This morning I went down to Duck Creek (local ponds by the Las Vegas Wash) and hoped to find some American Avocet babies. Well I found them. They are cute little things. They are definitely little things. I have been watching their parents and their nests for weeks and hoping to get some nice shots of the new born babies. Well that will definitely prove to be quite a task I can now see.
The babies that I was able to find are about 4-6 inches tall. They are fuzzy, and black and white. The main problem is that their parents have ushered them to the exact place I would if I had all those babies. They put them on a huge mud flat that is pretty much perilous for anyone weight more than 5 pounds to walk on. Perfect place for not so smart babies to get away from you. Well I just want to take a picture, but that is proving to be difficult becuase I can't get more than 30 yards away. My camera is only a 400mm lens and so you can see the babies in the picture, but they are small.
Tomorrow I will get out there earlier and hope for better success, but I am not sure if it will happen. If I walk up on one side they walk to the other side of the pond, and vice versa. There are a few other ponds that have nests that haven't hatched yet and so I am hoping to get pictures on those possibly because they are much smaller and easier to get birds in the lens. I am not sure if the birds are moving the babies really early by just carrying them in their mouths, or if they herd them and hope for the best with the coyotes. I guess for my lunch break I will read up on that.
Hopefully more luck tomorrow!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Favorite Daddy...
So I think that I am my baby Joshua's favorite daddy. That does sound a bit ridiculous because I am his only dad, and there isn't any way he could be getting confused on this actually. There are no other grown men that he has around him with any regularity at all. Understanding that I am obviously his favorite.
Overall though I would have to say that at almost 3 months old, he really likes me. Maybe it is because he doesn't see me all the time and I can strike the nice balance of novelty and comfort zone that babies like. I must say though I can probably get him to smile better than anyone. Even if he is tired, and or has a messy diaper (he really hates that), or is hungry. The kid will probably crack a smile in my favor.
The truth is though that he may just be considering my a really funny court jester. The one that acts ridiculous just for him. Dang that wouldn't be so cool...Oh well I guess I will keep the kid regardless. I really like him.
Today Alison took him on her almost daily walk (she would go everyday but I am sometimes gone to work or birding, so we roughly trade off on these things) and he totally loved being outside. She says that when they walked outside he giggled with excitement. Well that makes me really happy to think that he is pleased as punch to be outside and in nature cause I really like it as well!
Joshua is an awesome kid. He is definitely living up to his siblings standard of coolness and it is coming totally naturally. I guess I am lucky to have such a wonderful wife who trains kids well on top of being a great lover!
Overall though I would have to say that at almost 3 months old, he really likes me. Maybe it is because he doesn't see me all the time and I can strike the nice balance of novelty and comfort zone that babies like. I must say though I can probably get him to smile better than anyone. Even if he is tired, and or has a messy diaper (he really hates that), or is hungry. The kid will probably crack a smile in my favor.
The truth is though that he may just be considering my a really funny court jester. The one that acts ridiculous just for him. Dang that wouldn't be so cool...Oh well I guess I will keep the kid regardless. I really like him.
Today Alison took him on her almost daily walk (she would go everyday but I am sometimes gone to work or birding, so we roughly trade off on these things) and he totally loved being outside. She says that when they walked outside he giggled with excitement. Well that makes me really happy to think that he is pleased as punch to be outside and in nature cause I really like it as well!
Joshua is an awesome kid. He is definitely living up to his siblings standard of coolness and it is coming totally naturally. I guess I am lucky to have such a wonderful wife who trains kids well on top of being a great lover!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sequoia and Kings
Well we got back a few days ago from a short trip (to short sadly) to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. These have been on our minds for quite a while to be honest. I wish we would have gone sooner, but maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much 3 years earlier.
As is usual with our travel habits we left after work on Wednesday (I worked quite a bit extra to cover for only three days ahead of time), and came home Saturday. We try not to be traveling on a Sunday but this time we almost wished to make an exception because of how nice the trip was.
We saw amazing trees that were older than 2000 years in some cases. Had a great campsite to chill in, which is really important for the little kids and options for them to play around with. Amazing canyons, and waterfalls were all around. We even saw some pretty incredible birds while we where there.
So things were okay for this trip and we could have spent many more days there. We barely scratched the surface, and will hopefully return again before three years is up.
This trip was nice, and ultimately cost us only about 225 dollars. I think I may be overestimating a bit there to try and cover everything. It worked really well for us, and if we had stayed 2 more days our costs would only have gone up to about 275 maybe. So that is definitely nice to think about for the future.
