Your Bio

Funny things happen when dealing with personalities. Some people will like things that you thought were just mediocre, and other times people think its crap what you thought was extraordinary. There's just no telling. But there is usually something for everybody here. So relax and kick your shoes off. Enjoy taking a turn through my galleries and feel free to comment, good or bad. I like to hear how I can make things better as well as what you like.
Don't feel like commenting ? That's fine, too. But a thumbs up or a thumbs down helps me to understand better. Enjoy!
Featured galleries are always the newest. And the slide show, Upper right hand button in each gallery shows the pics best.

Featured Galleries

Mid Nov pics : Wondering around St George with a camera trying to refine some ideas from my crapola gallery, "defractions in time".

Mid Nov pics

Wondering around St George with a camera trying to refine some ideas f ...

Updated: Nov 24, 2009 12:58pm PST

Defractions in Time : Playing around with light and mood. No PS or any other filters, software...all straight out of the camera. Some need to be cropped or ? but wanted to show what happened with just a camera while playing around. Not really my bag, but was fun for something different. Hope you enjoy. (Next Day- tried to refine the same idea as above starting at the bottom of page 6, again sootc). 
Next stop, see what and how used in future gallery, after a little PS. I can hardly wait!

Defractions in Time

Playing around with light and mood. No PS or any other filters, softwa ...

Updated: Nov 19, 2009 11:04am PST

Slideshow

Galleries

Mid Nov pics : Wondering around St George with a camera trying to refine some ideas from my crapola gallery, "defractions in time".

Mid Nov pics

Wondering around St George with a camera trying to refine some ideas f ...

Updated: Nov 24, 2009 12:58pm PST

Architecture : On my way to Oregon from Arizona in 1969, I decided I'd go through Utah to see some of these beautiful temples I had heard so much about. I never made it to Oregon and didn't leave Utah until 1983 when the oil field collapsed. (no work ). It took me 10 years to get back to Utah but I made it and I love it. Some complain about the "Mormons are a cult" or some other negative "insight", but the truth is they are wonderful people with a true perspective on family values and the worship of God. Bless them all. And, no, I am not LDS but I say this from my heart. They practice service to their fellow man as well as the Lord, and this my friends, is the way out of the mess America has gotten itself in to.

Architecture

On my way to Oregon from Arizona in 1969, I decided I'd go through Uta ...

Updated: Nov 23, 2009 6:33pm PST

Recent photos and works : A potpourri of pics. The first three are altered photos and may need a zen state to view as they are intended. So, there you have it. Also I have noticed many of you are interested in the story in the photo rather than the photo in the photo. So, then there are those. And, maybe, just one or two of the photos for you photo in the photo's. Honest critiques welcome....no matter who you are.
And let me say, you smuggers are inspiring...both in your work and your comments. Thank you for both.

Recent photos and works

A potpourri of pics. The first three are altered photos and may need a ...

Updated: Nov 20, 2009 6:12am PST

Defractions in Time : Playing around with light and mood. No PS or any other filters, software...all straight out of the camera. Some need to be cropped or ? but wanted to show what happened with just a camera while playing around. Not really my bag, but was fun for something different. Hope you enjoy. (Next Day- tried to refine the same idea as above starting at the bottom of page 6, again sootc). 
Next stop, see what and how used in future gallery, after a little PS. I can hardly wait!

Defractions in Time

Playing around with light and mood. No PS or any other filters, softwa ...

Updated: Nov 19, 2009 11:04am PST

Overcast desert : I don't understand why many photographers don't like to shoot on cloudy days. I think the soft light brings out the detail beyond the focal point in landscapes and can be very flattering in a portrait (see first port) without heavy shadows. Anyway, went on a hike out the front door and got some desert color. Then tried a little shooting from the hip with Richards influence, I didn't do too well there, but I did get an icey from the car. Then a few others I've been playing with. Most are Snow Canyon State Park.
I want to thank  you smuggers out there. My daughter calls me a few days ago and says "Wow Dad your photography has really improved." 
Positive influences besides Richard...Chuck and Paula influence light, ps and fun; George influence social redemption and keep zenning, Paul influence Hope and new life....And  all you other awesome photographers and artist. You all ROCK!!!!!
 Slideshow best.

