Giraffe Boy Productions

Devil's Lake...

2011-10-10T14:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was so nice out!!! Went for a hike at the Devil's Lake State Park. Climbed the bluffs and watched some vultures or hawks. Maybe I don't know the difference. They were huge birds and just kind of floated on the breeze. There were maybe 15 of them. They were pretty great to watch. Anyway, had a great hike and saw some birds. Yup, that's what I did yesterday. Here are some photos. Maybe you will like them?

It's A Brewer Game...

2011-09-26T19:40:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I went to a Brewer game. It was really fun. It was my Nephew's birthday, so that is what we did for his Birthday. I think he had some fun times. He turned 10, so he did 10 shots. I think mostly Tequila. He likes his booze. Just kidding. He doesn't drink yet. I went with my family. I think everyone had a good time. As a bonus, the Brewers won!! They are also the 2011 NL-Central Champions!! Go Brewers!!! Maybe next summer I will go to more games. I think I will...

I'm Sailing!!!!

2011-09-05T19:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Mark and Chris took me out on their Sailboat!! It was super fun times. They have the boat in Milwaukee and we went sailing on Lake Michigan. I got to helm the boat, that's driving the boat for all you non-sailors. I also got to bring in and let out the jib and I heard something about the main sheet. I think I did something with that too. I was really excited to helm the boat and to bring in the sails and things. I got to use the winch on the thing to make the sails come in. Just like in the movies. I also learned some knots. But, I think I already forgot them. I can't believe I got to sail a boat yesterday! I should probably check that off the life's to do list. But maybe I will get into sailing. I think Mark and Chris would like that. After the sailing, we turned on the motor and went up and down the river for a little while. It is very industrial where we went. Pretty cool. Then we had some food at the dock. Chris and Mark are excellent Sailors and I think I was probably an o.k. Second Mate...

Demolition Derby!

2011-08-21T18:26:00.000-05:00

Today I went to the Demolition Derby at the Dodge County Fair. People are really into the Demolition Derby, I found out. People love it!! I had a fun time. I met my Mom, Sister and Nephew there. The Derby lasted a long time, and there were some really good crashes. The guys who do the Demolition Derby are really serious about it too. This one time one guy was really hitting another car hard, over and over. The guy who was getting hit gave the other guy the finger. Then, at the end, the guy who was getting hit went over to the other guy and I thought he was going to punch him. He didn't. It might have been awesome to see that. But maybe not. These guys are serious about their Demolition Derby. It was a fun day...

Christopher Klinge | One Life Photos 2011

2011-08-16T19:07:00.000-05:00

Christopher Klinge | One Life Photos 2011

Lonely Trees...

2011-08-15T20:03:00.000-05:00

I'm starting a new project, maybe. I am going to take photos of lonely trees. I have two done already, and here they are. I sometimes drive past fields and see just one tree surrounded by corn or water or whatever. Then I wonder, is that tree really lonely, or is that tree happy to be alone. I bet each tree is different. I'm mostly a loner, so if I were a tree I would be happy to be alone surrounded by corn and no other trees. But then I think that maybe I would really like to have tree friends and we could hang out together. But I don't want to hang out with the other trees all the time. And, since I'm a tree, I can't really move. So if I had to choose, I would probably be a lonely tree...

Supertuesday!!!

2011-08-10T20:22:00.001-05:00

In February, I had the opportunity to photograph a local band. They are really nice, fun people. Oh, and really talented. I had fun on the photo shoot and the band seemed to like the photos. So, everybody wins!! Here are a few from the shoot. I also did a mock up of a couple posters for them. My Photoshop skills aren't the greatest, but maybe you get the idea. If you are ever around Madison, you should find out where Supertuesday is playing and go see them. It will be fun...I promise.

Rhythm And Booms 2011!

2011-08-08T17:57:00.000-05:00

Finally uploading some photos from Rhythm and Booms. They are just ok. Maybe people will like them...

NYC!!!!

2011-08-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

For the last week and a half I got to work on a shoot in NYC. It was my first time there. I LOVED THAT CITY!!! It was so amazing. I think maybe my favorite part is the being able to walk everywhere and just the whole feeling of the city. Maybe the fact that there is always something going on and that you can get food any time of day or night. That was great. I would work on the photo shoot during the day and then I would do things at night. All of the crew had suggestions for me. Things I had to do while there. I think I did a lot of them. I know I did a lot of walking and taking the subway. Everyone was so great. I was so happy to have this opportunity and to work with such great people. Did I mention that I loved it there? I didn't want to leave really. Here's some photos I took while in NYC. Some are ok, right.

SuperTuesday!!!

2011-07-22T16:18:00.001-05:00

Last night was really fun. I went with some friends to the Monona Terrace Convention Center rooftop for a free concert. SuperTuesday was playing!! They are a fun band. Then there was the most incredible sunset last night. It was a really fun night. Great to be outside again without the horrible heat. Here's a few photos...

Rainer Cherries!!!

2011-07-19T20:14:00.000-05:00

Oh Rainer Cherries, how I love you!!!!

Bike The Drive & The Greasy Gears...

2010-08-29T19:20:00.006-05:00

Today was Bike The Drive in Madison. They shut down part of East Washington Avenue and all of John Nolen Drive so you could bike, walk, or do whatever on the street. It was really fun. It was really hot out, but it was ok. I met up with Sharon and the Greasy Gears for most of my time on Bike The Drive. I took some photos. They are fun!!! At one of their performances, Mayor Dave showed up!! That's right, the Greasy Gears know local celebrities!!! I just met the Greasy Gear ladies today, so I don't know all their names, but their leader gave Mayor Dave a wrench to the city. He gave it back. It was probably too hot outside to ride with it. After the second performance, it was time for a break. We went to the square for snacks. While we were sitting on a bench on the square, we heard a pop, then a hiss..... Yeah, my tire just popped. I walked it down to the Machinery Row, and they fixed it really fast. Thanks guys! My day was over then. I just went home...

My Nephew Plays Baseball...

2010-08-03T19:40:00.004-05:00

Last Wednesday, I spent the day with my Parents and my Nephew. We went to an amusement park and my Nephew and I rode some go-karts, played two rounds of mini golf, rode the bumper boats, and my Nephew gave it a shot in the batting cages. Later that day I finally got to go to one of his Little League games. It was a fun day. I'm glad I got to spend the day with my family and finally got to see one of his baseball games. He is really good at the baseball!

