Visual Field

Fourth of July Abstract

2005-07-03T11:19:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 330 mm f/5.6 1/400

Detail of the Spoonbridge & Cherry outdoor sculpture in Minneapolis.
I'm posting it today because it's red, sort of white, and blue. The red
is part of the cherry, the sort-of-white is the edge of the spoon, and
the blue is the sky.

The image below shows the entire sculpture.

Strings Attached

2005-07-02T14:18:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 400 mm f/5.6 1/100

I'm posting this image not because it's a great photo, but
because it illustrates an interesting incident. The robin,
apparently collecting material for a nest, picked up a piece
of string and tried to fly away with it. However, the string
was at least 10 feet long and both ends were tied to metal
poles. As a consequence, the string put up quite a fight,
and the bird was forced to drop it. The matter did not,
however, end there. The robin returned at least five
times as I watched, picking up several loops of string in its
mouth, flying away, and quickly having to let go. Eventually
it gave up in (I would imagine) disgust.

Roof Repair Abstract

2005-06-26T23:54:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/1000

Detail of a roof undergoing repair in downtown Baltimore.

I haven't been posting or commenting much lately
because I've been very busy; work keeps getting in
the way of photography. I hope to have a bit more
time soon, however.

Chiaroscuro and I are off tomorrow for a short trip to
Minneapolis. I have to work most of the time, but
am still hoping to find a little time for photography
while I'm there.

Spiral Staircase

2005-06-20T23:34:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 17-40 L @ 17 mm f/4.0 1.20

Spiral staircase with Tiffany glass dome in the
Hackerman House, an 1850s mansion that is
part of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

Macroday: Pattern

2005-06-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/8 1/400

Another lotus blossom from one of my recent expeditions to lily ponds.

Orchid II

2005-06-13T22:22:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Tamron 90 mm macro, f/20 1.0s

Another orchid macro from the greenhouse at Reynolda Gardens
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Liberty Place, Philadelphia

2005-06-12T19:05:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @ 43 mm f/4.5 1/2500

I'm taking a break from flower photos today although more (alas)
will be forthcoming in the near future.

A couple of weeks ago Chiaroscuro and I spent two
days in Philadelphia. We had a good time, although we had one
frustrating morning in which we walked to the Academy of Natural
Sciences where I remembered having previously visiting an indoor
butterfly garden. Unfortunately, the garden was gone, and so were
our plans for taking butterfly photos. We then walked to South
Street to visit a favorite used bookstore, which not only had a large
collection of interesting books but also a resident cat named Earl
Grey. The store was also gone. At least we got some exercise.

I took this photo about a block from our hotel.

Orchid

2005-06-11T21:54:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro, f/18 1 s

Chiaroscuro and I were in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,
earlier this week for a conference at Wake Forest University.
While there we visited Reynolda Gardens and took more flower
photos. This orchid was in a greenhouse that was also inhabited
by a very friendly cat who had only one ear.

And Another Lotus

2005-06-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @200mm f/9.0 1/640

Yellow Lotus

2005-06-07T20:46:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400mm f/7.1 1/2000

More Lotus Blossoms

2005-06-06T21:51:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400mm f/5.6 1/3200

Another lotus blossom from yesterday's flower shoot.

Here also is the image I cropped to produce yesterday's post.

Lotus

2005-06-05T21:25:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/9.0 1/400

Chiaroscuro and I did some serious flower photography today.
We each ended up with quite a few images we liked, and will probably
be posting more in the coming days. Some of my favorites were of
lotus flowers on a lily pond.

This blossom looked as if it were on fire.

Photo Friday: Symbol

2005-06-02T22:30:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 105mm f/4.5 1/2500

Heron at Sunset

2005-05-30T12:27:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 400mm f/5.6 1/1000

I took this photo near sunset one afternoon during my recent trip to
Sarasota. The heron was slowly walking through shallow water in a
small inlet, looking for fish.

More Monarchs

2005-05-29T16:06:00.000-04:00

Monarch Feeding

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/9 1/320

In this image the monarch's proboscis (feeding tube) is uncoiled
and extended into the flower, allowing the butterfly to extract
nectar.

