D123: So Close

Why isn't anyone playing basketball today? March is a special kind of awesome in southeast Idaho. It will be sunny & 60 degrees on Monday, then 30 degrees with snow flurries on Tuesday.

This is about the time that most of us start getting cabin fever. We are teased with a day or two of amazing sunny weather, making us yearn for those long summer days.

Once again I ask myself why I am not in Hawaii with my family...

Manual: Page 105 - Self-Timer Mode

Images:Karen Ard
It looks like Karen has a blast shooting for so many different types of people.


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D122: West Side Story

Last week I shot a 5-day series on the east side of our downtown area. Today begins a 5-day on the west side. The west side has a bit more history, and was certainly more of the iconic downtown during it's early days.

I found this mural in a parking lot this morning, painted on the side of a photog's studio. If I recall, the mural has nothing to do with the photog that occupies the building. I think it was more of a "downtown revitalization" project. I do find humor in the fact that the photog in question is decades away from embracing social media, much like the mural itself.

Manual: Page 190 - Other Accessories

Images:Markus Hartel
Markus has some really moving b&w street images of New York.


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D121: If Only

Today I went fishing with some great friends, I caught the ONLY fish, and we had a late lunch at a great brewery. Plenty of great photo ops, if I had only remembered the camera!

How do I, of all people, forget the camera?!

Anyways, when I decided to hit the road and head back home I saw this wonderful sunset. I took a quick snap from the side of the road, and then thought about getting out of the truck and doing it right. Tripod, better composition, remote release, etc.

As it turns out I was too tired to care and drove home.



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D120: Look Out Paradise, They're Coming...

Today was a very fun shoot with two friends that are preparing for an upcoming tropical getaway. We decided to shoot in the downtown area where I had just completed this week's series.

Here's a helpful tip for you togs out there: remember to ALWAYS bring an assistant when you're lugging lots of gear around with frequent stops. It will make life MUCH easier.

The shoot went very well, and as you can tell from today's image, everyone had a great time. Now begins the process of sifting through the hundreds of images. I'm hoping to have a finished project by next weekend.

Manual: I'm skipping the manual this weekend. I'm almost all the way through it, so I may just skip the manual all together on the weekends.

Images: Also skipping other togs this weekend. I know its horrible, but this weekend is crazy busy. I'll repent to Scott Bourne later.


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D119: Shelter

As I walked around in the rain this morning trying to find the final image for this week's series, I ended right where I began.

Today's image is actually located directly below, the stairs of Monday's image. I have walked past this spot almost every morning this week, and it always gets me thinking.

Who's belongings are these?
Do they sleep here every night?
Have they survived the winter?
How did they get to this point?

When I come across the cliche portraits of homeless people, the images don't really interest me unless they come with a story. I really like when a photographer takes the time to talk with the individual and learn something about them.

This week has been interesting, and I discovered my new favorite coffee shop downtown. I'm undecided on what next week series will be, or even what I will shoot this weekend. That's ok though, I'm on the right path to gaining a little more creativity.

Manual: Page 189 - Notes On Optional Speedlights

Images:Thomas Lowe
I looked at Thomas' flickr images and I really like some of his nature work. Can't wait for summer to come!


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D118: Outward Appearances

Opportunities come in all shapes & sizes. Down turn one down just because you don't like the door you have to walk through.

I had to make a very grown-up decision yesterday. I took a temporary job with a company I used to work for. I hated the job and had no intention of returning.

I start on Monday.

So why did I agree to go back? It wasn't about the money, nor was it about the job itself. I decided that if they were willing to meet ALL of my demands, perhaps I could do some networking in the process. When I talked to them yesterday, they pretty much let me write my own ticket.

One of the big reasons that I was not a fan of the job was because it was working for the federal government. I have absolutely nothing against the government, but the job completely stifles my creativity. I was not created to work in an environment of rule after rule, bureaucratic nightmares, etc. My creative freedom is paramount to my happiness and I refuse to compromise. I don't think there is a large enough sum of money in the world to get me to stay in a job that I hated.

Life is too short to be miserable.

Life was meant to be lived, not merely survived.

