Road Trip Coming Soon

Well, I feel the road approaching fast as this is my final weekend at home for a bit and I have to get some things this weekend for making the next trip. I leave Wednesday and will be landing in Las Vegas this time. I actually be spending time in Vegas till near the end of the trip. You can see the approximate stops along the way of this 17 day trip. I hope to have an opportunity to shoot some more at the Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Tucson Cactus Sunsets, Vegas Lights and maybe even Death Valley.

Let me know if you see something along my route that is worthy of a look. All the best to you and thanks for following.

NikonSniper Steve

Gathering To Fly

There's No Place Like Home

Well, we'll be heading to the airport in Albuquerque, NM for our flight home to Chicago in a few more hours. I really can't wait to be home again. As some of you know, I have only been there for ten hours in the last thirty days ... so you can imagine it will be nice not to be lugging bags for a while. New Mexico and Arizona are very beautiful and I will be happy to return after some "road rest".

I have captured hundreds of blogworthy photos (this is only my oppinion, you can tell me when they don't float your boat) on this trip and I will continue posting them with a mix of Fall photos from Illinois and Wisconsin in the next few weeks.

The weather in Illinois has drastically changed since I was there. Fall bit summer off in one big bite. That bite was through the gloves and half way to the second knuckles. I have heard that snow has already been in the Illinois air. Ouch! I know I will enjoy taking some photos at home this winter season mixed with a few warmer departures out of the snow to Arizona and Southern California.

Again, thanks for coming along on this trip with us. Your comments are always appreciated. I hope you can plan trips for yourself to New Mexico and Arizona. They really have a unique beauty you will never forget. Stay tuned as we continue shooting photos from no matter where we are in the USA. I will be making another road trip beginning October 28th to the Las Vegas area and Arizona.

God bless and stay tuned. NikonSniper Steve

Southwest Fall Day

Hit And Run Season In Albuquerque

All is well. I am pretty sure the New Mexico is better than the Old Mexico ... but you wouldn't believe that after hearing what the car rental people told me about getting the insurance adders. "Oh, well you should get the adders cause this is the time of year that people DO A LOT OF HIT AND RUNS". Oh, really? It's hit and run season and I'm sorry maddam but I have lived on the edge for my first 51 years ... you aren't gonna stop me. I'd rather send the car flying off a cliff myself than get sucked into that telemarketing-type line. It sorta makes you think that the car rental agencies hire people to drive around town looking for their own cars in order to damage them during the nights to get a few extra Balloon Fiesta Bucks.

So, I'll be looking for Hit and Run Bumper Stickers along the way.

Hey, there's real Indians out here! Who knew? Ha! Just kidding.

Off to see Mary Poppins near the balloons.

Columns Of Law

Capitol Staircase

Sacramento Deli

Stonewall Fence

Heading Home For 12 Hours

Well, as beautiful as it has been out here in the San Francisco Bay Area ... I am looking forward to heading home again on Wednesday. But, I will only be there for one night before heading to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta and to the Grand Canyon for a few sunsets and some vacation. This has been a long road trip and I am looking forward to a little more laid back photgraphic adventure in New Mexico and Arizona. I guess the only real difference is that I take family and more cameras on this type of trip. So, it's WAY better!
As always, I want to thank all of you for your kind words and comments. You have no idea how much they help to pass the evenings in the hotels when there is nothing else to do. I don't own a television at home so it feels strange to have a TV in a room. I really don't watch it very much ... sometimes I forget it's even there.
So, here's an updated schedule for the upcoming areas I will photograph. Your suggestions of what to see along the way are also very helpful.

