Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Monster Mart

Nikon D810, 28mm (28-105), 1/400, f/10, ISO 400

Normally I don’t like to blog stuff too long after the photos were taken. But I couldn’t let the Arkansas trip go without photos from Fouke.

I’ve been a big fan of the Fouke Monster ever since I saw The Legend of Boggy Creek when I was a kid. Though it was a bit of a distance out of our way, we had to check out the Monster Mart.

Once again I found myself glad I had a camera that was good with tricky lighting.

Nikon D810, 56mm (28-105), 1/125, f/5.6, ISO 400

Nikon D810, 48mm (28-105), 1/50, f/4.0, ISO 1600

Nikon D810, 50mm (28-105), 1/60, f/4.0, ISO 1600

Nikon D810, 32mm (28-105), 1/100, f/3.5, ISO 3200

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Josephine Tussaud’s Wax Museum

Nikon D810, 28mm (28-105), 1/100, f/3.5, ISO 1600

Last weekend my wife and I took a brief getaway trip to Arkansas. One afternoon to get out of her hair for a little while I drove in to Hot Springs and visited Josephine Tussaud’s Wax Museum. The experience supplied no end of photo ops. I was particularly thankful for the D810’s ability to cope with bad lighting.

Give or take a shot or two, this set is the same as the gallery I posted to Facebook with the question, “If all the wax figures in the museum came to life, which one would be most likely to eat your children?”

Nikon D810, 28mm (28-105), 1/200, f/3.5, ISO 1600

 Steve McQueen. Because who would want to be greeted at the museum entrance by Billy Bob Thornton on a motorcycle?

Nikon D810, 28mm (28-105), 0.5 sec, f/3.5, ISO 2500

Most of the stuff from the House of Horrors section was too gross for a family blog like this. I included this shot in part because I liked the light and in part because I wanted folks to have an easy out on the kid-eating question.

Nikon D810, 28mm (28-105), 1/40, f/3.5, ISO 2500

The real Kennedys, with Teddy sitting off to the side. I liked the ghostly reflection of Hillary Clinton in the window.

Nikon D810, 66mm (28-105), 1/320, f/4.2, ISO 2500

A better view of the popular vote winner of the 2016 election.

Nikon D810, 105mm (28-105), 1/60, f/4.5, ISO 2500

“You had a bad day / The camera don’t lie.” Whoever made this one appears to have no fondness for Queen Elizabeth II.

Nikon D810, 52mm (28-105), 1/160, f/4.2, ISO 2500

I’m pretty sure there’s a federal regulation requiring every wax museum in the country to have at least one Elvis.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Best of the 365 Blog - September 2017

September was a busy month, so most of the daily photos weren’t exactly carefully planned. Still, that’s part of the point behind a 365 project. It makes sure you see the world around you rather than just looking at it. And it keeps you in the habit of taking pictures (even if they are all taken with a phone).


 We’ve been having some work done in the house, which has introduced no end of new things to photograph.


I’ve even gotten an interesting picture or two out of the planning process.


Of course sometimes one finds one’s self at a gas station late at light when struck by the thought that no picture has yet been taken that day.


This is another entry in my upcoming gallery show, “Things I photographed while waiting for my grocery pick-up (way seriously bored).” At least this one is kinda interesting.


Flowers in a small patch between the Learning Commons and my office.


A standpipe near the Learning Commons.


On this occasion I got a photo before I even made it out of the parking lot. I considered cranking up the vibrance and/or saturation, but then I changed my mind.


An interesting pipe pattern under the upper deck at Kauffman Stadium.