Hot Shower

Thanks to Dave for a fun night out. We had a blast shooting these shots. Thanks to his son Justin for being the fire spinner.

All of these were shot with a tripod of course, with my Pentax K5, 16-50 lens, Aperture f10, Shutter at 23-24 seconds in bulb mode. Evaluative metering, ISO 100

A series of first snow images

These were all shot with the Pentax K5 and the 55-300 DA lens. Aperture priority, 400 ISO with Center weighted metering.

FREEZE!

Part of my current 365 project.

Pentax K5 with 16-50 f2.8 lens, Aperture f2.8, Shutter 1/8000 second, ISO 8000, Multi-segment metering, Aperture priority mode. Sun was setting to the left of the picture and grass is the background color.

Temple Square

These were all shot with my Pentax K5 and the 50mm f1.4. It was during an afternoon outing at Temple Square in Salt Lake City as a photo excursion with work.

Ready for the close up?

I just got my new 100mm Macro and started a few experimental shots. Man these are fun lenses!

A little fall color

A wnoderfully warm, golden blizzard of light.

The subtle shift of summer to fall, some of these trees look as though they want summer to hang around just a little longer.

Looks like we definitely have a disagreement here as to weather or not the seasons should be changing. So here are a few fall color images, I really wish I could get out a little more to shoot this time of the year.

Antelope Island Photo Safari

The Antelope Island Photo Safari weekend was a success! Quite a few guests were able to try out a lot of great equipment, spend time learning from instructors, see some beautiful scenery and take some great pictures. We hope to offer another event like this in the future. I didn't take a lot of pictures, as I was manning the equipment table, but I was able to sneak in a few. Hope you like them.

Iskwatikan Lake

Pentax K20d with 12-24mm, f13 aperture, 1/60 Shutter, Evaluative metering, 100 ISO and a C-PL for reflection enhancement. We usually talk about using the polarizer to remove reflection, but it can be just as effective to add more. It was fun to experiment with this in a few different shots. Could you ask for a better day to take some pictures?

Pentax K20d with 12-24mm, f10 Aperture, 20 sec. Shutter, Evaluative metering, ISO 200. I used the C-PL again to control some of the reflections and contrast in the sky, Manfrotto tripod and a cabled release to control the exposure. Shot in full manual. This was on of the last sunsets before coming home. I loved the rim light on the boat and the great variation of colors in the sky.

Pentax K20d with 12-24mm lens, f22 Aperture, 1/5 shutter, Evaluative metering, -1 underexposed to try and compendsate for the shadowed foreground and the light of the plane. Mafrotto tripod and the IR wireless remote and C-PL to maximize reflection in the water.

This is actually at Lac Laronge in Sasketchewan, the night before we flew in to Iskatikan Lake.

Iskwatikan Lake

A trip to Canada with my Dad for some fishing, tall tales and some time off of work....and some photography too. All Images were shot using the Pentax K20d. Quite a few of them were captured using the 12-24mm lens and a polarizing filter. The views were provided by a very generous Mother Nature. I tried to stay fairly simple by keeping ISO to the 100 range for most of the daylight shots during the trip. I only used a few lenses, most specifically the 16-50, 12-24, and the 55-300. I caught a lot of fish, a lot of pictures and a lot of great memories. Thanks Dad!

Saturday Afternoon Experiments

Same as below but reflector is used only on the background.

Wavy Metal

Pentax K20D, 50mm, 1/100 Shutter, f1.6 Aperture, 100 ISO, Center Weighted meter, No Flash

Gold Reflector used for background and foreground

Original Image before B&W conversion. Same specs as below.

Black & White Abstraction

High contrast edit in lightroom.

Pentax K20D, 12-24mm, 1/25 shutter, f4 Aperture, 100 ISO, Center weighted, Diffused flash underexposed 2 stops

Pentax K20D, 50mm, 1/60 Shutter, 1.4 Aperture, 100 ISO Center weighted metering, Flash used, diffused and 2 stops under exposed.

All of these images were taken with a couple of candle holders I found while out with my wife at the craft store. Can you believe we went there so she could find something and I was the only one who ended up making a purchase? I saw these and started thinking how much fun I could have with them, so home we went and I broke out the camera, which has been sorely unused for the last little bit. I used tinfoil for my background and varied use of my built in flash with a Gary Fong puffer for the 50mm shots, underexposed so I wouldn't get to high of a contrast, just a little highlights. I did not use the flash for the 12-24 shots as the flash coverage is too narrow with that lens. I used my gold reflector to illuminate the background and foreground in a few shots for some variety.

