Skiplane Weekend 2014

Skiplane Weekend 2014   It’s mid winter.  There’s plenty of snow.  The lakes are frozen a foot deep or more.  So, it’s time for the annual Skiplane Weekend.  Some of the finest pilots from around the country take leave from their heavy iron and gather together this weekend to fly ski planes just for the fun of it.  This year we have several pilots, who brought their own ski planes, joining the Piper J-s Cub and the Super Cub.

(Select image for slideshow…)

 

Robins are Back!

Robins are Back!

Robins are Back!  My mother always loved it when the Robins first appeared at what seemed to be still winter because she knew spring was not far behind.  Well, they are back in northern Illinois with the high temperature today of 8º F.  Perhaps, they know something we don’t.  Anyway, it’s still great to hear their songs even with a couple of feet of snow on the ground.

Wave Singing

Wave Singing

Wave Singing  Kids in motion, under fluorescent white light, can sometimes be challenging.  Today, this image was captured with white balance set to fluorescent light; without any flash.  The 70-300mm lens makes getting up close much easier; 116mm is really 313mm due to the 2.7 crop factor.  So, if there is enough light, even fluorescent light, the Nikon 1 V1 can still capture a decent image.  For finishing, NIK Define took out a little noise and NIK Efex corrected some contrast.

Mallard & Ice

Mallard & Ice

Mallard & Ice  My walkabout today was cold, very cold; about 14º.  The wind screamed along at about 20 knots along the river where Mallards and Canada Geese played in the little stream of running water; somehow cut through the larger river ice.   Throughout this winter, the little Nikon 1 V1 has worked cold and colder.  With just a little care and a warm battery, it doesn’t seem to mind the cold much.

Art & Beth – 40th

2/22/2014 Art & Beth - 40th

Art & Beth – 40th  And, now for something completely different.  Art & Beth celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary by renewing their wedding vows.  Although they know I don’t photograph people often, they let me capture a few images.  The experience gave me a renewed respect for wedding photographers.