Ryan's "Not Quite Right"

The owner of this flash drive carried it in his pocket every day during a combat tour in Iraq. He came back and broke it while going to school.

I think the name of it is not quite right.



I soldered a hacked up USB cable to it so he can recover his homework.

/rl

Mike's "Not Quite Right"

We all know that Mike is not quite right.  This is an old Colman "left handed" compound bow.  I bought it so I could target practice with friends.

I am right handed, but I don't see that well out of my left eye, so I have learned to do some things left handed.  You hold this bow with your right hand, but you aim with the left eye and release with the left hand.

Since I had little experience shooting a bow, learning with the left was not as difficult for me as relearning to shoot a shot gun with my left side.

Next week: "Picture"

"Not Quite Right" is due tomorrow.

/rl

Not Quite Right by John Baker

There is just something not quite right about my roommate sometimes.  He's a good sport though!!!

Ryan's "Product Placement"

This was not an easy topic. I decided to just take a nice night landscape photo instead.





/rl

Cory's Product Placement

As I spent some time thinking about this topic this week, I realized something: subtle product placement is much easier to do in movies, where you can quickly flash something on the screen and be done with it. With photography, the image is set and you're stuck with people seeing the product all the time. So I decided to not even try subtlety for my shot.

Fred's Product Placement

Yes, that is a bottle of Fred water.

Mike's "Product Placement"

I had a little trouble with this one, because all I could think of was how often I see a Subway sandwich in a TV show.  Chuck, Jimmy Fallon, etc.  How do you photo that?
I ran across this when at Bakers, and only had my iPhone with me.  I figure a twist on that subject would be placing your product in various places with the use of a van.  Like a book or blood mobile.

Next Week : "Not Quite Right"

"Product Placement" is due tomorrow.

/rl

Mike's "Proof"

I have photographic proof that "Big Foot" is alive and well in the Pacific North West.
He also surfs, is made of wood and has a phone number!

Ryan's "Proof"

My lack of a photo two weeks in a row is proof that I am spending too much time doing things other that photography....

/rl

Cory's Proof

I found this laying in a parking garage last week. I think it is proof that just printing something on a piece of plastic doesn't make it true.

Fred's Proof

Someone drove through this farm field.  We know it happened.  It cannot be denied.

Johns Proof

Next week: "Product Placement"

"Proof" is due tomorrow.


/rl

John's Wild

Sooooo I had this idea when I went camping to take the headlamp and make wild designs and luckily I have red, green, and blue colors.  For this specific one my roommate stood in front of the camera in the pitch black obviously and wanted to see if he could make an eight ball.  Not too shabby if you ask me.  I think the things you can do with light in the pitch black is pretty wild. 

Cory's Wild

This was a long weekend for me, so we made a trip down to White Sands National Monument for a couple of days. While there we stopped by the zoo in Alamogordo, where I found this wild beast. Luckily, they had some non-stone animals too.

Mike's "Wild"

This thing is kinda wild, but I don't know what it is.  Since it is along the Elkhorn, River, and owned the the University of Nebraska, I'm guessing its for the study of something "wild".

There is a lot of pluming inside, which I suppose they are trying to protect.  If you take a left off of Q street just East of the Elkhorn river, you can find it if your curious.

Worlds most fancy dear stand, I guess.

Fred's "Wild"

Gotta root for the local team.

Next week: "Proof"

"Wild" is due tomorrow.

/rl

Surly

Not only does my New Years resolution clearly need to be buying bigger pants but I also could use a tan.  Sorry fellas.  All I could think of really when it came to surly. 

Ryan's "Surly"

I was pretty surly all week as I listened to a wheel bearing eat itself in my car. I don't particularly enjoy changing them (the hub needs to be knocked off so the bearing can be pressed out and a new one pressed in), and I knew this one was my fault. I'd changed it a few months ago and didn't have a new axle nut, so I reused the old one with a bit of loctite. Unfortunately I didn't consider that the loctite would lubricate the axle nut, leading to a significantly over torqued axle nut and very over loaded bearing.

