Miss Goodnight

"Dusk Buster"

1/60 sec at f/4.5 ISO 200

(Song and Lyrics by Gordon Lightfoot)

I can see her lyin' back in her satin dress

In a room where ya do what ya don't confess

Sundown ya better take care

If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs

Sundown ya better take care

If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs

She's bin lookin' like a queen in a sailor's dream

And she don't always say what she really means

Sometimes I think it's a shame

When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain

Sometimes I think it's a shame

When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain

I can picture every move that a man could make

Getting lost in her lovin' is your first mistake

Sundown ya better take care

If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs

Sometimes I think it's a sin

When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin again

I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans

She's a hard lovin' woman, got me feelin' mean

Sometimes I think it's a shame

When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain

Sundown ya better take care

If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs

Sundown ya better take care

If I find you bin creepin' 'round my back stairs

Sometimes I think it's a sin

When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin' again

Some Serious Bar-B-Que'n

Stopped by the Dutch Country Farmer's Market today and they were hosting the first-ever, official Delaware State Championship BBQ Cook Off. These people were serious about their meat. There were probably a couple dozen "competitive-teams" from the surrounding states here, they had custom RV's with built-in kitchens, they had custom-made signs and grills and smokers galore. The lines were too long for me to get even get near the samples and food tents, but I am looking forward to this returning, and growing, next year!

Congrats to our state winners (whoever they may be)!

Freedom Wears a Price Tag

"With Thanks"
1/160 sec at f/4.2 ISO 200

We often take for granted the things that most deserve our gratitude." - Cynthia Ozick

Zoom! Zoom!

"Move! Move! Move!

1/160 sec at f/5.0 ISO 200

Wow! what a day ... my first ever Nascar race. Those things move pretty fast, you know that?

I had a blast today at Dover (DE) Speedway for the Autism Speaks 400 Nascar race. A good friend of mine, Lawrence Williams, got tickets and invited me along to watch the races. We had excellent seats, parked pretty darn close and just had a blast shooting away. I found it to be a lot trickier than I had imagined. First, the fence is pretty high obstructing a good many shots, then the steep pitch of the track itself makes the car disappear in front of you where you have the shortest distance, then tack on the small fact they're going almost 200 miles an hour and it definitely makes for some tricky shots.  But all-in-all a definite two thumbs up adventure!

More photos here.

Amanda & Tony

"A&T"
1/160 sec at f/5.6 ISO 100

"Love is not singular except in syllable." - Marvin Taylor

Out of Balance?

White Balance can make all the difference in the world of color. Learning to use it will pay huge dividends. One tool I have come to rely on is the Expo Disc (TM), well honestly, a cheaper e-Bay version of the same, but the finished product is nearly the same. This white plastic disc screws on the front of your lens much like a filter. You point it at your light source, click the shutter and tell your camera (through the menu system) to accept it as a "custom white balance" setting. Your photos will be perfectly balanced for any type light; indoors or out, man-made or natural. You will come to love it, trust me.


Read a review of the Expo Disc here.

Serenity Now

"Serene Seat"
1/800 sec at f/3.5 ISO 100

"Enjoy the little things now, for one day you'll discover they were the big things." - Robert Brault

Plan Ahead

"Procrastination"
1/100 sec at f/3.5 ISO 100

"If you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else." - Lawrence J. Peter.

A Painter I'll Never Be ...

"Impressionable Photograph"
1/3200 sec at f/4.0 ISO 400

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." - Scott Adams

All Aaaaaaa-board!

"Choose One"
1/125 sec at f/4.2 ISO 100

"Decisions become easier when your will to please God outweighs your will to please others." - Anso Coetzer

Yippie Ki Yay!

"Marcy"
1/3200 sec at f/3.7 ISO 400

"The girls that are easy on the eyes are never easy on the heart." - Author Unknown

Trade Up?

Ready to move up in the digital world?  Ritz Camera is offering a "trade-in your old camera for credit against a new one" deal. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Ritz, (I've always thought they are a little high on their prices) but this particular promotion might make them competitive.  Check out the offer and fine print here.


Thanks to Shirl L. for the heads up.

Congrats Zack!

"The Baptism of Zack B."

1/80 sec at f/3.5 ISO 400

"And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen."
- Terri Guillemets

Giddy up!

"Tall in the Saddle"

1/800 sec at f/3.9  ISO 100

"To ride a horse is to ride the sky."
- Author Unknown

Never Forget the Power in Photography

(c) John Paul Filo

[Photo used under fair use rationale]

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the day journalism student John Paul Filo raised his camera to his eye and pushed the shutter button to capture a moment that will forever be etched in my mind, as I am sure it is in millions of others. During 13 seconds on May 4, 1970 the horrors of war, both near and far, became a stark reality.

I was 12 at the time of the shooting and terribly naive about the Vietnam war and other social indicators even though my brother was one of those serving his country. Only is it now, four decades later, I finally realize the impact that this one photo had on me. Wow! I am sad it took me this long to put the pieces together, but I am suddenly very happy where my life is today because of it.

If you don't know the tragic story at Kent State those fateful few days, I encourage you to read about and, more importantly, learn from it.  For those who do remember the events, I direct you to a 200+ photo collection I had never heard about or seen before tonight, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/hruffner/KentStateUniversityMay141970#

Step Up

If you're reading this I will assume you like to take pictures, but do you like to hike, as well?  Here are some tips to combine the love of both, compliments of B&H Photo.  Click here.

Google Photos Blog: More ways to share your photos

Google Photos Blog: More ways to share your photos

And they called it puppy love ...

"Mine."
1/320 sec at f/3.9 ISO 100

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about little puppies." -Gene Hill

Muscle Machine

"Wow, I could have had a V8"

1/640 sec at f/3.5 ISO 100

"I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol." - Author Unknown

Shake Your Prom Prom

"The Kiss"
1/1600 sec at f/3.5 ISO 400

"I ran up the door, opened the stairs, said my pajamas and put on my prayers - turned off my bed, tumbled into my light, and all because he kissed me goodnight!" -Author Unknown