Three Reflections

Earlier in April, on a photowalk around downtown Chicago with some photography friends, I spotted a few reflection shot opportunities.

Triangular View

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 70mm | ISO 2000

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Peek Right In

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 70mm | ISO 1250

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Mirror Wall

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 35mm | ISO 2500

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

All photographed 4/7/24

Three Candids

Earlier in April, on a photowalk around downtown Chicago with some photography friends, I spotted a few candid opportunities.

Puff

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 70mm | ISO 8000

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Dancer

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 28mm | ISO 250

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

Family Stroll

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/320 |  28mm | ISO 100

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

All photographed 4/7/24

Three Beards

Earlier in April, on a photowalk around downtown Chicago with some photography friends, I spotted a few remarkable beards.  In each case I asked for a photo and all obliged.

1 Year Beard

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 50mm | ISO 1250

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

4 Year Beard

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 25mm | ISO 320

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

8 Year Beard

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 44mm | ISO 500

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

All photographed 4/7/24

Face-Off

52Frames - Week 16 - Anthropomorphism

The ceramic tile in our bathroom shower has abstract patterns from which I've seen faces for years...and never photographed them until now.

It is easier to see the faces at a smaller images size, rather than full screen.

Sony A7IV @ f2.8 | 1/200 | 50mm | ISO 3200

Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro

Photographed 4/15/24

B*tch With Brain

52 Assignments BW14 - Total Stranger

On a photowalk with some friends, we encountered three young women from Singapore.  I admired this woman's hat and she allowed me this photo.

Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/640 | 44mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 4/7/24

Anywhere, USA

2024_CLondon52_April: Life - Past Lives

40 years of commuting, whether by train or by plane, this was a common scene during my career.  Past life...now it's recreational.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/160 | 28mm | ISO 4000

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

Photographed 4/7/24

Alone in the Crowd

Chicago, IL

Riding on a crowded "L" train, I noticed her self-isolation amongst the other passengers.  Deep in thought or truly forlorn?  Hope for the former and not the latter.

For the photographers, zone focus, not cropped.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/160 | 28mm | ISO 4000

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

Photographed 4/7/24

Blue Line

52 Assignments BW07 - Rise And Shine

Headed to downtown Chicago on the CTA Blue Line after a pre-dawn drop-off at O'Hare. This train runs in the median of the expressway and I caught this sunrise when going down to the station.

Sony A7IV @ f16 | 1/25 | 28mm | ISO 100

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

Photographed 4/7/24

Angry

52Frames - Week 14 - Background

The sky was mean, it was raining and I was stopped at a light.  I wanted to capture raindrops on the windshield in the foreground, car motion in the mid-ground and the angry clouds dominating the frame in the background.

With an adapted lens on the camera, I had to work fast in manual mode to get the settings right.

Sony A7IV @ f22 | 1/10 | 28mm | ISO 10

MD Minolta Celtic (adapted) 28mm F2.8

Photographed 4/4/24

Bye Pops!

52 Assignments BW05 - Nifty Fifty

My granddaughter at the door.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f4.5 | 1/160 | 50mm equiv | ISO 320

Photographed 3/24/24

Anywhere, USA

2024_CLondon52_March: Texture & Pattern - Found Patterns

These similar patterns are everywhere in the new warehouse developments popping up all over the place.

Also shot as an alternate for the 52Frames challenge of minimalism this week.

Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/2500 | 51mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 3/29/24

Starchitecture

52Frames - Week 13 - Minimalism

A tongue-in-cheek commentary on the state of industrial architecture popping up everywhere.

Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/5000 | 52mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 3/29/24

Emphatic!

Do you think he's made his point?  I do, but don't remember what it was!



For this shot, I pre-focused on the background and waited for an interesting hand gesture.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f4.5 | 1/160 | 50mm equiv | ISO 320

Photographed 3/26/24

Burning

Sunset or forest fire or both?

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f2.8 | 1/120 | 9mm (335mm equiv) | ISO 25

Photographed 3/19/24

Timing Is Everything

I was shooting the daytime moon and a bird flew into the frame as the 2 second timer counted down. No way I could have planned this.

Sony A7IV @ f9 | 1/1250 | 397mm | ISO 640

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/20/24

Climate Change

52Frames - Week 12 - Chaos

Angry skies, incoming rain squall, sunlit clouds, snow-capped mountains and wind...it was a chaotic weather day in Palm Desert, CA.

Sony A7IV @ f7.1 | 1/640 | 50mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/18/24

The Living Desert

Three of the last four posts have been detail portraits of wildlife present at this wonderful attraction in Palm Desert, CA.  The following images are environmental portraits of other residents.

We Are Family

Mother & child out for a stroll.

Sony A7IV @ f6.3 | 1/500 | 282mm | ISO 250

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Not A Canine Pet

Menacing glares from this wild dog.

Sony A7IV @ f5 | 1/500 | 71mm | ISO 500

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Handsome

Mr. Warthog backing into his lair as he kept us in sight.

Sony A7IV @ f6.3 | 1/500 | 273mm | ISO 500

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

All photographed 3/15/24

Snack Time

The Living Desert

Palm Desert, CA

Feeding the giraffes is a popular activity.

Sony A7IV @ f6.3 | 1/400 | 400mm | ISO 500

Tamron E 40-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/15/24

Choppers

52 Assignments BW12 - Balancing Act

The Living Desert

Palm Desert, CA

One of the locals just chillin'.

