tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146204502024-03-07T10:59:51.305-05:00AntithesisPhotography - Looking at life from a different angleRichard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.comBlogger1745125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-87406387041348486052019-12-14T19:06:00.000-05:002019-12-14T19:06:00.155-05:00DropCapAlphabet<!-- A -->
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</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-57881561769469003662014-03-26T19:30:00.001-04:002014-03-26T20:24:55.719-04:00Portrait photography<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">A</div>
<p class="intro">s a “people photographer,” I absolutely love it when I am asked to capture portraits for my coworkers to use when they are featured in magazines or when they make public appearances or presentations. This happens quite often, so I get to do this quite a lot.</p>
<p>But at the firm I work for, photographs must fit certain criteria in order to be brand-compliant. The look is supposed to be relaxed and natural, set in an office setting, and should not be lit by flash (at least the viewer should not be able to tell that flash was used).</p>
<p>I have found a very good location just a few yards from my desk. The glass wall looks out onto the Entrance to Rosslyn Park and the high-rise buildings that surround it. Yesterday we were experiencing a very active snowstorm while I took these pictures, so the background is a bit brighter than normal and in some of the photos you can see the flakes falling in the background. It makes the pictures unique because it doesn’t snow a whole lot in Washington, DC—well, at least it didn’t until this year.</p>
<p>The pictures in this post are from yesterday’s photography sessions. The first person had been asked for a brand-compliant portrait to use in an upcoming presentation. The second person is one of the editors in my group.</p>
<p>For these portraits, I used a dual flash set up with the primary flash (a few feet to my right) bouncing off of a round white cloth reflector—about 36 inches in diameter. I used the flash on my camera as a fill flash, set to a 1:3 power ratio with the primary light source.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1viaR1k9tMSXXaspBoVjbIak0SuKPg0g3XNW5Kf5kfisWfzbk2H1hS3tM5SdCZDeGpuXqrrkyQP0OHCJcRvDtQHpyFesgDKJHgl17zBAa_9Qtt-suuuzjPTfHU3h_1vY5XhW1/s1600/2014_03_26_DeloittePortrait_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D camera, 24-70, f/2.8 lens<br />
65mm focal length<br />
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash 1:3 internal flash<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mjlzS4VBCnoKOk_H39frsriAjAJ1MnSoQCP4KgqDPtlZju70zWwV_pHx5Kkf0U_0d_DJOmd2H5IWoUihbrwSFc9gNShNETm6qqlClhFsAU4BW3zV4es9Nm6aDC6mVhf89tnz/s1600/2014_03_26_DeloittePortrait_02.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D camera, 24-70, f/2.8 lens<br />
46mm focal length<br />
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash 1:3 internal flash<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlE-Vxj38dW5Vv21xsgvmgpu-D3u0qYHMjMhFTA8IZhc_J70P4oq071kZIJ-hSFcOVJkHUa4W_W0z9S94Xxdf81IMg5TJ_HVr0NNNeHzEyBtwizPi7A5ZRvmDGIj8C60gwh9Wh/s1600/2014_03_26_DeloittePortrait_03.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D camera, 24-70, f/2.8 lens<br />
34mm focal length<br />
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash 1:3 internal flash<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">And a few of our local editor:</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjWsH8sfrgRrZ4A-NiUJnIZ8bz8UQ1hpW8BwxR9D3oL0k6Dby2KaiojzLVOFMrhoxGL-LbR9Bi45cKhR8PbsNp1yiF03UE6aY0fmYjrSTAUSgR7tlGWk8MbencCq5wT7FYYt0/s1600/2014_03_26_DeloittePortrait_04.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D camera, 24-70, f/2.8 lens<br />
28mm focal length<br />
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash 1:3 internal flash<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLnHUW1JZbTAO_6a4OsJAXDT6_FgF1pKJ89uEGvTqT-naa9Bt8fLZpxfUFCpISFkbNgf45Lqx09cRwL2sXZUar-dBDiJIID9W-9dGcc-a0Pj1lDk33CZT2HCeCEI_22DYZRTB/s1600/2014_03_26_DeloittePortrait_05.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D camera, 24-70, f/2.8 lens<br />
35mm focal length<br />
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flash 1:3 internal flash<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">I really love doing portraits!</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-54437985539291731442014-03-24T15:16:00.001-04:002014-03-24T15:20:12.693-04:00Kids, kids, and more kids<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">O</div>
<p class="intro">ne of my favorite photographic subjects is children. Kids have not yet learned to hide their excitement and joy... or their boredom and fear. Everything is visible on their faces (if you can see their faces).</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy_2QSLAKL7fdUyRuXkyMZq_Ovjj4AG1FtuNvMpbxshL6XsH8Iog-hRMWqDI-YN-LOStlTuBqD0cS-7AvwAmAV82m2y97xDtDSMSgC5S_8QcLz7H8QAmMrr0qwttwGGZxUfbZ/s1600/2014_03_24_WarrrenCoFair_2010_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Warren County Fair - Front Royal, VA</b><br />
Canon EOS 50D camera<br />
115mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/640th @ f/5.6
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">Unfortunately, people tend to get a little skittish when you point your camera at their kids—at least in the city. But in smaller towns and out in the country people smile with pride as their kids ham it up for the camera. I guess out in the country people realize that a photographer with a real camera is probably just capturing the beauty he sees in the world around him. The stalkers and pedophiles are much more likely to use cell phone cameras or other non-obvious photography devices. In other words, the parents in the country and in the small towns are simply quite a bit smarter than people who live in the cities.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvYhu3nYwKcNkMJM-0my8AofVYQEBi44_8EWZkWFtOzWDZy5eeAyno7XPgt6ErxVBZQu4N8du5fXKoXuCGFmzkMqMbhTbi3vsi64WsvFZNQDeJpS1gOeqBRD8uZJD7bDXo9VQ/s1600/2014_03_24_FRPool_2010_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Front Royal community pool - Front Royal, VA</b><br />
July 5, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/1250th @ f/5.6
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">Attending the many outdoor community events here in Front Royal, Virginia, I get the opportunity to photograph children a lot. And because we are such a small community, even those events quite often allow for photos of just a few people without the distraction of a crowd pressing in on every side. This next picture of a mother and son is from the annual Front Royal Air Show. The blacktop in the background is the landing strip. The netting is the fence showing where the people should sit or stand so they’re not in any danger. Obviously, people in the country are smart enough to understand that they shouldn’t go past the line. They don’t need a line of armed guards scowling at anyone who stupidly tries to get over the steel barriers that have been set up to keep the low-intellect city dwellers from walking out onto the tarmac to get that shot of the jet just before it plasters them.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMACP_I-EE2hYr4yASmaa14vcWK12kAKH2UcKERiNI7hvNmye2dmBIbQhcNvHufCksxV-N2D7Vqy9dhRBB1s_qBwbazrAW7g0g4CbUo0aT3dXg1lG9Q6THPWMeVQXeD7zhdToP/s1600/2014_03_24_FRAirShow_2010_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Front Royal Air Show - Front Royal, VA</b><br />
September 11, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 50D camera<br />
115mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/640th @ f/5.6
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">I took these next three pictures at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival in Delaplane, Virginia. This festival seems to be targeted primarily for the children. There are loads of fun events including tug o' war contests, face painting, hayrides, a petting zoo, and all kinds of strawberry ice cream desserts and shortcake. For the adults, they have a blue grass band, a car show, an arts & crafts area, and an amazing scenic property that stretches way off into the distance.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-FYck30KVvtivRlxPdvonot0qYAn_xYJ2sr0mxx1fuI_1dUzdi3ylvL0V1erhQJ1N7Y_VhmRv6_R9zjGEdyGapjBWzRNiEyJ5WQObIyJXGsoKjZZ-y2iltTZxYOcvhnZbQcd/s1600/2014_03_24_DelaplaneStrawberryFest_2010_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA</b><br />
May 29, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens<br />
50mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/40th @ f/22
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFgILekCEXSaFAShTpXLsGl4XJ_o_hdUhtzqD-7u9xFEnm3f-tC7kncCmWwqgVYCO9UYDbr_q_nbF7GN3mEeErNXJtlxoXIfuWLv3TVNPS_t6L8WV4TzIX4FAg4bht3aIfbt-BA/s1600/2014_03_24_DelaplaneStrawberryFest_2010_02.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA</b><br />
