F**k War...

52 Frames - Week 13 - High Key

...8 stories up.  As seen from the Chicago, IL No Kings Rally & March.

Sony A7Cii @ f5.6 | 1/1000 | 40mm | ISO 100

Voigtlander 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic (adapted)

Photographed 3/28/26

Cooks In The Kitchen

52 Frames - Week 10 - Chaos

EC:  Composite

Vacationing in a very "chill" location this week making it difficult to find chaos.  I felt forced to create my own sense of chaos via photographic technique.  Then we went to Culinary Dropout in Scottsdale Quarter where I saw actual organized chaos (and had a great dinner).

Image is a composite of 3 photos.  How many people can you pick out?

Sony A7Cii @ f1.4 | 1/125 | 40mm | ISO 1600

Voigtlander 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic  (adapted)

Photographed 3/5/26

Alternate shots are below.

Visual Chaos 1

Visual Chaos 2

Rhythm Of The Light

52 Frames - Week 9 - Window Light

Last week I wrote about going to a local coffee shop to comment on photos.  Another favorite location is our local library. The window light there is gorgeous...and I always bring a camera.

Sony A7Cii @ f? | 1/125 | 50mm | ISO 400

Leitz Wetzlar 50mm F2 Summicron (adapted)

Photographed 2/23/26

Comment Catch-up

52 Frames - Week 8 - Shallow Depth Of Field

EC: f/1.4

At times, I go to my favorite coffee shop, Hansa, in Libertyville, IL, and comment on photos submitted by my 52Frames followers. In doing so this week, my intent was to also make a photo for the current challenge.
 I decided this photo best represents my intent, circumstances and the prompt.  Featured on my laptop is Heidi Mulrain's excellent (as usual) submission from last week.

Sony A7Cii @ f1.4 | 1/500 | 40mm | ISO 500

Voigtlander 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic (adapted)

Photographed 2/19/26

Irwin, Irwin & Irwin

52 Frames - Week 6 - Complementary Colors

I met my buddy Irwin for coffee this morning to celebrate his 84th birthday.  He drives a bright orange Dodge Challenger.  When he showed up with a dark blue hat, I thought there might be an opportunity for this week's challenge.  Irwin is always my most willing subject so we worked this scene in the parking lot.

While I'm typically not a fan of selective color, it was the only way I could keep some semblance of my B/W personal challenge this year.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f16 | 1/125 sec | 50mm equiv | ISO 2500

Photographed 2/2/26

"Good Morning, Chair". "Good Morning, Tree".

52 Frames - Week 5 - Chair

EC: Tell A Story

Cancun, MX

I photographed this scene a couple of times last week, so when this week's prompt opened up, I shot it again with foreground emphasis on the chair.  Claiming the EC as I imagined these two inanimate objects greeting each other as the sun rose.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 | 1/20000 | 6.76mm (28mm equiv) | ISO 64

Photographed 1/26/26

Pre-Dawn Confab

52 Frames - Week 4 - Get High

Cancun, MX

On the way to the ocean to witness a beautiful sunrise, I observed this scene as an IRL get high composition.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f2.8 | 1/40 | 9mm (156mm equiv) | ISO 800

Photographed 1/22/26

Favorite Combo

52 Frames - Week 1 - Self-Portrait

Here we go...on to Year 7.  I intend to do the entire challenge in B/W...unless the prompt itself specifically requires color. l also intend to submit as many "slice of life" photos for the challenge as possible vs. staging the scene (like this photo).

2025 was a re-entrée into film photography.  Here I'm contemplating 2026 with my favorite film combination - Leica CL w/ Voigtländer 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic.

Sony A7IV @ f2.8 | 1/250 | 50mm | ISO 6400

Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro

Photographed 1/1/26

Layers Upon Layers

52 Frames - Week 52 - Redo

I love shooting storefront reflections.  They often contain multiple stories and create a puzzle of layers for the viewer.

To diverge from my original 52F-Week 35 Reflections photo taken with an iPhone, I set out to capture a storefront reflection on film, not knowing if it was successful until I processed and scanned the roll.

Photographed in downtown Grayslake, IL, this scene is through the windows of a men's barbershop with reflections of the adjacent street.