Manual: Page 00 - Manual at home, me at coffee shop

Images:Today I looked at a photographer that deals in restaurant photography. I will once again leave today's photog nameless, as I have my issues. The issues actually had nothing to do with the quality of the images, they looked great. However, the design of the website was absolutely horrible. If you're going to have a web presence, do it right. I didn't even finish looking through his portfolio, due to the fact that I couldn't stand navigating his site. Fail.


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D117: Barriers

So many of us spend so much of our lives keeping people out. How often you make the proactive choice to let them in?

Locks were created out of necessity to secure one's property. Historians believe that the first locking mechanism first appeared some 4,000 years ago. Someone, somewhere came to the conclusion that people had to be kept out, for any number of reasons. We've been erecting various types of barriers ever since.

I wholeheartedly agree that locks & barriers have their place in our world. However, I can't help but wonder what our society would be like if we eliminated some of those barriers. Frequently, when I am walking around taking pictures I get funny looks from people. Most of them dismiss me and travel on their merry way, but every now and then someone will stop and engage me. These are the people that I love talking to. The act of walking up and starting a conversation means that they have one less barrier to overcome. For me, there are few things more refreshing than having a lengthy conversation with a complete stranger.

I think this is why I'm such a fan of anthropology. People absolutely fascinate me, on almost every level. I could sit for hours and just listen to people tell me about their lives. Every now & then I'll get a chance to just sit and listen to a senior citizen tell me about their life. Let me tell you, those moments are some of the most rewarding things I have ever experienced. Our elders have a ridiculous amount of knowledge, if we're only willing to listen.

My challenge to you is to drop some of those barriers once in a while. Engage people, learn about them. Give back when you have the opportunity.

Most of all, LISTEN!

Today's image was not what I originally set out to capture. I was trying to get the composition right on a train heading under an overpass. When I was cursing the lock from allowing me to get closer, the idea just kind of popped into my head. Score 1 for new ideas!

Manual: Page 116 - Photo Information

Images:Feuza Reis
Great family lifestyle work. Its getting really close to that time of year for me, so I'm trying to soak up as much inspiration as I can.


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D116: Special Delivery

Mr. Hooker, I have a delivery for you. Please sign here.

signs & then opens package...

Prescription-strength reality, take with water.


Life can be looked at much the same as a mathematical equation. If things aren't adding up, you're probably overlooking a variable.

Do you give up? Hell no, you keep plugging along. You dust yourself off, pick up your camera, and keep shooting. When Thomas Edison was working on a better light bulb, he didn't just find a solution. He also found a thousand ways NOT to make a light bulb.

In much the same way that I like my "horribly bad" photos, I also like my "mistakes" in life. Everything in this life can be turned into a learning opportunity. You just have to change your way of thinking.

Did you have a photoshoot go horribly wrong? Learn from it & move on.
Have you been stricken with debt due to GAS(Gear Acquisition Syndrome)? Make your "debt" work for you.

The point is, innovation isn't born out of complaining & pessimism. When one door closes... make your OWN door! Climb out the window! Do whatever it takes to keep the forward momentum going.

Manual: Page 114 - Single Image Playback

Images:Karlin Connell
This morning I took a look at Karlin's family images. Just what I needed to brighten up the day! I have a family shoot coming up this spring with a family that is very dear to my heart, and she inspired some new ideas to really communicate the bond that this family has.


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D115: Getting Out Of My Comfort Zone

This mon-fri I decided to confine myself to the east side of our downtown area for my images.

The rules are simple:
1. All travel has to be done on foot
2. I can only shoot with my 50mm
3. I can only use the available light

I'm hoping this will help me overcome my "composition block" I've been experiencing. My hindsight is a perfect 20/20 when it has come to composition lately. I'll be editing in post and realize a few little tweaks I should have done. Its not just about getting-it-right in-camera, I'm also working on getting-it-right in my head.

After I was satisfied with today's image, I stopped at the coffee shop inside of our local co-op. If you read my posts, you know that I'm a huge supporter of local businesses, so stopping in was a no-brainer. I enjoyed a great cup of coffee and I'm thinking perhaps I'll do this week's posts from there?

Manual: Page 113 - More About Playback

Images:Dan Mitchell
Today I took a look at Dan's nature images. Great stuff there, reminded me that I need to start planning my summer photo weekends.


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D114: I Hate Sugar!

Or at least I hate the fact that I like sugar. I avoid sugar as much as humanly possible, and I generally refuse to buy anything candy related. I do well enough at avoiding it, but when I do partake I usually get sick.

