tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31439654825963100972024-03-18T22:38:16.605-05:00Travis GrahamPhotography has become a passion for me and I strive to take the best pictures possible. Sometimes the stars and planets align just right and I get the picture I envisioned. I can't exactly explain how it feels when that happens, but it's a great feeling! Other times I may wind up with nothing except a learning experience and I'm ok with that because I understand the difficulties involved in trying to get great pictures. This blog is dedicated to my experiences in photography.T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-33451750125899432802014-02-11T22:26:00.000-06:002014-02-11T22:26:27.125-06:00Visiting the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I posted a couple photographs via Instagram that were captured during my family's first visit to the Old Chain of Rocks bridge spanning the Mississippi River. The bridge is located on the north edge of St. Louis and just downriver of the confluence of the Missouri River merging into the Mississippi. I'll try not to spew a ton of history, but a few items are noteworthy. The bridge opened in 1929 carrying motor traffic across the Mississippi River as part of U.S. Route 66. It's more than a mile in length, but actually has a 22 degree bend occurring in the middle of the span. Today it carries pedestrian traffic (walking and biking) as part of a trail system. The bridges unique (and very cool!) name comes from a 17-mile shoal called the Chain of Rocks which made navigating this stretch of the river very dangerous. Additional info on the bridge can be found <a href="http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/chain_of_rocks_bridge_illinois_missouri.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Our visit to the bridge was a spur-of-the-moment decision on a Sunday afternoon. We were out driving through another new (at least, new to us) area when my wife made the suggestion. A couple weeks back an "Eagle Day" event was held at the bridge, so my wife figured we could visit the bridge and, hopefully, see some eagles. Getting there required some heavy GPS navigating and a crossing into Illinois (via the <i>new</i> Chain of Rocks bridge) since we decided to access it from the Illinois side. Upon arrival, a strong historic aspect was present and as we began walking across the bridge I think my wife and I both started imagining how the bridge "looked" in its heyday. It's hard to think of the immense impact of something like this in 1929, but I'm sure it was huge.</div>
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In all, I think we spent almost 3 hours (!!) walking across and back, although it didn't seem that long. The weather was in our favor, which was a nice deviation from the rest of this winter. Views from the bridge, both north and south, are quite impressive. The southern view provides a scene of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch that is quite different from what one normally might see. And, we did see some Bald Eagles, probably 20 in total! Most of them stayed about 1/4 mile downriver on some small sandbars, but we did have one that flew very low and directly above us on its way downriver. My kids thought that was pretty amazing. Heck, I know my wife and I thought it was pretty amazing, too. To end the day, we witnessed an absolutely gorgeous sunset - one of those that stays with you for a while!</div>
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I hope you enjoy this set of photos captured during our visit! As usual, click on each photo to see larger versions.</div>
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-8541881268838729452014-01-31T00:09:00.000-06:002014-02-11T22:34:48.488-06:00Catching Snowflakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When we moved to St. Louis from our home in Kansas, one thing I knew I was going to miss about our old house was the large "picture" window that looked out onto our front yard from the living room. We spent a lot of time gazing out that window - watching the kids play, thunderstorms rage, sunrises & sunsets. Sometimes, an entire morning might be spent with a coffee cup in hand staring out that window.</div>
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Winter always brought lots of bird activity, since we kept several feeders very close to the house. I soon found that I could waste several hours watching birds come and go from those feeders. We kept several bird identification books within close reach and soon learned all the common species. And it was always a thrill to see a new bird show up. Obviously, with the feeders so close to our "picture" window, I found it the perfect opportunity to try my hand at some bird photography and I loved it. Now, I'll be the first to admit that this probably shouldn't be viewed as <i>real</i> bird photography, since the birds are only showing up because of the feeders. I never had to work real hard to get the photos, but it wasn't completely easy, either. Some of those birds don't like sitting in one place for very long! All-in-all, I probably have more photos of birds stored on my hard drive than anything else, including my kids, and it's all due to that window.</div>
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So, now we're in StL and no longer have the fantastic "picture" window, which made me think my easy bird watching/photographing days were over. However, with our new home, we ended up with a pretty amazing backyard and a deck that's almost in the treetops. This winter, my wife threw up some feeders just off the deck and guess what happened? Birds arrived! What's even better is that I actually have several different vantage points to get photos, either through the double-door windows off the deck or with my camera lens sticking out my bathroom window on the 3rd floor. Just one of those small victories that shows that change isn't always bad.</div>
