These were taken along the American River. I went off the normal path and ended up here. The blown out yellows were done on purpose, for aristic purposes. But if you don't like it, I'd like to know.

Then strolled along a little further over the bridge, and this felt like a dream. 

Hope you like..... and I'd like to wish all of us here a very Happy New Year!!!

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

~Here~

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 400

~Dream~

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/16
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 320

Blackberry Bloom Sunset found in my backyard one evening.

Sock it to me... give it me straight. Whatcha think?

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

~ Blackberry Bloom Sunset  ~
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 200 mm
ISO Speed: 400

I must make up my mind today;
What to have, what to hold:
A poor man's roses,
Or a rich man's gold

One's as wealthy as a king in a palace,
Though he's callous and cold.
He may learn to give his heart for love,
Instead of buying it with gold.

Then the poor man's roses,
And the thrill when we kiss
Will be memories of paradise
That I'll never miss.

And yet the hand that brings a rose tonight
Is the hand I will hold.
For the rose of love means more to me
Than any rich man's gold.

A actual rose flash-frozen and Gold plated then painted. It is in tribute to my Sister-in-law Sharon that died some time ago.

~ Rose of Love ~

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 154 mm
ISO Speed: 400

... but these may Bee a little squimish (skweemish, whatever...) for some, but I got close to Nature the other day. Took out my Canon and got shootin'.

2 Bees or Not 2 Bees....    that is the question.

Preparing Home  

Room with a View

Canon EOS 20D

~ 2 Bees or Not 2 Bees..... ~                               ~ Preparing Home ~

Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1000)                                 Exposure: 1/3200 sec
Aperture: f/9                                                                Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 50 mm                                                  Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 400                                                            ISO Speed: 800

~ Room With a View ~

Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 200 mm
ISO Speed: 800

Critques welcome and expected.

While taking a stroll along the beach of a lake the other day, I shot this..... then while downloading it to my computer, I saw these..... what the heck do you think that is ?? I'm thinking something to do with the sunlight reflections.

~ This ~

Camera :Canon EOS 20D

Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55 mm
ISO Speed: 100

A little while ago, someone had snapped me to ask if I wouldnt mind if they used a couple of my images for their churches music... the images would be in the background, and the lyrics to Christian songs in front..... I was very honored and pleased to let them do that.

Here are the two that they wanted. I think this is cool !!

Field of Fog

Path of Fog

I wasn't too sure if I need to put a watermark on it or not.

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

~ Field of Fog ~                                    ~ Path of Fog ~                                    

Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)                     Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/5.6                                            Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 27 mm                                 Focal Length: 54 mm
ISO Speed: 400                                            ISO Speed: 400

Janet and I had taken a trip to San Diego as you know ,and while we were coming back home to Sacramento, we visitied the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey. Super nice building and lots to look at.

Here is a group of Sea Nettles, and here's one alone.

Check this odd one out... it's an Egg Yolk Jelly fish.

One of my favorites... a Blue Tang. So much color on these fish. Wonderful place to shoot.

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

Group-                                                      Alone-

Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)                              Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/4                                                      Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 91 mm                                        Focal Length: 109 mm
ISO Speed: 1600                                                ISO Speed: 1600

Egg Yolk Jelly Fish-                                      Blue Tang-

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)                             Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/4                                                       Aperture: f/4.5 
Focal Length: 109 mm                                       Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 1600                                                 ISO Speed: 400

And now, it's time once again to play America's favorite game....

Name... That...Image ... yeah!!!!!!

And here's your host of Name... That...Image ...... TURBO !!!

Thank you, Johnny...... Hello everyone !!

Okay...welcome to our show, and let's play Name... That...Image !!!!

Good luck , everyone....

Here it is !!!

I'm with Surferguy... I don't do B&W's that often...never felt I was that good at them... so a challenge this is... here goes....

Oh... I went out and found this little critter underneath my BBQ cover.... she was sure cozy in there. I shook the cover and she came out...crawled a bit then I snapped her. I got realllly really close......  

At the park the other day... saw this little girl pulling grass with her older sister and placing it on her feet! What a joy to find the greatest pleasures in the simplest things.

An oldie but goodie.....

Wanna Monkey around ?

Critiques welcome, except from Smalltown....... JK, Smalls...

Those who know me know I'm not prone to anger, not alot bothers me, and I let things just roll off my shoulder. Why worry? Ain't gunna do any good.... but there are those times that life can get to me; conditions frustrate me... I guess that's called life. But still, there are those times....sometimes

Stop This Train                                   

For those that suggested a crop, how do ya like this?

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 50 mm

Serious critiquing and comments are always welcome.

Don't take this wrong... I love my wife and my son, I love my life, my job ( well, maybe not my job, but the pay is excellent)  This is strictly an image of artistic matter that I wanted to share with you. Nothing more.

Nothing soothes my soul more than starting my day at the American River during an early morning sunrise.

And taking a simple walk along the path.  

I love it when the sun is shining low to the horizon and casting shadows... the sun seems to be brighter for some reason. I like the shadows on this one, what I call Natures Bouquet 

 alright, so my titles are sappy...sue me !

Camera: Canon EOS 20D

Sunrise -

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 118 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Simple Walk -

Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 200 mm
ISO Speed: 320

Natures Bouquet -

Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 400

I love how nature provides us with an array of colors.

 From leaves to sunsets...

from clouds to moonshine.

What a joy it is to see the Colors of Nature

Here's some more silhouettes from when we were at the ranch.

 Sunset Silhouette 

 Sunset Oak 

 Flight 

I took a while before Janet , Matthew and I were ready to get another pet cat, since the death of our beloved Bumm on December 24th 2007. See here.

Once we finally had the desire to have a new pet, we went to the local per store and looked at all the cute kittys they had for sale. We cheerfully chose this kitten.    At first, we could'nt decide on a name for him. We had names like

1. Biscuit : It's cute, but I'm not sure if I could keep saying it 3 times in a row...
2. Toby : Easier to say....
3. Dwighte : Jeff says this 'cuz he's looks Dirty and white..Dwighte...get it ?
4. Rocky : This is Matthew's favorite. However, my brother Bill and his wife Carol once had a cat named Rocky and I have BAD feelings about that name. When they lived in Davis, my sister Sue went to see them one time and she didn't know they had a cat and it jumped on her back and scared her to death. So I'm not too fond of this name.

There were other names, like Tora (Japanese for Tiger) , Fawks (but I could just imagine us calling him a Little Fawker.... ) Churchhill...even Buzz....

But after careful consideration, we chose a name for him.

And so.... I'd like you to meet Toby... it looks like he would be saying

"My name is Toby...got a problem with that?"

 He fell asleep on the couch once, could'nt help but take this shot. Sorry that it's not too focused.

Aww..nothing on TV...guess I'll take a catnap....