Special Events Video & Photography

	TURTLE LAKE SUNSET:  this view from the lake in Shoreview, Mn., was made the night of July 4, 2007 ... as fishermen and boaters were leaving the lake, leaving a man and his dog on the shoreline.  It was shot on my wife's  Canon Powershot A630, F4 at 1000th sec.  The image was basically a 'grab' shot ... and later considered for the cover of a book, "The History of Shoreview."
	MEDITERRANEAN ... cruising from Turkey to the Greek Islands, from Italy to France, we spent 2 weeks on the Brilliance of the Seas.  This is a trip of immense historical importance, incredible food, music, and cultural diversity.   This location is the island of Santorini, Greece where a cruise ship recently sunk.  Enjoy a brief slide show by clicking here.
	SEDONA, ARIZONA ... brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'earth tones.'   Especially the red rocks of hematite, blue skies, and green trees. We recently captured the images and colors of Sedona ... from the river beds to the foothills.
	From near Mt. Baker in Washington State, the reflection lake is a beauitiful setting for a snow-capped mountains in July.  The stack of rocks is man-made, the moutain is God-made.  The photos were made by Jim, with a low-resolution Canon GL-2 video camera with still capability, and slightly saturated with duotone of blue/green using off-color balance adjustment in the camera.
	SNAIL LAKE:  Learning the new Sony F828 camera, I spent a few hours at a nearby lake in Minnesota, a cold and gray November day.  This shot has been enhanced with a slight 'glow' to emulate a misty day, but I also increased color saturation, ie the red leaves in the foreground  (11.10.04).
	SUNSET IN THE PITAN mountain range of the Caribbean island St. Lucia.   The faint tint of red on the mountain and clouds says "sunset" without actually seeing the sun across the deep blue waters, while the tiny sailboat gave it some perspective.  The image was taken from high atop deck of the cruise ship Seranade of the Seas.
What could she be thinking?	"SUMMER": a contemplative moment with my grand-daughter, to test the new camera 'backlight' feature, against a sun-lit window in the kitchen.  This can be the best natural lighting possible -- smooth gradations of tones, eliminating harsh shadows and making skin warm and smooth.  Toddlers are naturals for natural light (11.10.04).
Shadows of the Seasons.	EARLY MORNING FALL SHADOWS:  what I see each day through our window -- the back yard.  Many levels of color, shadows, contrasts, and highlights here, making this a somewhat difficult image to balance and print, while still retaining details.   I recorded the same view after a snowfall here, see below.  (11.10.04).
The first snow of Winter.	SNOWFALL IN THE YARD:  Here's the same backyard shot as above, tighter frame to emphasize the snow on the trees, modified in PS to emphasize a tinge of cold blue, and the monochromatic contrasts, and a pixelated effect.  Snow and ice offer unlimited artsy opportunities.  (12.1.03)
	CRUSTY MUD in a swamp near Dickenson's Bay on the Caribbean Island of Antigua.  The heavy top layers curl up in the heat of the day, as repeated flood waters further erode the ground and quickly dry.
A Hybiscus Plant in Bloom	THE HYBISCUS PLANT is the national flower of Malaysia ... it has a splendid show of color in our sun room.   The plant has about 200–220 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae (the mallow family, along with members like cocoa, cotton, okra, baobab and durian) native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, and woody shrubs and small trees.   Hibiscus is also a primary vegitable ingredient in many herbal teas and jams.  Another is used for paper making.In Latin America, the drink is known as Jamaican water or agua de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice. Dieters or persons with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic.