Bee and Thistle

May 23, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

A bee crawling over a thistle flower

When I think about it I take part in the Dailyshoot assignments on Google+. On this particular day the assignment was simply “B.” That’s it. Just “B.” Today – 5/22 – the assignment is “R.” I suppose I could post a selfie.

Some kind of daily shoot assignment is a good way to focus on shooting every day. Rather than carrying your camera and taking random shots a simple assignment encourages you to look for something around a particular theme or word. In this case it was the letter “B.” I could have been quite literal and shot the actual letter, but I chose to shoot a bee. I was out walking, camera in hand, and while shoot something else saw this bee on the thistle. Dailyshoot done! Assignment complete!

I look for daily shoot assignments that don’t give a lot of detail. Leave the creativity to me. This was a good one. Had the Memphis Belle been here on the day of the assignment, maybe I would have made an image of a “bomber.” Single words make great assignments. People always come up with interesting photographic interpretations of single words.

So find yourself a daily shoot assignment. If you are on Google+ they have a Dailyshoot community. You don’t have to shoot every assignment and it isn’t a contest. It is just a way to give you an idea of something to look for that day. Yes, that day. There is no requirement to post something you shoot the day of the assignment, but really, anyone can go back in their archives and find a shot. Shoot something new.

Posted in Flowers, Nature Tagged , , , , , , , , |

A Recovering Fundamentalist

May 22, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

Grace is like peanut butter

Recovering Fundamentalist is the title of an entertaining video with a powerful message on grace. Every one of us is willing to shout out about God’s grace extended to us. That is as it should be. His grace is… well, amazing. It is incredible and unfathomable, more than we could ever deserve. That’s why it’s called grace.

But those of us who have been touched by His great grace have a problem. We are not very willing to pass grace on to those around us. Our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, more often than not are the objects of our judgement. People struggling through the same swamp of sin that we are told how depraved they are for allowing themselves to fall into the swamp in the first place. Hello, you and I are right there next to them.

But Randy, aren’t we supposed to hate sin? Yep. So try this, “You hate your sin, I’ll hate my sin, and let’s love each other.” That’s what Christian comedian Mark Lowery suggest in this video. Go beyond “hate the sin, but love the sinner.”

“God spreads grace like a four-year-old spreads peanut butter. He gets it all over everything,” says Lowery.

Think about it. His grace is not only sufficient, His grace abounds, and it is messy. He gets it all over everything, every problem, every heartache, every victory, every day. And you know what else? Every sin.

You know what would be an act of grace? Telling people how Jesus conquered their sin and can pull them out of the swamp. When we beat them over the head with their sin it does nothing to help them out of the swamp. It pushes them deeper into the muck. The deeper in muck they get, the more grace it takes to get them out. So just start with grace in the first place.

What makes you think the dirty, stinking, ugly, wretched sinners need to clean themselves up first before they come to Jesus? You were a dirty, stinking, ugly, wretched sinner when you came to Jesus, and I’ll bet you still struggle with sin. I do, and have enough to handle with my struggle. Besides, I’m not qualified to handle your sin.

“You hate your sin, I’ll hate my sin, and let’s love each other.”

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Thanks to Ron Edmondson (@RonEdmondson)) for posting this video on Twitter so I could find it.

Posted in Inspiration Tagged , , , , , |

Red Candles

May 17, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

Candles – A Spiritual Reminder

Red Candle

Candles. I like them. Not the scented ones that give off an unnatural fragrance; just a candle slowly burning and giving off a gentle light. Comforting.

These candles were found in a church in Sedona, Arizona. It was quiet, even though there were a lot of people inside. I think it was the candles. They have a calming effect. Everyone seemed very contemplative. Well, everyone except for that photographer with the Canon who kept setting off those big booms. Have you ever noticed how loud a shutter and mirror are when it is really quiet?

