2013, Day 187 - Landed

It was a lovely mild day so I took my camera for a walk.  When it is cool the insects move more slowly and are much more corporative subjects.  This hover fly was quite content to browse this flower methodically and allowed me time to take a number of photographs.  I watched while he moved from one floret to the next patiently collecting the nectar offered, like a meticulous little feast of tiny morsels.

Fuji X-E1, Fuji 60/f2.4
60mm, f4, 1/350 sec @ 400 ISO

2013, Day 186 - Repose

I was playing with the in-camera conversion today and tried Frankie converted to B&W with a red filter.  It turned out rather well and all I did was a little levels adjustment to brighten it up as I tend to underexpose by half a stop.  I like to capture his left side, not that it is his "good side" but rather because his left eye is blue and it just stands out, even in black and white.  Hopefully he will rest up this week because next weekend he is going racing.  Frankie might be rotten but he loves it and puts on quite a show.

Fuji X-E1, Fuji 35/f1.4
35mm, f1.4, 1/160 sec @ 400 ISO

2013, Day 185 - Trot

I went with my buddy Chris to meet up with Julie, my friend and the official photographer for Team NW, at the Country Classic Preview.  Our timing just just off, all morning there was a nice layer of cloud cover allowing to great shooting from all angles but once we arrived the clouds broke.  Oh well, you make the best of what you've got and while I was able to get some good shots of the jumps I liked a series of riders walking, trotting, then cantering around the arena.  It allowed me to choose my angle with the background in mind and although backlit I got some shots I like such as the one below.  I had fun experimenting and although I hadn't planned on it I might go back in the morning to play just a little bit more...

Canon 1D X, Canon 300/f2.8L IS
300mm, f2.8, 1/1000 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 184 - Festivities

Although I am not a fan of fireworks because of how they affect the dogs I appreciate the way Portland puts on a show.  People line the waterfront and they launch the pyrotechnics from a barge in the middle of the river.  Clear nights are all well and good but a cloudy even is so much more dramatic and is more impressive that some pretty lights in the sky that leave clouds of noxious smoke behind.

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
21mm, f4, HDR of 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/13, and 1/6 sec @ 400 ISO

2013, Day 183 - Anxiety

It's that time of year again, the 4th of July.  The dogs hate it and, with time, it has become a stressful holiday for me as well.  No sleep because of all the noise, the neighbors invariably having some kind of minor fire started by their illegal fireworks, walking the dogs early and playing bad movies way to loud to drown out the noise.  And it wouldn't be bad if it were only one night but the celebration goes on for night after night often over the span of a week or more which means the trauma continues.  It gets bad enough that Stubbs, my sweet old man, will refuse to go outside after dark for months, literally.  Last year it took three months before he would willingly go outside after dark.  So make sure that the doors are locked, the windows are closed, the dog door is shut and that your pets are safe.  Blow off part of your own hand for all I care, but make sure your celebrations don't hurt anyone or anything else.

Fuji X-E1, Fuji 35/f1.4
35mm, f1.4, 1/40 sec @ 800 ISO

2013, Day 182 - Longing

I know I was getting tired of the rain but this heat is brutal.  Well, not really that bad, but a twenty degree jump in temperature is a lot to handle.  The dogs hate it and I am such a terrible worrier and that fuss over them.  So I think back to the winter, as the world was turning bright green, and it is refreshing.  I can almost feel the mist coming off the falls and cooling me right now...

Canon 1D X, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f8, merged layers of 1/2, 1, 2, and 4 sec @ 100 ISO

2013, Day 181 - Wilting

It is scorching and the petals are all falling off the poppies.  They were my friend, nodding hello in the morning breeze as I walked the dogs past, but now they're gone and in their place is a blackened stem.

Fuji X-E1, Fuji 60/f2.4
60mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 200 ISO