Sunday, February 28, 2010
Blind Human Pinball
Well, I am back having breakfast at O'Hare now after spending 14 hours of leisure at home. Yes, I feel a bit like a human pinball.
Where to now?
Tucson via Dallas.
Sounds fun?
I hope to catch some sunsets on the cactus before I fall asleep tonight. I will be spending a quick visit or two in Phoenix on Monday and head down to Sierra Vista in the evening. As you can probably tell ... I don't use a "professional" travel agent. I do everything flying by the seat of my pants.
80 miles in 30 minutes?
Sure! I'll get a tank of gas on the way.
Well, that's one way to live. It annoys some people but it's the norm for me.
I hope to be home next weekend because I really need to get a pit stop at the eye doctor. My new glasses have been sitting in his office for a month. But they don't just give them to you ... they fit them to your face.
Huh? Seriously? You mean my wife can't just pick em up?
No sir, we need to make sure you are seeing properly through the right portion of your glasses for all conditions.
Mam, I can't see out of the glasses I am wearing, ... what's the difference?
I'm sorry sir. We just don't do that.
Well, maybe I'll drop by next weekend. Maybe not. I could be in Barrow, Alaska.
They aren't worried. I paid for everything already.
Well, I hope you all have a terrific Sunday. I'll try to catch you a sunset tonight.
NikonSniper Steve
Where to now?
Tucson via Dallas.
Sounds fun?
I hope to catch some sunsets on the cactus before I fall asleep tonight. I will be spending a quick visit or two in Phoenix on Monday and head down to Sierra Vista in the evening. As you can probably tell ... I don't use a "professional" travel agent. I do everything flying by the seat of my pants.
80 miles in 30 minutes?
Sure! I'll get a tank of gas on the way.
Well, that's one way to live. It annoys some people but it's the norm for me.
I hope to be home next weekend because I really need to get a pit stop at the eye doctor. My new glasses have been sitting in his office for a month. But they don't just give them to you ... they fit them to your face.
Huh? Seriously? You mean my wife can't just pick em up?
No sir, we need to make sure you are seeing properly through the right portion of your glasses for all conditions.
Mam, I can't see out of the glasses I am wearing, ... what's the difference?
I'm sorry sir. We just don't do that.
Well, maybe I'll drop by next weekend. Maybe not. I could be in Barrow, Alaska.
They aren't worried. I paid for everything already.
Well, I hope you all have a terrific Sunday. I'll try to catch you a sunset tonight.
NikonSniper Steve
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Hey Forrest ... I Got-s Tagged Again!
I was tagged again. This time by Maria-Thérèse Andersson of Afiori. I am supposed to write seven things about myself and ask seven other creative bloggers to do the same. Generally, I am a conscientious objector to being tagged. I didn’t like getting tagged as a kid and well, not much has changed. I enjoy being arbitrary for absolutely no reason. I am trying to mellow … you know, at least photograph the roses if you won’t stop long enough to smell them. So, I will tell you seven things about me that only my family really knows.
1. On my first day of school I was sent home with a note pinned to my shirt requesting an immediate parent-teacher conference. So what, if she can’t take a joke! I wonder if she's still alive. That was 46 years ago. If she is ... she'd remember me. Folks, when you're cruisin' through life, ... don't forget to make an impression!
2. Around the time of my sixth birthday I was caught breaking patio windows in a building development. That’s what happens when there was absolutely nothing better to do and you’re in the hot Texas sun way too long. I don’t remember much singing or cake at my birthday. Actually, I don’t remember being conscious at all. I think it disturbed my father a bit as I recall.
3. In the second grade, my parents decided to change things up and send me to a private school where I could get whuped on a more regular or religious basis. And whuped I got! It was on the schedule. Math – Reading – Whuped – Art – Whuped – Science - Full Array of Whuppings During Recess - Spelling. She was a nice teacher though. My misbehavior wasn’t anything personal. I just needed a good whuping to get through a day.
4. In the third grade, we had old desks that still had ink wells in them. I filled mine up with drool just to gross out the girls. Sweet! I later slurped some back into my mouth only to discover that my teeth became blue from the old dried ink residue. Cool! Tasty too.
