Shot of the Day

Pelican at Launch

2012-02-05T08:55:00.001-08:00

Two things I tend to look for when traveling are colorful sunsets and birds. Really cool when you can get to cooperate to put a nice shot together. All you have to do is watch and wait. This was from the Beach in Naples, Florida.

Red Maui, again

2012-02-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

Got a bunch of amazing sunsets pictures when I went to Maui late last year. This picture is completely unedited, which is rare for me since I shoot in Raw, which means that you have to "finish" the picture in the computer. Normally, you adjust the colors to make them deeper and richer and add contrast and sharpen a bit. You can go for an alteration of reality or just make the scene appear as it did when you took the shot. This picture didn't need any of that, which is surprising, but that is how deep the reds were already in the sky. If I added any red, it would look unnatural. Anyway, this is exactly as I remember it and I look forward to future visits and future deep red sunsets.

Coit Tower, San Francisco

2012-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

Coit Tower stands atop Telegraph Hill just south of downtown San Francisco. From the top of the tower you get some fantastic views of San Francisco including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the various piers, the financial district and Nob Hill. Tough walk up the hill, but worth it.

Ducks on a Pond

2012-01-27T12:28:00.001-08:00

Ducks on a Pond sounds better than Canadian Geese on a Pond so I went with that. Got this shot with a rented Nikon 600 millimeter lens that retails for around $10,000. Nice lens, but huge. Need a tripod to shoot with it. I love how sharp the focus is on the closer of the three birds. I was easily 75 yards away and this crop is blown up quite a bit and the shot stays sharp. If I ever win the lotto, I have to buy that lens.....

Out the Back Door

2012-01-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Whenever I am on a long road trip I always miss the comforts and joys of home. This fall I looked out the back window and saw this wonderful view of the backyard in the fog. Of course, had to grab a camera and take a shot. Miss that view today.

Edgartown Lighthouse -- Martha's Vineyard

2012-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

Got to visit Martha's Vineyard with Cheryl for our 30th anniversary in 2011. Great trip and a beautiful place to visit. Got up before sunrise (by myself, I might add) to walk down to the famous Edgartown Lighthouse. Was rewarded with some beautiful views.

The Transamerica Pyramid and San Francisco Skyline

2012-01-24T17:30:00.000-08:00

View of San Francisco skyline, Transamerica Pyramid and Alcatraz Island out there in the distance. Great city if you like hills. That is Coit Tower out there at the edge of the downtown, a great viewing platform for the city. I got up there a few days later and took a shot back towards the office building in which I was standing when I took this shot. San Francisco reminds me of an east coast city situated on the west coast.

Clio's turn

2012-01-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

I can't post a shot of William without a follow up of Clio. Took this yesterday just as she left go of her hat. Clio is at a healthy 7 months. No crawling yet, but sitting up and smiling all the time. Four great kids and now two wonderful grandkids. Doesn't get any better than this, except, come to think of it, when one of the kids buys dinner.

William with Attitude

2012-01-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

This photo blog is about places that I visit while traveling for work and play. However, the restarted blog will also focus on shots closer to home. This is one of my favorites, catching a bit of attitude coming from William.

Yacht Race at the Chicago Lighthouse

2012-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

Spent a fine summer day walking Navy Pier and happened on a yacht race near the Chicago Lighthouse. A fine summer day usually makes for a fine shooting opportunity and this was no exception. What a great view of blue and white.

Ring Around the Moon

2012-01-20T17:39:00.001-08:00

Had a full moon while in Maui at a work event last year and caught a nice "ring around the moon" while at an outdoor dinner. Laid the camera on the table and took a shot straight up. Also caught Jupiter near the moon in the upper left of the picture. Nice two-fer. The ring around the Moon is caused by the refraction of moonlight (which of
course is reflected sunlight) from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the ice crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. Keep looking up.

NYC Rockafeller Center Water Sprite

2012-01-16T09:31:00.001-08:00

Got a chance to walk around Rockefeller Center heading to the ice rink with my new Sweet 35 Lens Baby. As you can see, it is a lens that allows you to select your area of focus and blur everything else out. Now I can go back to areas that I have already visited to try to find a different perspective in my travels.