October 8 - October 15 Albuquerque to the Grand Canyon
October 28 - November 14 Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma
December 6 - December 18 Los Angeles South, San Diego, Palm Springs
January 10 - January 26 Los Angeles North, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield

All the best to all of you. Keep shooting those photos. I learn from everything I see!
NikonSniper Steve

Beware Of The Raider Nation

Farms Without Horizons

East Visalia Saturday Morning

Glass Swimming Hole

SF Bay Area Trip Update

Here's the update. I will be heading west in 14 hours. I have a very early departure tomorrow and will fly to Sacramento via Dallas to pickup where I left off in my travels in August.
Everything is booked, bags are just waiting to be closed and open to add the last minute stuff that I almost always forget.

I will be covering the entire San Francisco Bay Area and more of Northern California on this trip departing September 16 and returning to Chicago on October 7. This trip will be very intense as there are many customers to visit in a 3 week period. See the approximate travel map above.

I will get back from this trip for 1 night and will get away for a bit of vacation to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta and the Grand Canyon. This is a trip I have always wanted to take and I am really looking forward to these uniquely American photographic opportunities.

I really appreciate your comments when I am on the road especially. You give me much to read when I am away and your ideas often spark new adventures and sidetrips along the way. You will never really know how much that helps pass the time on these longer treks.

So, fasten your seat belts ... and get ready for another trip to California. I always look for things that I have never seen or photographed before ... and it's really cool being totally clueless as to the new opportunities that can jump out in front of you to the sound of the blarring horns behind you.

My weekend plans at the moment are going to put me near Merced, CA so I think I will try to go to Yosemite. The following two weekends will be in the San Francisco Bay area. I gotta get to Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge ... and the Fish Market ... and uh, stay tuned!

NikonSniper Steve

Coyote Canyon

California Fire Spotter

Children, Gifts From God by Erin

M&M's And A Giraffe Pepsi Please

Happy Labor Day Weekend - Drive Safe

N-9-8-F-W ... Did Ya Fall Asleep Again?

Country Grill

Washington Rail Bridge

Desert Church

Sitting In Sacramento

Well, I am back at the Sacramemto airport waiting to fly home via Dallas. It's now looking questionable that I will arrive in Chicago tonight or tomorrow. I can't wait to see familiar faces again. It has been wonderful to see Northern California and Northern Nevada. I have learned a great deal about the terrain on this trip and look forward to seeing the San Francisco Bay area in a few weeks. Stay tuned to NikonSniper in the next 3-4 weeks for shots from Illinois, Wisconsin and a few extras from past trips to Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California on days I need to rest a bit. It's funny ... you would think I would get home and want to drop my camera for a while ... but I am usually shooting within 12 hours of my arrival with John, a friend of mine or my youngest daughter, Leah. See her blog at http://nikonsniperindiapers.blogspot.com/.

Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions over the past two weeks. You make traveling and being away from my family a little more tolerable. Thanks to all of you.

Have a great weekend ... wherever you are!
NikonSniper Steve

Thanks Trooper Lund

I just arrived in Elko, Nevada. I got a tip (without souvenir) from a Nevada State Trooper. What a great guy. Trooper Lund pulled over to make sure the old man (me) was OK. I was stopped on the side of the highway photographing mountains. What incredible rugged beauty. Nevada! You are such a surprise. What a gem to have in our great 50! State Trooper Lund told me about a great place to photograph near Elko. I am heading to the Lamoille Canyon for sundown on his advice ... and as you may know by now if you read this blog ... I listen to State Troopers.

NikonSniper Steve

Nevada Pebbles

Travel Update

Well, folks ... this trip is at the half way point. I have driven approxiately 1400 miles in Northern California. I have seen incredible rugged beauty here. In an hour or so I will be heading for Reno, Nevada. I will take a drive around Lake Taho on the way. This coming week I will be heading out towards Elko, NV before returning to Sacramento for the flight home. So there are still many miles ahead of me. It has been hot ... but I gotta tell ya ... 96 out here ain't that hot! If you don't believe me ... come visit Northern Illinois when it's 84 and humid. Many people must think I am crazy out here walking along the roads with my camera in full sun. It really feels nice to me.

Oh, I know ... it's that dry heat!

