Well, last week we went to the Arizona Coyote’s home opener against the St Louis Blues and needless to say the Coyotes are in midseason form. It was a promising beginning when the they entered the 2nd period with a 2-1 lead but then Blues scored 5 goes in less than 10 min. Talk about watching your hopes and dreams disintegrate.
The final was 7-4 in favor of the Blues but I was happy that I was able to get some good shots from the game.
I used my Canon Eos Rebel T6. Setting was on the movement which would be needed to capture the Player’s movements,
Shutter around 360-500 depending on the lights
F 5.6-7.1
ISO 800-1200
Feel free to offer any feedback. I am still learning how to do this. Have a goodnight and hopefully the Coyotes will get better as the season progresses.
Been taking a lot of photos of this park that is near my house. A beautiful a pond is right near our house and everyday there are ducks, geese, and doves that all meet up and relax pretty much.
I figured what better way to practice taking some shots then using the situation as an opportunity to learn and hone my craft so to speak.
I was using a Canon Eos Rebel T6 with a Canon EF 75-300 mm attached to it. This lens was so incredibly helpful. It would allow me to get shots up close without having to be literally up close. Geese tend to be territorial and I had no interest in dealing with them or a pissed off flock of ducks.
My shutter speed varied I chose to objects setting on my camera. I could have used manual but with the sun and shade varying I chose to allow the camera to process it better than I would have been able to.
Average Shutter speed 200-400
F 5.6-8.0
ISO about 800-1200
There were some pictures I had to delete but most of them I felt came out really well.
Below I posted some along with a little video of my other trips out there. Back ground music is The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s “Take Five” for any jazz fans who recognize it.
Been slowly mastering the ability to become a photographer. Took some nice pics of flowers recently and was quite impressed with how they came out so beautiful. I figured I would post a few with the settings I am trying to remember I used. I also attached a poem I read recently and it fit the bill.
Taken in Albuquerque around August. Canon EOS T Rebel 6
Shutter; 100-200, F 7.1, ISO 800
At home last month after it rained
The next two were also at home after it rained.
Settings were from the Canon EOS T Rebel 6
Shutter 200
F 7.1
ISO-800
And finally the poem I mentioned is posted here.
Robert Frost (1874–1963)
From A Boy’s Will. 1915
I LEFT you in the morning, And in the morning glow, You walked a way beside me To make me sad to go. Do you know me in the gloaming, 5 Gaunt and dusty grey with roaming? Are you dumb because you know me not, Or dumb because you know?
All for me? And not a question For the faded flowers gay 10 That could take me from beside you For the ages of a day? They are yours, and be the measure Of their worth for you to treasure, The measure of the little while 15 That I’ve been long away.
in 1973 Rod Stewart was on top of the world. His solo career had taken off. No longer attached to past acts like “The Jeff Beck Group”, or “Faces” Rod was a man on his own.
His last 2 albums “An old Raincoat won’t ever let you down”, and is follow up “Every picture tells a story” established him as a premiere player for the early 70’s.
However, it would be his first compilation album “Sing it again Rod” That would catapult him to massive success at that time. While it was a little early in his career for a “greatest hits album” It didn’t mean that his catalogue wasn’t the least bit interesting at that point.
He had released a total of 4 solo albums at this point but he had built a nice little list of hit songs that you could enjoy without skipping a track.
The album was released on 10 August 1973. Number 1 in the UK and number 31 in the US.
A combination of songs by Rod and covers of past artists from his previous 4 albums. I think what stands out to me isn’t the great play list, its the album cover itself.
The Album cover was created by Peter Corrsiton. A Grammy award winning graphic designer who was noted for making Album covers of other artists such as Badfinger, Mick Jagger, Led Zeppelin, and Tom Waits. The cover is an image of a glass with alcohol in it but behind it a facial of Rod himself. A pretty creative cover in my opinion
Overall as I mentioned that this greatest his album is a keeper and one you can listen to endlessly. Here is a sample of Maggie May.
Below are the links for more on the album. Also, you can link on the songs themselves to listen of learn more. A music review from AllMusic is also posted below
With the end of Wings, his Marijuana arrest, and John Lennon being murdered in 1980. It was clear that McCartney needed a fresh start. He was alone for the first time since his 1971 album “Ram On” and the Ex Beatle had released his underwhelming self produced “McCartney II” to lackluster views and minimal sales.
Needing direction and a bright idea to return to the root of your success, McCartney recruited legendary producer George Martin. Marti, as we know, was the key man in helping the Beatles crank out hit album after hit album. With Martin overseeing the process, McCartney could do what he does best. Write the lyrics and make the music. So, work began on the album toward the end of 1980 but was paused when John Lennon was shot and killed. Work was temporarily paused, and a future return date to complete work was decided upon when they were emotionally prepared.
Work resumed in February 1981 and concluded the following December. The Album would be a back-to-basic approach for McCartney. He would bring in old friends such as Ringo, Eric Stewart from 10cc, Stanley Clarke, and Stevie Wonder for the hit single (Ebony and Ivory).
The sessions proved productive for McCartney, as about 30 songs were recorded. The rest, not on the album, were added to the follow-up album “Pipes for Peace,” which we will cover as well but at a later date.