5. In the fifth grade, I was captured (called over to a squad car) by the local police in the town I was living in because I was stacking rocks on the train tracks at the main train station in broad daylight. Uh, smooth move! The officer was sitting right across from me watching the whole thing with disbelief. I thought it would be cool to see the train crush them. It was a small town at the time. Police had nothing better to do than bring down an 11 year old. They used their night sticks on me for an hour or two. Can, can, c--, can we all get along?
6. I nearly got killed by a man for twisting a small piece of sandpaper on his daughters face when I was in the seventh grade. I guess I sorta liked her and was stupid about it. I really didn’t think it would hurt. Well, I ran from her Dad for a few years. I can't remember exactly what he said he was going to do to me, but I believed him. Maybe he was a salesman. Well, anyway, that sorta cured me of the daughter.
7. My mother is justifiably a saint for dealing with all of this. After I left home she found an easy adaptable career nursing to the mentally deranged! Oh, she has some big fancy more politically correct term for it but I can never remember things that are politically correct. I just don't curtsey as much as I should. Anyway, you’re welcome Mom. Some people have to pay for all that on the job education I was committed to giving you while you were a-raisin' me.
My Mom is still alive and well. I know she can laugh a bit more today than when this kinda stuff was happening on a daily basis. My parents taught me that I was a sinner and I needed a Savior. And when I say I needed a Savior, I don't mean just from my Dad after doing something stupid! Being a sinner in need of a Savior was an easy truth for me to grasp and fully accept. Today, through Christ alone I have confidence in my eternal destiny. Nothing I can do could possibly earn it. Jesus did it all.
What a way to live ... assured! I screwed up so many things. Many things are far too embarrassing to reveal in a blog format. But, it is great to know that the Savior paid for all of those things that I could never make right. I hope you can find peace with God and lay your trust solely in His son.
Now, I am tagging you all. If you are a regular NikonSniper reader, tell me seven things about yourself and let me know when they are on your blog so I can read em.
NikonSniper Steve
1. On my first day of school I was sent home with a note pinned to my shirt requesting an immediate parent-teacher conference. So what, if she can’t take a joke! I wonder if she's still alive. That was 46 years ago. If she is ... she'd remember me. Folks, when you're cruisin' through life, ... don't forget to make an impression!
2. Around the time of my sixth birthday I was caught breaking patio windows in a building development. That’s what happens when there was absolutely nothing better to do and you’re in the hot Texas sun way too long. I don’t remember much singing or cake at my birthday. Actually, I don’t remember being conscious at all. I think it disturbed my father a bit as I recall.
3. In the second grade, my parents decided to change things up and send me to a private school where I could get whuped on a more regular or religious basis. And whuped I got! It was on the schedule. Math – Reading – Whuped – Art – Whuped – Science - Full Array of Whuppings During Recess - Spelling. She was a nice teacher though. My misbehavior wasn’t anything personal. I just needed a good whuping to get through a day.
4. In the third grade, we had old desks that still had ink wells in them. I filled mine up with drool just to gross out the girls. Sweet! I later slurped some back into my mouth only to discover that my teeth became blue from the old dried ink residue. Cool! Tasty too.
5. In the fifth grade, I was captured (called over to a squad car) by the local police in the town I was living in because I was stacking rocks on the train tracks at the main train station in broad daylight. Uh, smooth move! The officer was sitting right across from me watching the whole thing with disbelief. I thought it would be cool to see the train crush them. It was a small town at the time. Police had nothing better to do than bring down an 11 year old. They used their night sticks on me for an hour or two. Can, can, c--, can we all get along?
6. I nearly got killed by a man for twisting a small piece of sandpaper on his daughters face when I was in the seventh grade. I guess I sorta liked her and was stupid about it. I really didn’t think it would hurt. Well, I ran from her Dad for a few years. I can't remember exactly what he said he was going to do to me, but I believed him. Maybe he was a salesman. Well, anyway, that sorta cured me of the daughter.
7. My mother is justifiably a saint for dealing with all of this. After I left home she found an easy adaptable career nursing to the mentally deranged! Oh, she has some big fancy more politically correct term for it but I can never remember things that are politically correct. I just don't curtsey as much as I should. Anyway, you’re welcome Mom. Some people have to pay for all that on the job education I was committed to giving you while you were a-raisin' me.
