Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Beagle dog-a moment of quiet

This shot of a beagle was taken just before Christmas.  I was shooting candids of family while my daughter was holding her dog in her lap.  The dog changed positions to rest his head on her shoulder and I was lucky to be behind them at the moment.  I got two shots before the dog moved away.
Camera-mounted flash gave me mobility in the room and I bounced it off the ceiling.  The white card was extended for a little fill and this gave tiny catchlights in the dog's eyes.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Deer in Snow

I was in the woods after a significant snowstorm hoping to get some more shots of bucks before they dropped their antlers.  I didn't see any bucks at all but did come across some does.  The sky was quite overcast and some light snow was falling.  I was expecting more dramatic lighting because the sky was supposed to start clearing.  Nonetheless, the snow accumulating on the doe's back and on the top of her head adds a nice touch to the portrait.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Ducks in Flight-4

Another in the series of composite images of ducks in flight with a simulated mat.  The two photos are chosen from my files of flying mallards.  The background photo has four ducks descending to a landing with wings set.  The foreground photo is a close-up of a drake mallard in a fast banking turn with wings set.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Ducks in Flight-3

Third in the series of composite images of ducks in flight.  The close-up photo of the mallard drake was taken from a slightly lower camera angle than the previous images so I placed it at the top of this composite.  The background photo is of two drake mallard ducks above a hen as they descend to a landing.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Mallards in Flight Composite-2

This is the second in a series of composite images featuring ducks in flight.  Two photographs combined into one image simulating a matted picture.  The background photo features 3 drake mallard ducks and a single hen in close formation flight.  The foreground photo is a close-up of a drake mallard quacking as he descends with his wings set.
I use Adobe Photoshop to create the simulated mat and to composite the photographs.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Mallards in Flight Composite

This is a composite image of two photographs from my collection of ducks in flight.  The background photo is of three drake mallards in a diving descent to a landing.  The foreground photo is a drake mallard in crossing flight.  This composite is the first in a series to be created and offered at ImageKind; see the link on the right side of this page.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Whitetail deer - 9

I got this shot recently while looking for bucks.  I wasn't intending to photograph does but this one struck such a neat pose I couldn't pass it up.  She was on a small knoll slightly above me and it appears as if I was on the ground.  We were both trying to see each other through the tangle of branches.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Great Blue Heron-2

Here is another shot of the young Great Blue Heron.  It moved out of the water onto the dead tree branch so I knew it was just passing time and not actively fishing.   This was a nice pose and I got several other shots as it was preening feathers.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Great Blue Heron

This is a young Great Blue Heron standing on a branch of a tree that blew over into a creek.  I was in this area to get photographs of swimming ducks so this heron was a bonus.  I watched for quite awhile to see if he might catch something to eat but he never did.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Feeding mallard

An interesting shot of a drake mallard duck.  His rear end tips up as he dips his head below the surface to feed on the bottom.  I was lying on my stomach in a creek bed to get this shot at water level. Very uncomfortable.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Whitetail deer - 8

This 8 pt. whitetail deer buck was looking for does during the rut by cruising the edge of dark woods.  The sunny grass in the left side foreground was about the same color as the buck so I converted all but the buck to b & w to make him more prominent in the photo.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Whitetail deer - 7

Here is another photograph of the buck with massive antlers.  There are some openings in the canopy that allow sunlight to filter through but the buck was staying mostly in the shade.  I need more light for the 100-400mm f5.6 so I am impatiently waiting for the rest of the leaves to drop.  But by then the rut may be over and the bucks harder to find.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Whitetail deer - 6

This is probably the dominant buck in the neighborhood!  Possibly 14 points on his rack.  Hard to tell for sure but I got a few other photos at different angles and when I enlarge them on the computer I can see them fairly well.

The rut is in full swing and this buck was looking for does.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Elk Hunt

I recently  accompanied some elk hunters while in Colorado.  These two were hiking into pine and aspen trees on the side of a mountain.  I had to stay close and quiet so most of my photos were taken quickly while on the move.  This shot gives a good view of the terrain although this particular spot is flatter than most of the surrounding area.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Indoor Springboard Diving-2

This is another shot in the series taken during warm-ups before a swim meet.  It was about 6 P.M. and there was enough light coming through the windows to get shots at the diving well.  The actual diving competition started about 7 P.M. and the outside light had diminished so much that the photos would not have been very good.

