Lake Oroville, the second largest reservoir in California, is releasing water from it's spillway for the first time in five years. Lake Oroville is at 84% capacity, the release is ordered by the Army Corps of Engineers in the event more lake capacity is needed to prevent flooding.

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Anna made this paper coffin for Percy the Angel Fish.

Our favorite Angel Fish, Percy died. We buried him in the backyard in between our lemon and orange trees. Percy was the first fish I ever named and felt sad when he died. He was a sentient being and interacted with us on a daily basis.

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Digging for my image of the day, while at dinner at Andrea's. I came upon this turtle.

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The different varieties of flowers keep blooming at our house. So glad we're back in our big house to enjoy them this spring.

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…revisiting the lock theme that I've done in previous Project 365 and 52 Weeks. This is the lock on the storage shed at our old house. I stopped by to make sure nobody had broken into our old house, while it sits empty, waiting to be rented.

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…for new glasses. This pair of Penguin "The Mulligan - Bay Blue" is the favorite of my family, and me.

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Struggling for an image today, I looked up in our backyard.

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Back up on Old Humboldt Road for today's photo.

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We went to Bald Rock, Oroville, CA with family and friends. Made another version (color) of an image (B&W) I made last year. Last year's image is currently hanging at the CSUC Diversity Days Group Exhibition.

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Another photo of my dog with the Sigma 150-600mm, using Dx crop factor on my Nikon D800E makes this shot 900mm equivalent. 

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For St. Patrick's Day, I took David and Coby on a field-trip to Table Mountain for artistic inspiration (David) and photography (Coby).

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The Calla Lilies are starting to bloom in front of our house. Thought I'd see how my Sigma 150-600mm would work for flower photos, this image was made at 600mm.

Random Factoid • Calla Lily is wifey's favorite flower.

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View of from Monkey Face of a couple holding hands at the very full Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.

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People walking across the bridge, checking out the very full Big Chico Creek at Five Mile Pool in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.

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…this 1907 pocket watch has been accurately keeping time since before Daylight Saving Time was invented. I've owned it 35 of those 109 years. It now hangs above my computer as my "wall clock".

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An offering by Sierra Nevada Brewery named for Chico legends The Mother Hips.
Saturday night beers and dinner at The Handle Bar @handlebarchico

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El Nino is making for some nice clouds. Took a drive up Old Humboldt Road and found this beauty back-lit by dramatic clouds.

More practice with my new Sigma 150-600mm, learning how it "sees" is a fun adventure!

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Good to see Big Chico Creek full again. Sycamore Pool, One Mile, Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.

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#OKDOTHIS • "Photograph a mirror without getting in the reflection"

Humboldt Trail Parking area, Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.

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Today's practice with my new 150-600mm lens was at the dog park.Trillian made a new friend in 5 month old Golden Doodle, Maddie.

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The rain stopped and I had a chance to get out and practice with my new Sigma 150-600mm lens. This house is on the other ridge across the creek from where I was standing in Upper Bidwell Park at The Cross on North Rim Trail.

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Knew it would only be a matter of time for my years long self-portraits in public restroom mirrors made it into my current Project 366.

The honor this time goes to Burgers and Brews in Chico, CA.

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Getting much needed El Nino rain in Northern California.

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…my girls walking to school.

More learning how to use my new Sigma 150-600mm super-zoom lens, a class of lens I've not used before. The only way to make a piece of gear work, is to learn how it "sees".

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Anna loves reading.

OKDOTHIS • "A child's wonder"
Flickr Group We're Here • "Books"

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How lucky am I, two new lenses in two days.

Borrowed a friend's Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 for an architectural shoot at In Motion Fitness. Where I would have normally stitched images with my 24-70mm, with the 14-24mm I was able to work a lot faster. Which was important, since I was shooting "run and gun" style (albeit on tripod & bracketed) to shoot the entire exterior of In Motion Fitness in one day. This is for a project IMF is working on.

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Got a new 150-600mm lens, a super-zoom class I've never used and a brand, Sigma, that I thought I'd never buy.

Decided to test it out with some "wildlife" photography of Trillian. Must say I'm impressed, this was shot hand-held at 1/320 f/6.3 600mm. Basically wide open aperture at a too low shutter speed.

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OKDOTHIS • "MNML"

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OKDOTHIS • "Sleepy furry friend"

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Family hike to the end of North Rim Trail in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA (7 miles RT)

OKDOTHIS • "Where I go to relax and recharge"

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@10BarrelBrewing - Bend, Oregon

Family haircuts at Jersey's, Clips and Brews

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Flickr Group "We're Here" • Yellow

"Lasthenia californica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"California goldfields" redirects here. For other uses, see California Gold Rush.
Lasthenia californica is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name California goldfields. It is native to California, Oregon and surrounding areas, where it is a very common member of the flora in a number of habitat types.

Description
Lasthenia californica is an annual herb approaching a maximum height near 40 centimeters but generally staying much smaller. The plant is quite variable in appearance across subspecies and climates. The leaves are hairy, somewhat linear in shape, and one to seven centimeters long. Individuals growing along the coast may have fleshy leaves.

Flowers
Atop the hairy stems are inflorescences of flower heads with hairy phyllaries. The head contains many yellow disc florets with a fringe of small ray florets. Large populations of this species bloom at once in the spring to produce the carpets of yellow on hillsides and in meadows that give the plant its common name."

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OKDOTHIS • "Take a picture of a book you're reading now."

Those in the know, know of this series. 

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Flickr Group "We're Here" • "What's in your wallet?"

OKDOTHIS • "Light your subject with anything but the sun."

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Stopped by our old house to pickup the wheelbarrow and noticed the snowbells are blooming. 

"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leucojum is a small genus of bulbous plants belonging to the Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae native to Eurasia.

Leucojum vernum (Spring snowflake) normally grows 15-20 cm tall (6-8 in), though it may reach up to 35 cm (14 in). It flowers one or two weeks later than the snowdrops, i.e., from mid-February to March, as soon as the snow melts in its wild habitat.

Two varieties are known: L. vernum var. vernum with green spots on its tepals, and L. vernum var. carpathicum, which originates from the eastern part of its natural range, a larger plant with yellowish spots on its tepals; 'vagneri' from Hungary is a robust variant of var. vernum, often with two flowers per stem."

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Getting my@biolitestove wood burning camp stove conditioned for the upcoming season.

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Found lots of these native wildflowers near the entrance of South Rim Trail in Upper Bidwell Park.

"Aristolochia californica is a deciduous vine with purple-striped curving pipe-shaped flowers which give rise to winged capsular green fruits. After it blooms, the plant sends out new green heart-shaped leaves. The vines grow from rhizomes to a length of over twenty feet and can become quite thick in circumference at maturity. This plant is common in moist woods and in riparian zones along streams in Northern and Central California.

Pollination
The California pipevine's flowers have an unpleasant odor which is attractive to tiny carrion-feeding insects. The insects crawl into the convoluted flowers and often become stuck and disoriented for some time, picking up pollenas they wander. Most eventually escape; the plant is not insectivorous as was once thought. Fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) may prove to be the effective pollinators. G.L. Stebbins suggested that pollination by deceit is presumed.

California pipevine swallowtail butterfly
The larva of the California pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor hirsuta) relies on California pipevine as its only food source. The red-spotted black caterpillars consume the leaves of the plants and then use the flowers as a secure, enclosed place to undergo metamorphosis. The plant contains a toxin which when ingested by the caterpillars makes them unpalatable to predators."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristolochia_californica

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My youngest Anna (10yo) who is quite good on the piano continues to get better everyday. I love hearing music come from her room. Now we just need to get both girls to be better at cleaning their bedrooms.

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…of vacuum sealed Ethiopian Supernatural, it is our all time favorite seasonal offering from @PeetsCoffee 

One of the things that makes it so special is not only the blueberry flavor tones, but also that it's only available once a year.

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Took my photo mentee Coby to the local almond orchards to photograph this year's blossoms. All the almond orchards are in full bloom, this time of year is one of the many great things about living in NorCal.