Overcast desert

I don't understand why many photographers don't like to shoot on cloud ...

Updated: Nov 13, 2009 7:43pm PST

Pats Pics : After years of trying to get my wife to take pictures with me she picked up the camera this past weekend. Here are some of her pics.

Pats Pics

After years of trying to get my wife to take pictures with me she pick ...

Updated: Oct 30, 2009 11:40am PST

The many faces of Lily : My favorite model, Lily, is 6 years old. We drove up to Richland, WA for Lily's 6th birthday. One of the gifts we got her was a pink camera (Pink is her favorite color). And I do believe another photographer is born. I think she took more pictures than me. In this series of pics she is watching herself as I snap pics of her totally at random. The camera is a Nikon coolpix 990 and I can turn the viewfinder 180 degrees so she sees the pic. What makes this interesting to me is the delay between the time I press the shutter release to the time it actually fires is not immediate. So the pic is not me shooting a particular face but a ' what you see is what you get'. I like what I got.

The many faces of Lily

My favorite model, Lily, is 6 years old. We drove up to Richland, WA f ...

Updated: Oct 27, 2009 10:45am PST

Landscaping the Yard : We bought this house in 1998 with the intentions of flipping it while we lived in it. But we love it here so decided this is where we would plant ourselves. I didn't have the time to work on remodeling the outside until a few years ago when I noticed the footings showing around the sun room. I under calculated how much dirt I would have to bring in so improvised and created a pond. Best thing that could have happened.( I told you, God likes me for some reason.) Now we have our own little oasis in the desert, not only for us, but for the birds and animals, too.  Hope you enjoy this little tour.
I'm pretty proud of what I accomplished here because it is the result of my own two hands, except for some concrete mixing by my step son, Tom.
 Not bad for an old fart, huh? Believe me, those stones aren't light and I placed every single one of them. I'm taking the rest of my life off.

Landscaping the Yard

We bought this house in 1998 with the intentions of flipping it while ...

Updated: Oct 09, 2009 12:27pm PST

My Smug Mug : I finally got a bio picture on after many tries ( I'm challenged ) and this whole gallery comes up with 1 pic in it. So I thought what a good way to share a little about ones self, in pictures. So here am I along with some of my favorite people.

My Smug Mug

I finally got a bio picture on after many tries ( I'm challenged ) and ...

Updated: Oct 07, 2009 10:33am PST

A Few of My Favorites : Random photos that I like. Hope you do too.

A Few of My Favorites

Random photos that I like. Hope you do too.

Updated: Oct 03, 2009 10:18am PST

Hummers09 : These are pics I just took the last couple of days. I haven't been using my camera much lately because I got disgusted at myself for not being able to take some decent pics (a direct result of looking at the great shots I see from you smuggers). I was blaming my equipment ( I wanted the $15000 lens so I could get the good shots ) which of course is bogus to an extent. Most of  these shots were taken with a 60mm fixed aperture lens (cost about $300) and aren't too bad considering. Truth is I'm just starting to learn how to use my camera, a 20D and I have a new found appreciation for photographers and the knowledge behind their work. Its not all that easy and takes a lot of trial and error. And patience!!!

Hummers09

These are pics I just took the last couple of days. I haven't been usi ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2009 4:13pm PST

August '09 Hummers : Went out to the side yard with my 'longlens' (ef 70-200mm f/4 USM) Sunday morning, enjoying the morning quiet and trying to capture some light. Had some hummers posing for me and feeling great. I couldn't wait to see what I had caught, but had my chores to do. When I finally went in to process the pics I found blur, blur, blur blur, blur, blur. I must have had the shakes. What a let down! Feeling dejected and sad I sat at my computer deleting one after another of my 'great' captures, cursing myself the whole time. Why the bleep didn't I get the IS lens, I'm such a damn cheap skate. I was ready to order the 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS USM. ( OF course it was my equipments fault ). 
   But for some reason, God loves me. My wife yelled in from the kitchen, "There's a hummer watching you from the silk tree". And sure enough the dominant male from the big deck is 2 foot away from the window watching me. "GET YOUR TRIPOD" I yelled at myself. So I did, and managed to get a few good shots, at least good considering what I have to work with ( I'll talk myself into some new glass yet :) Actually, out of the three hundred and some pics I shot, most of them were pretty good. Its amazing what a tripod, cable release, and a hummer standing still can do. Here are the ones I like the best. Hope you enjoy. I think they show better in the slideshow, but that's your call.
(And Thank You Father for turning my beautiful Sunday that went sour into another beautiful Sunday.)

