Serpentine

I am about to take a week off from my blog, though ou won't notice this because I am posting a week's worth of photos today. Everyday, a new one will magically appear at midnight GMT. I am posting these photos with few comments, but you don't come to this blog for the words of wisdom, do you?Happy holidays! I'll be back on January 1, 2011.

A Perfect Setting

Everything about a meal at Cathy & Bill Zs' house it artful. (A word?) The table was set beautifully but the food was even better.

Humane Society?

Compositionally, this isn't a very good photo. But journalistically it gets by because it does tell a story, even if you didn't know that is was taken along the Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain. It is a photo of a mendicant (more rudely, a beggar) and his best friends.I suspect that some may ask if he would have to beg if he weren't trying to feed 4 pets. I would ask instead, "What do you value and how much is it worth to you?"

The Wedding Sermon

Prayer

I guess this shot is more about architecture than people, though I hope I can be forgiven for this: The First United Methodist Church in Watertown, SD, is a beautiful structure. I know that Gothic cathedrals, like the Notre Dame de Paris, were intended to lift the celebrants' eyes to heaven, while at the same time giving them a sense of smallness and humility. Maybe that's what the architects of this church intended.I like the symmetry of this shot, though if I were staging it, I would have the bridesmaids move about two feet to my right so I could get all three in the frame. Oh, well. . .Finally, you might be wondering about the black and white treatment, given the amazing color present in this shot. I think color sometimes distracts. Also, getting good color at ISO 1600 in a big room with generally dim, mixed light sources can be problematic. But, if you want to see color, click here.Canon 5DII 1/50s f/2.8 ISO1600 85mm

Holiday Bokeh

Canon 5DII 1/40s f/2.8 ISO500 185mm

We Do

Moments after the exchange of vows, Eric and Abby seem oblivious to the appreciative audience sharing their special moment.Those who have been using a DSLR for more than 6 years might have some sense of why shooting with an ISO set to 2000 and getting fairly clean result is worth commenting on. I rarely shoot at higher than 400, but in this particular church, that isn't an option for available light photography. And you will note that even at ISO 2000 and with an aperture of 2.8, I am still using a shutter speed that risks blur.When I am shooting with a slow shutter speed, I look for moments when the action slows down. In this case, the only blurred object that I can see is Abby's earring.Canon 5DII 1/50s f/2.8 ISO2000 200mmColor Version (click)

Eye Candy

This was taken through the front window of an enticing shop on Pike Street in Seattle.

Ambulanza

This is what a Venetian ambulance looks like. The pilot races down the Grand Canal, weaving through gondola traffic. And he looks cool and poised in his Italian sunglasses. . .

Bling!!!

As some of you know, I teach photography and English at Lake Area Technical institute. Yesterday, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, our school was named "A Finalist With Distinction" in the first ever Aspen Institute "Prize For Community College Excellence."Though LATI didn't win the grand prize (Valencia Community College of Orlando, Fl. did) we were tied with three other colleges for second place. That's not bad for a small technical school in a small town in a sparsely populated state!I know it's crass to talk about money, but in addition to the nice glass trophy, our school also won $100,000. I wanted to pile stacks of cash around the trophy but decided instead to go with something simple and uncluttered.Can't get enough of this story? Check out these links:KELO TVAspen Institute LATI Story

Pelekes Beach, Corfu (Greece)

This little beach is tucked in against the fairly steep western central banks of the Greek island of Corfu. Corfu doesn't match the stereotypic view the of Greek islands. It isn't real glitzy. Whitewashed buildings are not the norm. And the place isn't over run by tourists. It's a wonderful destination.

Another Universe

There's nothing like a macro photo to give you a look at a little universe that could easily be overlooked.