2011 Shot of the Year

2012-01-16T09:13:00.001-08:00

I thought that this was my shot of the year. This is the same picture with two different crops. I posted the wider shot previously on Facebook and it got published in the Daily Herald but I wanted to post it here as well. As noted in yesterday's blog, these are Sandhill Cranes that I took at Jasper-Pulaski State Park in Indiana. I rented a 600mm lens for the weekend which takes tack-sharp shots at a distance. Amazing lens that sells for over $10,000 but is an excellent rental from Calumet Photo.

I like the wider shot with the deer faintly in the background with the green grass and dark trees but the tigher shot of the 5 lead birds is also a nice composition. I am not sure which composition is the better one? The great thing about this lens is that if you nail the focus, you can zoom in and the quality remains amazing.

2012-01-15T11:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's shot was under the water so I thought for today's shot of the day I should go up and grab a shot I took this fall of some migrating Sandhill Cranes in Indiana. These are very large, loud birds making their way from parts north on their way to Florida. Who can blame them? Got lucky with this shot of four that seem to stack up as they came overhead.

Snuba in Blue

2012-01-14T07:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's shot was very red, so I thought of posting a very blue shot today. While in Maui I got to try a new form of diving called Snuba. It is scuba diving with the air tank floating on the surface. Much quicker to learn and safer as you can only dive to the length of your air hose, in this case 30 feet. Very cool. This is a shot with a rented water camera of one of the other participants in the Snuba class.

Blood Red Maui Sunset

2012-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

Caught a work trip to Maui earlier this year and a beautiful sunset to boot. I think there might have been dust in the air from recent volcanic activity on a nearby island since all three of the sunsets I was able to see were quite spectacular. That's the island of Lanai below the clouds in the distance taken from the Kaanapail side of Maui.

Restarting the Blog

2012-01-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

I had one, count em, one fan request that I restart this site and that was enough to spur me on (thanks Eric). However, if I am going to continue to post a shot every day I can, I have to post shots that I am currently shooting so I am going to have to include some grandkid and family shots, besides the locations that I travel to for work. The best of these shots can also be found at https://mdshotoftheday.smugmug.com. Anyway, here is a rare shot of William and Clio together. They really don't hang much at this point but I caught them together--ok, we staged it--what can I say. Love the grandkids.

Quick note

2011-05-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note that is long overdue. Shot of the Day is taking time off to get some new shots stored up from interesting locations. I didn't want to keep posting less interesting shots so I needed to get out there and build up a new library. Hope to restart the daily updates soon--Mike.

Moon and Venus setting

2010-12-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

Got a great early morning shot of the Moon and Venus setting in the west over the beach near San Diego. Had a conference near there and got up early for a run. Was too dark, so took some shots instead.

Naperville Balloon Fest

2010-12-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

Posted some of these earlier but still have a few more that I like. Won't see any balloons in the sky anytime soon. About 20 degrees today.

San Francisco China Town at Night

2010-12-06T18:29:00.000-08:00

Love the colors in the "magic hour" just after the sun sets before it gets too dark. Also helps to be in a magic place, in this case, Chinatown in San Fransisco. Found some color and shot it.

Daisy Chain

2010-12-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

The first real cold snap of the season is coming, so I thought I would grab one of the warmer shots in my portfolio. This is one of my favorites and is a great reminder that summer is surely coming.

Nap Time -- Beijing China

2010-12-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

A young man decided to take a nap and use some colored stone as a pillow bed. Actually, looks kinda comfortable but it was the color that attracted my eye. Had to have this shot for my collection.

Grant Park Chicago

2010-12-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

Already miss the warm weather. Fun June shot of Michigan Avenue high rises and wildflower beds from Grant Park.

Alcatraz Island

2010-12-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

Got a great view of the island from near Fisherman's Wharf. Can't help thinking that it is not a long swim, but the San Francisco Bay has one of the biggest tides of any area in the world. The Bay rises and falls about 5-6 feet, four times a day. You start swimming in the Bay and you end up in the Pacific Ocean.

Fisherman San Francisco Bay

2010-12-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

Caught this nice shot of a local fisherman, setting up his line one of the wharfs in San Francisco Bay. Went to take pictures of Alcatraz, but this turned out to be the much more interesting shot.

