Happy Hour

Cancun, Quintana Roo, MX

Last photo of the year from a recent trip.  Loved rediscovering the underwater capability of the Olympus TG-4.  Captured a different perspective of the poolbar during happy hour.

Olympus TG-4 @ f2.8 1/500 4.5mm (25mm equiv) ISO 100

Photographed 12/5/23

Towering Above

52 Assignments BW22 - Towering Above

Westin

Wheeling, IL

Tallest building with the shortest drive in the area for this assignment.  Also took my 52Frames shot for this week's challenge at the same location.

Sony A7IV @ f8 1/320 14mm ISO 100

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 12/25/23

Knife To The Sky

52Frames - Week 52 - Redo

Went out to shoot B&W for another photo project and decided to redo 52F Week 5-Black & White, thereby accomplishing two assignments in one outing.  I could have done a 2Fer using the same shot for two assignments but didn't stretch it that far!

Rather than a literal redo of the original Week 5 image, this photograph takes a completely different approach to subject matter in executing B&W technique.

Sony A7IV @ f8 1/640 14mm ISO 100

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 12/25/23

December Fog

Mundelein, IL

Leaving a restaurant after dinner with friends, wanted to capture the unusual enveloping fog on a December evening. I so wanted a person to enter the frame, however there was no way to convince my companions to do so or hang around in the damp weather.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.78 1/40 6.86mm (47mm equiv) ISO 800

Photographed 12/23/23

Neural Networks

Primary and alternate shots for 52 Assignments - BW50 - Branch Out

Neural Network 1

52 Assignments BW50 - Branch Out

Independence Grove

Libertyville, IL

Sony A7 IV @ f4 1/2000 20mm  ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 12/19/23

Neural Network 2

52 Assignments BW50 - Branch Out (Alternate)

Reed-Turner Woodland

Long Grove, IL

Technically cannot use this shot for the assignment since it is not of a single tree, hence an alternate.


Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.9  1/640  2.69mm (30mm equiv)  ISO 25

Photographed 12/14/23

Waxing Gibbous

Moon phase at 65.4% according to the PhotoPills app.  First attempt with the new 400mm zoom lens. 20 images stacked and blended.

Sony A7 IV @ f11 1/800 400mm ISO 2000

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

Photographed 12/20/23

Hanging On

52Frames - Week 51 - Unfinished

EC: Roll of 12 (used #7)

It's mid-December and this tree has not yet finished shedding its leaves for the season.

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/800 23mm ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 12/19/23

Illusion of Confusion

Reed-Turner Woodland

Long Grove, IL

What is the scene? What's real, what's reflected? IRL abstract.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.78 1/120 6.86mm (41mm equiv) ISO 100

Photographed 12/14/23

Java Mountain

52Frames - Week 50 - Choose A Color

EC: Chosen For You (Dark Lava #483c32)

Ancient mountain inhabited by one of my grandson's pet dinosaurs.

Sony A7 IV @ f16 8" 50mm (75mm equiv) ISO 1000

Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro

Photographed 12/13/23

Swing

52 Assignments BW33 - Shot In The Dark

La Isla Shopping Center

Cancun, Quintana Roo, MX

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 1/40 6.86mm (24mm equiv) ISO 1000

Photographed 12/5/23

Exhale

52Frames - Week 49 - Just Breathe

A demonstration of the 2nd part of the breathing equation.

Olympus TG-4 @ f2.8 1/320 4.5mm (25mm equiv) ISO 100

Photographed 12/5/23

Lost & Found

52Frames - Week 48 - Hold A Light

A common occurrence when my grandkids spend a night at Mimi & Pops' house.

Sony A7IV @ f8 1/80 60mm ISO 12800

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 11/28/23

Lake Cook Road

52 Assignments BW48 - High Time

While on a DPR Trail bike ride, I shot this from the Lake Cook Road overpass. There are diagonals in this image everywhere.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 1/4600 6.86mm (24mm equiv) ISO 80

Photographed 11/16/23

Watching Over Traffic

Vernon Hills, IL

While sitting at a light, saw this pole light dude watching over the traffic going by.  Reacted quickly and made a photo through the windshield before the light changed.

Sony A7IV @ f16 1/2500 85mm ISO 100

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

Photographed 11/22/23

Nature With A New Lens

Half Day Preserve

First outing with a new Tamron 50-400mm lens.  Alternate shots for this week's challenge 52Frames - Week 47 - Nature.

Take-Off

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/125  104mm  ISO 160

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

Cruising

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/160  400mm  ISO 100

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

All Photographed 11/22/23

In The Reeds

52Frames - Week 47 - Nature

EC: Portrait

First outing with the new Tamron 50-400mm lens. Got several shots with ducks on the pond at a neighboring forest preserve.  Alternates to follow in a separate post.