Shooting during the warm-ups also allowed me to get closer than I could have during the meet.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Indoor Springboard Diving

Most indoor pools are so dimly lit it is difficult to get an action shot with available light.  This particular pool is located next to large windows that allow outside light to supplement the artificial lighting.  And the diving well is on the side closest to the windows.  Perfect.

F3.5 at 1/500th, lens at 50mm, ISO 1250.

I was able to get decent photos during warm-ups before the swim meet.  The outside light was gone by the time the actual diving competition began.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-7

The boat in the foreground is a 28' Gar Wood triple-cockpit runabout that served as the chase boat.  The two boats beyond are the 30' Hackercrafts that we were photographing together, Jack Teetor's FLASH and Mark Mason's SULTANA.  This is in the St. Clair River, looking upriver from Algonac, Michigan.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-6

The two 30' triple-cockpit Hacker runabouts running gunwale to gunwale at high speed.  I am in a chase boat that is pacing them.  The water appears calm but at high speed there is still a lot of motion in the boat so I was glad for the image-stabilized lens.
We are in the North Channel of the St. Clair River with downtown Algonac, Michigan in the background.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-5

Two wooden boats running side by side at high speed.  These are both 30' triple-cockpit Hacker runabouts, SULTANA  and FLASH.  I was in a third boat that was pacing these two.  This is in the North Channel of the Saint Clair River near Algonac.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-4

This shot was unscripted.  As we were running in the St. Clair River, SULTANA ended up between me and the sun.  I had stopped shooting until Mark started making some high speed turns while heading for the photo boat.  This shot is backlit but I like the action of the turning boat.  And it is heading right at me!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-3

Here is a close-up of the stern of SULTANA at moderate speed.  This is a replica of a triple-cockpit, 30' Hackercraft runabout.  I was standing in the second cockpit of a similar boat and trying to shoot over the windshield and deck.  This was too difficult at high speed but possible when we slowed.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Antique Wooden Boats-2


Here is SULTANA at speed in the St. Clair River near Algonac.  Lake St. Clair was too choppy but we would not have had any annoying background had we been able to use it.  The river was smooth but there wasn't room to get away from the distractions of the shoreline.
I mostly used a 100-400 IS Canon lens.

Antique Wooden Boats

The start of a photo shoot of a 30' triple-cockpit Hacker runabout.  We are in the South Channel of the St. Clair River, Michigan.  I'm shooting from a second 30' Hacker runabout.  I switched to a third boat later in the day and got shots of both Hackers running together.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Rudder-Lake Freighter

Here is a close-up shot of the rudder on a freighter underway in Lake St. Clair.  I am almost at water level as I was shooting from a 21 foot boat with fairly low freeboard.  The shot was difficult because I was framed tightly with the lens at 400mm and the boat was rocking and rolling.  And I dared not get any closer as this behemoth churned by me.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Great Lakes freighter

I took a boat to the shipping channel in the middle of Lake St. Clair Monday morning, just in time to get shots of this freighter that was upbound from Detroit.  The weather was perfect with a clear sky, light and variable wind.

I used a Canon 100-400mm lens set at 250mm.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Springboard diving-2

Here is another shot from the indoor springboard diving competition. f2.8 at 1/500th.  Still not a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the feet on this somersaulting girl.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Springboard diving

Girls indoor diving off the 1 meter springboard.  Not enough light, of course, and no flash allowed.  I shot wide open at ISO 1600 with a 70-200mm, Canon f2.8 lens.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Golden Retriever Action

I photographed this Golden Retriever doing what he loves - retrieving something from the water.  This dog took a flying leap off a dock to retrieve a ball.

Located at Torch Lake in Northern Michigan, I was standing in the water to get the shot.

Monday, August 25, 2008

PGA Championship-3

This is Vijay Singh during the practice rounds at Oakland Hills Country Club.  He was hitting balls on the green of the 11th hole.

Monday, August 18, 2008

PGA Championship-2

Here is another photo of Padraig Harrington at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills C.C.  The specks in the upper left are bits of sand from the bunker he was hitting out of.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

PGA Championship

I don't know much about golf but I was asked to shoot at the Oakland Hills C.C. during practice rounds for the PGA Championship.  Here is Padraig Harrington, the eventual winner.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Malibu Open 7

This is Thomas Degasperi on Day 3 of the Malibu Open, men's slalom finals.  He is rounding a buoy on the far side of the tow boat.