Paradise Found--Nassau, Bahama

2010-11-30T16:59:00.001-08:00

Last summer we were able to take a cruise to the Bahamas and got a chance to visit Paradise. That is, we got to walk around the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. What an amazing resort. Every feature is over the top. This shot is from part of the lobby, where you can see the aquarium. Have to stay there some day. The casino, the pools, the restaurants and bars. Wow. What a place.

New York City--backside view

2010-11-29T18:12:00.000-08:00

Not your most familar angle of New York City so I thought it made an interesting shot. This was taken in the 30th street area past 9th avenue, not too far from the convention center. Wonderful fall day to walk in the city.

Fireworks at US Cellular Field

2010-11-28T09:14:00.001-08:00

Handheld IPhone shot so not the best quality, but caught a nice set of fireworks after one of last years Chicago White Sox games. Always a fun time at beautiful US Cellular Field. Just a few months away from spring training...

New York Library at Night

2010-11-27T10:56:00.000-08:00

I was walking down towards the Empire State Building hoping to get some night shots from the balcony, but go clouded out. On the way back, caught this nighttime display projected on to the New York City Library building. I liked the colors, so of course, I took the shot. Not bad without a tripod. Because of the open shutter, I also got a bit of movement of the cabs which worked out kinda cool, I thought.

Chicago Theater Symbol

2010-11-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

This is a famous sign from the Chicago Theater and it appears in many other places in and around Chicago. By the way, the "Y" symbol in the center stands for the Chicago River where it forks north and south and runs down toward the lake.

Wrigley Building and Trump Tower

2010-11-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

Actually, the first building in the shot is the Equitable Building, where I had an office during my first job just out of grad school. Wonderful location on Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River. Always lots of tourists around giving the area a very active feel. Miss those days.

Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, Mass

2010-11-24T07:22:00.000-08:00

After the kids got old enough for us to travel a bit on our own, Cheryl and I hit the regional theater circuit to see the Stockbridge Theater Festival and stayed at one of our favorite places to visit, The Red Lion Inn, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Stockbridge is a wonderful small town up in the Berkshires. This hotel is the subject of a famous painting by a equally famous Stockbridge resident, Norman Rockwell. There is a art museum there with all of his Saturday Evening Post covers and other art work by this iconic artist. We have visited there a couple of times and can't wait to go again. One of my favorite pictures of Cheryl and me was taken there.

Okie-Tex Star Party

2010-11-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

I realized looking through my portfolio that I didn't post any shots from my astronomy travel. Back in 2006 a buddy and I drove to a "star party" near the Oklahoma/Texas border. We were joined there by about 300 other astronomy geeks who got together in one of the darkest places in the United States. There are no towns, no lights, houses for miles and miles and miles. You get a completely dark sky in those locations, great for astronomy. Anyway, this is from a shot over the bluff looking down on some of the camp site. Fun trip, although that year every tent got blown away by the remnants of a hurricane that came up from the gulf. My camp site is down there in the center of the shot. I had a camper that year so we stayed warm and dry and got great views of the summer skies. Can't wait to go back there again someday.

Ok, that was a little scary, although true climbers would not be nervous at all. Getting up there was a bit of a climb, but you got a great view of Table Mountain and the bluffs around this beautiful region of Oklahoma.

Miami Beach Street Scene

2010-11-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

Nice little area in Miami Beach with lots of restaurants and bars. Miami Beach away from the main tourist area is still a collection of small art deco hotels and strip clubs. It is a strange mix of the old and new.

Miami Beach from the Air

2010-11-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Grabbed a quick shot while departing Miami this week. Got lucky in the timing of my visit as I got to see the Bears play for a victory at Sun Life Stadium. Anyway, interesting and sad to see from the air that no spot of land below is left undeveloped.

Miami Beach Cigar Shop

2010-11-20T07:03:00.000-08:00

Got out of the hotel late for dinner this past week and walked along the shops in Miami Beach. Got drawn to this colorful shot like a moth to a flame. Don't like the Hookah, but they make a nice colorful shot.

