Photography Today

December Newsletter Now Online

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Here is the link for the December 2009 Newsletter.

Best wishes to all for a Happy and Safe Holiday Season.

Swimsuit Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:19:00 +0000

I wanna be a swim suit photographer. I guess what guy would not.

Wading Birds on the Waccissa River

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:06:00 +0000

I took the chance to photograph wading birds on one of the most scenic rivers I have ever had the chance to paddle. The Waccissa River is a spring-fed river located in the Big Bend Area of Florida. There is very little current and it is easy to find wading birds that are not overly shy. This Little Blue Heron was capturing and consuming crawfish at a rapid rate. Fortunately, it did not gulp them down quickly. Instead, it gave me the opportunity to photograph the mid-day meal. I found an Ibis walking a log much like a gymnast on a balance beam.

Grinding and Boiling Sugar Cane

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:45:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to join my friend Buddy Gunn and others in cane syrup making near Havana, Florida. They started with mules turning the press, but making a mule making actually work was a chore. So, they used a diesel mule - 4 X 4. Very old time process and a tradition kept alive in some parts of the South. After extracting the sugar solution out of the cane, it is boiled down. It will take more than 20 gallons of solution to make approximately 1 to 2 gallons of cane syrup. This is much like making maple syrup in Michigan. This was a good way to wrap up the trip to Florida.

Last Day in Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

This looks to be my last day in Florida and it has been a good trip. I have been able to capture a couple of good images, mostly on the beach at St. George Island. The weather has been o.k., but not great. Two days of camping and two days of visiting with friends for the Thanksgiving Holiday. In some ways this has been a special trip - re-connecting with friends and the time spent outdoors.

In the Dunes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Another from the series on St. George Island in Florida. The skies were very overcast and I was looking for the great light. That came a little while later.

Greetings from Sunny Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Finally, after two days of clouds and cool temps some sunshine. Here is the sunset that I captured along the beach last evening. This may get more processing later. There are many more images to be posted later too.

Finally Updating Western Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:21:00 +0000

I have been putting off updating one of my galleries that has had some coding issues. Finally determined to get it done tonight and it worked. If anyone is interested here is one of the new/old images from White Sands http://www.tomhaxbyphotos.com/galleries/WestHTML/WestGalleryHTML_4.html What an awesome place!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

I have been feeding the birds in the woods for a couple of weeks now. Mostly chickadees, but sometimes a brave nuthatch when I am nearby with my camera. I will have to go replenish the seed stock today. Will probably get shot as this is opening day of deer season. I should put a big bulls-eye on my back and place my tripod upside down on my head. Then someone can bag a three-pointer to stuff and then mount me on their wall.

Places For Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:05:00 +0000

If I did not have a day job, and therefore the time to travel with camera, here are the top ten places that I would like to visit, but not necessarily in order:

1.Redwoods in California - One of the most mystical places in all of the world.
2. Anywhere in Oregon - They have spectacular mountains, wildflowers, waterfalls, deserts and coasts. What more could a nature photographer want?
3. The Badlands of the Dakotas - Have never been there and few have really, really taken the time to capture the spirit of the Badlands.
4. The Smoky Mountains - I think I could wander there forever with a smile on my face.
5. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan - Have never had the good fortune to photograph a wolf, not that it would be easy.
6. A cypress swamp anywhere in the Southeastern US. Preferably during the cooler bug-free months.
7. Alaska in the Fall - Big game wildlife, fall colors on the tundra, northern lights, mountains such as Denali, Wonder Lake. Better in the fall than the summer with the crowds, lack of a night sky, mosquitoes on the tundra and the expensive prices.
8. Zion National Park - I have seen so many fantastic photos from there. All iconic and maybe over done, but still beautiful.
9. The Deserts of the Southwest - Getting off of the beaten path to find the hidden beauty.
10. White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. Pure gypsum sand dunes surrounded by mountains and amazing skies.
10 a. So, I have to add one more which is close to home. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. A little piece of natural beauty.

Starry, Starry Night

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:31:00 +0000

Who would have ever thought that November along the Great Lakes would see a clear night for viewing stars. The normal pattern is for stormy weather as the season's change - think Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which occurred in November on Lake Superior. So, I tried a star trail photo and here is what I came up with: This was a one hour exposure and it took an hour to write to the flash card. This was taken on the jack pine plains of Central Michigan as far away from city lights as I could get. The only better place might be the UP of Michigan. The tough part about this, besides the cold temperature, was being able to see through the viewfinder. It was that dark. I waited in the vehicle and read a good book while waiting for the one hour exposure. It took another hour to drive home and I waited for the image to finally load to the card. I may try this again some other time when the skies are clear.

October Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:12:00 +0000

This month's newsletter is now online at http://www.tomhaxbyphotos.com/Newsletter/October_2009_Newsletter.htm

At Home

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:14:00 +0000

What a trip it was to the UP! Six days and over 1,300 miles and hundreds of photos. Here are two several that did not get posted earlier. Another take on Miner's Castle and Lake of the Clouds. Unfortunately, the colors were not yet in evidence at the Lake of the Clouds and I had to head back towards home. Also, a more intimate landscape shot of aspen in a rainstorm. This was tough trying to keep myself and the equipment dry.

Wet Aspen in a rainstorm on the Keweenaw.

Another shot of Lake of the Clouds.

Still in the UP

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:38:00 +0000

There was a rainstorm of biblical proportions in the Upper Peninsula yesterday. So, I made it a travel day. This morning the waterfalls were really running. Here is one from Munising Falls. Unfortunately, I ran into a photo group. Not much fun jostling for position to get the same photo as the rest of the group.

Unlike the Munising Falls in the morning, I pretty much had the view of Miner's Castle to myself. What a glorious sight. One of the turrets fell into Lake Superior in April 2008. Most geologic events such as this happen at a less than glacial speed. This was very unusual. Here is the photo:

Miner's Castle on Lake Superior. Wonderful light and a beautiful scene.

It Does Not Get Any Better

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:10:00 +0000

This post is not about photos, it is about life. There was a young couple that I met at a campground in the Porcupine Mountains. They had their two young children with them. Yes, it was a little chilly, however their daughter was bundled in mom's lap and being read a bedtime story by the campfire. I found out later that their daughter appreciated the marshmallows the most. That's what it is all about. Spending quality time with children and passing something along to the next generation - the love of the great outdoors and the willingness to spend quality time with the children. Thanks Pete, and take good care of your family.

Fall in the UP

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:47:00 +0000

One last chance before winter sets in..... So, I had to head to the UP for some fall color. Here is some of what I found:

Sturgeon River Gorge

Lake of the Clouds

Presque Isle River

Iconic Bond Falls

Something Different

Model Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Trying something different cannot hurt, can it? With the held of Todd with the Traverse Area Camera Club a photo session was set up with models. This is Sierra who was graceful enough to put up with my awkwardness in photographing people. Here are a couple more:

Sleeping Bear Dunes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:11:00 +0000

One of the magical places to photograph in Northern Michigan is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This morning I headed out early to catch the sunrise above the well known "Dune Climb" This was another in a string of marvelous September days we
have had.

Comments are always welcomed.

September Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:41:00 +0000

Here is a link for my September Newsletter http://www.tomhaxbyphotos.com/Newsletter/September_2009_Newsletter2.htm

Reflections and My Hometown

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:08:00 +0000

This reflection was taken on my trip to the Porcupine Mountains in June 2009. This is an image that I have perhaps overlooked. Yes, I did throw a pebble into the water to get a small ring, just to make it apparent that this is a reflection.

The photo of Cincinnati, Ohio, my hometown, was taken in August 2009 from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. I do not usually do a lot of photos of man-made objects, but exceptions can be made.

Freedom Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:34:00 +0000

I attended a Freedom Concert in Cincinnati, Ohio which features Sean Hannity, Charlie Daniels, Lee Greenwood, Michael W. Smith, Billy Ray Cyrus and others. Here are some of the images.

Close to home

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Sometimes you do not have to go very far to find great photos. In this case, these two images were taken in my yard. The first was from a seed mixture that I planted and the second is from my native wildflower area.

Photos from the past

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:18:00 +0000

This was taken in New Mexico in February at the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Funny, how I never did anything with it until now. What I love besides the lines of the sandhill crane is the great color palette in the background.

This was also taken in New Mexico at White Sands National Monument. One of the most scenic and iconic places in all of the country to photograph landscapes.

More Summertime Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:23:00 +0000

The Point Betsie Lighthouse at sunset. This lighthouse is photographed often, even in winter. I do wish that they would get rid of the Lombardy Poplars that really do not help with the composition.

This next image is an experiment, though not original. A piece of glass treated with Rain-X and sprayed with water was suspended over some flowers. The goal was to get the flowers to show in the water droplets. Very shallow depth of field made it tough to get the bigger drops and the smaller drops in focus. Comments are welcomed.

Gordon Lightfoot Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Haxby) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:15:00 +0000

Went to the Gordon Lightfoot Concert at the Interlochen School of Arts on July 22, 2009. Really good show. Here are a few of the pics