My Mom is still alive and well. I know she can laugh a bit more today than when this kinda stuff was happening on a daily basis. My parents taught me that I was a sinner and I needed a Savior. And when I say I needed a Savior, I don't mean just from my Dad after doing something stupid! Being a sinner in need of a Savior was an easy truth for me to grasp and fully accept. Today, through Christ alone I have confidence in my eternal destiny. Nothing I can do could possibly earn it. Jesus did it all.
What a way to live ... assured! I screwed up so many things. Many things are far too embarrassing to reveal in a blog format. But, it is great to know that the Savior paid for all of those things that I could never make right. I hope you can find peace with God and lay your trust solely in His son.
Now, I am tagging you all. If you are a regular NikonSniper reader, tell me seven things about yourself and let me know when they are on your blog so I can read em.
NikonSniper Steve
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
NikonSniper.com Is Here!
Well, it's sorta here anyway. I finally got the blogspot site mirrored to nikonsniper.com ... so I got that going for me ... which is nice! So, now when you are telling people about the nut with the camera ... you just have to tell em' nikonsniper.com. I even forget the blogspot address periodically ... so I end up telling people to just google nikonsniper and it will be the first choice. One day I hope to have a technically sound computer literate individual to really turn this site into something special.
Well, as you know, It's Wednesday again! Guess where I'm going?
You're right! Los Angeles! When, you ask. Well, I bought my ticket a few minutes ago ... so that means I'm L-A-ving tomorrow. Five nights at home and I'm outta here again. I will be back in Chicago for a change of shirts on Saturday only to depart on Sunday to Tucson, AZ for four days.
I am crazy busy tonight getting ready for this very important trip so ... this is all I'm posting till tomorrow night.
On a serious note, I really have to say something ... it's a special thank you ... to whoever that very special person is named Anonymous who keeps sending me that e-mail regarding Viagra. I am really so happy you found me! Thanks for the 162 rejected e-mails last week. You know I just can't pass up a 'VIAGRA SALE'. Thanks to Mr. Anonymous, NikonSniper followers can absolutely guarantee that I will read their comments very carefully because Mr. Anonymous loves to lure you into thinking he likes your pictures just before slamming you with the details and location where Viagra is being distributed like chicklets.
Anyway, folks gotta get off here and climb back on the mechanical bull I call life.
Take care. NikonSniper Steve
NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING A 'LITTLE FLASHY'! NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING A 'LITTLE FLASHY'!
Now if you know anything at all about me, I am not known as the guy who often climbs to the highest rooftop and shouts to the world, "I LOVE MY ELECTRONIC NIKON SB-900 FLASH!" In fact, even if I was world-renowned for my electronic flash expertise, I could not, in good conscious, shout to the world from the highest rooftop that I love my Nikon SB-900 electronic flash, because quite simply I don't believe it is deserving of such a shout. I do own one, or shall I say, with great humility, I own five of the darn things, but let me be quick to say it is not because of some mad love affair but rather it is because of a combination of impatience and not looking before I leaped.
About a year ago, I decided it was time; time to put away my fears of an electronic flash and simply "go for it!" Needless to say I went for it alright and proceeded to buy 5 Nikon SB-900 Electronic Flashes since I KNEW I would soon be doing all sorts of "tricky, make you stop and scratch your head, kind of flash images and darned if I would be able to execute any of these ideas with a single flash." Well, despite having five Nikon SB-900 Electronic Flashes, I have had most of my greatest adventures with just one of them. I can't say which one, since all five are in the flash case and I just grab one and "go for it", but one thing I have learned in owning these five electronic flashes and it is this: with just one flash, a world of fun and adventure are yours for the taking. It seems everyday, I am discovering something new and a new idea comes to the surface and well, suffice it to say, that is exactly what happened two days ago in this wonderful wintry city of Chicago.
Tom Skilling, weather guru at WGN-TV, was forecasting still yet another "worthy" winter storm and since I missed the last "worthy" winter snowstorm of several weeks ago, (I was in New Zealand, so shed no tears on my behalf!), I was determined to try my hand at being a "little flashy". All I needed was some light snowfall and a willingness to arise before dawn. I had this idea to capture falling snowflakes against the dawn sky that would also include one of my favorite 'naked' trees over at Horner Park, just off Irving Park Blvd.
