Calm Photos

Samples from my portfolio, some old, some new, presented as a slideshow via Photo.net:
Gallery Slideshow

On the Radio:

For those who reside in the greater Dayton area, please be sure to tune-in to either FM 88.1 or FM 89.9 on Tuesday, September 5th, at either 7:55 AM or 4:55 PM. For those outside the listening area, you can still hear the program via the Dayton Public Radio website at http://dpr.org/.

The station will be airing part one of an interview they did with me as part of their “ArtFocus” series.

The second part of the interview will air the following Thursday, September 7th during the same time slots.

I can’t stop cycling. It’s one of those addictive type of sporting activities whereby once started it is almost impossible to just simply quit. Not only that, I definitely need the exercise.

Now that I’ve completed the JDRF Ride to Cure 100-mile ride in Montana, it’s time to shoot for another ride. This time it will be more local and in support of a cause that has more of a personal connection with me.

With JDRF I was one of the few riders who did not have a close relative who is struggling with juvenile diabetes. However, by participating I came in contact with quite a few people who do and I learned just how wide-spread this disease is and the difficult daily challenges faced by families with children who have type 1 diabetes.

So what’s my next ride for a cause? It will be the Sunflower Revolution III, set for October 15th and based out of Loveland, Ohio. The ride will consist of 62 miles through Warren County, with much of route including the Little Miami Bikeway, which is a path I ride on about twice a week.

Best of all the ride is organized to help raise funds for research and build awareness for those in the Cincinnati area who suffer with Parkinson’s disease.

This ride will be for my mom.

I never thought that the simple act of cleaning the garage would translate into another opportunity for nature photography.

That’s exactly what I was doing this past Saturday morning. Sorting out all the old toys to be donated and blowing-out all the spider webs, dead bugs and other detritus that tends to collect in the corners and behind the tools. And then something caught my eye. A rather plump-looking toad under the step ladder. Our garage had become his happy hunting grounds. Fortunately I found him before he decided to make a permanent residence out of our garage only to learn that such a location isn’t exactly conducive for a winter’s hibernation. Another of his little bumpy brethren was found during our spring garage cleaning. He was nice and dry as well as a bit brittle and dead.

I called my daughters over to take a look. Emma, our oldest at seven, advised “better be careful dad, he’ll pee on you.”

Ah, the mind of a child is a wonder to behold, especially when someone so young speaks from experience.
I keep my camera gear in the back of my Honda Pilot, with batteries always charged and sensors cleaned. I took out my Canon 1D Mark II and a 100mm macro lens. I set my ISO at 400, knowing that a flash would create too many hard shadows. I carefully placed my subject on the leafs of the hosta plants we have growing in our garden. I opened the lens all the way to f2.8. Not only because I didn’t want to break-out my tripod but also because I knew I wanted to blur my background, with the point of focus being on the most important area of the image - the toad’s eyes.

He hopped-off before I could get the shot I was looking for, so I gently picked him up and . . . sure enough, he let go with toad pee. With wet fingers, I managed to get the shot.

Most times when I’m carefully composing and setting-up for one my classic waterfall-in-the-woods images, I patiently wait for the other visitors and hikers to leave the scene before capturing the photograph.

Every once in a while it’s okay to include an unsuspecting hiker or two as foreground elements within the image. As long as their faces are not recognizable, I don’t have to worry about chasing the person down to sign a release.

The above image was captured last Monday in Glacier National Park, Montana. This is Virginia Falls, which sits just above St. Mary Lake.

One of the advantages of including a person in a landscape shot such as this is that it provides scale to the main subject, the waterfall - a way for the observer of the image to determine the size and depth of the scene. It also adds a “story element,” allowing the viewer to determine what this person is doing, how he got there, etc.

After I took the shot I advised this guy to definitely NOT drink that water. As clean and crisp as it may appear, chances are good it has plenty of little, unseen creatures swimming about, just waiting and hoping for a nice, juicy intestine to attach themselves to and to multiply. I’m speaking of “Beaver Feaver,” or what’s now known as Giardia, and I speak from painful, VERY painful, experience.

Once again, it was the picture that I wasn’t looking for or anticipating.

This past Sunday evening I traveled up from Whitefish, Montana to Glacier National Park, hoping to make it to Logan Pass just prior to sunset. But I forgot that the hike from the parking lot to the overlook was about one and half miles.

I missed the sun setting, but I did not miss some excellent shooting conditions. Often the best light is just before sunrise and just after sunset, especially during summer in the mountains. The sky softens just enough to provide a gentle light on nature and landscape subjects, followed by good conditions for silhouettes against a light-colored sky.

Walking back to the parking light, in almost near darkness, I kept looking to the western horizon. From Logan Pass there is a nice alignment of spruce trees followed by ridgelines and mountains in the distance.

Of all the images I captured during my visit to Glacier, I think this is my favorite.

I did it. And I will do it again. However, I don’t mind waiting a year.
200 cyclists, 100 miles, a great cause and one hell of hill.

I don’t know if that hill (more like a mountain and pictured above) previously had a name prior to my near heart attack climbing it, but it does now. Screaming Quad Hill, because that’s exactly what my quadricep muscles were doing by the time I go to the top.

All the riders were told in the ride brief on Friday to expect about a 6% grade climb for about half a mile during the first segment. I had no idea just how punishing a 6% grade in upward slope can be. Thank God for granny gear. I now have a whole new appreciation for professional cyclists. The sport is both physically and mentally demanding.

While in the airport in Cincinnati I picked-up Daniel Coyle’s Lance Armstrong’s War. There are climbs in the pro cycling tour with 6% grade + for well over 10 miles!

Anyway, we started the ride at 7:30 AM on Saturday, pulling out on Highway 93 at the Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana. I crossed the finish line at 4:00 PM, thoroughly exhausted but with a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

The entire weekend was a great experience. I had an opportunity to get to know riders form all over the United States and also learn a bit more about type 1 diabetes and just how difficult it can be for not only the child but his or her family as well. I think what is rewarding about getting involved with JDRF is the fact that this is an organization completely devoted to finding a cure. There were several riders with diabetes participating in the Whitefish Ride. It was amazing to see their passion and excitement, just being able to participate.

There were many motivational moments, before, during and following the ride. One was provided by the Cincinnati Chapter and Cammy Dierking, news anchor with WKRC Channel 12. Cammy was there to ride and she presented a video of the spot she did on Mary Brown, the 69-year-old widow of Paul Brown, the founder of the Cleveland Browns and past owner of the Cincinnati Bengals. Mary was also riding in the Whitefish Ride. I think this year’s Montana event was either her fourth or fifth JDRF 100-mile ride. Pretty amazing.
There was also a 12-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes riding with her mom who won the poka-dot jersey for being the most enthusiastic and motivating rider.
I was able to get some photographs of the course the following day. I’m going to be sharing these with the rest of the Dayton JDRF riders who are thinking about switching from Death Valley to Whitefish for 2007. I also spent a day up in Glacier National Park. I will be posting those photographs during the next several days. Posted below is a panorama of Viriginia Falls in Glacier National Park.