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This photo was taken during the largest snowstorm StL had seen in almost 10 years (it dumped about 12 inches). Since it was a Sunday and I had nothing better to do, I sat watching the birds feed with camera in hand. In the photo a small Carolina Chickadee calls to another Chickadee just outside the image frame. With it's beak open and the snowflakes falling, I couldn't help but be reminded of watching children capture snowflakes on their tongues as they play in the snow. Who knows, maybe that's what it was really doing!</div>
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-73124507892027523652014-01-06T22:11:00.000-06:002014-02-11T22:37:38.399-06:00First Post of the New YearIt's hard to believe that it's been almost 3 months since my last post. Those 3 months really flew by and suddenly it's a whole new year (Happy New Year!). My photography has been a little stale lately, outside of my typical around the house photos of my family. Stopping to think back, I can't provide a good explanation for not getting out and exploring more with my camera. I know there were times I thought about it, but didn't make it happen. Probably a combination of several things: work responsibilities, family responsibilities, laziness, lack of inspiration, laziness, laziness, and laziness. Yep, that probably sums it up.<br />
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I also got wrapped up in a little G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome) when some new cameras were released late in the year that I suddenly felt like I <u><b>needed</b></u> in order to improve my photography. This is odd, because I'm one of those "the best camera is the one that's with you," type of person. I truly believe that, too. I'd rather get the picture with whatever camera I have than miss out because I feel my equipment isn't good enough. Yet, I found myself lusting over a couple cameras and it definitely contributed to my lack of photographic ambition. In the end, I didn't make any purchases and I think it'll work out for the better. I'm actually feeling rejuvenated to try getting the best out of the the camera I have because I know I haven't, yet.<br />
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That was the long way of saying that I don't have any current photos to accompany this post. Yes, lack of inspiration coupled with laziness means no new pictures worth sharing. But, I do have a couple from last fall that I had planned to post, but never got around to it (lazy, again!).<br />
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So, here's to trying not to be lazy. Hope you enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Portfolio/ClosetoHome/i-2qjBdJF/A" imageanchor="1" losetohome="" ortfolio="" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" www.travisgrahamphotography.com=""><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1qbQSv-Sw2j0bElfUxHifymy5TQu9QA9c7UKCuGrhtnftNncu7MhcZv2O3T-DWTrvZ4yC-PbGtIN7OqbljIetWP9B0f-ljllfM2Io6qP2pWhdxiV6vuz_LVQ7cWuwZDQdO53vHiJesNC/s1600/DSC_0718.jpg" height="470" width="640" /></a></div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-50727201425918032452013-10-15T22:30:00.000-05:002014-02-11T22:38:39.839-06:00Gray Sky, Green Earth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-21301389717219588512013-09-19T21:52:00.001-05:002014-02-11T22:39:21.101-06:00Scorched<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another example of the surprises offered up at St. Joseph Peninsula during our visit last spring. This burned area was within 1/2 mile of our camp spot. As I mentioned in an earlier post about this state park, my preconceived vision of its scenery was blown way out of the water. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that we could go from white sand beaches to a dense pine forest in less than 100-200 yards.<br />
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We never did find out any details on the fire that burned here. Then again, I'm not sure we actually asked any of the park staff. But, it didn't appear to burn too much vegetation, although there were a few buildings (at least one was someone's house) that came very close to getting damaged. I was drawn to the intense contrast it offered from the rest of the healthy, green vegetation elsewhere in the area.<br />
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Enjoy!T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-318920236603199862013-09-15T22:05:00.000-05:002014-02-11T22:39:47.140-06:00More from St. Joseph Peninsula<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really enjoy photographing birds and, leading up to our trip to Florida, I read that St. Joseph Peninsula is a hot spot for a large variety of birds. It definitely didn't disappoint as I saw and photographed many birds that were all new to a mid western dweller. Although I typically like to get the "up-close-and-personal" shots, I really like how this photo turned out. I used my 70-300 lens, standing probably 75 yards from this tree, which was right on the edge of the water overlooking Eagle Harbor. The Cormorant looked pretty relaxed, looking one way and then the other. It sat there for quite a while, even before I decided to frame some shots.</div>