May 29, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 50D camera, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/125th @ f/13
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQprzkNQM2g8uYYc3yGgTnkapV0J-l7qoxsDBcC134FyNXrYcARZNA0yjqFK84a56e9lBrm4EfI8Ny8W24joIXn8siP1dI6eBBMwv94ZfamSWjHVhq9-oxmrokNk1N4c9Uk-fLg/s1600/2014_03_24_DelaplaneStrawberryFest_2010_03.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Strawberry Festival - Delaplane, VA</b><br />
May 29, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 50D camera, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens<br />
130mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/125th @ f/20
</p>
</div>
<p>My favorite Front Royal event is the Annual Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival. This one actually is crowded. Our little town doubles in population for this one day each year. The streets of the town are blocked off and the two central roads are set up with wine tasting stands and craft stands. At the center of the town, the gazebo serves as a band stand for a variety of bands. After the people of the town have perused the wines and crafts and made their purchases, they take their purchases back to their cars and then make one last walk through the wine stands. They purchase a chilled bottle of wine and head to the gazebo where the Festival turns into a block party lasting the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. As the bands play, the people dance. It begins with a few people dancing on the stone pathways around the gazebo, then it spreads the lawn and into the parking area in front of the nearby visitor’s center. By about 2:00 in the afternoon people are dancing in the streets and on every available piece of ground covering the entire central area of the town. It is a complete blast and everyone has tremendous fun.</p>
<p>These next two pictures show kids dancing at the Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival:</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6YRN2NdSDt-nyn2tqKLket3TNIqvtNTXZ5gpzofAYODWiUBSGAJqFRn_sBCR5E9zMG9PUkg27cgmNniSVMEG57PDm-ggcRNclTWrWTywXjtNISeZMY-sspH2HhZnLbwgkPAS/s1600/2014_03_24_FRWine&Craft_2010_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival, VA</b><br />
May 15, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 30D camera, 28-135mm f/3.5-5/6 lens<br />
117mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/400th @ f/10
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFEljydbJcGtJry59rR-6-EkCiK4IMCRnvD6Xot8vagfpyKjnAZlpXTf0Fbs11teG6lE2EtaFtkKKl_2ZOaJUR9WnoEPPD0NaPv3fgmiVxkWZyUP9kMVItgb1BxbHLMg7Cqh0/s1600/2014_03_24_FRWine&Craft_2010_02.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
<b>Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival, VA</b><br />
May 15, 2010<br />
Canon EOS 30D camera, 28-135mm f/3.5-5/6 lens<br />
135mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/500th @ f/10
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">And a few more from Williamsburg...</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyKUfDNwBy5ptkIe8lXTT698e-FLOekLakZGV8WSwDB631S3d0EIuMQ-FDPKXx1_SIO8l-Vk-iZciBhc7AIdnYnKGzeH1HG4xjx9KaulhGKiKoLrPB1HCUDaM7VWyEn9D6EvP/s1600/2014_03_24_Williamsburg_2012_01.jpg" />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjigpPQYPPhCXfYMc1b8kWYFwj0UrX3EekdYwcK3dq1Qp31hSQoXlSnybEEasOvRAIs-UMMKgDv3vhdBZa_bY8BjsYohqqL5hR_IttDWa7b1YjI5UH4fFdeOjXeTaFEOydaDl/s1600/2014_03_24_Williamsburg_2012_02.jpg" />
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-57955993160117408992014-03-23T11:18:00.001-04:002014-03-23T11:18:11.139-04:00Spring has sprung – time for flowers<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">T</div>
<p class="intro">his past Friday was the first day of spring. Yesterday was beautiful—warm, with alight breeze blowing... the sun shining brightly. It felt like spring.</p>
<p>Of course, they are forecasting snow for the day after tomorrow. But for now... I’m going to revel in the warmth and the feel of spring trying to make an entrance.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvrLXg3y7EeeYWJ-j3vcItixGRJT_yzwlkTtnz6sou878aFS65Bzb9xluhQWCDM1oMdQ_BC7ub_rLMwmD2J-9MTCqsbouKIdCQk6xv_av3GDEwbHPSQ7y1xx_mkKJhwZ-TgCJ/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_2012_01.jpg" />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAPke0pKXM78nLXjh-DlWiJSiEvITe8wtpZFfMURJRpbcyHROXjVZAjxvYGs3LvYLQcMHt3bYK5gTBpltlI39d1gXdCr-mxcoeLLFpxPITs7LXZ_q022oDFsObfnUFsKz__Jh/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_2012_02.jpg" />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2-c55IBBAECI0S4LArecJvOoYG3PMawbJlXcad2XdmrP-iIJUZAcvI1ObdQ8ciKZ5PeLx4DAaYzJ-btor2BqwDtDWginQfBTXfOxAhGfHXINuvcRBiyQa1Qb9B7FDK2TYHkr/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_2012_03.jpg" />
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-11004986950294938342014-03-23T00:15:00.001-04:002014-03-23T00:16:42.040-04:00I love Photoshop<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">A</div>
<p class="intro">lmost 20 years ago I was working as a magazine editor for a bi-monthly magazine. Although my trade was words, I was fascinated by the design side of the magazine and often watched the graphic designer as he worked. Because I am a photographer, I was particularly interested in the things he did in Photoshop and soon I began to dabble a little in Photoshop myself.</p>
<p>Adobe Photoshop (and its siblings, Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver) is a phenomenal application. I don’t think anyone could ever learn all it has to offer, and if someone actually did their knowledge would be superseded by the next version. Adobe continually makes changes and improvements in Photoshop and the rest of their Creative Suite.</p>
<p>Over the years I have come to rely heavily on this outstanding software.</p>
<p>I wanted to quickly show what can be done with this amazing photo manipulation tool, so I pulled a photo from our vacation this past summer and made three very quick changes to show how powerful Photoshop is. This is a picture from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort—our favorite place to stay when we visit Disneyworld. This hot tub is behind the central pool of the resort. It&Rsquo;s a relatively quiet area where I go to read if I’m looking for a little solitude. There are usually no running and screaming children in this area. In fact, there are usually no people back there at all other than me. But while I was reading on this particular day, this woman walked up and got into the hot tub. She smiled when I picked up my camera and I took her picture. I have no idea who this is, but the picture kind of captures the peacefulness of this area of the resort.</p>
<p>The first of these pictures is that original picture I took that day. The second one is a simple color replacement. The next is a black & white using a green filter to soften her skin tones. And the last one is an imitation of a hand sketch that involves just a few adjustments in Photoshop. All three of these manipulations took no more than about five minutes to accomplish. If I had the time and knew how to use the software better, there’s no telling what could be done.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwnjuvJGOhh8fM6pDCALB7H5ftgakuTuT_5UJ0aJQgLXn0HFuBxeYgS9CerrPd4w6pnLHLIVKsn95wbQt-lisvXsV1CbOzVWxsyE6fa2FSpEm3tyV_WwER5SKhWRB5Xlf3igO/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_01.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort - September 17, 2013<br />
Canon EOS 30D camera, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens<br />
fixed focal length - 85mm<br />
ISO 160, 1/2000th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rS5G9_dQRegLzq_2NRhdcVFdH3Nri8vtRGMkIv-7bGKPL4I1YqmnwxsydkSoqSPYF42JhZdBOj_IdLTjWloL297d4DgRfi4fAR1Zed5QlKeo5QpkUrOnRwMspFizp1DuwWmJ/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_02.jpg" />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhmrUpZVHdHW2kSmxWDcriUMx7Ti4izOxUO4XvB21Fw_3FdFs293ZKxbuuJymTd5J8NMpstB7xlBSaw2yg0ZYS7c4m6ObbWelKZwLD5NGMdTXWFCndfQ5wvve62h_2VWOVtIg/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_03.jpg" />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZ4M43a77Jf4-cdLE7TYAnyrezemCBdyWxtDoxNENJIhLUGemap-B0-g9gFMBqj7KyR_GThGwWlEZxXJUeTCffCkTOB6-oBUfYINbuzUSp0hKW6IZz08XMyTAgNDsaX__dpDI/s1600/2014_03_23_CaribbeanBeachResort_04.jpg" />
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-6795245928549167862014-03-22T19:36:00.000-04:002014-03-22T19:53:53.131-04:00Why I love Front Royal<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">M</div>
<p><span class="intro">any years ago I began a series of Facebook photo albums about why I love Front Royal. Those eventually ended, but my love for this wonderful town and the surrounding areas did not.</span> I still love living in Front Royal, Virginia.</p>