I was shooting from the safety boat during intermittent light rain and persistent heavy overcast.  It required a high ISO setting.  This image looks pretty cool when enlarged because the skier is in focus while the boat is nicely blurred.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Malibu Open-jumping




This series is from the jumping event on Saturday at the Malibu Open.  The landing was hard and shook up the skier but he recovered without injury.

I had the motor drive set to the slow speed.  There is one frame after the skier touches the water but there is nothing to see but spray. 

Monday, August 4, 2008

Malibu Open 6

Here is one of the jumpers at the Malibu Open pro waterski tournament at the moment he left the ramp.   The sunshine helped make the skier stand out from the darker background but it got mostly overcast for the rest of the day.

I was kneeling in shallow water and panned with the skier as he got higher.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Malibu Open 5

Men's wakeboarding event on Day 1, Friday evening, of the Malibu Open in Michigan.

This was shot from my station on the pontoon boat near the course.  Many of the images have the beach in the background with the inherent clutter.  This is one where the athlete was sufficiently close that the background was nicely blurred.  It didn't always work out that way and on many shots the athlete blended into the background too much.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Malibu Open 4

This is from the wakeboarding event on Day 1 of the Malibu Open.  Dallas Friday, a Malibu Team rider, showing her style as she gets airborne.  I took the photo while stationed on a pontoon boat outside the course.

The wakeboarding event was difficult for photographers because of heavy overcast skies.  There was even some light rain for the Day 2 wakeboarding.  We could not get well-lit shots with good contrast.  High ISO settings and slow focusing.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Malibu Open 3

Day 1 of the Malibu Open.  I spent some time on the starting dock getting candids of the athletes.  Here is Billy Susi, Malibu team skier, getting pulled out of the water by the tow boat before the start of his slalom run.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Malibu Open 2

Emma Sheers rounding a buoy at the Malibu Open on Day 1 of women's slalom.

Nice morning light at shortly after 7:00 AM.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Malibu Open

This is from Friday, day 1 of the Malibu Open on Pontiac Lake.  Thomas Degasperi, Malibu Team skier, crossing the wake.

I was chest deep in the water for many of the women's and men's runs on Friday.  The water-level shot is pretty cool but even small waves make it difficult to hold the camera steady.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Barge close-up

I got in close to this barge that was crossing Lake Saint Clair, Michigan.  The barge is about as large as a freighter so it pushes a lot of water and makes quite a bow wave.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Lake Freighter

This was taken yesterday morning on Lake St. Clair, Michigan.  The freighter Robert S. Pierson was downbound from the St. Clair River approaching the Lake St. Clair light.  The city of Detroit is beyond the light but is not visible.

The breeze was light and variable with clear air.  It is difficult to take photos from a small boat in choppy water so this was perfect.  I was hoping for some upbound ship traffic heading into the low, morning sun but but no luck.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Malibu Open

Watch for images from the Malibu Open pro waterski tournament and the Quake on the Lake hydroplane races.  Events taking place July 18-20.  I'll start posting photos from these events next week.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Whitetail deer - 5

This image was shot in deeply shaded woods but the deer stands out against all the greenery.  A tiny ray of morning sun shines on her face to highlight it.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Whitetail deer - 4

Here is another example of a whitetail deer standing in a rare spot of sunshine in the deeply shaded woods.  It's as though he knows I can't get a good portrait of him otherwise.

The antlers are in velvet and still growing.  They will be very large by fall.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Whitetail deer - 3

This whitetail buck was bedded in a protective tangle of trees and limbs.   He probably thought he was hidden enough that I wouldn't see him but I sensed that if I moved any closer he would bolt.  I took a couple photos and moved on without disturbing him further.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Whitetail deer - 2

This buck spotted me as I was stalking through the woods.  His antlers are in velvet and still growing.  The woods were mostly in deep shade because of the thick, high canopy but he stepped into a sunbeam that really highlighted his antlers and ears.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Whitetail deer




This doe spotted me on the other side of a large tree that had blown down.  I took the first image quickly with the lens zoomed to 400mm and got a nice shot.  The deer didn't run immediately so I had time to look at the overall scene and notice the natural framing of  the tree trunks and assorted branches.  I then zoomed back out to about 260mm and got the second shot.