June 27, 2011 -- Riding on the Pink Line

As I grabbed this shot with my iPhone the train shifted. The result is out of focus. Yet I like it. 


This is one of several photos I have put up on the blog that were taken with my iPhone 4. It really does well. Interestingly, many of the photography magazines are now running articles written by professional photographers about how, when and why they use the iPhone.  Mostly they consider it fun, like the Polaroid used to be for them.

f2.8 | 1/20s | ISO 80 | iPhone

June 26, 2011 -- Flowers growing on fence

Whatever this flower is, it is currently in abundance across Illinois and Iowa. 

f3.3 | 1/40s | ISO 80 | Lumix

June 25, 2011 -- Funky Birthday Card

I saw this graffiti while on a "tour" of the town of Okaboji, Iowa. The image is quite interesting and I am at a loss to understand it. A tree person? Mr Carrot? 


I suppose it may not really be a "birthday card" but that's what it says: "Happy Birthday Mom and Dad". It's also dated on the lower right.

Graffiti is interesting, but I think the person doing the work may be more so.

f2.8 | 1/30s | ISO 80 | iPhone

24 June 2011 -- Boat Dock and US Flag Reflection

As you know by now, I like reflections. On the morning that I shot this photo (about 6:30AM), Lake Okaboji was absolutely still. You can see by the flag that the air was extremely still allowing the lake to be a mirror. When I went out of the house I was so excited by the potentials for shooting. This image was one of a trio I took and which I intended to be part of an HDR image. However there was not sufficient shadow/light differentiation, not sufficient contrast to make a good HDR. I tried, but it was not very interesting. 


This photo turned out well on its on, I think. I also imagined the photo as a black and white image while taking it. I thought it would range between zone 4 and 7, using the zone system. I used Alien Skin Exposure 2 to create an approximation of what the image might have looked like if taken with Kodak T-Max 100 B&W film (a film I often used with my F-100). 


Which image do you like better and why?

f5 | 1/90s | ISO 100 | Nikon D200 | Nikkor 24-120mm lenshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mgelula/5885571547/http://www.flickr.com/photos/mgelula/5886169004/

24 June 2011 -- Boat Dock and US Flag Reflection

As you know by now, I like reflections. On the morning that I shot this photo (about 6:30AM), Lake Okaboji was absolutely still. You can see by the flag that the air was extremely still allowing the lake to be a mirror. When I went out of the house I was so excited by the potentials for shooting. This image was one of a trio I took and which I intended to be part of an HDR image. However there was not sufficient shadow/light differentiation, not sufficient contrast to make a good HDR. I tried, but it was not very interesting. 


This photo turned out well on its on, I think. I also imagined the photo as a black and white image while taking it. I thought it would range between zone 4 and 7, using the zone system. I used Alien Skin Exposure 2 to create an approximation of what the image might have looked like if taken with Kodak T-Max 100 B&W film (a film I often used with my F-100). 


Which image do you like better and why?

f5 | 1/90s | ISO 100 | Nikon D200 | Nikkor 24-120mm lenshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mgelula/5885571547/http://www.flickr.com/photos/mgelula/5886169004/

June 22, 2011 -- Fallen Tree

These two photos were taken on June 22 in the aftermath of the storm that in 3 minutes devastated many of the trees in Park Ridge. It was this storm that let us to be without power for 36 hours. Friends of ours, also living in this community, were without power for 45 hours. You can see the power of the wind. I believe it was a small tornado. Fortunately, nothing like the one that decimated Joplin, Missouri. 

This is an HDR image composed of five images. I used Photomatrix 4, "Painterly mode" with a minor adjustment or two.

Aperture priority | f7.1 | 2/3 stop | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Nikkor 24 -120 mm lens

The next image is simply photojournalism. I wanted to share the power of the storm. Falling directly on his house, my neighbor's tree cracked at the top third. He tells me he "was scared shitless" by the sound of it hitting his home. Amazingly there was almost no house damage: only a slight dent in his rain gutter.

f 3.3 1/100s | ISO 125 | Lumix

June 23, 2010 -- Lake Okaboji, IA Panorama

Speaks for itself

HDR Image | Nikon D200 | Nikkor 24 - 120mm lens

June 21, 2011 -- Not just pictures

I have hundreds of family photos. Most of them are either in bags and boxes or have been scanned for preservation and dissemination to family members. In my bedroom we have a small chest that has framed photos. But these are not just pictures. They are memories. They are a history of our family. A reminder of a time past. A facilitator of reflection.


