The Badlands NP remains one of the my favorite places to photograph. Spring time, from May 15th to June 15th, when the landscape has a bit of green and the babies are new, is the best time to visit. Although this year, I was not able to make the trip, it’s still nice to reflect on the grandeur of the Badlands.
Cygnets, baby Swans, are beginning to appear on lakes and ponds. They’re so cute. They somehow know they should be majestic like their parents. Even though they’re small and a bit on the ugly side, they still swim like the own the place.
The Dance Last night provided me the good fortune to attend a dance recital. True, not my usual photo fare, still it was an interesting experience. Aside, of course, from the excellent dancing, capturing a decent image in a near dark environment without flash turned out to be both challenging and possible; even from fairly lang distance in the gallery. Not every performance provided the right combination of dance type and light to capture a good image, but a few did. By using a technique called shooting at the peak of action used in wildlife photography, I was able to capture a few nice images. Of course, the image was processed by NIKs Define 2 to reduce some of the noise. The Nikon 1 V1 produces noise at ISO 3200.
Lazy Husky OK, it’s raining outside; just one of those lazy days. I know, I know; the bed is a bit too small for me. But, if I really curl up tight, I fit just fine. Go bug someone else; I’m trying to rest up for winter.
The Army’s Golden Knights parachute team never disappoints with incredible maneuvers and accuracy. And, they never forget those who have fallen before them.
Snowbirds: OK, the weather did not cooperate with photogs for the air show. For pilots, forecasts are forecasts; the weather is what it is when you look out the windshield. For photogs, it’s much the same; the weather is what it is when you look through the viewfinder. Still, it’s a great day when you go to an air show that has both the Thunderbirds and the Snowbirds performing.
These guys are just amazing; the Thunderbirds in the F-16 Falcon flying a routine like this right on the deck.
The Thunderbirds gave us a fantastic performance as usual today at the Rockford AirFest. Last year, the AirFest was cancelled when the military cancelled all military performances do our dysfunctional federal politicians failure to address budget issues. The turnout this year seemed low. The number of static display aircraft was also much lower. After a year off, the show seemed to incur a number of snags causing delays. And, of course, prices seemed to have gone up. Still, it’s a great way to spend a day in the sun.
