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i-gizmo: clouds

Canon 20D Canon 17-40 L @17mm f/11 1/100

Thanks to everyone who commented on yesterday's post!
I went back to the building this afternoon, and found the
reflected colors & patterns even more dramatic than
yesterday. I did some minor levels and curves adjustments
on these, but no other color manipulations. For the image
above, the point of view is similar to yesterday's image,
although I've shown a bit more of the building vertically.
For the image below, I moved back to create a composition
of diamonds and hexagons.

Canon 20D Canon 24-70L @46mm f/11 1/100

Glass Mountains

Canon 20D Canon 24-70 L @30 mm f/8 1/125

Yesterday I was reduced to taking pictures of animal crackers.
Today Chiaroscuro and I ventured outdoors to an interesting
building a couple of miles from our house. The building's outer
surface is made up of highly reflective square panels, and these
allow for many interesting geometric compositions. This shot
was taken looking up along a corner of the building. Chiaroscuro
says she will probably also post one of her images from the
expedition.

Cows

Canon 20D Canon 24-70L @ 24mm f/22 5 s

When my son was little, he used to call all animal crackers "cows."

Photo Friday: Crowded

Canon Digital Rebel Canon 100-400 L IS @105 mm f/5.6 1/500

You may be wondering what on earth this image has to do with
the 'crowded' theme.

Well, it's really very simple . . .

The title of the shot is Overcrowded Building Bulges Alarmingly.

An Abstract

Canon Digital Rebel Canon 24-70L @ 65mm f/7.1 1/200

Looking up at an outdoor lamp in the courtyard of the arts
center at Johns Hopkins University. This is another of the
shots I took for our photo group's first assignment. The
next assignment is utensils. Chiaroscuro has already
created some amazing images with plastic spoons, so I'm
way behind before I even start.

Gienna of Gienna Writes took part at long distance in
the onion portion of the first assignment, producing the
very nice image here. Her site is also well worth visiting
for other photos, and for her posts about writing and about
life in general. It's one of my favorites.

Onion Abstract

Canon 20D, Tamron 90 mm macro, f/16 1 sec

This is the second of my three favorite images for our photography
group's assignment of shooting an onion. The group met tonight
to discuss our results. Everyone else had great images, and I hope
they'll post some of them.

We met at VisuallyMinded's place, and I had the opportunity to
meet her dog Ginger, who is every bit as cute as she appears in
VM's photos, and also very fun and energetic. I took a few pictures
but haven't looked at them yet.

Under the Knife

Canon 20D, Tamron 90 mm macro, f/16, 1.3 sec

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, a few of us in Baltimore have
set up an informal photography group, to help us improve our
photography. We gave ourselves a two-part assignment to be
finished by tomorrow, one part of which was to photograph an
onion. I was cutting one open when I thought I might as well
take some pictures that included the knife. I liked the color of
this one, and the reflection of the onion in the knife blade. Now
if only Calphalon would pay me for the advertising.

Steamed

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70 L @70 mm, f/9 1/500

I was out yesterday afternoon trying to do my
assignment of taking photos at the arts center on
the Johns Hopkins University campus (see
yesterday's post), and happened to notice this
scene. The late afternoon sun was at the wrong
angle to color the clouds, but painted the steam
from the campus power plant.

Airhead

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70 L IS @ 70 mm f/11 1/400

Wire sculpture on the Johns Hopkins University
campus, shot against the first clear blue sky we've
had in Baltimore for quite a while, and the last we're
likely to have for another while. (We're expecting
snow tomorrow.)

Luminouslens, VisuallyMinded,
Chiaroscuro, a few others who don't
(yet) have photoblogs, and (last and least)
I have started an informal group to help
us improve our photography. This week we
gave ourselves the assignment of shooting
(a) the rather unphotogenic arts center on
the Johns Hopkins campus, and (b) an onion.
It will be interesting to see what we all
come up with. This is one of my images from
the arts center. At least we can shoot the
onions indoors while it snows this weekend.

