2014, Day 243 - Feathered

It seems like summer is quickly coming to a close.  The weather is still sunny and warm but the days are much shorter.  When I walked my dogs this evening I had to take a headlamp and I could smell woodsmoke in the air despite temperatures in the seventies.  It is like a preview of winter with all the leaves still on the trees.  Although it is relatively cold and wet I love the winter because when I walk my pups I have most of the neighborhood to myself.  People usually stay in or go out only long enough to walk to their cars so it is always clean and empty so I can walk in near solitude and I always enjoy that feeling.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 242 - Peeled

Dahlias come in so many forms and colors, they're really quite spectacular.  Fortunately there are a number of people in town that plant them quite heavily in their yards because they're just too much work for me.  In fact my favorite place to visit is Old House Dahlias because he has a lot of plants in his garden and there are cut flowers available for a great price so this time of year I get photos and take flowers to someone who I think is deserving and everybody wins!

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 241 - Ease

I love this face.  Hubert is getting older, he turned seven years old on Wednesday, and once sleek and even coloring of his coat extended to his face but now it is mostly white.  The signs of aging used to make me sad but these days I reminds me of how long we've been together and how long I've adored that face.  He is the troublemaker of the house, always underfoot, and eternally over-eager yet despite these potential faults I love this guy because he is the goofiest dog I've ever had.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 35/f1.4R
35mm, f1.4, 1/60 sec @ 3200 ISO

2014, Day 240 - Hammock

Look at this lazy bee.  Whoever coined the phrase "busy as a bee" obviously hasn't seen this guy slacking.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 1600 ISO

2014, Day 239 - Blinding

These high key photos are such a pain in the butt.  It is so hard to get the whites looking pure and to remove the muddy-ness without losing the details.  I love the simplicity but it comes at a price.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f2.4, 1/480 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 238 - Teetering

Sleepy bees are so much fun.  They are like little teddy bears with exoskeletons and when it is cold they're inactive.  This guy is perched on a flower petal and using two legs spread wide for stabilization.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f5.6, 1/125 sec @ 1600 ISO

2014, Day 237 - Clasp

As I looked at the arrangement of these petals I was reminded of the setting in a ring used to hold the stone in place.  It then struck me as ironic because a flower is the gem of the plant but, to take that analogy further, the pollen is the focal point of the flower hence the petals really are the setting and the stigma are the gems.  Wow, that got convoluted quickly...

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 236 - Head, shoulders, knees, and toes

This is my boy Johan basking in the morning light.  Johan is my constant companion, he will follow me from room to room and is my best cuddler.  That's not to say the other dogs don't cuddle, they do but none are as determined nor as consistent.  Even when I'm working at my desk Johan usually has part of his anatomy pressed against my foot.  He worries about me as much as I do about him and my friend Teddy who works tirelessly in greyhound adoption deserves a lot of credit for ensuring that I have fantastic dogs.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f2.8, 1/90 sec @ 3200 ISO

2014, Day 235 - Rocket

Tonight I wanted to pay tribute to an amazing girl.  For almost a decade I volunteered in greyhound adoption and one day the tiniest goofiest pup came into the adoption kennel.  Like most of her litter she showed no interest in racing and ended up being placed with a family.  A few years later she turned up as "free to good home" on Craigslist.  Given that I hadn't placed her but knew who she was I contacted the people giving her up and they happily handed her over.

When I told my friend Terri that Crystal was coming back she knew exactly who I was talking about because she fostered her for a time.  There was no doubt or hesitation, Crystal was going back to Terri and her partner.  And the "pocket rocket" found her forever home.  She had a mouth full of bad teeth that were pulled and somehow the tongue hanging out of her mouth just fit her personality.  Always a puppy, Crystal was a complete delight but, unfortunately, she was recently diagnosed with cancer and yesterday she passed away.

She lived a wonderful life both giving and receiving endless amounts of love.  Wherever she went Crystal brought joy because she was so sweet and goofy.  I took this picture in 2010 and I can still remember how she lay to rest before leaping back into the air to show me how she could fly across the grass with her feet barely touching the ground.  Crystal will be sorely missed.

