the new tricks and features to the new camera and I have already started a wish list for accesories for it.

A new shooter

I think I need to open a camera shop!

Aaron's birthday is this month so we gave him a Nikon D80 with a battery grip and a couple of lenses so he could learn to shoot like the big boys. My wife decided at about the same time that she would like to start getting a little more serious about photography and wanted something other than a point and shoot so I invested in another Nikon D80 with an 18-55 VR lens and a bag for her. Now she keeps wanting to use my lenses so I am going to need to get her some of her own!

Cheryl is still figuring out the D80 but she wants to start posting some of her photos on the blog once she really starts taking some so here in the next couple of weeks you will be seeing some photos from her and hopefully from the son if he ever comes home from deer hunting. LOL

Different Tree, Different Lens

OK, this one doesn't follow the rule of thirds either but I liked the way it looked against the blue sky with the contrails in the background so I took it. LOL

I used the 18-250mm for this shot set at 18mm.

All words no pictures.

Just an old tree

I was out playing with the Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lens again. It always amazes me how close you can to get to something and still have it in the photo. I was only about five feet from this tree when I took the photo.

WILL HE GET HIS PIC?

Last month Ron helped host(tall guy in white shirt facing crowd) a group of people interested in Oklahoma History. I really think he was placing bets on if I would make it to top of mountain to get my pic!

This was the target. On top was a carved image of a Pistol & Knife!

Here was my cheering section ( hope they all placed their bets on me )

Look Close! A Photographer always Wins!

Thanks to Ron and OTH for helping me get this pic!

LOST LAKE DAM

In 1926 the City of Lawton had this Cobblestone Dam built to supplement their water supply.

An Old Prospector had been working a claim on West Cache Creek and had discovered a well hidden pond. He named it Lost Lake.

Thousands of native cobblestones were gathered for the construction, thus covering the original Lake. This type of masonry with mortar has all but disappeared.

Below the Dam, Photo Opps. are numerous!

Birds

In need of a little rain

I went for a drive a month or so back and came across this lake that was in need of some water.

This was shot with the Sigma 10-20mm.

MADONNA

If one is driving by Mount Sheridan at noon on a sunny day, this natural stone Madonna keeps watch over the eastern range of the Wichitas.

I have found only one place where this stone figure is prominent, and only recognizable when Sun is Shining on her Profile !

Just a little color

The rain was falling but nothing was hitting the ground. That didn't stop the sun from giving us just a piece of a rainbow.

Where do I sign up?

If the firemen all looked like this I would sign up right away!

This is one of the fire trucks in a small town near where I live. For some reason I don't think a big city could have this on their trucks, it's not too politically incorrect. What's the world coming too? LOL

More Rocks and weeds Photos.

After 14 days eat, and sleep on these rocks, I'm getting tired to look at these rocks, and weeds from my pictures. I think it's time to go to Hawaii, anyone want to go? I buy you all the dinks at Duke's.

Take me to your leader

Utah

I took this picture while waiting for the storm to pass.



Again, he won the race up to the mountain again.

Couple of characters.

I was walking down the beach several months ago looking for birds when I came across these two characters. After chatting with them for a few minutes I asked if I could take their picture. Because I still had the Sigma 120-400 on I stood back about 25 feet and took a quick burst. This one turned out the best though in hind sight I could have used a little smaller aperture setting.

STILL WATERS

Quanah Parker Lake and Dam is a much photographed spot. But if one gets up early before the wind begins to stir sometimes he gets to capture a Pic or two of Still Waters.

This protected cove from the wind is where he wants to head. I've always heard that Still Waters run the deepest.

From the looks of these buoys standing on their heads, protecting the Dam and watercraft, I believe that is a true statement.

Spelunking 2.0

From the other end looking out.

No gold in this one but like Parker said, no rattle snakes either so all in all it was a good day!

Utah

These photos from our 5th or 6th day of the trip, but this time we slept in the car, and start hiking around 5:00 A.M. to the location. On the bottom photo, after 45 min. climbing up to this spot, I was gagging for air while taking this photo. This is only shot that I took at this spot, I just need to remember to take my Advair in the morning, and not to smoke during climbing the mountain.

CAVE ENTRANCE

This is the entrance to the cave in the previous post. Located in a very remote area of the refuge, there were no trails , just Boondocking to find this place.

SPELUNKER

After carefully shining flashlights around checking for Rattlesnakes, decided it was safe to enter this cave formed by huge rocks or boulders. Very cool inside and was a welcome place to escape the heat for a little while. Photo was assisted by Flash.

Yellowstone.

These photos are from our hike to the backcountry of Yellowstone.
Luckily we did not see any bears on our two days hike. However, we saw a lot of bear footprints.


I thought adding my friend in this shot to make more interesting.

OK, maybe I cheated just a little...

We went to an Indian Flute Festival last weekend and there was a man there who had the falcon. He raises and trains them so I was able to get a little closer than normal.