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Took Trillian to visit her doggie friends at Sycamore Field. There was an illegal fire in the Girl Scouts Campfire Ring that added drama to this image. Also had the Fire Department bring their firetruck and crew to put out the illegal campfire.

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Took Anna to Cal Skate on this no school day.

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For Valentine's Day, I got Shawn "The Flume and Trails of Paradise" guide book. We first met camping in Lassen Volcanic National Park and love hiking together and exploring new places. For today, the new place to hike is, Hidden Falls at Coutolenc Park in Paradise. CA. 
http://flumesandtrails.com 

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My oldest daughter's 13th birthday at Basque Norte, her choice for dinner.

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Blue Dicks is a California Native Plant which is also edible.

The California Native Wildflower season has officially begun on the Humboldt Trail in upper, Upper Bidwell Park.

"Dichelostemma capitatum, a monocot, is a perennial herb that is native to California and is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America."

"Corms have been gathered by Native Americans in California, parts of the Great Basin, and the Southwest. These corms were an important starch source in their diet. California tribes dug and continue to dig the corms before flowering, during flowering, or after seeding depending on the tribe and individual family. Traditional gathering sites were visited annually, and there were gathering tracts with different kinds of corms and bulbs owned and maintained by particular families."

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichelostemma_capitatum

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Dichelostemma+capitatum

Of all the expensive cameras I own and have owned this is my all time favorite. It was handmade by my youngest daughter Annalise (then 9yo) as a "Get Well" gift after my July 2014 Open Heart Surgery to repair my congenital leaky mitral valve (heart murmur). This ceramic camera dimensions are 1.5" x 1.5" x 0.75". I'm happy to report that 19 months after my surgery I'm feeling 20 years younger.

Flickr Group • We're Here "Camera Parade"
"This is your chance to show off a favorite camera. I think it would be interesting to show it open in some way, like lens removed, back open, disassembled, wrecked, etc. Use your world-famous imagination and creativity!"

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The daffodils Shawn planted years ago near our front door are greeting us once again now that we're back in our bigger, better house.

And from Wiki, interesting I had no idea.

"Narcissus (plant)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the plant genus. For the mythological character, see Narcissus (mythology).

"Daffodil" redirects here. For other uses, see Daffodil (disambiguation).
Narcissus /nɑːrˈsɪsəs/ is a genus of predominantly spring perennial plants in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common names including daffodil,[notes 1] daffadowndilly, narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus. Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (orange or pink in garden varieties), with either uniform or contrasting coloured tepals and corona.
Narcissus were well known in ancient civilisation, both medicinally and botanically, but formally described by Linnaeus' in his Species Plantarum (1753). The genus is generally considered to have about ten sections with approximately 50 species. The number of species has varied, depending on how they are classified, due to similarity between species and hybridization. The genus arose some time in the Late Oligocene to Early Mioceneepochs, in the Iberian peninsula and adjacent areas of southwest Europe. The exact origin of the name Narcissus is unknown, but it is often linked to a Greek word for intoxicated (narcotic) and the myth of the youth of that name who fell in love with his own reflection. The English word 'daffodil' appears to be derived from "asphodel", with which it was commonly compared.

The species are native to meadows and woods in southwest Europe and North Africa with a center of diversity in the Western Mediterranean, particularly the Iberian peninsula. Both wild and cultivated plants have naturalised widely, and were introduced into the Far East prior to the tenth century. Narcissi tend to be long-lived bulbs, which propagate by division, but are also insect-pollinated. Known pests, diseases and disorders include viruses, fungi, the larvae of flies, mites and nematodes. Some Narcissus species have become extinct, while others are threatened by increasing urbanisation and tourism.
Historical accounts suggest narcissi have been cultivated from the earliest times, but became increasingly popular in Europe after the 16th century and by the late 19th century were an important commercial crop centred primarily on the Netherlands. Today narcissi are popular as cut flowers and as ornamental plants in private and public gardens. The long history of breeding has resulted in thousands of different cultivars. For horticultural purposes, narcissi are classified into divisions, covering a wide range of shapes and colours. Like other members of their family, narcissi produce a number of different alkaloids, which provide some protection for the plant, but may be poisonous if accidentally ingested. This property has been exploited for medicinal use in traditional healing and has resulted in the production of galantamine for the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia. Long celebrated in art and literature, narcissi are associated with a number of themes in different cultures, ranging from death to good fortune, and as symbols of Spring. The daffodil is the national flower of Wales and the symbol of cancer charities in many countries. The appearance of the wild flowers in spring is associated with festivals in many places."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(plant)

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The first almond blossoms have arrived and the bees are busy! I found one small patch of an orchard north of Chico that was blossoming. 

This image was inspired by OKDOTHIS 'DO of the Day'- "There is beauty in everyday. Photograph the most beautiful part of your daily route to work." And by a similar photo I saw on Facebook by Sarah Campbell, that was so fantabulous that I had to go out and make a similar image myself.

Mother Jones writes about the bees and one of our local "crops that feed the world"

"Holy Shit! Almonds Require a Ton of Bees

Growing 80 percent of the globe's almonds in California doesn't just require massive amounts of water. It also takes a whole bunch of honeybees for pollination—roughly two hives' worth for every acre of almonds trees, around 1.7 million hives altogether. That's something like 85 percent of all available commercial hives in the United States, Gene Brandi, a California beekeeper who serves as vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation, recently told NPR.
Now, that vast army of bees—made up, all told, of more than 80 billion flying, buzzing soldiers—doesn't stay put in California's almond-happy Central Valley all year. The almond bloom typically lasts for just a few weeks (or less) in February. The modern honeybee operation is an itinerant business—beekeepers move hives throughout the year, in pursuit of paid pollination gigs—from tangerines in Florida to cherries in Washington state—as well as good forage for honey.

But California's almond bloom is the biggest gig of all—the "largest managed pollination event anywhere in the world," Scientific American reports. And as US honeybee populations' health has flagged in recent years—most famously epitomized by the mysterious winter die-offs that began around a decade ago, known as colony collapse disorder—the almond industry has been drawing in a larger and and larger portion of the nation's available bee hives.
One question that arises is: Why do the nation's beekeepers uproot themselves and their winged charges to travel to California each year? The state houses about 500,000 beehives, meaning that more then 1 million come in, from as far away as Maine. What's the incentive?"

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image files.

#366 #project366 #project3662016 #sonyrx100m3 #eyefimobipro #eyefi #onephotoaday #aphotoaday #365project #project366 #project365 #lightroom #thisischico #almond, #almonds, #bee, #bees

Flickr Group We're Here • H is for Hole

Near South Rim Trailhead in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.

"This boring beetle, from the group of beetles known as ambrosia beetles, drills into trees and brings with it a pathogenic fungus (Fusarium euwallacea), as well as other fungal species that may to help establish the colonies. The PSHB attacks many species of trees, but some trees are resistant to the fungus it carries. The beetle is dark brown to black and tiny, with females between 0.07 and 0.1 inches long, and males even smaller, usually about 0.05 inches long. Pregnant females bore through the tree’s bark, creating galleries under the bark. They plant the fungus in these galleries, where it grows and spreads throughout a susceptible tree. The female then lays her eggs in these galleries and when the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the fungus.  The larvae develop into adults in about a month. Many more of the larvae develop into females than males, and the females mate with the males (their brothers) while still in the gallery. The pregnant females then pick up some of the fungus in their mouths, and leave through the entry holes created by their mothers to start the process again."
 

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image files.

#366 #project366 #project3662016 #sonyrx100m3 #eyefimobipro #eyefi #onephotoaday #aphotoaday #365project #project366 #project365 #lightroom

Polyphagous Shot Hole BorerFlickr Group We're Here • H is for Hole

Near South Rim Trailhead in Upper Bidwell Park, Chico, CA.


