July Challenge...

"The summer looks out from her brazen tower,

through the flashing bars of July." -Francis Thompson

July.  It's a month of celebration as we remember our nation's birth...July 4th, 1776.  It's a time of family vacations, picnics, sweltering heat, and trying to stay cool.  It's a time of picture taking to remember all of these times.  Get out your cameras, and let's come up with some patriotic photographs. The challenge is pretty wide open with one stipulation: it has to have red, white, and blue in it, or fireworks.  That should not be too hard in the month of July.  

I will try to have a link about how to take pictures of fireworks later for those who would like to try to photograph them.

Rules:

1.  Pictures must not be from your archive.  They must be taken between the June and July meeting.

2.  2 pictures may be submitted.  Any size, in any format.

3.  Include file information: Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, and any edited you did with you picture.

Here are some examples to get your creative juices going.  (photos by Rob McKelvy)

Photos from I Heart Faces, red, white, and blue.  For more examples click here. http://www.iheartfaces.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-red-white-blue/

Get Clicking.

National Natural Landmarks Photo Contest...

The 10th annual National Natural Landmarks (NNL) photo contest is open for submissions until June 30, 2013.  Winners of the contest will have their pictures put in their 2014 Calendar.  The pictures must me taken on National Natural Landmark lands which includes the following areas in Chaves County: The Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge, Mathers Natural Area, and Mescalero Sand South Dunes.  Other areas can be located by County by clicking on their map.  For further information, entry forms, etc. go to: http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/photocontest.cfm

Grand Prize winner for 2012

Rob turns 60 today...

Hey everyone, today I am 60.  I wanted to do something to commemorate my milestone if it is even considered a milestone.  I had my friend Jerry Holm help me put this together.  I bought a cake for the prop; he took pictures of me in different poses, then we put me on and around the cake.  We dropped in the grass and sky from images we got online, and added a few details.  I think it is a great way to remember this day.

Bitter Lakes photo contest...

The 2nd annual Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge photo contest is now underway.  Please see the entry form below to find out eligibility, entry deadline, and photo requirements.  There is a cash prize of $100 which could be used to buy some camera stuff.  Entry deadline is August 23, so you have a lot of time to get out there to take some awesome pictures.

Father's Day and more...

Today we honor all the Dad's out there wishing them a very happy Father's Day.  Hope it was filled with lots of love, memories, phone calls, or visits from your children.

Today, in our 30 day June challenge our subject was to be a father, and since I did not have any photos emailed to me, I (Rob McKelvy) decided to put up some of my photos.  I know you all have pictures, so send them my way so I can get them posted.

Day 16: Father.  My son, who is a father,  on the left, and his father, my Hubby,  on the right.

Here are some more 30 day challenge pictures by Rob McKelvy.  I liked both of these silhouettes, so I posted them both.  

Day 11: Silhouette A

Day 11: Silhouette B

Day 12: Sunflare

Day 13: Reminder of childhood.

This is the old airport on College Blvd.  When I was little, my family lived on Montana.  My brother and I went to the airport almost everyday.  We watched them launch the weather balloons, the planes come and go, and just hung around.  My brother got a job refueling the planes, was a flagman for a crop duster, and learned to fly.  He became a pilot.  I did not.  

My action shot is pretty slow on the action part.   But my cat is doing something.  She sleeping, and sunning herself.  

Day 14: Action

 Finally, my "something red" photo.

Day 15: Something Red

Photos galore...

How many of you have tried to take photos of those little busy bees?  Well, I have, and they flitter about from flower to flower, and rarely are still long enough for me to get my camera focused before they move on to another flower.  Today, Bill Flynt sent me a picture of one of those busy little bees.  This little guy is so busy gathering pollen, I do not know if it could get anymore pollen in that little sac on its legs.  Enjoy.

Photo by Bill Flynt

All of you know Bill, so how can we not include a picture of a dragonfly as well?

Photo by Bill Flynt

Barbara Scheer has been busy with our June 30 day challenge.  She has some amazing photos.  I want some to be a surprise when we actually do the unveiling in August, but I want to share one that I thought was very good...her silhouette.

Photo by Barbara Scheer.  Look at those clouds as well.  Too bad they held their rain.  We sure need the rain.

We all are in the photo club for a reason...we love to take pictures.  Yukie has sent me several pictures. I am not sure she is doing the June challenge, but one of the things I like about her pictures is that they are the story of her life.  They document her day, the things that make up her day, and the people in them.  I think she should do a book to preserve the memories.

Photo by Yukie Ebara.  Love the morning or evening light and the light, fluffy clouds. 

