Scott Ackerman Photography

Blog Site Has Moved

2011-05-12T14:27:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone.
Sure appreciate you continuing to check out my blog for my latest shots. I have decided to switch my blog over to another site in hopes of setting up my own Domain Name here in the near future. The site can be seen now at -

http://www.axphotogrpahy.wordpress.com

Thanks and take care!

Iron Horse

2011-03-31T08:45:00.001-05:00

Have two more shots I want to throw up from this last weekends outing at the local tracks (Last shot will go up tomorrow). The one (and only) nice thing about the overcast/fog was the light pink hue that came along with the rising sun. There was never any presence of direct sun light but it lit the clouds well enough to allow a little color to blast through.

On another note, I have decided to transition to my own web hosting and blog set up, which will be completed sometime down the road. To ease the transition, I have moved this blog to another hosting site that is more customizable now and will allow me to have an easier transition once I make the move. The new URL is www.axphotography.wordpress.com

Mirage

2011-03-30T01:14:00.000-05:00

Things aren't always what they seem.....

Had some fun shooting some puddles after a day of very wet snow that never really amounted to any accumulation. Was left with some puddles in the roads and fast moving clouds as the sun began to lower in the west. I wanted to get as much of the sky in the reflections as I could but my standard tripod setup wouldn't allow me to get quite as low as I wanted, so I improvised.

My tripod is a Manfrotto with Manfrotto ball head that can rotate 360 degrees. I extended the riser arm in the middle of the tripod from the vertical to the horizontal position (which you would typically do to get as close to ground as you could). How I changed this up was, I set my camera to where it was pointing slightly skyward and straight in line with the horizontal arm (directly away from the arm). I then rotated the head (not the ball) 180 degrees so that my camera was now upside down pointing slightly downward. Basically I was shooting upside down. I had the intention to flip the photo after I had taken it, but I kind of prefer the upside down appearance of this particular shot. Hope that made a little sense.

East or West....?

2011-03-29T08:46:00.000-05:00

You can go anywhere you want, as long as it's east or west. Love the simplicity of the train system. Hop on board, relax and enjoy the ride. It may take twice as long as driving but they'll get you there. I've always wanted to take my boys on a day-long train ride across the state and back just for the experience. I hope to accomplish that in the future once they are a little older and would probably enjoy it more.

Another shot from the dreary overcast morning this past weekend. I added the 'drizzle' effect from Phototools 2.6 to a second processed image to show what it was really like that morning but I decided not to post it today.

2659

2011-03-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

Woke up before the sun on a Saturday for the first time in a while. Was ready to get out and get some train/track shots with the sunrise, but alas, the fog and drizzle wasn't going to allow it. Drizzle is not very much fun to shoot in. Have to clean your lens every 10 seconds or there is no point in even shooting. Walked away with about 7 sets of brackets. Will probably post most of those up this week. Hope everyone is off to a good start to their Monday.

Muze

2011-03-25T08:12:00.001-05:00

After fighting the worst bug I think I've ever gotten, I'm a little on the tired/weak side this morning. Managed to make it into work, but we'll see how that goes. So, I'm just going to make this quick today.

This shot was one of the last ones taken the night I went down under the bridge. As you can tell the sun was quite a ways below the horizon at this point. I walked by this pillar twice and didn't notice the graffiti on it, but fortunately I caught it when I was setting up for another shot. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Pistols at Dawn

2011-03-24T08:15:00.001-05:00

Lego Challenge. A photography buddy of mine is putting on a Lego Wars challenge every month. This is the first competition so I thought I'd take a crack at it. Was kind of fun to get Ethan involved with shooting. He came out on the road with me and helped me set them up and make sure they didn't fall over. It was quite fun. I had to buy a small starter set since I didn't have any around the house. I'm sure Ethan will like this idea since it will only add to his toy pile. Without further ado, here is my humble contribution.

Canon T1i, 85mm f/1.8 @1.8, ISO 100, 7 Exposures

Token of His Affection (100th Post)

2011-03-23T00:20:00.000-05:00

I Love You....lulu? Continuing on with my bridge shots, this tag was one of the bigger ones I came across. Great color which was only aided by the light from the setting sun. You really have to love the soft light from the sun tucked away behind a layer of thin cirrus, especially during golden hour.

This post is also my 100th since beginning this blog. They have really added up the past few months. I guess that will happen when you are posting a new picture almost daily. Never really planned on posting daily, but there is no question I wouldn't have had the motivation or encouragement if it weren't for fellow photographers that post amazing shots day after day. Many of these photographers can be found at the bottom of this page, with a few recent additions. Give them all a look, everyone of them are as skilled as they come. Cheers to the next one hundred...

