POTM at Photography Unlimited!!

I actually had THREE photos win "Best Picture Of The Month" for October over at Photography Unlimited!! Way cool, huh?

Rock Stairs - Nature Category

Deep Woods (Buckeye trail) - Nature Category

Built For Speed - Photographer's Choice Category

Gone Fishin'

On a recent road trip, I stopped in Springfield, IL, to take a photo of a power plant. This fellow was fishing near the boat ramp, around 165 degrees clockwise from my vantage point of the plant.

Clock Tower, Moonset

Reposted from 9/26/04, another shot from the 2003 WPRC conference. I'm just back from the 2005 WPRC, it still looks like this in Spokane!!

This is from October 2003, during the WPRC conference in Spokane, WA. This is just outside the convention center, a bit before the conference kicked off. A friend pointed out the setting moon, I really liked the fall colors. That's the "natural" moon, I guess I should've blown it up for dramatic effect.....

Just Shoot Me #224

On this date (10/30) back in 1971, on hit wonder Coven had their chart debut with "One Tin Soldier". Subtitled the legend of Billy Jack, this preachy song tells the story of factions warrign over a treasure, slaughtering each other for what ends up to be a plaque saying "Peace on Earth".... Spare me. I rememebr the movie (Billy Jack) better than the song, one of thoses "nice guy gets pushed too far and whips up on all the bad folks" kind of things.

Parallel Lines

Yet another construction abstract. Ceiling joists, etc.… .

Poco....

Happy Birthday to Jim Messina and Timothy B. Schmidt, both 58, and both members of Poco, though not at the same time. Poco is one of the really good, but little known bands of the early/mid 70's counrty rock movement. Their album Cantamos remains one of my favorites....

But we’ll try, best that we can, to carry on.........

On this day (10/29) in 1977, Styx hit the Top 40 with "Come Sail Away". Styx was one of those Midwest bands that arose and drove the arena rock phenomenon… They actually were pretty big on the pop charts, too, with 8 top 40 hits in the 70’s. But CSA was the only single from the album “The Grand Illusion” which pretty much dominated the FM airways during my senior year of high school.

What Cheer??

Along I-80, middle of Iowa…. .

Eat A Peach....

33 years ago, 1971: In the first of tragedies for the Allman Brothers Band, leader Duane Allman is killed in a motorcycle mishap, just outside the group's hometown of Macon, Georgia. He was 24. The Allman's Classic album "Eat A Peach" was the first relaesed after Duane's death. I remember hearing the urban legend that the title "Eat A Peach" was a bizarre reference to the "fact" that Duane ran his motorcycle into a truck carrying peaches.....

Blue Bench

A repost from 9/2004, from my 10/2003 trip to Spokane, to commemorate the return from my 10/2005 trip to Spokane. That bench is still there...

Another shot from last fall's trip to Spokane, for the WPRC. That's the Western Protective Relay Conference, if you care. I was wandering around the park which is next to the conference center, before the start of the conference day (7am-ish), and came across this. It would've been nice to sit and soak up the morning sun, but work comes first.....

Post-It Blocks

This one goes back a ways... Our Yahoo Group had a challenge to take a photo of "post-it" notes. This was my original entry, but I did some wild effects with it before posting back then. My older daughter really (really, really) prefers this version....

Little Red Berries

I was walking in te woods a week or so ago, and came across a tree filled with these bright red berries. No clue what the proper name is, but I thought they looked cool!… .

Flexed Leaf

This is a abstraction on a shot from a little bit ago. Playing around with the “flexify” filter from Flaming Pear. This is a “plug-in” filter, they have a free 30 day trial. It was kind of fun to play around with, but not the kind of thing I’ll be actually buying… .

Just Shoot Me #336

Making it's chart debut today (10/23) back in 1976: "Tonight's The Night" by Rod Stewart. This moaning #1 hit about deflowering a young virgin makes me want to stick #2 pencils in my ears..... or at least switch the channel.

Into Effingham

Driving east in I-70 (or I-57, for that matter), coming into Effingham, IL. As you come uphill around a left bend, the World’s Largest Cross comes in to view. This is a 2 second exposure on a drizzly night, on the way to Effingham to see my daughyter's band competition.

You see, it's all clear, You were meant to be here...

Emerson Lake and Palmer had their first and only pop hit (of the 70's) today, as "From The Beginning" cracked the Top 40 charts. I wouldn't have expected to see Karn Evil #9 or Tarkus, but it's kind of surprising that "Still You Turn Me On" and "Lucky Man" didn't make it on the charts. "From the Beginning" only made #39. But what a great song!

Lakeside

A calm and quiet shot for a Friday. Along the shoreline at Silver Lake, Highland, IL... .

The best thinking has been done in solitude

A repost from 1 year ago today:


This is one of my oldest shots, from the archives. Mid 70's, taken in Beckley W.V. while visiting an old friend. We discovered this very cool cable & plank bridge across a stream, it made a great place to hang out and ponder life. Note the "rule breaking" compsition.... Quote is from Thomas Edison.

