I was driving by Radina's Bakehouse last night and was inspired by the lights and color of the sky. The sky was a deep blue overcast which provided some nice light.
Radina's Bakehouse, Manhattan, Kansas
Drive Thru Coffee, Radina's Bakehouse, Manhattan, KS
This weekend was the Huff 'n Puff annual hot air balloon rally at Lake Shawnee, Topeka, KS. I went to experience the fun last night. There was a great turn out of people and balloons. As I was pulling into the parking lot, they were just starting to take off. When it gets dark they do a Balloon Glow, which lights up the colorful balloons nicely. The event is always the weekend after Labor Day.
I had a craving for some corned beef and hash. Luckily this craving came last night so I could get to the store to have some corned beef for this morning.
In honor of the opening season NFL game tonight, here is a look at the Seattle waterfront and Public Market area.
Farmers Market. The famous Pike's Place Market in Seattle, WA. Seattle 2013
Carousel and Ferris Wheel. A little fun right at the water's edge. Seattle 2013
A walk in the Fog. A foggy evening at the Seattle Waterfront. Seattle 2013
A blurry picture my not be a ruined picture. Blur shows the presence of motion, which can give an artistic look to the image. The blur can help the viewer experience the action that was occurring at the time the image was taken.
Blur occurs when the shutter of the camera is open long enough that the objects in the image have moved while the shutter is still open. This is easy to do at night since the light is lower, which requires a longer shutter speed to get a proper exposure, all other things equal.
Steer Wrestler. Longford Rodeo 2014. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270 mm, ISO 3200, 100 mm, f/8.0, 1/8 sec.
Riding to Wrestle. Longford Rodeo 2014. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270 mm, ISO 3200, 100 mm, f/8.0, 1/8 sec.
Riding to Wrestle. Longford Rodeo 2014. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270 mm, ISO 3200, 100 mm, f/8.0, 1/6 sec.
I have been playing with some of the work from the Motaku Sailor Senshi Shoot from earlier in August. There was one piece in particular that I wanted to take into Photoshop to do a little work one. The hotel that the convention was at had a small arcade, which worked well for this particular shoot since their is a video game that they play in the anime. The room was pretty small and a little dated with the curtains. The image was in need of some work.
I took the photo image into Photoshop and turned the background into black and white to neutralize it. On the video game cabinet, I changed it to have the video game that is played in the anime. After a few other adjustments I had something that fits with the vision that we had for this particular image in the shoot.
Before. This is the image right out of the camera. The curtain is dated and distracts from the rest of the image. The video game cabinet is just a random game. Motaku 2014
After. This is after some adjustments in Photoshop. The curtain has been neutralized. The video game cabinet and screen have been changed to fit the vision of the image. Motaku 2014
The first night of the Longford Rodeo showcased some talented cowboys and cowgirls. Night two is tonight, with more talent to be present. Photography at an event like a rodeo always brings on its own challenges. Low light is one of the biggest. It is always fun to play with though.
Saddle Bronc in the Flash. I well/lucky timed shot when the rodeo photographer's flash fired to light up the scene. Longford Rodeo 2014
Tie Down Roping on the Run. Longford Rodeo 2014
Team Roping. Longford Rodeo 2014
Calf Scramble with the Kids. Longford Rodeo 2014
Around the Barrel. Barrel Racing. Longford Rodeo 2014
The Manhattan Arts Center will be having their opening for the Manhattan Area Photographer's Exhibit tonight. It will run from 5 to 7 PM. The exhibit itself will continue on until October 11th during normal gallery hours (Mon-Fri noon-5, Sat 1-4). I would encourage everyone to stop in an take a look at some of the great work that is on display from local photographers.
MAC at Night. Manhattan Arts Center.
Manhattan Arts Center Sign.
You know that Kansas State University Football is just days away when you see the City Park invaded by people in purple. Purple Power Play in the Park, once know as Purple Power Play on Poyntz, is the annual two night pep rally that is held just before KSU Football season. Many local vendors setup in the park to provide food and fun for all. The main stage features many dancers, singers, and all of the different sports teams that Kansas State University has.
We walked through the fun tonight and came across several street performers that decided to join in the fun and entertain the crowd. There was also some young dancers on the main stage showing off some moves.
Ribbon Fries. Purple Power Play in the Park 2014
Juggling Street Performer. Purple Power Play in the Park 2014
Every Labor Day weekend, Longford Kansas puts on one of the best rodeos around. A two night event, the Longford Rodeo has been going on for 59 years, and continues this weekend. Friday night includes a free BBQ sandwich with purchase of admission ticket. Saturday's fun starts earlier in the day with activities in town and a parade. The Longford Rodeo is a big tradition in a small town.