Skull's Sunset

2011-03-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

Another shot from my latest venture out under the bridge. It's amazing to me how artistic some of these vandals are. I've tried to spray paint a chair and struggled with getting an even coat, let alone creating a work of art.

Went with a little darker feel on this image. Felt the skull kind of deserved it. I want to get back out here sometime and try and capture a storm in place of the sunset. Figured some lightning mixed with the skull might look pretty sweet.

Rebirth

2011-03-21T00:03:00.001-05:00

Thought we were going to have a great weekend of weather, but it turned out to be a chilly, windy Saturday. However, Sunday was an awesome weather day. The wife and myself spent the day doing the year's first yard work. This included cutting down dead shrubs to allow the next years veg to grow. My wife had commented how well her hibiscus plants grew last year from her cutting them down so she did it again this year. Of course, it was my job to pick up all the dead material and haul it away. As I was picking up around the hibiscus, I noticed a little greenery already beginning to show up. Thought it looked pretty cool against all the dead material, so I grabbed a few stills.

It's funny how you say to yourself - "I'm just going to grab a quick shot" or "a few brackets" and that is NOT at all what you do. I know for a fact my wife is not a fan of these words. I think I ended up with around 40-50 shots taken on this plant trying different apertures and angles. Especially considering it takes between 3-5 exposures per composition. Anywho, hope everyone is off to a great start to their week.

Off into the Sunset

2011-03-18T08:15:00.002-05:00

Ventured out to take some shots for an upcoming photo contest that Chris Nitz is putting on and just happened to get lucky with a great sunset. Wasn't expecting it due the the thick cloud base near the horizon, but it opened up just in time to let some light through. I honestly think I missed the best light of this sunset by about 2-3 minutes, but I am happy with the result. Hope everyone has a great weekend with great light! Cheers....

Sunset Seat

2011-03-17T00:32:00.001-05:00

Set out on a recent shoot underneath a 200 yard bridge looking primarily for some graffiti shots of the support structures. Found this discarded couch sitting in an empty field looking up at hundreds of cars passing by. I originally passed over the couch making sure I had plenty of time to hit every tagged structure along the bridge. I eventually made my way back later when the sun was low in the sky. This is essentially 180 degrees opposite of the sun with a prime view of the upcoming set (which was essentially a bust).

Canon T1i, Sigma 10-20 @ 13mm, f/11, 7 Exposures

Doza

2011-03-16T00:51:00.000-05:00

Locate the Bulldozer ... Here's a little hint ...

The real bummer is, there was another bulldozer that was closer to me than the one in this shot. I had image framed, leveled the camera, set the focus and was about ready to push the button when the darn thing starting pulling away. Either way, I thought it was pretty cool how the arrow and the 'doza' lined up so well.

Canon T1i, Sigma 10-20 @ 20mm, f/5.6

Stroll Down the Plaza

2011-03-14T08:15:00.001-05:00

Lot of interesting things occurred the morning of this shot. I was approached by many security guards asking if any pictures I was taking was going to be used in a magazine, because apparently that wasn't allowed at the Plaza in KC. And when someone asks me for direction because he doesn't know where he's going and then checks to see if I need a ride somewhere, really sets off the alarm in my head. Hope everyone's week is off to a great start.

70 Minute Oatmeal Stout

2011-03-13T13:35:00.002-05:00

With spring and summer quickly returning and having a beautiful Saturday evening to hang out in the outdoors, I got the itch to go after another star trail. I really enjoy setting up and shooting star trails. Also I needed to get in Tonight's Selection, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. 70 minute star trail (140 30' exposures)

Canon T1i, Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 @ 20mm, f/5.6, 30', ISO 400.

Detour

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Had this image sitting around for a while. It was from the same photo walk around downtown GCK in the middle of the early a.m. If you ever want clear streets and nobody walking into your shot, that is the time to get out. Almost left this in color because I liked the orange hue from the street lights along with the construction lights, but ultimately I decided I liked the B&W best. Hope everyone has a great weekend with some amazing light! Cheers.

Sunset and Silhouettes

2011-03-10T00:59:00.000-06:00

Big fan of silhouette shots. Found this tree about a year ago and have only shot it one time. Need to get back and take some more shots. It's located very close to a bridge with a lot of graffiti on the cement support structures. Could make for some good scenes.

Icy Path

2011-03-09T09:42:00.001-06:00

Not sure why I'm on such a black and white kick these days, but I'm really liking how the images are coming out. The conversion seems to give it a little extra pop, especially when dealing with winter scenes. This could be something I could be used it.