Kind of a fitting punishment, don't ya think?

Well today was filled with things far more important than me taking pictures, so I decided to take a shot of "S'mores Delight". Its from a local popcorn shop here in town. They've been in business for about 7 years, and I stop in ever few months to say hi, and pick up some popcorn. Sure, I could get popcorn for way way cheaper at the grocery store, but that is not what my visits are about.

My visits are about supporting local business.

The internet has become a valuable tool in keeping many retail markets competitive. However, I feel that we are too quick to look to the internet to save a buck or two. You might have saved $2.23 on that new book you wanted, but what does it cost you in the long run? Local Mom & Pop operations are a dying breed, and that makes me a little sad. There is an intrinsic value to shopping at a store where they know your name year after year.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should NEVER buy things online. I buy things online from time to time, especially when I can't find them locally. If I can't find a substantial discount online, along with some good service, I keep my dollars here in town.

That's just me.

Manual: Page 120 - Taking A Closer Look: Playback Zoom

Images:Luis VallecilloLuis is amazing with his lighting. That is one area that I am completely lacking on the equipment side.


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D113: Meet Me In St. Louis

My sister's boyfriend is the drama teacher at one of our local high schools, and this weekend was his big musical production. We decided to go support him, and had a great time in the process.

I'm a huge fan of supporting local arts, its the creative in me. In fact, that's probably why I'm also drawn to other creative types. Without artists, we would have no culture in the world. Where would we be without Van Gogh, Shakespeare, Ansel Adams and countless others?

The musical was actually really good, beyond anything that I would expect from high-school students. If you don't have plans on Monday night, go see their closing show!












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D112: Really?!

*DISCLAIMER* If you are easily offended, you may not want to read today's post. These are strictly my opinions, and mine alone.

Tonight I sit at my desk distracted by many things, including the content of today's image. While I was driving around town I saw a home with a confederate flag hung in the front window. I quickly rolled down the window, parked, set my exposure, shot, then drove off.

Typically I would have spent more time getting the shot right, but I didn't want to chance dealing w/ the owners of the home. Being a brown man makes me annoyed when I see things like this being displayed, but I also don't want to start a conflict where I am outnumbered.

Which brings me to tonight's question. Have you ever had personal experience with racism?

I have a few friends that tote around the cliche "I don't see color" when the topic of race comes up. I think that would be a wonderful world to live in. However, that is not the world we live in. Every friend that has said that to me has been Caucasian. A white kid growing up in a small white town is going to have few problems when it comes to discrimination.

I grew up as a brown kid, born to a mixed-race couple, in a small white town. I was being subjected to discrimination & racism before I could even understand what it was. Most kids that gave me problems had no idea that I was Hawaiian, so they simply chose whatever racial slur they could think of. By no means was this an everyday occurrence, but it was something that I grew up with.

As a young child I understood that some of my friends were darker than me, but most of my friends were lighter. I didn't realize that this actually signified ANYTHING, until other neighborhood kids informed me it did. I think we need to spend more time thinking about what behaviors we are passing on to our kids.

In my adult life, one particular experience stands out. I was fishing with two good friends on a river in northern Idaho, and we decided to take a lunch break at the only cafe for miles. As my two friends(both Caucasian) walked into the cafe, they were met with smiles and passing glances. When I walked in behind them, THE WORLD STOPPED SPINNING. I kid you not, the entire place went silent. I think the grill even stopped sizzling. My friends asked me if I wanted to leave, but I assured them that this was where we were eating lunch. Other than the occasional stare, we had a great lunch and continued our fishing trip.

I don't agree with racism.
I don't agree with stereotypes.
I do realize that they still exist.
I do hope for a day that they only exist in history books.

Your thoughts?

Manual: Page 153 - Custom Setting 22: Monitor Off

Images:Carmen Stansberry
I stumbled across Carmen's site this evening, and I was really blown away by some of her work. There is an image of a little girl sitting on some steps, and it is just awesome.


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D111: Cursed

I partly blame Gabrielle Geiselman. The rest of the blame rests on me for not breaking the rules today.

Gabrielle has talked about the funk you sometimes get in after you produce some really great images. Well every time I look at my image from day 109, I fall even more in love with it. I can't really explain what it is. It just works for me. It works so well that I'm having it printed on canvas.