Jeff Beck at Bonnaroo, near Nashville

2010-11-19T18:20:00.001-08:00

Got to go to Bonnaroo with Stephanie this past summer. Brought her and 7 of her friends. Although I was supposed to drive them in and get lost, I had a blast listening to all of the bands. Hope to go back in 2011. Bonnaroo is a week long music festival in central Tennessee in a farm field a couple of hours from Nashville. Very hot and if it rains, a big pile of mud but a great opportunity to see old bands and new. This is a shot of Jeff Beck who put on a heck of a show. Lots of fun.

Strange Address -- Seattle

2010-11-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

Wandering around earlier in the year and came across this strange address in Seattle near the Public Market area. Thought it was a Harry Potter-esque kinda thing. Anyway, struck my fancy....

Grassy Knoll -- Dealey Plaza, Dallas

2010-11-15T17:58:00.000-08:00

Strange shot of a very effecting place. There are somewhat semi-homeless people hanging around giving "authorized" tours of the area. Kinda creepy that they have an "x" on the street where the shot occurred. Tough to see, but it is right in the center of this shot. You think you don't want to do take a tour, but it turns out, the tour guides are pretty knowledgeable about the area and what happened in 1963. The thing you notice right away is how close everything is and how unlikely anyone could be on the "grassy knoll" where I was standing when I took this picture and be unnoticed.

Colored Lights

2010-11-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

Happened to take this shot in Beijing but it could have been anywhere. Just a string of colorful lights at night and a shutter set to open as I moved the camera to create this interesting effect. Nothing fancy, but fits the theme of looking for color in the world.....

Beautiful Details Beijing Summer Palace

2010-11-13T04:23:00.000-08:00

Any house that the Emperor occupied had designations on the corner of the building representing what that building was for. These made for interesting and colorful shots.

Tourist Boats at the Summer Palace

2010-11-12T04:49:00.001-08:00

These wonderful boats take the tourists who visit the Summer Palace near Beijing out for a ride in this man-made lake that was original created for the Empress Dowager in the mid-1800's. Beijing is an extremely hot place in the summer and the breezes off of this lake were wonderful to feel. I love how the trees in the background can be seen to be swaying in the wind. So happy that I had a chance to take Stephi there in 2009.

New York Police--sponsored by Yahoo

2010-11-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

Apparently, the New York Police are now sponsored by Yahoo. Seriously, it is interesting how many people take a picture of this police station in the center of Times Square. It is a bit of a tourist icon of New York.

Washington DC Street Scene

2010-11-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Took this shot of some colorful buildings in Washington DC near DuPont Circle. Nice area of shops and restaurants not too far from the White House and mall area. Great place to visit.

Baltimore Bookstore

2010-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

I am a sucker for bookstores. I like the chains. I like the independents. I like the online options. This is why I have something like 50 books purchased but unread up on my bookshelf. Whenever we have time between meetings on the road, I usually end up killing time in a book store and ending up with another book on the shelf. I try to read them but I can't keep up. Anyway, I especially like when they put a bookstore in an old power plant like they did in Baltimore. Wonderful use of an old space.

William at Halloween

2010-11-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

This blog is supposed to be about places that I have traveled for work and play. However, I have to post at least one shot of William. He is a tough subject to shoot as he has this knack for blinking just as I push the shutter release. Anyway, there is nothing like the smile of a two year old.

Universal Studios At Night

2010-11-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

Shot overlooking the night scene in Universal Studios. Had a great time there celebrating Gary Bell's 50th birthday.

Hogsmeade

2010-11-01T20:42:00.001-07:00

Once you get past the crowds in Universal Studios Florida, you are in the town of Hogsmeade, the place where Harry Potter and friends go to get away from school. Great representation of the movie in this village. Universal spared no expense giving us a chance to visit places that Harry Potter has frequented. Now, if we can only play some real Quidditch on flying brooms....

Unversal Studios, Florida

2010-11-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Iconic shot from the riverboat on the way to Universal Studios from our hotel this summer. Strange place to visit, since right now, it is all about Harry Potter. The lines just to get into that area stretch around the park. Hour long lines this summer just to get into some of the shops that sell Harry Potter wands and other items made famous in the movies. The rest of the park, Loony Tunes, Jurassic Park, etc. are just about empty. Haven't been to Disney in some time, but I still favor Disney World over Universal. Older kids and teens, probably disagree. Enjoyed our visit, nonetheless.