In The Spotlight

2011-03-07T00:10:00.001-06:00

I knew right of the gate that this image was going to be tough. Dark/night scenes with a bright light that require long exposures make for difficult HDR processing. This is primarily due to the light source blowing out a lot of the scene. Looking at the brackets, that was exactly what I was going to have to deal with.

After some work in Photomatix and Photo tools, I was left with the my final image. But it wasn't exactly the look I was wanted to achieve. Then I realized I am still in my trial days of Silver Efex Pro, a black and white conversion program that I'm really liking. Ran it through the paces and really liked the results.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Windmill Trail

2011-03-04T08:11:00.000-06:00

I've been shooting star trails for about the past two years and have really enjoyed the look that you can achieve with movement of the stars. This one today is a rather short trail but it achieves the look I was going for. I have yet to get a 2+ hour star trail in the books, but I hope to someday.

I'm also a big fan of shooting at night period. It's amazing to me how one scene can appear one way during the day and then you return 12 hours later and get a completely different shot. I'm hoping to pick up some faster glass as soon as it becomes available again (Tokina 11-16 f/2.8) but it seems to be on back order until the end of the century. :) I've thought about the Canon 16-35 but since I'm on a crop body, I would prefer to have more of a wide angle lens like the Sigma 10-20 I have now.

Hope you all have a great weekend with some amazing light. Cheers.

White Out

2011-03-03T00:56:00.000-06:00

My latest photo outing came last Saturday after a long night of freezing fog and frost. Drove into town with the family for some morning coffee and didn't find a whole lot to shoot in town (but didn't get much time to explore either). Made the drive back to the house just outside of town and found this little scene sitting in a neighbors yard waiting to be captured. Haven't really given much effort into any 'minimalism' shots, but I do like how this turned out. May have to try some more in the future.

Tonight's Selection

2011-03-02T01:21:00.000-06:00

I've recently began shooting a new series I'm calling 'Tonight's selection'. You can see the other shots in the series here. I'm a big fan of trying as many different kinds of beer as I can. Got to love the mix-n-match six pack. Many liquor stores allow you to buy certain brews/microbrews in a single bottle or part of a mix-n-match at a set price. I love how this allows you to try 6 different beers without having to buy 36 beers (6 6-packs). I tend to lean towards the stout/porter style of beer, but I'll try anything once.

I haven't quite decided how I will use these pics, but I want to incorporate them around a home bar at a future home. I've even thought it may be cool to have the black and white shots printed on a tile (if possible) and incorporate them into a backsplash tile pattern around the bar.

Cold Swing

2011-03-01T01:08:00.000-06:00

I've recently been turned on to a program named Silver Efex Pro by a fellow photographer. It's great at helping convert colored photos to black and white. Really like how this program operates.

Star Light, Star Bright...

2011-02-27T23:10:00.000-06:00

...the First Star I See Tonight.

Another shot from up in the mountains. Didn't get anywhere close to the number of captures I was hoping to get while up around the mountains. It's so tough to be around such amazing scenery and not have the entire weekend to shoot.

Quick blog note: I've been debating for some time to transition this blog from a storm/weather blog to more of an all inclusive photoblog of all of my shots. The header is just the beginning. I may make the jump to an actual photoblog/website address in the future, but I'm going to stick with the blogspot for now.

This Seat Taken?

2011-02-27T00:35:00.000-06:00

Had every intention to wake up early on Saturday morning to get out and get some good pics of the early morning frost. Well, I woke up at 6:00 am when the alarm went off, looked out the door and saw a very foggy scene. This could normally provide for some interesting shots, however, after being up most of the night with my youngest son and the temp in the low teens, I decided to stay in curled up in the warm fleece.

Made it out later in the day and enjoyed shooting the frost that made it through the morning.

Man's Best Friend

2011-02-26T11:39:00.000-06:00

A little delay in me getting up today's image. I wanted to get some shots of the recent freezing fog/frost that has fallen over the last couple of days. While out shooting a little in my backyard, my black lab Wrigley joined me outside. I was heading back into the house when I saw her footprints imprinted into the frost.

Calm Sunrise

2011-02-25T08:18:00.000-06:00

Often times I like to look back at some of early HDR pictures I attempted to see how I have progressed in my skills. Not only do I like to see what I did, but also see if I would process the image differently today. This image for example is one that is a re-edit of an old favorite. I was never a big fan of the way the first process came out, but I am much happier with this version.

It's also nice to see how everyone has a different processing 'flavor' they like to use. That is one reason why I enjoy observing the collaborations being done with the same set of brackets by many different photographers. It makes for some very unique images of the same scene.

Hope everyone has a great Friday!

