I’ve met a lot of fine park rangers and become acquainted with several of them as a result of meeting them more than once, some of them over a period of years. Today is a good day for me to say thanks to all of the NPS employees I have encountered over the years and the excellent work they do.
Author Archives: Jim
Testing Photo Labs, Part 3
Test Prints. iPhone photo. Click for a larger version.
One of my two favorite photo labs was bought out and no longer exists, so I am searching for another favorite photo lab. I sent the same 10 digital files to three of the highest rated photo labs in the country and had them make 8×12 or 8×10 prints. My third batch of prints arrived and I am like a kid in a candy store!
The Temple in the Evening
The Temple, Independence Missouri
Because of the clouds this is one of my favorite evening photos of The Temple.
26 Years Ago Today
Kim (left) and a friend at Park of the Pines.
You don’t realize the significance and importance of some events until long after the event.
Night Flight: 9 Years Ago This Evening
St. Joseph (lower left) and Kansas City Missouri from the air.
Constellations (Sagittarius and Scorpius), Meteor (left center), and Saturn (above the scorpion’s back).
Photos: One Year Ago Today On a Photo Adventure In Michigan
Norwalk Lutheran Church, Manistee Michigan.
Apollo 11 Lift Off in Slow Motion.
56 years ago today Apollo 11 launched into space. This journey would culminate in two human beings walking on the moon for the first time.
Apollo 11 Lift Off, 56 years ago today.
Apollo 11 lift off. July 16, 1969. This launch put two human beings on the moon for the first time.
It’s Not the Camera That Matters, It’s You!
This brief article was inspired by two blurbs I came across online. One was about which Japanese companies sell the most digital cameras, and the other was about which cameras “real photographers use”. Far be it from me to define “real photographers”.
Don’t Shoot on Railroad Tracks
Samantha, July 10, 2011, RR tracks, Ohio.
When I created this image 14 years ago this evening, shooting on railroad tracks was popular and still pretty much an accepted thing. I have several railroad track images in my collection. All kinds of professional and amateur photographers created images on railroad tracks. A Google image search will turn up hundreds of photos. Careful photographers chose long, straight sections of track with great visibility and they paid attention.
Photos: 4th of July Parade
4th of July parade collage in chronological order. Individual photos follow.
Every year I photograph the annual 4th of July parade in Lamoni Iowa. In addition to the 14 “selects” I share below, I discuss the equipment I use, the number of photos, and at the end of this article I describe what I look for when I photograph a parade. “Selects” is a newspaper/magazine word for the best photos (the photos selected) out of all the photos created. An editor working on an event article might say to a photographer, “Send me a dozen of your selects”, so the photographer would send 12 images out of all the photos that were created at the event.
Happy Birthday, Acadia!
Acadia National Park is 109 nears old today. The photos in this article were taken by me in Acadia National Park, October 2017.
Photo Gear for a Parade
Parade Gear
This is the photo gear I used at yesterday’s 4th of July parade. This is pretty much my standard event photography kit. On the left is a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 24-105mm lens. On the right is a Canon 7D Mark II with a Canon 70-300mm DO IS lens. On the rare occasion that I need a longer lens, I take a 100-400mm lens instead of the 70-300mm lens.
The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, 1800
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
From the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson (1762-1826). 3rd US President (1801-09).
More images (including Thomas Jefferson’s original draft) and the complete text of the declaration are after the break.
Happy Independence Day!
How To Photograph Fireworks
The Strip, Las Vegas with Fireworks
You can point your camera at the sky in auto exposure and autofocus modes and fire away whenever you see a burst of fireworks, but for the best quality photos, it helps to know a few tricks of the trade. It’s easy when you know what to do.
161 Years Ago Today: Abe Lincoln and Our First “Public Lands”
Last Light on El Capitan. My first trip to Yosemite Valley, December 30, 1990.
What a great idea! It started with Abe Lincoln, 161 years ago today. He was the first President to create “public lands” and it started with Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove.
Today, June 29, is National Camera Day!
Kodak 126 Instamatic cartridge camera, Kodachome 64 film cartridge.
