Snow sculpture

SNOW ON DECK GLIDER SLATS, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, DECEMBER 25, 2010

Pentax K-5
Sigma 17-70 DC at 58mm
1/100 f8
ISO 800

On Christmas Eve a heavy wet snow fell overnight, sticking to everything, including the backrest slats of the redwood glider on our backyard deck. It reminds me of something -- I'm not sure what. Maybe icy prison bars. This is one of the first test photos I've taken with a new K-5 Santa brought. Click photo for larger views.

Old Notch Ear

GRAY SQUIRREL, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, DECEMBER 3, 2010

Pentax K20D
Sigma APO 135-400 at 400mm
1/250 sec. f11
ISO 800

Old Notch Ear, who crankily chases every other creature away from the backyard birdbath whenever he stops for a drink, has to be the toughest squirrel in the neighborhood. I don't know how he got his wound but suspect it was during a rumble with another of his species.

Into the void at warp speed

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, DECEMBER 18, 2010

Pentax K20D
Sigma 10-20 EX DC throughout zoom range
1.5 sec. f11
ISO 200

It's an old photographer's trick -- focusing a zoom lens at full extension on a single Christmas tree light, then quickly zooming backwards to wide angle during the exposure. Makes for a pretty photo that looks as if it was shot from a spaceship entering hyperdrive.

Susan Dacy and her Stearman No. 2

SUSAN DACY IN HER SUPER STEARMAN, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/1500 sec. f9.5
ISO 400

Another photo dredged from the 2008 archives, this one shows aerobatic pilot Susan Dacy clawing for altitude in "Big Red," her much-modified Boeing Stearman PT-17, originally a World War II trainer. Another shot of the airplane at the EAA "Airventure" show of 2008 is here.

Serenade in red, white and blue

JULIE CLARK IN HER BEECH T-34A MENTOR, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/750 sec. f9.5
ISO 400

One of my favorite shots from "Airventure 2008," that year's big Experimental Aircraft Association air show at Oshkosh, is this one of veteran aerobatic pilot Julie Clark putting her T-34A, an Air Force and Navy primary trainer of the 1950s, through its paces in a demonstration she calls "Serenade in Red, White and Blue." She retired as a Northwest Airlines Airbus 320 captain two years ago.

Tin Goose

FORD TRI-MOTOR TAXIING DOWNWIND, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

FORD TRI-MOTOR COCKPIT, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

PRATT & WHITNEY R-985 WASP JUNIOR, 450 HP, ON FORD TRI-MOTOR, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

FORD TRI-MOTOR ON TAKEOFF, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

FORD TRI-MOTOR CLEARING RUNWAY, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

FORD TRI-MOTOR ON DEPARTURE, OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, JULY 31, 2008

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
Various exposure settings
ISO 400

One of my favorite old airplanes is the Experimental Aircraft Association's beautifully restored 1929 Ford Tri-Motor, which carries a load of ten passengers at a stately 90 m.p.h. around the circuit all day long at "AirVenture," the EAA's big yearly air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This example originally went to work for Eastern Air Transport, a predecessor of Eastern Air Lines, then became a borate firebomber in the 1950s and carried smokejumpers before starting her career as an antique barnstormer in the 1960s. I caught her in action during the 2008 show.

Think they mean it?

SIGNAGE ON LAKE SUPERIOR BEACH NEAR SILVER CITY, MICHIGAN, MAY 30, 2010

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/1000 sec. f8
ISO 400

Notwithstanding riparian right-of-way laws that permit folks to walk on the beaches of Lake Superior, the owner of this property seems to have his own views. Or maybe his lawyers advised him to CYA for liability reasons. In any event, these stern signs are daily honored in the breach by beach hikers, and the local wolves seem to keep any watchdogs scarce.

Raging robins

AMERICAN ROBINS, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, DECEMBER 3, 2010

Top photo: Pentax K20D
Sigma 135-400 at 260mm
1/250 sec. f8
ISO 800

Bottom photo: Pentax K20D
Sigma 135-400 at 170mm
1/500 sec. f8
ISO 400

Robins may be celebrated as the early birds that get the worm, but they can also be loud and unmannerly. A particularly churlish pair visited our backyard bird bath the other day and bickered like fishwives all the while. Like embarrassed dinner guests, the ubiquitous sparrows pretended not to notice but kept well out of the way.

La Sal Mountains No. 2

LA SAL MOUNTAINS FROM ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH, MARCH 4, 2010

Pentax K20D
Sigma 17-70 at 70mm
1/500 sec. f8
ISO 200

The La Sal Mountains rise above the town of Moab in southeastern Utah, and it's easy to get photos of them (as we did last March; see my first shot here) through crystal-clear air from the plateau of Arches National Park. The tallest peak in the range is Mount Peale (second from left) at 12,721 feet. Click on the photo for a large version.

Whatevermore

COMMON RAVEN (CORVUS CORAX), CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, UTAH, MARCH 6, 2010

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-DA 55-300 at 300mm
1/750 f9.5
ISO 800

Massive, fearless and extremely smart, these adaptable big brothers of the crow are even more widespread than the latter. In Upper Michigan we see them cruising down highways searching for roadkill, but in Utah, where this photo was taken, they hang out at tourist vistas hoping for a handout. This one allowed me to get close with the camera before he soared away in disappointment.