Through the Looking Glass

2011-02-23T23:30:00.001-06:00

The Classics: Day 4 - Decided to try and get a shot of the front of the Hawkeye through the red window on the back of the camera (seen here). This actually turned out to be trickier than I thought. Through the live view image, when I thought I had the red dot filled with the camera, after the shutter clicked it was only filling about 50% of it. So I backed away from the camera, about 2 more feel and tried again with only about 60% of the camera seen through the window. This is how she came out.

Brownie Hawkeye

2011-02-22T22:15:00.001-06:00

The Classics: Day 3 - Looking back at all the cameras over the last 50 years or so, it's pretty evident how these cameras are loaded with film and how the picture is taken. The Brownie Hawkeye is one that puzzled me. I had to google to figure out how one would load the film into the camera and how one would use it. For instance, I was curious why there would be a red plastic window in the back of the camera behind where the film would be??? Apparently there were numbers on the back of the film role and as you would load the film, and wind the reel, a number would "1" would appear in the window to let you know that the film is ready to be exposed. I was also amazed at how simple this camera is. It basically looks like a plastic box with a fixed lens on the side and a button to open up the shutter. Very cool to see how cameras in the past worked.

Super 8

2011-02-21T22:29:00.001-06:00

The Classics: Day 2 - There's no question my knowledge of antique video recorders is pretty much non-existent. My first video camera I ever owned was one of the digital variety. I even find myself using my T1i for video more and more these days. The quality of video that can be obtained by a Digital SLR is actually quite impressive. I've even read they are using the Canon 5D mkII to record full TV episodes and movies.

Speaking of movies, you will have a hard time finding a bigger movie buff than myself. I've even convinced my wife that a home theater is a necessity. Which brings us back around to today's shot. I'm a big fan of some of J.J. Abrams recent work (cloverfield, star trek). Earlier this year, I got wind of what was supposedly a sequel to Abram's 'Cloverfield'. This film is titled: 'Super 8'. I'm sure many of you caught the Super Bowl preview. Whether or not this is associated with 'Cloverfield' or not, I have no idea. But this is one movie I plan to catch.

35R4

2011-02-20T22:52:00.002-06:00

Was going through some boxes in the garage and came across a box of classic cameras that belonged to my grandfather a while ago. Didn't think much of them at the time since I was just learning about photography, so I put them in a box and didn't really think of them since.

Now that I've learned the makings of a camera and how they operate, it's quite a sight to see how things have changed and how they have stayed the same.

All total, I have four classic cameras: 2 film cameras (not just 35mm either) and 2 video recorders.

I'm planning on taking quite a few shots of these four and will be giving a go at a series I'm calling "The Classics"

For Amber Waves of Grain

2011-02-19T01:36:00.000-06:00

Growing up in KS, I was always accustomed to seeing all the miles and miles of farmland filled with the season's crop. I did not, however, grow up with the personal experience of working the field. That has since changed since I married the love of my life. My wife is your typical farmer's daughter, and the daughter of a good farmer at that. For the past few years I've been able to participate in the harvesting process. It's a lot of hours sitting inside the combine, but I for one enjoy it. You get to observe many sunsets as you work well into the night. And there is usually a chance for a good photo op at least a couple times a day.

Summer Storm

2011-02-18T00:09:00.000-06:00

One of the main reasons I purchased my first DSLR camera was to have the ability to capture lightning. With every passing day, we are inching closer to the volatility of spring weather.

Early Reflection

2011-02-17T01:10:00.004-06:00

Simple 5 exposure HDR of a stick and it's reflection. The early morning sun provided a nice gradient of light across the water.

Looking Up

2011-02-16T00:26:00.003-06:00

Every year I have to get 24 hours of continuing education to keep my optometry license up to date. In the future, I hope to get these hours at many other cities with amazing architecture that I've often wanted to shoot (chicago, D.C., New York) but for now, I'm settling for Wichita and Kansas City.

This was the first time I have ever visited Union Station in KC. The station itself was quite a site. The architecture was very interesting. Of course, I decided to leave my SLR at home thinking I would be in classes all weekend. Well, fortunately, my wife happened to have her cheap P&S with her. So I decided to test my luck and see what brackets I could come up with.

Often times I find myself looking around trying to visualize a shot directly in front of me. And I know this is about as cliche as you can get when dealing with photography, but there are really amazing things to be seen by just changing your perspective. Take a moment to look around, directly behind you and even straight up.

Three exposure HDR (handheld) of the ceiling and chandelier of Union Station. I missed center just a little but I'm happy with what I got:

KSU Victory

2011-02-14T23:31:00.003-06:00

Not so much of a landscape or storm related post, but I had to throw this shot up after a great game played by my cats tonight. I'm a KSU grad and have been a KSU fan since I was a youngster. With such a down and out season in the works, it was sure nice to see the guys show up and play a great game last night. Those of you who have been to Manhattan know this sign well. Varney's is the local KSU shop and the start of Aggieville. A great place to visit the next time you are in the little apple.

