Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Day 150 - The Stoop

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ISO 640 1/200s f/13 1 SB-800 @ 24mm 1/2 power very high camera right triggered with on camera pop-up (I forgot my other radio trigger and I had 2 dead flashes in the bag).

Day 150 - The Stoop
I had a different shot planned tonight at the sprinkler park in downtown, but right as I got my lights setup and metered the sprinklers cut off. What luck! I went to my back up photo in the sketchy parking lot where I shoot The Santa Cruz to find 2 of my 3 flashes now had dead batteries and the battery in my D90 was about to die (luckily it uses the same battery as my D70s which I also had with me).

I didn't want to take another self-portrait and most 365 project are day after day of self-portraits. I have been told by Leela that I make unnatural looks when a camera is pointed at me, and I need to practice my looks in the mirror. Staring in the mirror seems vain, but I might start posting self-portraits as practice. Planning this shot did give me another idea for a photo in this dilapidated parking lot.

setup here
The Stoop Setup

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Monday, May 28, 2012

Day - 148 Orange and Black

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Day - 148 Orange and Black

 ISO 200 f/29 1/2000s 1 SB-26 on a stand above and left @ 24mm 1/32nd power triggered by an SB-26 @ 85mm 1/64th power in the hot shoe.

Today was a busy day because of the holiday and didn't get much time to shoot, but I did take this photo from my yard using my D70S. I can' t say enough about the ability to shoot flash at speeds faster than 1/200s and kill the sun even as late as 10 AM. I only wish I had thought and taken this same a shot at 1/200s to see how much ambient would have made it into the exposure.

Until tomorrow,
enjoy

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Day 147 - Taming the Sun

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See photo for Strobist Info:


Yesterday I got a Nikon D70s in the mail from eBay. Before you think I stepped back from my D90, take a look what can be done with this camera.



View Large

Day 146 - Taming the Sun


The D40, D50, D70, and D70s have a hybrid Mechanical-Electrical Shutter which normally allows for 1/500s flash sync; a full-stop faster than the 1/250s sync found on $6000 flagship Nikon and Canon cameras. With a Pocket Wizard Radio triggers you can expand this sync to 1/1000s, and when used with cables or optically triggering the remote flash with a hotshoe flash; unlimited sync is possible. When the shutter speed begins to exceed the flash duration, the full power of the flash will not reach the sensor; but with digital cameras you get instant feedback and can make adjustments as needed.

The only complaints I have found so far about the D70s are: The minimum ISO is 200 ( I would love to drop down another stop to 100, but no big deal), and the inability to set my white balance in Kelvin (this is a real annoyance for me because I always dial my white balance in this way on my D90). Even though the D70s has a few short comings and lower resolution, the ability to shoot off-camera flash outside during bright conditions allows for more opportunities. I can guarantee you will see more photos taken with this camera.

Until tomorrow,
enjoy

Day 146 - Hey there Little Lilly

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ISO 100 1/200s f/32. 1 SB-800 behind and left of the flower 2 feet set to TTL triggered with Nikon CLS.

Day 145 Hey there Little Lilly

Setup here
Lilly

From this evenings dog walk. I like this flower so much I decided to shoot it at several different focal lengths and from a few different angles. You can view the whole set here

Standing Tall

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You can purchase this print on etsy

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Standing Tall (Lomo)

Flash camera left set to TTL triggered with Nikon CLS

Friday, May 25, 2012

Day 144 - Looking Up

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Day 144 - Looking Up

ISO 100 @ 50mm f/16 1/200s 1 SB-800 set to TTL camera left triggered with Nikon CLS.

Did not bring the camera on the Thursday Night ride ai this is my photo for day 144

Until tomorrow,
Enjoy

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Day 143 - The Tunnel

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 ISO 100 11.5mm f/2.8 1/200s 1 SB-26 camera right bounced off the wall and flagged to control light spill and 1 sb-26 right farther down the tunnel with a blue gel and homemade omnibounce both @24mm 1/2 power triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.

 Day 143 - The Tunnel

Saturation boosted in Lightroom and overhead lights cloned out in photoshop. View On Black

setup here
 The Tunnel Setup

Spiral Galaxy

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ISO 100 f/32 1 SB-800 on a stand camera right set to TTL triggered with nikon CLS

Spiral Galaxy

Fell asleep at 8 last night and didn't get the shot I planned in. Maybe tonight if I can stay up,

until then; enjoy this shot from my front yard I took with my 70-300mm.

