Photos and Projects

  Ewa and I enjoyed the Colts game yesterday with mixed emotions. Mom was a season ticket holder and loyal fan long before they won the Super Bowl. It was one of her favorite events to attend downtown. Plan to keep the tradition and her incredible seats going for a long time to come. I took all the photos from my little Nikon s3700 point and shoot. They turned out remarkably well considering indoor sports is a difficult venue for photography and all were handheld. Surprising, even photos at the 50 yard line from 33 rows up turned out well and players were large in frame and in focus. Took around 100 photos with only a few unusable, others are certainly good enough for proud display in digital photo frames. Stadium rules say all cameras with lenses less than 6 inches are allowed. The s3700 is less than half of that limit, has an 8x optical zoom and is easily carried in pocket. Had a good time using it and the size makes it perfect for venues like this when you want to pack light

When I purchased the 2016 Impala used a few years ago, it was fundamentally in good shape but had been in a previous accident where the front was impacted.  The previous owner had fixed the damage with a cheap new hood and paint job.  Over time, the front of the hood began to rust and look bad.  While Ewa and I were in AZ, her uncle (who owns a dealership and service shop in Chicago) replaced the hood completely and his group repainted and refinished it as well.  His team also cleaned both front headlamps inside and out and detailed the whole car.  The Impala now looks brand new and the change is remarkable.  What a positive impact this makes for the visual impression of the car.  There are few things more satisfying than bringing something back to its former glory, especially when someone does all the work for you :-).  Many thanks to Bogdon and his crew! Before and after pictures below... Before After

  Ewa and I had a great time again watching the Cranes this past week.  The overcast day helped reduce the shadows which made for better photos than the last time we visited.  They were fewer in number at this point in their migration but no less animated.  With the FZ80, I focused in a pair of Cranes which seemed to be communicating about something and having a good time.  I love the first photo especially which I entitled, "The Listener", which shows the ability for some Cranes at least to stop and pay attention to what someone else in their flock has to say :-).  We as humans can learn a lot from the Sandhill Crane. "The Listener" "Got Your Back" "Jumping Jacks" "Watch This!" "Let's Spread Out"