Old Glory (part ii)

2011-02-09T22:22:00.001-06:00

Old Glory

2011-02-08T21:38:00.002-06:00

I was out shooting the local train station one night and I happened to turn around and see Old Glory flying in the Kansas breeze. I knew that it wouldn't be a sharp crisp flag after a 30 second exposure but I knew it would resemble one. I was really happy with the way the flag and this whole shot turned out.

Android Wallpapers

2011-02-07T21:04:00.003-06:00

I was in the process of converting some of my favorite shots to wallpapers for my Motorola Droid. Decided to post them on here in case anyone wanted to use them as well.

Morning Hue

2011-02-06T02:19:00.002-06:00

It's amazing how many different colors can be created from the sun during different times of the day. This shot was taken facing east before the sun rose above the western horizon. The addition of a nearly confluent cloud layer created an incredible pink hue across the sky. Days like this make getting up before there is any light in the sky, worth the while.

Out of the Camera

Crossing at Sunrise

2011-02-05T02:23:00.002-06:00

It's quite obvious by the number of posts I make that there are two main areas I visit in the state of Kansas that have provided me with many great photo opportunities. Pillsbury Crossing, when the water is flowing, is tough to beat. Unfortunately, during this visit, it was down to a trickle.

This image fully demonstrates the main reasons why I really enjoy shooting HDR. The tops of the trees are in full sun, while the rest of the scene, 100% shade. A single exposure would not be able to capture the detail of both areas in a single shot without being overblown.

Hope everyone has a great weekend with some amazing light...

Small Structure

2011-02-04T00:42:00.003-06:00

Looking back at some old supercell pictures, I came across this shot. Really like the structure of this storm. Amazing how small the base is but how tall the updraft had risen. The Crepuscular/Anti-Crep rays that night were by far some of the best I've seen.

Standing Tall

2011-02-01T23:07:00.002-06:00

This shot was one of my first with the Canon 85 1.8. Got to love the amount of bokeh you can get with that lens. The "sun" is actually a street light across the street.

Sick Classic

2011-01-31T22:28:00.002-06:00

I've always had this plan that at some point in life I will restore a classic car. But, the more classic cars I come across, the more cars get added to my list. I'm a big fan of American muscle, the Pontiac GTO and Chevy Camaro specifically. I do, however, want an old boat in the collection as well. A huge ton of a vehicle with a convertible top and seats that don't stop. Jet black, inside and out. One that you can throw the neighborhood into and take a stroll around town. Someday...

Carved through the Rockies

2011-01-30T21:42:00.002-06:00

On our last trip down to New Mexico, my wife and I enjoyed the quiet drive through the mountain roads of the southern Rockies. Of course she didn't realize I'd have to make a stop to grab a few pics. Fortunately for her, I decided one stop was enough for this drive, even though I know I could have made a few more.

Stay on the Mountain

2011-01-25T23:50:00.002-06:00

Quick trip to Angel Fire, NM this past weekend for some skiing. Grabbed a few brackets of the house we stayed at. Was a good weekend of skiing, but unfortunately that left little time for shooting.

First snow (and arctic blast) of the season...

2011-01-01T20:46:00.003-06:00

We experienced our first snow of the season. Normally, we don't get the freezing temperatures we got with this blast. Needless to say, I was too much of a chicken to get out and shoot the snow, so this was taken from our back door.

2010: A Collection

2010-12-31T09:42:00.005-06:00

It's been a good year of shooting for me. I found myself hauling my camera around a lot more on the chance of being able to sneak away and grab a few stills. The opportunities seemed to pay off. I hope you enjoyed the photographs from the last year and I aim to continue shooting into the next year. Here's to a great 2010 and an even better 2011. Happy New Year everyone.

Harvest Oil Rig

2010-12-29T22:22:00.002-06:00

Today's HDR is of an Oil Rig surrounded by the crops of the winter harvest.

Amazing Show

2010-12-21T22:55:00.003-06:00

As I'm sure all of you are aware, the total lunar eclipse occurred early this morning and put on quite a show. I wasn't expecting too much due to the massive amount of cloud cover when I turned it in around 9:30 (had to get some sleep at some point last night). I was planning to wake around 12:30 to check the conditions but did not wake up until 1:30. This was about ten minutes prior to totality and it's a good thing I didn't wake until then. The clouds were just beginning to clear at this point and I'm sure if I saw a cloudy sky at 12:30, I would have called it a night and not checked again. This was the first total lunar eclipse I have seen, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I hope all of you had a chance to catch the show yourself.