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/1250 400mm ISO 100

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

Photographed 11/22/23

Smelly Bastard

Palm Desert, CA

He wasn't an engaged seller and she wasn't a happy shopper.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f3.5 1/800 40mm equiv ISO 100

Photographed 10/28/23

Pup Relief

52Frames - Week 46 - Bathroom

EC: Public

My bathroom creativity maxed out with Week 26-Morning Routine. https://52frames.com/photographer/4174/photo/656738

Since I cannot re-use that shot, thought I’d take a different twist with this challenge.  The prompt did not specifically require bathrooms for humans although that was the impetus for the challenge.  I nonetheless took the liberty of shooting a bathroom for our K-9 companions.  And it’s public, so qualifies for the EC. 

Boomtown!!!…mic drop.

Sony A7 IV @ f5 1/100 40mm ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 11/14/23

Over The River

52 Assignments BW13 - Reinvent Your Selfie

Reflection shot from a bridge over the Des Plaines River. The spots in the photo are not from my sensor; rather debris floating on the water surface, as is the leaf.

Sony A7 IV @ f5.6 1/125 60mm ISO 800

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 11/15/23

Cold Night Sky

Vernon Hills, IL

No moon and clear skies tonight so I went to a nearby open area and aimed the camera north to capture full circle star trails. Unfortunately, cannot escape the light pollution in this suburban area. What struck me in this photo (in addition to the star trails) is the precision of flight paths with multiple aircraft flying the same route over the course of an hour.

This image is a blend of 120 shots at 30 seconds each with a 1 second interval in between. Total exposure of 1 hour. Recommend viewing at full screen.

Sony A7 IV @ f2.8 120x30" 14mm ISO 100

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 11/13/23

Ride Naked

Palm Desert, CA

Definitely not following his own advice.  It was 80+ degrees outside and he was all leathered up.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f2.8 1/250 9mm (158mm equiv) ISO 25

Photographed 11/5/23

Culvers

52Frames - Week 45 - Bokeh

EC: F1.4

Running out of time this week, I took my camera and 85mm f1.4 to dinner with the grandkids on Saturday night. Was fortunate to catch a shot of my grandson entertaining his baby sister...with some bokeh emanating from the street in the background.

For the challenge, I'd put it in the streak-saver category.

Sony A7 IV @ f1.4 1/125 85mm ISO 1600

Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4

Photographed 11/11/23

Cacti Enclave

52 Assignments BW20 - Layer Cake

Seen along El Paseo in Palm Desert, CA.

Sony A7 IV @ f7.1 1/500 60mm ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 11/3/23

Killing Time

52Frames - Week 44 - Inspired By A Famous Photographer

My location this week provided the opportunity for high contrast black & white. My streak-saver selection was Daido Moriyama. In the spirit of some of his work, this was shot without looking through the viewfinder.

One error was not setting the ISO higher to enhance the grain, so it was added in LrC.



Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/30 60mm ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 11/4/23

Celestial North

Another star trails shot off my balcony; this time with a 28mm lens rather than 14mm.  I'm not a star trail purist, so the random lights across the frame enhance the image IMHO rather than detract from it.

This image is also a blend of 101 shots at 30 seconds each with a 1 second interval in between. Total exposure of 50 minutes.

Sony A7 IV @ f2.8 30" 28mm ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 10/30/23

Circle Surprise

52Frames - Week 43 - Use A Tripod

I had intended to shoot the Milky Way this week but with the moon being close to full, there is too much light and a short MW visibility window.  Changing gears, I went for a star trails shot.  Being my first ever, this circular result was a complete surprise.

I set camera on tripod and aimed out and up into the night sky. Although the moon had already set, it was still not pitch black out and stars were visible but not particularly bright.  Little did I know that the camera was aimed at celestial north.

This image is a blend of 101 shots at 30 seconds each with a 1 second interval in between.  Total exposure of 50 minutes.



Sony A7 IV @ f2.8 30" 14mm ISO 200

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 10/25/23

On The Way Out

52 Assignments BW42 - Big Bokeh (alternate)

Fading flowers as an alternate for the Landscape bokeh assignment.

Sony A7 IV @ f5.6 1/125 166mm ISO 160

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 10/7/23

"Never Underestimate An Old Man With A Bicycle"

52Frames - Week 42 - Fashion

A streaksaver week for sure. Out on a bike ride, thought I'd stop to show what autumn cycling fashion looks like.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2.2 1/120 2.71mm (23mm equiv) ISO 80

Photographed 10/18/23

52 Assignments BW 42 - Big Bokeh

 A series of photographs for the 52 Assignments-Black & White Photography project (#42).

1.  Portrait

My buddy and I took simultaneous portraits of each other to satisfy the Portrait bokeh assignment.

