He's just plotting.

He knows you will get too close.

He knows you will walk by unsuspecting.

It's like he is a vampire.

He lives on blood.

And he wants to take it from you.

He doesn't care from where.

It might be your hand, it might be your calf.

But he will take blood from you.

Don't let the eyes fool you.

When I go over there, I don't touch him.

I'm starting to like this lens.

This was the Viltrox 23mm APS-C lens.

It is on my Nikon Z50.

Do I prefer the D3S with the Sigma 35?

Sure I do, but it is heavy as heck.

So I'm working towards replacing it with this.

I still need to get used to it.

But the weight is so much lighter.

It is more fun to carry this one.

But time will tell :)

Oops, someone needs to clean their sensor.

I LOVE MY D3!

This has been my favorite camera for a very long time.

It is inconvenient and heavy to carry.

But I've always loved the output from it.

So when I went to Niagara Falls, it came along.

Unfortunately, it poured, but no big deal (D3!).

And then we did Cave of the Winds.

What a blast, and the D3 worked fine.

It was soaked, but it's weather sealed.

And so was my lens (16-35).

But then 20 minutes later, it messed up.

First one button died, then the focus points.

Ugh, my D3 was dying.

By the time we got back to the hotel, most buttons were dead.

So now it lives in rice for a week.

Is it totally dead?

I'll find out in a week.

My first car show in a very long time.

It was fun, but I only had one lens with me.

And it happened to be a longer macro.

So all the pics are partial details of the cars.

It's ok though, because I enjoyed it.

That is a fun part of taking pictures.

Even if you don't have the gear you would have picked...

you can still enjoy taking pictures :)

This was actually a little over a month ago.

I just never got around to posting it.

It was your average pandemic coffee day.

However, it was Buffy bringing it to me.

And Buffy is NEVER average.

What a great day with Buffy.

We were on our way to go leaf peeping.

But as always, we were open to ending up elsewhere.

We planned our destination and our route.

But then we decided to stop and have breakfast.

Through a series of events, our plans changed.

(ok, I forgot the propane stove to cook breakfast).

But as always, we just re-planned things on the fly.

That is SO important in a relationship.

If plans change, is there still fun to be had?

If the answer is yes, you've got a good one.

We hiked, we took photos, we had a great day.

Maybe next week we will make it to the "destination" :)

I didn't like the car behind him.

However I loved the smear of colors.

Most of them were not that noticeable.

But the ISO was pretty cranked up.

When you walk around at night,

this is sometimes what you get.

It was a really nice night,

and a great walk with Buffy.

So I'm testing out the Nikon Z50.

This picture would not exist from my D3.

Because I wouldn't have carried my D3 on this walk.

I always thought eventually I'd get a D6, or even a used D5.

But I've gotten tired of carrying the D3.

Another single digit D body would have the same issue.

I LOVE the pictures from the D3.

Especially with the 1.4 lens I have.

But the Z50 has some potential.

And it is light as a feather.

I can carry 2 lenses and hardly notice them.

I can adapt my F mount glass with an FTZ.

I'm starting to think this thing might stay.

She is always watching you.

She never sleeps, unless she is sleeping.

She never eats, unless she is eating.

She never wakes us up... unless she does.

But she never minds me taking pictures...

Unless she does :)

I had the wrong lens with me.

I was walking across a bridge when I saw him.

I yelled down to ask if he minded some pictures.

He said "Have at it".

So I happily snapped a few.

And here is why I like photography.

This was the wrong lens for this (35 from a long distance).

My camera only has 12 megapixels.

And I had to crop like crazy to get this.

The D3S is an awesome camera in the right situation.

But here it was a little limited due to the lens I had with me.

But I'm joyful I was there watching him fish for flies.

I enjoyed the day walking around taking some snaps.

So I just don't care that it is technically flawed.

I don't care that the angle is not the best.

Because I was there that day.

This is an important photo.

However it isn't an important picture.

I was driving home when I saw this.

And I wanted to do an experiment.

This is exposure stacking.

It is my absolute first attempt at it.

I didn't use a tripod.

I just set bracketing and hoped for the best.

Then merged it all in Lightroom.

It has nothing to do with the subject.

Just that the subject had varied light intensity.

I'll experiment more with this.

Just learning and having fun.

Still on my mandatory vacation.

So I decided on another journey.

I'm really still "testing" this lens out.

I decided I loved it.

Then I decided to return it.

Then I decided to give it another week.

Then I decided to return it.

So now I'm half way through the week.

And I decided to keep it.

What an aggravating lens.

Not this shot, but when at f/1.4.

I never know where the focus will be.

But when it hits, it is wonderful.

Then it backfocuses by a mile.

I've spent hours calibrating it.

I've got a few more days to vacillate.

Chasing the dragon of 1.4.

Buffy and I went on a walk yesterday.

We just drove into the city and took pictures.

We parked somewhere we had never parked at before.

It was all unfamiliar to both of us.

And it was a wonderful day.

Except lunch... which had issues.