Rhythm And Booms...

2010-07-06T15:47:00.005-05:00

Saturday night was the Rhythm and Booms in Madison. I met some friends there after I went to the zoo that day. The fireworks were pretty awesome. Mostly Saturday was a really fun day!

Milwaukee Zoo...

2010-07-06T14:56:00.005-05:00

On Saturday I went with my Mom, Sister, Becky, and the kids to the Milwaukee Zoo. It was Armed Forces Veterans Day at the Zoo. My Dad is a Marine Corps Veteran, but didn't feel like going. So, we went. It was a fun day. We got into the zoo for free, got a great lunch and could do all the extra activities in the Zoo, for free. It was a fun day. The kids liked the water misters they had throughout the zoo. It felt good on such a hot day for sure. They also let the kids explore some Army vehicles and they took part in a push up contest for a prize. Sarah did her first push up's. It was very cute. They also have the Mold-A-Rama's at the zoo!! I was so excited to see that they still have them in this zoo. I loved them as a kid! I got a polar bear and a giraffe. It was very exciting. Mostly we just walked around all day and looked at some animals and ate some popcorn. We did wait in line for the tram. That was not fun, but it was a busy day. Mostly it was a fun filled day!

Memorial Day Weekend...

2010-06-02T21:38:00.004-05:00

This video quality is kind of bad. Not sure why. Maybe it's the best the Blogger people could do. I uploaded the full quality slide show, but this is what happened when I posted to my blog. Oh well, I think I get an A for effort.

This weekend was Memorial Day weekend. I had some really fun times. On Friday I got together with great friends that I have not been able to see for a long time. We went to New Glarus for dinner and some drinks. I went with Kathy. Bob couldn't make it because he went to his and Kathy's son's final baseball game. But, we had some super fun times, despite Bob not being able to make it. Did you know that New Glarus is home to the Midwest's largest urinal? I saw it and got photos. Awesome. On Saturday Bob and Kathy invited me to go boating with them and their friends. It was really fun. We boated around, then we went to 3 foot bay and hung out in the water for a while. Oh, and had some beers too. It was a really fun day! On Sunday, I took a nap and did some things around the house to catch up on stuff. On Memorial Day, Monday, I went to a memorial service for my friend Kimmy's daughter. She passed away just over 2 years ago. It was sad. After the service there was a picnic and then I went to the zoo with Kimmy and her family. That was fun. It was a really fun weekend! I hope everyone had a fun times weekend!

Happy Mother's Day...

2010-05-12T20:57:00.004-05:00

Sunday was Mother's Day. I spent the day with my family. We went for breakfast, and then went to Olbrich Gardens and hung out for a while. I had never been to Olbrich Gardens before. It's a cool place. I knew they had a Thai pavilion there, but didn't realize it was the only authentic one in the U.S. It was given to the Gardens, and the City of Madison, by the Thai Government and the Thai UW Alumni. It was a really beautiful day that day. I think my Mom had a good time. You should probably check out the gardens.

Half Day Vaca's & Lunch...

2010-04-26T21:20:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I went on a half day vaca to the Wisconsin Dells Area. I went with Sharon. We did some gambling at the Ho-Chunk. Sharon played craps for the first time. We both lost. It was fun though. On the way home we stopped and did some photos. Then we went to the Village Green, in Middleton, and met Carol for some awesome cheeseburgers and beer. It was a fun day. I think the next week I went to Paisan's for lunch, with Amy. They have the best pizza. Amy and I each had our own pizzas. I was kind of sad that day, so I was glad to go to lunch and have awesome pizza.

It's Been A Long Time...

2010-04-03T21:32:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time since I've had the time to blog any photos. My Mom was very ill for the past few months and I spent all of my time at the hospital with her and my family. It was just over 9 weeks in the hospital. She is back home now and doing great. It's amazing what an organ transplant will do! Since things have calmed down a little I am going to try to do better with the photos and the blogging. I did manage to do one fun shoot between hospital time. I did a shoot for the Isthmus Newspaper of Lake Louie Brewery and the owner Tom Porter. It was a fun shoot. Thanks for the assignment Carolyn. I did post the cover shot on my website. I think I will try harder to blog more often this year. I have a hope and feeling that now that my life has calmed down a little the year will get better.

Lake Monona Is Steamy...

2009-12-15T19:40:00.004-06:00

Last week, Thursday morning, I was on my way to work. The air temperature was so cold and the lake was still kind of warm. Lake Monona was super steamy. The roads were still bad from the blizzard so traffic was stopped on John Nolen Drive. It was kind of ok though, because Lake Monona was really pretty and it gave me the opportunity to take some photos of the sunrise. I did sit in traffic for a while, then they closed the road. I guess a car went off one of the bridges or something. I was able to take a different route. That route was not much better, but at least it was moving. That's all I got...

Some Photos of my Puerto Vallarta Holiday...

2009-11-04T19:52:00.004-06:00

I got back late last night from Mexico. Of all the places I've been in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta wins for sure! It is such a cool old town and the people are great and really laid back. I think I would like to live there forever. It was one of the best vacations I've had, I think. I did lots of sitting on the beach and reading, but did some other things too, and just explored around. I loved it there. I went to the cemetery and got a couple photos of the Dia de los Muertos festival. I did a super awesome zip line tour. It was the highlight of the trip. Another highlight was on my last evening there. I was on the beach and this guy in a uniform came on the beach with a cooler. A bunch of people started gathering around. I went to check it out and the cooler was full of baby sea turtles. The guy was handing them to people and pointing to the place on the beach where he wanted us to release them. They would get pushed up the beach by the surf and then sucked back into the ocean. I saw my little guy swim away. That was a perfect ending to an awesome holiday. Anyway, here are some photos...

My First Day In Puerto Vallarta...