I had another really cool opportunity while rushing to the McArthur-Burney Falls. Remember that TV show CHiPs? Well, I gotta to meet one of them personally! Is that cool or what? Very nice officer that turned on the lights for me and everything! Gave me a souvenir proving our meeting together. Me being me ... you know I asked if I could get a quick photo of just the two of us by the squad car. I even asked if I could sit in the back for a quick snap. Well, ya can't get everything ... but she did give me some tips on driving if I did not want the souvenirs on next time I saw an adjunct member of the CHiPs cast.

Note: If you don't know ... CHiPs is what they call the California Highway Patrol.

West Coast Ride

Packed & Ready - August 9-22

Update: Packed and ready waiting my pickup to head to O'Hare. My next two-week trip is about to launch and will begin in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon. I will be heading to customers in Northern Nevada and Northern California. Here is the approximate route I will be taking along the way. I have decided to work Northern California first and wrap the trip up out in Nevada. As you can see from this approximate map, it does appear I will dip back into Oregon for a few hours again along the way. I will try to get photos as time allows. I should be near the forests that burned last year in California by next weekend so I know I will get to spend some extra time hunting for shots in that area.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Keep them coming. Time won't allow me to hit them all but maybe on the next trip to this area I can plan something.

Additional Schedule As Of Now
September 16 to October 7 - San Francisco Bay Area
October 8 to October 15 - Albuquerque to the Grand Canyon
October 28 to November 14 - Las Vegas and Complete Arizona Loop

Best Harvest Front Porch

Feel A Bit Like Dorothy

On Saturday, I will be heading back to the flatlands of Illinois. Illinois does not have the variation in terrain that is in the Pacific Northwest ... but still I am looking forward to getting home. Truly, Dorothy said it best ... "There's no place like home." I miss my wife, kids and grandkids and well, ... I haven't told the dog to shut up in almost two weeks. That alone is going to feel great!

I am sure most of you feel drawn to some area of the world. That's home for you. Well, I am heading back to the quirky little town of Woodstock, IL. Many of you have seen Woodstock but do not realize it. Woodstock was used in the filming of the Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day". That is where home is for me. And, yes! The people are as weird as depicted in the movie.

Washington and Oregon have been a great adventure for the 4+ weeks I have spent in your mountains, rivers, desert fields, ocean fronts, forests and cities. My eyes have been opened. I always envisioned the beauty from photos I had seen before I came ... but there are many wonders that were a complete surprise. This has been a great experience. Many of the recent followers that have joined us are from Washington and Oregon. I thank you for all of your suggestions of what to visit along the way. I have driven 5500 miles of your roads on these two trips. In the words of the Terminator ... "I'll be Bach".

I hope you will continue to look in on NikonSniper as I continue shooting from Illinois. My next trip has been scheduled. I will be returning to Northern California and Northern Nevada from August 9 to August 21.

Thanks for all your support.
NikonSniper Steve

Honey, 'Member That Dream Vacation I Promised? Sir-prise, Sir-prise, Sir-prise!

Washington And Oregon July 12-25

More photos from Washington and Oregon soon!

I may be on the way by the time most of you read this post. This trip will be two weeks and I will travel approximately as shown above beginning in Portland and heading sorta clockwise as seen here. It's a long very busy haul over 2100 miles but I know the scenery will help pass time between visits with customers.
Many of you have writing e-mail to me and have commented that I should be going to Astoria, Seattle or Tacoma. I agree. However, I was there about 3-4 weeks ago and posted many photos of that trek on this blog. You will have to back up a bit to find them. There are close to 900 photos on this blog now (100 per page) so I would guess many of those photos are back 100-200 photos by now.

Again, Thank you to all of you who toss travel tips my way. This route ahead is unchartered water for me. I only hope to do photographic justice to this beautiful part of the USA. This trip will be my last scheduled trip to Washington and Oregon for a while but I do expect to be back late this year.