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f2.8, 1/4000 sec @ 640 ISO

2014, Day 234 - Hairs

Another morning macro on a dahlia.  The dew made the petals look like enameled porcelain and the fly made such an interesting contrast in texture and color.  Insects are like amazing little machines but I think that is due in large part to having an exoskeleton.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 250 ISO

2014, Day 233 - Boost

It wasn't as overcast as I would have liked this morning for taking photos but it was actually almost chilly which meant that the pollinators would we sluggish as they awake for another busy day.  So I walked the dogs and grabbed my camera to take some pictures of the dahlias.  They're looking amazing and the insect life around them is abundant.  This little guy looked quite content nestled into the petals of this dahlia waiting for the sun to warm his body and give him a metabolic boost.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 1250 ISO

2014, Day 232 - Oxidized

Water washes in and out moving sand and salt over the wreck of the Peter Iredale.  It is eaten in microscopic bites and with time the hull has been reduced to a skeleton and stands monument to the shipping history of Oregon.

Fuji X-T1, Fujinon 10-24/f4R OIS
10mm, f5.6, merged layers of 2, 4, and 8 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 231 - Folded

It is almost like origami, delicately folded petals tightly packed together in radiant color to make a perfect flower.  It is simple and vibrant, in its time this flower will feed and house a number of insects who will show their gratitude with pollination.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 2000 ISO

2014, Day 230 - Determination

This is Bambi and she loves to run.  Her owner is so devoted to her that he is willing to drive her to any event within six hundred miles of his home so she can compete.  Bambi isn't the fastest dog on the field and at ten years old she is almost certainly the oldest but she is in great shape and racing is her greatest joy in life.  I admire and applaud her owner for his willingness to literally go the extra mile for his dogs.  It is obvious that they are loved and you can see it in her face as she barks while chasing the lure that she's having the time of her life.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/1250 sec @ 320 ISO

2014, Day 229 - Diamonds

Kissed by an evening shower the dahlias are blooming and putting on a pretty amazing show.  It is time to get out there again and look for insects to accompany my flowers.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f5.6, 1/250 sec @ 2000 ISO

2014, Day 228 - Shopping

Phnom Penh's Central Market was built in 1937 and at the time it was reputedly the largest market in Asia.  Today it isn't even the largest market in Phnom Penh but it is a beautiful piece of architecture that is dominated by a central dome and four arms that radiate from the center in a cross shape.  As a market it caters primarily to the tourists although there are areas where locals can shop for their staple foodstuffs or stop for a snack.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
53mm, f4, 1/500 sec @ 100 ISO

2014, Day 227 - Falling hard

In last night's picture the horse was saddled but this one was a bareback competition.  There is a lot less to hold on to which makes it all the more impressive.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
210mm, f4, 1/640 sec @ 5000 ISO

2014, Day 226 - Surge

Rodeos are like living Americana.  Legends of the west, the open plains, settlement, and ranching; these are the things that people outside the United States associate with our country.  I rather like that romanticized vision even if it doesn't reflect reality.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
280mm, f4, 1/250 sec @ 10000 ISO

2014, Day 225 - Queen

It's Miss Rodeo Oregon!  This evening I went with my buddy Chris to the Canby Rodeo at the Clackamas County Fair.  It was an overcast evening and the lighting there is poor at best but we still did our best.  I took this as she waited for the next rider to try to rope the calf and with the lights and trees in the background it was perfect.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
280mm, f4, 1/640 sec @ 5000 ISO

2014, Day 224 - Switch

This is my dope racing his little heart out.  The lure just made a 180 degree turn and his ears shot straight up.  I love that expression and how you can clearly see his single blue eye.  He may not be fast but the goober has heart!

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/1000 sec @ 250 ISO

2014, Day 223 - Danger

This was the first old temple we visited in Cambodia.  Located outside of Battambang it was a nice place to visit but so much smaller and less ornate than the temples we would see in Siem Reap.  We didn't know just how much this would pale in comparison and were so thrilled.  It makes me glad we stopped here first because otherwise it would have been underwhelming and I don't think we would  have appreciated the visit quite so much.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f5.6, merged layers of 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, and 1/30 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 222 - Stilt

Another great weekend of racing and with the help of the entire group it went quickly which means we were able to get out of the sun before the heat of the day became really oppressive.  This sweet lady had no one else to race with but she had a good time nevertheless.  It was a lot of fun having other breeds.  In addition to the single Rhodesian ridgeback there were pharaoh hounds, basenjis, Italian greyhounds, and silken windhouds.  Each breed runs very differently but with the same infectious enthusiasm, it's a lot of fun to watch!