Acts 2:3 (ESV) – “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” Okay, so this is probably a bit more dramatic than flames on candles. Still, candles remind me of the Holy Spirit. The flame does anyway. Comforting. The gentle glow is warm, inviting and comforting. Powerful. If allowed to, the flame can quickly become a roaring fire.

candle

The Shots

Both these images were shot with a Canon 30D with a 50mm lens. Though it was dark I was able to make handheld exposures at 1/50 and 1/40 second respectfully. The aperture on the first shot is f/2.2, on the second f/3.5. Both are at ISO 100. I recommend using a tripod in such situations, but I didn’t have one and am not sure I would have been permitted to use one in this location.

I hope you enjoyed these images. They are the latest additions to my gallery at Lightstock.com. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. Thanks.

Posted in Art Prints Tagged , , , , , , |

Fine Art America

May 10, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

This short one and a half-minute video describes Fine Art America, the site from which I sell my art photographs. I have been using Fine Art America (FAA) for a few years now, but I haven’t really taken the time to work on the site as much as I should. That is going to change. I plan on spending more time with it and less time with other stuff as I clean up some of my sites and even close at least one.

Going forward, I will have three main sites that I will be maintaining. My blog, where you are now, will stay mostly the same, except I will be making an effort to post more regularly and more often. I also will be submitting more stock images to Lightstock.com. Lightstock.com is a site where you can buy Christ-centered, royalty-free, stock images that are great for your church or organization. You can use them in bulletins, newsletters, blogs, and just about wherever you need an image. They have some great images available, so I encourage you to check out not only my images, but what other talented photographers have to offer as well.

The third site is Fine Art America. You can learn more here and in the video above. All my images to date are available as framed or unframed fine art prints, canvas prints, acrylic prints, metal prints and greeting cards. Orders ship quickly and arrive in about a week to ten days. If for any reason the artwork isn’t all that you hoped it would be you can take advantage of FAA’s 100% money-back guarantee.

In the coming days and weeks I will be posting new work to FAA. Many of you have seen some of my work that is not on FAA or perhaps you have a particular image in mind. If so, you can contact me and I will be happy to discuss your needs.

Thanks and please leave a comment below.

Posted in Art Prints Tagged , , , , , |

The Lord God Will Seek Them Out

May 6, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

We are His sheep…

sheep in a green pasture
When we think about sheep we usually conjure up thoughts of fluffy, snow-white little lambs romping around in a green pasture. I drive by flocks of sheep every day and I can tell you they may be that way after you clean them up, but normally they look pretty rugged and dirty. Their wool is matted and muddy, and at certain times of the year looks like it is almost falling off. And the smell. Sheep really don’t smell very nice either.

Yet, sheep are what the Lord chose to depict the relationship between us and the Savior. You see, He comes to rescue us while we are smelly and dirty, matted and torn (Romans 5:8). He carefully cleans us, shears away our “mattedness” and makes us “white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Sheep can’t clean themselves. They need a shepherd who will tenderly care for them, and even lay down his life for them. (John 10:11)

I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out

11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. — Ezekiel 34:11-16 (ESV)

Available at Lightstock.com

Download this image and more at Lightstock.com. Lightstock.com features royalty-free images starting as low as $5 for Web design, blog posts, sermon slides, or video.

Let me and other readers know what you think. Post a comment.

Posted in Animals, Farm Tagged , , , , , |

Memphis Belle – A Movie Star Comes to Town

April 24, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

Memphis Belle

Fly Aboard the Memphis Belle

This coming weekend, April 27-28, 2013, you can fly over Sacramento, CA aboard a World War II era B-17, the Memphis Belle. An article in the Sacramento Bee alerted me to the event and that the plane was already parked nearby my office. See, this is why I keep a DSLR handy. I did get a shot with my iPhone, and with the plane being here all week, chances are good can still get more shots throughout the week. But what if they move it to a hanger or something. Hmmm, maybe I should go check and make sure it is still there.