Looking ahead. I have scheduled August 9 - August 21 for Northern California and Northern Nevada. Followed by September 16 - October 7 in the Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose areas. Then October 8-15 in Albuquerque for the Balloon Feast as well as a trip to the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest and Canyon de Chelly. So that's a bit to look forward to in the late summer and early fall.

Thanks for all your kind comments. I appreciate all your encouragement as well as your memories or impression of what the photo says to you. I purposefully do not write a lot of stuff on each photo. I'd rather just hear the many varied meanings or thoughts a photo has to others. I am still trying to figure out how we could all charter about three 747's and go on a long trip taking photos together!

All the best. NikonSniper Steve

Seattle Metro Transit to Mount Baker

The Five That Call Me "Poppy"

2009 Last Blast

More News

Well, I am starting to feel rested up from my very first trip to the great states of Washington and Oregon. I have bought my tickets and will be heading back again from July 12 - July 25.

I have now confirmed my tickets for two additional things I have wanted to photograph since I have owned digital cameras. They are the Grand Canyon and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. My wife and youngest daughter will be traveling with me in October to have a bit of vacation seeing these places and events. We will also visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Deserts which also have beautiful landscapes.

That's just a bit of the photographic road ahead but as for the more immediate future, there will be two more weeks in Washington & Oregon, then on to Northern California and Northern Nevada.

Thanks for all your encouragement and kind words. I hope many of you are getting your cameras out to try some new ideas perhaps gleaned from something you might see here. If you keep on shooting ... you will score hits. I know it. I am living proof.

All the best to you.
NikonSniper Steve

Mighty Kye - Our College Lawn Boy

Downtown Shuffle Downtown Beat

Our Grand Twin-ers

Portland Traffic

Heading Home to Illinois Soon

Well, I am nearing the end of this road trip. Seeing the beautiful states of Washington & Oregon has been a first for me. I have been in most areas of the country and yet the Pacific Northwest has never been my pleasure to travel until now. This has been a very eye opening experience. Your mountains, forests, waterfronts, rivers, waterfalls, wildlife, cities, small villages ... and above all your people are truly wonderful. This has been a glorious experience for me from a photographic perspective. I look forward to my return on July 12th thru July 25th after some much needed time with my family. God is seen all over your states. His creation is richly displayed here and you are the beneficiaries of such incredible beauty. BE PROUD Washington and Oregon. I am very proud that we have you in the USA.

NikonSniper Celebrates 600 Followers - Winners Declared

Well, I had nothing to do early Saturday AM while stuck in a hotel in Olympia, WA ... so I wrote down everyones name on a piece of paper and threw them in a basket. I picked the six (6) lucky winners of a SanDisk - 2GB Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card.

Winners are as follows:

1. Elaine of Alaska

2. Olivia Myles of Texas

3. #167 Dad of Arizona

4. McKay Family of an Unknown Location (there are no roads there).

5. Jenni Ross of Iowa

6. Dusty Lens of Minnesota

Congratulations. You six winners need to send a mailing address for the card. Send the address to nikonsniperguy@aol.com. Don't worry I am not some kind of creep that would sell your e-mail address to a national spam mailer.

Sorry the rest of you didn't win this time. We will do this again in the future ... so stay tuned.

God bless and thanks again to all of you!

NikonSniper Steve

Road Trip - June 4 to June 20

Hello all.

Well, the first of several road trips is just about to begin. Tomorrow I will leave Chicago for a trip from Seattle to Portland (June 4 to June 20).

I will continue to post photos daily if possible in the evenings (PST) or as time is available from those locations. When you are from the great North American Corn Belt it isn't that hard to look forward to seeing mountains. So, I will grab as many photo opportunities as time allows. I will be visiting with 36-40 customers so I have my work cut out for me.

Next. We are closing in on our 600th NikonSniper follower. This will likely happen while I am away. I will announce winners of a drawing shortly after we have hit the BIG 600. Winners will need to send an e-mail with an address for shipping the 2GB cards. This will stay private. Please do not post addresses on the comments section.