Monarchs Mating

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/8 1/250

The woman from the G.Wiz science museum who released the
monarchs (see my previous post) told me that monarchs often
mate almost immediately after emerging from the chrysalis.
Sure enough, two of the newly-released butterflies began
mating on a nearby bush.

Monarchs

2005-05-23T18:10:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @300 mm f/8 1/320

On my recent trip to Sarasota, my hotel was right next to the G.WIZ
Hands-On Science Museum. One morning I went out walking and saw
several monarch butterflies on a cluster of flowering bushes at the
side of the museum. I was taking photos when a woman came out of
the museum and started talking to me. She told me she had planted
the bushes, choosing some that would provide food for larvae, and
others with flowers that would attact the adult butterflies.

She then went back into the museum and brought out a box with
screened sides. Inside, attached to the top, were seven or eight
monarch chrysali. During the night butterflies had emerged from
four of them, and were clinging to the sides of the box. She gently
took each butterfly on her finger, carried it to a flower, and
released it to feed.

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 400mm f/8 1/320

Snowy Egret

2005-05-15T22:14:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @275 mm f/8 1/400

While in Sarasota, I visited Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary, a
facility where injured birds are cared for, and either released
after being healed, or maintained for life if their injuries
preclude a return to life in the wild. The injured birds were in
enclosures that didn't make for good photography, but an amazing
number and variety of non-captive birds were in the vicinity,
feeding, nesting, and generally carrying on. This male snowy
egret was protecting his nest and mate from other males.

Blue Heron

2005-05-13T19:23:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @250 mm f/8 1/125

Chiaroscuro and I just returned from several days at a conference
in Sarasota, Florida. I took this photo one afternoon from an outlook
on a nature trail, and was nearly eaten alive by small biting flies
while I waited as the heron slowly walked closer and closer.
However, I guess it was worth it, because I was able to get
several decent shots.

5/15/05 Update for Massimo, who thought of alligators when I
mentioned being nearly eaten alive. We did see some alligators, but
I kept my distance:

Gargantuan Mondrian

2005-05-04T21:34:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @300mm f/8 1/500

Facade of the Baltimore Aquarium

Thanks to everyone who voted for my koala Photo Friday entry!

Spring Fair

2005-05-02T00:57:00.000-04:00

The annual Spring Fair at Johns Hopkins University was held this
weekend. Friday, when fair started, was cool and overcast, and
Saturday it rained all day. Sunday, however, was beautiful.
Below are two photos I took while wandering around.

Wipeout

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @24 MM f/4 1/800

The children seemed to be having fun, but I wasn't sure about the
pink teddy bear.

Lower Quad

Canon 20D, Canon 17-40L @ 31 mm f/16 1/100

Vendors' tents on the lower quad.

Photo Friday: Soft

2005-04-29T00:33:00.000-04:00

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

An image from my visit to Australia last summer; something
of a change of pace from my recent posts.

Golden

2005-04-27T23:29:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @ 70 mm f/9 1/250

Artwork on the side of a building in New York. I'm not sure who
these people are, but I liked the strong contrasts created by the
sunlight raking across the sculpture.

Windows

2005-04-25T22:06:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @105 mm f/7.1 1/320

Another part of the building from yesterday's post.

Urban Geometry

2005-04-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 250 mm f/5.6 1/350

I was fascinated by the two-dimensional look of this perspective
on a colorful building in New York.

Verizon Building, New York

2005-04-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 135 mm f/7.1 1/160

Another image from my recent trip to New York.

Photo Friday: Rest

2005-04-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70 L @51 mm f/4.5 1/13

Frosty gets some well-deserved rest after a hard day of eating,
napping, looking at birds out the window, eating, and napping.

Building Abstract

2005-04-19T22:12:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @ 260 mm f/7.1 1/100

Looking up, at a sharp angle, at several floors of a New York
office building. (The yellowish shapes are office windows.)

Times Square Reflections

2005-04-17T23:05:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @160 mm f/9 1/320

Another image from my recent trip to New York.

Tulips

2005-04-16T22:45:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/800

I love tulips and have been taking quite a few tulip photos lately.
These were taken this afternoon when Chiaroscuro and I visited
Sherwood Garden, a small public park in Baltimore. Every spring
the park is full of daffodils and tulips. The tulips aren't quite at their
peak yet, but there were still plenty to photograph.