2009-10-30T12:28:00.003-05:00

I am in Puerto Vallarta right now, for my birthday. It is an amazing place here. I am loving it so far. I arrived yesterday, and had to wait at the hotel bar for my room. Turns out that was a good thing. I met a couple of ladies from Toronto. A mother and daughter. They were really funny and have been here many times. It was nice to get some insight on Puerto Vallarta, and they had a lot of good suggestions on things to do. A few minutes later an older couple sat next to me. They were from Oklahoma and he is an oil tycoon. They were funny too. They like to drink for sure! It was awesome though because they have some really fun times. They were telling me that in the town they live in, in Oklahoma, they will not order Coors for the week because the bar knows that they are out of town. I guess they are very popular in their town. They told lots of jokes. Some of them were dirty. I told the guy my Dad grew up in Nebraska. He said he was sorry. That´s what my Dad would say too. Mostly I hung out on the beach all day. The vendors on the beach offer a lot of drugs. They will try to sell you anything. Weed, cocaine, pills, one guy even offered me meth. That is not cool. I won´t be partaking in any of the drug offers this week. That would not be a good thing. After dinner last night I went to the bar and had a couple drinks. I met a couple from Idaho. They got engaged 3 weeks ago. I think they are thinking of having a quick wedding while they are here. They were really nice too. Not sure how it happened, but the conversation got a little weird. The lady started telling me about her dead Mother. I guess she was killed by a serial killer in 1976. They caught the guy and he is in prison, but her family is still trying to get the guy prosecuted for her Mother´s murder. I guess they have been building a case for years. I hope it works out for them. I guess I do know how the conversation started. We started talking about Dia de los Muertos. Then she told me that story. I´m here for my birthday, but to also get some photos of the Dia de los Muertos festivals. I got a lot of info about the things going on from the locals. So in a couple of days I will hopefully be taking a lot of photos. I´m planning on going to a cemetery at night, but some of the locals said it wasn´t a good idea. Others say it is fine. I guess I will see how I feel in a couple of days. There are some things going on Downtown, so I think I will be heading there for sure. I haven´t blogged for a long time. I´m kind of a failure with that lately. I don´t have any photos to post now because I´m on a computer in a little internet shop by the marina in Pureto Vallarta right now. I will try to post some when I get home. Maybe I will be better with the blogging when I get home. I hope so.

Sometimes My Nephew Is Weird...

2009-09-14T21:04:00.003-05:00

Caught my Nephew on video on Sunday. Sometimes the kid is weird...

It's A Llama...

2009-08-20T20:22:00.002-05:00

The other day I was driving through Mount Horeb, a small town in Wisconsin. They have llama's for sale there! So, I thought it was the perfect photo op. This llama was kind of weird looking. It had a lot of spots and almost looked like a giraffe. And, all the llama's had haircuts like poodles. I'm not sure if their hair just grows that way, or if the people who own all the llama's cut their hair like that. If they cut the hair, I wonder what they make with the hair. I bet people who knit love the llama hair yarn. But, maybe I'm wrong on that one. Who can tell.

Jumping Photos...

2009-07-14T21:46:00.002-05:00

Look at me!! Posting two days in a row! That doesn't happen often. Tonight my Sister stopped by my house to drop something off. So, I decided that I would have her do some jumping photos. I think they turned out kind of fun. You will have to decide that though. The one of me was taken by my Sister. I have some mad jumpin skillz!

Governor Nelson State Park...

2009-07-13T20:20:00.003-05:00

Last night I went for a little hike at Governor Nelson State Park. It is a nice park. My only regret is that I didn't bring any bug spray. The mosquito's were so bad that I wasn't able to stay very long. I walked around for maybe 1-2 hours. Then I had to run to the car because I think the mosquito's were trying to suck every drop of blood from my body.

I've been really bad about updating the blog lately, so I did two posts in one night! How about that!

Anyway, here are some photos from Governor Nelson Park. I think maybe I like the washed out and warm look that I did in the processing of the photos. I think it kind of works for some of them... You will have to decide for yourself though.

Some Backyard Photos...

2009-07-13T19:50:00.004-05:00

Lately I've been taking a lot of photos of stuff in my backyard. I'm not sure why. It's not that my backyard is very interesting, I think that maybe I just felt like taking photos in my backyard. Here are some...

Independence Day...

2009-07-06T20:07:00.008-05:00

Saturday was Independence Day! I met my family and friends in Columbus for the fireworks. There was a carnival there. I didn't play any games, but I took my Nephew Adam and his friend Reuben on the Tilt A Whirl for the first time. They had a good time. Then I took Adam on the Scrambler. That was fun too, but maybe not as fun as the Tilt A Whirl. I don't think the Scrambler went fast enough. Then I had a brat and a couple of beers and sat back and watched the fireworks. They had a strange thing at these fireworks. All of a sudden a huge fire ball would explode on the ground and a giant black smoke ring would go in the air. At first we all thought that one of the fireworks exploded on the ground and someone probably got hurt. Well, it happened again. Then we knew it was all part of the show. It was kind of crazy. The fireworks were good and I think everyone had a good time. I've been really bad with updating the blog lately. I will try harder I think.

Mini Photos And People...

2009-06-04T19:43:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to incorporate people into the fake model/mini photos lately. I'm not sure that it works very well, or maybe I just don't have the right photos. Anyway, here are the latest attempts. The first photo on the staircase is the original and the second is with the mini photo effect applied. Same goes for the photo by the brick wall. I think that maybe it kind of works, but maybe it doesn't. I'll keep trying and maybe one day I will get the right angle and it will all work out. I still think I kind of like the photos, but maybe they are better not as mini photos. You will have to decide.

Brian Fellow's Safari Planet...

2009-06-02T20:58:00.002-05:00

Today we watched this video. I forgot how hilarious this SNL sketch was. It's really funny. That bird is a liar!

A Cemetery Mini Photo...

2009-05-25T20:34:00.003-05:00

On Saturday I went with my Parents to the cemetery. We went there to put some flowers on my Grandparents grave. I picked out a spot where I want to be buried at this cemetery. It's kind of an awesome spot. The cemetery and church is out by Deerfield. It is kind of famous. It was in a movie a while ago. Julia Roberts was in the movie. I can't remember the name. So, maybe it's not so famous. But, here's a mini photo of the cemetery anyway. Julia Roberts is not in the photo.

Some Infrared Photo Fun...

2009-05-18T20:09:00.002-05:00

Two days ago I took a photo of some trees. I'm playing around with an infrared technique in Lightroom and it kind of works. Here's the photo. I think I kind of like it...