<p>In this post I will address the primary reason I love Front Royal—its people.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucJvAXfcT9uvgySdP4nvqqg5DPrOQrwr485z6j48cDpxT6ZjnYOBM_UitpqlYzyQ6w-L6Ek0kZ9DMGnT_xpUFncC0V87pS7Iwh855R7rTYF31wkGLFf9CUerFLvD6XVQgXvgWrA/s1600/2014_03_22_CelticFest_2010_001.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Celtic Festival - June 19, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
52mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/160th @ f/4.5
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">The people of Front Royal, Virginia, are wonderful! They seem to fit my hopes for the world. They are responsible. They are fun-loving. They are beautiful.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTBFYVMiNt9VjlJ9gHyF0tcST1t0FsN0U68oaHxJt5-OxeSnRg6HXHGzjQSYAWy5udHgeX9UInpqIHk_1DmsjGBPBTRiGIuXe5E8ux_sS_G7c7OZoZUgw7-wxjNUYHc6yZND_/s1600/2014_03_22_WineFest_2010_001.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival - May 15, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
35mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/200th @ f/6.3
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">The people in this post are my Front Royal neighbors—pretty much all of them. It’s a tiny town, but everyone here just seems to be the kind of people I love. They are free spirited, gentle, kind-hearted. And because they hold to a libertarian view of the world, they do not demand that others act in a way that suits them. I guess you’d say it’s a live-and-let-live place. And I love that!</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqm5KgwFMnX-61dtGsRyOoqIR5mfLXODJdKVbX1aVRgPH-XqHMVMiFa-0hwxw6nPnqSZg4MZtwyYlYSx0RLTYR-CV2FEs4ojPXUB1IYxXaGAJfdKtiah29E2PfuX9CWW3eiZH/s1600/2014_03_22_WineFest_2010_002.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival - May 15, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
46mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/80th @ f/7.1
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">I took all of the pictures in this blogpost at various events in Front Royal and Delaplane—one of our nearby towns. The Celtic Festival... the Wine Festival... the Strawberry Festival... the Festival of Leaves. All of these events are part of the culture and character of this town that I love so much.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXRRRhsFZ-zmaotsTh-ydl9u5nlvmhLL3gyOd9v24dGdXDhYNLXnRt5qf2s2ZBk-GXcIRUShfkJqmpcDaVo8LXGvJ5XPnt7I4vIePlVMHEIAFXjDqKV9qCGN7L4PkMl7SIAn_/s1600/2014_03_22_WineFest_2010_003.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival - May 15, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
64mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/200th @ f/3.2
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">When we first began attending these various events in our wonderful town, we sensed a spirit of community that has been lost in most towns across the United States. The people in this town genuinely enjoy one another. And it shows when they come together for a celebration. And this town has many celebrations. In fact—they never seem to end during the spring, summer, and fall. This town just loves throwing a block party. A whole-town block party!</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7MkGBdk5fFUWpcoeFZ4JYOBe19PAP6kvHI3Di0ln3_0TSX-pYmJ85ryC4MSC5cprcTXhko_E3qRzM6TLoQmns_81OiANjgK_6X06GOXnnLwENMkuySTqn1hMehBZLLgqokD0/s1600/2014_03_22_WineFest_2010_004.jpg" class="blogheader" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival - May 15, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
135mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/250th @ f/8.0
</p>
</div>
<p>I guess it’s also a wonderful place for a photographer. When you get this many beautiful, wonderful, accepting people into one location... the situation is ripe for photography.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfkpGwlCj0eHbE-TF4b8CaETZCxLTyjwl0eUwQuBgvzjOW6znIWVvPiIkePzoNhKgCyhNRBow2rIEscJHWSmPDFYSMjqlnW5Inl885LtQ25w8vlmZsTmRzaJZChmAyS3tjG0K/s1600/2014_03_22_WineFest_2010_005.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival - May 15, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/200th @ f/10
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara">Thank you, people of Front Royal, for making this such a wonderful town! I love you!</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBVbirVkK4fO_iLmgNzR8FB1p8wTrwEPfno5ne5jQOMbnR875u55LZzTfYWpLQTIyIDm4ST91U06M1XKPxgMxnA8Z4u1qdOAwMZcwxdd2L_mptXMJmWIJ6_J7dTD2Lza5hyphenhyphen2v/s1600/2014_03_22_StrawberryFest_2010_005.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Delaplane Strawberry Festival - May 29, 2010<br />
Canon 50D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
200mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/125th @ f/18
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-26630493075621405972014-03-20T08:03:00.000-04:002014-03-20T08:06:14.068-04:00Another rainy night in Georgia<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">T</div>
<p><span class="intro">he rain has been falling for a few days non-stop now.</span> I love the beauty of rain—the muted colors of the scenery as the rain falls, the soft and even lighting as the sun’s light is diffused through the storm, the sound of the rain hitting the leaves and the grass. It’s really quite beautiful.</p>
<div class="right">
<object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong3245377495" name="gsSong3245377495"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=32453774&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=32453774&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Rod%20Stewart%20Rainy%20Night%20in%20Georgia" title="Rainy Night in Georgia by Rod Stewart on Grooveshark">Rainy Night in Georgia by Rod Stewart on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object>
</div>
<p>But rain also seems to bring with it some sadness and melancholia.</p>
<p>I changed my blog header today to mimic the weather I see through the glass wall of my office. The sky outside is gray. And all the other objects I can see have muted colors, softened by the falling rain.</p>
<p>But I had to adjust the picture I used because it wasn’t really raining when I took that picture. Here is the original photograph:</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5s32vw1SppCEISPSLVUgIUFg3OCjebWyRYMXdhzmkZczsokmCH3dh8FkDQzL6zFA5oHmbcXlKt0jUPp_O6e5NYjWa5_MP9FsPvH-3A2WJ2poel5C6EGg2eKJ315bcMyQfWCoX/s1600/2014_03_20_Savannah_2012_06.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5s32vw1SppCEISPSLVUgIUFg3OCjebWyRYMXdhzmkZczsokmCH3dh8FkDQzL6zFA5oHmbcXlKt0jUPp_O6e5NYjWa5_MP9FsPvH-3A2WJ2poel5C6EGg2eKJ315bcMyQfWCoX/s1600/2014_03_20_Savannah_2012_06.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Savannah, Georgia - August 22, 2012 - 11:39 AM<br />
Canon EOS 7D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/100th @ f/14
</p></div>
<p class="firstpara">Storm clouds were rolling in over the port. And it was a somewhat dark day. But there was no rain. I took the picture primarily because I loved the cloud formations. But because I am currently looking out of a glass wall that is covered with rain drops, condensation fog, and little rivulets of water running down the length of the glass, I decided to change this picture to look the same way—as if I am looking out of a glass wall during a rain storm, but with this beautiful view rather than my current view of high rise office buildings, roads, and construction areas. I miss Savannah.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwArfy9rR9XKIwp6U8D-Iad4Y58M13NlQhkVBkL6PzYqruXnYwGZ770hSRu8Fcf8ZdLcb4KDABGTHaLi0f0Pgs-3AWZA2vgtNfaLkEeTqPDaRc2Ls6cpa0_3JdWsPnkPDo5zP/s1600/2014_03_20_Savannah_2012_06_rain.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwArfy9rR9XKIwp6U8D-Iad4Y58M13NlQhkVBkL6PzYqruXnYwGZ770hSRu8Fcf8ZdLcb4KDABGTHaLi0f0Pgs-3AWZA2vgtNfaLkEeTqPDaRc2Ls6cpa0_3JdWsPnkPDo5zP/s1600/2014_03_20_Savannah_2012_06_rain.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<p class="firstpara">Come ... dream along with me.</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-76216953009704352302014-03-19T12:50:00.001-04:002014-03-19T13:01:39.934-04:00The blue hour<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">M</div>
<p><span class="intro">y son is an outstanding photographer. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up with a mother who is a professional photographer and a father who is an avid photography enthusiast.</span> He’s quite comfortable with the camera—from either side.</p>
<div class="left">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievig1vepfyppGZdgDazCvYxMJ4XogWarRtEs-joJz-2PnjJsmhnLwFp4ZpL2GGI-5deyEp0eOrZbeZU7ZI832I_qHWwdBVTB26aFaZWFaKOGFGp0glupbNTALol72bvAUZ4Gg/s1600/David-18(2).jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievig1vepfyppGZdgDazCvYxMJ4XogWarRtEs-joJz-2PnjJsmhnLwFp4ZpL2GGI-5deyEp0eOrZbeZU7ZI832I_qHWwdBVTB26aFaZWFaKOGFGp0glupbNTALol72bvAUZ4Gg/s1600/David-18(2).jpg" style="width: 288px;" /></a>
<div class="caption">My son, the photographer</div>
</div>