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/800

Manhattan Looking Up

2005-04-15T21:17:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @ 25mm f/5.6 1/1000

Chiaroscuro and I had an enjoyable visit to New York. The weather
was clear, spring was in the air, and we didn't have to be constantly
at the conference that brought us to the city. In addition to walking
and taking photos for hours, we went to the recently re-opened
MOMA -- the building and the exhibits were stunning. We also
visited the International Center of Photography, where we saw a
disturbing exhibit of Larry Clark's work. And we visited B&H Photo,
the ultimate candy store for photographers. Amazingly, I didn't spend
a dime, but Chiaroscuro bought a great new lens: a Canon 70-200
f/4 L. (Incidentally, I highly recommend B&H for on-line as well as
in-person purchases.) I'll be posting some additional shots from NY
in the coming days.

i-gizmo: Animal

2005-04-09T18:40:00.000-04:00

Petunia

This is Petunia, a golden hamster belonging
to one of my friends. Her cheeks (Petunia's,
not my friend's) can hold a remarkable
amount. Just after I took this photo, the entire
carrot disappeared.

Dying Tulip

2005-04-09T16:43:00.000-04:00

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro, f/22 4.0 s

I've been so busy lately I haven't taken many photos --
my job keeps interfering with my photography.
Chiaroscuro and I bought some cut tulips a while ago,
mostly to enjoy but also to photograph. By the time I
had a moment to think about taking photos today,
the flowers were completely gone by. However,
they still looked interesting to me, so I took several
macro shots. This is one of my favorites. The pistil
and stamens are still upright, but the petals have
folded downward and are lying along the stem.

Chiaroscuro and I are heading to New York for a meeting
and, we hope, some photography. Perhaps we'll have
something to post when we get back.

Strobo-Rotography Abstract

2005-04-02T21:02:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @50mm f/9 1 s

This image was created through a combination of two techniques
I've been experimenting with: photographing rotating objects
(which I've called rotography for fun), and illuminating subjects
with strobe light (hence 'strobo-rotography'). Photoshop
compositing was also involved.

The final image looks very different from what I started with,
so I thought it might be interesting to explain how it was done.

Step 1
I started with this image: a rotating spoon illuminated with
strobe light timed so as to show the spoon not continuously
but rather at a series of discrete positions.

Step 2

I then cropped to eliminate everything but the hurricane-like

pattern created by the tops of the spoons, and added some color,

yielding this image:

Step 3
I then copied the preceding image, flipped it horizontally, and
changed the color to blue:

Step 4
Next, I combined the images from steps 2 and 3 so that they
partially overlapped:

Step 5
Then, I copied the image from step 4, flipped it vertically,
and combined it with the step 4 image:

Step 6
Finally, I copied the step 5 image, rotated it 90 degrees, and
combined it with the step 5 image to produce the result shown above.

Photo Friday: Tiny

2005-03-31T22:39:00.000-05:00

When Birds Go Grocery Shopping

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/200

In the winter, seeds and berries are often scarce, and birds
may be forced to seek out alternative food sources.

Spring, Dimly Imagined

2005-03-29T23:45:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @ 48 mm f/5.0 1 s

Spring has been rather late arriving in Baltimore, and as far as I'm
concerned it can't get here soon enough.

This image was created by waving a tulip back and forth in front
of a textured black background, while illuminating the scene with
a flashing strobe light. The strobe repeatedly froze the tulip
during the 1-second exposure, creating multiple images of the
flower while also letting the background texture come through.

More RGB Water Droplets

2005-03-23T23:10:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more images of a water droplet on a pure white
region of a computer monitor (maximum brightness of red,
green, and blue pixels). Even with this simple set-up a variety
of effects can be obtained. (See my February 28 post for more
examples.) In the near future I hope to try some different
arrangements, such as multiple drops, or patterns other than
pure white on the monitor.

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/18 3.2 s

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/32 4.0 s

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/29 3.2 s

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/22 3.2 s

Waves

2005-03-22T23:50:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @ 64mm f/4.5 1/60

Detail of ceiling and wall of a walkway on the side of the library
at Johns Hopkins University. I'm fascinated by the curves and
texture of the ceiling and will probably try some other shots here.