Day 142 - Wide Angle Macro

Instagram photo from this morning taken with my Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and 1 SB-800 High camera left set 1/32nd power triggered by on-camera pop-up @ 1/128th power.

I had planned to get another shot in today, but I fell asleep at at 8:00pm

Day 142 - Wide Angle Macro

until next post,
enjoy

Monday, May 21, 2012

More Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz - Tallboy Santa Cruz - Tallboy Santa Cruz - Tallboy

 And the Setup
 

Day 141 - Rained Out

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ISO 100 f/16 1/100s 1 SB-800 @ 24 mm set to TTL camera left handheld triggered with Nikon CLS.
Day 141 - Rained Out

I had bigger plans for tonight, but the weather had other plans.

Until tomorrow,
enjoy

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Day 140 - Moonlight

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ISO 100 f/16 1 SB-800 @ 105mm 1/64th power 6 feet behind sunflower triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.
Day 140 - Moonlight

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John: "What are you going to shoot today?"
Me: "I don't know"
John: "Don't shoot a flower."
Me: "Why not?"
John: "There other things to shoot besides flowers"

Last night I took Johns advice and finally shot Vics bike. Why do I shoot flowers? I don't always know what the flowers I shoot are called, and I honestly didn't have much interest in flowers a few years ago. I have fun shooting flowers; and I get great feedback from the flickr community when I do so. One of the advantages of living in Alabama (there are many disadvantages as well), we get flowers far sooner than other parts of the country, and plants thrive here in the spring. When summer hits, the heat will kill everything off until fall, and I will have to find new things to photograph. Until the flowers bake and die, I might as well shoot as many as I can; trying to shoot or light them uniquely to maintain the interests of the flickr community.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Day 139 - Santa Cruz Tallboy

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ISO 100 f/4 1/200s 1 reflective umbrella right and on one shoot through umbrella left, sorry I don't remember the power settings used, triggered with pocket wizards.

Day 139 - Santa Cruz Tallboy

setup shot

Santa Cruz Setup

This is my friends Santa Cruz Tallboy. I have been meaning to photograph this bike for sometime and finally got the chance last night. We had fun riding around downtown to scope out shooting locations and setting up shot for in different locations. I knew my 50mm would be better for full bike shot, but I really wanted to used the Tokina 11-16mm for an ultrawide; so I choose to post both, more coming soon.

until next post,
enjoy

Friday, May 18, 2012

Day 138 The New Lens (SOOC)

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ISO 200 f/11 1/200s @ 12mm with Available Light Only.
Day 138 The New Lens (SOOC)

Just for fun Instagram version

This image of Gerber Daisy is Straight Out of the Camera for the exception of a minor crop, I had part of the Stop sign showing in the top left corner. This almost looks like an HDR to me, but there was no processing what so ever on this image.

I was going to wait a few days to post any images with this new lens while I got aquatinted to it, but I loved this image so much I had to share. It will take some getting used to with an Ultra-wide lens, and I am glad I chose to buy instead of rent one. I don't think you could get adjusted to this type of a lens with only a week or so to use it.

My thoughts on the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens; this thing is a beast. Very solid feeling and fast focusing and intoxicating view through the lens. I think I going to love this lens. I chose to shoot this shot of the flower from the backside for the following reasons: I really wanted the morning sun in my image, I created a horrible shadow from the frontside, and people don't typically take photos from the backsides of a flowers. I may post an off-camera flash shot later tonight, but we will see if I get time.

Until next time,
Enjoy

Day 137 - The Sunflower

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Unopened Sunflower from my front yard
Morning Photo from day 137.  Not sure if it is my daily photo or not yet.

ISO 100 f/32 1/200s 1 SB-800 @ 105 mm TTL in my left hand reaching across my self to light the flower from the right, approximately 10 inches from the subject.