<p>David learned early on to try out unique angles and to get in close to his photography subjects. Once he saw that looking at things from a unique perspective greatly improves photographs and makes them stand out from other people’s snapshots, he quickly gravitated to extreme angles and macro photography. When all the other tourists at Mt. Vernon were photographing the vegetable garden through the gate in the 10-foot-high wooden fence, David climbed that fence to capture the garden from a very high angle. He came back, not with a photograph of the garden but with a close-up macro shot of the little round painted wooden ball at the top of the fence post. The paint was peeling and the angle of the sun cast wonderful shadows showing the texture of that peeling paint and emphasizing the grain of the wood underneath. He then walked into the garden and laid down on the dirt to get close-up shots from ground level of the tops of the turnips sticking up out of the ground. Later that day he waded through the crowd of tourists who were taking pictures of the historic kitchen and stepped inside the fireplace to take a picture up through the chimney. They were all beautiful shots and no one else got pictures anything like them because no one else decided to climb the fence, lie down in the dirt, or step inside the fireplace behind the tour guide.</p>
<p>Photographs that capture our attention tend to be these types of photographs. They are the photographs taken where and when most other people wouldn’t consider taking them.</p>
<p>Most photography hobbyists take their pictures when the sun is high in the sky, providing bright lighting that makes colors nice and brilliant. And they tend to put their cameras away when it’s foggy or rainy or snowing. They also put their cameras away at twilight because it’s hard to hold the camera still enough in that dim lighting to capture a crisp picture.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGIa7WoQDTENpTk9BThvTrvb26AUtobztuk855jD6gw7G0oPVcPiTTgK3xBDT2OKN5-8_g_h9Fzflz-8arOc5DK7LD502aei0sg43T6gRDmY8Qk1zi__9ChlP84TqnmCumuVR/s1600/Savannah_2012_12.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGIa7WoQDTENpTk9BThvTrvb26AUtobztuk855jD6gw7G0oPVcPiTTgK3xBDT2OKN5-8_g_h9Fzflz-8arOc5DK7LD502aei0sg43T6gRDmY8Qk1zi__9ChlP84TqnmCumuVR/s1600/Savannah_2012_12.JPG" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Savannah, Georgia - August 21, 2012 - 7:36 PM<br />
Canon EOS 7D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 1600, 1/13th @ f/2.8
</p>
</div>
<p>And so... it is one of my favorite times to take pictures. Twilight is the time of day, every morning and evening, when it is not full daylight and it is not complete darkness. The sun is below the horizon, but is still lighting the sky. This time period is known as “the blue hour.” And the lighting conditions during this time have been known to photographers as “sweet light” for years. The light is very blue and casts a bluish tint on everything around. The low light level allows for the sky to be rich and deeply saturated rather than overexposed, as it is in most daylight pictures. It is a wonderful time to take pictures.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIYSUHRnH-xFsaz9vkdSYxkDVQ1BUp1P6C4cVjLk7Q6xQCflJ1qSogg0MNvTmyFDWJIHb8TRq0ddMwOhD92Zs2jmx3LkO44h_wLmQM0RtQHvn4y3pc_EgYKDs2REKAUk7QIpm/s1600/Savannah_2012_03.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIYSUHRnH-xFsaz9vkdSYxkDVQ1BUp1P6C4cVjLk7Q6xQCflJ1qSogg0MNvTmyFDWJIHb8TRq0ddMwOhD92Zs2jmx3LkO44h_wLmQM0RtQHvn4y3pc_EgYKDs2REKAUk7QIpm/s1600/Savannah_2012_03.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Savannah, Georgia - August 21, 2012 - 7:23 PM<br />
Canon EOS 7D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
28mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/25th @ f/3.5
</p>
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjIP4PPJLHvnUl7Or0gYNm4lPcKh8OL-4cpdsJX5RRIexEQCMI672xpslWIXdKHIQ2QL09cjz7SbHJPJQTqlllzTcE8ORgWUY6cNwBFgBSiEjclO73xaERvyEIymZ8Ft0DJmB/s1600/Savannah_2012_09.jpg">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjIP4PPJLHvnUl7Or0gYNm4lPcKh8OL-4cpdsJX5RRIexEQCMI672xpslWIXdKHIQ2QL09cjz7SbHJPJQTqlllzTcE8ORgWUY6cNwBFgBSiEjclO73xaERvyEIymZ8Ft0DJmB/s1600/Savannah_2012_09.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Savannah, Georgia - August 21, 2012 - 7:18 PM<br />
Canon EOS 7D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
30mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/50th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAqHQ4c4g3kmVppD1oqkdko0z-JlVNyXO4oxa_cgO7CiC7HJyxXNc5qv6nVM_I5nME3kbbqpp0pTPUvaIqyrhrw_ToCclV638NAOVJYgxQwcwKFgRUD8S0Y44fQPBkA_33FnE/s1600/Savannah_2012_10.JPG">
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAqHQ4c4g3kmVppD1oqkdko0z-JlVNyXO4oxa_cgO7CiC7HJyxXNc5qv6nVM_I5nME3kbbqpp0pTPUvaIqyrhrw_ToCclV638NAOVJYgxQwcwKFgRUD8S0Y44fQPBkA_33FnE/s1600/Savannah_2012_10.JPG" class="blogheader" />
</a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Savannah, Georgia - August, 2012 - 7:24 PM<br />
Canon EOS 7D camera, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/25th @ f/2.8
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-33313546906907466212014-03-18T13:46:00.001-04:002014-03-18T13:46:38.214-04:00On the outside looking in<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">S</div>
<p><span class="intro">ometimes in life we feel a bit out of sorts.</span> That feeling seems to be occurring more and more frequently for me. And I always thought we would grow into ourselves as we matured. Maybe I’m not doing it right, because I often feel like I’m on the outside looking in, and all the action is happening inside.</p>
<p>But then, the creative arts have always been intended to reach an emotional inner-point of human existence. Perhaps that’s why I have always been drawn to pictures that show the action happening inside... while the viewer of this action is obviously standing outside and just observing. NOT STALKING, mind you... <i>observing</i>!</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFOGnWSzWwW4qo76u6sPBNGgkFVc3KwHnwkm2ub2EfUZe76X8UkMPFIEjUayqj2yz8OcP7VP_kPv30c1XsDYMEtF_E77ztPwCDBUhYL0c-8w-PhIdmDijEiGCv1wxXoETHbd0/s1600/IMG_2169.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFOGnWSzWwW4qo76u6sPBNGgkFVc3KwHnwkm2ub2EfUZe76X8UkMPFIEjUayqj2yz8OcP7VP_kPv30c1XsDYMEtF_E77ztPwCDBUhYL0c-8w-PhIdmDijEiGCv1wxXoETHbd0/s1600/IMG_2169.JPG" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="caption">Savannah waterfront - August 21, 2012 - 7:33 pm</div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 1600, 1/4th @ f/2.8
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-11703326052257593832014-03-17T15:47:00.002-04:002014-03-17T17:17:53.238-04:00Everything old is new again<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">B</div>
<p><span class="intro">lack & white photography captures my fancy.</span> As much as I love brilliant, vibrant color, black & white photography has a special way of communicating that color photography can’t match.</p>
<p>Black & white photography also requires the photographer to look at the scene in a very different way. For me, it has always made me consider shading and light values much more carefully. And that is really what photography is all about. After all, the word photography comes from two Latin words that mean, in essence, <i>writing with light</i>. Reducing a color scene to levels of black and white seems to me to be a pure form of writing with light and I really love working that way.</p>
<p>I took this photo of the dogwood tree in my backyard the summer before last. The flowers had some direct sunlight shining on them, but everything else in the scene was in shadow cast by the upper portion of the tree. The result is a striking contrast between light and dark.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPnfGU56kDQl3p9f_OqqowtXbnzmtMXKV5zeKN6uS262VusWrY3MA-NpS7tnTt5SoI7wDmNIdgyTNpcY6lCBLUppSzMcj1sfsT5oFiRPOAMxA5lBjyD_siL62trkAawAa5qDD/s1600/2014_03_17_BackyardDogwood.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPnfGU56kDQl3p9f_OqqowtXbnzmtMXKV5zeKN6uS262VusWrY3MA-NpS7tnTt5SoI7wDmNIdgyTNpcY6lCBLUppSzMcj1sfsT5oFiRPOAMxA5lBjyD_siL62trkAawAa5qDD/s1600/2014_03_17_BackyardDogwood.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens<br />
85mm fixed focal length<br />
ISO 200, 1/400th @ f/7.1
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara" style="clear: both;">I took this next picture under one of the piers at Clearwater Beach, Florida. (By the way, it’s the same pier as the one pictured at the top of this blog—at least right now.) I love this beach. It is absolutely beautiful. But even more than the beach’s natural beauty, I love the people there. Every time I have visited this beach I have come away with a wealth of pictures of happy people who are obviously enjoying themselves immensely. There’s just something about Clearwater Beach that seems to lift the spirits.</p>