Crazy, I know.

Anyways, I'm not really having a creative block, I'm just uninspired. While traveling home from a morning meeting out of town, I pulled over at a rest stop. This particular rest stop has some massive lava bluffs, so I wanted to try and get a nice landscape shot. I initially ignored the sign that said the trails were closed during the winter and headed up the trail. Then I came to a large gate that sternly read "TRAIL CLOSED". Super easy to walk around, but this would be a little hard to explain. You can't exactly miss seeing a huge gate across the trail.

Maybe I'll head up there one morning and sneak in for a sunrise shot!

Manual: Page 198 - Troubleshooting

Images:Jeremy Cowart
I never EVER get tired of looking at Jeremy's work, he is crazy talented. I'm truly inspired by so many of his images. It doesn't hurt that he's pretty much one of the most amazing human beings, either.


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D110: I Promised Myself I Wouldn't

Yeah, so about that. Tonight is a filler image fo sho. I got wrapped up in some charity work I do, and the day completely got away from me.

I've had this random bag of animal hair in my closet for years. I bought it for fly-tying, the kind of thing you do when you fly-fish. I used to fly-fish a lot, but I haven't done much of it in the last 2 1/2 years. Don't get me wrong, I love to fish; however, I have a hard time doing anything outside anymore without my camera strapped to my hand. Oh well.

I'm hitting the sack early tonight, in hopes of an earrrrrrly morning at the gym!

Manual: Page 196 - Caring For Your Camera And Battery

Images:Gabrielle Geiselman
I know that I just reviewed Gabrielle a month ago, but I listed to her interview with Ron Dawson today. For some reason I totally look at another photographer's work differently when I hear the back-story behind the images. It was fitting to look at her work again due to the fact that some friends of mine are putting together a band, and they want me to do the pics.


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D109: Momentum

Have you ever found yourself fighting an uphill battle? I'm sure we all have at one point or another. I have fought an ongoing battle for the past 10 years with no major successes. There are times when I am just positive that I am the reincarnation of Sisyphus.

Over the past six months I have managed to create somewhat of a perfect storm to aide in this battle. The load is lighter and I even feel like there is actually a crest to this hill. Was Sisyphus cursed, or did he just lack adequate support?

Manual: Page 188 - ISO Auto

Images:I looked at the work of a photographer whom I also listened to in an interview on my ipod today. I'm withholding his name because I wasn't a fan of his interview AT ALL. He came off as a little too old school, adamantly against the digital evolution of photography. While looking through his portfolio, I also found a few images that I REALLY didn't like. Now I am the first to admit that I have a lot of "crap" that I need to purge from my image collection; however, why would you include something so plain & uninspiring in your professional portfolio?

Overall he's excellent. I'm just saying.


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D108: Let It Melt Away

Stress, that is. This last weekend saw the passing of my grandfather, and the birthday of my mother. Growing up in Hawai'i, one of the skills in my grandfather's wheelhouse was that of a tour guide. I'd like to think that my mom is taking a turn at the helm, showing my grandfather "the ropes".

Luckily I have amazing family & friends to get through it all. I spent a portion of the weekend with a great friend that is an endless well of understanding and humor. Sometimes vino & zombies are just what the doctor ordered.

Today I decided to get out of town for a bit, in hopes of finding some hoar frost. The weather was not conducive to my desires, so I decided to take the scenic route home through the countryside. Whenever I saw a photo op I pulled off to the side of the road. No schedule. No time frame. No to-do list.

For me, there is something therapeutic about aimlessly driving the back-roads of our great nation. Singing along to the radio, thinking about problems, unwinding the stresses that life imposes on us.

While singing along to the radio today I was inspired. Have you ever heard a song that you've heard a million times before, but its as if you're listening to it for the first time? This happened to me today. I have an idea for a series of photos that is so exciting(to me) that I'm freaking out. It could take the better part of the next year, and that's all I'm going to share about it for now.

How do you unwind?

Manual: Page 103 - FV Lock

Images:Jerry Ghionis
Jerry does great work and I love his story. Just listened to his interview with Ron Dawson today.


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D107: There Are No Bad Days

A wise man once said "There are no bad days, just try missing one".

I try to live by this credo.