Processed with instagram

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Day 136 - One Wheel (Failed)

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ISO 800 f/8 1/200s 1 SB-800 camera left 5 feet @ 50mm 1/16th power triggered with pocket wizard Plus IIs

Day 136 - One Wheel (Failed)

This was supposed to be a 2 light setup, but I had a bag full of dead batteries. From this shot I also discovered I stick my tongue out when I do wheelies, how embarrassing. This would have been easier if it had not been a self portrait, you can see the pocket wizard in my right hand. I am not really sure why I chose this shot for tonight and I don't know what kind of image I was expecting. Honestly, I think this photo is kind of weird now when I look at it; but you may disagree with me. Anyways, my Ultra-Wide should be here tomorrow to change things up a bit.

setup here
DSC_0149.jpg

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Day 136 - Pink Thistle

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View On Black
Day 136 - Working Title

ISO 100 f/2.8 1/400s with a 2 stop ND filter
1 SB-800 handheld above and right set to TTL triggered by Nikon CLS

Tonight I sold my Mamiya C330 TLR on eBay. I am not sad to see it go and I actually made money on it. In the year or so that I had this camera, I shot less than 3 rolls of film through it. Maybe I'll replace it down the road with a different Mamiya or a Hasselblad. I haven't decided if I am done shooting film or not, but It does not make since to tie up money in time with film right now.

This morning I took my morning dog walk to the adjacent neighborhood and found these strange flowers on the side of the road. I am not sure what they are, but they are very interesting. This morning I decided not to stop the aperture way down and kill the ambient light, but instead underexpose it and use my flash for contrast. I have been shooting the flowers in my neighborhood this way for the past few days and I really enjoy the flexibility I get when using the ND filters with my 50mm lens, which most people would think is limited to portraits. I am ready to get back to more photos with setup shots and images outside of flowers, but when I have my baby with me on the morning dog walks these are the easiest shots to get without trying the patients of my daughter and my 2 dogs. People must think I look crazy wearing a baby with a dog tethered at each side and a Camera and Flash slung around my shoulder.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Monday, May 14, 2012

Day 135 - Rainy Day

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Day 135 - Rainy Day

ISO 100 f/2.8 1/200s with a 2 stop ND filter
1 SB-800 handheld above and right set to TTL triggered by Nikon CLS

Today I saw another photographer with an omnibounce in the park.

Untitled

I think they were probably students and not pros, or at least amateurs having misguided fun. I resisted the urge to inform them that the omnibounce was only for use indoors, but I choose to let them learn the hard way. My Tokina 11-16 shipped today and I feel like an impatient kid waiting for Christmas. I have not been this excited about any of my lens, and certainly far more excited than I was about the lenses I just sold. I really didn't want to sell the 50mm f/1.2 lens, but it is not practical as a working lens if I want to shoot fast and accurate in low light.

Yesterday at a family function I had an uncle who showed interest in learning off camera flash, and I amazed him with what he could do with his Nikon D50 when switched from Automatic to full Manual mode. I also informed him about the 1/500s sync speed not seen on $5,000 cameras and the unlimited sync speed hack that could be used when shooting manual flash. Maybe I should be teaching people how to use cameras; it was this uncle who convinced me I needed a flash and until yesterday he didn't know what TTL meant, and he learned more in 30mins from me then he had in the past 10 years of owning SLRs and DSLRs. And to think this evening a friend of mine told me anyone could take great photos, "It is just about having the camera and the right lens."

Until tomorrow,
enjoy

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Day 134 - Warm & Rainy

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ISO 100 f/32 1/200s
1 SB-800 handheld camera left set to TTL triggered by Nikon CLS

Day 134 - Warm & Rainy

Processed with Instagram

Busy day, I'll have more to say tomorrow,
enjoy

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Day 133 - Waiting

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ISO 100 f/32 1/200s
1 SB-800 handheld camera left set to TTL triggered my Nikon CLS

View On Black

Day 133 - Waiting

Late Last night I won a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Lens on eBay. I am very excited about my purchase. If I manage to sell my medium format camera, I will most likely get another light modifier such as a softbox or beauty dish. I am thinking that a beauty dish will be more flexible for off-camera flash on windy days when umbrellas don't stand a chance. Today while walking through the park I saw this.

Untitled

Yes, that is a omnibounce on top up of this guys flash pointing at the sky. I asked the guy, "What are bouncing light off of, the sky?

He replied by rotating his flash head down 90 degrees. I then told him how his light modifier would eat up at least 2 to 3 stops and there was nothing the to bounce the light off of.

He replied, "Probably, but it makes pretty light." I walked away at this point and watched as he met his client for a "PROFESSIONAL" photo shoot. It is the stuff like this, that I see every week in the park, that has motivated me to shoot people professionally. It is not the money that it is important, but the fact that people are making money off of unsuspecting clients who do know enough to know their photographer doesn't know anything.