POTD at Digital Image Cafe!

"Inner Visions" won "Photo Of The Day" today, in the Digital-Art category!! Yay!

This was just posted here on the Blog 10/10/05...

Freebird, Falling From The Sky, Brings A Bitter End To Another Southern Man…

October 20, 1977, twenty eight years ago today. A chartered airplane carrying the band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed in dense woods in Mississippi, killing leader Ronnie Van Zant, Guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, road manager Dean Kilpatrick, along with the pilot and co-pilot. The rest of the band suffered serious injuries. While the band has soldiered on through today, it’s never really come close to the peak of the RVZ era. the title is from one of several tribute songs, "Grey Ghost" by Henry Paul Band.

Sorcerer's Apprentice

This is from our trip to Disney World this spring. A throwback for the “Disney Song” theme day for my Yahoo Group. From Fantasia, of course….. .

Arced

Another experiment in intentional camera movement. This one won a POTD today over at PhotoShowdown.com!.... .

Just Shoot Me #121

On this date (10/18), back in 1975, Elton John's eventual #1 "Island Girl" hit the charts. This was probably the final straw in EJ's coffin for me, after "Philadelphia Freedom", "The Bitch Is Back" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight".... I was a big fan up through "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", but everything since just grates on me. Give me Madman Across The Water, anyday....

Posted

At least some of the interstate rest areas along I-80 in Iowa have hiking trails. On the plus side, it’s a really great break from the highway, a chance to breathe deep and stretch the legs. On the other hand, every minute not rolling is more than a mile not recorded. Regardless, I found this fence just a little ways off the official path.... .

Crabapple

POTD @ Shutterbugs!

"Leaf #24" won "Photo Of The Day" today, in the Macro category!! Yay!

This was just posted here on the Blog Saturday...

Rainy Day in the woods...

Repost from 1 year ago today

Taken last Thursday at Silver Lake Park in Highland, IL. I really like the woods on rainy days, the colors seem brighter, the mood seems quieter... This is just 50 yds or so from where I was parked, so I den't even get very wet!! Kodak LS443, Photoshop Elements

I don't want you cook my bread, I don't want you make my bed

On this day (10/15) in 1977, Foghat hit the Top 40 with their romantic ballad, "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". Ok, maybe romantic ballad is a bit overstated for this anything-but-subtle homage to testosterone.

Leaf #24

We haven't had much in the way of fall colors yet. This one came from my back yard.

Hey, Mother Earth Won't You Bring Me Back Down, Safely To The Sea?

On this day (10/14) back in 1972. Harry Nilsson had a Top 40 debut with "Spaceman". This was Nilsson's 4th Top 40 of 1972, coming on the heels of the trio from "Nilsson Schmilsson" (Without You, Jump Into the Fire and Coconut)... Not a bad year!

Ah, remember back in the early 70's, when the space program was moving away from moon walks (Apollo 17 would be the last lunar landing in 12/72), and towards Skylab? Seems like songs about space and alienation were the rage. As Harry sang: "I wanted to be a spaceman, that's what I wanted to be. But now that I am a spaceman, nobody cares about me"

How's this for a topical set list:
.....Rocket Man - Elton John (5/72)
.......Spaceman - Harry Nilsson (10/72)
.........Space Oddity - David Bowie (2/73)

Bending Over Backwards

hmmmmmm….. A different way of going about things, I suppose. .

The fastest man alive...

reposted from 1 year ago today:
10/14/1947, West Virginia native General Chuck Yeager became the fisrt person to fly faster than the speed of sound. Chuck Yeager is unquestionably the most famous test pilot of all time. He won a permanent place in the history of aviation as the first pilot ever to fly faster than the speed of sound, but that is only one of the remarkable feats this pilot performed in service to his country. All from a humble beginning in Myra, WV, about 40 miles SW of my home town.

Like the fool I am and I'll always be....

Jim Croce's first posthumous hit "I Got A Name" made it's Top 40 debut on this day (10/13) back in 1973. Hitting the charts a mere 3 weeks after he died in a plane crash (9/20/1973), this song made it to #10. Jin Croce died just 14 months after his first hit, and had as many top 40's after he died (4) as before. What could've been....

Stumped

Along the trail at Silver Lake Park. It’s almost as if this stump has created a microcosmical ecosystem!.. .

Makes you think all the world's a sunny day

updated from 1 year ago today:
Happy Birthday, Paul Simon!! Yep, 63 years ago today, "Rhymin' Simon" was born. Paul Simon's written (and performed) some of the great songs of my time, including my favorite song about photography, "Kodachrome".

Be On My Side, I'll Be On Your Side...

reposted from 1 year ago, 10/13/04

Fence, Glen Carbon, IL.... The quote is semi-random, from a Neil Young song.... Kodak LS443, Photoshop Elements.