August '09 Hummers

Went out to the side yard with my 'longlens' (ef 70-200mm f/4 USM) Sun ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2009 4:12pm PST

Red Rock : Been at it again and added more pics. Don't have time to move the ones that have been here for a while so you that have already looked skip ahead to about page 7 to see some new pics if you like looking  at red rock. The new ones are after Bryce Canyon photos. 
I want to thank all of you that have left your kind words on my pics. Its encouraging and has left me taking a different look at my own pics. I didn't think many would be interested in red rock country. But the response has been very favorable. I thought my hummers would be an attraction, but they have taken 2nd fiddle to the red rock. Go figure! But THANK YOU ALL for your encouraging words. I have AND do appreciate your works, too. From Kane to fotoeffects and all in between it is a pleasure.... AND a learning experience. AND addicting...I can't wait to get on smugmug each and every day to look at new pics...and revisit some of the old. The imagery is second only to the amazing talent I witness every day. 
And if I could be so bold as to make a suggestion, I would say visit Faisal's site if you havn't already. His portraits are more a character study and his landscapes beautiful. But that's only a suggestion.
The slide show shows much better.

Red Rock

Been at it again and added more pics. Don't have time to move the ones ...

Updated: Oct 02, 2009 4:10pm PST

Last Weekend of Summer 2009 : Wife was off work Friday so we spent the three day weekend playing and enjoying the last weekend of summer. From the Kalob Terrace to the area around Leeds, Ut. We had a blast hiking some beautiful country above Zion National Park (Kalob Terrace), rediscovering the Red Cliffs area, and driving the dirt roads around the city of Leeds. Come along with us as we share our adventures.

Last Weekend of Summer 2009

Wife was off work Friday so we spent the three day weekend playing and ...

Updated: Sep 24, 2009 4:36pm PST

Abstracts : When I was a youngster my mother taught me the joy of finding "things" in the clouds. Since I got my first digital camera its spilled over into wood and rocks. And since discovering photoshop I found I can alter perception and make "things" in just about any place or time. Its all just good old fashion fun.

Abstracts

When I was a youngster my mother taught me the joy of finding "things" ...

Updated: Sep 16, 2009 4:14pm PST

Hummers at My House : Humming birds got me interested in photography. Here are a few from around my house.

Hummers at My House

Humming birds got me interested in photography. Here are a few from ar ...

Updated: Aug 28, 2009 11:53am PST

Hummers & Quail babys : Something different. Thought I'd try some different lenses and settings. Most of these were taken with a Canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens hand held so only got a few keepers. Hope you enjoy.

Hummers & Quail babys

Something different. Thought I'd try some different lenses and setting ...

Updated: Aug 23, 2009 4:10pm PST

The Blue Hummer : It gets pretty hot here in So. Utah, so I was hanging out in the shade of a large sycamore with my camera when a hummer showed up. Not only was he unusual in that he had blue wings but he didn't seem to be in a hurry to move on, even with me moving around taking pictures. I might expect that from a hummer that is use to me being around but this was a hummer I had never seen before. Just one of those unexpected pleasures in life.

The Blue Hummer

It gets pretty hot here in So. Utah, so I was hanging out in the shade ...

Updated: Jul 15, 2009 3:19pm PST

Hummers in the nest : These little guys were born outside our bedroom window last year. We had two more born in the same place this year. The same hummer? I wonder.

Hummers in the nest

These little guys were born outside our bedroom window last year. We h ...

Updated: Jul 13, 2009 3:49pm PST

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