Nature Photography: Severe Thunderstorm
August 25th, 2010A severe thunderstorm dumped almost an inch of rain here yesterday. To be quite honest, I didn't think this storm would do much of anything.
Oh, yes, it started out with a lot of wind, which brought the term "blowhard" to my mind. And then the wind picked up. I started to wonder if my front yard mesquite tree could withstand it...
My tough little mesquite did just fine. The rock garden next to the mesquite also fared well. Nothing like a late-summer drink...
Tip: You can view more nature photography in my portfolio.
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Graphic Design: Capabilities Statement
August 18th, 2010Design projects that include photography are my favorites.
While most of this combination work is for clients, some of my personal projects require more than one discipline. Take, for example, this website and blog, which involves design, photography, and writing.
I recently had the opportunity to integrate these three disciplines while creating the Capabilities Statement that the U.S. federal government seeks from would-be contractors.
Mine features a photo that I took while bicycling down the coast of California into the design and layout. You can view the finished product here (PDF file).
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Event Photography: First Thursday Art Walk
August 6th, 2010Yesterday evening was one of those times when the "Yeah, right!" storm clouds stomped through central Tucson. You know those clouds. They throw out plenty of thunder and lightning, but rain? No way.
So, I got on my bike and pedaled over to Main Gate Square's First Thursday Art Walk. This month's event featured work by more than 30 local artists, but, quite frankly, I couldn't find it. Then it occurred to me that it was monsoon season, and what artist in his or her right mind would want to display art outdoors?
Thwarted in my attempt to find art, I encountered music instead. Here's a member of One Heart Beat, a local percussion ensemble...
So there I was, enjoying the drumming, and what's this? Big drops of water falling from the sky? So much for saying "Yeah, right!" to the clouds.
It was time for this bike-tographer to hop aboard the two-wheeler and scurry home. Where the wind was whipping the trees, the sun was making a double rainbow, and the clouds were on strike...
Maybe it will rain tonight.
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Nature Photography: Ohio Morning Dew
August 5th, 2010I just got back from a brief trip to northeastern Ohio.
The big difference between the climates of the Buckeye State and Arizona was the moisture content. Ohio's early morning air was so thick with humidity that you could swim through it.
Of course, the local plant life was taking full advantage of the situation...
Tip: You can view more nature photography in my portfolio.
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Nature Photography: Airport Botanical Walk
August 4th, 2010One of Tucson's best Southwestern landscapes is at the airport. That's right, the airport. Here's how to find this urban treasure:
If you're taking the city bus (and, sorry to say, the drivers are on strike right now) catch the southbound #6 and get off at the park and fly lots just north of the airport entrance. You'll be on the west side of Tucson Boulevard.
Walk down to the airport entrance and cross where the sign says that the sidewalk is about to end. You'll be heading over to the east side of Tucson Boulevard, and there's a paved sidewalk that will take you all the way to the terminal.
After you cross the bridge over the (usually dry) wash, the visual feast begins.
Let's start with an ocotillo tree that has responded to our recent rains by sprouting a lush set of leaves...
Okay, this is Arizona. You're probably wondering where you can find our official state cactus, the saguaro. How about right here...
While the octotillos are sprouting new leaves, the Santa Rita prickly pears are setting their summer fruit...
Tip: You can view more nature photography in my portfolio.
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Nature Photography: The Rains Return
July 23rd, 2010After a three-month absence, an intermittent visitor has returned to the Southern Arizona desert.
While commonly referred to as "rain," this visitor is also referred to as "relief" and less flattering terms, the most common of which is, "Where in the #$%^& have you been?"
The rain in my back yard was a welcome sight on my sagging prickly pear cactii. The increased moisture means that they'll stand up straight again.
Tip: You can view more nature photography in my portfolio.
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Website Redesign: Chemistry Department
July 16th, 2010The University of Northern Iowa Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's redesigned website features a department-produced recruiting video along with information on degree requirements, research and career opportunities, and application procedures.
Recent graduates have pursued a wide range of careers, including patent law, medicine, dentistry, forensic science, and industrial chemistry.
Tip: You can view more website design projects in my portfolio.
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Website Design: Optical Sciences Researcher
July 15th, 2010Robert A. Norwood is a professor in the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences. My website design showcases his research, publishing, teaching, scholarly presentations, and patents.
The home page features a collage of photos that I took of the sculpture, low water use landscaping, and architecture at the college. (If you're interested in water-saving xeriscapes, the College of Optical Sciences offers one of the best examples in all of Tucson.)
Tip: You can view more website design projects in my portfolio.
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Event Photography: Flags and Memories
July 6th, 2010When I was in my early twenties, I set the goal of bicycling through all 50 of the United States. I accomplished this over a 12-year period, and wrote and published two books about my experiences.
My travels also took me into Canada. During a 1987 ride down the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff, Alberta, I met another bicyclist from Quebec.
In heavily accented English, she told me that she didn't really feel like a Canadian until she'd gone out and pedaled around her country. I said that my American bicycle travels had done the same thing for me.
And that's why the Stars and Strips fly outside my house on the 4th of July...
This is my country, and, thanks to the generosity of the people I met on the road, I've seen it, heard it, and felt from Maine to California and from Alaska to Florida. You can see where I went by visiting my bicycle, nature, and travel photography portfolios.
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Bicycle Photography: Going Airborne
June 21st, 2010The diversity of Tucson's cycling scene never ceases to amaze me. In addition to the wide variety of bicyclists, our two-wheelers are used for a lot more than just riding along the terra firma.
Take, for example, the riders from Southern Arizona Freestyle Entertainment. They treat their bikes like aircraft...
This gravity-defying demo was part of this year's first-ever Cyclovia Tucson. The solar panels behind the rider belong to the Brooklyn Pizza Company, which gets up to 40 percent of its electricity from the sun.
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