Skywatch Alaska...

It has been a few weeks since I have been able to do skywatch Friday, between work and other commitments I just did not have the time to do it right, but this week I do. Click the photograph it gets much larger and reveals allot more detail. This photograph was taken along the turnagain arm in Alaska during our family vacation two years ago. What a beautiful place Alaska was, we spent almost a month traveling around in a rented camper. We would like to go back again sometime and do a cruise of the inner passage, to many places to see and to little time to do it all. Be sure and click the link to see great skies from all over the world. Thanks to the skywatch staff for putting together a great program.

Making Tintype Photographs Continued...

I guess I should have switched yesterday's and today's post around since you must take a photograph before you can develop it. This is a continuation of yesterday's post, the camera in the first photo was made by this man. When you look into the back of the camera to take a photograph unlike today's camera the image is upside down. I hope you enjoyed the break from bird photographs, I really need to get out and do some shooting.

Making Tintype Photographs...

Last Friday I posted a photograph from armed forces day last year at the Carlisle Army Heritage Center, these photographs come from the same event. Unfortunately I do not remember this mans name but he is from New Jersey and he travels to these events and makes tintype photographs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrotype. I spent some time with him as he explained his camera and the process involved to make the tintype images. Everything he does is the same as it would have been done in the 1800's, his camera and photography cart were all made by him. I am hoping he will be there again this year, it is a fantastic process and a true art.

Brown-headed Cowbird...

I did say last week that I would return to my feathered friends that I keep fat and safe in my yard. This bird is a Brown-headed Cowbird. I had not seen any in my yard until last Tuesday when two of them showed up under my hemlock tree. It was in the afternoon and the lighting was a little harsh but they were kind enough to give me a chance to get a few shots off before flying away. Follow the link to learn more about this bird http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/id.

No Birds Today...

I thought I would end the week with something different than birds from my yard, but they will be back next week. I photographed this WWI reenactor last May at the armed forces day festivities at the Carlisle Army Heritage Center. This years event will take place May 16Th if you have never been there mark your calendar it is a fantastic time.

Red-bellied Woodpecker...

Okay this one wasn't taken in my front yard but in Florida during my February visit. This is a Red-bellied Woodpecker, he is very similar to the Downy woodpecker I featured in the last month, the biggest difference is the size of his pecker LOL, I made a funny. Follow the link to learn more http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id.

More Front Yard Birds...

All girl day with the female House Finch and female Cardinal. Short and to the point today. Go Caps and Bears tonight!

American Goldfinch...

Since I have not been out to photograph anything for weeks and all my shutter releases have come through my front or back window I will stick with the birds and critters that live around my house and eat the gourmet meals I supply for them. This is one of the many American Goldfinch that eat the thistle on a regular basis from my hemlock tree. They provide me and the cats many hours of viewing pleasure, to learn more, well you know the routine, follow the link http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/id.

Northern Bobwhite...

Today's photograph was taken by my son Shane last Monday. I missed the entire visit because of working overtime, my wife called me in the evening to tell me there was a Northern Bobwhite eating our bird seed just off our front porch. Of course I quizzed her on how she knew it was a Bobwhite and still didn't believe her until I looked at Shane's memory card. This female spent the whole day at our house and by the time I got off work Wednesday night she was gone and has not been back since, just my luck. And to top if off there was a house fire right around the corner from my house the previous Monday when I was working overtime and I missed that also. To learn more about this bird follow the link http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Bobwhite/id.

Common Grackle...

Hey I took a day off now it is back to birds, this one is a common grackle and was photographed in my front yard, to learn more about this bird follow the link http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Grackle.html. Soon I will post a list of all the birds I have had in the last couple of weeks in my front and back yard, there has been many eating from the eight feeders I have out.

Harrisburg Pump Training...

No sky watch Friday again this week, I finally got a day off but now I need to make up for lost time so I do not have the time to do it properly. Today's photographs come from last weeks pump class in Harrisburg. As a firefighter progresses through his career he reaches the point when he can go for driver operator status. To do so he should have spent his last three years driver training and preparing for this time. When that time arrives they spend two weeks working daylights training on pumps, hydraulics calculations and operating ladder trucks. At the completion of the class the candidate needs to take two written and two practical test administered through the state and another test given by the Bureau of Fire. If they pass these test they become driver operators in the department. Being a driver is a huge responsibility, he is responsible for the lives of the other firefighters on the rig and the citizens on the street and in their personal vehicles. He is also responsible for operating the rig once it reaches the scene. That task can be very difficult at three in the morning after waking up from a dead sleep with fire blowing out of a building and people screaming that there is someone trapped inside. If they cannot perform these tasks the other firefighters cannot do there job either.

The center photograph is Captain Sam Clark, Sam was the lead instructor in the classes and I had the chance to assist him once again this year. Sam and I were partners on an engine company when I came on the job many years ago, I would have never imagined then that we would be training the future of the fire department now.

Hopefully you noticed that I did some different things in post processing of these photographs. After reading all the great reviews of Nik Silver Efex Pro I finally purchased it a few weeks ago and used it in the post processing of these images.

I have Something Stuck In My Throat...

I have not featured this bird yet and later this week I will post another photograph of one that is not trying to bite off more than he can chew. This is a Anhinga http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Anhinga.html, he was photographed at Viera wetlands in Florida during my February trip. He struggled for sometime before finally getting his dinner down but he was eventually successful. I did make a previous post of one coming out of the water and a great blue heron hot on his tail it can be found by following this link http://bradleymyersphotography.blogspot.com/2009/02/fight-for-food.html.

American Wigeon...

During my recent trip to a local pond I had the opportunity to photograph a male and female American Wigeon http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Wigeon.html. These are the first I seen this year at the local waterways. I have been out recently trying to capture some new big game photographs to post but have not had any luck so for now you will just have to keep looking at Pennsylvania and Florida birds. With the spring gobbler season approaching maybe I will have some fresh turkey pictures to post in the future.

You Are Cleared For Landing...

Last week I posted portraits of some water fowl at a nearby pond. In that post I mentioned trying to photograph the birds in various stages of flight, I also mentioned that I didn't have much luck. This was one of my few keepers from the day. I see I need to get my shutter speed up a little more to prevent wing blurring, I always seem to be looking the wrong direction when the action occurs.

Shippensburg Firefighters Extinguish Blaze...

On Friday February 27 I visited my hometown firehouse for a day of fellowship with the men. I am lucky to come from a town like Shippensburg where they are blessed with a great volunteer fire service. The company's in town have great apparatus, manpower and abilities. Thanks to them they gave me the skills I needed to become a paid fireman. It is always a fun time when I visit, the older guys stop in, we sit around the table drinking coffee and telling stories of days gone by, sometimes I think the younger guys think we are telling lies, but unfortunately our stories are true.

During this visit I was sick and should not have even gone up, but I was expecting company from long time friend Chief Bill Dubbs of the Chambersburg Fire Department and I was looking forward to the visit. Shortly after arriving a box alarm was struck for our first due area for a house fire. Raining and cold I didn't want to make myself worse so I rode in the duty car with the Deputy Fire Chief. It turned out to be a working fire in a back room of an old farmhouse but with our quick response and good manpower the engine company knocked the fire down very quickly not allowing much of a chance for action photographs. I did photograph some of the men which by the way I have been enjoying photographing people more and more. I hope my skills are improving, I may need some extra money upon retirement the way my deferred comp. has taken a hit the last few years.

Portraits Of The Day...

Recently I took a trip to a local pond to photograph birds and photograph birds I did. It provided me the opportunity to try and capture birds in landing, taking off and in flight, it also reinforced the fact that I need much more practice in that area as most found the delete button with very few keepers. I did get the chance to get up close to some birds and record some portraits. From the top down is a Canada Goose and a male and female Mallard. I would like to thank these birds for standing still and posing for these photos.

Belted Kingfisher...

This is a really cool looking bird, the Belted Kingfisher. Unfortunately I only got to see two of them and they were both to far away to photograph well. Although not the best photo I really like this bird so I decided to post him anyways. To learn more about this bird follow this link http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Belted_Kingfisher.html.

Florida Rabbit...

There is more than birds in Florida, they have rabbits also. This guy was hanging around my in laws place and was kind enough to stay still for me to photograph him. When you click the photos check out the reflection in the eyes of the second photo, I was trying to get myself in them but only came up with my in laws place.

Purple Finch...

The weekend has ended for you regular working folks and mine has not begun yet (I do not even get a weekend this week), the weather continues to warm up and the bird feeders are getting more active. We have never had squirrels in our neighborhood before but with all my feeders I guess they decided to bus a few in. This little guy is a Purple Finch, follow this link to learn more about the species http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Purple_Finch.html.

Bath Time...

As you can see I have been trying to slip in some other photographs over the last three weeks to give everyone a break from the bird photos. In keeping with that here is one from last fall in Yellowstone. These Mule deer were grooming each other, for the amount of shots I took I didn't get many keepers, they were just the right height with the brush to keep most from being good. That's all for this week, have a great weekend.

Alaskan Sky Watch...

Hello everyone, it is back to Sky Watch Friday. I took the last two weeks off because I can not do it properly when I work my daylight, I just can't commit the time. Today's edition comes from our family vacation in Alaska in 2007. This is one of the many Glaciers we seen while we were there. This one was taken from a ship in Valdez.

Don't forget to click the link and enjoy many other great Sky Watch Friday photographs from around the world. The Sky Watch team does a great job each week putting this together and at times helping to form friendships out of it.

Madison River Elk...

Like the last few weeks I have been trying to mix in a different photo or two of something other than birds. Today's comes from Yellowstone last October. This bull Elk was standing in the Madison River as the rut was winding down. Last years trip was my worst for photographs but this bull and the two cows that were with him provided some of the better shooting we had during the trip.