Our grandson Drew

Sunday, September 11, is Grandparents Day. Ironically, I didn’t know this until I heard it on the radio yesterday while going to visit our grandchildren. The photos of Drew (above) and Ryan (below) were taken last night, not long after our arrival.

We will have a great weekend visiting our children and grandchildren. If you are a grandparent, you already know that any day spent with one of your grandchildren is grandparents day.

When I was growing up, my mother used to say “When you have children, you will know what life is all about.” When our children came along, my mother would say “When you have grandchildren, then you will REALLY know what life is all about.”

If you are a grandchild, call your grandparents Sunday and say hello. Actually, any day is a good day to connect with love ones.

Wherever you are, have a great day!

Our grandson Ryan

A rescued baby cries in the arms of a policewoman after being brought to land on a boat from floodwaters in New Orleans September 1, 2005. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

You can help.

to continue, click the page links to the right

The Canon 5D is a great new camera with a full-frame, 12.8 megapixel CMOS sensor and it costs $4,600 less than the only other full-frame D-SLR currently in production (see the post below). It has a a 60 jpeg frames continuous buffer (17 RAW) at 3 frames per second. It adds spotmetering to center weighted, partial, and evaluative metering. It has several major advantages over the Canon 20D which makes the upgrade worthwhile if the price isn’t too big of an obstacle ($3299). The Canon 20D does have some minor advantages over the 5D.

Continue reading →

One of two recently announced (Aug. 22) Canon lenses is the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. If this lens is up to the usual L series quality expectations, this lens will be a great choice for photographers looking for a lighter weight alternative to the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens. The EF 24-70 f/2.8L lens has long had a reputation as one of the sharpest mid-range zoom lenses, but it is big and heavy, and costs around $1,140 USD.

Continue reading →

Canon 5D digital camera

It’s now offical. After lots of rumors and a Canon news leak a few days ago, today Canon announced the EOS 5D digital camera with a full frame, 12.8 megapixel CMOS sensor with an expected price around $3300 USD. For everyone who has been wanting a full frame sensor in a less expensive body, this is a huge step in the right direction.

Continue reading →

Fall River Road, 360 degree panorama.
Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

Fall River Road begins at the west end of Horseshoe Park in Rocky Mountain National Park and ends at the Alpine Visitor’s Center. This photo was taken near the upper end of the road.

to continue (and see larger versions of this photo), click the page links to the right

If you like gorgeous, world class cinematography – GO!
If you like beautiful music – GO!
If you like fascinating “natural history” stories – GO!

to continue, click the page links at the right

COED, The Ohio State University. Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

A candid portrait taken while walking across campus. Canon 20D. Canon 28-135mm IS lens at 100mm (the equivalent of 160mm in 35mm film terms).

Sony has come out with a great 5 megapixel “superzoom” camera that is arguably the best competition to the Canon S2 IS (see the post below). If you are looking for a superzoom point and shoot, which is the best one for you?

to continue, click the pages links at the right

Dancer at “SPECTACULAR”, Graceland University.
Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

This dancer was photographed during a worship service at “SPEC” (see the previous post). More SPEC photos are here. SPEC reports are here.

SPECTACULAR 2005 group photo. Copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

SPECTACULAR, usually just called SPEC, is going on this week at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. Over 1,000 high school aged youth and staff have gathered from all over the world to spend a week of challenge, learning, worship, sports, music, arts, and fellowship. It is a joyful, exuberant week.

to continue, click the page links to the right

Red Rocks Lake and Indian Peaks. Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

Many of the rocks in Red Rocks Lake really do have a reddish tint, hence the name. It is popular for both fishing and photography. A lot of water lilies bloom in the summer. The Indian Peaks, named for tribes native to Colorado, form the backdrop.

Canon 20, 17-40mm lens at 38mm.

Fall River, Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

Mt. Chapin is reflected in a calm stretch of the Fall River at the west end of Horseshoe Park. This spot is just west of the Alluvial Fan and on the south side of the road.

Canon 20D. 17-40mm lens at 17mm. Aperture: f/16. Shutter: 1/60 second.

Fishing, Big thompson River, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

This stretch of the Big Thompson River flows through Moraine Park. My plan was to do a landscape photo. When I found this family fishing at my preferred location, incorporated them into the photo.

Canon 20D, 28-135mm lens at 80mm.

Sunset, Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

This photo was taken from Rock Cut on Trail Ridge Road, just 12 minutes after the marmot photo in the last post. Canon 20D camera, 100-400mm lens at 210mm.

Konica – Minolta Maxxum 7D Digital SLR

Mike Johnston wrote a “Rave” review of the Konica-Minolta 7D at the Luminous Landscape website. If you have Minolta lenses for a Maxxum film body and have been thinking about getting a digital SLR, you should read this review.

There is also a review at DP Review where the K-M 7D received a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, the site’s highest.

Pop Photo magazine compared this camera to several similar digital cameras. I published a summary here.

Personally, I would put a lot of weight on the reviews by Johnston and at DP Review. If you already have the lenses and you want to go digital, this is a great way to do it.

Fireworks over Yukon, Oklahoma. Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

“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).

To see an engraving of the original and George Washington’s personal printed copy, go here.

to read the entire declaration, click the page 2 link at the right

Kodak recently announced that they will discontinue the manufacture of black and white printing papers. This is a sad day for photography. There is nothing quite like the luscious look of an exquisite black and white photo that has been printed well on black and white paper.

to continue, clicks the links at the right

Canon Powershot S2 IS

Although a lot of digital point-and-shoot cameras have come out since I bought a Canon Powershot G3 several years ago, none of the newer models have tempted me to upgrade – at least not until now.

to continue, use the page links at the right

Jan Kraybill at the organ, The Auditorium, Independence, Missouri. Photo copyright (c) Jim Doty, Jr.

I recently spent several days documenting the World Conference of the Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri. This photo of organist Jan Kraybill is one of my favorites. The photo was taken during one of the worship services with a Canon 20D camera and an EF-S 10-22mm lens set at 10mm ( the equivalent of 16mm on a 35mm film camera). The exposure was 1/60 sec at f/6.3 in manual mode at an ISO of 800.

More conference photos are here (scroll down to the “2005 World Conference” albums). 2004 conference albums are farther down the page.

Nikon is back! The D2X is a superb digital camera with a high resolution, 12.84 megapixel CMOS sensor, and great features. This is a top level digital camera for those who want optimum performance and are willing to pay several thousand dollars to get it. It is the first digital camera to provide real competition to the superb Canon 1Ds Mark II, and for significantly less money. Competition is good for all of us and Canon may need to drop prices on current or future models.

DP Review gives this camera a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, their highest. Read the glowing review here.