Penning Photography Daily

Reach Out

Set manual, 8 second hand-held exposure with flash.

Playing around with light.

Flash froze the foreground branches from a close-by tree, leaving the 8 seconds to gather in all those photons from the sky and my neighbor’s tree. The orange glow is from the city lights – it was dark but you could see the sky, full of moisture, picking up the light reflected from the street-lights and such.

The branches look like they are tiny alien arms, reaching out.

Not what I expected it to look like, but I like it!

Double Penny

Waiting for a light to change. Three exposures. Converted to black and white for your dining and dancing pleasure.

I like the grain – reminds me of Kodak Tri-x film.

Sometimes the opportunities in life are there for the grasping, if I just open myself to seeing them waiting in front of me. Waiting for me to open my eyes.

Refracted Glow

Grabbed my camera and pointed it at the Christmas tree lights through one of the glass pendants hanging from the dining room chandelier.

Sometimes all it takes is opening my eyes and opening my mind to the possibilities within view. How many other scenes or people or events pass me by because I’m too self-involved?

Nature provides much, I have to nurture my skills in seeing.

I’m having fun with this today!

Christmas Portrait

Noodling around with getting a capture of the two of us with the full lighted tree. Four second exposure with a flash at half power freezing us but letting in the ambient glow of the tree. I used a Gary Fong Lightsphere Photojournalist II Cloud with no dome (f6.3 4 sec. ISO 80).

Fun!

I’m having so much fun learning new techniques for capturing all sorts of scenes with and without flash. stobist.com is a great resource. There’s a great big Flickr group that shares information on photos are taken with flash.

Exploring new skills brings a smile to my face.

7 of 8 Siblings

Dipping into the well again for today’s picture of the day.

This photo was taken in April 2002 at my niece Monica’s wedding to her Matt. It captures seven of eight siblings, gathered together. I’m not remembering why the champagne bottle was there, but we all put our hands on it. Missing is my sister Mary Anne.

In order of age, we are Larry, the oldest, Denny, Nick, Frank, Mary Anne, John, Trish and Matt – that’s me. Frank, who has a light trench coat on in this photo, was the Father of the bride. He died about 6 months after the wedding. We all miss him greatly.

Family ties, are strong in our family. We share our joys and celebrations, as well as depend on the support of family in hard times and sorrows. Some closer than others, but all connected by the love we share. We’re a bunch of hard headed folks too. It’s our spouses, children, uncles, aunts, and friends who let us know when we need to lighten up. That’s extended family.

I’m grateful for my family and larger extended family.

Walking Shadow Man

Time spent today at one our newest local parks: Centennial Park.

It has a nice playground area, pond, this large mound for climbing, rolling down, or sledding when there’s snow (sparse this year), paths, and a nice skateboard area. I took a walk in that hour or so before sunset, capturing some photos with that magnificent light.

This is one I took of my shadow, walking with my photo sling pack on my back, down from the top of the mound. I like the sense of motion in it, the light, and the touch of green at the bottom.

Later on, after sunset, and dinner with my bride, I saw some lovely fog rolling in – it’s getting colder here tonight. I grabbed the camera and rolled down the window and …….. I had left my memory card in my reader at home with these pictures. Ha! I had spare cards in my bag in the back, but I was laughing to much and the light changed anyway. Almost anything for a picture. This picture a day project pervades my life the longer I do it. I like it.

Hopefully you do also.

I’ll be walking again tomorrow, somewhere, sometime, to see and capture.

Box Car Crossing

I had taken several other pictures today, but this one seemed to have the most meaning.

This was the last in a frenzy of after work tooling around trying to find a subject ventures which I seem to be doing more often of late. Trying to get the “right” picture for my POTD – Picture of the day.

I first heard the train horn blow as I was abandoning another location. I thought “Hmmmm, the train, how can I capture it?” I turned the corner just as the gates had come down. The flow of traffic ahead of me filled up the block in front of me while I waited through Green light, then Red, then Green, then Red. You get the picture (ha!).

I set the camera up to my eye and clicked at what might be interesting. The result, well isn’t exactly scintillating or compelling, but it did speak to me of the individuals here. All of us tied together by the same fate – the train bound for St. Louis, MO stopping at our station to let off and pick up it’s passengers. Each of us woven into the fabric of life, so near to each other, but how separate still.

Kind of sad.

I hope and am thrilled by connecting to another person. Flickr has opened my world to so many individuals on this planet. I am so grateful for this special community.