Special Requests

I have had a few requests for different temples over the last year. I am still figuring out how to get the time to really be there when the light is just right and get what I want. With three young children my time is limited, and besides I like my wife a lot and want to be with her too.

I had a slightly different request recently though. Our local congregation is having a special craft night, and they asked me for several Sepia toned shots of our local temple to use. Not having much use for B&W of temples, let alone Sepia toned ones, I had to scramble a little, because of course, I said yes!

I set out to tone some of the shots I already had, and also tried to take a couple more as just for fun shots. Here are my just for fun ones. Taken on Successive days. The shot at the top of the post is the the one they chose to use, and is a toned HDR from the spring of 2009 before the open house, and is one of the first shots of the completed temple I took.

My Current Lens Line Up

Prior to posting off the Traveling 28, one of the requirements of the forum was to take a picture of the lens on your camera. These first two are my obligatory shots. Both taken with my wifes Canon Point and Shoot camera, using an optical slave to trigger an off camera flash.

This is my current kit, all the ones that are not on loan. From L to R

Front: K 24m f2.8, K 28mm f3.5, K 35mm f3.5, K 50mm f1.4

Middle: K 135mm f2.5

Back: Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6, Pentax DA 55-300 f4-5.8, Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5

Now you can see why I Like the primes, they are very small especially compared with the zooms.

(both Images taken with the Pentax A 28mm f2.8 Travelling lens.

My New/Old Lens: SMC Pentax 24mm f2.8

I have been on a lens collecting kick recently. I have a soft spot in my heart for old school photography. One lens, not a zoom, all manual exposure setting, manual focus. It seems to get my creative juices flowing. I have felt that my kit has a hole on the wider end. I was able to rectify that by the purchase of a 24mm lens from a fellow forum member on one of my photography forums.

Now you have to understand, Pentax always has made stellar prime lenses (i.e. non zooming) and the ones I have are no exception, though I have my doubts about my 50mm f1.4, it seems to have a different color rendering than the others... still a great lens just different. Anyway, in Pentax land we call this Lens Buying Addiction (LBA) which is an affliction that also brings great enjoyment. This lens may soon become my desert island lens, though my 35mm f3.5 is a strong candidate for that role as well, it is just SO SHARP! Though I haven't tested this lens much it seems plenty sharp and has nice color rendition.

This was taken the other day, handheld-braced on a ticket vending machine, 1/5 sec at f5.6.

Just goofing around on my lunch break, I find that the focal length is pleasingly wide without being extreme and distorting things. It also is just a nice size and handles nicely as well.

Colorful backboards waiting for ambulances to pick them up on the next run. The joys of working at a trauma center.

The Pointe of the Huntsman Cancer Center. I normally would have gone ULTRA wide 10mm or so and distorted things, this may be a better approach...

I loved these trees sitting on the landscaping, wish I had known about them before, I would have gotten my lunch to go more often!

f2.8, having that large of an aperture is always handy to limit your depth of field. I was surprised that I had this level of sharpness wide open.

The Walker Center in downtown SLC, I really do like the colors that this lens produces. and the lack of Vignetting.

As a landscape lens it does alright.

One of my first shots, I am going to like this lens!

Mirror Lake & Mirror Lake Highway

Had a fantastic chance to travel to Mirror Lake with my Dad and Mom, sort of a nostalgia trip. Anyway I thought I would post a few of these shots here. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, my primary purpouse was to be there for my Dad not to take pictures per se. Anyway here are a few.

Bald Mountain in the mist.

A typical view across the lake, often would fish from areas like this.

Butterfly Lake, also a favorite spot.

Upper Provo River Falls, one of my more newly discovered fun stops on the road.

Beaver pond on the lower part of the road. It was a little swampy but beautiful.

On the Alpine Loop looking south toward the Sundance Ski Resort.

Haven't done much fall color shooting, but have enjoyed what I have done!