Stained Glass Window -- Puerto Rico

2010-10-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

Did a tour of Old San Juan when I was there earlier this year and saw this beautiful stained glass window in a government building. Caught the view at just the right time of the evening when the colors were just about perfect. Timing is everything.

Up (again) -- New York City

2010-10-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Always something looking up in New York City. This is a shot on the west side of 7th Avenue (I think) not far from Times Square. Always need to look up while walking in the city. Of course, don't do that while crossing New York City streets.

Big D -- Minneapolis

2010-10-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

Don't know if this big "D" stands for "Dumb" or if this splash of color fits the theme of this blog. This shot was taken inside an abandoned mill along the Mississippi River just outside downtown Minneapolis and is now part of a museum complex celebrating the mill era that made Minneapolis the capital for milling in the United States back in the 1800's.

Naperville Water Sculpture

2010-10-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Amazing how many people that I met around the country have visited Naperville or have friends or family living here. It is a great place to live and raise a family. Nice water sculptures too.

Just color

2010-10-25T08:01:00.001-07:00

Saw this shot and had to get it. Just for fun. If you must know, it is cable of some sort at a construction site.

Wayzata Bay, Minnesoata

2010-10-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Wayzata is a suburban community near Minneapolis. This town has a beautiful bay right adjacent to the downtown area. Our morning meeting gave a few minutes to take a shot just as the sun was rising. Morning colors are always so interesting. Wayzata is an Indian name for the Sioux god of the north who blows cold wind out of his mouth. While it can be very cold here, this day was a beautiful late fall day with temps in the 70's. The god must of been sleeping, but he will be up soon....

Moon Rise Over Lake Pepin

2010-10-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Got off the highway to see if I could find some interesting shots on the way to Minneapolis and saw this view on the bank of Lake Pepin, a natural lake formed by the Mississippi River. Fall colors are just past peak up north, but got lucky with a nice calm view of the lake.

We are SPARTA --- Wisconsin

2010-10-21T09:40:00.001-07:00

Apparently, Sparta, Wisconsin is the "Bicycling Capital of America". I never knew that. When I thought of doing this blog, this is the type of "Americana" shot that I thought I would be posting on a regular basis. Turns out, these are pretty boring shots, but I had to post one or two, just for show. Sparta, Wisconsin is up near La Crosse on the way to Minneapolis if you get off the main highway. Getting off of the main highway is exactly what I needed to do to survive all of this travel. So, now we all know that Sparta is the bicycling capital of the US. How do they get that title? Was it voted on? Just curious.

Moon Rise over the Golden Gate--Version 2

2010-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

A little later in the night as compared to a previous shot posted earlier showed a just-passed full moon rising over the Golden Gate. I hooked up by accident with a "moon walk" group going out to a lighthouse looking back towards the city. Fortune sometimes works better than planning.

Shanghi TV Tower

2010-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

A dominate part of the Shanghi skyline is the Shanghi TV Tower which is also gives great viewing platform for the city.

The Renaissance started here

2010-10-17T17:17:00.001-07:00

This is one panel from the door to the Baptistery across the courtyard from the Duomo Cathedral in Florence. There is always a crowd of people around this door and you might walk by and say, "well it is a pretty door in bronze, by why all the fuss?" The "fuss" is that is could be said that the Renaissance started here, in the competition to produce these panels of this door as the artists of the time discovered perspective as wonderfully displayed by Ghiberti, a contemporary of Michelangelo. Prior to the Renaissance, artists would depict objects within their paintings or carvings further back in the distance by placing them up higher in the frame. That is why pre-renaissance art work looks strange to us. We are looking for perspective and everything is located within one plane. The Renaissance and the discovery of perspective kick started a revolution in art and in thought that continues on to this day. Interesting how art sparked science and it all started with the competition to carve these frames, which Michelangelo later called the "Gates of Paradise".

Alaskan Fall Colors

2010-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

I thought when I took this shot a few weeks ago that I just missed the peak color season as there were no reds in view. However, I was later told by a local that the trees don't show red in Alaska. Yellow and green is all you get, which is just fine by me as this scene is hard to top. Wonderful views with my back to the Turnagain Sound just outside of Anchorage.