[Note to family: if you don't see your photo don't fret: it's likely behind one of the front frames, somewhere. Or, if not, it's in a box, on an archived HD or DVD, or in the PC. You can be sure of that. And when I find your picture, it will not be just a picture. It will be a reminder of what I remember you as, at that time.]

f3.7 | 1/30s | ISO 250 | Lumix

June 20, 2011 -- Leaving the Pink Line Train

Attempting shots like this is fun. In this case I don't like the wash-out in the top left quarter of the photo. But I do like the action and the mood of the shot. This was taken at the Lake Street Pink Line stop in the Loop of Chicago.

f4.3 | 1/15s | ISO 1250 | Lumix

June 19, 2011 -- Trucker on the road

On June 19 I drove a truck loaded with detritus from my in-law's home to Chicago. Actually to call it all "detritus" is not completely fair as there were some lovely old things in the truck and also furniture to decorate and furnish my mother-in-law's room in her new assisted living + center. We are moving her from the facility where she had been living in Iowa to one close to us in Park Ridge. It will make life easier for Pat and will, I think, be a good move for Thelma. Now, let's all pray.


Anyway, I made my tuition and other expenses for undergraduate years by driving a truck during four summers. As a result, driving this truck was quite enjoyable to me. I took the shot with my iPhone while on I-88 barreling toward Chicago.

f2.4 | 1/300 | ISO 125 | iPhone

June 18, 2011 -- "Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy"

Quote from Kahlil Gibran, on Beauty, in The Prophet 

f2.8 | 1/20s | ISO 80 | iPhone

June 17, 2011 -- Yesteryear

When my mother and mother-in-law were each in their entertaining prime, they used punch sets like this one.
I discovered a nearly perfect set of 12 of dishes like the one shown here as we were "cleaning out" my "in-law's" house this past weekend.


I momentarily considered taking the set home. Fortunately clarity came forward in the form of my wife who asked, "what are we going to do with those, and where would we put them?"  She was on target of course, but I miss this kind of entertainment-ware. I think soon we will only see it in the Smithsonian Institute and other cultural museums. 

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 100 | iPhone

June 16, 2011 -- Lecture Hall

I am a proponent of something called "active lecturing". The theory which supports this process presumes some things about how people learn. The process is one of constructing knowledge and happens best with expert facilitation and high levels of interaction among participants and instructor. 

In medical education, my profession, there is a plethora of old-style lecture halls like this one at the University of Illinois at Urbana School of Medicine. Such architecture does not enhance opportunities for active learning, but good instructors can overcome the setting.

I was at this place attempting to demonstrate how an instructor can overcome the setting to engage learners and create an active learning climate. It was fun working "against" the setting.

f3.3 | 1/60s | ISO 640 | Lumix

June 15, 2011 -- After the Rain

Sometimes the most mundane places produce lovely scenes. Here is a puddle formed after a particularly heavy rain. The sky and the trees show nicely in this reflection.

f3 | 1/180s | ISO 500 | Lumix

June 14, 2011 -- Kid's and Dad's Toys

Here is another iPhone photo. I was taking a walk and saw this scene from the corner of my eye. What I like about this shot, beside the subtle humor (at least subtle and humorous to me) was the color pallet: the aqua blues, the deep blue of the tricycle, the emerald green grass and the grays of the Dad's toy. 

f2.8 | 1/270s | ISO 80 | iPhone 4

June 13, 2011 - All in step with band-aid

This is street photography. I really like the genre. I can go out and just do, thinking, "I will shoot people and events."  There is no major pressure like I feel with architectural shots or even flowers.

In imagining this shot, for which I fired off seventeen shots to get this one, I liked that these two tween girls were playing in the water at Millennium Park (Chicago). And I liked that they were "in step". I also liked the light and shadow. The whole thing was perfect.  Here is the story: these young girls would go into the water and then trace their steps so that their footprints would mark the tiles. You can see some evidence of previous footsteps. Apparently this game involved going back and forth numerous times. I have no idea what it was all about. I credited their activity to "just having fun."  Only at the post production phase did I notice the band-aid. But it made this shot for me, with the bright yellow color against the tan and brown pants.

f6 | 1/400s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200

June 12, 2011 -- Water Lillies

I went to Thailand and did a fantastic photo tour with some Thai friends in a lovely nature preserve. That location was filled with literally hundreds of thousands of water lilies. Imagine my surprise when, during a walk here in Park Ridge, I came across this serene setting close to the local high school. 

f4.9 | 1/320s | ISO 80 | Lumix

June 11, 2011 -- Chicago Blues Festival

One of the great blues festivals in the US, this event always brings great joy to my heart. Yes it is a music festival, with varying degrees of blues quality. It is also a great people event. 

