HDR Gardens

This is a simulated high dynamic range (HRD) photo of the Hunter Savage Colonial Garden at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. This was a cloudy overcast day which made it ideal for capturing details, I just had to avoid the blah sky. This image is a blending of three exposures, one taken at the camera's meter reading, one two stops under exposed and one two stops over exposed. I did the blending with Photomatix Pro. This allowed me to avoid blowing out the highlights on the white gazebo and fence while capturing details in the shadows. Not a great picture but an interesting lesson for me in HDR. Canon 7D, 1/6 sec @ f/14.0, (metered exposure) ISO 400, 70mm focal length, mounted on a tripod.

Rethink Your Lash Look

- Check out those eyelashes on Astro one of the kangaroo mob at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk Virginia. I know many women would spend a fortune to get lashes that long and thick and these are wasted on a male kangaroo who doesn't even have a female roo to bat those lashes at. You see the mob at the zoo are all males, apparently its the only way to keep the peace. Canon 7D, 1/2500 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200, zoom at 170mm focal length.

Emu Watching You

- Shelia the emu at the Virginia Zoo was real interested in our visit with the kangaroos yesterday. She followed us around the whole time and keep a close eye on all of the activity. I think she was really interested in my camera. They are know for their keen eyesight and hearing and for their curiosity. Canon 7D, 1/1600 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200, 200mm focal length.

Roo is Cool

After a little hesitation my grandson Robert got into to feeding the kangaroos at the Virginia Zoo today. This is Beans who took a liking to Robert and his peanuts. Canon 7D, 1/2500 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200, zoom at 123mm.

Model Railroader

Today we took my grandson shopping for his birthday at one of his favorite stores, Chuckatuck Collectibles in Suffolk, Virginia. He spent a lot of time operating the accessories on the Lionel train layout. Here he is intently watching the coal loader do its thing. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens.

Zombie Night!

Tonight was the Survive Norfolk Zombie Tag Game in the Ghent neighborhood. It was a social networking viral marketing sensation featured in USA Today and on the front page of the Virginian-Pilot, above the fold! I didn't make it down to take pictures tonight so I thought I'd share a picture from a zombie encounter I had last year at Zoo Boo at the Virginia Zoo. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600.

Dare to Stand Out!

- The Ledge is the latest Chicago attraction. Four all glass skyboxes extend out from 103 floor of the Willis Tower, formerly named the Sears Tower into the Chicago sky. You can walk out onto the ledge which is made up of three 1/2 inch glass panels laminated together leaving you standing 1,353 feet up from Wacker Drive directly below. You have to admit it is both scary and cool. This photo was taken from far below on the Chicago River. Canon 7D, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.