I am still working on photo contest ideas for months ahead. We are getting some sample high-quality NikonSniper hats printed for the winners. Maybe we will sell hats if you are interested but only the winners will have the logo with the additional words Sharp Shooter in gold. Lots of ideas are still being kicked around. Just another way to say thanks to all of you.

And finally to all of you. Sorry I have not been too interactive with my response to your comments recently. I have been scrambling to get many things done prior to my departure to the great American Northwest.

Continued Thanks for your kind words and encouragement.
All the best.
NikonSniper Steve

Well ... No Photos Today.

Sorry I am wiped out.
I participated in the moving of my Mother from Central Illinois to our little hamlet of Woodstock, IL today. I say I participated because I am not at all what I used to be. I thank God for a large family that did most of the hardest work. Still I ache and typing is hurting my finger tips. I will post something for you tomorrow. Maybe a cute little bunny I saw in East Peoria today ... Oh that last line could get me slapped.
Goodnight.
NikonSniper Steve

Thanks for The Second Cup Of Tea

Well, ... it happened again. Thanks to Jennifer at For The Love Of A Teddy Bear Blog I have again been awarded the infamous "One Lovely Blog Award." See http://fortheloveofateddybear.blogspot.com/

Yes, this happened again and … well, truthfully, if you recall the last time I was so emotionally moved (May 3rd) that I sat sobbing and my sons called me names and eventually decided to beat me up. See, ... I raised the boys like I was John Wayne or something ... and then well, I won a “Lovely Bloggie Award” … and I was like Lucille Ball doing the “Wahhhhhhhhh”. So, I am fairly sure this made my sons uncomfortable and they didn’t like to see me acting like a sissy ... so they decided to give me a few weeks out of the public eye in a private ward at the local hospital. By the way, ... you won’t understand this at all unless you back up to see the post back on May 3rd (if you are interested).

That said. I am again thankful for this selection Jennifer but trying desperately not to cry while the boy are in the vicinity. I do want to thank you for the thrill, honor and joy of the "Lovely Blog Award." I should get out of hospital next Wednesday from the last beating I received. Also, another problem with awarding me anything is that ... I am horrible at the duties being passed. This is all catching me at a very bad time. I am scrambling to prepare to spend extensive time in the Western USA (CA, OR, WA, AZ, NV) for my company. I will begin photographing as I travel through Oregon and Washington beginning Thursday, June 4. Stay tuned for a different look in photo landscapes.

So Jennifer, Thanks. You’re the bomb digity. Can you still say that … or is that out now?

I just hope my boys don’t react the same way to me having two pink teacups now. Come to think of it … that does sound a bit … well, … my Dad even would slap me for two pink teacups.

Thanks for your selection.
NikonSniper Steve

News & Continued Thanks To All Of YOu

A new broadening of my photography repertoire will be announced soon. I can't wait to tell you all but I must keep it bottled for a few more days while details are finalized.

On another note, I am again very thankful to all of you bloggies for your kind remarks and encouragement. The number of followers has grown very fast and it is pushing me a little harder to improve with so many attentive eyes.

Truth is ... somedays I don't think I can find anything to shoot. Tonight I was out with one of my sons in Glacial Park in McHenry County. I was feeling the photographic blah of heavily overcast skies. Nothing to photograph! Suddenly a deer, then a few more nearly right beside the car. Sometimes the best photographs you see are written only on the memory card of your God-given brain and while it's color quality is brilliant in that moment ... it may fade as time continues. The next post is all I got for the effort.

