Blue Lion Birds: The Exhibit (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of my series of bird images related to the exhibit mentioned below. Click HERE to see the images from Part 1. 

In conjunction with a local reading group called ALLen Reads, an exhibit of my bird images will be on display at the Allen Public Library for the entire month of February. In addition to the exhibit, I am honored to be a part of a panel discussion on February 7 at 7:30 pm with two wonderful local conservationists from the Connemara Conservancy and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. If you are in the Dallas area and wish to attend, the discussion titled, “It’s for the Birds”, – Here’s the press release for more information.  My photographs will be featured in the gallery case in the lobby as you enter the library. 

All prints at the exhibit as well as sets of exhibit greeting cards (10 per set) will be available for purchase at the Allen library’s circulation desk or by contacting me by email. (john @bluelionphotos(dot)com) You can also purchase prints by clicking on the image in these posts and then clicking the “buy” button in the upper right hand portion of your screen.

Since many of you do not live close enough to visit – I am taking this opportunity to share images from the exhibit here on the Blue Lion Blog. If you DO live close by, I hope you stop by the exhibit to take a look and support the both the Allen Library and ALLen Reads! 

(If you’d like a larger view of any image, just click it to enlarge it to better suit your screen size. )

Touchdown! 

Golden Eagle Stare Down

Spectacled Owl


Stay tuned for the next installment in a couple days! 

Blue Lion Birds: The Exhibit (Part 1)

In conjunction with a local reading group called ALLen Reads, an exhibit of my bird images will be on display at the Allen Public Library for the entire month of February. In addition to the exhibit, I am honored to be a part of a panel discussion on February 7 at 7:30 pm with two wonderful local conservationists from the Connemara Conservancy and the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center. If you are in the Dallas area and wish to attend, the discussion titled, “It’s for the Birds”, – Here’s the press release for more information.  My photographs will be featured in the gallery case in the lobby as you enter the library. 

All prints at the exhibit as well as sets of exhibit greeting cards (10 per set) will be available for purchase at the Allen library’s circulation desk or by contacting me by email. (john @bluelionphotos(dot)com) You can also purchase prints by clicking on the image in these posts and then clicking the “buy” button in the upper right hand portion of your screen.

Since many of you do not live close enough to visit – I am taking this opportunity to share images from the exhibit here on the Blue Lion Blog. If you DO live close by, I hope you stop by the exhibit to take a look and support the both the Allen Library and ALLen Reads! 

(If you’d like a larger view of any image, just click it to enlarge it to better suit your screen size. )

Steely Eyed Glare

Drying Darter

Night Watchman


Stay tuned for the next installment in a couple days! 
PART 2 is now posted! 
PART 3 is now Posted!

Reliving the Civil War through Digital Photography (Part 2)

In an earlier post, I shared my new found interest in shooting Civil War reenactments. It originated from seeing the results of my first shots  from a small "skirmish" and realizing that I did not care for the impression of the color photographs which (to me) appeared totally unrealistic due to their color. Simply converting them to black & white was not the answer. When I did that I t was an improvement, but a minor one. The real secret to my happiness and contentment in this area was when I realized that these images needed to have texture and feel of the original photos from the 1860's. 

                 

    The "Mayor" of Port Jefferson           Ladies of the town discussing the impending hostilities

(Click on any of these images to see a high resolution version)

This is when the digital tinkerer in me got to work --- I started plating with different ways of dodging & burning the black & white images as well as adding various textures and layers to create a look that added authenticity to each shot. I quickly learned there were several ways in which I could get pleasing results depending on the nature of the original subject.

 

                 SARGE                                  Looking Ahead

Interspersed throughout this post are images I created during the 2012 Battle of Port Jefferson in the town of Jefferson, Texas. Strictly speaking, this event is not a reenactment  because this battle never actually occurred. Rather it is an "enactment" of a battle of the Red River Campaign that might have occurred had the Civil War lasted longer. As the town of Jefferson was then an inland port for the loading of cotton from Dallas and East Texas, it was an obvious target for the Union forces as they would have tried to place a stranglehold on the movement of good and thus money in this region. 

 

                                        Marching as to War                            Occupation

While the entire event spans the first weekend in May,The actual "Battle" consists of two parts. In the morning there is a skirmish between opposing forces along Austin St. The great part of this is that spectators get to line the street and be up close with the action! 

 

The Breastworks                               Snipers

The main part of the "battle" occurs outside of town on a ranch and includes a full range of troops and artillery. For this battle they rig up explosive charges in the ground to simulate cannonball impacts. The cavalry are there as well as hundreds of infantry. 

 

Giving Orders                               Call to Battle

As this is the largest Civil War gathering in Texas, it is truly impressive. As a civilian, you are encouraged to visit the military encampments the soldiers set up as their bases around town. The reenactors take great care to recreate life in these camps just as it was in the 1860's. 

If you live within a day's drive of East Texas, I'd recommend making a weekend of it and visiting Jefferson, TX  during the next Battle! It is a great living history lesson and also a great chance to get to explore a fun Texas town. 

The best way to get updated information about this year's Battle is to visit the Marion County Chamber of Commerce website.

In my next post , more images from the afternoon Battle! 

2012 COUNTDOWN - THE WINNER!

THE 2012 COUNTDOWN - THE WINNER! 

Over the past week we've counted down the most popular 25 images of 2012 as determined by how members of the Blue Lion “Pride” responded to them during the year on various social media sites.  If you happened to miss any of the previous countdown posts just click on them here!

• Part 1 – Images 25-22
• Part 2 – Images 21-18
• Part 3 – Images 17-14
• Part 4 – Images 13-10
• Part 5 – Images 9-6
• Part 6 – Images 5-2

The Most popular Blue Lion image of 2012 is:

#1 – INLET SUNSET

This photograph was taken from Garden City, South Carolina looking west across Murrell’s inlet to the village of the same name. I had gone out the night before in hope of shooting good sunset shots, but was greeted by a rather pedestrian sunset. A chance visit to the town of Garden City the following day let me realize there was a great vantage point across the inlet that would afford a much better view of the setting sun. This image was the result!

If you are in the Dallas area this coming summer and would like your children to get an introduction to Nature Photography, I will be teaching several weeks of Nature Photography Camp in June and July. I will post details when they become available in March. If you’d like to see some of the work of my “Nature Photography Campers from 2012 please click on the following links:

• Nature Photography Camp Week #1 Morning Session

• Nature Photography Camp Week #1 Afternoon Session

• Nature Photography Camp Week #2 Morning Session

• Nature Photography Camp - Week 2 Afternoon Session

Thanks so much for all your support and encouragement this year. I am looking forward to an exciting and productive 2013!