They had socially distanced tables.

And I asked to be way out at the end away from everyone.

I was nervous, but there was a table way away from everyone.

Outside (of course, I'm not crazy).

We waited about 10 minutes.

And then the hostess brought another group and sat them next to us...

Seriously? After explaining how nervous I was and it was my first time.

Not an extra table away from us, but right next to us?????

Do you want Covid? Because that is how you get Covid.

Needless to say we stood up and left immediately.

Buffy is still immune, but I'm not, and I don't tangle with it.

She went into a different place to grab us food.

It ended up being a perfect day.

Flowers are an interesting subject.

I always wonder where to set my aperture.

Deep or shallow, harsh or mellow.

Tight or loose composition.

Offset, rules, no rules?

Or just flowers in a snapshot.

Did the bug even notice me?

I missed focus.

I missed the framing.

I was shooting through a dirty glass door.

I had motion blur from shaking the camera.

I had the wrong lens on my camera.

I had my settings wrong.

I have a 12 megapixel camera that doesn't have the resolution.

I had to crop the heck out of those 12 megapixels.

I... don't care.

Because this morning a squirrel stopped on my deck to say Hi.

And that camera was on the kitchen table where I was sitting.

And a few tweaks in Lightroom made it all ok-ish.

I like the picture, and that is what matters.

I woke up early, and took a walk.

It was partly a photo walk.

But really, the photos were an excuse to walk.

I've noticed that I'm "working" on my pictures.

Not in the sense of ugh, work.

But more the fun sense that I'm trying to improve them.

I'm making more effort to think and be steady holding the camera.

I'm enjoying that.

It was a small vigil in a small town.

I can't really call it a protest.

But we were there.

And we will be back again.

These are different times.

We are living through history.

It's being written every day.

To me, there is only one side today.

The most interesting part was the reactions.

There was a lot of horn honking.

There was lots of waving and thumbs up.

There were a LOT of people desperate to not see us.

And there was some anger at us.

I was told to get a job (I have a good job).

I was yelled at to F off (with a capital F).

And there was someone that sat at the light angry.

After some time went by, he gave us the finger.

He sat there with his finger up for 20 seconds.

Then the light turned green.

I don't understand their anger at us.

I can understand the ones that don't want to look.

But what were we saying that angered some people?

Why are you in your car feeling angry about stopping racism?

I'm proud Buffy stands up for what she believes in.

I really hope this is the year that history changes.

Well technically the shade.

Pup was just hanging out.

Was she annoyed with all the pictures?

Meh, that isn't a puppy's place.

The cost of food in your bowl is photos :)

I use a green screen at work.

I have to be on video conferences all day long.

My favorites are pictures I take myself.

This one was on my deck.

He stopped by to day Hi.

It was only seconds.

I got three poses, one out of focus,

but this one he stood up.

Poof, a second later he was off.

Oh, the third pose, his out of focus butt flying away.

May you live in interesting times.

There is debate where that saying comes from.

Is it a blessing or a curse?

I don't know.

But maybe these times are a bit too interesting.

Maybe you should just sit on your couch and read pinball news...

Oh jeepers, even that is "interesting" with show cancellations.

Maybe sit at your desk and write code?

Oh my, that works.

But now the compilation will take 15 minutes.

Just enough time to post from the morning coffee.

Get out and vote (if you are voting today).

If you are allowed to vote, you should always do it.

Otherwise you are voting to not vote anymore.

I was driving by, and saw this.

It was a field of little flags and signs.

It was all about getting help with mental health issues.

And that is always a good thing for people to see.

If you're struggling with mental health issues, get help.

There is never a reason to go through it alone.

People are always there to help you through the toughest times.

All you have to do is ask.

My house is still decorated.

The lights are still up.

Ok, I get it, this is weird.

2 months later, they should be down.

It has just been a busy time for me.

That isn't totally it though.

The truth is, I enjoy them.

I have a smile when I see them.

But this week they all go into boxes.

And I'm already thinking about setting back up.

The day after Halloween? Hmmmm, no. Too early.

Maybe half before Thanksgiving and half after?

Yeah, that will be nice.

I don't know what went on inside Building 7.

I'm not sure I want to know.

State Hospitals were an ugly place.

But was it more humane than now?

How many homeless people would be here?

And yet, what torture would they endure here?

I'm not sure what would be worse.

All I know is, I'm glad I never lived at Building 7.

Why? Just so I remembered where I parked.

But why now?

Because I didn't take any pictures today.

I just didn't have time for it today.

Called away from work to help someone.

I brought my camera along, but it never came out.

It just sat under the seat ignored.

So I synced my photo and came across this one.

Not much really, just trying to keep the PAD going.

Part of my day involved this guy, and a yummy lunch.

Buffy and I went to the boat show, and lunch was at Totto.

They make some darn good Ramen there.

This is the first portrait I did since getting back into photography. Robert is one of my co-workers.

I was hoping this setup would work. I kept pushing around the monitors until I got them how I wanted them to frame the picture.