The hard thing is that we really enjoyed this trip and then we are now planning the next one. We will be off to visit family for two weeks in Utah and Nevada. I am quite excited, and hope to do a lot of hiking while there. Also I am planning a short backpacking trip between now and then that I am really looking forward to in Coyote Gulch. That is one that I am really excited about. It is in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
I am excited to be able to hang with family for a few days as well. It seems that I haven't been able to do that at all for quite a while...maybe it has only been a few months though, so I think I shouldn't be complaining any more.
As is usual with our travel habits we left after work on Wednesday (I worked quite a bit extra to cover for only three days ahead of time), and came home Saturday. We try not to be traveling on a Sunday but this time we almost wished to make an exception because of how nice the trip was.
We saw amazing trees that were older than 2000 years in some cases. Had a great campsite to chill in, which is really important for the little kids and options for them to play around with. Amazing canyons, and waterfalls were all around. We even saw some pretty incredible birds while we where there.
So things were okay for this trip and we could have spent many more days there. We barely scratched the surface, and will hopefully return again before three years is up.
This trip was nice, and ultimately cost us only about 225 dollars. I think I may be overestimating a bit there to try and cover everything. It worked really well for us, and if we had stayed 2 more days our costs would only have gone up to about 275 maybe. So that is definitely nice to think about for the future.
The hard thing is that we really enjoyed this trip and then we are now planning the next one. We will be off to visit family for two weeks in Utah and Nevada. I am quite excited, and hope to do a lot of hiking while there. Also I am planning a short backpacking trip between now and then that I am really looking forward to in Coyote Gulch. That is one that I am really excited about. It is in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
I am excited to be able to hang with family for a few days as well. It seems that I haven't been able to do that at all for quite a while...maybe it has only been a few months though, so I think I shouldn't be complaining any more.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Backpacks
I will tell you up front that I am a huge bag collector. Thankfully not plastic bags, but more along the lines of camera bags (of these I actually only have very few), backpacks and so on. At our house I can say that I personally have 8 bags that fit in this category. Most are mountaineering bags, which I really love to collect.
Thankfully I haven't purchased any bags that are totally redundant (they do the same thing with little difference beside style or color). Lately though I have really been thinking about a camera bag. I have gone in cycles over the last several years and many times have almost bought one. I really don't know exactly what I want. I know the many places that I could use each different type of bag.
Today I was looking at several different ones and had narrowed down what I thought I wanted or needed (that line seems to blur a lot). So I looked closer and decided pretty much which one I would get and then realized that it was actually a bit smaller than a bag I currently use. So I am back to the considering board.
Well I have been considering for a while and I believe that I have settled things out in my mind (I believe reasonably). I photograph in just a few generalized situations and they follow.
Overall I realized that I had all the bags that I really need, and they have been serving my photography needs nicely for quite a while. What I need to do is get away from the idea of what type of bags photographers have. For me it is the idea in my mind is photographers having a bag that has the cool foam dividers and the gear all organized beautifully. I will be honest. This is like gear pornography for me. Seeing all those pieces of gear in a bag is amazing because I am a gear junkie, but seeing it organized also leaves me drooling!
But while I was thinking about things, I realized my bags are serving me well, and that all I needed is a system of wraps to protect items individually so that I can load then wherever I need in whatever bag fits the occasion. So I actually don't own a photography company made photo bag and it actually serves me pretty well.
The reasons this system works better for me is simple and has evolved over time. It started with being disgusted that a photo pack designed to carry a large weight of gear was never paired with a decent harness system to do so. Argh. Added to that the fact that photo bags were far to heavy. This is one area that has been overcome by some pretty innovative designs. Mountaineering bags are often far lighter. Lastly there was the fact that most photo bags are obviously photo bags. Being obviously identified also leads to the obvious association that hey, "this bag probably has at least a few thousand dollars of gear in it". For me it would be more likely that the bag will regularly have 10,000 dollars of gear in it. They have steal me signs all over them.
So after all that I regularly use a lumbar pack that allows for very quick access and decent weather protection and overall organization, and a panel loading mountaineering/hiking bag. Both were vastly cheaper, and don't fall subject to all the above compalints.
What I am worried about is actually protecting the gear from damage that may occur in action or travel. So for these bags to remain ideal, I realized that I needed to get a system of lens cases/wraps going. This is actually going to increase protection and organization. Overall this is going to be a great system.