Nikon 35Ti | 35mm | Fujifilm 400 | ISO 400

Nikkor 35mm F2.8

Photographed 12/23/25

Mountains Below

52 Frames - Week 51 - Fill The Frame

Cruising over some mountains of snow, I grabbed this shot as a streak-saver and the one which completes my 6X Weekly Warrior status.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 | 1/12000 | 6.76mm (24mm equiv) | ISO 64

Photographed 12/17/25

The Hunt Is On

52 Frames - Week 49 - Shoot From The Hip

Brookfield, WI

Encountered this hilarious scene at the Lexus dealer today.  This woman saw a mouse run across her dashboard.  These guys were searching for it and she wasn't leaving until it was found!

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f6.3 | 1/125 sec | 40mm equiv | ISO 1600

Photographed 12/6/25

AnyTown, USA

52Frames - Week 48 - Architecture

EC: 16mm or wider

This photo is a good example of some really bad architecture (IMHO) that is popping up all over the place.  These apartment blocks are reproducing like rabbits and very few have good aesthetic quality.  This one replaced an even worse strip shopping center...so I guess that's progress.

Sony A7IV @ f11 | 1/125 | 14mm | ISO 160

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Series II

Photographed 11/29/25 (during a snowstorm)

On The Verge Of Defeat

52 Frames - Week 47 - Sports Photography

I was explaining to a photography friend my dilemma about finding a photo opp for this week's challenge.  He immediately challenged me to an arm wrestling match and compelled me to photograph it.  Thanks, Mike, for the awesome idea and for not tearing my arm off!!

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.9 | 1/40 | 2.69mm (23mm equiv) | ISO 250

Photographed 11/22/25

Old Abe

52Frames - Week 46 - Black and White Minimalism

52 Assignments Exposure 37 - It's A Small World

It was reported this past week that Old Abe is being retired...no more minting of the US penny. But not to worry; the US Treasury estimates that ~114 billion are in active circulation.

A 2Fer where I'm able to use the same photograph for two challenges.

Sony A7IV @ f3.5 | 1/100 | 50mm | ISO 5000

Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro

Photographed 11/14/25

Limited Supply

52 Frames - Week 45 - Show Us Your Toys

EC: Flat Lay

On vacation this week so my only option for this challenge is the photography gear I brought on this two week trip. One film camera, one digital camera, three M-mount manual lenses (21, 40, 90mm), two rolls of film and some miscellaneous accessories make up the kit.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 | 1/60 | 6.76mm (24mm equiv) | ISO 400

Photographed 11/7/25

Forty-Seven

52 Frames - Week 44 - Your Worst Nightmare

Figuring out my worst nightmare wasn't a problem. Figur ing out how to represent it in a photo was a conundrum...until this morning when I received this email.  A photo of the email solved the problem and is especially relevant because I'm one of the subjects.

Sony A7Cii @ f1.4 | 1/125 | 40mm | ISO 250

Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm F1.4 (adapted)

Photographed 10/29/25

Approach

52 Frames - Week 43 - Centered Composition

Out shooting motion blur for another photo challenge, I thought a head-on shot might work for this week's 52Frames.  With a small tripod, self-timer and an ND filter, I was able to capture this self-portrait scene.  I used a different shot for the other challenge, but this outing was a "2-Fer".

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f13 | .8 sec | 40mm equiv | ISO 100 | ND Filter

Photographed 10/22/25

18th Hole

52 Frames - Week 42 - Shadows

I had hoped to get some good shadow shots at the "No Kings" march on 10/18 in Chicago.  With a poor weather prediction for that day however, I seized this opportunity on 10/16 as a backup.  With bright sun and long shadows on a late afternoon finish, it works for the challenge to keep the streak alive.

For those wondering, I took a double bogey on this par 5 hole and ended up with a 99.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f1.8 | 1/1000 | 6.76mm (24mm equiv) | ISO 80

Photographed 10/16/25

New Time Increment

52 Frames - Week 41 - Time

Originally, I had another idea for this challenge.  However, when I saw the empty toilet paper rolls in a U.S. Forest Service facility, I figured out a new increment for measuring time.  6 empty rolls <= 9 days of government shutdown.  Clearly a stretch for the challenge but another IRL photo happenstance.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro @ f2.2 1/100 2.2mm (21mm equiv) ISO 100

Photographed 10/9/25

Needles

52 Frames - Week 40 - Texture

EC: Sidelight

Saw the light hitting the pine needles out my window, so grabbed the camera & went outside to capture the texture and sidelight.  Another IRL happenstance.

Sony A7Cii @ f5.6 | 1/125 | 185mm | ISO 100

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

Photographed 10/1/25