Photo Friday: Signs

Domino Sugars

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @100 mm f/5.6 1/4

The sign atop the Domino Sugars refinery is a prominent
Baltimore harbor landmark, and creates vivid red
reflections in the waters of the harbor.

Water Colors

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @115 mm f/10 1/50


Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @300 mm f/5.6 1/160

Late afternoon reflections in the water of the Baltimore harbor.

Gull on Copper

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @250mm f/5.6 1/800

I've just about reached the end of my images from the Baltimore harbor the weekend before last. I liked the colors on this one -- the gull is lit by the rays of the late afternoon sun, which also creates colorful reflections on the water.

I haven't been satisified with many of the shots I've taken since the harbor visit, so I'd better get out there and take some more. If only it weren't so cold.

Reflection Abstract

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @105 mm f/4.5 1/200

Chiaroscuro and I went to the Mt. Washington neighborhood
of Baltimore yesterday afternoon and, still obsessed with
reflections, I took this shot of trees reflected in a puddle.

Architectural Waves

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @105 mm f/5.6 1/250

Reflection in windows at the National Aquarium in the Baltimore harbor.

At the beginning of my visit to the harbor last weekend, I happened to notice a
reflection in a puddle (see Saturday, January 8 post), and after that began
looking for more. I was amazed to discover how many interesting reflections
were all around me. The visual systems in our brains are so focused on seeing
the objects we're looking at that we are remarkably blind to properties of the
light falling on these objects, including color and the presence of patterned
reflections. One thing I love about photography is that it helps you learn to
see differently, and more fully.

Since last weekend, I've continued to see reflections I wouldn't previously
have noticed, and I hope this increased sensitivity will lead to some interesting
photos. I have so much to learn about seeing, but it's nice to take even a small step.

Night Falls on the Harbor

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @70mm f/4.5 1/6

This was the last photo I took when Chiaroscuro and I visited the
Baltimore harbor last weekend. The light was almost gone, and
the reflections of the lights on the water reminded me of a Van Gogh
painting.

Photo Friday: Silhouette

La Jolla Sunset

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @400mm f/6.3 1/800

This image of a pelican silhouetted against the sky at sunset was
taken last November on the beach at La Jolla, California, just north
of San Diego.

Lensday: Abstract

Urban Zebra

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/320

Reflections in the windows of an office building at the Baltimore
harbor. The image brought to mind the name of a photoblog I
enjoy, Urban Zebra, hence the title.

Fire & Water

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @70 mm f/8 1/400

Another image from my weekend visit to the Baltimore harbor. A cooperative
puddle reflected the colorful steps and wall.

For Karenlology: Kats of Kansas

Executive Cat: You're Fired!

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @70mm f/8 1/13

This post is for Karenology. The first two images show Quark,
Karenology's cat, at his home in Lawrence, Kansas. I took these
when Chiaroscuro and I visited Kansas over the holidays.

Pay attention, because this gets complicated. Quark -- almost
always called Quarkie -- is the brother of Frosty, one of the
two cats for whom Chiaroscuro and I are the hired help. (See
here for an image of Frosty.) Chiaroscuro adopted both Frosty
& Quarkie in Baltimore when they were kittens, but when she
moved to a place that didn't allow pets, they went to live in
Wichita, Kansas, with her sister, Karenology (and her mother
and brother). Chiaroscuro and I later took Frosty back to live
with us in Baltimore, and Karenology took Quarkie to live with
her at college in Lawrence. (I said it was complicated, not that
it was interesting.)

Innocent Cat: Who, Me?

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @70mm f/8 0.5 s

This image more accurately reflects what Quarkie is like -- all
wide-eyed innocence and, in fact, cluelessness.


Balcony Cat

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400L IS @400mm f/5.6 1/800

This cat isn't related to Frosty or Quark. I just saw it leaning out of
a second-story balcony, and thought it was pretty.

Color Compression

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @ 45mm f/8 1/200

This is another image from my weekend trip to the Baltimore
harbor. The reflected building looked like it was being compressed
by the walls of color.