Happy Mother's Day...

2009-05-11T19:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I spent the day with my Mom, Sister, Brother In Law, and Nephew. We went up and down State Street, through the Capitol, and to the Great Dane for lunch. My Mom said she had a good Mother's Day. I hope so. Here is a photo of my Mom climbing the steps at the Capitol. She did complain about the steps. But she really didn't like the spiral staircase when we went to the observation deck on the Capitol. So, maybe the steps up to the Capitol weren't so bad. She probably shouldn't complain on Mother's Day...

Some Party Photos...

2009-05-10T17:24:00.003-05:00

On Friday The Studio 305 had a little party. It was fun. Here are some photos. I didn't take as many as I thought I did. It was still fun.

A Bird And A Storm...

2009-05-06T20:32:00.002-05:00

Tonight there was a storm brewing and I saw this lonely bird on the wires. I wonder if the bird was freaking out because of the storm? I'm not sure how birds react during storms. He seemed like he was a little nervous and jerky. But maybe that was because the wind picked up and the wires were moving. I have a feeling that birds don't like big storms. But then again, who am I to say, right.

St. Vinny's...Sharon...Fun...Photos...

2009-04-30T18:26:00.003-05:00

Today Sharon and I went to St. Vinny's and bought each other outfits for some photo testing. It was fun. I did some Dave Hill effect on one photo, and got some motion on another. It was fun testing today.

Potatoes...

2009-04-21T21:05:00.003-05:00

Today I took a photo of some potatoes. They are over ripe I think. Is over ripe the right words for potatoes? Somehow it seems like over ripe should only be for fruit. But who am I to say, right?

A 1970's Era Photo Maybe...

2009-04-17T21:16:00.002-05:00

Today I took a photo of a cool sign I saw. Then I did a technique in Photoshop to try to make it look like a photo from the 70's. I think it kind of works. I was looking at some old photos I have, tonight. They all have a border around them and the date. So, I added it to this photo. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't...

Abandoned Gas Station...

2009-04-16T20:29:00.002-05:00

Today I stopped and took some photos of an abandoned gas station. There was a fence around the property so I couldn't get in close. So I had to take some long range photos. Here's kind of a creepy photo...but I kind of like it maybe...

Photoshop Fun Making Old Photos...

2009-04-14T20:27:00.002-05:00

Today I did some things in photoshop to try to recreate an old photo that has been scratched and damaged. I think maybe I will try this with some sign photos and see what happens. The top image is the final product after all the work in photoshop was complete. The bottom photo is the original photo that I took today. I think maybe it kind of works. But maybe you will have to decide...

Sign Photos...

2009-04-10T15:54:00.003-05:00

The past couple of days I've been taking photos of signs. Not sure why. I took these photos and worked them in photoshop to get a different effect. I think they both kind of work...

Penny...Some Melons...And Dave Hill Effect...

2009-04-08T19:27:00.002-05:00

Today I did some Photoshop work on yesterday's photo of the day. I did the Dave Hill effect. The bottom photo is the original and the top is with the effect. I think it kind of works... I'm not sure why Penny looks sad. The melons should make her happy, right.

Penny Found A Bra...

2009-04-07T20:51:00.002-05:00

Today, Penny found a bra. She was very excited.

Abstract Water Photos...Maybe...

2009-04-06T21:04:00.002-05:00

Tonight I took some abstract water photos. Part of the photo a day for a year project. I think they turned out kind of fun...

Tuna Steak...Good People...Drinks...

2009-04-06T20:59:00.003-05:00

On Saturday my friends invited me over for dinner. I'm posting some photos because of popular demand for more photos of Kathy...(um...Ron). I had an awesome photo of Bob grilling. But, it was kind of dark outside and the focus was way off. It didn't work out. They made tuna steaks on the grill and a really good salad to go with the tuna. It had spinach, black beans, cilantro, onions, corn, and maybe some other things. It was awesome! Then Michelle came over and there was some drinking and some dancing. Michelle had to put a tank top on because of all the dancing. It was a fun night!

Graffiti And Mini Photos...

2009-04-01T19:32:00.005-05:00

Today I went for a drive and climbed the towers at Blue Mounds State Park. It was really, really windy today and a little bit cold. I didn't stay on top of the towers for very long. But I did find some graffiti and took a photo for a mini photo. So, here is what I saw today. Maybe the good news is that Steve loves Cindy. The photos aren't very exciting, but my life is not very exciting lately. Maybe I will have more fun soon...

Tonight's Sunset...

2009-03-30T20:44:00.002-05:00

Tonight I went to the Governor Nelson Park to take a photo of the sunset. I got there a little late and had to hike maybe 1 mile to take a photo. So, the sun had already gone down mostly. But, I still managed to get a photo. Then I worked on it in Photoshop and made it an HDR photo. It was cold and windy tonight. Maybe I will get better photos when the weather warms up.

Snow And Spring...

2009-03-30T20:42:00.002-05:00

I think Spring is on the way despite the snow we got on Saturday. I saw these plants coming up after the snow melted on Sunday. But, today it was cold. I wish it would get warm.

Spring Is Here Maybe...

2009-03-24T14:20:00.003-05:00

Today I was washing some dishes, looked out the window and noticed a bunch of birds treating a puddle in my driveway like a bird bath. Does this mean that Spring is here? There were maybe 5 birds. They all looked a little plump, so maybe they are about to lay some eggs. But maybe not. I'm not sure about the mating habits of birds. I managed to grab my camera and get outside to get one photo before they left. I think they were scared of me. I tried to be quiet, but I think birds might have super hearing or super vision or something...

Can You Guess What It Is...

2009-03-23T18:47:00.002-05:00

Daily Photo. Can you guess what this is? It's not edible. It's fun to play with. Maybe that's all the clues I will give...

Sorry...More HDR...But Night Shots This Time...

2009-03-21T21:42:00.002-05:00

Tonight it was really nice outside so I decided to go downtown and take some night photos. I am trying to get better at the HDR. Someone left a comment on the first set that the processing can go either over the top, or as the eye saw it. I think maybe HDR processing is very subjective. Anyway, I took a shot of the Capitol and Monona Terrace. I think they worked out kind of good. Maybe I like the Monona Terrace shot better. But I kind of overprocessed the Capitol shot. Again...subjective I gues...

