Epic Status Photoblog

 

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Action, Outdoor, People

After spending years as a flyer with a private team, my younger sister Ashley started cheerleading for Iowa State University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action, Attractions, Outdoor, People

A quick shoot of Tom and Amber’s kids before the sun gets too low.

 

 

 

 

Des Moines, Night, Outdoor, People

We went camping at Rock Creek State Park near Kellogg and Newton.

 

 

Ken busted out the slack line to test everyone’s balance.

 

 

 

 

Abe found a pair of “Antlers.”

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting findings along the nature trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After patiently waiting for them to align at the right moments, these random kids made decent subjects.

 

 

I needed a foreground object to place against the sky colors.  Unfortunately it was chow time and the sun was setting fast.  Ben and Abe became victims of chow face syndrom.

Greatest Hits, Nature, Outdoor, People, Travel

The much acclaimed Halo game franchise has concluded with Halo 3.  Hundreds of stores nationwide opened at midnight on the night of Monday the 24th for pre-sales.  In select larger cities the festivities included store sponsored parties, prize giveaways, and in-store game matches.  Above shows the Halo 3 release line at Game Stop in Urbandale Iowa at 8pm, 4 hours prior to the release.

 

Best Buy Halo 3 line at 8pm on Sept 24th.

 

Zoom forward to 11pm.

 

All kinds of people attended.  One guy brought his cat with, while a highly bearded guy appears to be praying.

 

 

 

Free Red Bull for everyone waiting in line.  It helped everyone stay awake long enough to get some games in before going to sleep.  Well, for those of us that went to sleep this night.

 

 

 

 

 

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This guy that works at ColorFX is a huge asshole.  Can I say that here?  Of course I can.  I don’t like to bust people out, but this is a valid exception.  Anyway, bigshot here is apparently more important than everyone else.  He employed this clever game of making small talk with someone ahead in line then walking in front of them, two or so at a time.  Very slick.  If you’re bigger than this ogre and see him in a dark alley, you know what to do.  

 

 

Hugs 25 Cents

 

Let the journey begin, or end… Halo 3 Trilogy.

Night, Outdoor, People

So it started like this: Minding my own business enjoying my duty free Sunday, I receive a frantic phone call.  It was Richard.  He asks how fast can I get down to the banks of the Des Moines River in West Des Moines.  Realizing my plans for the day didn’t even include a trip outdoors, I was stumped.  Then Richard says “Well dude, me Dion and Kelly are 4-wheeling along the river.  It’s awesome, bring your camera.”  Ok, Ok, I’m there.  No one happens to mention that I can’t get there by car.  I have to ride over a levy, across a highway, and through a mile or two of trails on the back of a 4 wheeler with two bags of gear.  Luckily it was well worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action, Des Moines, Greatest Hits, Outdoor

The Fall for Urbandale festival contained a skate competition at the Urbandale skatepark.  In between taking pictures I got to watch a minute or two of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action, Outdoor, People

Tom and Amber wanted some quick portraits of their daughter Summer and son Mason.  I have great respect for photographers who shoot posed children portraits.  This isn’t easy.  We didn’t shoot much because someone needed a nap.  It wasn’t me this time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outdoor, People

We went camping somewhere other than the Saylorville area this time.  Island Park in Adel Iowa was a great alternative and just as close to Des Moines.  Not to mention it’s right beside Adel, providing easy access to necessities.

 

Bonnie and Josh’s combined children show their superhero strength.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard got the rest of us in trouble with our significant others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In case anyone wonders, my camera takes some good pictures.  Luckily there’s no human intervention needed, it does it’s job then lets me know when it’s done.  Now if I can only teach it to cook for me.  But then again, my pans cook some really tasty food anyway.

 

 

We met this assumably remotely rural lad while he walked through our camp to get to the Raccoon river.  He stood at our camp for a little while, telling us stories about his pa, ma, and other family members.  After we couldn’t stand to hear any more we had to tell him to “run along now.”  Nice kid, if not tear jerkingly boring.  They must not have any neighbors or schools in his area.  The kid sure can hold a fishing pole for a 8-hour shift, let me tell ya.

 

 

Island Park Adel, Electric Sites

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gals played the game telephone with the kids.  Amusing.

Attractions, Greatest Hits, Nature, Night, Outdoor, Parties, People

Still in Chicago, we ventured down to the Navy Pier area.  Of the hundreds of “must see” attractions in Chicago, Navy Pier is up there in the top 5 most popular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our seagull friend visited for a while, we shared some popcorn with him.  I realize it’s no cold mushy worm, but that’s all we had for him.  It turned out he loved the stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greatest Hits, Outdoor, Travel

The next few posts will show photos taken from our half week trip to Chi-town.  This post focuses on what we saw when we first arrived and between other sights in the Chicago area.