Harbor Gulls

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-40 L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/800

This is another image from my visit to the Baltimore harbor yesterday.
I liked the way the two birds were aligned, and soft look of the gull in front.
From their markings, I think that both gulls are juveniles, experiencing their
first winter.

Puddle Reflection

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon24-70 L @57 mm f/8 1/100

Chiaroscuro and I visited the Baltimore harbor this afternoon.
We each took about a hundred photos, and each ended up with
five or six images we liked. (At least for me, that's a really
good percentage.)

This image is a reflection in a puddle in the parking lot where
we left our car. We both took a lot of reflection shots, and
Chiaroscuro tells me she's planning to post a different reflection
image of the same building, one in which the building is reflected
in the window of another building.

Sydney Opera House at Dusk

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 17-40L @39mm f/7.1 1/125

Here's a non-bird image from my trip to Australia last
July & August.

Photo Friday: Best of 2004

Feline Bliss

Canon Digital Rebel, Tamron 90 mm macro f/4.5 1/160

This is Frosty, who loves to be patted.


My other two favorites for the year were
Three Sisters and La Jolla Sunset

Birds of Australia VIII: Noisy Miner

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @275 mm f/7.1 1/250

The weather here is chilly and rainy, so I thought I'd go back
to Australia for today. In A Photographic Guide to Birds of Australia
Peter Rowland of the Australian Museum writes, "the Noisy
Miner is by turns aggressive, approachable, or curious."
This one was primarily curious, looking me over as I brought
out my camera. Rowland also says, "The Noisy Miner's name is well-
deserved: among the calls are a loud 'pwee pwee pwee' and
piping 'pee pee pee' when alarmed." However, I didn't hear a
peep (or pwee or pee) out of it.

A Warm Winter Day at the Park

On Golden Pond

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @ 400mm 1/400 f/5.6

Ruffled Feathers

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400 L IS @ 400mm 1/800 f/5.6

Last weekend was extremely warm in Maryland, and late Saturday
afternoon Chiaroscuro and I visited Centennial Park in Ellicott City,
where geese, ducks, and (atypically) seagulls were all over the lake.
The golden color in the image of the goose was created by the
reflection of a concrete piling bathed in the late afternoon sun.

Theme Thursday: Toys

Mr. Snow vs. The Banshee Mouse

OK, I'll admit right now that I got carried away. I started out to take a
picture for Theme Thursday, of Mr. Snow with his cat toy, the
Banshee Mouse (the reason for the name being known only to Hartz
Mountain Corp.). I ended up recording an epic struggle.

1) Mr. Snow Confronts the Savage Banshee Mouse


2) The Mouse Strikes First . . .


3) . . . And the Battle is Joined


4) Mr. Snow Gains the Upper Hand


5) He Presses His Advantage


6) After a Ferocious Struggle, the Battle is Won


7) Mr. Snow Licks his Wounds


8) And Poses Proudly with his Trophy


We can all sleep soundly in our beds tonight.

All images Canon Digital Rebel (300D), Canon 24-70L f/5.6 1/100 with flash

Nighttime in Kansas City

Canon 17-40L @ 22mm f/16 2 sec

While in Kansas over the holidays, we briefly visited Kansas City,
MO. This shot was taken at The Plaza, a shopping area of several
square blocks heavily laden with holiday lights. Oddly enough, the
scene is the entrance to an Eddie Bauer Home store. I carried my
tripod around for a couple of hours, but I was glad I had it for this
photo.

Hay and More Hay

Hay

Canon 17-40L @33 1/250 f/10

More Hay

Canon 17-40L @20 mm 1/80 f/16

I was in Wichita and Lawrence, Kansas, for the past several days,
and also briefly visited Kansas City, Missouri. The weather was
gloriously warm, and outdoor photography was a pleasure. I'll
be posting some images from the trip over the next few days.
These two show a hay field on an Air Force base in Wichita.

Happy New Year!