Bug in Florida Brush

2010-10-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

When is a Volkswagon Beetle an RV? When an RV owns a Bug. This car was on the property of RV, Robin Van Arsdol, a painter of some renown who we visited while we were in Florida last year. RV is famous for his street art graffiti and is know as one of the catalysts of the New York City street art movement of the Eighties and has come to be an American staple in the European art world. We met him near Orlando where he lives with his family. Stephanie really enjoyed her visit. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

Madrid, New Mexico

2010-10-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Did you see the movie 'Wild Hogs' with Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, John Travolta and William Macy? Well, the whole end of the movie was filmed in Madrid, a two block long town situated between Albuquerque and Santa Fe where the bikers stood up to the bad guys and resolved all of their life issues. Got to love these small towns and their quirky charm. Lots of leftover hippies end up in these towns and these are what old hippy mail boxes look like.

Hermosa Bar at Night

2010-10-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

I was walking back to the hotel in Hermosa Beach after dinner and saw this splash of color and had to shoot it. One day, I might actually go in....

Noble Bird

2010-10-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Visited the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage Glacier about an hour south of Anchorage down Seward Highway. They had this beautiful American Bald Eagle there, although I hope it was in captivity as an injured bird and not just for show. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a drive-through wildlife viewing park. Got to see bear, moose, elk, buffalo, and musk ox which is a strange looking creature. This was my second trip to the Center. Never thought I would get a chance to go back again. Strange the places that life (in this case, work) takes you.

Feeling Grungy at Work

2010-10-08T19:30:00.001-07:00

Here is my building again and I was in a grungy kinda mood so I played around with the colors to get this version of a shot I posted previously.

Chicago Theater from the Inside

2010-10-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

Took a fun and informative tour of Chicago Theater, a wonderful art deco building that almost got the wrecking ball back in the 80's. The people of Chicago stepped up and helped save this beautiful building. This is a view from the balcony.

Another Great Reason to Vist San Francisco

2010-10-06T18:04:00.001-07:00

Not a lot of explaining necessary here. I will say that the old Ghirardelli chocolate factory has been turned into a bunch of shops and restaurants that make this area of San Francisco near Fisherman's Wharf a fun place to visit. Oh yea, the chocolate is excellent too.

Freaky San Francisco

2010-10-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Is this window display in Chinatown San Francisco designed to sell art or scare away the customers? I love how you can't see the eyes. Wonderful freaky view.

Portgage Glacier, Alaska

2010-10-03T15:33:00.001-07:00

Seeing a glacier up fairly close is quite an experience. It is a shocking shade of blue, which is not a color that I expect to see with a glacier. Even the water in the lake below the glacier has a strange blue/green shade that is quite different from other bodies of water. This glacier is only about an hour out of Anchorage so it is easy to get to. I saw this same glacier a couple of years ago. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it hasn't moved higher up the mountain from what I remembered from that visit. The "fog" in the shot is really rain as it was coming down pretty good when I took this shot.

Alaskan Berries

2010-10-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Saw these wonderful red colored berries in a tree right near Girdwood, Alaska. Tried to find out what kind they are, but there are so many different kinds of red berries in Alaska, that I gave up. Look a little cranberry colored to me. Anyway, nice shot of red and green looking up to the sky.

Turnagain Inlet, Anchorage Alaska

2010-10-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

This waterway is a very interesting area. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful at every turn, but this is one of only 60 areas in the world that has what is called a "tidal bore". As the old tide is still flowing out of the inlet, the next tide is trying to rush in. Eventually the new tide overcomes the old and a wall of water comes down the waterway at about 15 mph. I saw it once the last time I was in Alaska a couple of years ago. It looks like a wall of water about 2 feet high flowing steadily down the cove. I read that it could be 10-15 feet high in the spring. I missed it this trip as it happened while I was in meetings. Anyway, beautiful and very cool area.

Report from Alaska

2010-09-30T10:34:00.001-07:00

Fall is coming and the Chugach National Forest just outside Anchorage is already at peak color. Was looking for a shot like this all day, where I can show the colors to their best effect. Took a lot of shots while driving Route 1 to Girdwood. This was my favorite shot of the day. I just totally loved the splash of color.