<p>This couple was actually posing for another photographer. But when the wind began whipping the girl’s hair around, the couple began laughing. I had to quickly raise my camera and grab the picture before the scene changed. I actually took three rapid-fire shots. The two others were worthless because the girl’s hair was covering her face. But this one was perfect.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriiGyTz4wdJ-BVinXrJFlCfthuYM58qeCLH3G5BjPWisz3VZLS7Oku2iqXFN1EqF0KuEuU8hOc-_yE7I6UH18Fe6z-eV3CBVRxfYej8cG7B82YyNYRAnZtohdNmO-edcwMMwRmQ/s1600/2014_03_17_St+Petersburgh_2012_06.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriiGyTz4wdJ-BVinXrJFlCfthuYM58qeCLH3G5BjPWisz3VZLS7Oku2iqXFN1EqF0KuEuU8hOc-_yE7I6UH18Fe6z-eV3CBVRxfYej8cG7B82YyNYRAnZtohdNmO-edcwMMwRmQ/s1600/2014_03_17_St+Petersburgh_2012_06.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 100, 1/60th @ f/9.0
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara" style="clear: both;">And while we’re on the topic of candid people photography, I also love taking pictures of people on buses. For some reason, people become very animated and expressive on buses. Maybe it’s because the noise level is so high that it makes it hard to hear so being more expressive helps the communication. Whatever the reason, it makes for some fun photographic situations. This girl, in a Disney transport bus, was responding to some playful ribbing by her younger brother. I loved the expression as she tried to ignore him by looking out the window. He wasn’t buying it either.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblfl04ZfdDLuECuZKqRvWHvn2sYqyPoj5qSBzXYi50d_5hux8ro3lbJhnHm1q6NUdR2AeKW0-cCCAwlWi96IoUdinn2XiBSje0Nx4FMWksaJCWndlpGjTjFCcIVwMWj2pZTPM/s1600/2014_03_17_Epcot_2012_03.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblfl04ZfdDLuECuZKqRvWHvn2sYqyPoj5qSBzXYi50d_5hux8ro3lbJhnHm1q6NUdR2AeKW0-cCCAwlWi96IoUdinn2XiBSje0Nx4FMWksaJCWndlpGjTjFCcIVwMWj2pZTPM/s1600/2014_03_17_Epcot_2012_03.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens<br />
73mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/60th @ f/8.0
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara" style="clear: both;">Although this post is about black & white photography, I have to honor St. Patrick’s Day with a little bit of green. So... here is my wife’s necklace to provide the needed color splash.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ660kJBNCK4FLhYQAUSF5xRsXLs38VF9qDqbht_CIxmuS6ZEzRkEbOGh4gnQZ2LKlggipwiyOT08gEg-TWULSdQU_njggf3RYF0lVW3E8eEeb6og07m9Q3ROhaS0pnLftiJRP/s1600/2014_03_17_GreenNecklace.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ660kJBNCK4FLhYQAUSF5xRsXLs38VF9qDqbht_CIxmuS6ZEzRkEbOGh4gnQZ2LKlggipwiyOT08gEg-TWULSdQU_njggf3RYF0lVW3E8eEeb6og07m9Q3ROhaS0pnLftiJRP/s1600/2014_03_17_GreenNecklace.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens<br />
56mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/60th @ f/8.0
</p>
</div>
<p class="firstpara" style="font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold; color: green; clear: both;">Happy St. Patrick’s Day!</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-1089758137374669582014-03-15T18:59:00.000-04:002014-03-17T17:35:25.757-04:00Why I love photography<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">I</div>
<p class="intro">have often wondered why I arrived at this place—a photographer who is employed as a designer. But truly... a photographer. I love photography. I think I love every aspect of photography... without reservation.</p>
<p>But... photography is not how I make my living. Although it is a small portion of my job, I am actually a page layout designer by trade. I have been a paid photographer for almost 30 years, but, sadly, photography is not the way I earn my living.</p>
<p>How I wish it were.</p>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE0790nBiyFOSN_54f-xiPURiTsEiedfWJ0Oj1DW9Z9CH8gVjz5PMX23VrG_IMrf3feNXkMUWj5tz6NKm_FneMnojdGusw8yT0_VQyjmcdxZhwU7YYcpQIK1cwqwTNRmY_HAb/s1600/IMG_3808.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUE0790nBiyFOSN_54f-xiPURiTsEiedfWJ0Oj1DW9Z9CH8gVjz5PMX23VrG_IMrf3feNXkMUWj5tz6NKm_FneMnojdGusw8yT0_VQyjmcdxZhwU7YYcpQIK1cwqwTNRmY_HAb/s1600/IMG_3808.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="caption"></div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
45mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">But early in this post, I’m already getting off-track. I guess that’s what happens when I think of photography.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlGANwsmrp3bUkDDRWqCezDltmQr7UnbhRua3xu_nw4ZsXcA5-6mzU22EFBYlt64qbJNbRw4ukJjUwEY3aNujymj3i2T9FwIbJT0Nwm821jc57bkqATFtlNR9nd6F2c9pbzen/s1600/IMG_3789.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlGANwsmrp3bUkDDRWqCezDltmQr7UnbhRua3xu_nw4ZsXcA5-6mzU22EFBYlt64qbJNbRw4ukJjUwEY3aNujymj3i2T9FwIbJT0Nwm821jc57bkqATFtlNR9nd6F2c9pbzen/s1600/IMG_3789.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
59mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">Today, my family and I drove to the home of one of my employees. This woman has come to be one of the leaders on my team and just seems to have an innate understanding of how she should do pretty much everything. </p>
<p>... even though she’s leaving me... to go on parental leave.</p>
<p>My family and I traveled to her home today. She and her husband opened their home to us and made us feel like honored guests.</p>
<p>We visited her because she is going to give birth very soon. And we were taking a “baby shower-in-a-box” to her. Our local staff wanted to throw a baby shower, but she works remotely and... well... we had to do it this way.</p>
<p>All the better for me - and for my family.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hfkdh_HgZ1urfoJ4uIihzsLuleEYJXHDzFg8JWP86W0WJ1kApRfX_eEdSKj5hLWhFNMisLTrTM9ZRetUgvHU1hV2x3r61Cs9bm4svnSr_YorsXakOne6nau9d3YocbpClJ07/s1600/IMG_3821.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hfkdh_HgZ1urfoJ4uIihzsLuleEYJXHDzFg8JWP86W0WJ1kApRfX_eEdSKj5hLWhFNMisLTrTM9ZRetUgvHU1hV2x3r61Cs9bm4svnSr_YorsXakOne6nau9d3YocbpClJ07/s1600/IMG_3821.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">Our visit with my coworker and friend and with her incredible family was thoroughly enjoyable. This is what family is all about.</p>
<p>Congratulations! We can’t wait to meet the new addition to your family.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzp1UOww8w1QK0KAuYhwbQmFwRSzqt7EUz1PUtBccTiD4DO-H8upw5-dOYaQLP65Qlt-Ja4seBDEtmsfudEe1qowHThKJ69j78eB4tlKqCndbxRKPVRe2JCYvY75BXuFrIVZY/s1600/IMG_3816_cropped.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzp1UOww8w1QK0KAuYhwbQmFwRSzqt7EUz1PUtBccTiD4DO-H8upw5-dOYaQLP65Qlt-Ja4seBDEtmsfudEe1qowHThKJ69j78eB4tlKqCndbxRKPVRe2JCYvY75BXuFrIVZY/s1600/IMG_3816_cropped.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/60th @ f/4.0
</p>
</div>
</div></div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-40427287075083602332014-03-14T11:54:00.000-04:002014-03-17T16:50:01.554-04:00My son in Williamsburg<div class="postwrapper">
<p>I love history. I especially like “living” history. In other words, as much as I love books, even history books, I particularly enjoy visiting historic places and watching the actors dressed in period costumes and listening to their presentations. It really makes me feel like a have a much better understanding of those places and times.</p>
<p>Historic Williamsburg, Virginia, is one of my family’s favorite historic places. While all our friends get excited about traveling to Williamsburg to visit the Pottery Factory or the Big Wolf Lodge, we plan our visits around the historical sights.</p>
<p>My wife is a genealogy hobbyist and has discovered some amazing things about our ancestors—including the fact that one of her ancesters fought in the War for Independence under General George Washington. He became very depressed after the war was over and was eventually admitted to the first insane asylum in the United States... in Williamsburg. We had walked past that building many times before, but the last time we visited Williamsburg we decided to go inside that building where her ancestor had been treated.</p>
<p>The building has been made into a small museum where you can see the tools they used for their “therapy” and the rooms the patients would have stayed in. They had a few different rooms set up according to the time periods during which those rooms would have been used. None of them were very nice. We were able to determine what my wife’s ancestor’s room would have looked like. It was interesting... and a bit chilling.</p>
<p>Just last summer I took this picture of my son in front of that building.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSgEh1zD0rWcbj10gJ_UzXuu5t7762rDuL7NH05DUQ98UgMzOkrcxsjSq-5ORjNDcj3x5n_fAGLhOxvHm4bFgtEWyJecOuyazxQZ_dOcBKzeOSiI5T_Tnul3iVzVl3-GTus48/s1600/2014-03-14_Williamsburg_2012_02.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSgEh1zD0rWcbj10gJ_UzXuu5t7762rDuL7NH05DUQ98UgMzOkrcxsjSq-5ORjNDcj3x5n_fAGLhOxvHm4bFgtEWyJecOuyazxQZ_dOcBKzeOSiI5T_Tnul3iVzVl3-GTus48/s1600/2014-03-14_Williamsburg_2012_02.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<p class="firstpara">My adopted son has had severe difficulties every since he was a very young boy. We took him home with us the day after he was born and as soon as all the legal steps had been accomplished, we adopted him. But he has had tremendous trouble trying to overcome the issues left by the recreational drugs his birth parents were taking. Some of his issues are somewhat common, although they exhibit themselves in a severe way with my son. But some of his other issues are not common at all, and they are, again, quite severe. </p>