"This boring beetle, from the group of beetles known as ambrosia beetles, drills into trees and brings with it a pathogenic fungus (Fusarium euwallacea), as well as other fungal species that may to help establish the colonies. The PSHB attacks many species of trees, but some trees are resistant to the fungus it carries. The beetle is dark brown to black and tiny, with females between 0.07 and 0.1 inches long, and males even smaller, usually about 0.05 inches long. Pregnant females bore through the tree’s bark, creating galleries under the bark. They plant the fungus in these galleries, where it grows and spreads throughout a susceptible tree. The female then lays her eggs in these galleries and when the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the fungus. The larvae develop into adults in about a month. Many more of the larvae develop into females than males, and the females mate with the males (their brothers) while still in the gallery. The pregnant females then pick up some of the fungus in their mouths, and leave through the entry holes created by their mothers to start the process again."
http://ucanr.edu/sites/socaloakpests/Polyphagous_Shot_Hole_Borer

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image files.

#366 #project366 #project3662016 #sonyrx100m3 #eyefimobipro #eyefi #onephotoaday #aphotoaday #365project #project366 #project365 #lightroom

Flickr Group Macro Mondays • Vibrant Minimalism

Common Name: Lowland Shooting Star
Scientific Name: Dodecatheon Clevelandii ssp. patulum
Family: Primulaceae Primrose Family
About 6" tall with the petals swept-back away from the exposed pistil.

Took Trillian for a hike in upper, Upper Bidwell Park down to the seasonal waterfall at Bloody Pin and Annie Bidwell trails. The first of this season's wildflowers has started blooming.

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image files.

#366 #project366 #project3662016 #sonyrx100m3 #eyefimobipro #eyefi #onephotoaday #aphotoaday #365project #project366 #project365 #lightroom #wildflower #wildflowers

Went to Lost Dutchman with Shawn and Andrea.

"STONE ENJOY BY 02.14.16 BLACK IPA THE DARK SIDE OF FRESH
Just like its golden envelope-pushing counterpart, Stone Enjoy By Black IPA is intensely hoppy and should be enjoyed über fresh to experience its vibrant stone and tropical fruit flavors and dankness.
This double IPA’s dark-colored malt canvas comes from German Sinamar and from Patagonia Black Pearl barley, which adds a pleasingly smooth taste. The hop profile is predominantly Australian, featuring down-under wonders Vic Secret, Ella and Galaxy. Stone Enjoy By Black IPA is shipped immediately to ensure hopheads get their hands on it as soon as possible, as it is brewed specifically NOT to last."

http://www.stonebrewing.com/beer/stone-enjoy-ipa/stone-enjoy-021416-black-ipa

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image files.

#366 #project366 #project3662016 #sonyrx100m3 #eyefimobipro #eyefi #onephotoaday #aphotoaday #365project #project366 #project365 #lightroom # stonebrewingcompany # stonebrewingco # stonebrewing #enjoyby021416

Flickr Group We're Here - "WH - Okay, the group is called Idioms, which can also be called expressions...

Group description:
Take pictures of sayings, proverbs and other expressions."

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud backup of Camera RAW image fi

Flickr Group We're Here - "D is for DANGER:-

Group Description
Danger! Warning!

The group for all things dangerous.

From pictures of cars about to fall off cliffs to warning signs to pictures of Danger Mouse."

This Pacific Gas and Electric substation appeared in my first Project 365 on 16 September 2009.

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud Backup

Yet another one of those days when I need to make an image and am running short on time, locations, opportunities and ideas. So I decided to explore my dry leaf on concrete series and see what image I could make. And another day when I only have 1 image to process for the day.

Today I had a meeting with Jeff of B+D Advertising. They used my image of the Chico Downtown Plaza without licensing. Jeff contacted me before I was able to contact them with a DCMA take-down email. This is the first time ever I was contacted by the responsible party first. Jeff liked the quality and diversity in my work and wanted to meet and talk about potential future work. Yes I know we've all heard that line many, many times before "If you do X for me this time, I promise I'll do X for you in the future", so yea, we'll see what happens by this time next year. 

I can thank Flickr and the photo-a-day and photo-a-week projects for continuously forcing me to step out of my photo comfort zone and trying new styles, genres and techniques.

@EyeFiCard #MobiPro used for proofing on a larger screen and EyeFi Cloud Backup.

Flickr Group • "We're Here" • "International Play Your Ukulele Day"

Went to Guitar Center and took a couple quick shots before getting caught, this is the one and only image that works for today.

Super NaturalEvery morning I grind fresh coffee beans and hand brew using the pour over method.

Peet's Coffee Ethiopian Super Natural is our favorite seasonal offering. I got this pound of whole beans from our local Peet;s and ordered 2 more pounds from Peet's online, so that we have the vacuum sealed packs. We should be good for the rest of the month.

I order on Peet's website once per year. Despite ordering online being more convenient, I like going into and supporting our local brick and mortar.

"Coffee Story

Roast: Dark Roast
Process: Natural
Growing Region: Single Origin, Gedeo, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Variety: Heirloom
Farmer: Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union
Altitude: 1750 – 2300 meters
Notes: Fair Trade and Organic


Exquisite sun-dried whole in the fruit (Natural) coffee

Supernatural? We're not kidding. The meticulous method for producing this coffee results in flavors that are other-worldly.

It's like this. While the high regions of Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe are known for washed coffees (think lemony and very perfumey), our beans are treated decidedly differently.

The approach starts with carefully selected, purely ripe fruit. Then, the whole cherries are spread out on tables and dried in the sun. (In contrast, washed beans are skinned and pulped at a washing station.)

The drying process takes tremendous attention. The cherries have to be spread to a single layer. From 11:00am until 2pm, when the sun is its hottest, the beans need to be carefully covered. And any individual spoiled fruits are culled before they can dry.

Sun drying whole cherries is risky, time consuming (two weeks per batch), and inconsistent (hence the advent of washing). But, when only the best beans are used and the stars align, the results are magnificent.

So, what's super about this coffee is meticulous preparation on top of superior terroir. What's supernatural is the taste; when the bright, citric brilliance of Yirgacheffe meets the intense, wine-like expression of sun-dried

Flickr Group • Project 366: The 2016 Edition • "Daily Routines" 
Every morning I grind fresh coffee beans and hand brew using the pour over method.

Peet's Coffee Ethiopian Super Natural is our favorite seasonal offering. I got this pound of whole beans from our local Peet;s and ordered 2 more pounds from Peet's online, so that we have the vacuum sealed packs. We should be good for the rest of the month.

I order on Peet's website once per year. Despite ordering online being more convenient, I like going into and supporting our local brick and mortar.

"Coffee Story

Roast: Dark Roast
Process: Natural 
Growing Region: Single Origin, Gedeo, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia 
Variety: Heirloom
Farmer: Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union
Altitude: 1750 – 2300 meters
Notes: Fair Trade and Organic

Exquisite sun-dried whole in the fruit (Natural) coffee

Supernatural? We're not kidding. The meticulous method for producing this coffee results in flavors that are other-worldly.

It's like this. While the high regions of Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe are known for washed coffees (think lemony and very perfumey), our beans are treated decidedly differently.

The approach starts with carefully selected, purely ripe fruit. Then, the whole cherries are spread out on tables and dried in the sun. (In contrast, washed beans are skinned and pulped at a washing station.)

The drying process takes tremendous attention. The cherries have to be spread to a single layer. From 11:00am until 2pm, when the sun is its hottest, the beans need to be carefully covered. And any individual spoiled fruits are culled before they can dry.

Sun drying whole cherries is risky, time consuming (two weeks per batch), and inconsistent (hence the advent of washing). But, when only the best beans are used and the stars align, the results are magnificent.

So, what's super about this coffee is meticulous preparation on top of superior terroir. What's supernatural is the taste; when the bright, citric brilliance of Yirgacheffe meets the intense, wine-like expression of sun-dried sugars, there's nothing like it in this world."

Peet's Ethiopian Super Natural

The processed image is closer to what I saw.

My Lightroom 6 Processing is pretty straight forward for this image. Change camera profile to Landscape, change white balance to daylight, add medium contrast, add clarity, adjust shadows and highlights, set black and white points, add some vibrance. Where I added extra processing was a graduated filter in the sky to the horizon line, I then erased some of the grad filter mask on the ridges, brought down exposure 1 stop, add a bit more clarity and cool the white balance to bring out the dark blues in the clouds. Next was crop tool to straighten the horizon and crop to 1x2 aspect ratio.