NikonSniper Steve

Home Of The Former Hair Stylist

Shots Shot

One Lovely Blog Award

Well, ... it finally happened. And I think the world is a little better for it. Thanks to Jane at Gaston Studio Blog I have been awarded the infamous "One Lovely Blog Award." See http://gastonstudio.blogspot.com/

What can I say? Tears ... and well, I'm sobbing profusely. My sons are looking at me like I am should have played powderpuff football. They keep muttering things under their breath ... "He won what?". They keep saying things like I have turned "totally sissy on them." But, Jane, I want to thank you for the thrill, honor and joy of the "Lovely Blog Award." Truthfully ... the word "Lovely" has only been in vocabulary in the last few years. But ... I am working on growing older in a little bit more mellow fashion than my first 50 years. So, ... thanks to Jane ... I get to add the Pink Teacup to my Blog. Seriously, I gotta go get a towel. I think my sons are going to beat me up if I don't quit crying. Thanks.
NikonSniper Steve

Hello Everybody from Chicago

I want to thank all of you for the kind comments and encouragement you have been sending. Believe me, I have tried to continue responding ... but I am stuck (having a great time) in a Southside Chicago Resort (29th Anniversary) and I have the slowest wireless internet speed on the planet. I have shot over 3000 photos in the last 3 days and hope to begin interacting with you all again upon my return to high speed internet service.
I hope to be hitting as many of your blogs as possible this week to see what you are shooting. Back soon.

Zombie Chicken Award

Sorry for this brief interruption in photography.

Well, (sniff sniff), I am shocked. Stunned. I don't know what to say because I have won an award that I did not even know existed.

I promise the academy that I would have worked harder had I known that the Zombie Chicken Award was possible. I guess this is just one of those things you trip over every once in a while.

Nonetheless, I am honored to have been awarded the Zombie Chicken Award from Urban Stories. Thank you very much for this kind "jest"ure.

Now in accordance with the 'official' rules of the Zombie Chicken Award:

'The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken -- excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers'.

So in accordance with these rules, I bestow the honor of Zombie Chicken Award on the following 5 very worthy blogs.

These are in no particular order!

DUNGHA
A Step Beyond
Chase Images
Keith's Creative Outlet
Romania As Seen By Richard

This was very difficult because I view almost 500 photos on blogs daily. I value each and every one of your photos because you all teach me to look at things in a new way. I could easily name another 20 blogs that have made great impressions upon me.

Now back to photography!

Bye Fly

Lenses Used for NikonSniper Photos

As I mentioned in the post on NikonSniper Cameras, I am currently using (4) Nikon D90's. Here are the lenses that I have attached to these cameras. They are not cheap but they are not their most expensive alternatives either. I also mentioned that I do not change lens on cameras ... I switch cameras to get the lens I want to use. It's way faster and doesn't allow dust to become a horrible problem.

Lens 1: AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Landscapes, Sports, Wildlife ... Everyday Lens, All Situations
This is my everyday lens that I carry with me when I take only 1 camera. Biggest UPSIDE: It has a wide range from 18mm to 200mm so it handles most situations fast. Biggest DOWNSIDE: For me it's the 18-22mm end of the zoom range. It's a great range but the 18mm (wide angle) end bends the photos more than I like. Example: If you shoot tall buildings ... the tops of the buildings converge in a little too much. You can also notice that when shooting landscapes at 18mm the outer edges of a horizon line can bend up. Sometimes have to straighten these problems out with a PhotoShop program. But overall it's a great lens for all situations. This is the only lens that I can guarantee is with me all the time.




Lens 2: AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Indoor & Outdoor Sports, Wildlife and Low Light Situations
This an excelent lens for indoor sports. I purchased this to have the ability to shoot wrestling in lower light situations. It is great for all sports! No DOWNSIDE except the price but it is not the most expensive option either.



Lens 3: AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 ED
Purpose 4 Me: Outdoor Sports Up Close, Wildlife Up Close, General Sniping!
This has a great zoom range that brings the game & wildlife a whole lot closer. The only DOWNSIDES are the price but again it isn't wildly expensive either. There is another thing that should be said. You need practice with this lens when you shoot at the 400mm end of the zoom. The lens has vibration reduction but you still need to be as stable as possible to shoot lower shutter speeds. It was not a problem for me because I have had years of practice with my breathing when I shoot. Perhaps I just feel this needs to be said because I am not as steady as I was when I was a young crazy buck. Mmmmm. Medications!