Every day that we wake up, we have the chance to make it a good day. Something can be learned from every situation, no matter how desperate it seems at the time.

Today is my mother's birthday, she would have been 53. I am sad that she is gone, but she lives on through everything she taught me. I feel like today is the beginning to a wonderful week, and it is all thanks to her.

Happy Birthday Mom!


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D106: The Secret

Years ago my Hawai'ian grandfather told me the secret to a happy & successful marriage.

"Yes Dear"

He passed away this morning. He gave me this watch years ago, and I will always treasure it. I have many great memories & stories of this man, but they must wait for another day.



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D105: Congestion

This is officially my 2nd cold of the winter. Not a good time.

I have to wake up in early tomorrow to prepare a feast for some great friends. Sourdough pancakes, fruit salad, etc. I can't wait!

Manual: Page 120 - Taking A Closer Look: Playback Zoom

Images:Trey Ratcliff
Trey is a master of HDR photography. His work is just incredible.


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D104: Unexpected

Lately, I have not done very well when it comes to seizing opportunities. I'm making a concerted effort to expect the unexpected.

Sleep deprivation has prevented me from preparing any more coherent sentences at this time.


Manual: Page 119 - Using The Multi Selector

Images:Will Jacks
Cool portrait images.


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D103: Sacrifice

As most of you know, today was Ash Wednesday. Lent is officially upon us, and I'm not looking forward to it.

I myself am not Catholic. However, my mother was & brother is, so I decided to support them & give something up for Lent.

I'm giving up red meat.

I may not survive.

Some of my friends give me the cliche "meat is murder" talk, to which I reply with the cliche "yes, tasty tasty murder". This has nothing to do with my reasoning for giving up those delicious animals. I am giving up red meat for the next 40 days for two reasons. First, it will be a very hard sacrifice, as I consume red meat almost every day. Second, I want to see if I notice any health benefits from this departure.

Either way I'm TOTALLY having a burger after Easter!

Manual: Page 92 - White Balance Bracketing

Images:Amina Moreau
Wow, Amina's work is quite inspiring. She has some very original wedding work, and he composition is awesome.


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D102: Awake

This semi-creepy photo is brought to you by insomnia, and the letter Q.

I cannot take ANY credit for the idea behind this image. I was up late last night(technically this morning) and starting thinking about Strobist's twitter avatar.

I cleaned it up a little in post, and there you go...

Manual: Page 118 - Viewing Multiple Images: Thumbnail Playback

Images:Ira Lippke
I listened to Ira's interview with Ron Dawson today, so I decided to go back & take a look at some more of his work. I specifically wanted to look at his autobiographical series entitled "lore: 1982-83". Pretty interesting stuff.


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D101: Ahhhhh...

Few things rival that which is a perfect beer. The right beer can totally change your attitude on an otherwise dismal day. It even serves as the perfect end to a long hot day.


Manual: Page 171 - Connecting To A Computer

Images:Michael James
Having seen a behind-the-scenes real estate shoot, I know how intricate they are in terms of lighting. Michael does a tremendous job.


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D100: Its Getting Deep Over Here...

Right after I snapped today's image I spotted some awesome hoar frost on a nearby bush. It was only about 20 feet from the road, so it seemed easy enough to get close.

Not quite.

As I stepped away from the road, I instantly sunk all the way up to my thighs. Lacking the proper gear on this trip, I was unable to make the 20 foot trip.

Perhaps tomorrow.

Manual: Page 1631 - Modifying the Print Order

Images:Mike Colon
I looked at some of Mike's work back in November, but I decided to revisit his sight today. I really like his lifestyle work.


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D99: Unseen

I find it very interesting that so much of our "historic" downtown goes unseen, simply because we don't look up.

Much of the iconic culture of the early days of our town can still be seen if you are looking for it. Many old buildings still have remnants of billboard advertisements that had been painted directly onto them.

Definitely an interesting idea for a summertime series.

Manual: Page 146 - Customer Setting 12: BKT Set

Images:Trevor Brucki
Trevor has some pretty cool wedding photography. It appears that he utilizes a few different Lightroom actions, but they only enhance his work. At the core, Trevor produces great images.


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D98: Finding A New Path

The end of the summer brought a startling conclusion; my photography was on a fast path to a dead end.