Many more of my eclipse pictures can be seen by clicking on the image below

On the Move

2010-12-16T23:58:00.001-06:00

It's moving day. The optometry practice that I am a part of is going to be moving to a new location over the next four days. This HDR was taken during the build. The reception area is to the left and the waiting room to the right. I will definitely be posting some pics of the completed office once we are settled in.

Moss under the Falls

2010-12-16T09:06:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite areas around Manhattan, KS to shoot is a place known as Pillsbury Crossing. You can see more pics of the falls and surrounding area here. When the river is flowing, the falls stretch 45-60 feet across and as high as 5 feet. In order to reach the falls, you must either drive or walk across a limestone shelf where the water is only a few inches deep.

This is where my gear about met it's end. During this shoot, the river was down to a trickle across the limestone shelf. I tried to walk across the shallowest path to avoid my jeans getting soaked. I decided on the best path and was well over halfway and looking good. I chose one area that looked like the water was almost at a stand still. With one wrong step, my leg plunged 2.5 feet to the bottom below the moss-covered water. My momentum carried me further into the river and my left leg had to follow. So now I am soaked up to my thighs and stumbling forward as my feet keep slipping on the surface below. I'm able to regain my balance and not tumble head first into the puddle within the river. With my gear in my backpack, fortunately, nothing touched the water. So I spent the next couple of hours, shooting the falls at sunrise, with soaked jeans and quite cold.

Sunset under the Storm

2010-12-15T10:16:00.002-06:00

As you can tell, one thing that I especially enjoy shooting is the powerful force that can be created by mother nature. This leads to opportunities to shoot some amazing sunsets.

Tis Not the Season...

2010-12-14T19:51:00.002-06:00

I like to spend many hours during the summer out on grass just like this. Nothing better than the First Tee Box as well as the Nineteenth Hole.

Tis the Season...

2010-12-13T20:29:00.001-06:00

HDR of the Day:
Two trees, one focus...

Austin turns 1 today...

2010-12-12T16:15:00.002-06:00

My little man is one today. Ethan and Austin are trying out some of his new toys.

Main Street Christmas

2010-12-09T01:27:00.003-06:00

Couple new toys...

2010-11-12T10:47:00.002-06:00

Just recently picked up the Canon 85 f/1.8 lens as well as the YongNuo YN-468 Flash. Both of these will likely be used more for family shooting and fun, but I wanted to share a shot I took of my oldest boy yesterday. Had to test out the flash and have a little fun.

Pillsbury Crossing: Missed the Falls

2010-11-01T22:39:00.006-05:00

Was back up around some of my favorite areas again thanks to college football, so I headed out to Pillsbury Crossing once more in hopes of some good fall colors and some flowing falls. Didn't find either one. Most of the trees had already been stripped of their leaves and the water was basically down to a trickle. Still, had to try salvage the early wake up as best as I could.

Some amazing color on the clouds just before sunrise...

Headed down stream a little to find some foam...

A little further down stream, the sun began to rise. Also found the best display of fall colors in a tall skinny tree...

Headed back up stream a little to find a small rock damn strung across the stream...spent a little time here...

Finally ended up back at the falls with what little water was flowing over the rocks...
Each of these shots are a slightly different shutter speed, from a faster shot to a much slower shot. The longer the time it takes to make a picture, the smoother the water will appear.

Pillsbury Crossing 2010

2010-10-09T15:35:00.006-05:00

Went out to Pillsbury Crossing just north of Manhattan KS after a very disappointing football game. The waterfalls were flowing decently but the highlight of the shoot was easily the moss and the early signs of the fall colors setting in.

These pics just go to show you that it isn't always about the "BIG" picture. My favorite shots from this day are the up close shots of a leaf or two on the moss, even with the presence of some cool waterfalls just feet away. I spent the first 20 minutes shooting with my 10-20mm wide angle lens and was getting some okay shots. I then decided I should switch to my medium range lens and try to get a little more detail and I was extremely pleased with the results.

Keeper of the Plains

2010-10-03T22:58:00.005-05:00

Spent the weekend in Wichita picking up some continuing education courses and I talked the family into braving the cold weather to check out the 'Keeper of the Plains' bridges Saturday night. All three of them were great troopers. By the time I finished shooting (which was only around 9:30ish) it was already quite chilly. Hope to visit this area again in the future.

2010 Storm Stills & the Night Sky Coffee Tabe Book

2010-09-16T21:06:00.010-05:00

The second edition of the series. 40 pages of the best of my shots during the last year. Storm Stills, The Night Sky and some bonus material. Available in soft cover, hard cover with a dust jacket and hard cover with image wrap. The hard cover with dust jacket contains inside flaps while the image wrap hard cover does not.