The biggest problem is that I will be going against what everyone expects a professional/cool photographer to look like. I won't have the readily identifyable look going. I really feel like this is better, but my gut instinct is still to try and be like everyone else. I think that with time I can over come that. That is actually what we all need to do. Overcome the desire to be like everyone else!
Thankfully I haven't purchased any bags that are totally redundant (they do the same thing with little difference beside style or color). Lately though I have really been thinking about a camera bag. I have gone in cycles over the last several years and many times have almost bought one. I really don't know exactly what I want. I know the many places that I could use each different type of bag.
Today I was looking at several different ones and had narrowed down what I thought I wanted or needed (that line seems to blur a lot). So I looked closer and decided pretty much which one I would get and then realized that it was actually a bit smaller than a bag I currently use. So I am back to the considering board.
Well I have been considering for a while and I believe that I have settled things out in my mind (I believe reasonably). I photograph in just a few generalized situations and they follow.
- General hiking with my family (this involves me carrying one or two children)
- Hiking, exploring a new place (city or nature), and whatever by myself
- Backpacking
- Shooting people in a studio or location setting
Overall I realized that I had all the bags that I really need, and they have been serving my photography needs nicely for quite a while. What I need to do is get away from the idea of what type of bags photographers have. For me it is the idea in my mind is photographers having a bag that has the cool foam dividers and the gear all organized beautifully. I will be honest. This is like gear pornography for me. Seeing all those pieces of gear in a bag is amazing because I am a gear junkie, but seeing it organized also leaves me drooling!
But while I was thinking about things, I realized my bags are serving me well, and that all I needed is a system of wraps to protect items individually so that I can load then wherever I need in whatever bag fits the occasion. So I actually don't own a photography company made photo bag and it actually serves me pretty well.
The reasons this system works better for me is simple and has evolved over time. It started with being disgusted that a photo pack designed to carry a large weight of gear was never paired with a decent harness system to do so. Argh. Added to that the fact that photo bags were far to heavy. This is one area that has been overcome by some pretty innovative designs. Mountaineering bags are often far lighter. Lastly there was the fact that most photo bags are obviously photo bags. Being obviously identified also leads to the obvious association that hey, "this bag probably has at least a few thousand dollars of gear in it". For me it would be more likely that the bag will regularly have 10,000 dollars of gear in it. They have steal me signs all over them.
So after all that I regularly use a lumbar pack that allows for very quick access and decent weather protection and overall organization, and a panel loading mountaineering/hiking bag. Both were vastly cheaper, and don't fall subject to all the above compalints.
What I am worried about is actually protecting the gear from damage that may occur in action or travel. So for these bags to remain ideal, I realized that I needed to get a system of lens cases/wraps going. This is actually going to increase protection and organization. Overall this is going to be a great system.
The biggest problem is that I will be going against what everyone expects a professional/cool photographer to look like. I won't have the readily identifyable look going. I really feel like this is better, but my gut instinct is still to try and be like everyone else. I think that with time I can over come that. That is actually what we all need to do. Overcome the desire to be like everyone else!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Websites...
Well I am currently working on my business, and creativity planning...
This involves websites. I am getting better and managing and making them up to do what I want. I for example today worked on figuring out why one would let me customize something and another wouldn't. The success is that I figured it out and I feel pretty good about that.
Creativity planning? Okay so that is getting to be a bit of excessive mumbo jumbo, but basically I am lately feeling really strongly about myself needing a creativity outlet where I can write about things that I am thinking about, and feel like I can develop my ideas a little better through writing. So I started a website that is talking about mainly what I think works great for myself and my life. I am also thinking that I may be able to help others with this website and the ideas I have.
I did just write the first article/idea today and it is 1200 words. I think that I also only really began to get the ideas out, and not really as a cohesive group. But I was really enjoying the creativity flowing out of writing and thinking. The best part was that it was about things that don't really matter much at all, what I mean is that I don't have to do it for any reason other than I wanted to. That is what was good about it.
Okay that is all for now...but I am really feeling the fluidity about writing about better ideas for living a better life...
This involves websites. I am getting better and managing and making them up to do what I want. I for example today worked on figuring out why one would let me customize something and another wouldn't. The success is that I figured it out and I feel pretty good about that.