Another HDR Attempt...

2009-03-20T17:21:00.003-05:00

Today I went to Tenney Park to take some photos. I did another HDR attempt. The top photo is the HDR photo after all the processing and stuff. The bottom photo is the main exposure of the shot. I think maybe this is processing a little too far. But I kind of like it. Maybe I like the other HDR processing I did better. But, who can tell right...

Some HDR Attempts...

2009-03-18T18:31:00.003-05:00

Today I went to the Governor Nelson State Park to take some photos. I brought along my tripod so I could try to do an HDR photo today. I started using the multi exposure setting on my camera and took 5 shots while bracketing using the E/V compensation. The first photo is using that method. The second photo is bracketing using the shutter speed and blending the photos in a stand alone software called Photomatix. I think I like the second photo better. But maybe neither one looks like an HDR photo. I kind of have a feeling that either I'm doing something wrong or maybe there wasn't enough contrast in the lighting to better show the HDR effect. Maybe I just don't know. I will try again though...

X-Rays And Ankles...

2009-03-14T13:55:00.002-05:00

Kathy hurt her ankle. The Doctor's aren't really sure how she hurt her ankle. Maybe next week she is going to have an MRI. Maybe they will find something then. Her ankle is swollen and it hurts. I love medical things and procedures. So a photo of x-rays is awesome! I hope her ankle gets better.

Rain Day...

2009-03-07T14:26:00.002-06:00

Today is a gloomy day. I did have a little fun today. I took my Nephew to see Coraline in 3D. I saw it already, but he really liked it. The 3D effects are really cool. Otherwise, it is a gloomy, rainy, and cold day. I think I'm going to take a nap today. It's a perfect day to watch some TV and take a nap. I think maybe that's a good plan...

Lube Express...

2009-03-05T20:22:00.003-06:00

Today I went to Wal-Mart with Michelle. She bought things like clam sauce, mini brussel sprouts, and some other things. I bought some lunch and some Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Eggs (it's almost Easter I guess), some lint traps for my washing machine and some vitamins. I think that's it. It was a fun outing to Wal-Mart. Michelle let me take her photo in front of the Lube Express sign, for the photo of the day. It was fun. She seems really happy to be in front of the Lube Express sign, in the photo. She can jump high too. Excellent job Michelle, I'm proud of your jumping abilities!

Photos of Mexico...

2009-03-03T17:41:00.005-06:00

Last week I was in Mexico for just a few days. It was nice. It was warm, and the sun was shining for most of the days. One day it rained in the morning, but otherwise the sun was out. Here are some photos...

Photo of Teeth...Well Really A Mold of Teeth...

2009-02-19T13:42:00.002-06:00

Teeth!! Today I went to lunch at the Village Green with Bob and Kathy. After lunch I stopped at Bob's office. Bob makes teeth. Like crowns and bridges and things. So today's photo is a mold of someone's teeth. I don't know who the owner of the teeth is...

Today It Was Snowing a Little Bit...

2009-02-18T18:58:00.003-06:00

Today it snowed a little bit. I went out in the snow to get some photos. This is a macro shot of some dead plants in my backyard. It's maybe kind of pretty...

Today We Went to Delaney's Surplus and Took Photos...

2009-02-16T18:56:00.006-06:00

Today I went with Dan to the Ho-Chunk. We both left winners, so that was a good thing. On the way home we stopped at the Delaney's Surplus. I didn't realize how much cool stuff is there. Here are a bunch of photos...

A Phone Booth...

2009-02-13T12:08:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I was driving home, on some back roads, from the West side of Madison and I noticed this phone booth in a field. It was kind of weird. I would like to know why the phone booth is in a field. It was kind of near a house on a farm so maybe the farmers brought it there. I just don't know maybe...

Lake Monona Is Melting...

2009-02-12T13:57:00.003-06:00

This is a photo from a couple of days ago. It was taken for the photo a day. I'm glad that it got warmer for maybe a couple of days. But the leaf looks so lonely in the background...

Australia Job Application Video...

2009-02-11T19:35:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Sharon and I filmed the best job in the world application video. Today we edited it. Here it is... Excellent job Sharon!!! I think we both kind of like the video alot...

Model and Makeup Artist Photos...

2009-02-06T21:41:00.002-06:00

Here are some more photos of the test shoot last week with Alex and Jenny. These aren't exactly new photos, but it's all I have right now (except for the daily photos). I have been kind of busy this week so I haven't had much time to post. I'm in the process of re-doing my website. I've been retouching photos. And, I worked three days this week. So I've been too busy to post. Maybe next week I will have more time. Here are some more photos anyway...

Another Test...

2009-02-01T19:56:00.002-06:00

Today I did some testing with the makeup artist Jenny, and the model Alex. It was fun. I think maybe I creeped Alex out one time because I got really close to her face with my camera. I didn't realize how close I got to her. She said she wasn't creeped out. I know if some photographer got that close to my face with their camera, I would be creeped out. It all worked out in the end though...

A Sparkly Shirt, a Car Wash, and More Meat...

2009-01-29T19:47:00.004-06:00

Today I worked at the LE Studio again. It was fun. We had Italian beef sandwiches today. I know, more beef. But they were really good. Almost everyone at the studio had one. I picked up the beef at Gino's Italian Deli in Madison and the photo assistant Dan picked up the bread at some French bakery in Middleton. It was super awesome. Today I was working with John, one of the photographers, and Kevin a stylist from Denver. Kevin had a really sparkly shirt on today. It was a fun shirt. I was going to use it as the daily photo, but then I stopped at the car wash on the way home and got a fun photo of the rainbow soap at the car wash. So, I decided to blog about Kevin's shirt instead. Today was fun, we played the situation game and some of the situations were really bad. But super awesome. The car wash was not so fun. I put my money in and then the thing stopped. A lady was stuck in her car inside the wash. I ran inside the store next to the car wash and a lady came out and reset it. Then it wanted more money. So I had to go back to the store to get a token. Finally it was my turn to wash my car and I pulled in. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until the washer bar thing got to the back of my car and hit it and got stuck a little. It didn't dent or scratch my car, so it all turned out ok in the end. Mostly everything turns out ok in the end. Plus with rainbow soap that smelled good, I really couldn't complain. So, here is a photo of Kevin's sparkly shirt and the car wash soap...