Memphis Belle - Mather Field
The Memphis Bell is one of only about 11 flying B-17s left in the world according to The Huffington Post. HuffPo quotes Crew Chief Gary Pasco saying the B-17F (Memphis Belle) “is the most original looking aircraft there is out there. It looks about the same as it did on an airfield in England in 1941.” I have to agree. It looks amazingly well-preserved and maintained. If I was free this weekend and had $450 to spare I would love to take one of the flights.

The Images

Click on the images to see the larger versions. I took both with a Canon 60D using a 18-135mm lens. I wasn’t able to get on the tarmac and had to shoot through the fence on the top image. Getting as close to the chain-link as I could I zoomed in and managed to not get the fence except for some slight vignetting effect noticeable in the top right corner.

The second shot was my first use of the live view feature on the 60D. Holding the camera above the fence I was able to preview and compose the shot on the screen which flips out and rotates, like a video camera. Very helpful in this situation.

Fly A Mission in a B-17

Posted in Aircraft Tagged , , , , , |

Decisive Moment

April 11, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

baseball

The Baseball Game

Last night was a great night for baseball. Even better was a Stockton Ports win in extra innings. After trailing throughout the game, the Ports rallied with two runs in the final inning to even the score at 3-3 against the San Jose Giants. The winning run came on a two out homerun by Ryan Delgado in the 13th inning.

The Image

The image was made early in the game. Probably the second or third inning while there was still some sunlight.

As you can see, the image was made from behind the netting on the first base side behind home plate. Limiting the depth of field allowed the netting to be blurred enough so it is noticeable but not distracting. It also gives the viewer a sense of place, a clue that the image is being taken from the stands. Having the third baseman in the background brings in another dimension of context to the image.

I could have bumped up the ISO from 800 to give me more speed in the shutter. At 1/200 the action can’t be frozen, but that isn’t what I intended anyway. The blur of the catcher’s glove, the batter’s hands and bat, and the ball moving toward the plate all combine to let the viewer “feel” the speed.

I wanted enough depth to capture the action around the plate, but not any more than that. A setting of f/7.1 felt about right.

Posted in Black and White, Sports Tagged , , , |

California State Democratic Convention 2013

April 10, 2013 by Randy | Leave a comment

CA Dem 2013

April means I will be attending another California State Democratic Party Convention. This year the convention takes place close to home in Sacramento and the weather is supposed to be great. That just means I may spend more time outside than inside the dark convention hall. After the convention I will be posting images to Flickr, and will announce the exact location in a post next week.

This will be, I don’t know, my tenth convention. Between the twice yearly executive board meetings and annual conventions I’ve lost count. They don’t hold much political excitement for me. Most everything is already decided and the business and votes are just a formality. The rest is predictable speeches serving red meat to party faithful and beating each other up in committee meetings. And it is the same on the Republican side.

For me the convention is all about the photo ops. That and witnessing the insanity that is political partisanship. This year, for the first time, I will have two cameras, plus my iPhone. What didn’t happen this year is a press pass. I requested one, but never heard back. It’s a little disappointing since I have always been able to get one in the past. Not surprising though, considering that I have distanced myself from the party. I’m not big on Kool-Aide.

Leading up to the convention, which officially begins Saturday morning, will be a full slate of meetings and events beginning with a dinner tomorrow night with California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.

On Friday the Take Back Red California (TBRC) Dinner takes center stage. Former U.S. Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis will be the keynote speaker. Also on Friday’s schedule are several caucus meetings, workshops, and committee meetings. Attendees can wind down, or gear up, at hospitality suites in the evening.

Saturday and Sunday are the meat of the convention with more caucus meetings, Regional Director elections, and the General Sessions.

If you are interested the complete schedule and line up of speakers can be found here. Follow the convention on Twitter using either or both of these hashtags: #cadem / #cadem13.

Posted in Democratic Party, Events Tagged , , , , , , , |