Saturday, August 11, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
NikonSniper: The Golden Years UPDATED!
OK, I've said this before and I'll say it again. I was dropped a lot as a baby and I had more than just a taste of lead based paint chips. In the words of Forrest Gump, "I am not a smart man."
So, recently, just for kicks, I have been messing around with a wasp nest in a pipe beside my house. I would move the pipe around to watch the yellow-jackets searching for their home 10-20 feet away. This is fun. I further would bang the pipe against things till they would fall out of the pipe. Also fun, when you could further aggravate the nest of 4-6 wasps. I did this for a few days always banging 4-6 out of the nest and then moving the nest around.
About ten days ago, I was doing the old routine and thumped the pipe so hard against the decking on the side of the house only to have 60+ angry wasps roll out in a large ball right in front of my face. Mmmm ... paint chips! I think it was homecoming week in the pipe. So I discovered that I'm still fast when I have to be!
Seeing this large ball o'bees roll out in front of me started a very interesting process. First, my eyes told my brain this was dangerous. Wonder why I had to see the bees before I realized this was dangerous? Well, I am a product of the Texas school system! Anyway, when my eyes revealed danger to my brain, my adrenaline shot up stupid high. In fleeing, or should I say, in flight to the house, I rotated 180 degrees and took two strides with my left foot before picking up my right. This tore all kinds of stuff in my right leg.
The bees are still out in that pipe. I am now finally able to put weight on a bluey-yellow right leg again. And I think I'll move on to something equally entertaining like being a first-time rodeo clown at the county fair. How hard can that be?
I thought I would update this post with a photo of my leg that boasts what happens when you do this kind of thing at my age. If it gets any worse I'll cut you a piece for the next family barbeque. MMMM, they say the yellow meat is delicious. I will be dragging this leg behind me like a wounded vet in Colorado tomorrow. Oh, I knew I about this trip before I started jacking around with the bees. Not too smart huh?
Have a great weekend.
nikonsniper steve
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Photo Opportunities
When I look back over the pictures I have been able to shoot in the past few years I am blown away by the incredible beauty of what my lens has captured. WOW! I feel lucky to have been able to do this kind of thing. Most of the photos were shot while I was keeping up with a schedule of customer visits while traveling in the western USA. The better photos are actually shot on weekends of downtime when I am waiting to begin another week on the road.
Either way, the photos rarely reflect the emotions of what I am feeling at the time of shooting. I am often exhausted and racing from one stop to another. I dart every direction chasing the flashes of light I see out of the corners of my eyes. These flashes always drag me back for a closer look. Do you ever see flashes of light or color and turn around to go back and shoot? I never did when I was young but it seems I do this all the time now. I'll bet I have days where I put the car into reverse more than 100 times. Now my nose has become my guide and I follow it as much as possible. Maybe they will find me at the bottom of a hill one day after my nose sends me chasing a flash of light off a cliff. Either way ... for sure I had a blast all the way down taking pictures.
The term "run and shoot" was used to describe an offense used in the CFL and NFL for a while ... it also describes most of my weekends. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement when I see your reactions to the photos I have taken over this past year but I have seen a bit of a pattern of what you are all collectively appreciating.
It is with that in mind that I would like to make a suggestion for you who are photographers and want to live a day like me. Try to nail down places you do not normally go on a sheet of paper and set out early to chase those photo opportunities. Chart out 4 or 5 major things to shoot. Fill the whole day. Figure out the best times to be in each of them and shoot from every angle possible when you are at each one before moving on to the next one. THIS IS THE KEY I HAVE DISCOVERED ... Try to have moments along the way while traveling between your 4-5 spots when you deliberately say ... I am going to backup and go and see that other thing that you see along the way. It seems to me that my best shots are often the shots in between when I had no idea something would happen. Prepare yourself for that. Be careful driving if you are not used to thinking like this along the way.
When I am driving, my camera is literally on the floor within quick grabbing distance. It is always ready to fire in a fast shutter speed. That way I have a chance to catch that deer that suddenly appears. Remember ... if a turtle shows up ... you always have a chance to slow down your shutter speed for greater depth of field. You just don't get that opportunity when a beautiful Corvette comes flying around the corner.
The most important thing you do is to take in as much as possible of what you are seeing. Stopping to smell the roses IS really a good idea. Creation is a beautiful thing to see and it is most often ignored. God is screaming out to get your attention. I think He is shouting, Hey, come see this thing I made for you to see and learn more about me!
Keep an eye on the blog as I will be shooting the beautiful State of Colorado for the next week. Have a great Tuesday.
NikonSniper Steve
Either way, the photos rarely reflect the emotions of what I am feeling at the time of shooting. I am often exhausted and racing from one stop to another. I dart every direction chasing the flashes of light I see out of the corners of my eyes. These flashes always drag me back for a closer look. Do you ever see flashes of light or color and turn around to go back and shoot? I never did when I was young but it seems I do this all the time now. I'll bet I have days where I put the car into reverse more than 100 times. Now my nose has become my guide and I follow it as much as possible. Maybe they will find me at the bottom of a hill one day after my nose sends me chasing a flash of light off a cliff. Either way ... for sure I had a blast all the way down taking pictures.
The term "run and shoot" was used to describe an offense used in the CFL and NFL for a while ... it also describes most of my weekends. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement when I see your reactions to the photos I have taken over this past year but I have seen a bit of a pattern of what you are all collectively appreciating.
It is with that in mind that I would like to make a suggestion for you who are photographers and want to live a day like me. Try to nail down places you do not normally go on a sheet of paper and set out early to chase those photo opportunities. Chart out 4 or 5 major things to shoot. Fill the whole day. Figure out the best times to be in each of them and shoot from every angle possible when you are at each one before moving on to the next one. THIS IS THE KEY I HAVE DISCOVERED ... Try to have moments along the way while traveling between your 4-5 spots when you deliberately say ... I am going to backup and go and see that other thing that you see along the way. It seems to me that my best shots are often the shots in between when I had no idea something would happen. Prepare yourself for that. Be careful driving if you are not used to thinking like this along the way.
When I am driving, my camera is literally on the floor within quick grabbing distance. It is always ready to fire in a fast shutter speed. That way I have a chance to catch that deer that suddenly appears. Remember ... if a turtle shows up ... you always have a chance to slow down your shutter speed for greater depth of field. You just don't get that opportunity when a beautiful Corvette comes flying around the corner.
The most important thing you do is to take in as much as possible of what you are seeing. Stopping to smell the roses IS really a good idea. Creation is a beautiful thing to see and it is most often ignored. God is screaming out to get your attention. I think He is shouting, Hey, come see this thing I made for you to see and learn more about me!
Keep an eye on the blog as I will be shooting the beautiful State of Colorado for the next week. Have a great Tuesday.
NikonSniper Steve
Monday, August 6, 2012
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