It's Been Awhile

Hard to imagine it's been so long since I last posted anything.

Our family lost a dearly loved member. But he would certainly chide me for not pursuing what I love.

I purchased a 10 megapixel Sony A100. I selected this camera mainly because I can use my "old" Minolta Maxxum lenses. So now I'm enjoying using a SLR again! The first shot is from my Cannon S2IS 5 megapixel camera. It's small, light and has a 12X optical zoom. The last two shots are from the Sony. Right away you can see how 2X the pixels provides for more detail and texture. And of course a higher quality lens helps too. The Sony is twice the size and weight of the Cannon. The Sony body was just a little more money than the Canon. Buying a lens similar to my Minolta 35mm-105 Zoom/Macro it would have added 50% more.
Both cameras have advantages and disadvantages depending on what type of shooting you want to do.

Arkansas River Shots

Tulsa skyline looking north. Before and after shots. Thought I would "clear" away some of the humidity and pollen haze. Ah, thank goodnes for PhotoShop.








Blogger can be such a pain. I hit a wall before I finished my post. So this post is actually the conclusion of the one below.

This is looking south. As mentioned earlier, the water level is very low. It's not unusual to see this scene with the river full of water - bank to bank.

Images from Arkansas River

We have wonderful paths on both east and west bank of the Arkansas. Generally flows from west to east. But in Tulsa it turns south for a distance.












The path runs under several bridges. This shot is taken to show the variation in water level. Look close and you'll see the extreme. The river is not navigible at this point and was very low.
There is a dam upstream about 20 miles but water flow is more about rainfall than power generation.








Here you can see how low! Good for arrow head hunting. Tulsa is in the middle of the Indian Nations.









Another shot toward town. Downtown Tulsa has a number of Art Deco building. At one time it was the oil capital of the world. And there are many rigs still running. The town has benefited from it's oil wealth with two world class museums. Philbrook and Gilcrease.

http://www.philbrook.org/

http://www.gilcrease.org/index2.html





This is a pedestrian bridge built beneath the original rail bed.

Shots from Winery in Hermann MO.

 

Not bad for hanging out of a moving car!

On our travels this summer we can back through St. Louis and along the Missouri River Valley.
What a nice discovery. This part of the state is full of small towns and wineries. And as explained to us the source of the native grape stock that saved French vinyards. 

Driving into the sunrise;
going home to see family and have
children bouncing on the not often seen Uncle.
They don't care.
It's a new lap.
And they fold me into their love as if I've always been there.

Juxtaposition to others we love who struggle to live.
You feel the joy and pain pulling you apart.
It's life, hard, brutal; beautiful.

KC Plaza

Recently traveled through KC and found this area by chance. Built on waste land south of downtown in 20's by businessman that recognized a new trend - people would drive to shop and dine. Area is full of art, fountains and gardens.

These figures adorn to top of a building!
 

I've not spent much time taking pictures of late.

Seems life, death, and the usual stuff keeps getting in the way. Amazing how it can drain your creative drive.

But I love photography. So here is an image I downloader from the Hubble website. http://hubblesite.org/ Yep they allow that!

You can spend allot of time viewing these fascinating images from a past retirement device. Wonderful fusion of technology, science and wonder.

Flying Home

I never tire of looking out of plane windows. It's such a different perspective.

We just saw "An Inconvenient Truth". Seems that even if you're skeptical about the impact of humans on our environment this is information that is too conclusive to ignore.
See it for yourself and make up your own mind.
http://www.climatecrisis.net/


I think we have some tough decisions to make in the very near future. And if we are willing to confront the challenge that drastic change brings we can find opportunities
When we have the courage to listen to truths we can focus the creativity and energy to solve many problems.
But we have to listen to leaders willing to speak the truth. Leaders who will look to the future and not be locked into how to stay in power and make money - no matter what party.

Let's work to give our children a future with sunsets and hope.