Ghost Tulips

2005-03-19T16:51:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @ f/5.0 1/4

This image was made by shaking the tulip back and forth under
a strobe light. The strobe flashed twice during the exposure,
catching the tulip in two slightly different positions, and producing
the appearance of two partially-superimposed flowers.

Photo Friday: Faces

2005-03-17T22:27:00.000-05:00

Mugs on Mugs

Canon Digital Rebel, Canon 24-70L @55mm f/4.0 1/125

Two tasteful mugs in a shop window in Baltimore's Hampden
neighborhood.

Ginger

2005-03-16T22:42:00.000-05:00

Canon Digital Rebel (300D), Canon 50 mm f/1.4 1/80

The photo group met at VisuallyMinded's house last Monday.
Ginger greeted us warmly when we arrived, showed us some
of her tricks, and sat with us on the couch throughout the
evening.

Columns, Harvard Memorial Hall

2005-03-14T23:25:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @70mm f/5.0 1/50

These columns stand at one end of Harvard's Memorial Hall, which
was built as a memorial to the alumni who died serving the Union
in the Civil War.

Chiaroscuro's post for today is also of columns on the Harvard
campus, but her (quite different) shot was taken in the Sackler
museum lobby, the site of my post from yesterday.

Museum Lobby Abstract

2005-03-12T23:55:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @ 58mm f/2.8 1/60

It was a snowy, slushy day in Cambridge. Chiaroscuro and I
spent much of the day in museums on the Harvard campus.
This image is a corner of the lobby in the Sackler museum.

Fence, Shadow & Snow

2005-03-11T22:50:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @ 51 mm f/2.8 1/6

Chiaroscuro and I are in Cambridge, Massachusetts, because I had
a meeting there today. When we planned the trip, we decided to
stay an extra day to have some time to look around and take some
photos. However, it looks like we're going to have a snowstorm here
tomorrow, which may put a damper on our plans. Oh, well.

This image of a fence and its shadow on the snow was taken from
our hotel window.

Update 3/14/05
Gienna asked why I chose to create an extreme-contrast image
consisting only of pure black and white. The reason is that I
thought the original image, which can be seen here, had too
much texture that distracted from the fence and shadow, which
were the subjects I wanted to emphasize.

Firepits of Hell

2005-03-09T23:45:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @70 mm f/6.3 1/100

Playing with separate curves adjustments for the red, green, and
blue channels in Photoshop. This image began life as a rather
mundane shot of the grating on a ceiling light fixture in the
restroom of an office building.

Update 3/14/05
In response to Massimo's request, here is the original photo,
prior to the curves adjustment:

Canada Geese at Sunset

2005-03-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/5.6 1/500

I thought I'd take a break from rotating objects and pixels on
computer monitors. This photo was taken in a park near my house,
with the setting sun lighting the geese from underneath.

Photo Friday: Ghostly

2005-03-04T00:18:00.000-05:00

Spoon Ghost

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @70mm f/16 1/13

I've been experimenting lately with mounting utensils and other
objects on a rotating shaft, and photographing them with a light
box in the background. (See Feb 25, Feb 27, & Mar 2 posts.)

This image was created with two spoons mounted on the shaft
facing outward. The color was added in Photoshop.

Rotograph Abstract

2005-03-02T23:25:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L IS @70mm f22 1/6

I'm continuing to explore the 'rotography' technique. (The term is just
silliness on my part.) This rotograph is a bit more complex than the
others I've posted, and was created by mounting three spoons on a
rotating shaft, with a lightbox behind them. Colors were added in
Photoshop. It's not supposed to be anything in particular; I just liked
the pattern.

The weather in Baltimore should be turning nicer before too long, at
which point I may go outside and photograph some recognizable
objects.

RGB Water Droplets

2005-02-28T22:52:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro, f/32 3.2 s

For the photo group's water assignment I laid an RGB monitor on
its back with the screen facing upward, and shot water droplets
on a white area of the screen. The droplet magnifies the red(R),
green(G), and blue(B) pixels, with the specific pattern created
depending on the size of the droplet, the depth of field, and
the plane of focus.

The 3 images presented in this post show some of the effects that
can be obtained.

The image above was created with a fairly large water droplet,
something on the order of 1 cm diameter. A mosaic of enlarged
but undistorted R, G, and B pixels can be seen in the center
of the droplet, surrounded by elongated pixels nearer the
droplet's edge.

