Sunday, November 30, 2008

Nearly Winter

Nearly Winter

On a Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Hiking Toward a Cache

Hiking Toward a Cache

On a Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. We had started toward the first of the two caches we were to hit in this portion of the park only to discover that we had to turn around and take the lower trail. Oh well -- at least it's a beautiful autumn day.

Friday, November 28, 2008

No Colors

No Colors

While driving around a few weeks back we found this closed and collapsing old bar -- the Cobblestone Bar and Grill. The building was very interesting, but didn't really provide any good photo opportunities (at least not from the external views we had). The most interesting thing was the back door. The plywood covering that rear entrance had been torn down, and from the looks of these photos the door was pried open. But what struck us was the note the incoming patrons; "Sorry, No Colors, No Patches Allowed Inside."

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Shooting with the iPhone

Nutmeg from the iPhoneApple's iPhone is an amazing device which has changed my life in a variety of ways I'd not expected. One of the more notable changes has been the use of the internal camera. Sure it's a lousy camera, but it's connected to the Internet and a little computer. The draw of taking a simple photo, making some quick edits, and posting seduced me and I am now a camera phone user.

Photo Editing on the iPhoneMuch of the draw has been in the ability to edit on the iPhone before sending the image. Rarely has a camera phone been able to produce an image with an exposure or color balance close to correct (especially indoors) and the iPhone is no exception. With the inexpensive Photogene App I have the option to adjust both and much more. If needed, it even allows quick notes (or even whimsical thought bubbles) or border can be added before dropping it off in a e-mail. They're certainly not good for print resolution but great for sending around electronically. It's wonderful having the camera will me almost all the time, and even better that I have the option to send these images to just about anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Capped Off

Capped Off

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition a few weeks ago. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. This capped pipe was the port for fuel oil on the end of a caboose. Getting in to a good position to capture this one was tough, but I loved the light and textures.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

1906 The Woman's Christian Temperance Union Drinking Fountain

1906 The Woman's Christian Temperance Union Drinking Fountain

With a local farmers street market underway, we stopped at this virtual geocache for a few minutes to photograph this drinking fountain. I think we amused the vendors more than ourselves though.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Barbed Tree

Barbed Tree

On a Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. While attempting to locate a cache, we encountered some barbed wire stuck in a tree. It's nothing new around here, but always unexpected.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Lapeer County Courthouse

Lapeer County Courthouse

While in Downtown Lapeer, we passed by the Lapeer County Courthouse. We didn't really see any good images, but wanted to capture the 1845 structure.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Rocky Leaf

Rocky Leaf

A few Sundays back we made another trip to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some caching. While waiting for others in the group to arrive, Chris (of TeamLegend4) and I spent some time working the new cabin onsite. Near that cabin we found this sole autumn leave stick in the stone. Our fellow Geocachers had shown up about this time though so we only snapped a couple of quick frames before heading back to the parking lot in preparation for the afternoon hike.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Ringing?

Ringing?

A few Sundays back we made another trip to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some caching. While waiting for others in the group to arrive, Chris (of TeamLegend4) and I spent some time working the new cabin onsite. This small iron bell was screwed next to the door frame of that structure. We spent several minutes on this bell, mostly teaching Chris to use the Nikon D200 I'd lent her. Of the three difference compositions I'd had, this was my favorite. I'm anxious to see what she had.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The New Log Cabin

The New Log Cabin

A few weekends back we made another trip to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some caching. While waiting for others in the group to arrive, Chris (of TeamLegend4) and I spent some time working the new cabin onsite. This is the start of a new pioneer museum area planned for this location. I'll be looking forward to visiting the developing site over the next few years and snapping many more photos of cool buildings, fixtures, and adornments.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

In the Bark

In the Bark

On a Sunday afternoon a couple weeks back, the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. During the trip back to the parking area the weather became a little less favorable (it rained before we got to the cars) but this leaf caught my attention, then the detail in the bark. As I looked at this capture on the laptop, the little sprout in the bark.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Lapeer's Autumn Leaves

Lapeer's Autumn Leaves

Lapeer still had most of their autumn leaves adorning their trees for a brillant array of colors. I'm sure they'll soon vanish as most seem to have been in poor shape, but a few still glowed bright in the morning light.