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

2010-09-16T14:38:00.004-05:00

My brother in law took me on a tour of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts as it is in the process of being constructed. Very cool place. Both of these are atypical pictures, but I like them both (especially the outdoor shot, click on it to see it larger). It is definitely 'overcooked' from a photo standpoint, but I was going more for the detailed architectural drawing effect.

Tuttle Creek Sunrise: Take II

2010-09-15T12:34:00.003-05:00

Had another opportunity for a Tuttle Creek Sunrise. Gotta love college football! Anyhow, thought I was going to get a lot more cloud cover than I actually did with a rain shower moving in from the west, but no luck. Still real happy with the way the shots turned out. Here's a quick one from the shoot.

Tuttle Creek Lake Sunrise

2010-09-07T12:47:00.001-05:00

Woke up 30 minutes later than I wanted to, missed some good light I'm sure but still caught enough of it to make me happy.

I'm Going to Kansas City....

2010-09-07T12:36:00.004-05:00

Early morning at the Plaza in Kansas City. Kind of creepy when you are asked if you are from around the area for directions, you say no, and are still asked if you want a ride somewhere. 4:30 am wake up, but it worth it.

Water Tower

2010-08-25T09:51:00.004-05:00

One of our four water towers around town. Will get them all eventually...

Downtown Late Night...

2010-08-20T00:48:00.006-05:00

Took a nice little stroll down Main Street...

Fall Crops 2010

2010-08-18T10:33:00.006-05:00

With the fall harvest quickly approaching, I decided I needed to get out and get some pictures of all the different colors of the milo right now. Plan to get out and get some evening/night shots of the same crops real soon. Took a few shots from an old abandoned limestone homestead. Hope to to a better job there again soon.

Garden City Train Station

2010-08-18T10:27:00.005-05:00

On the way to DQ with the fam, I was liking the overcast conditions and the soon to be setting sun underneath the cloud deck, so I convinced the family to make a quick stop at the local train station.

DIY Project

2010-08-16T09:10:00.004-05:00

I am a big fan of trying out new things, especially if they are things that I can build/create myself. I had never heard of a barn door tracker before Saturday, but I spend enough time photographing the stars I figured it was worth a shot. This tracker is designed to counteract the rotation of the earth and allows you to extend the shutter time when shooting objects in the sky. Haven't tried it yet, but we'll see how she works soon.

Supercell and Crepuscular/Anticrepuscular Rays

2010-08-15T00:44:00.004-05:00

Two posts in one day. This has been a pretty fortunate week for shooting. Driving back from the folks house and just happen to have my camera in the car to capture this storm cell just west of town as well as the crepuscular and anticrepuscular rays it was throwing across the sky.

click for larger shot

2010 Perseid Meteor Showe

2010-08-14T14:26:00.012-05:00

Took a drive out into the country on Friday morning around 3:00am. Went to our location from our last shoot with the windmill and found quite a few clouds lingering in the east. Took a drive a little further west to another farmstead and set up shot. Started shooting straight east towards Pleiades and managed to snag a couple of meteors.

Shortly after we started we began to see a couple of bright flashes. Didn't initially see the storm due to it being behind a work pick up. Spent most of the rest of the morning shooting the storm to the NE.

Was hoping for this shot, just didn't get a very bright meteor. Meteor is located at right center.

Stack of most of the bolts from that morning...

Windmill and the Way

2010-08-12T00:50:00.009-05:00

Another night shooting session with a buddy of mine. Went out to a local farmer's land in search of a windmill (Thanks to Eric and Shelly). You forget some of the advantages of living in a rural setting sometimes.

Unbelievable view...

2010-08-03T00:20:00.004-05:00

It's an amazing sight to step out from your front porch and see the Milky Way staring straight at you. I've been lazy and haven't visited the country side yet to get a better picture, but I'm enjoying shooting it none the less. I've been holding off until a new toy arrives with some better options (24-70 f/2.8)....cheers

Sunflower Electric

2010-07-30T17:31:00.004-05:00

First night session I had a shooting partner join me. A buddy of mine and myself went looking for a spot to shoot our local coal electric plant. We tried visiting the gate/guard but no one was there. So back to the main road we went and found a spot to set up shop.

After the storm....

2010-07-15T00:54:00.003-05:00

Best double rainbow I've seen to date. Lasted a good 30 minutes. Enjoy...

Summer Lightning

2010-07-11T00:48:00.004-05:00

In desperation to shoot something recently, I went for some lightning tonight and had a short opportunity for a rainbow near sunset. Cheers.

Lunar Eclipse Progression

2010-06-28T23:26:00.003-05:00

Enjoyed shooting the Lunar Eclipse this past weekend. Already looking forward to the total lunar eclipse in December. Here a few shots for now. More to follow at some point.

