A sunset photo is not much of a sunset photo at all when all the clouds flee, leaving a clear sky. It's the interaction of cloud and sun that makes a sunset truly dramatic. Having said that, the setting sun did provide me with a gorgeous gradient as backdrop to this, one of my famous local windmills.
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( 3.8 / 44 )
A week or more ago I noticed that this sign had been put up in fron of the William Guy Federal Building on 3rd and Rosser. To the average citizen, even one who spends a LOT of time in this building like me, you'd never guess that there is anything going on inside aside from a new coat of that government-blue paint. But rest assured, this sign indicates that money (yours) is being spent.
Actually, I think this sign may have been required by the Obama regime, as this directive from America's Dictator (PDF format) states very clearly. If you don't want to load the PDF, I'll just quote the relevant section:
"All projects which are funded by the Recovery Act shall display signage that features the Primary Emblem throughout the construction phase. The signage should be displayed in a prominent location on site. Some exclusions may apply. The Primary Emblem should not be displayed at a size less than 6 inches in diameter."
Lest you neglect to turn all Hopey-Changey™ at the thought of your childrens' future being squandered, the name of Our Esteemed Leader features prominently at the top of the sign. According to this PDF from the government,
"Projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will bear a newly-designed emblem. The emblem is a symbol of President Obama’s commitment to the American People to invest their tax dollars wisely to put Americans back to work." (emphasis is mine.)
Heaven forbid that federal dollars get shoveled at anything without credit being focused on Barack Hussein Obama! Well, Mister President, I have a suggestion for your sign, a few words it's missing (and they even left room for):
I think this says more about the project than all the rest of that sign, including the cutesy little logo at the top. The entire "stimulus" program has been a sham from the get-go, and most of that money that absolutely had to be printed at the time still hasn't been spent yet. I imagine that will be ramping up as we approach election season, so the Democrats can use it to buy votes. Well, I don't think too many Americans are buying that. By the way, I think I do know what part of this money was spent for:
Remember this photo of a "government fix" in the very same Federal Building? Well, the shipping tape has been removed, making this photo obsolete. There are still some nasty smears on the wall from where the adhesive was, so by no means is it completely repaired...but then again, would you expect any better?
I'd like to point out that Earl Pomeroy, Kent "Countrywide Mortgage" Conrad, and Byron "Skybox" Dorgan all voted for this stuff and think it's pretty keen. Remember that each and every November until they're all three civilians.
For you "birthers" out there, you might get a kick out of the fact that this sign was made using a commercial font called "Kenyan Coffee." Maybe someone out there has a sense of humor about this tragedy...
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( 3 / 110 )
This is the first year that I've been able to enjoy a State Parks vehicle pass in my truck. Don't ask me why it's taken this long...I can't explain it. In any case, I've got one now, and plan on putting it to good use yet this year! For instance, this recent bolt up to the blockhouses at Fort Abraham Lincoln. I got there just in time to catch the fleeting sunset.
Some of the tourists there looked amused as I rolled up in the Monster Truck™, grabbed my tripod and camera bag, and ran out into the middle of the forts to get the right angle. Later, as I was wrapping up, a couple walked by and asked how the sunset turned out. Thankfully, as you can see for yourself, it turned out just fine.
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( 3.3 / 156 )
I took a ride on the Fort Lincoln Trolley this weekend with my lovely bride, and the trolley operator told us about a pair of twin fawns that have been spotted (pun intended) around the tracks from time to time. I was out at Fort Lincoln since then and saw them for myself around dusk, playing around and walking with their mom. They didn't seem to be alarmed by my presence and gave me plenty of opportunities to photograph them before bounding off into the trees.
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( 3.1 / 126 )
This weekend I was able to participate in the Bismarck-Mandan section of the third annual Worldwide PhotoWalk. I didn't get an official count, but there were close to thirty participants from as far away as Jamestown. It was a blast, and the Bismarck walk was coordinated by Brian Matthews of BisManPhoto.com. There were a lot of really amazing photos posted, far better than mine I think. But what the heck, here are my favorite photos so far:
This old log has some new beginnings contained therein. I was shooting handheld so I didn't get to stop my aperture down to get the depth of field that I wanted. I still like the way it turned out.
More new beginnings as this plant climbed up the rotting remains of an old stump, with the bud at the top catching a beam of sunlight from the early morning sun.
Another of the many statues which adorn the stretch from Sertoma Park to Pioneer Park (and a few points between). I like the range of colors in this one. It was in the shadow of the trees so I had to crank my fill flash and get creative in how I bounced it to eliminate those pesky shadows.
This cranky Sandhill Crane was soon mollified after I let him peck my monopod a few times and began talking to him. As a bird lover I have a way with 'em, and soon he was fluffing up his feathers and even showing off his wing for me!
I'm old enough to remember the actual Clyde. This statue in his honor towers over the inside of one of the Zoo's buildings (I think it's called the Discovery Center). I extended my monopod as far as I could, propped it on my shoulder to get it up to the level of the statue, and used my remote to trigger the shot. Note that he must have a wicked migraine, as the wood has developed a big crack in it.
We had two hours to walk and started outside the Dakota Zoo entrance an hour before it opened, so naturally most of us ended up at the big cat exhibits for our last few minutes! I chose to lay on my back with my widest (10mm) lens and point straight upward at this cat. Then one of the girls on the walk poked her head in to get some shots of her own, and she was just the ingredient my composition was missing.
As I said, I think the other participants blew my shots away. You can venture over to BisManPhoto.com to check them out. Sign up for an account and wait a little while until you're approved. New members are screened manually to avoid spammers. Once you're on, you can participate. Hopefully you'll be intrigued enough to join us on future photo walks!
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( 4.1 / 62 )
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