After 7 years I was stuck in a rut. I wasn't progressing and I had still not found a style that was my own. I was out of answers, and then it hit me.

I had to start over.

My first step was starting this project, in hopes of rebooting the creative parts of my brain. I also began a long journey of education and self-discovery.

I have learned more in the past 6 months than I did during the previous 7 years. I also feel that I finally have my "style" bouncing around in my head. Now I just need to translate that to the camera.

Manual: Page 187 - Accessory Shoe

Images:Thomas Hawk
Cool street photography.


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D97: The Blight

For the record, I hate power lines. I think they are a blight upon our cities. Imagine the pitch for power lines in today's world.

We have this new service that will change the world, and we want to bring in to every city in America. How do we plan on installing it, you say? Well, we're going to stick tall poles in the ground everywhere, and then string wires from them.

I don't see that concept passing in today's world.

However, I really like this picture. I'm not entirely sure why.

Manual: Page 100 - Using the Built-in Speedlight

Images:Lori Nordstrom
I really like Lori's senior images.


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D96: Some Things Never Change

I came down with some awful cold straight from hell back in December. It left me with a cough for almost 2 months. Needless to say, Its now been 3 months since I've been to the gym.

Today I made my return.

It was nice to be back. It was even nicer that nothing changes there. Ever since the ownership changed 4 years ago, the contents within those 4 walls have been static. It allows me to used my gym time as an anchor. No matter what is going on in the world, I know that "gym time" will always be "safe".

Its also where I listed to Ron Dawson's podcasts religiously.

Manual: Page 182 - Camera Settings

Images:Denis Reggie
I think Denis is one of those photographers that we'd all like to be like from time to time.


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D95: Sorry Tasra I Cheated :(

The day totally got away from me. Suddenly its midnight and I hadn't even picked up my camera.

This shot is from this past Sunday at the local ski hill. It was an AMAZING day, and I really wanted to share one of the images.

Please forgive me.


Manual: Page 186 - Optional Speedlights

Images:Joanna Tano
I love the expressions that Joanna catches during weddings.


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D94: Curtain Call

If you didn't get a chance to follow the complete saga, here ya go:
Introduction
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6

The stage is dark tonight. The Legolier murder has been solved, and all is well with the universe.

What did I learn this week? Well, I learned that sometimes less is more. I opted to focus on the characters instead of building custom backdrops, which was also a great time-saver. Shooting Legoliers(that's what I named their race) for a full week allowed me to just play, not worrying about finding a good location for the "image of the day". The series became more about the plot lines than perfecting the technical aspect.

With everything said & done, I'm glad I chose to do the series. I learned a few things about shooting with an infinity backdrop, and I was able to de-clutter my brain. I think from time to time, we all need something to clear our minds. I feel the creative juices starting to flow once more. Tomorrow I begin shooting in the real world again. I wonder what I will find?

Manual: Page 141 - Custom Setting 4: AF Assist
I first learned how to turn this feature off when I was trying to capture some candid shots in a crowd just after sunset. Having that little lamp light up every time you're focusing a shot was causing my subjects to pose for the camera, thus killing my intended shots.

Images:Gray Scott
Gray has some beautiful images from the fashion industry. They remind me that I know absolutely nothing about fashion! I am ok with that.


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D93: Mitch To The Rescue!

Mitch had been trying to call Walter with no response, and he was getting worried. Luckily his space-cruiser was outfitted with endless amounts of technology.

As he tapped into Walter's phone, Mitch realized Walter was in serious trouble.

Mitch snuck in while Hank was bragging about what he had done to Chester. Mitch quickly got the drop on Hank, and together they placed him into custody. Hank would be going away for a long time.

Having solved one of the worst murders in Montana's history, Mitch & Walter both received promotions. Mitch was now a space police chief, and Walter was the new police commissioner, replacing his retiring mentor.

Things seemed to be calming down. For now...

Manual: Page 181 - Technical Notes
Its Sunday, time for a cheat day!

Images:Joe Wigfall
Joe has some really cool shot of street photography in NYC.


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D92: Suspicions Confirmed

After running into a few dead-end leads, Walter couldn't stop thinking about the parcel delivery company. Something kept nagging at him, so he headed back to where his investigation 1st began.