 

Nice hotels in decent parts of Chicago are extremely expensive.  We instead stayed out in the Suburb of Itasca and commuted via Metra trains to Chicago each day to avoid outrageous parking costs.  You get to experience the city a little more that way also.  After exiting Union Station in Chicago, this is the great view you’re greeted with.

 

 

 

 

Our cab ride back from the Museum of Science and Industry, taking the safe route around the ghetto.  On our way down there, having not prepared a route, we took the L train to Englewood where we waited on the street for 25 long minutes to transfer to a bus.  I wouldn’t quite suggest it.  The bus stop probably isn’t the most dangerous part of this Chicago neighborhood, but that wasn’t reassuring either.  You know you’re in a poverty stricken area when a street vendor exclusively sells used couch cushions and socks, and the citizens congregate on milk crates in the median of the road.  Needless to say, the camera was well hidden in my bag.  Come to find out, this is one of the worst crime areas in Illinois, with approximately 70 murders a year.  See the link above for statistics about lovely Englewood.

 

So the cab driver speaks English that is less than distinguishable, and we have to pay $40 to avoid waiting in the ghetto at sundown.  That’ll be just fine I guess.  Hopefully his night will be as safe as ours, driving cab here is Russian roulette.

 

 

This mans’ job is to monitor the printer on the stool, on the sidewalk.  Whatever you say boss.

 

Tons of Navy types running around the city, they must be docked nearby. Chicks dig uniforms I’ve heard.  Remember this if absolutely everything else fails.

 

All the tall buildings reflect light onto each other throughout the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why yes I am taking pictures of the back of your head.

 

Being the rebels we are, we crossed the street while the no crossing symbol was lit… after checking around for any signs of the FBI or CIA.

 

These two got on our Metra train at Itasca and got off at Union Station as we did.  Yes he tucked his long sleeve shirt into his shorts.  He can go straight from a meeting at the office to a walk on the beach with his lady.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Berghoff

 

Outdoor, People, Street Photography, Travel

My NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrom) continues.  I decided I have to have a medium long-range lens to add range.  The economy Nikkor 55-200mm VR fit the bill for this use.  

 

Not only does it give me better reach for when I can’t get up close, but also it adds the ability to compose images differently because your angle changes.

 

 

I can better capture people without them knowing or being anywhere near them, great for street photography when I don’t feel like getting caught.

 

 

 

 

 

Nice bokeh.  Notice how the background is soft and out of focus.  Using a wide aperture with a longer lens will result in this narrow depth of field which can be placed at your preferred distance to add bokeh where you want it.

 

 

 

Nature, Outdoor, People, Street Photography

Tom and I went to the Woodland Cemerery near downtown Des Moines to scope out the awesome sights reported to exist here.  Not being ones to spook easily, we went there around sundown.  Be aware of their closing time, as the automatic gate will lock you in and you’ll have to resort to more creative methods to exit the grounds.  Besides that, there’s not even enough light on the grounds to avoid tripping over the cold hands that reach out of the ground to grab your feet.

 

Many fancy mausoleums were scattered around the place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Des Moines’ “City Receiving Vault”

 

 

 

 

 

Des Moines, Night, Outdoor

I arrived at the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, IA (30 mins from downtown Des Moines) just in time to see the balloons heating up in preparation to fly.

 

More hot air balloons than you can shake a stick at, literally.  Over 80 balloon pilots participated in this years event.

 

 

They have to try to catch a flag on this pole.  Balloon pilots can only steer by adjusting altitude to catch different directional air streams.  Even then it’s usually not possible to move more than a couple directions.  Learn more.

 

 

 

 

I was shocked by the massive number of people that drove to Indianola on a Wednesday night to see the balloon classics.  Although I can’t blame them, it’s something you have to see in person.

 

 

Night Glow, or “Nite Glow Extravaganza” according to National Balloon Classic lingo.  All participating pilots attempt to simultaneously release gas into their balloons, making them glow in the twilight.

 

 

Tree birdhouse hot air balloon

 

 

Towards the end of the Night Glow (Nite Glow Extravaganza) the staff opens the gates, allowing spectators to visit with the balloon pilots and get a much closer look at these huge contraptions.

 

 

 

Attractions, Greatest Hits, Night, Outdoor, People

We stopped in Elk Horn, IA to check out their authentic windmill.  Elk Horn is the largest rural Danish community outside of Denmark.  In two years the small town raised $100,000 and recruited 300 volunteers to locate, purchase, move and rebuild a windmill.  This is what they found, shipped from Denmark in 1975.  Shipping across the ocean alone costed $8,000 USD.

 

 

 

 

Attractions, Buildings, Greatest Hits, Outdoor, Travel

I’ve done enough “rail fan” photos lately, but this one introduced itself to me while I was trying to drive to the MLK viaduct.

 

 

 

Going… going…

 

Gone

Des Moines, Night, Outdoor

I’m always a sucker for these downtown Des Moines skyline shots.

 

 

Buildings, Des Moines, Downtown, Greatest Hits, Night, Outdoor