Creativity planning? Okay so that is getting to be a bit of excessive mumbo jumbo, but basically I am lately feeling really strongly about myself needing a creativity outlet where I can write about things that I am thinking about, and feel like I can develop my ideas a little better through writing. So I started a website that is talking about mainly what I think works great for myself and my life. I am also thinking that I may be able to help others with this website and the ideas I have.
I did just write the first article/idea today and it is 1200 words. I think that I also only really began to get the ideas out, and not really as a cohesive group. But I was really enjoying the creativity flowing out of writing and thinking. The best part was that it was about things that don't really matter much at all, what I mean is that I don't have to do it for any reason other than I wanted to. That is what was good about it.
Okay that is all for now...but I am really feeling the fluidity about writing about better ideas for living a better life...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Lunch Time...
So today's lunch I guess I grossly underestimated what I needed to bring so that I could eat enough...I had a lot of tacos, but I have to save some for tomorrow so that I can have some lunch then...oh well.
Okay so I am having a good day working on some experiments at work and I am lucky enough that these aren't very labor intensive, just time intensive so I am able to get a bit of chilling out done as well. I am working on updating my image copyright watermark. Trying to decide what I would want it to look like and whatever else. I am getting a lot happier with the potential end result. You can see it at my website at www.hiddenlightphotography.com. Basically it is my name, and then a striking line beneath that and my website address. After considering it for quite a bit I realized that I have about what I want already, I am just going to add a bit of a glamorous line. I have to laugh, lots of work to change not much at all!
On other news I am looking forward with much chagrin to paying off my student loan debts. That isn't really something I am excited about. Argh. Well poor planning then, but now I can make better plans and hopefully make progress to a bit better financial freedom. We are doing well now, and if I can weather the Student Loan storm things will be a lot better.
I am also working on improving things like my business, and part of that is my photoshop skills. That is something that I have always only dipped my toe into. Well now it is time to really get totally wet. I am glad that I am not totally retarded about it and that I have been doing quite a bit of good stuff already with Lightroom with is kind of a simple and fluid photoshop. So things are looking good!
I am also working on picking out a picture or two that I may print. Yep I want to have a picture to show off to family as well when my father in Law is showing off his sweet action stuff. I have to represent! Problem is that I have no idea what pictures I should potentially get printed...I have like 5000 favorites...sadly that isn't to far off.
Okay so I am having a good day working on some experiments at work and I am lucky enough that these aren't very labor intensive, just time intensive so I am able to get a bit of chilling out done as well. I am working on updating my image copyright watermark. Trying to decide what I would want it to look like and whatever else. I am getting a lot happier with the potential end result. You can see it at my website at www.hiddenlightphotography.com. Basically it is my name, and then a striking line beneath that and my website address. After considering it for quite a bit I realized that I have about what I want already, I am just going to add a bit of a glamorous line. I have to laugh, lots of work to change not much at all!
On other news I am looking forward with much chagrin to paying off my student loan debts. That isn't really something I am excited about. Argh. Well poor planning then, but now I can make better plans and hopefully make progress to a bit better financial freedom. We are doing well now, and if I can weather the Student Loan storm things will be a lot better.
I am also working on improving things like my business, and part of that is my photoshop skills. That is something that I have always only dipped my toe into. Well now it is time to really get totally wet. I am glad that I am not totally retarded about it and that I have been doing quite a bit of good stuff already with Lightroom with is kind of a simple and fluid photoshop. So things are looking good!
I am also working on picking out a picture or two that I may print. Yep I want to have a picture to show off to family as well when my father in Law is showing off his sweet action stuff. I have to represent! Problem is that I have no idea what pictures I should potentially get printed...I have like 5000 favorites...sadly that isn't to far off.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Lunch
So when I started working and providing for our family after we got married my wife was amazing and for more than a short while (I remember more than a year, but I may be off) she packed my lunch for me. That was so nice, even if she was only organizing the left overs and getting them ready for another days battle. Well after we had kids and I started the habit of leaving for work quite a bit earlier than she was regularly rising my own lunch preparation was migrating towards me. So I have gotten into a pretty mindless process of packaging it up and going to work.
Today I had left over pizza that my wife made last night that is honestly really great, but I guess I can talk about that a bit later. I ate that all up and when I was done I had worked on some other stuff and was putting my Tupperware container in my bag so I don't grow a nasty huge pile of them over time on me cubicle desk (it really isn't a cubicle, much less glorius more of a corner desk/cave with walls) I discovered cookies in my bag. I surprised myself. I had completely forgotten that I had packed those. So I am really excited now! I have snack prospects for the rest of the day.