<p>I am so thankful that the medical community has come so far in recognizing neurological illnesses. My wife’s ancestor was quite likely suffering from what we now know as PTSD. But back in those days, they saw only severe depression and they admitted him to a terrible place that used pain reinforcement, fear, and intimidation as their only methods of “therapy.” My son, in spite of all his issues, is a great kid. And we have received a lot of help from the medical community. I’m glad he has never had to stay in a place like this hospital in Williamsburg.</p>
<p>And this picture has nothing whatsoever to do with what I’ve written so far, but it’s the Governor’s mansion in Colonial Williamsburg—complete with one of those living history costumed folks I mentioned. I took this one two years ago.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNsr8mThEHSTwt4OOFgNfnV6xMDdTYNGX1OcirZDz65OWCyuzepRYOyVP0DUeQC7g55hxuJdeIU2oPLuk8psU7k13ad7DbY3qZsXpefj1uMYeAeSkKnNlZ7BBrCbza8sBAjs2/s1600/2014-03-14_Williamsburgh_2012.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNsr8mThEHSTwt4OOFgNfnV6xMDdTYNGX1OcirZDz65OWCyuzepRYOyVP0DUeQC7g55hxuJdeIU2oPLuk8psU7k13ad7DbY3qZsXpefj1uMYeAeSkKnNlZ7BBrCbza8sBAjs2/s1600/2014-03-14_Williamsburgh_2012.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-91525526485002196182014-03-13T08:59:00.001-04:002014-03-17T17:28:32.855-04:00Where, oh where is spring?<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">T</div>
<p class="intro">his has been an incredibly cold winter. But they say all things must come to an end. I’m not quite sure who “they” are, but I think they may be wrong about this one. Winter just doesn’t seem to want to let go—kind of like the White Queen in Narnia. It feel as though it will be “always winter, but no Christmas.”</p>
<p>So today’s picture is of a warm scene—a romantic couple strolling along the beach in St. Petersburgh, Florida.</p>
<p>Oh please bring back springtime!</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNY61EvavOtwP2IG-x-cDTeguDhPr3Aw4zm2xdbRKHO8VJlaJfWTAcM2q9LJMIsjoTu_8-lpwptvFy_HVaNGi-ZxDiKqXx3XgjQ_Fnyq0j0RFKGj8dQ8LdEPj2xBFjCsRhIBv/s1600/2014-03-13_St+Petersburgh_2012_04.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNY61EvavOtwP2IG-x-cDTeguDhPr3Aw4zm2xdbRKHO8VJlaJfWTAcM2q9LJMIsjoTu_8-lpwptvFy_HVaNGi-ZxDiKqXx3XgjQ_Fnyq0j0RFKGj8dQ8LdEPj2xBFjCsRhIBv/s1600/2014-03-13_St+Petersburgh_2012_04.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="caption">Madeira Beach, St. Petersburgh, FL<br />
August 23, 2012 7:00 <span style="font-variant:small-caps">pm</span></div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />50mm focal length<br />
1/100 @ f/7.1, ISO 100
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-18682630735363770502014-03-12T19:25:00.001-04:002014-03-17T17:25:14.836-04:00Skyline Fog<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">I</div>
<p><span class="intro">live about three miles from the northern entrance to Skyline Drive. Known as “a road to nowhere,” Skyline Drive is the most traveled scenic highway in the world. With a top speed limit of 35 mph, it takes quite a while to tavel the full 105 miles of the drive—especially because it is very hard to pass the scenic overlooks without stopping to drink in the intense beauty of God’s creation here in the Shenandoah Mountains.</span></p>
<p>But it isn’t always about the view.</p>
<p>Living this close to the drive, I have the opportunity to notice weather patterns and take a quick drive up into the mountains of Skyline Drive to photograph things that many people will never see in their lifetime. It is a tremendous blessing.</p>
<p>I love Virginia!</p>
<h2>Skyline Drive in the fog</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC4h66uQrAr4rQYlaJwg8x6lZE4G21e-UpOG8UWUcGdhJ1yKpi6yxluwzALRyVMCEDGQLJ05oVk5OPgQitAQDKrIAwkL25WZN2U5tY7YbkiNxC-jy-XsIz3QC7uRVaBzltvMI/s1600/2014-03-12_Skyline+Drive+2012_02.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC4h66uQrAr4rQYlaJwg8x6lZE4G21e-UpOG8UWUcGdhJ1yKpi6yxluwzALRyVMCEDGQLJ05oVk5OPgQitAQDKrIAwkL25WZN2U5tY7YbkiNxC-jy-XsIz3QC7uRVaBzltvMI/s1600/2014-03-12_Skyline+Drive+2012_02.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="caption">Gorgeous bright flowers with fog coming over the mountain</div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8 L USM lens<br />
24mm focal length<br />
ISO 200, 1/25th @ f/22
</p>
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzU_mhJH_LYgoaOxLWJ7WqDjjD43i1OHzjDP-2FbOq8EQ7wrRscVE1RmL5JBeDNSeuOU2MdVHzXUy4kp9dOq5EnPDs540EzozGAcKrhwzsTO3Cr1tFyDGG6PEuqkD95I087IMX/s1600/2014-03-12_Skyline+Drive+2012_01.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzU_mhJH_LYgoaOxLWJ7WqDjjD43i1OHzjDP-2FbOq8EQ7wrRscVE1RmL5JBeDNSeuOU2MdVHzXUy4kp9dOq5EnPDs540EzozGAcKrhwzsTO3Cr1tFyDGG6PEuqkD95I087IMX/s1600/2014-03-12_Skyline+Drive+2012_01.jpg" class="blogheader" style="clear: both;" />
</a>
<div class="caption">Front Royal Ranger Station engulfed – Front Royal, Virginia</div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8 L USM lens<br />
45mm focal length<br />
ISO 200, 1/15th @ f/16
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-56604409998614857882014-03-11T19:25:00.000-04:002014-03-17T17:20:54.075-04:00Photo of the day - a new direction<div class="postwrapper">
<p>When I started this blog I was just jumping into the wild blogosphere that everyone was enamored with at the time. I had very little worth saying... although, I sure tried to sound intelligent on my blog. I talked of politics. I talked about theology. I talked... and talked... and talked... and bored my readers almost to death.</p>
<p>And lost my readers.</p>
<p>But I’m not really a writer—as much as I enjoy writing. I am a designer. But far more importantly, I am a photographer. So I am making a change in my blog, and I hope it will result in more people enjoying it. But if not, that’s okay. I will enjoy it.</p>
<p>As of today, my blog will be primarily a photography blog, because that is what I love. I hope other can find enjoyment and encouragement from my photography.</p>
<p>Today’s picture features a young woman I have never met, but who caught my interest on a recent visit to Historic Williamsburg. She was sitting on the ground waiting for an upcoming “infotainment” production. I think she was looking for a friend who was due to show up and watch the show with her. I loved the way her modern appearance contrasted with the almost 300-year-old surroundings. Even the pebbling on the road shows that contrast.</p>
<p>So today’s picture is from the only place I have donated to for my whole adult life—the Historical Williamsburg Foundation.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4e3pJxA630zBkOUscckKhidvXNOLOYjPD63boA52eXUKWd2br1G5g-IanKrW4vvj5AZeebnR0W-TBexd_Vg6RL5Ln_NV3eXFmO7ERJyiGNcF-GT9jemAs8V4kCPg4efaCJJTh/s1600/Williamsburg_2012_04.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4e3pJxA630zBkOUscckKhidvXNOLOYjPD63boA52eXUKWd2br1G5g-IanKrW4vvj5AZeebnR0W-TBexd_Vg6RL5Ln_NV3eXFmO7ERJyiGNcF-GT9jemAs8V4kCPg4efaCJJTh/s1600/Williamsburg_2012_04.jpg" class="blogheader" /></a>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens<br />
135mm focal length<br />
ISO 200, 1/400th @ f/9.0
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-65328483285885454262014-03-07T19:47:00.000-05:002014-03-07T19:48:22.340-05:00It is Well With My Soul<div class=postwrapper">
<p><div class="dropcap">H</div>oration G. Spafford. That’s all that needs be said...</p>
<div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>
<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=151233442851" data-width="466"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=151233442851">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ruppesisters">Sisters</a>.</div></div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-52903643939651762192014-03-01T06:30:00.000-05:002014-03-17T20:03:25.106-04:00Thou has brought me many flowers<div class="postwrapper">
<p>Okay... It’s a silly title (actually the title of an Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem), but I needed to say something so I could post this picture.</p>
<p>This is actually a potted plant outside the central hub of Disneyworld’s Caribbean Beach Resort.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3lVDX4_9b-Shg_bqIbAtv95lThEjtlpeLn9PGytb7mmq_TifhAZaHgCKppYcwoGiuIyoLcpLG2NDmNGT2DLhhoJjCsid1ITXJRt1tI4rawReHAQTYYtcmCDuSUeyaEoowIMK/s1600/2014_02_29_CaribbeanBeachResort.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 30D, EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM lens<br />
