While playing around with the macro lens in the back yard, I noticed the cicada sunning itself on the patio umbrella. This is an example of focus stacking. Nine images, each manually focused at a different spot, were combined in a great application, Helicon Focus, from a company called HeliconSoft. Check out the links.
A Walk Around Our City
A few images from a stroll around South Bend on a quiet Sunday morning. See more in the growing DTSB gallery.
The Great American Eclipse of 2017
The eclipse is history. I had a long, hot, hot day out on a beautiful farm in Christian County, Western Kentucky. I was well prepared so it was all good. I met and spoke with interesting people. Made some new friends. Several with just their iPhones asked if I'd send them a few images. Absolutely. Happy to. In fact, that's already done.
The long wait was over. It started. Spectacular! Awesome! Breathtaking! Magnificent! Wondrous! A phenomenon-extravaganza like nothing else in nature! And then it was over.
Then began the arduous task of getting out into the incredible traffic, being patient, kind to other drivers. Several of us who kept creeping along together began conversations through our car windows. Thunderstorms brought that to an end. That's probably a good thing. Texting is probably only slightly more dangerous. After about four hours and only having gone about 20 miles, I began to wonder if it had been worth it. The traffic was epic! And by epic, I mean a seemingly endless, bumper-to-bumper mass of men and machines. I AM WELL AWARE THAT THERE WERE LADIES AND KIDS TOO SO DON'T GO ALL CRAZY ON ME! It was a common site to see a man and his sons facing away from the traffic taking care of necessary, normal functions. Other amazing men were seen shrouding their girlfriends, wives and daughters with blankets as they accomplished similar tasks. There weren't any options. It must be awful to be a lady in those situations.
When I finally got home a few hours ago and began going through my images it became obvious. Absolutely worth it! ABSOLUTELY! I'm working on more but these tell the story of the Great American Eclipse of 2017...the way I saw it. Actually the way my Fujifilm X-T2 saw it. "How do I love the, Fuji. Let me count the ways!"
I decided to use a more traditional astro-filter (orange) before totality and then switched to a less common, white-light filter after totality. You'll see the full sun (orange) before the big show started and end with the full sun (white) after it was all over. I've been doing photography many decades but never this. I knew getting partial eclipse images would not be a problem because I've been practicing shooting the sun for several weeks. What I was intent on trying to get (OK, I was stressed. I wasn't sweating because of the heat...OK, that too.) was Bailey's Beads (just before totality) the corona and sun-flares during totality and the Diamond Ring at the very end of totality. I don't generally pat myself on the back but I was way more successful than I had imagined. I am thrilled with the results. I freaking nailed it! Hope you enjoy.
Artbeat - Downtown South Bend
It was a beautiful day to be downtown South Bend (DTSB). The main streets were blocked off, turned into a pedestrian-only area and lined with all sorts of vendors. Each was peddling their latest art, crafts, information, food. Some were interactive, creating on-the-spot opportunities to unleash your creativity or watch an artisan do thier thing. More in the growing DTSB Gallery.
Eclipse Practice
Even though I've been using a camera for 5 decades, this eclipse thing has me really tied in knots. I've never tried my hand at anything like this. It's not simple to have a redo so I'm practicing. Not too worried about the partial eclipse shots. I want the "holy grail" shots. Intend to be ready! A little overcast on the last one but still pretty cool.
How to Photpgraph a Lighthouse
I caught Albert demonstrating how to photograph a lighthouse when you're right beside it. That's definitely a way.
National Railroad Museum
Spent several hours at this cool museum in Green Bay, WI. I'm not much of a train junkie but my cameras loved this place and I had a great time. You can not only walk around the giant machines but you can roam through the inside. If you're in the area, it's worth a stop, especially if you have kids. More in my planes, trains and automobiles gallery.
More Beautiful Italian Knobs and Knockers
See the previous post and see the rest here, in my Beautiful Italian Knobs & Knockers gallery.
Beautiful Italian Knobs and Knockers
Italian Knobs and Knockers
Read MoreMay 13 was the BIG DAY!
Albert and I have been together 20 years! Seems impossible. We finally decided to get married. We had a beautiful day with 120 wonderful friends joining us for the ceremony and dinner at The Barn at St. Joseph Farm. It's a spectacular venue out in the cornfields a few short minutes from South Bend, Indiana. The meal was amazing. Thank you Navarre! Our wedding planner was Cher, the owner of MerryMe Events, the premier and highly recommended event and wedding planner in our area. Thank you Cher! You said it would be perfect and you did not disappoint!
My niece happens to be a very talented photographer. She did our photos. We love the images she captured and we adore her. Thank you Jenny at Jenny Thomas Photography. You freaking nailed it! Hope you enjoy a few of our favorites from the day. They are in no particular order.