Even better than this is when my wife on the sly sneaks surprises into my bag for me. Those are an even better treat!
So the pizza...we like to have pizza, and regularly if we can. We also don't like to go out to eat for many reasons. Overall for me is the regular dissatisfaction I experience at pay a premium for mediocre food. I will be honest, I can pretty handily make mediocre food. We probably can all do that with ease. The pain is paying 40 dollars for it, and even worse paying for it and having your kid throw it on the floor...
Enter my lovely wife. She likes pizza even more than me and is a great cook. So she decided that she will make pizza each week and over the last few years, the pizza has gotten amazing. To the point that if we ever eat out at a pizza place or take it on delivery I am finding my self wishing for my wife's version! So if you want her version hit her up on that, I just take care of the consumption!
Today I had left over pizza that my wife made last night that is honestly really great, but I guess I can talk about that a bit later. I ate that all up and when I was done I had worked on some other stuff and was putting my Tupperware container in my bag so I don't grow a nasty huge pile of them over time on me cubicle desk (it really isn't a cubicle, much less glorius more of a corner desk/cave with walls) I discovered cookies in my bag. I surprised myself. I had completely forgotten that I had packed those. So I am really excited now! I have snack prospects for the rest of the day.
Even better than this is when my wife on the sly sneaks surprises into my bag for me. Those are an even better treat!
So the pizza...we like to have pizza, and regularly if we can. We also don't like to go out to eat for many reasons. Overall for me is the regular dissatisfaction I experience at pay a premium for mediocre food. I will be honest, I can pretty handily make mediocre food. We probably can all do that with ease. The pain is paying 40 dollars for it, and even worse paying for it and having your kid throw it on the floor...
Enter my lovely wife. She likes pizza even more than me and is a great cook. So she decided that she will make pizza each week and over the last few years, the pizza has gotten amazing. To the point that if we ever eat out at a pizza place or take it on delivery I am finding my self wishing for my wife's version! So if you want her version hit her up on that, I just take care of the consumption!
Friday, May 08, 2009
Today...
I have embarked on a few new labor intensive projects that I am excited about. Mainly because they are thinking intensive! That is something that I miss out on sadly to often. I am working on that no longer being the case for me.
Lately I have done really well at getting the important things in my life ordered to a first place, rather than being put into the place of wherever it may fit as can often happen. Like journalling. I just don't get down to journal writing very frequently. I really like to do it, but I fail to make it a priority.
Today I noticed a funny thing my two older children do. It is really kind of sad, but they have trained each other to do it. Zach hates it when Andy yells, or is obnoxiously loud for whatever reason. She is loud lots of the time, believe me! So she will just yell or scream her little heart out because it drives him nuts. It is funny, but sad that she does it to get at him. I think she is doing it for attention and because she thinks she can control him or get his goat. Well he has a big goat to get in this area, as he feels like he must always be the one in charge and in control. Little does he know about life!
They are also telling each other no. One will say they want something and the other will say no. They asker gets so mad, when in reality there is no reason the other could say no to them. They just base their little world and opinion on what they sibling says and does! How funny. I think that we as adults really do the same as well, and get ourselves often more broke up over it in the long term. This is to bad!
Okay that is all for now, I am going to the father and son's campout today and need to get home a bit earlier to spend some time with the members of the family not going!
Lately I have done really well at getting the important things in my life ordered to a first place, rather than being put into the place of wherever it may fit as can often happen. Like journalling. I just don't get down to journal writing very frequently. I really like to do it, but I fail to make it a priority.
Today I noticed a funny thing my two older children do. It is really kind of sad, but they have trained each other to do it. Zach hates it when Andy yells, or is obnoxiously loud for whatever reason. She is loud lots of the time, believe me! So she will just yell or scream her little heart out because it drives him nuts. It is funny, but sad that she does it to get at him. I think she is doing it for attention and because she thinks she can control him or get his goat. Well he has a big goat to get in this area, as he feels like he must always be the one in charge and in control. Little does he know about life!
They are also telling each other no. One will say they want something and the other will say no. They asker gets so mad, when in reality there is no reason the other could say no to them. They just base their little world and opinion on what they sibling says and does! How funny. I think that we as adults really do the same as well, and get ourselves often more broke up over it in the long term. This is to bad!
Okay that is all for now, I am going to the father and son's campout today and need to get home a bit earlier to spend some time with the members of the family not going!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)