This year the weather had been really cool and rainy on the first day. But Saturday brought somewhat warmer temperatures and a cessation of rain. Weather caused the crowds to be somewhat less than other years. But crowds don't watch the performers. Crowds walk around, mingle, talk in the midways. Fans sit on curbs, bring chairs, sit on stadium benches and stand close to the performers. Fans smile with one another as they listen to the music. Fans make quiet comments about a riff or an old song. Fans admire the guitars, the singers, the drummers, the harp (harmonica) players. And I like to take photos among the crowds and the fans. In these four shots, I am sharing my admiration for a prototypical blues band, lovers and a gorgeous tattoo   

"Electric Blues" shows an energetic two guitarists at their best.  In this photo you can almost feel the rhythm and emotion that these guys were generating. The guy in red is a phenomenal rhythm base guitarist and his partner is Duwayne Burnside, leader of the band and a terrific electric blues guitarist specializing in Mississippi hill country blues. 

f13 | 1/100s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18-270mm Lens

The shot that I call "Star Crossed Lovers" was interesting. These two were standing in the midway. People were all around them, but the couple was seemingly oblivious. So I decided that their world was one of color and the rest was just dull blank and white. 

f9 | 1/320s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18-270mm Lens. Masking in Photoshop

"Fantastical Tattoo" was taken as I stood and watched a spontaneous dance floor erupt in the midst of one of the midways. These folks were all dancing to a band in a mannered way. As I watched I noticed this tattoo. What does the CXXXIV refer to? What is the meaning of this fantastical image? Who was the designer of this tattoo? Who created it? And why did she adorn herself with it? I will never know. Likely, I'll never see her again.

f9 | 1/320 | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm lens

Finally the "Look of Love". These two were seated in front of me throughout the Duwayn Burnside Band performance. I don't think they noticed the music. 

f11 | 1/250s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18-270mm Lens

I took over 300 shots on Saturday. These four are not my best, just four I really liked. I'll eventually post more to Flickr! and to Facebook.

June 10, 2011 -- Almost to Infinity

Pat was really anxious. There I was lying down along the train tracks. She was saying, "I am not staying here. What if a train comes?"  I want to make it clear. There was not a train in sight.  So I continued to lay down and shoot a bunch of shots to get the kind of look I wanted. I had several with both rails, but in the end, I like this monorail leading off to downtown Chicago.  I do love trains. Must be the y chromosome.

f14 | 1/750s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18-270mm lens | FL 18 mm

June 9, 2011 -- Open Mouth

Maybe it is just my obtuse sense of humor, but I thought that the yawning cavern of this woman's car trunk looked like a huge mouth anticipating as she fed it with grocery bags. 
I guess it helped that the photo was shot in the Whole Foods parking lot. 

f4.1 | 1/320s | ISO 80 | Lumix

June 8, 2011 -- "Comisky Park" AKA US Cellular Field

 I know that many of you have not seen this view of Comisky Stadium, home of the Chicago White Sox, die-hard fans call the stadium "Comisky" even though the name was bought out by US Cellular phone company.

I love going to the stadium, watching the game, the people, and hearing the sounds that only mean baseball.

I was surprised, wandering in to be completely alone. So I took several shots. 

f3.5 | 1/45s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18- 270 lens

I guess this is more like what you would expect to see at the stadium. Here Juan Castro is demonstrating perfect hitting form. I got this unbelievable shot at only 1/30sec because I was firing in cluster.

f7.1 | 1/30s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18- 270 lens | FL 270mm eq 405mm @35mm 

June 7, 2011 -- Self-Portrait in Smoke

f3.6 | 1/20s | ISO 400 | Lumix

Grilling is something that I love to do. On this particular day I added wood chips to gain additional favor to the burgers I was grilling. I set up the camera and expected a complete body and head shot, with clarity. When I saw that was not what I got, I continued to shoot (using 10 second timer delay). In the end I liked the spontaneous quality of this shot with the billowing smoke and my headless body.

June 6, 2011 -- Espresso Cups

My mother used to call cups and saucers like these "demi-tasse" cups. But we know them today as espresso cups. This particularly lovely set was given to me by a good Turkish friend when I had done some teaching with her and her faculty.

Regarding the photo, what appears to be a shadow on the right side, covering the saucers, is a plastic sheet to hold them in place.

