Point and shoots and model trains

A lot of times when I go places I like to travel light with my camera gear. Even times when I have my D200 with me I will reach for my point and shoot. One such occasion was the Tri-State 26th Annual Model Train Railroad Show at Greenbo Lake in Ky. I love trains of all sizes and hadn't been to the model railroad show since I was a child and thought it would be a good opportunity to do some macro photography. I packed all of my gear as usual but opted for my point and shoot once I arrived at the show. A long as you take your time, plan your shots, know the limitations of the equipment and allow for the shutter lag you can come up with some pretty nice stuff. My point and shoot is an older 5 megapixel Canon SD400. I love it. Right now it does everything I need it to do. It is beginning to show some battle scars but is serving me well. Check out my favorite pic of the trip below.

Upcoming photo events

Just a little note about some upcoming photo ops. The Buffalo Trace Balloon Race is coming to the grounds of Maysville Community and Technical College again this year. For more information click the link. http://www.buffalotraceballoonrace.com/

The balloons are a blast to shoot and always a colorful event.

Also coming up is the Battle Re-enactment Celebration at Blue Licks State Resort Park. I've included the info from their website below. It's always a colorful event as well.

Battle Re-enactment Celebration
8/16/2008 to 8/17/2008

Blue Licks Battlefield pays tribute to the brave pioneers who fought and died at the Battle of Blue Licks, August 19, 1782, during this weekend of special programs and demonstrations. A craft area features local crafters, artisans and vendors along with special music and a battle re-enactment at 3 p.m. each day. Stroll through the pioneer encampment and see how pioneers lived over 200 years ago. Special museum programs featuring hands-on demonstrations. Package Fee: $5 for ages 13 and above, which includes viewing the battle reenactment, unlimited access to the Pioneer Museum, 18-hole Mini Golf Course, Jr. Olympic Size Swimming Pool, and all activities and programs for the entire day.

Presidential Visit

Wow! What a week. Little did I know when I came to work Tuesday morning that I would be covering former President Bill Clinton's visit to my tiny (and I do mean tiny) hometown. It was a whirlwind as he dropped into town that afternoon on an impromptu visit between campaign stops in Kentucky while stumping for his wife. Here are a couple of photos from the exciting 20 minute visit.

For those of you interested in my setup for covering this event, the details are as follows.

I arrived early to check my lighting (even though I've been in the place a hundred times) and knew it would be crowded so I used my wide angle Nikon 12-24 f/4 lens. I had my file size set to RAW so that I could get the most out of this one time event and recover in case of a bobble on my part. Settings were ISO 400, 1/200, f/5.6, SB800 flash set at 1/8 power and tilted at a 45 degree angle with a stofen flash diffuser.

It was definitely an adrenalin rush and a fast 20 minutes. I had more excitement the evening prior when I covered the premier of George Clooney's newest movie Leatherheads in a nearby town. Check back for those pics later. Whewwww! I can rest now.

Getting Started

Welcome to my blog. To get things started I'll give you a bit about my background and how I got into photography.

I first got into photography while I was in college. I got bored one summer out of high school (can't play golf all the time) and applied for a job with the small weekly newspaper in my hometown. After my summer job and a couple of journalism classes I decided that this was something I enjoyed. I worked one more summer for the weekly before moving to a small daily (The Ledger Independent) and working as a staff photographer. I was named Chief Photographer for the Ledger and worked there for another year before leaving to take some time off to work as a wireless Internet installer. I left there to go back into photojournalism for a short time. I am currently available for freelance work. I also dabble in portrait and fine art photography.

Now that the introduction is out of the way, I'll get to the reason for this blog. After starting a small photography group locally I have decided there is a need to share tips I have learned while working in photography. Our group which consists of photographers from a variety of backgrounds, including those just beginning was created to share information. I'm always looking to learn more about photography and always working to make my photography better. I'll pass along tips and gladly answer any questions I can along the way just like people have done for me.

So without further ado, I'll kick off my blog. I thought I'd go with this photo from a recent fire. Shooting a fire is a running and gunning type of event. The first thing to remember is not to get in the way of the firefighters who are there to do their job. The second is to stay safe. You can't make photos if you're injured and they can't do their job if they are tending to you. This photo is your standard photo you might go for in a similar situation. I like it because it showed several firefighters and established the location with the front of the building and the sign. It is what I would call a safety photo. One of the ones you would shoot first to make sure you have what you need for publication before moving on to something else or before you are called out to another event.