Penning Photography Daily

On my way home after a photo assignment.

Out to my left is the most gorgeous collection of colors over the cornstalk filled field.

I lower my window, fire up my camera, take a glance at my settings and make a few changes.

One shot.

Nice.

We may have an abundance of corn and soybean fields out here in the heartland of the prairie, but it does lend itself to some nice, unobstructed sunsets.

A nice addition to my day, and hopefully yours.

From a wedding shower for Jennie.

There’s probably going to be lots more wedding related photos coming up. The wedding of our son Chris and his Jennie is May 26.

My bride Karen, Christopher’s bride Jennie, and her mom Susan.

At the end of a shower put on for Jennie by her friends this past week.

Good looking group, if I say so!

Borrowing from Sir Paul McCartney’s lyrics for the title.

From a session with other photographers, this is one that turned out nicely.

I love the light, and the look on baby and mom’s face.

Priceless.

By the way, all the workstations are now installed at my workplace. All 811 of them. Finally.

It’s amazing how well the railroad rail-beds hold up with day after day pounding of thousands of tons of railroad stock rolling over and over.

This is one railroad crossing which has succumbed to the pounding.

Every few years, this crossing has to be torn up and replaced.

It sinks.

Cars, trucks and other vehicles start losing parts after running over these tracks when it’s sunk far enough down.

It’s deceptive.

From my car, going the normal speed of traffic, it does not look like it’s going to cause permanent damage, but if I don’t crawl over the crossing at a snail’s pace, some piece or part is going to be hurting real bad.

So, after someone complains long and loud enough, the railroad repair crew comes out to work it’s magic, once again.

This strange looking contraption apparently does the magic with less human labor these days. From the crowd around it, the machine takes a bit of human guidance to accomplish it’s task.

Not an every day sight, for sure.

I hope this repair lasts longer than the last one.

Don’t bet on it.

Springfield, Illinois is riddled with old coal mines, below the city surface, and under the surrounding bean and corn fields.

Gravity eventually wins.

Dwayne is a fine fellow I work with, also a photographer.

He said, after I asked if I could take his picture, that there aren’t too many photos of him, since he’s always taking photos himself!

He obliged me and I him.

Nice smile from a nice guy.

Camera at the ready, I was discussing a printer problem with Jodi.

The camera, all of a sudden, leapt into my hand.

May I take your picture? May I use it for my photo of the day?

I have no shame.

No one near me has immunity from my eye for a good photo.

Nice smile, wouldn’t you say?

From my photo seminar at Indianapolis, Indiana in February.

A new technique to me at the time.

A totally dark room. Lens stopped down to f27, exposed for 20 seconds.

Magic ingredient: a video light, snooted with black craft paper to only show a very narrow beam.

Take the snooted light and start “painting” the subject with the light, being careful to A) not get in front of the camera too long, and B) avoid shining the light to at the camera.

Our model had to stay still for that time.

We all were holding our breath, watching the light play over her face and hands.

Bonus: She wore an outfit of all black!