Now you might be asking yourself-"How is it possible to have a dawn sky of any color when it's snowing?" First of all, I wasn't expecting a clear dawn sky, but the typical grey sky that one gets with snowfall, BUT I also know that at this hour, even a grey sky will record a bluish hue and the bonus on this day was that there was a really small sliver of clear sky on the horizon, somewhere over Lake Michigan, cause I also recorded some subtle magenta near the bottom of my composition.
Okay, so there I was laying in the snow, with my camera mounted on tripod along with the Nikkor 12-24mm set to the focal length of 20mm. With my aperture set to f/5.6, I focused on the tree, and adjusted my shutter speed until a 1/15 second was indicating a correct exposure. All that remained was to fire up the flash in manual exposure mode, setting the flash to f/5.6 at full power AND then setting the zoom of the flash to 105mm. Now why would I set the zoom of the flash to 105mm when I am shooting with my lens at the 20mm focal length? Because I wanted the flash to travel further into the scene with thus illuminating snowflakes that are further away. This in turn created far more depth then if my flash were set to the 20mm focal length. Well, did it work? Seeing is believing and what was most surprising and NOT expected, was the initial reaction of myself and several of my trusted neighbors-at first glance it looks like one of those star-trail time exposures or even a meteor shower. Just another example of having fun with a single flash!
All my best
Bryan F Peterson
Founder/PPSOP.com
About a year ago, I decided it was time; time to put away my fears of an electronic flash and simply "go for it!" Needless to say I went for it alright and proceeded to buy 5 Nikon SB-900 Electronic Flashes since I KNEW I would soon be doing all sorts of "tricky, make you stop and scratch your head, kind of flash images and darned if I would be able to execute any of these ideas with a single flash." Well, despite having five Nikon SB-900 Electronic Flashes, I have had most of my greatest adventures with just one of them. I can't say which one, since all five are in the flash case and I just grab one and "go for it", but one thing I have learned in owning these five electronic flashes and it is this: with just one flash, a world of fun and adventure are yours for the taking. It seems everyday, I am discovering something new and a new idea comes to the surface and well, suffice it to say, that is exactly what happened two days ago in this wonderful wintry city of Chicago.
Tom Skilling, weather guru at WGN-TV, was forecasting still yet another "worthy" winter storm and since I missed the last "worthy" winter snowstorm of several weeks ago, (I was in New Zealand, so shed no tears on my behalf!), I was determined to try my hand at being a "little flashy". All I needed was some light snowfall and a willingness to arise before dawn. I had this idea to capture falling snowflakes against the dawn sky that would also include one of my favorite 'naked' trees over at Horner Park, just off Irving Park Blvd.
Now you might be asking yourself-"How is it possible to have a dawn sky of any color when it's snowing?" First of all, I wasn't expecting a clear dawn sky, but the typical grey sky that one gets with snowfall, BUT I also know that at this hour, even a grey sky will record a bluish hue and the bonus on this day was that there was a really small sliver of clear sky on the horizon, somewhere over Lake Michigan, cause I also recorded some subtle magenta near the bottom of my composition.
Okay, so there I was laying in the snow, with my camera mounted on tripod along with the Nikkor 12-24mm set to the focal length of 20mm. With my aperture set to f/5.6, I focused on the tree, and adjusted my shutter speed until a 1/15 second was indicating a correct exposure. All that remained was to fire up the flash in manual exposure mode, setting the flash to f/5.6 at full power AND then setting the zoom of the flash to 105mm. Now why would I set the zoom of the flash to 105mm when I am shooting with my lens at the 20mm focal length? Because I wanted the flash to travel further into the scene with thus illuminating snowflakes that are further away. This in turn created far more depth then if my flash were set to the 20mm focal length. Well, did it work? Seeing is believing and what was most surprising and NOT expected, was the initial reaction of myself and several of my trusted neighbors-at first glance it looks like one of those star-trail time exposures or even a meteor shower. Just another example of having fun with a single flash!
All my best
Bryan F Peterson
Founder/PPSOP.com
The Modern Pinup | Ooh La La
Whoa! Now this is hot! Big thanks to Jessica of The Modern Pinup for sending in these gorgeous Ooh La La samples. She did a great job customizing the pages to fit what she needed – this looks amazing! Jessica said,
After looking EVERYWHERE for great boudoir templates, I was so excited to find yours! And at such great prices! Thank you!!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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