The Ring

Last night we had a hazy, slightly cloudy night that produced a massive white ring around the full moon. I told Aaron (who was at the house last night with our daughter and grandkids) and my wife that I was going to take some photos of it and they both were of the opinion I would never get the ring to show up in a photo.

I love a good challenge! LOL

The Gulf Coast

I posted a close up version of this photo a few months ago but when I was going through my old photos I kind of liked this version too. This lighthouse is in Gulfport, MS.

Tiny Bubbles

Water in a lily pad from a few years ago. I may have to start taking photos of bugs because that's all I have time to see these days! LOL

More from Thor

Here's two more lightning shots from the other night.

Thor says Hello

We had some thunderstorms move through last night so I finally had a chance to shoot some lightning. Of course I was lazy and shot these off my front porch instead of chasing the storms but at least I got off the couch!

We ended up getting just enough rain at our house to get the grass, well, the weeds wet but just a couple of miles south of us they were deluged with over 5 inches of rain in less than two hours. I would have loved to have some of that to fill the ponds with.

Waikiki Marina

Now here's a lifestyle I could get into... 

Chillaxin'

This was taken in Gulf Shores, Alabama one evening as I was driving along the coast.

Call Of The Road

Spirit Road

 

Been a long Hot summer! A couple of days ago I began tinkering and preparing the travel trailer for a get-away. Yesterday hosted a Big Fandango for my grandsons 18th birthday at the house, so now I can selfishly pursue this inner calling that always comes with the first day of fall. Need to see a Sunrise again on a Foggy Morn!

 

 

Sunset In The Wichitas

 

Need to see a Sunset after a Windy and Dusty day in the Southwest Plains of Oklahoma!

 

 

Home For A While

 

A manicured grounds with water and electric plus a Lake View works sometimes! Not my usual fare. Electric with the Buffalo and Deer and Post Oak trees is my favorite!

 

Will be out of touch for a few days or weeks depending on???

 

 

Keep it simple!

Found this yacht just a stones throw from the Hawaii Five-0 "Shrimp Truck". The vessel owner appears to have all the important things on board, twin fishing poles, tackle box, bait box and spare gasoline for the trolling motor.

Daydreaming Again

It has been a very long week and unfortunatley it looks like my next day off won't be until the end of October. I think a little daydreaming is in order. This was taken at my favorite place in the world, Maui, along the coast of Honokowai.

The high country of Arizona

I took these four years ago when we were in Sedona, AZ. Cheryl was nice enough to let me spend a few days treasure hunting near Mesa, AZ so I treated her to a day in Sedona. It sounded fair to me. LOL

I did some post processing with these in the new NIK software which helped a lot. I have come a long way in my photograhy in just a few years and looking back at my older photos definitley shows it. I have to give credit to everyone here on the blog for making me want to take better photos, especially Q. Even though he makes me grumble every now and then when he post photos I don't think I could ever take. LOL

Here is another Waikiki sunset I salvaged using Photoshop... The top 2/3 of the picture is as shot but the bottom 1/3 I had to brighten up some as it was absolutely black.

In reality the sky wasn't this dark or this red but this is the way the camera's auto exposure made it. Must have been that Matrix Metering... LOL

Pacific Ocean Sunsets

The sun setting behind the island of Lana'i just off the Maui coast. Taken hand held from a nice little bar in Lahaina. My kind of photography, a camera in one hand and a beer in the other. LOL

I posted a version of this photo before however the lighting is better on this one so I thought a new version was in order.

This one was taken in San Diego last month.

I'm having to dig out some old photos since I haven't had time to take any new ones. Hopefully soon I will get out with the camera again.

Blue Ribbon Winner

Claiming The Blue

 

A spirited two year old filly fresh off the race circuit who was in perfect condition raced away with top honors in it's class. Mane cropped for racing, owner shouting "Heads UP, coming thru!"

 

Owner/Trainer/Horse- in true Racing Form!

Ol' Marais River Run Car Show

Since 1986 a local group of car enthusiast called the "Over The Road Gang" has been putting on a car show and cruise night in our town. It is a two day show that consists of a show and shine in the local park and on Saturday nights a "Back to the 60's" cruise night. During cruise night main street is closed and  the participants of the show are allowed to park on street and cruise for a few hours just like the good old days of the era. The first show in 1986 there were 150 participants but over the years the show has grown. In 2010 there were 1618 participants, this years show was expected to be one of the largest with est. 2000 entries.

 

I had the opportunity to attend the cruise night and a few of my photos will be from that. I didn't bring my tripod or mono pod, due to the crowded streets,  which I regret.  But I did make it down to the show in the park and spent a hour and a half taking 500+ photos, so you might get tired of see car photos before long. Here are a few from the cruise night and I will post a few more after I have had chance to edit get the others ready to post. By the way, I don't know if any of you have noticed but, the camera model beside my name has changed. I have been given a upgrade by Ron, a early birthday gift, by a couple of months. These were all shot with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 18-250 lens.