Random Factoid • IF you do all your post-processing work well and run test prints (I suggest Lustre surface for these). The lab that Costco uses for canvas prints is really nice. In panorama they offer both 1x2 (16x32") and 1x3 (16x48") canvas prints. Make sure to upload your test prints and your canvas image file as sRGB for consistency.

Don't use your local Costco color profiles, sRGB in this case will give better end results.

Processed in Lightroom 6

JPEG conversion from SOOC RAW file in Lightroom 6

View from the makeshift bench on Humboldt Trail at the spot we call Bear Hill (because at this spot a few years ago, we saw a young bear charging toward us).

Shawn and I went for the 6 mile -/+ 1,000' vertical, Humboldt > Guardians > 10 Mile House > Annie Bidwell > Bloody Pin > Guardians > Humboldt Trails loop.

Our hike started with finding a raccoon carcass, completely eaten, on Humboldt Trail. All the water falls were flowing and the views as always were spectacular. As a bonus for the day, we were hailed on twice and rained on.

"In meteorology, virga is an observable streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates or sublimes before reaching the ground.[1] At high altitudes the precipitation falls mainly as ice crystals before melting and finally evaporating; this is often due to compressional heating, because the air pressure increases closer to the ground. It is very common in the desert and in temperate climates. In North America, it is commonly seen in the Western United States and the Canadian Prairies. It is also very common in the Middle East, Australia and North Africa.
Virga can cause varying weather effects, because as rain is changed from liquid to vapor form, it removes heat from the air due to the high heat of vaporization of water. In some instances, these pockets of colder air can descend rapidly, creating a dry microburst which can be extremely hazardous to aviation. Conversely, precipitation evaporating at high altitude can compressionally heat as it falls, and result in a gusty downburst which may substantially and rapidly warm the surface temperature. This fairly rare phenomenon, a heat burst, also tends to be of exceedingly dry air.
Virga also has a role in seeding storm cells whereby small particles from one cloud are blown into neighboring supersaturated air and act as nucleation particles for the next thunderhead cloud to begin forming.[citation needed]
The word is derived from Latin virga meaning "twig" or "branch"."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virga

Went to Burgers and Brew for dinner with Shawn, Andrea, Matt and Shannon. Had to get another one of the Ballast Point Limited Edition brews.Very tasty!

VICTORY AT SEA IMPERIAL PORTER WITH COFFEE AND VANILLA
A big porter crafted to weather any storm.
Our Victory at Sea Imperial Porter is a bold, smooth brew with just the right amount of sweetness. We infused this robust porter with vanilla and San Diego’s own Caffe Calabria coffee beans. The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold brewed coffee, balances perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a winning combination for your palate.

http://www.ballastpoint.com/beers/limited

…It's What's For Dinner. 

A few years ago in my haste, I accidentally picked up the Kirkland Signature Ravioli Lasagna with Beef & Pork Bolognese Sauce thinking it was the Enchiladas I was sent to get. Turns out we all love it. A tasty mistake.

Flickr Group • We're Here 
"And now... for something completely different…

What we are looking for,
Humor:
Off the wall Monty Pythonesque inside jokes tom foolery naughty snickers tongue in cheek non sequitur lampoon satire hijinks bathroom bawdy political ridicule
In other words all types of humor in that can be depicted in picts."

""Beef. It's What's For Dinner" is an American advertising slogan and campaign aimed to promote the benefits of incorporating beef into a healthy diet. The campaign is funded by the Beef Checkoff Program with the creative guidance of Leo Burnett Worldwide."

Went back to our old house to check on things before going to Coby's for our afternoon meeting. To help him import, edit and process his photos from the day before at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge.

There are 4 door in our old house with these classic glass door knobs.

Took my photo mentee, Coby, on our annual photo trips to the local National Wildlife Refuges to photograph the birds.

Below are 3 different examples of this image, which helps illustrate the reason I always shoot RAW. Sometimes an image is great SOOC and sometimes you gotta massage it a little bit. I'm a fairly light handed post processing guy as I come from the days of shooting positive film where you have to get it right in the camera. But when you do have to massage an image, a RAW image file is a must. You simply can't do what I did with a JPEG image file.

My Lightroom 6 Processing is pretty straight forward for this image. Change camera profile to Landscape, change white balance to shade to warm up sunset colors, add clarity, adjust shadows and highlights, set black and white points, add some vibrance. Where I added extra processing was a graduated filter in the sky to water line, erase some of the mask on the mountains, bring down exposure 1 stop, add a bit more clarity and cool the white balance a bit to bring out the blue in the upper portion of the sky for a contrasting effect with the warm tones on the lower 2/3 of the image.

Final Image Processed in Lightroom 6

In camera JPEG

Straight out of camera JPEG

Unprocessed RAW file

Unprocessed RAW file converted to JPEG in Lightroom 6

One of those days when I need to make an image and am running short on time, locations, opportunities and ideas. So I decided to explore my dry leaf on concrete series and see what image I could make.

Flickr Group • We're Here • "The World of Robert Burns"

"Born on Jan. 25, 1759, Robbie Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. The date is celebrated worldwide with Burns suppers that traditionally include haggis, Scotch whisky, and the recitation of Burns poetry."

You might not be a Burns fan, or a haggis aficionado, but I’ll bet you’ve sung his lyrics at least once in your life. Burns wrote the New Year’s favorite Auld Lang Syne in 1788. 
"

Gutsy Smurf sporting his Scottish Kilt.

Random Factoid • I've been wearing Utilikilts, Stumptown Kilts and Mountain Hardwear Kilts everyday since 2003.

Once again I visit this image of an old window lock from our old house. Won't be long that house will be rented or sold and I won't have the option for this go to image.

Macro Mondays • "Rule"

"Rules for Collecting Mushrooms

1.     Make a positive identification using more than one source wherever possible. Do not eat mushrooms with any features that contradict the description. Contact a mushroom expert or club if you are not sure. "When in doubt, throw it out!""

With the El Niño storms, Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park is full again!
It had been a big mud puddle for the past few years, good to see it so full.

We're Here • "Room 101"

Group Description
Those who are acquainted with George Orwell's novel 1984, or the BBC television program of the same name, will guess what this is about. For the others, Room 101 is a group where you can put pictures of things that really you would rather didn't exist at all. Your least favourite wedding present (you know the one, Aunt Rose gave you it, you hide it at the back of the cupboard); that truly awful looking building; a mis-spelled or badly written sign. Use you imagination. Only one item per day, and nothing that you wouldn't want Aunt Rose to see.

We're Here • "Are you a Luddite?"

Flickr Group • The Mechanical Age
"Endangered mechanical pieces, like type-writers, calculators, steam-engines, old vehicles. Everything, that was created before CPUs were invented. Show the beauty and elegance of metal !"

While not technically "mechanical" this cast iron, iron was created well before CPU's and is a beautiful, elegant metal piece that has been on prominent display in our home for years. An iron from the late 1800's that is actually still very usable.

We're Here • "Artists at work"

I've helped Frank with his photography business since 2010. Frank has been a disability activist and board member of Disability Action Center for many years. Here we're at California State Architect's Offices in Sacramento, CA. 

Forest Harlan of DAC says it best for this activist rally.
"I so impressed with the eloquence of the disabled activists speaking to the California Building Standards Commission.  "If you don't have access to the built environment, you don't have access to the society.""

Frank was also one of the cast members for my first short documentary film "...that's me!" for Far Northern Regional Center. His interview begins at 08:45 through 11:25.
http://www.dougchurchill.com/p914218100/e45b9ccce

We're Here • "They're Coming"
"Group description
A group dedicated to the seemingly ordinary objects around us that could also be interpreted as signs of Alien life and/or possible future invasion."

Finally went and saw this. Not having kept up with the Star Wars franchise, I rather enjoyed this blast to the past themed flick.

We're Here • "David Bowie"

One week ago David Bowie passed away. The world has lost a brilliant artist and it's a little darker without this bright star shining. Thank you Mr. Bowie for all you left us.