Meatloaf...

2009-01-27T19:47:00.004-06:00

On Sunday I made a meatloaf for dinner. It was really good. It made a lot so I brought it to work, for lunch, for the past two days. I had a lot of questions about meatloaf the past two days. I found out that everyone uses something different as a binder. I said binder. Anyway, there are people out there that use bread, bread crumbs, oatmeal, crackers, and my personal favorite corn flakes. Mick that I work with uses the corn flakes because she saw an episode of Rosanne and that is what Rosanne used. I like that Mick uses corn flakes because of a TV show. I love TV! So for two days there has been a lot of conversation about my meatloaf and meatloaf in general. I think maybe I've talked to 5 different people about meatloaf in the past two days. I think maybe that I'm a little scared that it is really weird to talk about meatloaf so much. I think I will finish off the meatloaf for dinner tonight. So tomorrow I won't bring any to work. Maybe the conversation will turn, and we will discuss someone else's lunch. Not that I don't like talking about meatloaf, I'm just thinking that maybe it's a little weird. Maybe I will continue to talk about the meatloaf just so it becomes a more comfortable topic of conversation. But maybe not. I just think it's time for somebody else to talk about their lunch maybe. But if the people enjoy talking about the meatloaf, who am I to stop them. This photo is one that I took while in Barcelona. It is a meat stand. I didn't buy my meatloaf meat there. I was in Barcelona this summer. I bought the meatloaf meat at the grocery store by my house. It's a fine grocery store...

It's a Flower...

2009-01-26T19:19:00.003-06:00

Here is another photo from the photo every day series. You can still check the photo of the day out on my Picasa site. Link at bottom... This is a macro shot of a flower that I turned black and white and added a little noise. It's kind of pretty maybe...

Some More Test Photos...

2009-01-23T21:37:00.003-06:00

Here are some more test photos. I think they are pretty good...

Some Test Photos...

2009-01-23T06:38:00.004-06:00

Last night I did some photo testing with Jenny, a makeup artist, and Kelly, a model. It was fun.

Fish Watch Update...Goodbye Clownie...

2009-01-21T20:16:00.002-06:00

Today I got home and my final remaining fish had passed away. It was Clownie. I'm maybe a little sad because I had him the longest of all the fish. The house seems so much quieter without him around. There was always the noise of the filter to keep me company. I liked Clownie even though he would attack my hand when I would clean the aquarium. Maybe that irritated me a little. There was a very small service and burial at sea this evening. One push of the toilet handle, and he was gone. He went out like a trooper though. I guess this means that my aquarium days are probably over. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are over. In lieu of flowers, please send cash.

Fish Watch...

2009-01-20T20:31:00.003-06:00

Today I woke up and went to feed the fish and one was dead. The clown fish, that I call Clownie because I'm so edgy like that, was kind of gasping for air at the bottom of the tank. I had to go to work so I hoped for the best maybe. I thought he was going to be dead when I got home. But, when I got home he was swimming around. Still not looking really healthy, but maybe he will live. I will update the fish status as conditions warrant. I think if Clownie dies I will be a little sad. I've had that fish the longest. But then I think that if Clownie dies I can sell the aquarium. It is a lot of work and I'm kind of over it. So maybe it will be ok if Clownie dies. He will be moving on to bigger and better things maybe. Here is a photo of where he probably lived before I got him...

A Hula Girl...

2009-01-18T17:22:00.002-06:00

Here is a photo of a hula girl. She was in my backyard.

Jean LOVES Pancakes...

2009-01-16T19:08:00.004-06:00

Today I went to the Country Kitchen, with some super awesome people, for lunch. Jean ordered pancakes. Jean LOVES pancakes!! Dawnie was our awesome server. We all like Dawnie. Here is a photo of Jean when her pancakes arrived...

Shopping For Bananas...

2009-01-15T20:16:00.002-06:00

I took this photo of Michelle at the grocery store. She bought things like bananas, some zip lock bags, and some laundry detergent. I think she maybe bought a pizza too. I love her hat! It was really cold so a person needed to wear a hat. Hers is really colorful! I bought a roast beef sandwich, a banana, and a Diet Pepsi. The banana wasn't very good, I don't think it was ripe enough. Next time I'll pick out a better banana.

A Cold Winter Day...

2009-01-14T20:54:00.002-06:00

I took this photo this afternoon and it was really, really cold outside. I think it was maybe -4F. But I guess I'm just guessing at the temperature. It was super cold either way. So, I thought I would warm up the colors in this photo since it was so cold today. This is part of the photo every day for a year series on my Picasa Web page...link at bottom...check it out if you want to...

Photos For A Year...

2009-01-13T20:25:00.003-06:00

My friend Sharon started doing a photo a day for a year and asked if I wanted to join in. I'm going to attempt this because I love to shoot and I need to start shooting more fun stuff every day. So, here is my first photo for the year of photos. This should be fun. I'm really going to try to do a photo every day. Maybe I won't post one to the blog every day, but the daily photos will be in my Picasa Web album. There is a link to the album at the bottom of my blog, by my logo. This is kind of a fun photo. I went to the grocery store today and the lady stocking the yogurt scared me a little when I saw this hand moving the yogurt's in the back. She was a nice lady though...

Full Moon And A Christmas Tree...

2008-12-11T20:12:00.006-06:00

Tonight there is a full moon so I thought I would go outside and freeze to take some photos of my Christmas tree and a photo of the street. We have a lot of snow now. Maybe not as much as last year...yet... But we will probably get more. There aren't too many people on my street that have lights on their houses, so the street photo is maybe a little boring. Maybe these photos aren't the greatest but I haven't taken photos for a while (except work photos) so I thought I would brave the elements and take some new photos. They are maybe just ok I guess...but maybe people will like them...or maybe not.

Some Buddha's...

2008-12-10T20:26:00.004-06:00

The first photo is of a giant Buddha that I took while in a boat on the Chao Phayra River in Bangkok, Thailand. I kind of like this photo. The second photo is of the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok, Thailand. Kind of just felt like posting photos of Buddha's today.

