Lakeside Sunset

Tempe Town Lake is a wonderful local spot to go to when I need to experiment with technigues in a place that offers a variety of visual opportunities. I set up two cameras on the north side of the Lake just before sunset. The front coming in from the west gave me a wide range of interesting cloud shapes but muted the normally dazzling colors seen as part of the December desert sunsets.

One camera was set to do a time-lapse of the sunset. I will post that video later. This image was captured with the Sony A77 and the 16-50mm F2.8 Sony lens that is currently shipped with the A77 body. I have come to really love taking pictures with the A77. The electronic viewfinder is exceptional and lets me dial in the exposure through the viewfinder. This sunset image has been slightly enhanced with Nik software's Color Efex 4.0. I added some contrast and enhanced detail with this outstanding set of filters. 

To the Victims and Heroes of 9/11/01

My tribute to those lost on this tragic day and to the heroes whose courage inspires us on this day and every day. 

 The Healing Field

The Copper State

A great flight over southern Arizona today gave me several chances to capture images of the incredible variety of this amazing State. I have been working on collecting a set of images that portray the five "C"s that define this State. This is the second in that collection. Today's trivia test.....Can you list the five "C"s and what other image on this blog qualifies for the collection? Don't worry if you don't remember all five.....just ask any elementary school kid (http://www.azsos.gov/public_services/kids/five_Cs.htm).

This image was capture from about 1000 ft above Bisbee, AZ. I imagine these slag ponds contain the water used in the copper mining process. The image is not significantly enhanced. I hope your browser and monitor let you appreciate the bright copper color that make the landscape.

Finally, this aerial images (and others on this blog) would not be possible without the friendship and skills of Peter Sterling, president of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. The platform for these shots is his plane that he pilots with the skills of a seasoned veteran. We have spent many wonderful hours together appreciating this great State from a vantage point that few others have the chance to enjoy. For those who know Peter, you may want to ask him about the Sterling Economic Forecast Indicators (SEFI). I just wouldn't use it as an investment tool quite yet.

Mariachi Man

I had the opportunity to shoot the Mariachi competition at the Fiesta Mall in Mesa, AZ yesterday. This was a fun assignment and I got the chance to capture some good images for the client. This image is one of my favorites because it is an, on-the-fly portrait where I feel I captured the spirit of the music in a picture.

The Governor

Had the fun experience of working the Governor's Breakfast co-spronsored by East Valley Partnership and Mesa Community College this morning. I captured this image of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. All those webinars on using my speedlights paid off!