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon EF Extender 1.4x Mark III
165mm, f4, 1/1250 sec @ 200 ISO

2014, Day 221 - Beacon

There is definitely cause for celebration when the dahlias start to bloom and they're beginning to flower now.  I suspect we are still a couple weeks away from their peak but it is such a treat to have so many cultivated nearby.  These beautiful flowers are rather high maintenance as the tubers should be dug up in the late fall and stored cool but out of the frost.  I just don't have the patience to plant and dig up the same flowers year after year no matter how much I like them.

Canon 1D X, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 500 ISO

2014, Day 220 - Upcycle

Whenever I am in Asia I marvel at how much can be squeezed on a motorbike.  Sometimes it is four or five people, loads of goods for recycling like you see here, massive amounts of produce, or dozens of chickens for the market.  We use massive gas guzzling trucks to move the same goods and while it is probably safer and there is definitely an economy of scale I have to admit that I'm impressed by the efficiency.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/320 sec @ 1600 ISO

2014, Day 219 - Bustle

Cambodia was once part from French Indochina and they didn't regain independence until 1953.  The influence of the French can be predominantly seen the the beautiful but crumbling architecture.  It seems today that the buildings are in heightened states of disrepair exacerbated by the forced exodus of the people into the countryside by the Khmer Rouge.  Urban areas were left largely unpopulated and many structures began to fall apart.  Now so many are in such poor condition and because they're a reminder of colonialism there seems to be little interest in restoring the buildings.  It's a shame because they are attractive and functional; their floor plans might not be the best by current standards but the greenest building is the one already built.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 100 ISO

2014, Day 218 - Perception

It seems funny to see obvious signs of maintenance in such an ancient place.  While there are people who sweep and keep the temples clear of refuse it is these little signs of devotion that I find most touching.  They're not surprising given how many monk live within the complex and how many more travel from all over Asia to see the wonders of Angkor.  That's another sight I loved, the awestruck monks wandering through the temples getting their traveling companions to take their pictures.  It turns out that even the spiritual amongst us are susceptible the majesty of Cambodia's temples.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
31mm, f8, merged layers of 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 sec @ 100 ISO

2014, Day 217 - Junction

I like to see how things work and these crumbling walls give a nice cross-section view of what the hallways looked like and how they were constructed.  It has taken hundreds of  years to fall into this state of disrepair which is remarkable considering that many of our cities would have long since crumbled to nothingness in four or five hundred years after they were abandoned.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f11, merged layers of 1/20, 1/10, 1/5, 0.4, and 0.8 sec @ 100 ISO

2014, Day 216 - Flash

Another in my day-to-night series.  A greatly underexposed scene makes the sun look more like the moon and highlights the clouds.  It feels cool and that is something that I've been craving.  This evening, while walking the dogs, I thought to myself "it is really pleasant out right now" and when I checked my phone it was 84 degrees.  Too hot, I think the sun has melted my brain.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f11, 1/1000 sec @ 100 ISO

2014, Day 215 - Day to night

I remember quite vividly visiting Banteay Samre, it was the only temple in Angkor where the staff told us we could not use our tripods because they were a hazard.  It seemed silly, especially because we were the only people there, but they asked and we weren't about to disregard their request which was made quite politely.  So all my shots were hand-held which I dislike, especially with architecture, but there was nothing to be done about it.

It was a hot afternoon with high wispy clouds so when I looked at these images again this evening I decided to fight the setting and go for a cool tone.  That decision was probably due in part to the heat we're experiencing now and I will freely admit that I am pleased with the result.  It is more dramatic and I think helps to highlight the textures of the carvings.

Canon 1D X, Canon 24-70/f2.8L Mark II
24mm, f5.6, merged layers of 1/640, 1/320, 1/160, and 1/80 sec @ 400 ISO

2014, Day 214 - Playing favorites

Banteay Srei is often cited as one the favorite temples amongst visitors to Angkor.  The red sandstone is intricately carved and it is one of the best preserved and restored temples that you can find in Cambodia.  That being said the structures are small when compared to the other edifices in the area and that is where it falls short in my opinion.  Not that it isn't beautiful, it is amazing, but I don't feel either the sense of awe or antiquity that I felt at the other temples.  It is amazing but perhaps it is the perfection that I object to, I like my temples flawed, eaten by the jungle, a little more mysterious and dangerous.  Banteay Srei is just to serene for me.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f4, merged layers of 1/1250, 1/640, 1/320, 1/160, and 1/80 sec @ 125 ISO

2014, Day 213 - Dazzle

She pirouettes with ease and the motion in captured in a fraction of a second.

Fuji X-E1, Fujinon 60/f2.4R
60mm, f5.6, 1/240 sec @ 200 ISO