Winter...It's Here...I'm Not Happy

2008-12-09T21:19:00.003-06:00

Today it snowed a lot. I think we got maybe 7 inches. Now the wind is really bad and the snow is starting to drift. I used to love winter, but maybe not so much anymore. The good news is, I got home tonight and my neighbor had used her snow blower and cleared my sidewalks. So, that was pretty awesome. I still had to shovel the driveway and the end of the driveway where the plow came through, but it wasn't so bad I guess. I really miss the warm weather. So, I'm posting some photos that I took while in Thailand. It was really, really hot while I was there. One is of a Mosque in a floating village I went to. The other is some beach chairs on an island. It was pretty awesome. Warm weather photos kind of make today a little better...maybe...

Some Globes...

2008-12-09T21:13:00.002-06:00

Today I made some globe photos out of a couple of photographs that I had. One is a photo of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. The other is a beach in Mexico... They are kind of fun maybe. Maybe the beach one works a little better. But, maybe neither one works, you will have to decide...

Thanksgiving...

2008-11-27T21:17:00.004-06:00

Today was the Thanksgiving and I got together with my family. It was mostly fun. I love the turkey and mashed potatoes. I kind of like all the food associated with Thanksgiving. I took some photos. We had ALOT of gravy. My Mom had a drink that I made her, and she got a little drunk. That was probably the most awesome part of the day. Maybe everyone had a good Thanksgiving? I hope so...

More Thanksgiving Photos...

2008-11-27T21:15:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple more Thanksgiving photos...

Karen's Last Day...

2008-11-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

Today was the awesome Karen's last day. We will miss her. I had some super fun times working with her. Sometimes the things I would say to her were kind of dirty or gross, mostly gross I think. But she thought it was great. She said it was growing up with brothers, so she's heard it all! We had some good times. But, Karen won't be gone forever. I'm sure she will be back in town working and we will all get to see her again! So, that's some good news! I took some photos of our crew with Karen for the last day. Two of the photos are kind of blurry. Sorry guys, I'm a failure. I think maybe I was super excited to take the photos and I didn't wait for the auto focus on my little camera to fully engage. I said engage... Anyway, here are the photos of the awesome crew I've been working with for the past two weeks, and the most awesome Art Director Dawn! There are a lot of photos, so I have to break it up between three postings. See you soon Karen, and have a safe trip to Alabama!! Take care you crazy kid....

More Karen's Last Day Photos...

2008-11-21T19:59:00.000-06:00

Even More Karen's Last Day Photos...

2008-11-21T19:39:00.003-06:00

One More Post For Today...A Sort Of Infrared...

2008-11-20T19:56:00.003-06:00

Here is a photo I took today and sort of made it infrared, and added some color back into it. I don't know if I like it. But, maybe I do. But maybe it's not the greatest photo. Maybe that's what I'm not so sure about. But I kind of like it... I should probably make up my mind about it...

A Fish!!

2008-11-20T19:27:00.002-06:00

Chris Elinchev gave me a photo of a fish today. It's a good fish picture...so here is the Elinchev's fish photo. It's a goldfish!!

Adios, Karen and Larry...

2008-11-20T19:13:00.003-06:00

Today, at the studio I'm working at, we had a lunch for Karen and Larry. Karen and Larry are moving to Alabama in a week. Karen is a photo stylist and Larry is a blacksmith. They are really cool people. So we had a goodbye lunch today because we'll miss them both. They are good people. We had some chicken, rice, green beans, bread, cheese, and an awesome salad. It was good food. Some funny things maybe happened today, but maybe I can't post about it. We're playing a game at work where I say two people's names. Then the person I'm talking to says "situation". Then I come up with a situation and they have to choose one of the two previously named people that they would most like to be in that situation with. Some of the times the situations are dirty. But, it's super fun and everyone should play it! But, maybe people will think it's a lame game, so forget trying it if you think it might be lame. These are the choices you'll have to make on your own. That's all I got for today except that we will all really miss Karen and Larry and we wish them all the best!!! Take care you crazy newlyweds!!

Super Funny Video...Maybe...

2008-11-17T20:51:00.007-06:00

I saw this on Saturday Night Live this past Saturday. I thought it was super funny. But maybe other people will think it's only o.k. funny. So, this is the blog post for today...a super funny Paul Rudd and Kristen Wiig video!!!

Kind Of A Rotten Day...But Here Are Beach Photos...

2008-11-11T19:31:00.004-06:00

Today was kind of a lousy day. I sneezed really hard this morning and I accidentally bit the back part of my tongue. It really hurt and my tongue bled a little bit. Now there is a blister on the side of my tongue towards the back. That did not feel good. And, today it was cold and rainy and some snowflakes. It was a downer of a day. So I'm posting some photos of the beach. The beach always makes me feel better. These are photos I took while in Fiji a couple of years ago. There is also a photo of a lady selling Mangoes on the side of the road. That was a pretty awesome part of Fiji. The beach was great and people were selling Mangoes everywhere. I love Mangoes... but maybe not more than I love the warm weather, ocean, and the beach. But maybe Mangoes are a close second...

A Gorilla Story...

2008-11-10T20:24:00.007-06:00

So, yesterday I was craving really bad food. So I ate a McDonalds Big Mac and Large Fries. Then I had three pieces of chocolate cake. Then I ate about 3/4 of a tube of Pringles. It was really good. Sometimes I think that the things I eat are like when I was a teenager and my parents went out of town for the weekend. Really bad stuff. So today I mostly felt ok after all the bad things I ate, but I didn't take any photos except for the Lands' End photos I took today. But I can't blog those, maybe some copyright things would happen. But, maybe not. So I got home tonight and I saw a gorilla I have. And a G.I. Joe. And a glass Wiener Dog. So, I took some photos of that. Plus I had some Pears and a Lime. So, I think in these photos, G.I. Joe was traveling through the jungle of fruit and the gorilla captured the G.I. Joe. I'm not sure what the Gorilla did to the G.I. Joe, but I don't think very good things. I think the Gorilla maybe broke G.I. Joe's leg and then did some bad things that I can't talk about. Then along came the Wiener Dog and maybe saved the day. You can't argue the powers of the Wiener Dog! Some of you may know that a Wiener Dog saved my life. Well maybe saying that a Wiener Dog saved my life is not really true. But Wiener Dogs make me happy. I don't think I want to have one for a pet though. I like to look at them from kind of far away and watch them run. Running Wiener Dogs are awesome!!! So, that's the blog for today. Maybe tomorrow I'll take some photos outside if the weather is ok. But, I think it might rain and snow. If it does, maybe tomorrow I'll post pictures of the beach. The beach is always good...