A little Hockey Anyone....?

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f5.6, 1/320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f7.1, 1/320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f6.3, 1/320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f5.6, 1/320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f5.6, 1320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f5.6, 1/320 shutter, ISO 1600, Shutter Priority, Center Weighted Metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f4.5, 1/500 shutter, ISO 3200, Shutter Priority, Center weighted metering.

Pentax K20D, DA55-300, f6.3, 1/500 shutter,, ISO 3200, Shutter Priority, Center weighted metering.

Sooooo... it's been a few years since I have done any serious sports photography and it took a bit to get back in the swing of things. I had a fun evening with some friends at the Grizzlies game sitting at the glass. No fights, but it was still a great game. Every sport is so different and there are so many different ways to shoot each one. I remember now how addicting sports photography can be. All was great except for one thing.... I need a faster telephoto lens :D

I'm Baaaack!...sort of.

So the 365 that dominated my time over the last year has been completed. It was an excellent experience and I am thinking of another project, but in the meantime, I decided to look through a few images taken over the last few months and see what I had.

Pentax K20d, 31mm ltd., f16, 1/250th shutter, ISO 100, Aperture Priority, Center-weighted metering, 1 stop underexposed

I bracketed this shot and ended up taking the slightly underexposed image. I used a polarizer and also a graduated Sunset Cokin filter. I enhanced the oranges a little more and added the framing vignette in Lightroom.

Sorry for not posting here for so long. It seems like I fall in to the same trap I warn everyone about. Stay on top of your images or you will get inundated. As the Holidays come around I will try to get a few things up, before my life goes crazy. Bear with me and we can still enjoy photos together.---Mark

Antelope Island and the Great Salt Lake

Always be on the lookout for something a little different. While everyone else was gathered around the basket, I got this great shot. I did ask if I could get as close as I did so the handler wouldn't think I was strange and he accomodated.

Pentax K20D w/12-24, f5.6, 1/80 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative meter

Another favorite for the day. What little light we did have, backlit this balloon well. This poor guy was about as full as it would get. The wind was just a little too much to get filled properly.Pentax K20D w/16-50, f9 Aperture, 1/15 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative meter

Of course the main reason for heading out was the balloon festival. As this was being filled, I got as close as I could stand from the heat of the propane filling the balloon. (A good photograper can never be shy!)

Pentax K20D w/12-24, f4 Aperture, 1/20 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative meter

The smoke froma few fires around and a sunrise combined for this beautiful image. I am not quite sure what is in the water. I thought it was just a few rocks at first but on closer inspection it seems to be something else.

Pentax K20D w/55-300, f18 Aperture, 1/60 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering

I though the sand felt a little different and it surely was. A high salt content mixed with sand to create a uniquely beautiful image.

Pentax K20D w/55-300, f18 Aperture, 1/30 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Spot metering

All along the shoreline can be found remnants of a diverse ecology. The contast in texture and color here was great. I in a hurry though and forgot to readjust my aperture. Still turned out ok though.

Pentax K20D w/ 55-300, f18 Aperture, 1/18 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Spot metering

As the sun was beginning to rise on my way out, the water was exceptionally smooth and a few of the birds had not quite awakened yet. The contrast of the grey mountain reflection and the golden colors of sunrise was beautiful and very calming.

Pentax K20D w/55-300, f18 Aperture, 1/50 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering

A little Desolate huh? It's hard to imagine only 5 miles to the left are a few million people. I love the hard cracks and stark contrast in this image.

Pentax K20D w/12-24, f22 Aperture, 1/80 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering, B&W created in Lightroom

I have seen this log a few times as I went out to the Island as always thought I should stop and take a few pictures of it. I am glad I did this time. The storm clouds and the desolate landscape exagerated the rough log even more. I would have liked just a little more contrast, but it was pretty flat lighting.

Pentax K20D w/12-24, f22 Aperture, 1/40 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering, B&W in Lightroom

Ishot images as I went out as the sun was coming up and on my way back. The heavy cloud cover started to break and presented this beautiful opportunity. This is one of my favorites for the day.

Pentax K20D w/55-300, f18 Aperture, 1/100 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering, B&W created in Lightroom

The Antelope Island Ballon Stampede is a great photo opportunity...if they can get those darn things in the air. Although they didn't fly, I still managed to get a few good images in the time I spent there.

Pentax K20D w/12-24 lens, f9 Aperture, 1/125 Shutter, ISO 400, Aperture Priority, Evaluative metering,
B&W Adjustments in Lightroom