Hello again Everyone,

Well despite good intentions the blog is once again ruining a wee bit behind and the reason is strictly due to the absolutely gorgeous summer weather we have had this year. It was just impossible to stay inside when one could be out enjoying all of that blissful heat! Okay, not exactly, and the title definitely says it all...mark it on your calendars folks... we skipped summer

What does a person do when you can't get any heat at home? Well, you go and find it that's what you do. Rob and I ventured to beautiful sunny Palm Springs California for a holiday in the middle of July. WHAT??!! Yes that's right... Palm Springs in the middle of July and though we are well aware that nobody in their right mind would venture into the heart of the desert in the middle of the summer you do if it's for your best buddies 40th birthday bash. Off we went to celebrate with Carey my best friend for... well... pretty much forever, and we had a fabulous time despite the oppressive heat. 

Hanging out with the BFF. Please ignore the shiny faces as this just happens when it is hotter than the sun..



So much to be said about this photo but probably best left alone

Rob's pic of Carey and Steve's son Leo playing in the pool.

Lens (mm): 50
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/80
Exp. Comp.: +0.7
Program: Aperture Priority

Deciding one morning that it would be a fantastic idea to get up and go out shooting before the sun came up seemed great at the time but little did we realize that it is also the time when billions of these tiny little fly/bug things also venture out. Our shoot lasted approximately 20.7 minutes before the bug bites became unbearable. Below are a couple of the pictures that we did manage to get.

Not award winning but I felt compelled to shoot it anyway just because it reminded me of the movie "Bird On A Wire". Not sure why though

Very funky doors and homes where we stayed in the Movie Colony.

 

Lens (mm): 41
ISO: 400
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/1600
Exp. Comp.: -1.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

Lens (mm): 59
ISO: 400
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/1250
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

For some reason Rob refused to listen when I kept telling him that he should back up to get a better shot....hmmmm.

 

Yes, that is correct. 100 degrees (or almost 40 degrees celcius) in the shade and this was taken in the morning! A few days it hit a balmy 48 degrees celcius . Not much a person could do but sit in the pool with cold beverages which isn't really a bad vacation when you think of it! If any of you ever decide to do something insane like make this trip yourselves, try this game that we found to be a fun way to pass the time:

1)Drive around the city in a black SUV with a black leather interior

2)Park somewhere in the direct sun

3)Go shopping for approximately 2-3 hrs

4)Come back to the vehicle and see who can sit on the seats the longest without screaming or getting 3rd degree burns... good times, good times.

 

Rob eating it up and doing his best "Bono" impression while playing Rock Band.

 

Making the decsion to take a day and get away from the heat we headed to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Besides the temperature being 20 degress cooler (and it was still 25 degrees!) the views were absolutely amazing. The bonus for being here at this time of year is that there weren't many tourists around at all and it was like we had the entire mountain to ourselves and only 20,000 other tourists seeking cooler temps.

View from the top but wouldn't want to slip!

Lens (mm): 31
ISO: 200
Aperture: 14
Shutter: 1/160
Exp. Comp.: +0.7
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Rob looking down.

Lens (mm): 21
ISO: 200
Aperture: 16
Shutter: 1/100
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

And me looking up
Lens (mm): 85
ISO: 250
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/125
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Yes, Rob once again posing as per normal for him. The scenery on the mountaintop was spectacular!

 

Very cool trees along the way which definitely made one feel small.

Lens (mm): 26
ISO: 250
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/100
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Found a woodpecker along the way.

 

One thing that you are probably noticing is that along with the live trees there are also an awful lot of dead ones. They leave all the trees, live and dead. Left in place after they fall, they make for some very interesting scenes. The thing that is not necessarily as cool about this is the fact that they can and will fall over at any time. While we were hiking along a trail we suddenly heard this horrific crash about 20 yards from where we were standing only to turn around and see that a branch had fallen from one of the trees narrowly missing a family with small children that was having at picnic at one of the tables. The "branch" was actually more the size of some of the fully grown trees and could have caused some serious havoc.

 

Lens (mm): 26
ISO: 250
Aperture: 4.5
Shutter: 1/400
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Who can resist taking a picture of Father Time himself !!!

 

After a great afternoon of hiking and photography we headed back to the ranch for more fun with friends:

That's right... time for a party! Thanks again Steve and Carey for an absolutely fantastic time and to all the great new friends that we met

Lens (mm): 50
ISO: 320
Aperture: 1.4
Shutter: 1/250
Exp. Comp.: +0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Back home means back to reality/work. Rob had a couple of family shoots to do as soon as we got back: 

Lens (mm): 80
ISO: 125
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/400
Exp. Comp.: -0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Lens (mm): 160
ISO: 500
Aperture: 4.5
Shutter: 1/3200
Exp. Comp.: -0.3
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

 

Lens (mm): 45
ISO: 160
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/160
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Manual

 

Lens (mm): 50
ISO: 400
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/50
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Manual

 

A few weekends ago found us at Fishing Lake, Sk. for some R & R and well, fishing. While there a massive storm blew in, and to be honest, this was one of the scariest looking clouds that either of us had seen pretty much ever! 

Lens (mm): 17
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/60
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:

Now that everyone is in back to school mode Rob is also in Back to work mode as the University is back in session and that means Rob will once again be out covering all of the Cougar Athletics programs:

Lens (mm): 108
ISO: 100
Aperture: 11
Shutter: 1/125
Exp. Comp.: +1.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Aperture Priority

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And now for a reach into our mailbag. We are going to do our best to address your mail as it comes in and when we feel it of value to our readers, we will respond to that mail publicly (last names withheld of course) via this blog or our podcast. If you include photos we will include those as well when we can.

This email was in response to a "Challenge" we issued in our podcast. To all those who took the time to shoot and submit, we are very sorry for not doing a new episode and responding to those. We will get back on track soon. If Devona would retire from her day job we would have all kinds of time.

Hey Rob and Devona,
 
What's shakin'?
 
I have attached my submission for the plant challenge. 
 
The reason I chose this plant was because my daughter just replanted it tonight and I figured it was pretty convenient.  I have no clue what kind of plant it is.  Apparently it likes to be watered with wiener water soup.  OK, there I go just making shit up now.
 
For the sake of a name, let's call it "The beanstalk".  It kind of reminds me of the story Jack and the Beanstalk, although I doubt the beanstalk needed to be propped up by a green straw.    ...If you look into the distance, you'll see a little guy with black antennae peeking over the edge of the pot behind it.  No, it's not the red haired leprechaun you speak of...LOL.  It's some kind of freakish lady bug or something.
 
Feel free to give me feedback on it....positive and negative.  I'm not only still learning to use the camera, but I need to get a handle on the composition and lighting sides of things as well ...so lemme have it straight.
 
Catch ya on the flipside.

Joe

~~~~~~~~~

Joe,

It is submissions like these that remind us why we do what we do. Because readers make us smile. Technically a good exposure, well composed although a little cluttered but narratively such a good story, you justified it. Thanks for sharing

Rob

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Well, that's it for this blog post. Please check back when you get a chance as with luck we will have another entry within the month!

Cheers!

Devona & Rob