Spaghetti and the Awesome People I Worked With...

2008-11-07T09:42:00.015-06:00

Yesterday we had a spaghetti lunch, at the studio I'm working at this week. It was for an awesome stylist that is moving to the Alabama. I don't know much about Alabama, but I think maybe it will be nice. She's excited about it. Plus she won't have to deal with another really bad winter in Wisconsin. Last year was the worst winter, and this year is going to be worse than last year. I don't think I like snow anymore. So, here are some photos of the awesome people I worked with this week and some spaghetti. I especially like the one of the stylist Karen sucking the noodles. Plus saying suck a noodle is fun... That's all I got for today...

*****BLOG UPDATE...11/20/08**** After further review, the noodle sucking photo has been removed. Thank you for your understanding and patience...

Some Dave Hill Effect photos...

2008-11-05T20:04:00.004-06:00

How exciting is it that Obama was elected President of the United States last night! It was an amazing moment and I am so proud to be an American today. It was a truly great moment in history. Since the election was last night and I was tired today, I didn't get a chance to take any new photos today. So, I thought I would try some Dave Hill Effect on some portraits. It kind of works I think. The originals are at the top. The photo of the nun was taken in Cambodia, and the photo of the kid is my Nephew, Adam. It was a good day today, lots of happiness all around because Obama is our new President. This is really exciting! Maybe tomorrow I'll take some photos and be able to add them to the blog.

Back From Vacation...

2008-11-03T19:59:00.004-06:00

Last week I spent the week in Mexico. One of my most favorite places. I only had time to update the blog one time last week. I was very busy spending time on the beach and having a few drinks. But, here are some photos of my Mexican Holiday for my birthday. The beach was great, and at the hotel, they had these big glowing globes on the roof of a building. You could walk up and touch them. I touched them, but didn't lick them. Even though I kind of wanted to... Maybe the best part of the trip was on the way to the airport to go home. The cab driver I had was a super funny guy. My Spanish isn't the best, but we managed to have a good conversation. He wanted to know all about Obama. He told me something like 70% of Mexicans LOVE Obama. I had an extra Obama campaign button, that a friend gave me. So, I gave it to him. He loved it and started screaming Obama out the window and throwing his fist in the air. I can't remember his name, but he did tell me that he was the fastest cab driver in Mexico and they call him "Speedy Gonzales". And, when we would pass girls on the road, he would mutter things. Dirty things I think... So, that's the update. Maybe I'll try to update if things happen this week.... Maybe I'll have more photos too... but maybe I don't know...

Mexico...

2008-10-29T00:08:00.002-05:00

Had to get away for my birthday... In Mexico right now. The weather here has been pretty good. High in the 80`s and partly sunny. Working on my tan... for my birthday I think I´m going on an ATV and wave runner trip. Today was a werid day. Tonight at dinner the waiter was trying to teach me some Spanish. I thought maybe he was hitting on me. He was trying to teach me how to say "I want to make the love to you all night long" and "Excuse me lady, you have a nice ass". I was confused, and thought he was talking to me. Lots of laughter ensued as other waiters came over and tried to explain that he was trying to teach me some things to say. It was pretty funny. Everyone here is really nice and sitting on a beach all day drinking Mojito`s is just what I needed. Tomorrow more of the same...reading...drinking...and taking a nap. Tonight while I was checking my e-mail and trying to create a new blog post, the power went out in the whole hotel. It was out for about 5 minutes. I was sitting here in the internet room in the dark by myself. Lots of howling at the moon and stuff was going on at the bar. I could hear it, but I couldn´t find the door to get to the bar. Power is back on now and I hope for the rest of the night. No photos to post this time as I wasn´t able to bring my laptop. So, this post is not so exciting... I have to go get a Ciaprahina before the bar closes... Maybe I´ll post before I leave... or maybe not... who can tell... Mexico is just what I needed right now. Man, I´m getting older and I don´t like it...

A Sort Of HDR Photo...

2008-10-18T20:01:00.003-05:00

Here is a photo that I took in Barcelona's Barri Gotic. I made it into a fake HDR, it kind of works maybe... Today was all about the computer and taking photos. I don't have the new photos to post. I went to the West Towne today to go to the Apple store. Realized I forgot my wallet when I got there. The little man at the Apple Store told me that they took checks (for some reason I had my checkbook...). So I bought a new hard drive. I write the check and then the guy asks me for I.D. I told him that I already told him I didn't have my wallet so no I.D. He wouldn't let me buy the hard drive. I think he ignored me when I asked if they took checks and that I didn't have my wallet and I.D. I left empty handed and a little irritated that I drove across town and it was for nothing. I don't like the Apple Store today... That's all I got...

Some Spain Photos...

2008-10-17T11:42:00.002-05:00

Here are some photos I took while in Spain in August. Went to Spain for the tomato fight in a little town called Bunol, near Valencia. The tomato fight was really fun and scary. I'm glad I did it, but maybe it's one of those once in a lifetime things. But, maybe not. If someone said they wanted to go next year, I'd probably go... Anyway, here are some photos from Spain... These are all from Barcelona. Cool city!!

Sort of Birthday...

2008-10-16T20:57:00.004-05:00

Tonight my Parents, Sister, and Nephew took me out to dinner for my birthday. It's not really my birthday today, but I will be gone when my birthday is here. So we went to the Avenue Bar. I really like the Avenue Bar. I had a steak and it was pretty awesome. My Nephew was really hyperactive tonight so I took him outside to take some photos before he drove all of us crazy. I think maybe he had too much sugar today. But, who can tell right...

It's Raining...

2008-10-15T09:41:00.004-05:00

It's raining and kind of cold out today, so I'm not really into going out to take some photos today. I took enough yesterday to cover for today. YEAH!! So, here are some photos that I took yesterday. I know, again with the Miniature Model Effect. I still LOVE IT! So, there it is...some new photos. I'm working on some photo things right now. I think later I might go and work out and see a movie. It's kind of a perfect day to see a movie. I hope I can decide what to see. It will all work out in the end, right?