Why do I own a DSLR

So I have a Nikon D5100. I have several lenses, some of them quite nice actually. I have taken and continue to take some fairly good and well received pictures. I still find myself asking, why do I own it? I guess the answer is in the art, but if you look at these pictures to follow I will tell you that not one of them was taken with a DSLR.

I am one of those people that think I SHOULD carry my Nikon with me at all times and be ready at the drop of a hat to win a Pulitzer for photography, but do I? Of course not. I come up with all the excuses;

       1) I might do something later and don't want to leave it in the car

       2) Is there really going to be anything there to take pictures of?

       3) Someone else will have theirs

                         and of course..

       4) I just don't feel like taking it.

All of these things (and especially #4) are just the heights of laziness. I freely admit it. But as bad as I feel about not taking the gear with me, I do still always have a pretty decent camera on my body.

The other thing about it is that I can take great DSLR pics, then bring them home and jack with them in Lightroom or Photoshop and maybe get it the way I want. The images here have never touched by anything remotely as advanced (read expensive) as Adobe's toys.

Of course I am talking about my Nokia 920 phone. 8.7mp camera, Carl Zeiss glass, and "Pureview" (whatever that means). It takes some truly great pictures and when mated with the Camera360 app, effects and tinkering are a snap. 

So I feel guilty to let my Nikon sit at home and gather dust, but I have a pretty good walking around camera on me. Art is art. I've known people who shoot movies on VHS just because they like the "way it looks". Best quote I heard was "don't you hate it when you have a great shot all lined up, and someone calls your camera?"

Have fun all and get out there a take some pictures!

KC Walk Around

Well Kamryn and I walked around down by the old AS&B bridge the other day. Got a couple of good shots..

Fun with Bricks

Spring finally making an appearance

K shooting a goose, yes, I know you can't see the goose but trust me, it was there.

My not-so-little-anymore photog

Attempt at HDR. A merge of two shots.

I was shooting with my Nikon D5100 and the 18-55 kit lens. Kamryn was using her Mom's D5300 and the 18-140. 

Richmond to DC

So I was supposed to be in trial in Richmond VA this week. Arrival and sitting in a hotel was followed by settlement and lack of flights home. I wound up having to travel to DC to fly out on Sunday.

That being said, there are some cool places in Richmond. One being the Penny Lane Pub. Good neighborhood place with lots of Fütball (Commie Kickball) and Rugby. But my favorite place, as far as food goes, is Lady 'Nawlins. The special the night I was there was Cajun Meatloaf. It was described by the bartender as amazing and he was correct.

Yes, that is Abita Purple Haze in my glass, They have over 20 taps. 

My trip up to DC the next morning I headed out early so I had time to stop if I found anything interesting. It was a good thing. Right at 9am I saw the sign for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Being an Army guy I still thought it would be a cool stop and it certainly was! 

Main entrance, atrium designed to resemble the flag raising on Iwo Jima.

I spent a long time there and would recommend it to anyone in the area. I took lots of pictures and here is a link to them on Snapfish; USMC Museum Photos. Here are a couple of my favorites;

Yes, those are ACTUAL F4U Corsairs hanging in the atrium

Actual larger second flag to be raised on top of Mt Suribachi on Iwo Jima

Lego model of the flag raising

Rest of my trip was boring business travel. Wish I would have gotten to work the trial, it was in Federal Court and seemed like it would have been interesting.

All for now, back to the daily grind of being me. (actually not as tough as I make it look) 

Jury's Out

In Independence Courthouse waiting for a Jury to come back. Took these two shots with my Nokia 920 phone and edited in Photo 360. Saw a cute quote the other day, "I hate it when I'm taking a great picture and someone calls my camera"

Saving Private Ryan

I watched SPR last night again, this time with my 15 year old daughter who is a Freshman in High School. I am a firm believer that ALL incoming Freshmen should have to see the movie. Youth are sorely lacking in any frame of reference about the sacrifices that Generation made for the well being of the free world.

That being said, I have another thought that came to me after watching it again last night. We call them "The Greatest Generation". For the USA that is a good statement. However if you look at the generation on a global scale the very same generation brought us NAZI Germany, Fascist Spain, The Iron Curtain, Mao, and a host of other evils around the World to go with our own triumphs and victories.

Don't let it be said I am trying to diminish our Veterans in ANY way! The victories over the NAZIs and Imperial Japan were monumental tasks that HAD to be done. Just pointing out that we only kept evil at bay and did not vanquish it as we did Small Pox.

 Evil still exists and I look around me and fail to see a generation that would jump as readily into the breach to stop it. Only one that would be annoyed if their Tumblr didn't update or the latest XBox game was late to market. I hope I am wrong. These same thoughts might have gone through the parents of the teenagers in the late 30s. Just keep in mind, European "peace" has come at the cost of a lot of the freedoms we hold dear. It is not a dishonor to the Greatest Generation if we slip back to the Europe we fled, it is a dishonor to the men that fought 238 years ago against a different Empire.

The Season

This is the season. The one most people wait for all year. I don't.

Through my life most of the tragedies have come between my Birthday in November, and New Years day. I would be perfectly happy if November 17th (K's birthday) was followed by January 1. This year is no different. My world is in upheaval and i have no idea how it will turn out. Us Scorpios don't handle change well to begin with, and change we have no control over drives us positively insane.

So I will listen to the old country song Make it Through December and wait to see what 2014 brings.

Here are a couple of Christmas pictures taken at Red Neck Christmas. Enjoy kids and catch you after Amateur Night.

Dr House

There are some times that even I can see why people say I look like Hugh Laurie