230mm focal length<br />
ISO 160, 1/200th @ f/6.3
</p>
</div>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-68963888051705781882014-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:002014-03-17T20:14:46.650-04:00Little glass teapot<div class="postwrapper">
<p><div class="dropcap">M</div>y son and I love drinking tea. And we also love the experience of making tea. So my son decided a few years ago that he wanted loose leaf teas and a loose leaf brewing system. For the past three years Christmas has included a variety of amazingly wonderful teas and some really cool brewing systems. This past year’s system was this very cool teapot that has its own acrylic base warmer fueled by a tealight candle. It makes great tea and looks really cool in a dark room as that candle glows beneath it.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdxVDoR-xKegUtsAxVrW3SADhaDjA4WgfBeYCDCVV-u8V-8HPssRGXhimGLwIZKOSvIzjWPaZyhDvjl3FrBKpzNrJ2LiHQsnJP9ryjgbl8X-8K4FoYt-HXebFPLdSkdBEutVY/s1600/2014_02_28_Teapot.jpg" />
<div class="caption">By the way... the tea is a wonderful loose leaf mango/ginger/citrus tea.<br />
The tealight warming it is apple scented.</div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens<br />
85mm fixed focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/8th @ f/1.8
</p>
</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7GRynf7Go1dJes8_yu81qVlC_5QsEBm4DDxGYQqadl9hgpQ16eO7EbxYf8HT5xvvtWTBSdzxzxOGhKl4DGc3UkG2wZuWvNvlb5oE6wBJiOFXSxGt1aQxzNb4qfW01iy4qYLi/s1600/2014_02_28_Teapot_02.jpg" />
<div class="caption">And this one has a neutral tea light</div>
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens<br />
85mm fixed focal length<br />
ISO 400, 1/8th @ f/1.8
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">I know... we’re weird.</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-67595830833870703232014-02-27T19:41:00.000-05:002014-03-17T20:11:11.818-04:00Low natural light photography<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="dropcap">M</div>
<p>y passion for photography has grown through many stages, but I have always had a love for natural light. I particularly love backlighting or strong side lighting. I have also come to love dark interiors with bright light streaming through windows or doors. But the high contrast of such pictures makes it very hard to capture photographically.</p>
<p>One week ago last Saturday my family went to a local restaurant for lunch. We got there a bit early and were the only customers in the dining room for a while. The decorations were beautiful and the lighting was outstanding. So I rested my elbows on the table to give more stability in the extremely low lighting conditions, and I took a few pictures.</p>
<p>This first picture is the hostess, waiting for diners to arrive. She is looking at a large wine rack in a darker part of the restaurant, but the strong light shining through the windows and door to her left plays along the edge of her hair and defines her clothing. I loved the effect.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLbtCm6-hdlcnkijX1j4TfYY3Du85TW9JhHwkNBmFk3h299f0TLKUbcpiZEBNp4UvsPKx82MSfxxD5XUg7WYb7k6k47fJD6bAu7kM7KLflo4mWjUezXszycF_6yL25XqxfnQi/s1600/2014_02_27_CarrabbasHost.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
70mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/40th @ f/2.8
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">The decorations were beautiful in this Italian restaurant and used a lot of food, oil, and wine to set the tone of the dining area. These lemons, peppers, and water pitcher were very close to our table, but the light was so low that I had to use a very long shutter speed. I love how this one turned out.</p>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-pe5YR28sXZ7UeW5qGOTrNWfqyaJMiinzW5I43Ksa9tOca1qkQ7ZCzqfAMqJ-J1bkG7qMObSIqVQbSKiOVbnqRJ-f40nzCPRg41zJi8l8YjmYi6oa17MGdO9Huy-sZhenGe-/s1600/2014_02_27_CarrabbasDecorations.jpg" />
<div class="right">
<p class="credit">
Canon EOS 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens<br />
48mm focal length<br />
ISO 800, 1/40th @ f/2.8
</p>
</div>
<p style="clear:both;">Photography! What a great hobby!</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-53364421915991472014-02-27T18:23:00.000-05:002014-02-27T18:33:21.008-05:00Victor Wooten - Amazing Grace<div class="postwrapper">
<p>I love playing the bass. The lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and lead guitarist all form the personality of the band. But the bass player and the drummer are the heart and soul of the band. And it’s a great role to play.</p>
<p>There are, however, some bass players who are so incredibly good that they can do it all. Victor Wooten is probably the best of the best.</p>
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Eecphwtw_rw?start=56&end=222"" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-71299518872605148412014-01-24T14:51:00.000-05:002014-01-24T15:55:23.479-05:00It’s Friday! Time for music! (King's Singers)<div class="postwrapper">
<div class="right">
<object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong248467167" name="gsSong248467167"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=24846716&style=water&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=24846716&style=water&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=The%20King's%20Singers%20And%20So%20it%20Goes" title="And So it Goes by The King's Singers on Grooveshark">And So it Goes by The King's Singers on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object>
</div>
<p>The King’s Singers are the longest running male choral group in history. This group has been active for centuries with never a break. When someone gets too old, they recruit a new person to replace him and carry on. This group has been performing for the British royal court for a very long time. They’re absolutely awesome!</p>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-81332129400133804132014-01-21T18:52:00.001-05:002014-01-21T19:34:41.251-05:00Snow and... I’m not driving!<p>They forecast snow for today and... for once, the weather reports were right. The snow began to fall at about 6:00 this morning and has been falling ever since. We have around six or seven inches of it now (at 6:00 pm) and it’s coming down harder now than it has all day. And my beautiful clean Camaro that my son and I just washed yesterday is now covered. Oh well.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx5cmB6H6uUtXUBNH0DoqjZK25749c5eZSVdwqkyt_Bro2dDJ70v9CS2f3Sx9enDUla1dfJjz2VBZZNiideDaLqA1I599X2ZNfAZEsVu4PKOwBx4abBjZMEbCE1LJJFiqBQD6/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx5cmB6H6uUtXUBNH0DoqjZK25749c5eZSVdwqkyt_Bro2dDJ70v9CS2f3Sx9enDUla1dfJjz2VBZZNiideDaLqA1I599X2ZNfAZEsVu4PKOwBx4abBjZMEbCE1LJJFiqBQD6/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG" class="blogheader" /></a>
<p class="firstpara">So, of course, I sent my son out to clean off the windows. And, man, is it ever cold!</p>
<p>Thanks to Google Auto Awesome for these cool animations.</p>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhlPimVoeh9d8cL-HzHQ41jF0jkM2ZUBWAq4Us81PnqhZu_yPFzFt2BFzMLQDQaywmhKb1Uj7Kv-tf4gATtdjweM8aJ93s20QtN3ZHrtU8duVF4q5JICbKaxjcmnxk-djGiIe/s1600/Calypso_snow_03.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhlPimVoeh9d8cL-HzHQ41jF0jkM2ZUBWAq4Us81PnqhZu_yPFzFt2BFzMLQDQaywmhKb1Uj7Kv-tf4gATtdjweM8aJ93s20QtN3ZHrtU8duVF4q5JICbKaxjcmnxk-djGiIe/s1600/Calypso_snow_03.gif" class="blogheader" />
</a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQeoRGgamnr6DxBHPrjXWkMM9eXVJEUsRjS68SPBmSZxRRDCCDEgaHrWt8hKPfwcQi3YLHt6THreBKljWSlYX_w093PtK5ZromhK7TUoCRriKrDsV6cEKYal4QgsMzD5za_F3/s1600/Calypso_snow.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQeoRGgamnr6DxBHPrjXWkMM9eXVJEUsRjS68SPBmSZxRRDCCDEgaHrWt8hKPfwcQi3YLHt6THreBKljWSlYX_w093PtK5ZromhK7TUoCRriKrDsV6cEKYal4QgsMzD5za_F3/s1600/Calypso_snow.gif" class="blogheader" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDAfVRPTRu4VVmtH9p0Fb12rVwlD6j3ZCIEoLJYQoPjbGcUiQ-ntyR2YhbM7njONtC9V9N0u8OHqQNvIhw-jbsM2gHLxRmvgXhsA7Cv1bPucPCvL_Xr5EfQA_Y_vxEQ0m6QhS/s1600/Calypso_snow_02.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDAfVRPTRu4VVmtH9p0Fb12rVwlD6j3ZCIEoLJYQoPjbGcUiQ-ntyR2YhbM7njONtC9V9N0u8OHqQNvIhw-jbsM2gHLxRmvgXhsA7Cv1bPucPCvL_Xr5EfQA_Y_vxEQ0m6QhS/s1600/Calypso_snow_02.gif" class="blogheader" /></a>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-57646644111590021662014-01-17T14:48:00.000-05:002014-01-17T14:48:00.206-05:00Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!<div class="postwrapper">
<p>A dixieland song to begin your weekend. Enjoy!</p>
<iframe width="512" height="288" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/41kD6TNps-Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-75378391331547435442014-01-16T18:45:00.001-05:002014-01-16T18:45:55.015-05:00Parenting... it ain’t what you might think<p class="intro">This guy definitely knows what he’s talking about. And I have only one child!</p>