Monday, November 17, 2008

290 W 3

290 W 3

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition this past weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. This sign was, at least for a while, the only thing on the platform that I found to work.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Tiles

Tiles

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition last weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. Remarkably this image was shot with that lens, not with a macro/micro lens. These are those yellow tiles at the edge of the platform to warn people of how far to stand back on arrival or departure.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

High Speed Freight at Lapeer, Michigan

High Speed Freight at Lapeer, Michigan

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition last weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Access Denied

Access Denied

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition last weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. This latch was on the depot's signal cabinet (not in use of course) along side the DTI caboose.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Anyone Home?

Anyone Home?

On a Sunday afternoon last week, the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. This seemed like an obivous location for someone's home, but today it was empty.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Fuel Oil

Fuel Oil

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition last weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. This was a fitting on the platform of a caboose parked at the depot which looked interesting. Especially with the cold temperatures this morning, the warth of the stove in a caboose was very appealing.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

12 of 12 Tomorrow

Tomorrow is again the "12 of 12," so mark your calendar and bring that camera with you! I had my first (and so far only) experience back in August September and had a blast. It really doesn't take much (though I went out of the way to make mine more challenging) to grab twelve images of your day. Not only is it an interesting project to document your own life for a day, but along with the other photographers doing the same thing we can assemble daily stories of lives all across the globe. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to participate again tomorrow, and if so, watch for those to appear here and on Flickr.

In the meantime, here that set from two months ago:





12of12at12mm: Photo 1
12of12at12mm: Photo 212of12at12mm: Photo 3
12of12at12mm: Photo 412of12at12mm: Photo 512of12at12mm: Photo 6
12of12at12mm: Photo 712of12at12mm: Photo 812of12at12mm: Photo 9
12of12at12mm: Photo 1012of12at12mm: Photo 1112of12at12mm: Photo 12
View the set on Flickr.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Fresh Water Only

Fresh Water Only

Lawrence of Berkley and I had a little shooting expedition last weekend. I was testing the new AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and he the new, used D700. The start of the trip was the Lapeer Depot where we shot whatever we could before the one freight train we saw all day blew by at high speed. This was a notation on a caboose (there are three at the depot) which caught my eye. I was thrilled with the close focusing performance of this lens.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

PIX Theater

PIX Theater

While walking through Downtown Lapeer we happened across this old theater.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Lapeer's Autumn Leaves

Lapeer's Autumn Leaves

Lapeer still had most of their autumn leaves adorning their trees for a brillant array of colors. I'm sure they'll soon vanish as most seem to have been in poor shape, but a few still glowed bright in the morning light.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Just Another Fallen Tree

Just Another Fallen Tree

On Sunday afternoon the weather was too nice to stay inside, so we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. This was just another fallen tree in the woods, but I liked the green ground cover around the top of the log.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

1906 The Woman's Christian Temperance Union Drinking Fountain

1906 The Woman's Christian Temperance Union Drinking Fountain

With a local farmers street market underway, we stopped at this virtual geocache for a few minutes to photograph this drinking fountain. I think we amused the vendors more than ourselves though.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Shooting in Downtown

Shooting in Downtown

Both Lawrence of Berkley and I have been to Lapeer more than a couple times but never made it down to the business district. On the draw of a virtual geocache, this past Saturday we ventured into the unknown depths that is Downtown Lapeer. We didn't spend much time, but a few things in town did catch our eyes.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Amber and Autumn

Amber and Autumn

On Sunday afternoon we opted to play hooky and run over to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center for some geocaching with friends. Along the lower trail we spotted this tree where someone had carved a pair of names. While typically annoyed by such carvings, the fact that the later name was "Autumn" tickled me with the colors of fall behind it.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Don't Forget to Lock-up

Don't Forget to Lock-up

While driving around this afternoon we found this closed and "collapsing" old bar -- the Cobblestone Bar and Grill. While the plywood from the back door had been pried off, the boards covering the front door and windows were all entacted. I'm not sure what good a lock on the door really does when the roof had huge holes, but at least that lock was still in place.