I used available light with flash for fill.

f3.3 | 1/15s | ISO 800 | flash | Lumix

Now these cups are looking for a new home. Never having been used, we think they new someone else to love them. If you are interested, let me know. The gift will be played forward.

June 5, 2011 -- Macro

I was experimenting with the macro functions on my Lumix. It really does a pretty good job of capturing close focus.

Here are three photos of flowers in my neighborhood.  I searched and searched for the name of the first plant, but to no avail.

The second is a variety of Rhotadendrum.

f3.3 | 1/100s | ISO 80 | FL 4.1mm (Macro) | Lumix

f3.3 | 1/30 sec | ISO 250 | Lumix

f3.3 | 1/30 sec | ISO 200 | Lumix

June 4, 2011 -- Ivy and Window

Here is another one of my window shots. I really like what can be done with windows, the reflections, the framing, and even thinking about texture, as I was doing when I took this photo. 

Scene: The courtyard of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Michigan Avenue, Chicago around noon. Light was slightly hazy, but bright.

f4.3 | 1/40s | ISO 125 | Lumix

June 3, 2011 -- June Iris

If you have been following this blog, you know I love flowers. Here is a lovely example of the near perfect Iris that have bloomed just in the past few days. They are in my back yard, against the garage, where they get lots of midday and afternoon full sun. Apparently they like it. So do the weeds.


By the way, if there are any Iris cognizanti reading this, I'd love to know the name of this clone.

f4.3 | 1/30s | ISO 800 | Panasonic Lumix

June 2, 2011 -- Happy Father iPhone Photo

Met this guy and his new baby at a rest stop along I-80 in Ohio. It turns out he and his wife are new immigrants from Turkey. We had a few minutes talk about all the places I had been in his country of origin. 

Looking at my catalog, I found that I have a lot of photos in this theme. I was surprised that this is the first I have posted this year. There will likely be more.

 f2.8 | 1/850s | ISO 80 | iPhone

June 1, 2011 -- Bushkill Falls, PA

We decided to hike the 2.5 mile loop to gather in the sights of this magnificent series of falls coming off the Bushkill River near Shawnee Pennsylvania. The hiking was very easy as the land was privately owned and beautifully maintained with staircases for easy access to the falls. Still, we had to climb up and down a fair bit and both of us came out with a good sweat. 

Here I am sharing three shots: two are panoramas.

I decided not to crop this "Creek and Falls" panorama because I would have had to over-crop resulting in no worthwhile picture.  I like the panorama because you can get a sense of how these eight waterfalls develop. I actually shot this series of images with my camera on an angle of about 30 degrees left held in portrait position and shot left to right as you see it. It was an experiment, and I think came out generally as I hoped. 

ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens

The second panorama is comprised of three photos which I took "top" to bottom. My position for this series was from farther away than the previous image. The image is a bit blurred at the top, sadly. I don't know what I did there. 

ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens

This last shot is head on of one of the "Bridal Veil" falls. Aptly named, we thought. I actually took 4 shots like this, each with varying shutter speeds. I had in mind to give a silky quality to the waterfall. But it turns out that what nature intended looks best.

f6 | 1/160s | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens

May 31, 2011 -- Nature in its Grand and Glorious Pagentry

Hiking the Appalachian Trail we climbed about 1,000 feet to reach a point looking out over the Delaware River and the ridges along the Eastern side. Beautiful is not a sufficient word. I am so thankful that Pat and I are still very much up to these extremely strenuous hikes. And strenuous it was, as the heat was about 85 and humidity in upper 90% range, even within these deep forests. 


I wish I had had my Polaroid filter with me to cut the haze. Still, I think you can gather a glimmer of what we experienced.

 f14 | 1/750s | ev -0.33 | ISO 400 | FL 27mm | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens

Here you can see that the Appalachian trail is not always forgiving. In this shot Pat is contemplating the climb. We had no choice. It was on the return! There were some sections were the grade was at least 8%! This was not one of them

f11 | 1/45s | ev -o.33 | ISO 400 | FL 18mm | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens

Finally, just near this point, as we were making time, I suddenly stopped short. Something had caught my eye: it was this four foot Black Snake crossing our path. I took about 20 shots using my cluster mode. The snake couldn't have cared less about us. It was looking all over, tongue flicking out. Amazing. Nature's Grand and Glorious Pagentry, as my friend, Dr. Bob Buckley is fond of saying.

f7.1 | 1/125s |  ev -o.33 | ISO 400 | FL 57mm | Nikon D200 | Tamron 18 - 270mm Lens