Lens 4: AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Purpose 4 Me: Wide Angle Landscapes, Weddings (2nd Gun), Portraits
This lens does NOT completely eliminate the problem described in Lens 1. This is an ideal lens for doing wedding and portrait photography as I often will do as a favor for friends. But the real reason for my interest in this lens is due to my love of landscape photgraphy.



Lens 5: AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G AF-S VR IF-EG
Purpose 4 Me: High Power, High Speed Wild Life, Sport, Birds
I do not own this lens at the moment but hope to have this in my tool box one day. I have just been waiting for the right time ... and now isn't the right time.
An ideal lens for many far away tasks. More speed than the 80-400mm.




Lens 6: AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
Purpose 4 Me: Lanscapes
I do not own this lens at the moment but hope to have this in my tool box one day. I have just been waiting for the right time ... and now isn't the right time.
I want to return to the Horseshoe Bend someday with this lens to capture the whole thing.

Sometimes I am just completely blown away by what God has allowed me to see in my life time. The beauty of His earth is still very prominent everywhere I travel. Nothing gives me greater joy than to bring those images to you in NikonSniper. I have often sat on location just looking at the beauty around me and thanking God for it before even thinking about shooting. Photography is a great way to communicate … but it is still very limited. I thank God for what He has allowed my eyes to capture ... first and foremost!, then I thank Him for what my camera can grab of what I have been able to see.

No matter where you are, no matter what kind of equipment you have ... keep shooting! Only you can photgraph your world for the generations that follow you.

All the best.
NikonSniper Steve

Cameras Used for NikonSniper Photos

Over the years, I have compiled hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of thousands of digital photos. This IS a backup nightmare if you aren't careful. Thank goodness that hard drives continue to get cheaper (per gig) because I have all files double backed up. I am often asked what equipment I am using. First, let me say, I continually upgrade my cameras. Here is a list of the cameras I have used for the photos produced on NikonSniper in the order they were purchased: (1) Sony F717, (2) Nikon D70's, (2) Nikon D80's, (1) Canon SD850 IS, (4) Nikon D90's, and (1) Nikon D7000.

Several years ago I discovered the hassle of dust in the cameras and the cleanup process. I decided that I would not open cameras up to switch lenses. This has been an expensive decision because each lens I use requires its own camera body. I don't switch lenses ... I switch cameras. When I switch cameras ... I want the systems to work exactly the same. If I get into a serious run and shoot situation I don't want to be thinking about 3 different brands of Nikon cameras. They all have subtle differences and I dont want to miss a shot because I am using a D70 when I am thinking D90 in my head and made a wrong adjustment on the fly. This is why I am currently using (4) Nikon D90's and the D7000.

PLEASE NOTE: The last time I posted this information I got a few really nasty replies from people who were angry at me because they thought I was boasting the ability to own three cameras. PLEASE understand some other things about my life. I don't own a television! I only have 1 car! There are many things that people have and take for granted that I don't own. I am not some rich guy braggin'. I do have decent photography equipment but believe me, ... Nikon and Canon and many other manufacturers produce far better cameras than I own. I don't own the best of them because I can't afford 3 of them. I am sorry but I need to have good (not the best) equipment. So, please don't chew me out. Can you tell I am ducking from shoes being thrown at me in this paragraph?

I sorta expect a comment from Braff Zackton about spending his college tuition on cameras. If he does say something like that ... get him to tell you about the checks I had to write because he decided to hit baseballs through winshields (plural) at Bates Park. Uh, ... Dad, the police would like to talk to ya!


Nikon D7000


Nikon D90


Nikon D80


Nikon D70


Canon SD850 IS


Sony F717