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro, f/29 3.2 s

This image, made with a smaller water droplet, shows a large
central G pixel surrounded by smaller R and B pixels, and so
forth, receding into a starburst pattern.

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro, f/32 4 s

In this image the center is occupied almost entirely by a single
blue pixel, with a piece of green pixel also showing. Surrounding
the central pixel are distorted red and blue pixels, with R, G,
and B pixels receding in rows into the distance toward the edge
of the droplet.

Rotograpy II: The Virtual Vase

2005-02-27T23:32:00.000-05:00

Rotating Forks

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @70mm f/22 1/10

This is the second image from my rotating-objects project, which
I'm calling rotography just for fun. The process was very similar
to that for the Virtual Tulip image, except that the forks were
mounted on the rotating shaft with points facing outward rather
than inward. Again a light box was placed behind the rotating
forks, and colors were added in Photoshop.

The photo group's project for this week is water. We meet
tomorrow, weather permitting (we're expecting yet another
significant snow storm). I'll post a few of my images from the
project later in the week.

Virtual Tulip

2005-02-25T00:20:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @ 70mm f/22 1/13

It's cold and snowing outside, so I decided to create springtime
indoors.

A few weeks ago I experimented with photographing spoons
mounted on a rotating shaft. Last night I made a trip to Lowe's
home center for assorted bits and pieces of pvc pipe & fittings,
to help me mount objects with greater stability. Surprisingly,
the new procedures worked well, and I took quite a few photos
tonight with various setups. (I didn't even have any incidents
where objects flew off the shaft and struck me in the head.)

For this one I mounted two forks point to point and spun
them, with a light box in the background. The colors were
added in Photoshop.

Photo Friday: Rural

2005-02-24T16:53:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400mm f/8 1/800

Macroday: Light

2005-02-23T00:42:00.000-05:00

RGB Mountain Range

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

This macro image is all about light; it shows a small region
of a CRT computer monitor. The shape and arrangement
of pixels is different than on the LCD monitor shown
in yesterday's post. I find the CRT more aesthetically
pleasing: I like the polka-dot appearance of one-color
regions, the ring patterns in two-color areas, and the
mosaic pattern in three-color areas.

I also enjoy the fact that the appearance of the monitor
in the macro image is qualitatively different from its
appearance to the naked eye. Areas with R, G, and B
pixels fully on appear pure white to the unaided eye,
with no hint of separate red, green, and blue. Regions
with R and G pixels on and B off are seen as pure yellow.

Wereas the individual pixels are easily seen in the
macro image, they are too small to be distinguished by
the naked eye looking at the monitor, and nearby pixels
blur together, in essence mixing together the colored
lights. The colors produced by mixing R, G, and B lights
may seem strange. As I mentioned yesterday, mixing
lights is different from mixing paints. In light mixtures,
red + green + blue = white, and red + green = yellow.

The World of RGB

2005-02-21T00:27:00.000-05:00

R + B + G = White

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

Our photo group's assignment this week is rather vague,
at least to me, but I know it has something to do with depth
of field (DOF). I decided to use my flat-screen LCD monitor
for a DOF study. I'll be posting some of the results in the
next few days, but here for tonight are two macro abstracts
that are not part of the assignment.

The image above shows a small section of my monitor displaying
white. Because of the way the human visual system works,
combining red, green, and blue light in appropriate
proportions causes perception of white. When we look at
large color patches, as in the photo, we see the separate
colors, but when we look at the tiny pixels on a monitor
the eye cannot distinguish nearby pixels and the colors
merge to make white. The rows and columns on the monitor are
horizontal and vertical, but I rotated the camera for a
diagonal composition.

Blue Highway

Canon 20D, Tamron 90mm macro f/16 4 s

This image shows a small segment of the Photoshop toolbar
against a yellow background. Mixing colored lights is not
like mixing paints. (If you want to get technical, mixing
lights is additive color mixture, and mixing paints is
subtractive.) Oddly enough, mixing red and green light
yields a perception of yellow. That's why the red and green
pixels are on, and the blue pixels are off, in the yellow
region on the left.