I wish I could write about all the stories behind these pictures because they are all fascinating.  I will share one with you for the next picture, also in our 30 day June challenge.  One of our day's prompt was: animal.  Here is the picture I got from Jennifer Coats.

Photo by Jennifer Coats.  Her rattlesnake visitor.

I knew this picture had a story behind it, so I called her.  This rattlesnake was on her back porch step.  She first thought about shooting it with her gun, but she thought the bullet my ricochet and poke her eye out or something else. (from the Christmas Story, the warning to the little boy about his BB gun).  She grabbed the next best thing: a shovel, and pounded the snake to death.  Then grabbed her lights and camera and took this picture.  I was just on that back porch about a week ago.  I am sure glad I did not run into this snake that night.

More 30 day photo challenge pictures...

The pictures are coming in for the 30 day June Photo challenge.  Thank you all who are sending me a few of your photos along the way.  If you want to have your pictures posted, please email them to me (Rob) at: robmck@cableone.net.  Remember, it is not too late to get on board with this project.  Just start clicking, and catch up in July.  

Today we have photos from Rey Berrones and Jennifer Coats.  Rey has them posted on his website as well which can be seen here: http://www.reyberrones.com/.  He has other things on his website, too.  Go on over and take a gander!  

Day 1: morning (I think this is shaving stuff)

Day 2: something western

Day 3: hands

Day 4: favorite shoes

Day 5: clouds

Day 6: Books

Day 7: high angle

Day 8: sunrise or sunset

Day 9: fresh fruit

Now for Jennifer Coat's pictures.  Please take time to visit Jennifer's website as well which can be seen here: http://www.jennifercoats.com.  She has some amazing photos, and you will be glad you went on over and stopped in for awhile.  

Jennifer's pictures:

Day 3: hands

Day 4: favorite shoes.  (Looks like there are a lot of favorite shoes as you can see in the background)

Day 6: favorite book

Day 7: high angle

Day 8: sunset picture A

Day 8: sunset picture B

Day 9: fresh fruit

Now that we are getting some pictures up, it would be nice if people would comment.  One cannot look at these photos and not think something.  So those who are brave...how about some comments, and encouragement to the photographers.  

After the storm...

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain." 
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Yukie sent me a photo called "After the storm" which is a reminder that we do get rain...not very often, but love it when we do.  How wonderful that she captured this photo to help us remember the rain.

Photo by Yukie Ebara

More June 30 day challenge pics...

"Let our words be few, and your exposures be many." -Anonymous

Here are some photos from Sue Ashby for our 30 day June challenge.

Day 3: Hands

Day 4: Favorite Shoes

Day 6: Books

Day 7: High angle

Don't forget, there is still time to join in the June 30 day challenge.  Just start tomorrow with day 9 where the subject is fresh fruit.  You can get caught up with the previous days during the month of July.
We have some awesome pictures for the 30 day challenge.

Today is D-Day...

D-Day, June 6, 1944

"You are about to embark upon a great crusade toward which we have striven these many months.  The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion of duty, and skill in battle."  -General Dwight D. Eisenhower

D-Day was the day Western allies landed at Normandy.

A reminder and tribute to those who helped keep others free.

from: www.historylink101.com

from: www.quantumconservative.com

Eisenhower speaks to the groups
from: www.archives.gov

from: www.historylink101.com

Incredible photos by a 14 year old...

This 14 year old photographer has done some amazing self-portraits, and editing.  Well worth a look.
http://www.demilked.com/surreal-self-portraits-14-year-old-fiddle-oak/

Some photos...

We have some great photos to share with the rest of you from our safari in June 2, and some from our June 30 day challenge.  It is not too late to start the 30 day challenge if you want to join in the fun.

Here are some photos taken by Anthony Conception at the Chisum Cowboy safari on June 2...

 All the above photos are of our own Chisum Cowboy, and photographer, Bobby Goode.  He sure looks the part.  And kind of mean...like you do not want to meet him in a dark alley.  We know better though...he's like a Teddy Bear!

Love this perspective.

Next we have some photos from our June 30 day challenge.  

The following are from Barbara Scheer:

Day 1: Morning

Day 2: Western

Day 3: Hands.

And from Yukie...

Day 1: morning

Day 4: favorite shoes.  She even polished these so they would look good in the photo.

They polished up quite nicely

I end with this quote which I think is so appropriate for us photographers.

"Remember what Bilbo used to say, 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo going out your door.  You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'"
                                                                               -J.R.R. Tolkien

Isn't that true.  Once we step out that door with our camera, if we are not careful, no telling where we will be swept off to!  Or what time we will return!