Walter headed around to the loading bay to talk to Hank, the delivery supervisor he had met earlier in the week. The door was open, but everyone seemed to be at lunch. Walter poked around a little, and came across an open crate. It seemed to contain prescription meds.

What Walter didn't know was that someone WAS still in the building...





As it turns out, Hank was Chester's Montana connection, and also Chester's murderer. Hank got greedy and wanted a bigger cut of the profits, but Chester didn't want any part of that. Hank knocked Chester out, then took him into the mountains near the Canadian border. After dispatching Chester, Hank took the snowmobile and hid it near his cabin. Walter was the only one who knew the truth.

They were all alone...

Manual: Page 145 - Custom Setting 10: Exp Comp
I probably would have benefited from using the exposure compensation today at the ski resort. I'm headed back up in a few days and I think I'll try it then!

Images:Matt Mendelsohn
Wow. Just wow. Matt's "21 in 21" series is fantastic.


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D91: Misconceptions

Mitch finally caught up with the mystery men, after a short chase. He called in their ID's to have them checked out. They didn't speak any English, but their ID's listed them as Habib and Omar.

Eight years patrolling the galaxy left Mitch with a little paranoia. As it turned out, Habib and Omar were also no stranger to paranoia.

Habib and Omar had learned to be suspicious and fearful of authorities in their homeland. When they saw Mitch, running was more instinct than reaction. The fact that they didn't speak English wasn't helping get things straightened out. Luckily they had friends on the way.



Henry heard that his friends had been detained for questioning, and quickly located Mitch. Henry, along with Omar and Habib, were all archaeologists that had traveled to Cardston on a dig. Julie was an anthropologist serving as their translator.

As Henry smoothed things over with Mitch, Julie was arguing with Omar and Habib; likely scolding them for their behavior while visiting Canada.

This left Mitch with no leads on Chester's murderer. He could only hope that Walter was making better progress in Montana.

Manual: Page 164 - Comments
I've never really found a need for adding comments to photos in the field. Still, nice to know I have the option.

Images:Bill Frakes
Bill is a staff photographer for Sports Illustrated. He has worked all over the world and he has some pretty powerful images in his portfolio.


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D90: Informing the Wife

Being a space-cop, Mitch had jurisdiction in many different countries, including Canada. He took it upon himself to fly up to Cardston on his space-cruiser to notify Chester's wife of his untimely demise.

He found Chester's wife Becca at the local park, where she normally had lunch. When Mitch told her what happened, she broke down in tears, half in disbelief over what she'd just heard. It wasn't uncommon for Chester to be gone for a day or too on business, as he'd been taking on more responsibility in recent months.

As Mitch tried to calm the grieving widow down, he noticed two mysterious men nearby shaking hands. When the men saw Mitch, they quickly departed in opposite directions. Mitch gave Becca a ride to her sister's home, and then he set off to find these mysterious men.

Manual: Page 163 - Language
Ummm... yeah, I keep it on English.

Images:Drew Gardner
Drew is a tog in the UK, and has some stellar artistic work.


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D89: The Investigation Begins

Investigating the gruesome death of Chester led Walter to a business park in Montana. Chester's credit card had been used hours after his death at a local parcel delivery business. Walter was interviewing Hank, the delivery supervisor; and John, the store owner.

Both men fully cooperated with Walter and answered all of his questions. Walter was a little suspicious of Hank, as he seemed a little short-tempered in response to some of Walter's questions. Walter later learned that Hank was involved in a altercation with another officer, claiming that the officer had struck Hank for talking back during a routine traffic stop.

Unfortunately the store didn't have a security camera, so Walter was at a dead-end. He hoped that Mitch was having better luck up in Cardston.

Manual: Page 130 - Print Set
Never really had a reason to print directly from the camera. Plus I like to review everything in Lightroom first!

Images:Annie O'Neill
Annie has some awesome wedding & engagement work. I also like her "Studio on the Go" idea.


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D88: Murrrder At the Border

Chester was a good family man. He worked hard, paid his taxes, even went to church. Unfortunately, that just wasn't enough. It was getting harder to make ends meet, and his wife Emily was expecting their 5th child. In an effort to bring in a little extra cash, Chester had been smuggling cheap prescription meds into the United States.