I have also seen a man running around with an on camera flash pointed 90 degrees up in the air at sunset taking photos, with no ominbounce; meaning there was no chance of any light from the flash making it to the client. Monday I saw well know area photographer taking bridal photos with her assistant lighting the face of the client using a small LED light the size of a cell phone. I thought to myself; If i metered that the light in a dark room the exposure would be so low as to be completely insignificant at 6 pm in the afternoon. As a side note the assistant had two reflector which came in handy for swatting at flies.

Also this morning in park, I saw one of the area available light photographers taking photos of a family with her D700 at 7 shoots per second. I understand shooting in burst if you are covering a action and sports, but if you shoot 4 frames in a second on a portrait, they will all look the same. At least this photographer was shooting with a more modest D700 as opposed to the D3 I have seen most area pros using. Don't get me wrong, I would love to own either of these cameras; but when I see stories of National Geographic Photographers crawling hundreds of feet through mud with a D3 and D3s surviving falls from motorcycles, they are overkill for daytime photos in the park.

It is frustrating to see people take money and deliver this kind of service to customers. I am looking forward to providing a higher level of quality photography to people in the Huntsville area.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Friday, May 11, 2012

Day 132 - Pink

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Day 132 - Pink

ISO 100 f/32 1/200s 1 Bare handheld SB-800 @ 105mm set to TTL triggered with Nikon CLS.

I didn't feel like metering light tonight, and I didn't want to waste time Chimping my exposure in my neighbors yard. I have now sold and shipped both my lenses and lost two ebay auctions today trying to buy my new lens at the price I want. It was naive to think I would get a deal on a Friday.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Day 131 - A Brave New World

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Day 131 - A Brave New World

Today I got an Eye-Fi card and was playing around with its ability to upload photos directly to my phone. I was suspicious and assumed that the process would be tedious and clunky. I can't say how much fun I had with this new toy. I impressed everyone at dinner and impressed myself as I was able to take good photos with my Nikon D90 and upload them and tag my friends on Facebook with almost the same speed as if I had taken crappy photos with my phone. I am excited about the flexibility of this new tool (because it is not really a toy), and what it means for my photography to share my photos almost instantaneously with the world without using my phone as a camera.

There is no limit to what is possible!

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Day 130 - Outlier

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Day 120 - Outlier

ISO 100 f/22 1/200s 1 bare SB-800 set TTL 4 inches from subject Triggered with Nikon CLS.

This lonely Cone Flower (at lease I believe it is a cone flower) is the first one to stand tall in a sea of Tickseed flowers. I was pleased to see the lavender colored flowers contrasting against the yellow. I did manage to shoot this shot with daylight still available, but I decided to use the ambient light for focusing only and separate this proud flower from mass of shorter identical Tickseed flowers.

With summer approaching my yard has exploded with flowers and and vegetables, but my beautiful plants are now being encroached upon by weeds. The greatest downside of gardening in Alabama is that absolutely anything can and will grow here. And non-native invasives, thrive on the warm humid conditions of the Tennessee Valley.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Day 129 - Defeat

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Better viewed on Black
Day 129 - Defeat

ISO 200 f/11 1/200s 1 SB-26 2 ft behind subjet on the ground @ 24mm 1/16th power triggered with Pocket Wizard Plus IIs.

I spent an hour trying to make a different shot work that never would work the way I planned. I recently purchased a cable that would allow me to trigger both my camera and my flash using my Pocket Wizard triggers. I never could get the flash and the camera to sync up properly. Maybe I misread the instruction manual and I am doing something wrong.

I really didn't want to go back and shoot the onions again, but the only other flowering plants in my yard that I hat not shot yet were closed for the night. I do enjoy the starburst that I got in the middle and back lighting gives it a different look than the close up macro shot I took at 300mm. I did sell my 28 mm lens today and only need to sell my manual focus 50mm f/1.2 lens and then I will buy either the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 or Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Monday, May 7, 2012

Imitation is the Greatest Compliment

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Imitation is the Greatest Compliment

ISO 800 f/11 1/15s. 1 SB-26 High camera right @ 24mm 1/16 power snooted 1 foot above subject triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.

Finish a roll of 120 today after months of having this film sit in a camera. It is amazing how long it can take me to take 12 shots. This practice of taking 12 shots over several months is quite different than modern method of taking a picture with my phone and then sharing with millions of people within a minute using services such as instagram or flickr.

