One more from this past weekends adventures.  Saw this single Oak tree with leaves that were extremely bright compared to the surrounding trees so I did what I thought was best and photographed it

Captured with Nikon D700 24-70f2.8 on Lexar digital film – finished in Silver Efex Pro

So not too long ago my friend Mark Krajnak wrote an article about missing the shot, it struck home and I went out an snagged a shot of an old truck that I have been wanting forever, but never took the time to go get it until Mark’s GOYA made me realize it could be gone any second. Now back to the present, me and my wayward excursions of roads less traveled, I realized that there was an old General Store on a backroad that I took over 6 years ago that I didn’t get a shot of at the time, because I had no camera with me (yes, I have learned from that mistake). So I loaded up the gear and set off to find this old place that I have thought of so many times, but spaced it every time I went in that direction. What I found is this:

Just so happened when I arrived there was a group of bicyclist all staging near the old place that had been riding through here for a while, they told me the building collapsed about 2 years back in a big storm that rolled through the valley. Words can’t honestly describe how angry I was at myself for not getting back out there sooner. I even had found notes on shot ideas for that location. I know even if I would have went when I was out to go shoot that truck that the building would still have been gone, but it is still a big disappointment to me. So I said it once and I will say it again, if you see something SHOOT IT!!!

Image captured with Nikon D700 24-70f2.8 on Lexar digital film

While I was having a recovery day from running around all over New Mexico I saw a billboard sign that had a display for the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa New Mexico, and decided I needed to head over there and check it out. This place is inside a huge airplane hanger, and it didn’t just have amazing restored war planes it had a very nice car collection as well.

Main prop on an Avenger.  This was the isolated shot that I was looking for to control the background.

T-28 Trojan Prop

To give you an idea of what the inside of the hanger looked like, below is a wide shot of a P-38 engine and prop. Take a look at the background.

So the car collection at the War Eagles Air Museum is just as impressive as its War Plane Collection. And after playing around a bit with the planes my attention turned to the cars.

Front hood ornament off and Auburn. Once again thinking about background control. About 15 feet behind this car is a TF-51 Mustang, but you would never know it.

With the way the background and ceilings were staying tight and looking for details in the cars and planes paid off.  Had a great time at the Museum.  If you do find yourself there go and take some time to really take in the history, and some fun shots.

Planes Captured with 1 D Mark IIN 70-200f2.8

Cars Captured with 1 D Mark IIN 16-35f2.8 II on lexar digital media

So if you have been coming back and forth to the blog lately you have have been bombarded with a mass of different format and styles as of late.  Suffice to say I have been working on a new look for the blog and for future endeavors.  It hasn’t been very easy, but I finally decided on this layout and style, but I would like feedback from my readers, so let me know what you think of the layout.

So in other news I just received my copy of Jeff Lynch’s new book Hill Country Landscapes, and it is amazingly beautiful and is packed with all the info on how each image was captured.  Even if you don’t live in Texas, you DO need this book.  Just looking at the images is inspiring enough, but coupled with the great info in the back it is priceless.

Also, I am taking a poll on here for something that I have been toying around with.  Would you the reader like to start seeing videos on how I finished images?  Drop a line in the comments, also if there is something more you would like to see drop a line as well.

You may wonder why I am asking all of these opinion questions, and the simple answer is i want to know what you would like to see.  I may not be able to meet every request, but I will like to know what is on the mind of you the reader as a New Year approaches.

UPDATE:  If any one is having trouble viewing the new layout in IE please let me know.

Captured with 1D Mark IIN 70-200f2.8 on Lexar digital film

So, I got a chance last weekend in between events and parties to go out and get a bit of shooting in.  I went about 45 minutes West of my home town to a town that has been around since the late 1800s.  It was a good time walking around old bone yards and alley ways.  If you didn’t get a chance to go on a Scott Kelby Photowalk recently don’t keep that from getting you out and about friends or yourself.  I have met a lot of people lately saying “I will wait for another day to shoot, it’s too hot, etc.”  go out an explore your town, or towns around you.  The history and joy of photography is always around, just get out and find it.

Captured with 1D MArk IIN 16-35f2.8 (top) 70-200f2.8 (last 2 images) on Lexar digital film