In 1993 I was commissioned by Triple X Records to re-create the look and feel of the David Bowie Pinups album for the band Human Drama's tribute to Pinups 20 year Anniversary. Bowie had to clear the project, and I was told he said "Job well done" for both the album photography and music. A true honor to be a blip on this icons radar.

"We're Here" • "David Bowie"

One of many celebrations of David Bowie's life and music. This at our local watering hole Duffy's Tavern.

We're Here • "Why So Blue?"

Returning to the dry leaf theme for today's image. I like the blue dots left on the concrete from years of crushed blue leaves.

Flickr Group: We're Here • "Blurry background day"

$5.50 to see Bowie!

Day 3 of remembering David Bowie.

It was a fantabulous show, and an opportunity to see my rock and roll idol, David Bowie.. Back in the day, anybody could bring in a 35mm SLR camera, which I did. The photos were crap since I was a n00b with a Canon AE-1 SLR and cheapo telephoto lens, trying to shoot a concert with color slide film.

"The David Bowie Isolar – 1976 Tour[1] was a concert tour in support of the album Station To Station. It opened on 2 February 1976 at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia, and continued through North America and Europe, concluding at the Pavillon de Paris in Paris, France, on 18 May 1976. The tour is commonly referred to as Thin White Duke Tour,[2] The Station to Station Tour,[3] and The White Light Tour.[4]

The performances began with a projected sequence of surrealist images, depicting a razor blade cutting into an eyeball, from the 1928 film Un Chien Andalou,[5] by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. The visual element of the performances incorporated banks of fluorescent white light set against black backdrops creating a stark spectacle on a stage largely devoid of props or other visual distractions.

The Public Auditorium, Cleveland, Ohio performance on 28 February 1976 was recorded by a concert-goer and released as the bootleg entitled "NeoExpressionism" on the TSP (The Swinging Pig) label. It would be digitally re-mastered in 2007 and the entire set released on 2 CD's. The only song not done at this performance is "Sister Midnight."

The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, performance on 23 March 1976 was recorded by RCA Records with extracts broadcast by The King Biscuit Radio Network. Two songs from the performance were later included on the 1991 Rykodisc re-issue of the Station to Station album. The entire Nassau performance is available on the 2010 deluxe edition of Station to Station.

This set list is representative of the performance on 7 May 1976 in London, England at Empire Pool. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.

"Station to Station"
"Suffragette City"
"Fame"
"Word on a Wing"
"Stay"
"I'm Waiting for the Man"
"Queen Bitch"
"Life on Mars?
"Five Years"
"Panic in Detroit"
"Changes"
"TVC 15"
"Diamond Dogs"

Encore
"Rebel Rebel"
"The Jean Genie""

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolar_%E2%80%93_1976_Tour

We're Here • "Cards"

I never truly understood Goblins until I encountered David Bowie flying in on a tiger made of lightning.

RIP Goblin King

For today in honor of the legendary David Bowie, his life, his accomplishments, his inspiration to milllions. Thank you for all you left us. RIP good sir.

How Mr. Bowie briefly became aware of my photography…

In 1993 I was commissioned by Triple XXX Records to re-create David Bowie's Pinups album art for a band named Human Drama.

Having been a Bowie fan since High School (1975), I was very excited to take this assignment. This CD cover is the result of that assignment. If you compare this with the original Pinups you will see how hard we worked to make a worthy tribute.

I understand this project was cleared with Bowie's people by Triple XXX records and that Mr. Bowie thought the photography and music were well done.

From my 3rd year 365 on Mr Bowie's BDay 08 January 2011.

The Rogue Players • "Making Tin Machines from Stardust

So today's theme is anything Bowie or Bowie inspired!

So take your pick of Spiders from Mars, Ziggy Stardust inspired face painting, Labyrinthine touches all the way through to Tin Machine I think out of nearly 50 years of music and fashion statements there should be plenty to inspire all the oddities in the group!!!"

Today's TRP theme... wish I had more time to do something different, but it was a busy day and I had to rush to my storage unit, dig out an old portfolio, toss the CD cover on the concrete floor and make a quick image with my Canon G12 @ ISO 1,250. It works though and I got my photo of the day and for the TRP theme. 

...and the rest of the story

In 1993 I was commissioned by Triple XXX Records to re-create David Bowie's Pinups album art for a band named Human Drama.

Having been a Bowie fan since High School (1975), I was very excited to take this assignment. This CD cover is the result of that assignment. If you compare this with the original Pinups you will see how hard we worked to make a worthy tribute.

I understand this project was cleared with Bowie's people by Triple XXX records and that Mr. Bowie thought the photography and music were well done.

Trillian and I went for a hike to the seasonal waterfall at Bloody Pin and Annie Bidwell Trail junction.

Processing Notes:

Lightroom 6 processing: Camera Standard profile > Matt K's HDR Light preset > Convert to B&W > Black and white clipping > Clarity > Crop > Highlights > Shadows > Exposure > Vignette > Exposure > Sharpening w/edge mask > spot removal > Adjustment brush on top of leaf to bring exposure down a bit > fine tune exposure and crop angle

008•366 • 2016 • dry leaf on concrete v2.0One of the things you learn from previous 365's and 52's is to work with personal themes. Find something that works, and make images of that theme over and over and over.

The other advantage of personal themes is having “go to images”, when the day is busy and you need to make an image for day.

Today, I went to two of my go to themes. "…reflections of me" is a years old theme. "dry leaf..." is a 1 year old theme and today's winning exposure.

Blog Only Notes:

The image for today's We're Here challenge was easy to setup, our cat Jeffrey is very malleable and photogenic. To get the contemplative expression all I had to do was shove the magazine under his paws while he slept.

Lightroom 6 processing is pretty standard. Import > Camera Standard profile > Preset: B&W Look 5 > Crop to 1x1 aspect ratio > Adjustment Brush above left ear background to bring it down in exposure/highlight/clarity > rotate CCW to make composition more dynamic.

007•366 • 2016 • B&W in B&WWe're Here • "Literary cats"

"Group Description
Cats with books, letters, newspapers, magazines... any photos of your kitty in context with reading material are welcome."

Blog Only notes about this image:

I added the "straight out of camera" unprocessed image file below the processed image. This is one of the many reasons to shoot RAW image files and not just JPEG. You have so much more room for post processing.

As you can see I was able to bring out much more detail and clarity. I consider the processing for this image a bit "heavy handed" Lightroom processing.

Coming from the analog days of photography, I normally "get it right in camera". Back in the day, there was never room for error or fixing it in Photoshop when shooting color transparency (slide) (positive) film.

My "heavy handed" Lightroom 6 processing consisted of boosting the clarity, boosting contrast, adjusting white balance, setting white and black points, shadow and highlight sliders, boost vibrance, using the adjustment brush on the horseshoe, leaves and shells (clarity and exposure) and adding a vignette.

006•366 • 2016 • no luck……It appears all the luck has run out of this horseshoe.

I didn't have much luck making images today, this is the one and only image file that was worth processing.

366 is showing me who's the boss, so early in the game and having to push creative bounds in Lightroom post processing. I say bring it on 366, I've bested your younger siblings 52 and 365 several times in the past.

Next week, 22 July 2014 is my scheduled Open Heart Surgery to fix my leaky Mitral Valve. I'm feeling prepared mentally for the surgery and the long recovery. I know what to expect and feel at peace with it all. I know I'll do great, I'm strong, fit, healthy and mentally prepared. I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I am looking forward to one of my recovery goals of standing on the summit of Mt. Shasta for a 4th time. Hopefully as soon as next year's climbing season. Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen are our backyard volcanoes.

Working on all the things I feel I need to get done before my surgery, paying bills, invoicing clients, processing photos, setting up fundraising print galleries on my website, setting up final interview for my upcoming short documentary film, scouting locations, the list is long, the time is short.

The important thing to keep in mind is that I will do what I can do, because I need to be there for me, that is the primary.