I honestly don't take as many photo with my iPhone as other iPhone owners, and I mostly use instagram to publish and share photos taken with my Nikon D90. My greatest complaint about the iPhone as a camera, is the lack of manual controls. No exposure compensation, no white balance adjustment; it drives me insane to use something with that little control.

I am very excited about dropping off my film tomorrow, and I might reconsider selling my Mamiya when I see these images.

until tomorrow, enjoy

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Day 127 - Leela

Day 127 - Leela

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ISO 100 f/2 1/200s with a 2 stop ND Filter. 1 SB-26 @85mm 1/2 power with shot through umbrella camera right 4 feet from subject.

Leela and I went out to scout out photo spots for potential customers in downtown Huntsville. Surprisingly, we got a lot of shots in 30mins at 4 different locations. I have processed most of the photos, but I am waiting for final approval before making them public. We also had our daughter with us, who was very patient and hung out in the baby carrier with me while I took shots of her beautiful mother. I didn't want to shoot in the middle of the day, but the morning was rained out and the afternoon was not in the schedule. It was good to know that I could shoot in the middle of the day and control the ambient with ND Filters.

until tomorrow,

enjoy

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Super Moon

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Super Moon

300mm ISO 100 f/11 1/160s. Adjusted White balance in post and cropped to square frame.

Day 126 - Anticipation

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Day 126 - Anticipation

ISO 100 f/32 1/200s 1 snooted SB-26 @ 85mm 1/4th & -2/3 power high camera left triggered with Pocket Wizard Plus IIs.

This is a photo of the center of one of my sunflowers planted earlier this year. I have been anticipating the arrival of this years sunflowers since last years flower slumped their heads after only a few days due to the unusually hot Alabama summer.

I have also been anticipating many other things; such as the sell of my photographic equipment and purchase of next lens. As much as I would love a macro lens the toss up is now between a Tokina 11-16mm ultra-wide angle lens and a Nikon 10.5mm fisheye. We will see what the next week brings.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

Friday, May 4, 2012

Day 125 - Cinco de Mayo 2012

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Day 125 - Cinco de Mayo 2012





























ISO 100 f/32 1/200s SB-26s right and left @ 85mm 1/8th power and 1 SB-800 @ 17mm 1/4th power from underneath diffused through white paper triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.

So I posted this a day early, but if I do go out tomorrow there will be no way I could pull this shot off after a few drinks.

This shot didn't take as long to set up the lights as I thought, but I did invest a lot of time cleaning the aquarium and still had extra work in post to clean up floating debris. The timing was more challenging than I expected, and it was hard not to rotate the label of the bottle when dropping the beer into the water. Holding the beer and lime in one hand also proved to be a challenge, but I am pleased with the results.

until tomorrow,
happy cinco de mayo

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Day 124 - Green Spiral

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Day 124 - Green Spiral

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ISO 100 f/32 1/200s @ 300mm .95 meters for a Reproduction of 1:2. 1 SB-800 Camera Left snooted set to TTL triggered with NIkon CLS

Tonight I thought I would be lazy and shoot this new flower I found in the yard earlier this afternoon with my 18-105mm kit lens and a handheld flash set to TTL. I honestly didn't feel like metering light after the work week I have had. The 18-105 lens was not getting as tight on the flower as I wanted; I then went into the house grabbed the 70-300, a flash stand, and a snoot.

I still didn't get the point-of-view I wanted until I got down on my back and aimed up at this flower which was slumping down slightly. A 100mm macro lens would have been a life saver on this one and got me a life size reproduction, but I think I am going to invest in an ultra-wide angel or fisheye lens in the next week.

until tomorrow,
enjoy

123 - The Primrose

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Day - 123 The Primrose


ISO 200 f/22 1/200s 1 SB-800 1/32nd power @ 24mm hand held camera left 12 inches from subject triggered with on camera pop-up

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Day 122 - Gone to Seed

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Day 122 - Gone to Seed

ISO 100 f/29 1/200s 1 SB-26 @ 85mm 1/4 power high camera left 2 feet from subject triggered with pocket wizard plus IIs.

It's been very warm lately. The onions have gone to seed and will be small. The flowers are quickly wilting and dying. It is going to be long hot summer in the south.

until tomorrow,
enjoy