Living in Cardston, Alberta, Chester was close to the Montana border, but checkpoint security had been increased since 9-11. He made his smuggling runs on a silenced snowmobile 34 miles to the west. As he crossed into Montana, Waterton Lakes National Park became Glacier National Park. His contact had a secluded cabin in Glacier which proved to be invaluable for their transactions.

This would be his last trip...


A local helicopter pilot spotted the body while he was flying tourists on a tour through Glacier. He immediately radioed for police assistance, and relayed his GPS coordinates.

As Mitch pulled up on his Space Cruiser 2000(also equipped for snow travel, strangely), Walter radioed the helicopter and told them to call off the search. Whoever had done this was long gone and they weren't going to find them today.

It appeared that the victim had been killed with a single, clean blow, only feet from the Canadian border. There was a single set of snowmobile tracks, and nothing else. How could this have happened?

Manual: Page 129 - Hide Image
This option may or may not have come in handy once or twice. :)

Images:John Cornforth
John's images are just breathtaking, plain & simple! Take some time to browse through his work. He recently had one of his humpback whale pictures make the cover of Alaska Airlines magazine.


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D87: The Players

Today is the beginning of my Lego series, so I decided to introduce everyone.

On the learning side, it will be good practice with custom white balances, lighting, framing, etc. I've already started developing some presets in Lightroom & Photoshop, so its great practice.

Rather than just do a series of images, I decided to take a more unconventional approach. Follow along to watch as the drama unfolds!

Manual: Page 123 - The Menu Guide
Another "cheat" day, but I'm starting to run out of pages. Getting closer to in-depth testing!

Images:Kia Bondurant
Wow. Looking through the amazing senior gallery, I realize how badly I want to take the plunge and open a studio space. Hopefully this summer will allow me to do that.


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D86: Voices

When I awoke this morning, snow was lightly falling and calling my name. I quickly got ready, grabbed some coffee, and headed out the door. I've been wanting to take some shots in the cemetery this winter, but the snow has not been sticking very well.

As I arrived at the cemetery I noticed the snow was cooperating perfectly. I decided to leave the warmth of my truck and do some walking.

There was an overall feeling of warmth and reverence as I wandered up & down paths through this vast resting place. At one point I swear I heard soft voices singing a song in the distance behind me. When I turned around the singing stopped. I can't explain why, but I didn't feel creeped out at all. I had this strange sense of acceptance of this event that I could not explain.

As I continued my journey, I came across a headstone with this written on the back:

I wondered what his story was. What kind of man was he? Why didn't he have any children of his own? Does anyone come to visit his grave?

I hope my own headstone will have more than "uncle" on it. I'd like to think that I will have little ones running around one day, to carry on my legacy.

Some headstones were covered in snow, as if asking for a little privacy. Others stood alone, seemingly watching guard in solitude.

Below I've included a few other shots from this morning.







Manual: Page 122 - Deleting Individual Photographs
Once in a great while I'll get bored between shoots and actually delete my test shots.

Images:David Wittig
I really like David's b&w wedding work.


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D85: The Best Laid Plans

"We're going to the Sundance Film Festival today? Perfect, I'll pack my camera bag!"

A spur of the moment road trip combined with a picturesque ski-town promised to be quite a photo op.

As it turns out, I was more concerned about enjoying myself on my 1 night out of town than toting camera gear around. If I had an extra day to spend in Park City, I would have definitely spent more time behind the camera. Maybe next year I'll go down for a few days.

In the end I had a great time, and some great stories came out of the trip.

Manual: Page 121 - Protecting Photographs From Deletion
This is a feature I've only used once. With larger format memory cards, I've never had a reason to delete photos in-camera.

Images:Emilie Sommer
Emilie has some fantastic photo journalistic wedding galleries.


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D84: Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Smug

My roommate & I ventured down to Park City, Utah today for the closing weekend of the Sundance Film Festival. Smug was the dress-code, and we played it well. Never have I been to a place where a stocking cap, scarf, and sunglasses indoors were almost required.

We hit up galleries, restaurants, bars, the whole works. If there was something going down on Main Street tonight, we probably stopped by.

I've NEVER entertained the idea of living in Utah. Never ever. However, Park City is already starting to grow on me...

Manual: Page 170 - Television Playback
I only really use this when we have family get-togethers.

Images:Annette Biggers
Annette is from Triple Cord Photography, and is an amazing talent. I think their website is absolutely fantastically designed. Just Wow.


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