Special thanks to my return home support crew, my wife who has been fantabulous, my mother in-law, and our 2 young daughters. Thank you in advance for all you will be doing for me in my time of need. 

So to briefly distract my attention... 

I'll talk about my image Mt. Shasta • View From the Summit

Image made with Olympus Stylus Epic point and shoot film camera.

It was July 2001 and I was leading a couple friends up the standard route, Avalanche Gulch. I had taken both my climbing film cameras, the medium format Fuji GA645zi camera and my point and shoot Olympus Stylus Epic. I didn't think there would be good enough conditions to lug my medium format film camera, so I left it in the truck and took only my point and shoot film camera.

Upon arriving on the summit of Mt. Shasta the clouds started moving in and I was able to make the below image. Shortly thereafter the mountain was socked in a complete white out, making our way back to base camp was an adventure. I'm happy to report we made it back safely.

I've had a life-long passion for creating images with consumer cameras. I feel that if I can make a compelling image from my cheapest camera, making compelling images from my pro level gear is easy. As the saying goes, "The best camera is the one you have with you." 

Mt Shasta "View From the Summit"Please email which image and option you would like to order.

Also include your shipping address (or pickup) and phone number.



Level 1:
Made to order signed 8x10" lustre print
$50 (+shipping)
You will need to frame print(s) yourself.


Level 2:
Made to Order 16x20" signed canvas prints
Prints come ready to hang on your wall.

$150 (+shipping)

These will come with a personalized thank you note and my caption for the photo purchased.

I will be out of work for 6 to 8 weeks. During that time I will not be able to work and earn an income. So to help me and my family bridge the financial gap I've setup various print purchasing options.

Now anybody that knows me, knows how hard it has been over the decades to get any prints from me. So now here's your chance. There are multiple levels to fit every budget.

Image choices will continue to be updated as I have an opportunity to process images.

Level 1:

From my website printer: 

8x10 and 8x12 prints @ $25 (plus tax & shipping)

12x18" @ $65 and 16x20" @ $75 (plus tax & shipping)

These are unsigned prints with optional add-on mounting and framing options.

Below are the current image choices in 3 galleries: DougChurchill.com/surgery

Artsie

08•52 • bear for $20...It took all week to come up with this photo. Yesterday I remembered the bear ransom note that our girls made in September 2010. At the time I took a photo of the ransom note. I went back into my archives and printed the photo of the ransom note Anna is holding. A trip to Costco today I discovered the 53" plush teddy bear and I knew the photo shoot was on!

Sadly, I became one of "those photogs" who buys a prop solely for the purpose of a Flickr photo.

I want to thank Stacie Barton for the inspiration for this photo. I "borrowed" the concept from a photo that she did that I love so much, here's the link to her version http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacieandthebartonboys/5371038665

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:
Capture • DROID 3
Processing • Camera Zoom Fx

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3.

Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be "straight out of camera phone" with no external image processing.
NOTE: For this image I increased the exposure by 1/2 stop in Lightroom.


ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:
#409 Held Hostage
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/409/held-hostage

"Prologue.
Ira Glass speaks with a man named Daniel Johnson, who is in the K&R business. That's the kidnap and ransom business, where a company helps you negotiate to get back your loved one. Daniel explains some surprising strategies for surviving as a hostage. (6 minutes)"

Flickr Group:
http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page
http://Facebook.com/TAL52 Day 408 • Lost • 01 Feb 10This solo high heel shoe was found near my storage unit. 052•365 • Trolly • 10 Feb 09You know I can say trolly because of my obvious heritage, right?

One of those day shots where you're sitting there clueless for the day. Then circumstance and remembering another's image that captured my attention, served as the seed for today's submission.

Borrowed from some british girl's stream on 365. TY!

California Wildflowers

DSC_2306 73-HMaschoff 161023_025637  

Celebrities and Martial Arts

Frank ShamrockFrank Shamrock
Also shots for Grappling issue.

1. MAT - Frank Shamrock - at Rainbow’s Studio on Dull Aluminum seamless background.
Individual and partner images for the illustration of an article about ‘Conditioning Drills’.
With Lito Angeles.

2. BB - Frank Shamrock - at Rainbow’s Studio on Deep Blue seamless background.
Individual and partner images for the illustration of an article about ‘Q&A with Frank Shamrock’.
With Lito Angeles. Jean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Van Damme
Pink Background
27 July 1989
19970729

BIRTHDATE: October 18, 1960
WHERE: Brussels, Belgium
HEIGHT: 5'10"
NICKNAME: Muscles from Brussels

Jean Claude Van Damme was born October 18, 1960, to Eugene and Elaina Van Varenberg in Sint-Agatha, Belgium.

Jean Claude studied martial arts since he was 12 years old, when his father took him to train under Claude Goetz. Jean Claude's study of the martial arts was intense - he went on to become a member of karate Team Belgium, and eventually won the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship.

Always ambitious and a motivated entrepreneur, Jean Claude opened the California Gym while still in his teens. Then, in 1982, Jean Claude moved to Hollywood to pursue his goal of becoming a star. His big break came when he performed a spin kick in front of producer Menahem Golan, CEO of Menahem Pictures, outside of a Hollywood restaurant.

Golan was so impressed by Jean Claude's ability, he hired him for 1987's martial arts classic, BLOODSPORT -- still a favorite among martial arts/action fans.

Jean Claude's superb athleticism, attained through years of karate, ballet and bodybuilding training, has made him an acclaimed, international action star.

During his career, Jean Claude has been nominated three times (1992, 1993, & 1994) for an MTV Movie Award, in the Most Desirable Male category, and was nominated for Best Actor by the Video Premier Awards for his dual role in 2001's REPLICANT.

Jean Claude is currently working on his latest film, WAKE OF DEATH, which is being shot in England and South Africa.

Jean Claude is married and he has three children, Kristopher, Bianca and Nicolas.



MUSCLES FROM BRUSSELS BIO-BYTES

* Appeared in the music video and sang in the choir for the song, VOICES THAT CARE
* Appeared in The Smithereens TIME WON'T LET ME music video
* Appear in a print advertisement for the Gap
* Appeared in Megadeth's CRUSH 'EM music video
* Hosted the 19 Shannon Lee • 29 November 1998Shannon Lee
1. Black Belt Magazine - Shannon Lee - at Rainbow’s Studio on Snow White seamless background.
Individual and partner images for the illustration of an article about ‘Shannon Lee Career Update’.
With John Koyama.

Additional Usages:
Black Belt for Kids - When I was your age.
1 or 2 photos.


Shannon Emery Lee (born April 19, 1969) is a Chinese-American actress. She is the daughter of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell. The late Brandon Lee was her older brother.[1][2]

Personal life

Shannon was born in Los Angeles, California, the second child to Bruce and Linda (Emery) Lee. Shannon and her family lived in Hong Kong from 1971 to 1973, after which her mother moved back to the United States following the death of her father. Together, they lived in Seattle, Washington (Linda's hometown) and Los Angeles. Shannon grew up in the affluent area of Rolling Hills, California.

Graduating from The Chadwick School in 1987, Shannon then attended Tulane University in New Orleans, where she studied voice and graduated in 1991. She moved back to Los Angeles in 1993 after her brother's death to pursue acting. She married lawyer Ian Keasler in 1994, and they have one daughter, Wren, who was born in 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_Lee Steven SeagalSteven Seagal on black background at Black Belt Magazine 1990.

http://stevenseagal.com

"Steven Frederic Seagal[2] (born April 10, 1952)[1] is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan.[3] He became the first foreigner to operate an Aikido dojo in Japan.[4]

He later moved to the Los Angeles, California, area where he made his film debut in 1988 in Above the Law. By 1991, he had starred in three successful films, and would go on to achieve greater fame in Under Siege (1992), where he played Navy SEALs counter-terrorist expert Casey Ryback. However both On Deadly Ground (1994, which he directed) and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) did poorly in theaters. During the later half of the 90s, he starred in three more theatrical films and a direct-to-video The Patriot. Aside from Exit Wounds (2001) and Half Past Dead (2002), his career shifted almost entirely to direct-to-video films (often low budget productions and shot in Europe or Asia). Between 1998 to 2009, he appeared in a total of 22 of these. At the age of 59, he returned to the big screen as Torrez in the 2010 film Machete. As of 2011, he's currently busy with the third season of his reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman.