This is how I spent the morning:



/rl

Cory's Surly

This is Sophie, one of the girls I share my house with. She's normally a shy kitty, but she gets pretty surly when you wake her up from a nap. I tried to capture some of that here, and you can just see a little bit of surliness in her right eye. Maybe next time I'll need to chase her around the house first.

Incidentally, I sometimes do a Google image search of our topics to see what other people have done, and I was kind of surprised by what this one came out like (hint: it's safe for work).

Mike's "Surly"

Sometimes musicians get a little surly looking when they sing.
I don't know why, its just what it is. 

Fred's "Surly"

Surly Brewing Company is a local favorite.  I'm not a beer drinker, but I hear it's pretty good stuff.  For the shot, I asked to go behind the bar of our favorite local pizza place, Pizza Lucé.   Mmmmmm.... pizza...

Next week: "Wild"

"Surly" is due tomorrow.

Also, Happy Birthday to Mike and Fred!

/rl

David's "Christmas"

Day 4 of Chanukah fell on Christmas Eve this year, when I was out looking for a good holiday photo.

Ryan's "Christmas"

The ghost of Christmas Past.....




/rl

Cory's Christmas

In the middle of the traffic circle near my house (featured here once before) there is a big bronze sculpture of a mountain lion. Somebody dressed it and the little tree next to it up for Christmas this year, giving us some extra festiveness on our drive in and out of town. Maddy was very excited to make sure the kitty was wearing its hat each time we drove past for the last week or two.

Speaking of Gerber baby, she and her younger sister had a good time opening presents.

Mike's "Holidays"

Sandra asked me to take photos of the tree today before she took it down.  A tree that I had earlier in the season dubbed Phyllis.

Every year I'm going to make the jaunt out to Village Point and get a picture of the 8 ft ornament bulbs that lay around there during the holiday, but she sort of made up for it with these giant Santa balls, or as Jimmy Fallon calls them treesticles.

 ->This Link<- might help you understand why I call her Phyllis.  Some of you might not be old enough to get the joke.

Fred's "Christmas"

Simple ornament in a tree.

"Christmas" is due tomorrow

Next week: "Surly".

/rl

Mike's "Wind"

You've all seen the front of my clock, a couple of different weeks.  Here is something else from my grandfather that you need to wind.
Its one of the pocket watches that he used while he was a bus driver to make certain the bus was running on time.

Cory's Wind

Looks like two people read this week's topic as "wind", whereas I read it as "wind". Subtle difference, eh?

This is what the wind blew in for us this week: six or so inches of snow. It actually started last week, but continued this week: the lab was closed on Monday, had an early dismissal on Thursday, and a late start on Friday all due to snow. But at least it looks pretty for Christmas!

Ryan's "Wind"

My parents need to wind their clock occasionally:



/rl

Fred's "Wind"

The bear says, "What am I doing among all these silly toys?"

"Wind" is due tomorrow

Next week: "Christmas" (or "Holidays", "Hanukkah", "Kwanza" as appropriate.)

/rl

Mike's "Bear"

While spending my lunch hour at the Dollar Tree last week, I ran into these bears, hung up like a bunch of carrots.I only had my phone with me, but thought I better get a quick pic in case I didn't make it to the zoo this weekend. I forgot about gummy bears...

Ryan's "Bear"

Bears are in short supply around eastern Nebraska. There are a bunch in the Henry Doorly Animal Prison, but I didn't have a chance to go visit them.

Instead I found glowing demon candy bears...



This week or next we will have another player posting. Fred lives up in the Minneapolis area, wrenches on a Triumph Spitfire occasionally, and had a camera around his neck when I met him.

/rl

Cory's Bear

Some bears like fish, others like berries, and at least one likes hunny. This one prefers coffee and pancakes for breakfast though.

Next week: "Wind"

"Bear" is due tomorrow.

/rl

Ryan's "Darkroom"

This is a stretch... it's a screen capture rather than a real photo.




/rl

Cory's Darkroom

This is my digital darkroom, where I do all of my photography playing (among other things). I didn't actually start playing with cameras until the digital age was among us, so I've never had an actual darkroom. I think this way is much easier for me.