<iframe width="512" height="288" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GEbZrY0G9PI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14620450.post-4391416956598393412014-01-16T13:53:00.002-05:002014-01-16T14:17:35.528-05:00Income inequality, redistribution, socialism... FAIL!!<div class="dropcap">P</div>
<p class="intro">olitical conversation has gotten a lot more heated and a lot more common in recent days. I began to notice it shortly after the A&E/Duck Dynasty controversy, and I have a theory about why this has happened. Maybe it’s only that I have begun to notice something that has been going on for a long time. But I don’t think that’s it because I’ve been posting political things for about a decade. Nobody has any doubt where I stand on current events and political issues. But just over the past couple of months I have been inundated with push-back from my liberal-leaning friends. Some of them have “unfriended” me on Facebook. Others have called me on the phone or sent me emails. Not one of those friends said anything about my political posts until the past few months, even though most of them have been reading my blog or my Facebook page for years.</p>
<div class="right" style="width: 212px;">
<div class="callouthead"> </div>
<div class="callouttext">
<p>What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>I think the change came when A&E decided to suspend Phil Robertson for quoting scripture and stating his personal experience and saying that he is heterosexual. A&E bowed to the pressure of the intolerant <abbr title="Gay and Lesbian Association Against Defamation">GLAAD</abbr> and put out a statement saying that they stand with the homosexual community against homophobic and intolerant statements made by Duck Dynasty’s patriarch Phil Robertson. This, of course, shocked the Christian community because he had said nothing of the sort. In fact, he said he loves everyone. But he quoted scripture that speaks against homosexuality and he stated his preference for females.</p>
<p>A&E also received pressure from the <abbr title="National Association for the Advancement of Colored People">NAACP</abbr> who claimed that Phil Robertson’s statements that he had not personally seen any evidence of racism when he was growing up and that the black folks he associated with most frequently seemed quite happy constituted blatant racism. The liberal media then ran with this part of the story and created a narrative out of whole cloth saying that Phil Robertson had said that blacks were better off under Jim Crow laws than they are now. He had never said anything of the sort, but liberal people lapped it all up and spat it back out... at me. In fact, they kept repeating those things even after it was pointed out clearly to them that Robertson had never said anything like that but had just answered a journalist’s question by stating what he had seen growing up. This part of the story caused non-religious conservatives to join with the religious ones in thinking, “this could happen to me.” The whole story made us realize that we are very vulnerable in our society’s current atmosphere.</p>
<div class="left" style="width: 212px;">
<div class="callouthead"> </div>
<div class="callouttext">
<p>You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>So the conservatives and the religious people began speaking up—a lot more. I’ve always been outspoken about these things, but now so was everyone else. And I think this outpouring of conservative thought from everyday people has caused my liberal friends to freak out. They’re bothered by speech that they had not heard much before, but all of a sudden it was everywhere around them. The conservatives and the Christians were speaking their minds.</p>
<p>That extended beyond the Phil Robertson flap. Especially the Christians realized that our culture no longer understands the things of the bible. When a scripture verse is quoted and that is proclaimed as vile hate speech, our culture is clueless at a level that most Christians cannot comprehend. And we realized, we have a long way to go to pull our society back from the brink of disaster.</p>
<div class="right" style="width: 212px;">
<div class="callouthead"> </div>
<div class="callouttext">
<p>The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>While all of this is happening, Barack Obama has pushed his authoritarian, dictatorial ways further with the beginning of this new year. He has stated that he will not wait for Congress, but will act unilaterally where he can. “I have a pen and I have a phone,” he stated, emphasizing that he will use his pen to sign executive orders and he will convene meetings with those he deems worthy through his phone so he doesn’t have to wait for the pesky checks and balances our founding fathers wrote into our Constitution.</p>
<div class="left" style="width: 212px;">
<div class="callouthead"> </div>
<div class="callouttext">
<p>You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>It’s getting scary.</p>
<p>And from his recent speeches, it seems that Mr. Obama’s primary goal this year is to overcome “income inequality.” This was the context of his threat to govern by dictatorial fiat when he mentioned his pen and his mobile phone. We’re in a heap ’o trouble!</p>
<p>So... considering income inequality and income redistribution, I ran across two stories that I thought I would share here. I hope they can help some people understand what a terrible idea this is. And may God have mercy on our nation and protect us from this administration.</p>
<hr width="75%" align="center" />
<h2>Story #1: Economics Professor fails entire class</h2>
<p>An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.</p>
<p>The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan.” All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A (substituting grades for dollars—something closer to home and more readily understood by all).</p>
<p>After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.</p>
<p>The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.</p>
<p>To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. Could not be any simpler than that.</p>
<div class="right" style="width: 312px;">
<div class="callouthead"> </div>
<div class="callouttext">
<p>When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Story #2: The obligatory bar joke</h2>
<p>Suppose that every day, 10 men go out for beer and the bill for all 10 comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this…</p>
<p>
<ol>
<li>The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing</li>
<li>The fifth would pay $1</li>
<li>The sixth would pay $3</li>
<li>The seventh would pay $7</li>
<li>The eighth would pay $12</li>
<li>The ninth would pay $18</li>
<li>The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59</li>
</ol>
</p>
So, that’s what they decided to do.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball.
“Since you are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20″. Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men ? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?
The bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.
<p>
<ol>
<li>And so, the first four men still pay nothing (no change from before)</li>
<li>The fifth man continues to pay $1 (no change from before)</li>
<li>The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving)</li>
<li>The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving)</li>
<li>The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving)</li>
<li>The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving)</li>
<li>The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving)</li>
</ol>
</p>
<p>With the exception of the fifth man (kinda the <i>lower middle-class</i> guy), each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.</p>
<p>“I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,” but he got $10!”</p>
<p>“I got nothing at all,” exclaimed the fifth man. It’s unfair that he got $10 back when I got nothing!” “That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!”</p>
<p>“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we didn’t get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!”</p>
<p>“And does it on the backs of the lower middle-class,” chimed in the fifth man.</p>
<p>The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.</p>
<p>The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks so the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!</p>
<hr width="75%" align="center" />
<p>And that is how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore (see “<a href="http://www.atlasshruggedmovie.com/">Atlas Shrugged</a>”). In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.</p>
<p>I truly hope the conservatives don’t bow to the pressure being recently brought to bear upon them by their liberal acquaintances and friends. When common sense is removed from the conversation all that’s left is nonsense.</p>
<p>Yes... left is nonsense!</p>Richard Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17633639712911093318noreply@blogger.com0