Seagal is also a recording artist and guitarist and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises.[5] In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist, an animal rights activist and a supporter of the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, and the Tibetan independence movement."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Seagal Sugar Ray Leonard • 17 November 1995 • NIK Sharpener ProSugar Ray Leonard
Cover

1. Black Belt Magazine - Sugar Ray Leonard on Snow seamless Background.
Karate and boxing comparison.

Cover and Inside color.

Sugar Ray Leonard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sugar Ray Leonard (born Ray Charles Leonard on May 17, 1956) is a retired American professional boxer [1]. Named Fighter of the Decade for the 1980s, he is widely considered to be one of the best boxers of all time, winning world titles at multiple weights and engaging in contests with such celebrated opponents as Wilfred Benitez, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran and Marvin Hagler. He was named after the singing legend Ray Charles. Leonard was given the nickname "Sugar" by his wife Juanita Wilkinson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Ray_Leonard

Landscapes

Mt Shasta "View From the Summit"Looking down from the top of Mt. Shasta, July 2001.

I reworked this image as a B&W for a photo contest. I like it better now.

This image was made with an point and shoot film camera the Olympus Stylus Epic using Fuji NPS film. "Miracle Grow" • Burning Man 2005Psyche - The Conscious, Subconscious & Unconscious Battle Rock - Wayside Park, OregonOur family holiday to the southern Oregon Coast for the New Year. Took this snapshot while visiting Battle Rock - Wayside Park.

Lightroom 4 Beta processing the normal exposure.

Used new shadow and highlight sliders, starting with Matt's Medium HDR LR4 pre-set. Graduated filter for the clouds in the sky. Adjustment brush color temperature to for water reflection and sky. Face RockI finally made it to Face Rock in Bandon, Oregon.

This image was made with my Canon G12 compact camera. It's a 3 exposure image (RAW) processed in HDR Efex Pro, Viveza 2, Color Efex Pro 3, Dfine 2 and Lightroom 4 Beta.

"The Legend:

Face Rock gets its name from the monolith rock formation located in the ocean just off the beach. Legend tells of the Indian Princess, Ewauua, who had come with her father, Chief Siskiyou, to visit the tribes on the coast. Dignitaries from other tribes came as well and a great potlatch ensued. Ewauua had brought her dog, Komax, with her, along a basket with her cat and kittens. The local tribesmen warned everyone about Seatka, the evil spirit in the ocean, but Ewauua was not afraid. She was from the mountains and had never seen the ocean before. It was where the clouds were made, and it was beautiful to her. The potlatch lasted late into the night, and soon everyone was asleep. But Ewauua was not tired. She walked down to the beach with Komax and the basket of cats and waded in the ocean. The cool water on her feet made her laugh, and she wandered farther into the surf. Komax, on the beach, began to bark, warning her that she had gone too far, but Ewauua could not hear him. As she began to swim and evil feeling came over her. Suddenly a powerful hand grabbed her. Komax leaped into the ocean to rescue his mistress. Upon reaching her, he bit the monster that held her fast. Seatka roared and tossed Komax and the cats out to sea. Seatka held fast to Ewauua, forcing her to look in his eyes where his power lie, but she would not. Komax’s barking awakened the camp. They ran down to the beach where they saw Komax, howling for his mistress, the cat and kittens, Seatka trying to get Ewauua to look at him, and Ewauua, gazing up at the clouds. All had been turned to stone."

Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_Rock_State_Scenic_Viewpoint

Level 2:

Made to order signed 8x10" lustre print @ $50 (+shipping)

Order from Level 3 Gallery and specify 8x10

You will need to frame print(s) yourself.

Level 3:

Made to Order Numbered Limited Edition 16x20" signed Canvas Prints

Prints come ready to hang on your wall.

$150 (+shipping)

ONLY 20 of these prints (each image) will be offered for sale, (21 will be made with me keeping number 1/21)

These will come with a personalized thank you note and my caption for the photo purchased.

  Mt Shasta "View From the Summit"Please email which image and option you would like to order.

Also include your shipping address (or pickup) and phone number.



Level 1:
Made to order signed 8x10" lustre print
$50 (+shipping)
You will need to frame print(s) yourself.


Level 2:
Made to Order 16x20" signed canvas prints
Prints come ready to hang on your wall.

$150 (+shipping)

These will come with a personalized thank you note and my caption for the photo purchased. Miracle Grow • Burning Man 2005Please email which image and option you would like to order.

Also include your shipping address (or pickup) and phone number.


Level 1:
Made to order signed 8x10" lustre print
$50 (+shipping)
You will need to frame print(s) yourself.


Level 2:
Made to Order 16x20" signed canvas prints
Prints come ready to hang on your wall.

$150 (+shipping)

These will come with a personalized thank you note and my caption for the photo purchased.

Sutter ButtesNorth Butte - 12 image panorama stitch (230 MegaPixels)

State Park at Sutter Buttes: Peace Valley and Vicinity. California Native Plant Society - Mount Lassen Chapter.

Went for a hike in California's newest State Park with the California Native Plant Society - Mount Lassen Chapter. Larry from Eye.fi joined us for the hike, it was his first time in the Sutter Buttes, it had been on his bucket list for years. This was my 2nd trip with CNPS to the Sutter Buttes.

The weather was great and the view gorgeous. This is a 230 MegaPixel 12 image panorama stitch. Click the image above to see all the photos in the gallery.

12•52 • hey you up there...

Our youngest daughter Anna points up and laughs at me as I point down with my camera to make images of the spiral staircase. Point Arena Lighthouse, Point Arena, CA.

http://pointarenalighthouse.com

I've been using the Eye-Fi card for a couple weeks, to transfer images to my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. I like the geo-tag functionality of the card, makes my life easier in post-production. I also like the Direct Mode connection, so that the Eye-Fi Pro X2 card creates a wireless connection with my tablet or phone, allowing me to use the features off the grid. What a great product Eye-Fi is...
http://www.eye.fi

11•52 • Sulphur Works

Lens Pro To Go Week 11 • "Where I Live"

Mt. Lassen is our backyard volcano.

I took my new Eye-Fi Pro X2 8gb card on this trip. The card was able to make a wireless connection to my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and worked perfectly.
http://www.eye.fi

"Sulphur Works
The park's most easily accessed hydrothermal area features boiling mudpots and steam vents viewable via a sidewalk."
http://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/exploring-the-hydrothermal-areas.htm

This stiched image is 77.0 MP (9977x7483).

10•52 • no gull...

52 Weeks: The 2013 Edition • Week 10 theme "What is it?"

Meet Crystal who is an Icelandic Gyrfalcon. She's at her job, which  is bird abatement at Neil Road Recycling and Waste Facility. She’s part of the raptor team that deters the Gulls from picking through the trash and defecating on the landfill workers.

Crystal belongs to Dave Myers who is a Master Falconer that owns and operates "Bird Abatement Services". Bird abatement services is a non-lethal way of displacing wild birds that cause agricultural damage, and are public health and safety concerns. Crystal is also Dave’s most prized bird who is worth ~ $20,000. Dave can be contacted at 530.774.3205.

"The Gyrfalcon (pron.: /ˈdʒɜrfɔːlkən/ or /ˈdʒɜrfælkən/), also spelled gerfalcon, — Falco rusticolus — is the largest of the falcon species. The Gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and the islands of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is mainly resident there also, but some Gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season, or in winter.[nb 1] Although the Sushen's precise homeland at that time remains unknown, it was in the Manchuria region, no less than c.600 and perhaps more than 1000 km from the Lu capital of Qufu. The Gyrfalcon is dispersed throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, with populations in Northern America, Greenland, and Northern Europe. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark brown. For centuries, gyrfalcon has been a precious hunting bird, highly valued among the Vikings. It is the national symbol of Iceland.
 