Runway Abstract

2005-02-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 24-70L @70mm ISO 1600 f/11 3.2s

This photo was shot from the window of the airplane
just after Chiaroscuro & I landed in Atlanta, on our
way back to Baltimore from Jacksonville, FL.

Two Southern Images

2005-02-17T22:56:00.000-05:00

Southern Reflections

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @275 mm f/16 1/100

One afternoon during our recent visit to Jacksonville,
Florida, Chiarocscuro and I went with my parents to
The Landing, on the St. Johns River in downtown
Jacksonville. Many of the nearby office buildings were
highly reflective, and I couldn't resist taking some
reflection images.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @400 mm f/9 1/125

This woodpecker visited a birdfeeder at my parents'
house every morning and afternoon. For some
reason it hung from the ledge of the feeder rather
than perching like the other birds did. It really is
a red-bellied woodpecker and not a red-headed
woodpecker even though the red is on the head.

Excavator at Sunset Jacksonville, Florida

2005-02-15T23:23:00.001-05:00

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS @105mm f/5.6 1/1600

Chiaroscuro and I returned late Sunday night from a visit
to my parents in Jacksonville, Florida. We had a nice time,
and enjoyed the spring-like weather. The azaleas, which we
won't see in Baltimore for another two months, were
already blooming, and we could venture out without coats.

Late one afternoon, we visited a construction site
and some small sand dunes nearby. (The 'soil' in
Jacksonville is mostly sand.) We took quite a few shots
of the ripple patterns created by the wind. Chiaroscuro's
are better than mine, and she will probably post at least
one.

The sunset was beautiful, and I took this image of an
excavator on a small hill silhouetted against the sky.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2005-02-14T18:57:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D Canon 100-400L IS @250mm f/5.0 1/1000

This image is a section of a galvanized light pole,
lit by the late afternoon sun. I thought of Valentine's
Day as soon as I saw it a couple of weeks ago. The
patterns are formed by patches of zinc deposited by
the galvanizing process. (I don't understand how it
works.)

I tried to come up with a good title. I thought of

Runner Chased by Flying Heart, with Forehead
about to Collide with Ice Cream Cone

I thought that said it all, but I asked Chiaroscuro
and she didn't seem impressed; so I'm inviting
anyone who sees this to suggest a title of your own.

Thanks to all who have encouraged me in my
photography, either in person or on-line. This
Valentine's for you.

Photo Friday: Distorted

2005-02-10T01:33:00.000-05:00

Discord & Harmony

Canon 20D Tamron 90mm macro f/16 1/6

This image was made by placing two forks with tines
crossed on a light box, and positioning the convex
surface of an ice cream scoop above them to create
the distorted reflection in which the tines curve and
unite.

Forks within Forks

2005-02-09T21:31:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D Tamron 90mm macro f/16 1/10

Another fork image from the utensils assignment. The upper
part of the photo is a reflection in the convex surface of an ice
cream scoop, which in turn is reflected in the surface of the
fork itself below, and so forth.

Chiaroscuro and I leave tomorrow to visit my parents
in Florida for a few days. Maybe we'll bring back a
few interesting images.

2005-02-07T22:43:00.000-05:00

Kinetic Spoon

Canon 20D Canon 24-70L @70mm f/22 1/13

Illusory Vase

Canon 20D Canon24-70L @70 mm 0.3 s

These images were created with spoons taped to a rotating
shaft, and a light box behind the spoons. For the first image
I used a single spoon, whereas for the second I taped two
spoons opposite one another on the shaft.

Fork with Melting Tines

2005-02-06T22:57:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/16 1/8

I finally finished my utensils assignment. It didn't come easily,
but I ended up with 5 or 6 images I like.

This one is a reflection shot. The 'intact' part of the fork at the top
is a reflection in the bowl of an ice cream scoop, and the 'melting'
tines are part of the fork itself.

An Abstract and a Dog

2005-02-06T01:17:00.000-05:00

The Abstract

Canon 20D Tamron 90 mm macro f/22 1/6

Our informal photography group's self-assignment for the week
is utensils.This is my first image for the assignment. I guess
that gives away what it is.

The Dog

Canon 20D Canon 24-70L @ 70mm f/2.8 1/60

I took several shots of VisuallyMinded's dog Ginger at the
group's meeting two weeks ago. Surprisingly, she seemed
rather unimpressed with my photos of onions.

