Tempe Lake With Friends

Nothing more fun than hanging around friends with cameras. Tempe Lake is a great hangout kinda place. With eight photographers in a relatively small area you can count on many different interpretations of the same photo opportunity. Plus, we experimented with longer shutter speeds and ND filters to smooth water. We were given a rare opportunity to use the third floor balcony at the Tempe Center for the Arts and that gave us a very different vantage point.

Tom starts us off with an overview shot from the hill to the north of the lake, precariously close to the 202 loop.

ISO 500, f/9.5, at 15mm with Nikon D600 and Sigma 15mm f2.8 fisheye. Processed with Nik HDR Pro 2.

Barbara got a clear shot across the lake.

ISO 400, f/10, 1/160 at 250mm with Canon EOS Rebel SL1.

ISO 100, f/16, 30 seconds, at 65mm with Nikon D800 and 24-120mm Nikkor lens. A 9 stop ND filter was used.

ISO 200, f/11, 2 seconds at 84mm with Canon EOS 6D and 70-105mm lens.

John got a gorgeous shot as the golden hour just took over!!

ISO 100, f/8, 20 seconds at 50mm with Canon EOS 7D and EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens.

Oh, you are wondering about a black and white?  No problem!

ISO 100, f/22, 60 seconds at 30mm with Canon EOS 7D and EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens.

Nancy Sams is new to our group and she quickly 'caught us at play'. We like her already because she is WISE to shoot so we are all incognito with no old age skin! And no, I cannot explain the abandoned tripod. Hmmmm . . . . OK, where is Nancy Trapp? Looks like a Canon to me!  LOL!

ISR 100, f/16, -1.33EV, 1/100 at 250mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III with 28-300mm lens.

For some reason I think it is reassuring to see ducks on the lake.

ISO 400, f/5, -2EV, 1/6 at 78mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III and EF28-300mm lens.

ISO 400, f/7.1, 0.5 seconds at 18mm with Canon EOS 7D and EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5 lens.

ISO 200, f/11, 4 seconds at 97mm with Canon EOS 6D and 70-105mm lens.

Where did Tom go? He usually is exploring a site with much more coverage than the rest of us. That is why we get home and I ask him, "Did you go with me?" This is actually just to the east of the Tempe Center for the Arts. Nice photo opportunity, but the rest of us did not go there.

ISO 500, f/13, at 15mm with Nikon D600 and Sigma 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. Processed in Nik HDR Effects Pro 2

The pedestrian bridge is a real photographers' opportunity. Its design begs for interpretation. It is dynamic in so many ways, from people who cross it to the light that backlights it. Every evening is different. Enjoy the many ways it was captured. For starters, however, the bridge connects the Tempe Center for the Arts with the northern side of the lake. At night it gets lit up.

ISO 100, f/16, 13 seconds, at 32mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III and EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. 

ISO 1600, f/9.5, -0.5EV, 1/45 at 70mm with Nikon D7000 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 100, f/11, 8 seconds, at 34mm with Canon EOS 7D and EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens.

ISO 100, f/14, 1/250 at 75mm with Nikon D800 and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

Then Nancy Sams got fancy, or as our group might say, "a bit artsy fartsy"! I am sure she will have new admirers.

ISO 400, f/4.5, -2EV, 1/30 at 57mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III with 28-300mm lens.

Then, we went upstairs inside the Tempe Center for the Arts and shot from the patio outside. Three floors. I have never been above the lake like that. Very nice. A whole new scene. "Scooch over please." This is when photography gets really interesting for me. The patio was small and the view was limited. But, each photographer has their own take on what to shoot and how to get that particular shot. When I look at the collection I am aware that I did not see it so many ways. Pure magic!!

ISO 100, f/11, 30 seconds, at 70mm with Canon EOS 7 D and EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens.

ISO 400, f/9.5, 1.5EV, 4 seconds at 15mm with Nikon D600 and Sigma 15mm fisheye.

ISO 100, f/7.1, 1 second at 24mm with Canon EOS 7D and EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5 lens.

ISO 400, f/9.5, 0.5EV, 1.5 seconds at 15mm with Nikon D600 and Sigma f/2.8 fisheye lens.

ISO 200, f/13, 13 seconds, at 70mm with Canon 5D Mark III and EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens.

After all that fun, we followed it with more fun by having dinner together at a very nice restaurant called Thai Basil (on University)!

Lazy Afternoon at the Phoenix Zoo

Gorgeous day. Slow walking. Lots of sitting and chatting under shade.

The highlight of this trip was stopping by the orangutans. There is a new kid on the block!!  His name is Daniel and he was born in April, 2006 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It appears his slow introduction to his new home is complete and he seemed very comfortable in the company of Kasih, the eight year-old female! Barbara got the light just perfectly and you can see the very beginning of the cheeks that he will develop as he matures. 