I Wanna Hit Record (Yeah)

The Raspberries' song "Overnight Sensation" made it's Top 40 debut today (10/12) in 1974. This one made it to #18, but didn't stick in my memory. I (re-?) discovered it recently, which making a collection of hits from 1974 (Gosh, I love I-Tunes!)..... This is a cool song, love the harmonies!!! This was the last Top 40 gasp for the Raspberries, before breaking up, freeing Eric Carmen to be all by himself....

Running Around

Another abstraction via intentional camera movement. I’ve been experimenting with some techniques from Freeman Patterson’s book “Photography and the Art Of Seeing”…. .

Someone singing about me again...

One of the great southern rock hits, "There Goes Another Love Song", made its Top 40 debut on this day (10/11) back in 1975. This was the first hit for The Outlaws, from the other side of FLorida from Lynyrd Skynyrd..... I saw these guys several times in the 70's, including 4/76, warming up for Skynyrd.

Mega Watts!

Electric Power Plant in the Springfield, IL area. Close to 400MW here, running a 95% / 5% mixture of coal and recycled seed-corn. Pretty Cool!

I'll light the fire, and you put the flowers in the vase that you bought today...

Crosby Stills Nash & Young's hit "Our House" made it's chart debut today (10/10), back in 1970... I saw CSN (sans Y) a couple times in the late 70's, and this song would be a 15,000 person sing along....

Inner Visions

Some more experimenting with the Flexify Filter from Flaming Pear... A littel too warped for my normal tastes, but an interesting departure.

Just Shoot Me #681

On this date(10/9) back in 1976, one of the most annoying songs of the 70’s made it’s Top 40 Debut. The Captain and Tennille’s ultra-sappy Muskrat Love was upon us, leading to much suffering… Amazingly, this one didn’t make it to #1, stalling at #4.

Early Change...

Leaves are just starting to turn around here. I liked the backlighting here….

Just Shoot Me #314

The Bee Gees… words fail me to explain the effect of the late 70’s Bee Gees on any rock ‘n’ roller….. On this day (10/8) in 1977, the Bee Gees made their op 40 debut with “How Deep is Your Love”. This would be the first of 6 straight #1 songs over the next 18 months. Gag me with a spoon....

A Walk In the Woods

The weather is finally getting cooler, and that means wandering the local park at lunchtime.

Its Gonna Be A Bright, Bright, Bright, Bright Sun-Shiny Day!

Johnny Nash hit the Top 40 on this date (10/7) back in 1972 with “I can See Clearly Now”…This reggae-tinged song made it to #1, and deservedly so!! Johnny Nash only had one other Top 40 in the 70’s with “Stir It Up”, which I don’t remember at all…..

Splash of Color

This is a shot from last fall, I’m pretty sure it was on the blog last fall, but it deserves a repeat! Taken at the local park during luchtime... .

What Song Is It You Wanna Hear???

Anybody alive in the mid to late 70's knows the answer to that question is FREEBIRD!!!!

Now, I'm not much for on-line petitiions, and I'm not too big a fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I couldn't let this one pass. Lynyrd Skynyrd is (again) one of the this year's nominees for induction to to R&RHOF. And Charlie Daniels is running an online petition in support of the boys from Jacksonville. Not only could I not pass on that opportunity, I figured to pass it on. Take a minute and add your name to the list!! It won't help them get elected, but it'll make you feel good inside!!

Lynyrd Skynyrd Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Petition

Just Shoot Me #845

On this date (10/5) in 1970, Tony Orlando and Dawn hit the Top 40 with the mind numbing "Knock 3 Times". This song soared all the way to #1, and into the deep-deep reaches of your brain, where, even now, it is straining to burst into your consciousness..... "Twice on the pipe (clank-clank) if the answer is no"

Flower Drop

Azalea flowers, after a pass through some digital filtering….. Like, circular, man….... .

Hand Full Of Thorns And You Know You Missed It

Linda Ronstadt made her Top 40 debut today (10/4) back in 1975 with "Love Is A Rose". This song, from the "Prisoner In Disguise" album made it to #5. Love Is A Rose was written by none other than Neil Young!

Looking Up

This is (will be?) an elevator shaft. I was wandering around a jobsite the other day, and thought this was a cool perspective of the sky….. .

Pumpkin Patch

Reposted from 1 year ago today:

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than to be crowded on a velvet cushion" - Henry David Thoreau. Grafton, Illinois, Kodak LS443, effects in Photoshop Elements 2.0

Steppin' Out

That first step is a doozy!. .

Just Shoot Me #111

On this date (10/2) back in 1971, Cher made another Top 40 debut with "Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves"... This number one song was Cher's fisrt hit of the 70's, after a 4 year drought following 1967's forgotten (by me at least) "You Better Sit Down Kids".

Line Up

A collection of tools at a local constructionn site.... .

Name Your Car Day

repost from 10/2/04

Well, somebody declared today "Name Your Car Day". So if you haven't, I guess you should. I've supressed my anthropomorphic tendencies, so this "glamor shot" of my "new" 1991 Subaru Outback will have to do.