Dueling Portraits

Sony A7 IV @ f4 1/640 55mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 10/7/23

2.  Landscape

Bands of leaves & logs  for the Landscape bokeh assignment.


Leaves and Logs

Sony A7 IV @ f1.4 1/2000 85mm  ISO 100

Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4

Photographed 10/7/23

3.  Nighttime Street

Through the windshield on a rainy evening for the Nighttime Street bokeh assignment.

Night Scope

Sony A7 IV @ f3.5 1/125 48mm  ISO 400

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 10/11/23

4.  Abstract

Through the windshield on a rainy evening for the Abstract bokeh assignment.

Rain and Lights

Sony A7 IV @ f4 1/125 65mm  ISO 3200

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 10/11/23

Busted or Not?

52Frames - Week 41 - Street Photography

Lately, I've been surprised at times how empty Starbucks has been.  I had my camera sitting on the table and was taking some random shots...she was on her phone and must have glanced up.  We never made eye contact so don't know if I got busted or not.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f3.5 1/160 40mm equiv ISO 500

Photographed 10/10/23

Light On The Forest Floor

52Frames - Week 40 - Dappled Light

Milwaukee, WI

Layers of leaves & colors typify a midwest autumn.

Sony A7 IV @ f16 1/200 85mm ISO 100

Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4

Photographed 10/7/23

In Flight

Cooper Mountain at 
Tennessee Pass

Summit County, CO

I am not a bird photographer by any stretch of the definition.  After a hike up to the cookhouse at this ski resort, I captured this photo with my kit lens.  Every once in awhile, one gets lucky!

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/320 60mm ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 9/30/23

Moonrise

Avon, CO

Went out to shoot some Milky Way photos before the moonrise, but cloud cover killed that effort. I turned the camera around to the other direction and captured the rising moon before it broke over the mountain horizon.

Sony A7 IV @ f2.8 15" 14mm ISO 800

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 9/30/23

Saved By The Sweatshirt

52Frames - Week 39 - Red

Traveling in Colorado this week where the autumn color change is magnificent.  The area we are in displays predominantly yellows and oranges with very few reds.  Starting out on a chilly morning hike, my buddy Irwin pulled out his sweatshirt and I knew at that moment my streak was saved.

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/320 28mm ISO 100

Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6

Photographed 9/29/23

2023_CLondon52_September: Exploring Genres

From the C.London website: "This month, let's dive into exploring different photography genres. From landscapes to wildlife, documentary to sports, we're about to broaden our skills and capture amazing stories. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new passion. Or whatever the opposite of passion is."

1.  Landscape

Nature provides all sorts of visual illusions.  This rock face is no exception.

What Do You See?

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/400 112mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 9/27/23

2.  Documentary/Photojournalism

Former Allstate Insurance Corporate Campus

Northbrook, IL

I photographed this scene on 8/31/23, the day the September prompts were released to Patreon members.  Turns out it foreshadowed an article  published on September 3rd in the Chicago Tribune that discussed the replacement of corporate campuses with logistics and data centers.

Out With The Old...

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/640  47mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 8/31/23

3.  Wildlife

I had to travel 1,000 miles for this photo.  Was hoping for something more exotic, but the deadline was approaching.

Nuts

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/125  200mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 9/27/23

4.  Sports/Action

"Drive for show; putt for dough" is a common saying in golf.

The Drive

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f4 1/160  71mm equiv ISO 200

Photographed 9/8/23

Edge

52Frames - Week 38 - Wabi-Sabi

Lonely picnic table in the rain.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f2.8 1/160 40mm equiv ISO 1250

Photographed 9/19/23

Pop of Pink

52Frames - Week 37 - Backlit (Alternate)

EC: Rim Light

Shot some last minute alternates for this week's challenge.

Color and B/W; which do you prefer?

Sony A7 IV @ f3.5 1/125 85mm ISO 640

Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4

Photographed 9/17/23

Ghost

52 Assignments BW - #36 - All in a Blur

From a sidewalk bench.

Park Ridge, IL

Sony A7 IV @ f22 1/8 32mm  ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 9/12/23

That's Pops!

52Frames - Week 37 - Backlit

EC: Rim Light

My 10-1/2 month old granddaughter on a wagon ride.

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2 1/440 6mm (71mm equiv) ISO 25

Photographed 9/13/23

Lindys

52Frames - Week 36 - Triangular Composition (alternate)

Bang's Lake

Wauconda, IL

Sony A7 IV @ f11 1/125 14mm ISO 400

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 09/7/23

Wauconda

52Frames - Week 36 - Triangular Composition

Photowalk at the Wauconda Farmers Market.  The water tower peeking over the buildings and framed by the wires caught my attention for this week's challenge.  An accidental bonus was the guy walking his dog down the sidewalk being completely hidden by the power pole while his dog is not.

Sony A7 IV @ f11 1/125 14mm ISO 320

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 09/7/23