The bird's common name comes from French gerfaucon; in medieval Latin it is gyrofalco. The first part of the word may come from Old High German gîr (cf. modern German Geier) for "vulture", referring to its size compared to other falcons; or from the Latin gȳrus for "circle" or "curved path"—from the species' circling as it searches for prey, distinct from the hunting of other falcons in its range.[nb 2] The male Gyrfalcon is called a gyrkin in falconry. The scientific name is composed of the Latin term for a falcon, Falco, and for a countryside-dweller"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrfalcon

09•52 • a toast to film...

Nikon N90s, Nikkor 50mm @ f/1.4 with Kodak Ektar 100
Processed and scanned at Costco.

Rekindling my love with film.

52 Weeks: The 2013 Edition "Myths and Legends"

Sierra Nevada Brewery has become legendary in the craft brew industry.

08•52 • "beginning on a train..." v2.0

08•52 • "beginning on a train..." v2.0

Another image that I've redone with my Nikon D800E. The original version was made on my Droid 3 cell phone camera.

52 Weeks: The 2013 Edition • "Low-Angle POV"

07•52 • VDay...

07•52 • VDay...

05•52 • I am predator...

Flickr Themed Groups:

The Grid on Kelby TV had an excellent show titled "Become a Better Photographer in 2013" and it had a lot of good food for thought.

I've been nominated Vice President and am giving a short talk at NorCal Professional Photographers Association this evening to summarize that episode of The Grid and give my personal thoughts.

1. Figure out your style: Focus on what you're good at. Are you a wedding, portrait, commercial, landscape, architectural, lifestyle, adventure or fine art photographer? Most of us are a combination of those styles, it's up to you to choose where your best creativity and passion lies. Learn to accept  critique, listen to what other people say about your images, you might glean a nugget of truth out of it, even if you don't agree.
2. Study the Masters: Google the websites for the photographers you most admire. Use sites like Flickr, 500px and Google Images to research what other photographers have done in regards to a style, subject or location. Take from that the elements of the photographs that you like and don't like. Learn from other's mistakes and successes. Build your mental visual library.
3. Seek out Training: The internet has a wealth of information and how to videos for photography. For example KelbyTraining and YouTube.com
4. Do whatever it takes to get the images you want to make: If you're a landscape photographer, travel to that special place. If you want to make new and compelling wedding, portrait or fashion images hire/trade a model and borrow/rent the clothing. If you're an event or sports photographer, get access to those events. Go for "That Client" you've always wanted  to work for.
5. Create an online portfolio: Build your website, I use Zenfolio, other great choices are PhotoShelter and Smugmug. Photo sharing sites like Flickr and 500px are great places to share and be inspired by themed groups like Macro Mondays, Strobist Sundays, Theme of the Week and Flickr Friday. Another option for creative inspiration on Flickr is the new group I started 1x12 2013 Edition. Flickr and Getty Images have partnered, I received an invite from Getty Images to become a contributor to their Flickr Creative Collection for my Adventure/Lifestyle and Fine Art images. I'll admit Getty's 30/70 contract is low, but these are images that I'm not marketing anyway and Getty Images is the world's largest stock agency; they don't accept images unless they believe they can sell them.
6. Buy or rent the gear you need: LensProToGo and BorrowLens are two great rental companies. You can also look on Ebay for used gear.
7. WHAT IS YOUR MISSION?: This is the most important key to becoming a better photographer this year. Think about what you want to accomplish for yourself and your business. Matt Kloskowski's mission is "To take beautiful images of beautiful places." My mission is "To make compelling images for my commercial, stock and fine art photography. Which includes architectural, commercial, short films, adventure/lifestyle and artsy fartsy images.

02•52 • dog nose 2nd week for the Lens Pro To Go Flickr Group 52 Weeks Project.

52 Weeks Project

Week 2 theme • "Black and White"

02•52 • dog nose

Trillian and I went for a 6 mile loop hike on the Humboldt > Guardians > 10 Mile House > Annie Bidwell > Bloody Pin > Guardians > Humboldt trails loop. Upper Bidwell Park in Chico, CA.

01•52 • Happy New Year!

I love my Flickr projects so I've decided to embark on a 52 Weeks Project. I'm using the Lens Pro To Go Flickr Group as my inspiration for the weekly challenges.

52 Weeks Project • Theme "Happy New Year!"

01•52 • "Happy New Year!"

On New Year's Day we went to Lassen National Volcanic Park for a day of sledding in the snow. In this image Anna gets a face full of snow as she zoomed down the hill past me.

Lassen is our "home" volcano.

Swim Lessons

This snapshot of my eldest daughter Johnna, made with my new Nikon D800E placed 1st in the June 2012 Print Competition for NorCal Professional Photographers Association.

Dancing2016_581

Johnna made this card for me for Father’s Day. What questions will she have for me when she becomes an adult?

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:

Capture • DROID 3

Processing • Vignette App

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3. Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be straight out of camera phone.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:                                                

#289: Go Ask Your Father

Originally aired 05.13.2005

“In this show, sons and daughters get to find out the one thing they've always wanted to know about their father. The answers aren't always what they hope for.”

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/289/go-ask-your-father

You can also follow my project on:

Blog: http://DougChurchill.com/blog

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52

Instagram: DougChurchill

Splitting 10’s is a technique that card counters use when the deck is stacked in their favor.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:

Capture • DROID 3

Processing • Vignette App

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3. Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be straight out of camera phone.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:                                                

#466: Blackjack

Originally aired 06.08.2012

“Stories about the casino game everyone thinks they can beat. In one, a woman gambles away her inheritance and then sues the casino, saying they're to blame. In another, Christians join forces to take down casinos — by becoming professional card-counting blackjack players. Plus: MIT Blackjack Team memberAndy Bloch teaches us to count cards.”

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/466/blackjack

You can also follow my project on:

Blog: http://DougChurchill.com/blog

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52

Instagram: DougChurchill

The best man for my wedding was visiting this weekend. At ~4am Monday morning the cops were chasing a drunk driver who crashed into a couple cars on our block. In this photo you can see the perp’s broken turn signal plastic cover lying on top of the  hydraulic motorcycle lift on my friends Mercedes MB G350 Turbo. The suspect is in custody.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:

Capture • DROID 3

Processing • Camera Zoom Fx and Touch Retouch

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3. Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be straight out of camera phone.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:                                                

#164: Crime Scene

Originally aired 07.07.2000

“Every crime scene hides a story. In this week's show, we hear about crime scenes and the stories they tell.”

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/465/what-happened-at-dos-erres

You can also follow my project on:

Blog: http://DougChurchill.com/blog

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52

Instagram: DougChurchill

I photographed a friend’s globe, focusing on Central America to illustrate this week’s theme.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

MoPho Info:

Capture • DROID 3

Processing • Vignette App

This American Life • Theme of the Week • MoPho Project 52 Weeks, creating 52 new images in 2012 for each week's TAL theme with the device I listen to the episodes on, Motorola Droid 3. Each image for this project will be shot in 2012 and processed in phone with installed Apps. I then take it into Lightroom to add tags, title, caption and my watermark. So in essence each photo will be straight out of camera phone.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S TAL EPISODE:                                                

#465: What Happened At Dos Erres

Originally aired 05.25.2012

“In 1982, the Guatemalan military massacred the villagers of Dos Erres, killing more than 200 people. Thirty years later, a Guatemalan living in the US got a phone call from a woman who told him that two boys had been abducted during the massacre -- and he was one of them”

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/465/what-happened-at-dos-erres

You can also follow my project on:

Blog: http://DougChurchill.com/blog

Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/TALTOTW

Facebook Page: http://Facebook.com/TAL52

Instagram: DougChurchill

Tim Brown Mentor Mini Camp

Tim Brown Mentor Mini Camp

Tim Brown Mentor Mini Camp

Tim Brown Mentor Mini Camp

DSC_2053

“Prologue: Ira interviews Ryan Knighton, a blind guy who had a very peculiar experience with a hotel room telephone. Then Ira introduces the rest of the show, which was recorded live on stage in New York City and beamed to movie theaters in the US, Canada and Australia. (7 minutes)”