Wild Steer Scramble. Longford Rodeo 2013
Fence Climbing. Longford Rodeo 2013.
Tonight I have been scanning in some old negatives from when I was in high school. I was not much of a photographer back then, but I did like to take pictures. I noticed that I did not take many pictures of the same thing at one time. Digital allows you to take as many photos as you want, while film limited you a little more. While I greatly enjoy not being limited to the number of photos, I think that film did make me slow down a little. Slowing down to look at what is around you is a great way to make sure that you are not missing something. Looking at different angles and taking time to compose the shot will make it more than just a snap shot. I am going to set a goal of slowing down and putting a little more planning into each photograph.
Whiskey Barrels Negative. Heaven Hill Distillery.
Whiskey Barrels. Heaven Hill Distillery.
Tobacco Knife Farmer Negative. Rural Kentucky.
Tobacco Knife Farmer. Rural Kentucky.
Yesterday I had a few visitors to the sunflower in my yard. There was a nice butterfly and a couple of bees that thought the sunflower blooms were pretty fun. It was defiantly adventure time for the sunflower and the butterflies and bees.
Bee on a Sunflower.
Bee on a Sunflower.
The temperature outside is 104°F as I am writing this. It is very much a limeade kind of a day. I made up a carafe of limeade this afternoon as a good treat to quench the thirst that this eat brings on. Of course it makes a good excuse to play with the camera!
Lime on a Glass. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270mm, ISO 100, 85 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec.
Focus on the Margarita. Nikon D3100 Lensbaby Composer Pro, ISO 800, f/8, 1/125 sec.
Margarita in the Window. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270 mm, ISO 100, 32mm, f/4.2, 1/200 sec.
Margarita in the Window. Nikon D7000, Nikkor 35mm, ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/200 sec.
Doctor Who returns to television screens today (Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 7:15pm Central). The British science fiction television series is on its twelfth Doctor starting this season.
Seventh Doctor Who cosplay. Taken at Planet Comicon 2014.
Tenth Doctor Who Cosplay. Taken at Planet Comicon 2014.
Red Dalek cosplay. Taken at Planet Comicon 2014.
I am sure that a few people have noticed some of the interesting photography that I have been posting lately that features people in costumes. This year we have attended a couple of conventions that have allowed me to take some interesting portraits of people in costume. The first one was Planet Comicon in Kansas City. It was a nice size convention that had a great variety of characters. You can find out more about it here: http://planetcomicon.wordpress.com/.
Earlier this month we were invited to do a photography shoot with three ladies that would be attending Motaku, also in Kansas City. It was more focused on the Anime side of cosplay. You can find out more about it here: http://motaku.org/.
So what is cosplay? Well it stands for costume play. Basically it is were people dress up in the likeness of a character that they are a fan of, or a character that they have created. Many of these characters come from comic books, pop culture, video games, or manga. Cosplaying has become a culture to its own.
Who would you cosplay as if you were to attend a comicon convention?
Kaylee Frye from Firefly. This portrait was taken at Planet Comicon 2014.
Ursula from The Little Mermaid. This portrait was taken at Planet Comicon 2014.
Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Mercury from Sailor Moon. This portrait was taken at Motaku 2014.
The Manhattan Arts Center will be having a photography exhibit featuring local Manhattan Photographers. I submitted five photographs. Four out of the five were accepted for the exhibit. Be sure to check out the exhibit, as it is sure to have some really great work. All of my photographs are for sale, and most of the photographs in this exhibit will be as well.
Manhattan Area Photographers Exhibit
Opening reception & awards: August 29, 5-7pm
Exhibit open: August 30-October 11, 2014
A juried exhibit of 50 photographs by Kansas photographers located within a 40 mile radius of Manhattan. Open to all artists 16 years or older.
Falling Through The Canyon. Johnston Canyon is located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. This was such a neat area to walk through. This is the lower falls, which is still a nice little hike to get to. Maybe next time we will keep on hiking to the next falls.
Pure Turquoise. Lake Louise is a popular glacier fed lake in Banff National Park. It has a Chateau that sets right beside it, that I am sure is a great place to stay. We did not stay there this trip though. We did take the time to hike up the mountain along the lake. I am not sure how far I actually got, but it seemed like it was a ways up there. This is definitely a location that I plan on returning to.
Seattle Oarsman. As the name and the iconic Space Needle both give away, this is Seattle Washington. I have visited Seattle a couple of times now, and I always find myself at Alki in West Seattle. It is a great location to see the skyline view of downtown Seattle.
Signs Of Old. I came across this old sign that had been abandoned in a sign grave yard. I am not sure where it has been, but I was drawn to it. I like the round tubes and large globe bulbs that create a repeating pattern. (Received honorable mention)
