River to Well

A group of my friends have been dreaming up a project to help bring fresh clean water to Limpopo, South Africa. The project has been named River to Well and it is a photo contest. Being that this weblog is highlighting photography (albeit all of my own), I thought this would be a perfect place to get the word out. This contest is available to photographers at all levels (amateurs, students, professionals) and all entry fees will go directly to building a well to bring fresh, clean water to Limpopo. If you consider yourself a photographer or would like to donate directly to the cause, please visit the website for River to Well to find out more information.

Lawrence Sites

I went out with a couple friends 2 weeks ago to shoot photos around Lawrence and I’m pleased with the results. The last two photos posted here use an off camera flash for dynamic lighting. This is a new technique for me that I’m trying to grasp to further my knowledge and understanding of photography. If you are interested in learning about creative and dynamic lighting, I highly recommend the blog Strobist. The flash I used here is a Nikon SB-600 with a Sto-Fen Omnibounce Diffuser.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/2.5 | ISO 200 | 1/160 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/2.5 | ISO 200 | 1/250 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/200 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/60 exp. | Off camera flash used

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/60 exp. | off camera flash used

Zoo

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend my wife and I traveled to Omaha to visit my family and during our stay we visited the Henry Doorly Zoo. I particularly enjoyed the following photos from our visit to the zoo.

Nikon D50 | 105mm | f/2.8 | ISO 400 | 1/60 exp. | external flash used

Nikon D50 | 200mm | f/5.6 | ISO 400 | 1/60 exp. | external flash used

Nikon D50 | 200mm | f/5.6 | ISO 400 | 1/60 exp. | external flash used

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 400 | 1/400 exp.

Nikon D50 | 155mm | f/3.5 | ISO 400 | 1/400 exp.

Nikon D50 | 200mm | f/2.8 | ISO 400 | 1/640 exp.

Peony

As I mentioned in the last post I have a multitude of plants growing in my backyard. The last post was all about the Iris so this one is all about the Peony. I really like this plant because the sprouts start out looking like giant asparagus shoots, and then they open up, develop richly colored green leaves and then form tiny little flower buds. These buds have a waxy covering on them and right before they are about to bloom you can witness a bunch of small ants crawling on the surface of the buds. Being that we view ants as pests, may wish to get rid of these ants from the peony blossoms, but they provide a very crucial role in the survival of the peony flowers. They consume the waxy covering from the blossoms which enable the flowers to open up and display the beauty that has been hidden. So without further ado, here are two of my favorite photos of the peony bushes and flowers that I took last Friday.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/320 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/500 exp.

Iris

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/800 exp.

As I mentioned in a previous post I love spring and how new life pops up all over. In my back yard I’ve been blessed with Iris, Peony, Spearmint, and a large number of other plants that have kind of taken over. Not that I’m complaining, it is quite the beautiful display. This post is all about the Iris.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/320 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/800 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/500 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/2000 exp.

Spring

Every spring I am fascinated with the new life that pops up everywhere. I love to see the progression of bare trees to trees teeming with life as leaves sprout from branches. Watching flower buds crawl up from the ground to one day bloom into a stunning and beautiful display is very inspiring. These two pictures really capture what I love most about spring. I love seeing how something so miniscule as a bud on a tree can become something so beautiful. I took both of these pictures in my parents’ back yard in Grand Island, NE.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/3200 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/1600 exp.

Amelia

I hope I don’t make my wife hate me with this post, but I absolutely love the pictures that I recently took of her when we were in North Carolina. Love you, sweetie!

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/320 exp.

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/320 exp.

And finally, expressing the same smile she’s had since she was a child….

Nikon D50 | 50mm | f/1.8 | ISO 200 | 1/400 exp.

“One if by land…”

Nikon D50 | 12mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/1250 exp.

Pictured above is the Old North Church in Boston, MA. From the belfry of this church the Sons of Liberty watched as the British invaded America. As Henry Longfellow Wadsworth’s poem goes, lanterns would be hung “one if by land, and two if by sea” to signal how the British were advancing towards the mainland.  Two lanterns, in the end, were held high to warn those early Americans that their lives would soon change and one of the first battles fought to free our country from British rule would soon ensue. My trip to Boston was a reminder of how much has happened in America in the last 500 years. I find myself, at times, daydreaming about Europe where, as Eddie Izzard says, “the history comes from” and I realize that I’m longing for a connection to something older, something more legendary perhaps. Seeing the Old North Church and many other sights in Boston helped to firmly place the stories of American history in my mind and served as a reminder of how much has been done to keep America a free country. This post is dedicated to the earliest of soldiers who fought for our freedom and those who still find themselves fighting to keep our country free.

Nikon D50 | 19mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/1250 exp.

The balcony of the red brick building pictured below is where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the early Americans. As a side note, the photo was taken from the spot where the Boston Massacre occurred. To this day, the Declaration of Independence is read to a large crowd every 4th of July.

Nikon D50 | 13mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/500 exp.

I hope that the three photos posted will remind you of what has been done for America over the years. Let us live in gratitude of what others have done for us and look forward to what we can do for others now and in the future. In the words of John F. Kennedy,

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.  My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Juxtapose

Nikon D50 | 16mm | f/22 | ISO 200 | 1/25 exp.

I had few expectations of Boston, other than that I knew I would see great architecture in a wide variety of styles. I knew there would be very historic buildings and very new buildings. Little did I know how blown away I would be by the juxtaposition of new and old. As pictured above, Trinity Church, built in the 1600s stands just across the street from Hancock tower, built in 1976. The tower is a beauty of glass and steel while the church is a beauty of masonry, artisanal sculpture, and stained glass. It is a beautiful reminder of where this country has been and where it is going. Over the course of the next few posts I hope to show some of the things I loved about Boston, this Juxtaposition just being one of those things. Enjoy.

Nikon D50 | 12mm | f/4 | ISO 400 | 1/1000 exp.

Nikon D50 | 24mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/160 exp.

Away

I’m leaving for Boston tomorrow morning, joining my wife in her trip to the National Association of School Psychologists annual conference. While I’m gone I’m going to take a break from the internet: no blogs, twitter, facebook, or email. I’m excited to get out and shoot some photos and see how I do with a fast from the internet. I’ll post the photos I’m proud of here, but don’t forget you can also check out my Flickr page anytime. I hope you all have a great week.