 

 

 

 





Kansas Sunrise

I took this about four days ago as a small rain storm was moving into the area just at sunrise. It was so early I had to think about how to work the camera! LOL

Paparazzi?

Look Your Best

 

It was final day of judging for this fine group of goats at the Canadian County Free Fair. Couldn't help myself as I approached the pen with camera in hand. Voiced a couple of 'Bleats' which turned the goats attention to the camera. Figured it was OK as configuration carries alot of weight in judging. These young judges needed to see the other end before tallying the final score!

Hawaiian sunset

Hawaiian sunset peeping from the sea

Smiles and says aloha to his sweetheart hawaii

The drowsy islands slumber one by one

Close their sleepy eyelids say goodnight to the sun

Then hawaii like millions of times before

Blossoms in her lover’s arms once more

Too soon the sunrise will wake her from her sleep

So until tomorrow, sleep hawaii sleep.
_______

From the Elvis Presley song "Hawaiian Sunset" 

(words & music by sid tepper - roy bennett)

Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon

Still haven't had any time to do anything but work... Not that I'm complaining at all. Nose firmly planted to the grindstone as the saying goes!

Heres a picture from last trip to Oahu of the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki. No set plans at this point but hoping to get to Oahu again sometime this Fall or Winter. Need some serious R&R time!

The Green Fields of Ireland?

Nah, it's "just" Hawaii.

Reflection

Just a sea turtle (honu in Hawaiian) swimming by showing his reflection in the surface of the water.

Team Meeting

Taken at Canadian County Free Fair

El Reno, Oklahoma

 

Caught this little Cowgirl  getting last minute instructions before entering the arena to show her horse!

Where's Waldo II

Can you see my house?

OK, so it's only wishful thinking on my part that this is my house. I guy can dream can't he?

Crowded Skies over Hardy Bay

If it isn't a good picture it better be interesting... LOL This one falls into the interesting category.

Every fall the Salmon come into Hardy Bay waiting for enough rain so they can head up river to spawn. Wherever there are fish the Seagulls follow hoping for an easy meal. Trouble is the Bay can get quite crowded at times between the fish, fish boats, birds and everything else that goes on during fishing season!

Fortunately this airplane has a propeller not a jet engine so no repeat performance of the "Miracle on the Hudson" in Hardy bay!

I lied

I found another California sunset, just for Tex! LOL

Bring a Shovel

QUICKSAND!!

 

Nuff said!

Anybody need a saw?

Or maybe you just want to go for a swim?

Same Bee different camera

Previously I posted a cell phone picture of a Bee on a clover flower... What I had forgotten is that I took some pictures with my real camera (D90) of the same Bee on the same Clover flower. So just for the fun of it here is a comparison.

One More California Sunset

As Paul would say; it's sunrise some where.

Seal Beach, La Jolla, CA

I found these seals snoozing on a rock just as the sun was setting. How they get up on the rock I just don't know.

Kaleidoscope of Color

Whirlwinds

A fast and furious beat from the drummers and singers at the pow wow drum had these guys dancing at full speed. Twisting and twirling moves had the colorful feathers from their costumes and headdresses moving in a blur of color. A slow shutter speed of about a half second was used to try and capture the action and put motion in the pic. Seemed to work well for what I had in mind?

 

This is my last pic from the Red Earth series. Thanks for all the nice comments!

 

 

Red Earth

fin

 

 

 

 

Can you feel the cold air yet?

With the Labor Day weekend coming to an end all the swimming pools are closing and the kids are back in school. I guess this means summer is over and the cold weather is on the way.

I think I'm actually looking forward to the cold weather this year, it was way too hot this summer.

New cell phone...

Finally replaced the old cell phone. The new phone has an 8mp camera in it along with all the other smarter than me features. LOL

So today I was playing with the new phone and took a few pictures including the one above. I'm thinking to myself as I look through the pictures on the phones high resolution display that I can just leave all my heavy camera gear at home from now on and take all my pictures with the new cell phone...

But that all changed when I loaded the pictures onto the computer and had a look at them on the big screen! The phone does an alright job but there is no comparison, not even close when it comes to the detail and quality produced by a good lens and nice big sensor to capture an image.

Serenity

A sunrise photographed on a beach in Honokowai, Maui, Hawaii. That is the isalnd of Moloka'i in the distance surrounded by clouds.

Forest flower

While hiking a mile above sea level in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State I found this curious little flower growing in the dim light on the forest floor. Absolutely no idea what flower it is. Interesting how every little hair reflected the flash, almost gives it an iridescent look.

All alone in the world...

...on a paddle board in the pacific ocean. Might not be such a bad thing!