Golden Gate Reflection Pool

2010-09-28T08:44:00.001-07:00

Wonderful area heading up to the Golden Gate Bridge called Chissy Park and the old Fort Point military base right below the bridge. I am told that Industrial Light and Magic has taken over some of the buildings. In any case, what a great area for bikers, runners and sports of all sorts.

Golden Gate in a Fog Bank

2010-09-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Looks like we have a week's worth of Golden Gate shots. Really enjoyed my bike ride across the bridge. This is a shot looking back towards the city. All you can see below the bridge is the fog bank. Wonderful biking through the fog as it was at least 20 degrees cooler. Interesting how the fog goes right up to the bridge and then mostly stops.

Golden Gate in Fog

2010-09-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

Took the opportunity of having to work over the weekend in San Francisco by using my free time to bike the Golden Gate bridge. Had a great day. What a beautiful scene seeing and biking through the fog sitting just on and just under the Golden Gate bridge. Quite a challenging ride as well, biking up the hill leading up to the bridge. What a fun, fantastic city to visit.

Moon Rise over the Golden Gate

2010-09-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

One of the best reasons to get out of the hotel room is to see something you don't normally get to see. Stopped to take some pictures of the Golden Gate from the other side of San Francisco and accidentally fell in with a group going to observe a moon rise over the Golden Gate from an area called Pointe Bonita. So, I joined them and got some great shots and had an enjoyable evening. Not bad for having to hang out of town for a weekend by myself.

New York Broadway Street Scene

2010-09-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

They did an experiment in New York City this summer where they closed Broadway in the afternoon and had a street fair of sorts. Traffic didn't seem to be any worse than always and it was easier to move around on the sidewalks and out on the streets. You got to sit out on various chairs and tables and enjoy the nice weather. Nice idea. I hope they keep it up.

Waikiki Beach View

2010-09-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

It is a long way to go but once you get there, Waikiki is an excellent, fun beach to visit. This is shot from right across from the beach on Kalakaua avenue right about where the locals teach the tourists how to surf. Kalakaua Avenue has tons of world class shopping, dinning and hotels. I actually like the beaches on the other side of the island which I was able to visit the last time I was there back in 2008.

The Doors of Old San Juan

2010-09-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of doing this type of post when I was walking around shooting these doors in Old San Juan. The story is that a building doesn't have to pay property tax if they have a different color than anything next door or across the street. Makes for a very colorful area to visit and I am always on the outlook for color. Found it in spades in Old San Juan.

Beijing Street Scene

2010-09-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

I hesitated posting this shot for quite some time as I do not feel that it represents what we saw in China. However, poverty is everywhere, even in China. (Heck, I see more beggers every day on my way to work in Chicago than anything I saw in China.) Still, this poor soul put himself right on a busy walkway and I took the shot. What I really remember in China is the aggressive street sellers at all the tourist stops. Any chance at all, you got swamped with dozens of street hawkers looking to sell anything they could to you. Very aggressive. Anyway, I think this turned out to be an interesting shot.

Florence Street Scene

2010-09-18T10:08:00.001-07:00

This is what I remember most about Florence. Lots of shopping stalls and historical buildings right nearby. History and shopping. What could be a better combination?

Philly Street Scene

2010-09-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

I was walking around Philly after my meetings earlier this summer and looking for interesting shots to take. I figured the City of Brotherly Love will have lots of shot possibilities. I saw these three people and, I don't know, but I liked somehow the way they were positioned and took a quick shot while no one was looking.

I left my heart in San Francisco

2010-09-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

Always on the outlook for color, even in fish signs. This is from a restaurant near my usual hotel in San Francisco. I liked the sign, but I ate at a pizza joint across the way.

Venice Beach Colorful Junk

2010-09-15T18:38:00.001-07:00

Always on the outlook for color and spotted this collection of items just off of the sidewalk on Venice Beach. Pile of junk or artistic expression of a alleyway artist? You decide.