Mike's "Dark Room"

I'm going to dwell in the past with this one.  In 1979 I bought an old Federal enlarger at a garage sale and had a makeshift B&W darkroom in my parents basement.
Of all the film reels and tanks, paper, lights I had, this lens for the enlarger is all I have kept. I'm a lens hoarder.  It must be good for something.

Next week: "Bear"

Tomorrow: "Your darkroom (computer)".

/rl

Cory's Stretched

I ended up taking this picture in the wind during a snowstorm, and it didn't come out as pretty as I had planned. However, it does show what I wanted: one of my favorite parts of little parking lot Christmas tree yards is the lights that they stretch between poles so you can see them. It looks very festive.

Ryan's "Stretch"

Stretching the truth....



/rl

Mikes "Stretch"

I'm using one of those stretchy things to strengthen my inner core.
My personal trainer is helping by making sure I keep my feet flat on the floor.

Next week: "Your darkroom (computer)"

Stretch(ed) due tomorrow.

/rl

Mike's "Fowl"

I was amazed how many businesses use water fowl for their mascots.  Crane Coffee was one option.
Another was:  "AFLAC!!!"

Ryan's "Fowl"

What can I possibly say about this photo?



No, really. What can I say?

/rl

Cory's Fowl

Every year as far as I can remember, we've made hand turkeys for Thanksgiving. They started out pretty simple, but as we've grown up we've gotten more creative with them. Here is this year's collection of hand fowl, complete with two little ones on the right. Maddy had help tracing hers, but colored it herself. Emily also needed help tracing hers, and then she ate the crayons instead of coloring it.

Next week...

Next week's topic: Stretch(ed)

"Fowl" due tomorrow!

Mike's "Cupcake"

This is the cup...
I'm afraid Michigan took the cake.  (I love my little light tent for topic emergencies such as this!)

David's "Cupcake"

Sonya was asked to do a review of Trophy Cupcakes in Seattle for a friend's food blog, which was a happy coincidence with this week's theme.

I'll post a link to the review after it appears but for now, 1) Wild Yam (including marshmallow fluff topping); 2) Red Velvet Cake; 3) Carrot Walnut; 4) Samoa; 5) Peanut Butter & Jelly; 6) Peanut Butter and Chocolate.

Fun theme.

Ryan's "Cupcake"

Studying for a test... no photography or baking this weekend.

/rl

Cory's Cupcake

Deep in the night, a terror strikes the oven: ZOMBIE CUPCAKES.

Of course, there's only one way to get rid of them.

Next week: "Fowl"

"Cupcake" is due tomorrow!

/rl

Cory's Fall

The colors of Fall came and went a few weeks ago around here, and we're moving into Winter weather. But for whatever reason, this snake didn't get the message about finding a nice place to sleep. Instead, he was hanging out right outside my door yesterday, waiting for me to step on him when I came out. But I saw the trap quickly enough that I was able to safely move him into this nice setting of rocks and fall leaves.

Ryan's "Fall"

Fall in Nebraska:



/rl

Mike's "Fall"

I went out looking for fall color last Sunday.  Its a little harder to find in Nebraska than you think.  The rural areas are mostly winter hardy trees like ash and cottonwood that are mostly yellow.
Some neighborhoods have great color, but then your having to fight traffic, and avoid looking like a detective.  If you drive down 90th or 84th right now from Center to Dodge there are some great scenes, but its hard frame a shot from the car and go back and get it with the camera.  So I settled for parks, this one in Ralston.

Next week: "Cupcake"

"Fall" is due tomorrow.

/rl

Mike's "Eve of all Hallows"

On the day before Halloween, my son and I went and snooped around an old farmstead that has been vacant for 50-60 years.  It is on the county line between Holt and Wheeler counties.

This is one of the few houses I have seen up there with a basement.  The water table is kind of high.

I love to take pictures of things that are in a state of decay, and this was good place for that.

Ryan's "Halloween"

Proper Halloween candy:



One of Jenny's neighbors gave that to her. Odd.

/rl

Cory's Halloween

Los Alamos holds a pumpkin glow each year for Halloween, in which people and organizations put their pumpkins on display on the lawn outside the art center. We stopped by to see them this year, and this was one of my favorites - I really liked how wide the mouth was.

Next week: "Fall"

"Halloween" is due tomorrow.

/rl