This Kodak 126 Instamatic cartridge camera was my first camera. It was a gift from my parents when I was in high school. I used print film cartridges for about 3 years. It was not until I was in college that I made the switch to slide film cartridges. With a few rare exceptions I continued to use slide film until 2003. I did not take a lot of pictures. My first two rolls of slide film lasted from August 1968 to the summer of 1969 and they include two summer camps, some college life photos and my first photo of my girlfriend (and now wife) Melissa. I used this Instamatic camera for about 8 years.
Sarah: A Last Minute Baby-Bump Shoot
I received a text message on a Saturday night from a very pregnant young woman. Sarah told me she might deliver early and she wanted to know if I could shoot Sunday morning at 7:45 am. It was her only chance to shoot that week. Of course I said yes.
Metaphid Jumping Spider
Metaphid Jumping Spider
When a rare photo opportunity comes your way, jump on it (pun intended). You have no idea if or when it will happen again.
Get a Quality DSLR and Two Lenses for $500
Canon Rebel T7 camera body and two lenses.
Yes, you can get a quality, name brand DSLR with two lenses for under $500 at Canon USA. I found this particular kit today (June 19, 2025) at the Canon USA web site.
Google Maps Tracking
Google maps tracking for July 19, 2024.
If you have the Google Maps app on your phone, you can turn on or off the ability of the app to track your travels. Some people like this and some don’t. You can turn tracking on and off any time you want. The map does not drop bread crumbs that track your exact routes. It draws straight lines between stops. Each round symbol on the map shows one of my stops for the day. Most of these are photo stops but some are for food, gas, or other necessities. By using two fingers on the map on your phone’s screen, you can zoom in or out on the map.
Trip Logs
Trip Log, September 28-29, 2024.
Before there was Mapquest or Google Maps, there was me! (Tongue-in-cheek font.)
Happy Birthday Big Bend!
Sunset, “The Window”, from the Chisos Basin.
Big Bend National Park was officially established June 12, 1944. Generally I don’t like deserts. I like mountains, high altitude lakes and streams, cool breezes, and pine scented air. So imagine my surprise when I fell in love with Big Bend on my very first visit.
“Napalm Girl”: Who Created This Famous Image?
Children flee a napalm attack in Tr?ng Bàng on June 8, 1972. Left to right: Phan Thanh Tam, who lost an eye, Phan Thanh Phouc, Kim Phuc, and Kim’s cousins Ho Van Bon, and Ho Thi Ting. The “Napalm Girl” photograph galvanized an anti-war movement in the United States.
Associated Press/AP
53 years ago today a photographer clicked his shutter and one of the world’s iconic images was created. Officially known as “The Terror of War”, until recently it has been attributed to AP photographer Nick Ut who won a Pulitzer Prize for this image.
Video of Ronald Reagan’s Speech On the 40th Anniversary of D-Day
President Reagan’s 13 minute speech at the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc is considered to be one of the great speeches in American History. In addition to President Reagan, these world leaders were present: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.
Links The text of Reagan’s D-Day speech at The History Place Video of Reagan’s D-Day speech at YouTube
The Text of Ronald Reagan’s Speech On the 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Video: The Story Behind Robert Capa’s D-Day Photos
John Morris, Capa’s London photo editor, tells the story behind Robert Capa’s D-Day photos, including the terrible darkroom mistake that ruined most of the photos. The high resolution video is best viewed full screen. You can see a contact sheet of the nine surviving negatives (ripped sprocket holes and all), Capa’s photo notes, and hear the story of the rush to get the prints back to the U.S. for publication in Life more. Fascinating imagery.
Link
Robert Capa and D-Day, June 6, 1944
Robert Capa: Normandy. June 6th, 1944.
June 6, 1944 was the allied invasion of Normandy, the largest seaborne invasion in history. 24,000 allied troops parachuted into France shorty after midnight. The next morning beginning at 6:30 am over 150,000 American, British, and Canadian troops landed. There were 10,000 casualties and 4,414 confirmed dead.
One Photographer and Eleven Outdoor/Travel Writers Pick the Best National Parks for Summer
Last Light on Mt. Rainier
Summer is the most popular time to visit the national parks. With so many to choose from, where should you go? Which national parks will provide the best photographic opportunities in the summer?