Mao and the Forbidden City

2010-09-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

Chairman Mao still hangs over the main entrance to the Forbidden City. For this shot I am standing with Tiananmen Square at my back. The Forbidden City is right in the heart of Beijing and was home to 24 emperors going back to the Ming Dynasty. We are lucky the Palace is still there with the Cultural Revolution almost sacking and tearing the structure down. Most of the walls surrounding the original city were destroyed. Zhou Enlai saved the Palace itself by stationing an army battalion inside.

Colorful Beijing Market Scene

2010-09-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

Walking by this colorful Beijing indoor market stall you know I have to take a shot. Always looking for color and saw a bunch of it at this stall. I don't think this vendor missed a trick in the must have tourist department.

St Louis Arch

2010-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Tough to get a new and interesting view of the Arch as it has been photographed so much. So, I tried to get in close and use the angles to draw viewers into the shot. The Arch has only been around since 1965 so many in their late 50's or older should remember an arch-free St. Louis. Hard to imagine a city building something like this today.

Illinois Farm Land

2010-09-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

Felt like playing around with this shot to try to see what I can do inside Photoshop. I think I got kinda a 3D look with the shot. No, it is not realistic, but I had fun making some artistic choices abd frankly, the original shot was a bit boring.

Hotel/Hotel -- Central Illinois

2010-09-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Saw this run down building that called itself Hotel/Hotel (couldn't think of a better name?) on the way down to Champaign. Got to love these old buildings but even when this building was not old, it would have made a strange sort of hotel. I imagine the rooms would be very small and vertical. This building probably has a lot of stories to tell. It is a shame we we never know any of them.

Fall is coming--Naperville

2010-09-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

Suddenly the temperatures start to change and you notice it getting darker quicker. Here is a shot of what is coming from a walk that I did last year close to the house. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Such colors. Can't wait to catch some fall color this year.

Florence -- The Rape of the Sabine Women

2010-09-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

This was one of the two sculptures that really floored me in Florence. The first was Michelangelo's David, which was just so much better than anything I had ever seen before. Unfortunately, David is located indoors and they don't let you take a picture of it (Jono did anyway, shooting through a plastic bag, see below). The second sculpture was this one which I thought was called, the Rape of Venus, but now I know is correctly called the Rape of the Sabine Women, done by Giambologna in 1582, who was very much influenced by Michelangelo. That one is located in the central square outdoors in Florence. I thought that they were both amazing pieces of work.

Malibu Coastal Tree

2010-09-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Saw this wonderful tree at a co-worker's rental house right on the beach in Malibu. Wonderful area and just a fantastic place to live. So beautiful.

Old San Juan--the grunge look

2010-09-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Funny how you can take a ho-hum shot of a colorful street corner--this one happens to be in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico--and with a little software trickery, it turns into something else entirely. Just learned how to create this look and it fits this scene pretty nicely. No, it is not real, but taking any picture changes reality.

River Seine Paris

2010-08-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful area with lots of history as the River Seine winds through the city of Paris. The island is the Ile St. Louis, where Paris was born. Ile St. Louis is a traditional refuge of the Parisian upper classes. Many artists found their way onto the island, including famous figures such as Hemingway, and the island is covered in examples of 17th century architecture. Notre Dame is somewhere there in the distance.

New Orleans Fortune Teller

2010-08-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

Can't help but find strange things to photograph walking around in New Orleans in the French Quarter. It takes an amazing number of items, I guess, to get a correct reading from the fortune teller. I should have asked her when the recession was going to end.

Colorful Chicago, part 2

2010-08-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

Used this title before but it works for this shot as well. Always on the lookout for color and this old building had lots of it. I think this used to be a bar on the near north side.

Florence -- pretty as a painting

2010-08-28T11:12:00.001-07:00

Loved Florence and can't wait to go back there some day. This is a shot looking at the historical district taken from a Medici palace window. They were the ruling family and a major player in Italian politics for hundreds of years. Anyway, Florence looks like a painting to me.....

The Boxer -- Old San Juan

2010-08-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

This piece of art was part of a collection at a Bed and Breakfest that I stayed at in Old San Juan. Kinda freaky, depending on the light. The owners of the B&B was an artist and she had these incredible pieces of art all over the rambling collection of buildings. Definately enjoy B&Bs but you never quite know what you are gonig to get.