Abstract Geese

2005-02-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D Canon 100-400 L IS @ 105mm f/9 1/500

I was looking for photos in a small park late in the afternoon
today when I saw this formation of Canada geese fly overhead.
I liked the pattern and the rather abstract appearance of the
geese.

A House Divided

2005-02-03T19:18:00.000-05:00

Canon 20D Canon 100-400L IS @105mm f/4.5 1/160

I'm trying to work on simple graphic compositions, but don't (yet) have a good feel for what is simple-and-interesting, and what is simple-and-boring. Comments are welcome.

The building in this image was once part of a cotton mill dating from 1811. The complex has been transformed into a small shopping and office complex. I found it interesting that half of the building shown -- all of one long side, half of the front and half of the back -- has been painted a solid red, whereas the remaining half retains the raw bricks and mortar look (with what may be the remnants of a previous coat of white paint).

Return to Glass Mountain

2005-01-30T23:03:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-29T18:57:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-29T01:47:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-27T23:49:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-25T01:02:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-24T01:03:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-23T01:38:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-21T23:51:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-20T01:27:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-19T01:39:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-16T19:53:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-15T23:07:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-14T22:06:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-11T23:38:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-10T18:40:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-09T23:07:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-08T22:15:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-08T01:39:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-06T21:08:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-04T23:42:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-03T21:55:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-02T23:43:00.000-05:00

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

2005-01-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

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!

Attack & Resistance

2004-12-26T23:23:00.000-05:00

Canon 100-400 L IS @220 mm f/16 1/4

It was cold and windy today, and I didn't feel like venturing far from home,
so I took some shots of two nearby office buildings, and used them to create
abstracts. In this image, the diagonal white lines seemed to me as if they were
attacking a wall or barrier, which was resisting the assault.

I'll be away for the next several days (unfortunately somewhere colder
rather than warmer), and probably won't have the opportunity to post
any images until Jan. 1.

Happy New Year!

Innocence

2004-12-25T18:22:00.000-05:00

Canon 24-70L @51 mm f/4.5 1/13

Like children, cats look so innocent when they're sleeping that it's difficult to
imagine all the mischief they can get into while they're awake.

Here Frosty is napping before his next assault on the Christmas tree.

Happy Holidays!

Photo Friday: Tacky

2004-12-23T20:42:00.000-05:00

Cafe Hon, Hampden Neighborbood, Baltimore

Canon 24-70 L @35 mm 1/500 f/5.6

Pink flamingos are beautiful birds, but as decorations they are . . .
well . . . tacky.

As I mentioned in an earlier post (Dec. 7, 2004), Hampden is
a quirky working-class Baltimore neighborhood that has
become somewhat trendy. The pink flamingo is seen frequently
as a decorative accent, sometimes but not always presented tongue
-in-cheek. Cafe Hon is a Hampden institution, and not only
displays the pink flamingo proudly, but also takes its name from
the (tacky?) tendency of many native Baltimoreans to call everybody
"Hon" (as in "Honey").

Theme Thursday: Vehicle

2004-12-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hood Ornament

Canon 50 mm 1/160 f/8

Birds of Australia VII: Masked Lapwing

2004-12-23T00:04:00.000-05:00

Hey! What Are You Lookin' At?

Canon 100-400 L IS @ 400 mm 1/1600 f/7.1

That Worm Was THIS Big

Canon 100-400 L IS @115 mm 1/1250 f/7.1

"Unmistakable in both appearance and voice" says my little book on Australian birds. Right again. I slowly approached this bird in a grassy field at Macquarie University in Sydney. It seemed unperturbed at first, but eventually started to berate me in a harsh voice. (My book says, "the voice is a staccato kekekekekekekek," which seems like a lot of kes but was a pretty accurate description.) When the bird then spread its wings in an apparent threat gesture, I took the hint and withdrew.

Birds of Australia VI: Avian Punk

2004-12-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

Canon 100-400 L IS @220 mm f/7.1 1/1000

This is a Crested Pigeon I saw on the campus of Macquarie University
in Sydney.

2004-12-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Amber Eye

Tamron 90 mm macro f/16 1/5

The weather was bad here today -- rainy, then windy, cold and snowy. I decided
to stay indoors and try some macro photography. This was the image I liked best.