Sony A7IV @ f6.3 | 1/1500 | 323mm | ISO 320

Tamron E 40-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/15/24

Collision

2024_CLondon52_March: Texture & Pattern - Contrasting Elements

Two different stone patterns and textures on a building at the Living Desert in Palm Desert, CA.

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/400 | 138mm | ISO 400

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/15/24

Eye See You

2024_CLondon52_March: Texture & Pattern - Abstract Textures

Rhino skin textures at the Living Desert in Palm Desert, CA.

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/400 | 138mm | ISO 400

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/15/24

First Quarter

Moon phase at 50% according to the PhotoPills app.  One handheld image...can't believe I captured it this sharp without a tripod.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/1000 | 400mm | ISO 400

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/16/24

Waxing Crescent

Moon phase at 20% according to the PhotoPills app.  25 images aligned & stacked in LrC.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/400 | 394mm | ISO 400

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 3/13/24

Desert Springs Road

52Frames - Week 11 - Road

EC: 1"+

I knew a night shot with light trails would be the solution this week. This is the entrance to the JW Marriott resort in Palm Desert, CA.

Sony A7IV @ f13 | 1.3" | 58mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/13/24

Home Sweet Home

Bombay Beach, CA

A pier out on a polluted lake. A sofa. A kayak. What more do you need?

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/1250 | 60mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/6/24

A Survivor

52 Assignments BW10 - Less Is More

Bombay Beach, CA

Sculpture...the only thing that can survive in the Salton Sea, other than perhaps a few tilapia.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/1600 | 59mm (88mm equiv) | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/6/24

Circles

2024_CLondon52_March: Texture & Pattern - Repetition

I love circular star trails around celestial north.  Repetitive shooting resulting in a repetitive pattern.



Sony A7IV @ f2.8 | 123 shots x 30" | 14mm | ISO 100

Rokinon 14mm F2.8

Photographed 3/9/24

Hi There!

52Frames - Week 10 - Symmetrical Composition

One of the many sculptures in Bombay Beach, CA this fish airplane serves as a weather vane.  See below for another view.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/320 | 60mm (90mm equiv) | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

All Photographed 3/6/24

Giddyup

2024_CLondon52_February: Space Exploration - Explore The Space

I criss-crossed every street in the approximately one square mile of Bombay Beach, CA.  There were creative art installations scattered amongst the general dilapidation.  This sculpture adorns a street corner and is representative of the really cool parts of the town that can be found on almost every block.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/500 | 60mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/6/24

Bombay Beach TVs

2024_CLondon52_February: Space Exploration - Fill The Frame

Bombay Beach, CA is a former resort community along the coast of the now polluted Salton Sea. While much of the town is abandoned and in disrepair, there are about 250-300 permanent residents. This photo is a zoomed in example of one art installation found throughout the town.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/500 | 60mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/6/24

Ever Expanding

2024_CLondon52_February: Space Exploration - Scale

Bombay Beach is a former resort community along the coast of the now polluted Salton Sea.  As the sea dries up, the beach expands.  On it, a nascent artist community creates all kinds of funky structures and sculptures scattered across the land.



Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/2500 | 28mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/6/24

Etiquette

2024_CLondon52_February: Space Exploration - Depth

Golf etiquette demonstrated by these guys waiting until the fairway clears.  Depth demonstrated through focus on the foreground, mid ground and background.

Etiquette - Foreground

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/2000 | 60mm  | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Etiquette - Mid Ground

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/2000 | 60mm  | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Etiquette - Background

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/2500 | 60mm  | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

All photographed 3/3/24

Stogie and a Sun Star

52 Assignments BW02 - Fast Track

A study in panning with background motion blur.  This is a crop of a wider shot but I loved the stogie and sun star.

Sony A7IV @ f22 | 1/40 | 35mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/2/24

Drag Race

52Frames - Week 9 - Move The Camera

EC: Panning

Perched alongside a busy boulevard, I waited for the competition.

Sony A7IV @ f22 | 1/50 | 60mm | ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 3/2/24

Pops

52Frames - Week 8 - Complementary Colors

University of Illinois - orange & blue

Chicago Bears - orange & blue

Hanukah present from the grandkids - orange & blue

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f9 | 1/100 | 40mm equiv | ISO 12800

Photographed 2/21/24

Baristas Extraordinaire

Another recent photo with my 40+ year old manual focus film camera at a favorite local coffee shop.



Minolta X-700 w/ Fujifilm Superia 200 | 28mm | ISO 200

Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8

Photographed 2/17/24

Filmstrip

This local coffee shop has rolling garage doors that open in the warm weather.  During winter, the glazing is reminiscent of a movie reel or filmstrip.  Appropo because this was taken with my 40+ year old manual focus film camera.

Minolta X-700 w/ Fujifilm 200 | 28mm | ISO 200

Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8

Photographed 2/17/24

Decay

Downed tree in Ryerson Woods.

Sony A7IV @ f6.3 | 1/250 | 110mm | ISO 500

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 2/16/24

Waxing Gibbous

Moon phase at 98.1% according to the PhotoPills app.  Was hoping to catch a full moon tomorrow night but overcast skies are predicted.  25 images stacked and blended.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/640 | 400mm | ISO 400

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 2/22/24