The first single released was Ebony and Ivory (A duet with Stevie Wonder) and was an instant hit. It made the Number 1 spot in several countries, including the US Singles Chart, for 7 weeks. The Single was followed up with another hit, “Take it Away,” which was accompanied by a video starring the late John Hurt as the band’s manager. The video will be loaded below for viewing.
Other songs that were on here that are good are “Somebody Who Cares” and “Here Today” (A song Paul wrote about John Lennon)
Track list for the rest
Side One
“Tug of War” – 4:22
“Take It Away” – 4:14
“Somebody Who Cares” – 3:19
“What’s That You’re Doing?” (Duet with Stevie Wonder) – 6:19
“Here Today” – 2:27
Side Two
“Ballroom Dancing” – 4:07
“The Pound Is Sinking” – 2:54
“Wanderlust” – 3:49
“Get It” (Duet with Carl Perkins) – 2:29
“Be What You See (Link) – 0:34
“Dress Me Up as a Robber” – 2:41
“Ebony and Ivory” (Duet with Stevie Wonder) – 3:46
This is an obviously great album that allowed McCartney to cruise on into the 1980s in appropriate style. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of his work. Personally, I think it is some of his best solo work.
Vinyl of the Album “Tug of War”
Below is the 1982 video “Take it Away” cute little video.
Fitting that September’s moon is called the Full Harvest Moon. This full moon rises soon after sunset. Imagine the days before electricity and you will realize how important that was. In fact it was very important as farmers used to keep working into the nights back in the day.
Where did “Harvest Moon” get its name from. Well, according the the Farmer’s almanac it is referred to that for several reasons. (link is at the bottom for more reading). The almanac’s says it is called this because, ” This results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, which was a traditional aide to farmers and crews harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the “Harvest” Moon!”
During this time the Moon will come in full and tend to shine for an extra amount of time. The link below explained a little more such as why. “The Moon’s orbital motion (combined with the larger orbit of the Earth around the Sun) carries it farther eastward among the constellations of the zodiac from night to night. At any one moonrise, the Moon occupies a particular place on the celestial sphere (the great dome of the heavens), but when the Earth turns toward that point 24 hours later, the Moon has moved off to the east about 12 degrees, and it takes an average of 50 minutes longer for the Earth to rotate toward the Moon and for the Moon thus to “rise.” Think of it as a giant Slinky in which each loop, representing one lunar orbit of the Earth, advances the orbit a bit farther along the spiral path. The result of all this is that the Moon doesn’t rise at the same time everyday.”
“But around the date of the Harvest Moon, the Moon does rise at about the same time for several days in a row. Why? Remember that the zodiac is the band of constellations through which the Moon travels from night to night. The section of the zodiac band in which the full Moon travels around the start of autumn is the section that forms the most shallow angle with the eastern horizon. Because the Moon’s orbit on successive nights is more nearly parallel to the horizon at that time, its relationship to the eastern horizon does not change appreciably, and the Earth does not have to turn as far to bring up the Moon.”
It was interesting to learn who was a “Harvest Moon” and it also gave me a wonderful opportunity to get some nice Moon shots/
While I am on the subject of the Moon. I found this nice poem by the late E.E. Cummings. Hope you all enjoy it.
Amores (III)
there is a
moon sole
in the blue
night
amorous of waters
tremulous,
blinded with silence the
undulous heaven yearns where
in tense starlessness
anoint with ardor
the yellow lover
stands in the dumb dark
svelte
and
urgent
(again
love i slowly gather
of thy languorous mouth the
thrilling flower)
I took some nice shots of the moon last night. For the photographers who follow, I used my Canon EOS rebel T6 with a 75 MM lens. The setting was on 1/100-1/200, F was between 8 and 11, and my ISO was on 100. I was able to come out with some clear pictures. I also made some small edits on Snapseed to provide a better quality picture.
Before and after I adjusted the color. A few more are posted below
I am still learning the basics to this, but I must admit. I felt like a kid again, and it was so much fun learning how to do this. I have more on the way but I wanted to show this off. My own pat on the back of the night.
This letter was written by Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby that was for condolences on the loss of her son during the Civil War. The Speech was actually read by Former President Bush at ground zero some years ago. It just felt appropriate with how I feel about the loss of loved ones.
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.
Dear Madam,–
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.
I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.
I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
I had always loved to take pictures. Since I was young when we had those disposable cameras, I loved to take pictures.
About 5 years ago, I began to develop more of a passion for it and had wanted to pursue it more. However, at the time I was in the military and didn’t have a lot of time to explore the craft. About 2016 I began to develop bad anxiety symptoms and also had what were called flashbacks. One of my jobs was working in Mortuary Affairs, and having to deal with remains on a monthly basis began to hit me along with the several deployments I had been on. After a trip to the hospital in Dec of 2016, I began to go to counseling to help myself alleviate some of these issues. The doctor I saw asked about hobbies, but when I went to answer I realized that I didn’t have very many. I told him I had begun to take pictures of things, places, and people. He suggested that I continue it but pursue it much more deeply. He explained when I had those attacks that the pictures would give my mind a place to go and relive. It sounded kind of corny but he was right.
Over the next 4 years I began to get back into photography, and learn how to find those special moments.
I know I still have a long way to perfect this skill and will continue to do so. Even by attending some school very soon. However, I am proud of the progress I have made and I am enjoying how to learn how to use the camera’s strengths and what lens works best.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I posted some pictures below.
Throughtful Reader 