ISO 400, f/8, 1/15 at 135mm with a Canon EOS Rebel SL1.

Bess was sunning and protecting herself with a palm frond. 

ISO 800, f/8, 1/1000 at 116mm with a Canon EOS Rebel SL1.

We checked on the pink-back pelicans. The babies are all grown up and swimming. Once again we learned that if you get to the zoo around the middle of the day there are not so many great photo opportunities as most of the animals are inactive.

The monkeys are usually still out at noon, however.

ISO 800, f/4.5, 1/320 at 200mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.

ISO 200, f/8, 1/320 at 235mm with Canon Rebel EOS SL1.

By then we were ready to take a hint from the animals. We walked to a shaded area and had lunch.

Then, a duck ambled by . . . Three cameras grabbed!!!

ISO 400, f/8, 1/640 at 200mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.

The birds near the shade kept us busy for a bit. We can be a funny desperate group!!!

ISO 800, f/8, -0.5EV, 1/500 at 140mm with Nikon D7000 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

Hey, these aren't your ordinary webbed feet. "I swim in style!"

ISO 400, f/8, 1/160 at 120mm with Nikon D800 and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

Flamingoes are always ready to squak and pose. Tom says this image is either cute or creepy.  You be the judge!

ISO 140, f/5.6, 1/750 at 300mm with Nikon D700 and 70-300 Nikkor lens.

We were carefully watched as we walked towards the exit.

ISO 800, f/14, 1/4000 at 200mm with Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.

We left the zoo and headed for Tempe Lake. Stay tuned.

The Grand National Roadster Show

Also known as the Granddaddy of all hot rod shows! It just had its 65th birthday. The show occupies 9 Exhibit buildings on the LA County Fairgrounds. It is the most prestigious of all the auto shows and one of the largest.

Tom and his friend Jerry went to the show Pomona while I drove to Albuquerque. After five days of shooting, lots and lots of walking and 3,000 images taken . . . I got some of his current favorites.

Tom loves the show and has been to 8 of them. This year the show was extra special for Tom. His friend, Lee Pratt took, his restored '55 Chevy Nomad to the show. This is the car that Tom had custom painted for Lee in November, 1967. Over the years the car was sold to multiple owners and Lee lost track of it. Long story short, Lee found the car and set out to restoring it, including a new paint job just like the one Tom had painted on it 46 years earlier. Only this time, Lee did the painting as Tom photographed his progress! 

ISO 2200, f/5.6, 1/20 at 26mm with Nikon D7000 and 18-200mm Nikkor lens.

This is an antique Corvette with a drag racer treatment.

ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 at 50mm with Nikon D600 and 50mm f1.4 Nikkor prime lens.

This is what happens when a very rich rockstar (James Hetfield of Metallica) hires the best designers and craftsmen to build his dream car completely from scratch, including all body panels.

ISO 1000, f/2.8, 1/60 at 48mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens.

This next image is a salt flats racer created from a WWII era aircraft fuel tank.

ISO 1600, f/4.8, 1/45 at 20mm with Nikon D7000 and 18-200mm Nikkor lens. Processed in Nik HDR Pro 2 and converted to B&W in Aperture.

On Saturday and Sunday, in addidion to the 600 cars in buildings, the show opens up to another 800 or so cars which drive in and park around the grounds. Some of the more interesting cars, to me, come from this group.

ISO 100, f/1.4, 1/500 at 50mm with Nikon D600 and 50mm f1.4 Nikkor prime lens.

The NHRA Museum occupies one of the fairground's buildings as a permanent display of Southern California's roots and influence of the hot rod sport.

ISO 100, f/13, at 15mm with Nikon D600 and 15mm Sigma fisheye. Processed in Nik HDR Effects Pro 2.

Each year the show features one genre of hot rodding.  This year the feature was of the Bonneville salt flat racers. The red car is an all-out race car built to achieve land speed records. It has the shell removed (upper side) to show the mechanical aspects of the car. The gray car in the middle is an amateur's 'on a budget' car.

ISO 100, f/5.6, 1 second at 24mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens. Flash used.

The photo below is of a 1965 era show rod, the 'milk truck' was originally created by highschool student Dan Woods.  It won the top award at the Winternationals car show that year.

ISO 100, f/5.6, 4 seconds at 24mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 400, f/9.5, 1/250 at 140mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 100, f/6.7, 1/125 at 24mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens.

This is a 1940 La Salle. The reflections show off the fairgrounds!

ISO 2000, f/8, 1/350 at 26mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 1600, f/6.7, 1/15 at 24mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70 mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/250 at 220mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 200, f/6.7, 1/90 at 27mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens.

Tom has more car shows planned this year.  Stay tuned!!