Recent Storms

2010-05-26T09:01:00.007-05:00

There has been quite a few storms around Garden the past few days, but with work and other obligations I have not been able to get out and shoot a whole lot. Observed a funnel just east of town (unfortunately I had my ultrawide lens on my camera at the time) and some pretty good rotation just south of town on the next storm rolling through on Monday. Last night began as a great looking opportunity with the sun setting but the storm quickly went to pot and that was it. Hope to get out and get some more shots soon.

Proud Papa

2009-12-15T21:36:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd share with everyone, my wife and I welcomed our second son into the world on December 12th @ 5:55am. Mom and baby are both home and doing well.

December 2nd Full Moon

2009-12-02T10:05:00.001-06:00

Here are some shots from last night/this morning's full moon. First two are from around 10:20 pm and the third is from around 12:04 am. Enjoy!

Tis the Season...

2009-11-29T21:54:00.000-06:00

Well, another Christmas has rolled around, and another Christmas Tree put up. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. My wife and I have our second son on the way, due in the next couple of weeks actually, so I'm not sure how much shooting I'll be doing between now and then.

Halo around the moon

2009-11-28T23:34:00.002-06:00

Large Halo around the moon tonight. These shots are at 10mm and 12mm.

November Moon

2009-11-22T23:42:00.009-06:00

Figured I'd give the moon a shot with the new megapixels. I'm pretty happy with how they came out. Have to see how it handles a full moon.

11-23-2009
Here are a couple more from tonight. I saw Jupiter trailing the moon last night and I was hoping they'd be close together tonight. I was able to get them in the same shot but not as close as I would have liked.

First Quarter Moon

November 29th Moon

Historic Windsor Hotel (Downtown GCK)

2009-11-21T12:34:00.003-06:00

Went out for coffee this morning and I decided to bring the ol' Canon along with me for a couple of downtown GC photo ops. I hope to get a few more shots of the Winsor at some point.

Sunrise to Sunset

2009-11-09T23:12:00.000-06:00

Started the day at Tuttle Creek Reservoir and didn't have a whole lot of luck. On the way back from Manhattan, KS, we just happened to be near Cheyenne Bottoms when the sun was setting, so I convinced my wife we needed to pull over and take some pictures. It was a pretty cool scene with all the ducks flying in.

Sunrise

Sunset

Combine Nights

2009-11-05T22:51:00.004-06:00

Well, I can officially say I've participated in harvest. This past week I've been helping out my father-in-law with fall harvest cutting milo. I took my camera out with me and got a few shots.

November 2nd Sunset and Night Shots

2009-11-02T23:58:00.000-06:00

Found my new favorite tree. Thought I better get out and snap some shots of it.

Pillsbury Crossing HDR - Manhattan, KS

2009-10-27T23:44:00.001-05:00

2009 Storm Stills & the Night Sky Coffee Table Book - NOW AVAILABLE

2009-10-18T20:56:00.003-05:00

A 40 page Coffee Table Book with a collection of full page pictures of stormy skies and breath-taking night scenes. Book is an 8x10. Choose from Soft Back, Hard Back w/Dust Jacket, or Image Wrapped Hard Back.

Fall Harvest (Take II)

2009-10-10T11:25:00.026-05:00

Moon Rise Time Lapse

2009-10-08T22:53:00.004-05:00

Fall Harvest

2009-10-03T20:38:00.006-05:00

Desktop Version

Northern Star Trail

2009-09-11T01:16:00.002-05:00

Northern Star Trail - If you're wondering why this one looks different than the other star trails, it's mainly due to the northern star. The reason it is a point of reference is because it never changes it's position in the sky. It is always due north. So the star that appears to have every other star rotating around it, is the north star. Enjoy.

Local Lightning

2009-09-07T23:43:00.006-05:00

Here are some pics of some local lightning, I could have driven closer but it's been a long day and the storm looked pretty weak to begin with.

The Moon, Jupiter, and stars....

2009-08-27T23:54:00.004-05:00

Here is a star trail with the Moon on the right and Jupiter trying to catch it on the left

An Hour on the Front Porch

2009-08-27T02:40:00.002-05:00

Here is a Star Trail viewed from my front porch....

Trip to the Mountains

2009-08-24T12:59:00.001-05:00

Here are few from the weekend getaway to the cousin's cabin

A Look Back...

2009-08-10T23:14:00.003-05:00

Here is a small collection of some of my shots from Summer of 2008

This lowering, and I'm going to call it a lowering because I don't believe this was a wall cloud, is from the same storm seen above. It was sure low and intense looking as it came by.

June Supercell

A Few Lightning Shots