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Conversion to black and white was an easy decision and one that went through my mind even as I was framing my shots. The light wasn't fantastic with very harsh mid-day contrast. The sky was also giving me fits as it wanted to simply blow out to complete white. I backed down on my exposure enough to get the sky to not blow out and also leave some good light and detail in the bird and tree.</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-27194345228551402712013-09-11T22:14:00.000-05:002014-02-11T22:40:20.398-06:00The Ocean is Amazing<span style="text-align: start;">I had to wait almost 30 years to see the ocean, finally getting my chance on a family trip to Hawaii in 2008. Definitely not a bad place to see it for the first time. I was shocked at its enormity! Even now, thinking about it as I type I'm still in awe and have a hard time picturing just how big it is. Sadly, I can still count on one hand the times I've relived the experience of walking onto a beach to take in a vista of endless water. But, I know it's an experience and feeling I'll never forget and I look forward to more opportunities to sink my feet into sand and swim in the surf!</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-17679336928202790362013-09-11T00:11:00.002-05:002014-02-11T22:41:39.307-06:00Catching Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Portfolio/Nature/i-Cxjj89V/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNj_R82IBqcfC6xt4g0l_bhMA_6lZ666H1U2_KCKD-HVdn_AUnHbkuDhkG56GYHhqWPlA1zrsPrxNePelIzj99nJCn5HO84b8sEmpLJOhkli3IE6PZGqYH1WNSEmyvSEOVuFHPF3NkoGoe/s640/P3201095-Edit.jpg" height="528" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm <i>finally</i> finding some time to catch up on some past photos. I've spent the last two nights browsing and selecting photos from our March vacation to Florida's St. Joseph Peninsula. It's been great looking at all the photos from that trip and letting the memories really sink in.</div>
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I'm finding that I actually prefer delaying my major photo edits whenever I'm able to snap large numbers of photos. I know some who shoot and post photos right away. For me, I enjoy going through my photos as soon as they are downloaded to my computer and I <u>always</u> flag some photos as my early favorites. But, then I step back from those photos for quite a while. When I finally do revisit them I typically discover that photos I had previously flagged might not do much for me anymore and other photos start jumping out as my favorites. I wonder what would happen if I shelved those photos again for a couple months and revisited. Would I discover different favorites once again? I think this plays into our normal way of seeing things. Look how often fads and trends come and go...and come again. Before I know it my son is going to be pegging his pants and feathering his hair.</div>
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I definitely didn't stumble upon this "delayed" routine on purpose. It's an effect of living a typical family life where kids, work, honey-do's, and, sometimes, laziness all come into play. Being able to sit each night and edit photos just hasn't been an option. Fortunately, I managed to stumble into a method that works quite well.</div>
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Anyway, this photo was one that I flagged as a favorite the first time I went through my Florida pictures. I can't count how many different edits I did until finally getting one that I really like. I played around with several color versions before deciding to go black and white. But, it took several attempts to get all the tones the way I envisioned them.</div>
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I remember the first thing that caught my eye in this scene was the way the blades of grass etched patterns into the sand as they moved in the wind. I took some close-up photos of those patterns, but the end pictures didn't offer much. So, I re framed, going wider, and was able to capture the shadows across the sand along with the grass and patterns. I think this final picture turned out well.</div>
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This week is going to turn into my St. Joseph Peninsula week as I finish posting several more photos from that trip.</div>
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-90111760193079266752013-08-26T23:02:00.001-05:002013-08-26T23:02:39.490-05:00Twofer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Portfolio/Nature/i-xzx9F4z/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_Zo2zEa6Itn9biI2ABcHt0ICw_RAV7mi_RwthjGdyAodw-dbEwRTRV_g4HFXKHje39D2HkNofwgaOsonnRU1m2lJKucj10ZQTjFVZEiTLXOOnve_IKhztUb-qf8NneT0Kzn_AO7RNut9/s640/DSC_0670-2.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Today I offer you a twofer. Both photos taken this spring when the pasture grass was well past knee high. I think I had one of our dogs with me on this walk and it was comical watching her bound through the grass - appearing, disappearing, and then reappearing over there. Pretty enjoyable, these strolls through the field.</div>
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I find it quite amazing how, when you really stop and take notice, you find some pretty awesome stuff, stuff that's too often overlooked. It's easy to do as we rush through our days, struggling to meet deadlines, transport kids, make ends meet. I'll leave you with a quote I heard once...or twice:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller</span></h2>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Portfolio/Nature/i-VCMDDkR/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDntAjazjfjoGXVB9EO1tpfin6etnv10F3kvor1HxgnPcNm2fbenOucaLvH79_lXKdzsBLFJsLekhTbtcHoH0_nd2QqhGIzPcnBKfUqBXbLHor3WwZQSpH9ipf2GymAABoferVVH9-qEV0/s640/DSC_0667.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-48742009632067222862013-08-16T22:53:00.001-05:002013-08-16T22:53:19.636-05:00Revamped WebsiteMy photography website hosting service recently offered some new fantastic tools to aid in customizing my website. The timing was perfect, considering I'd been going through ideas on how to give my site an updated look for quite some time. Change is a good thing, right?<div>
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So, I finally took the time to play with some of the new tools and over the course of several late night customizing sessions, I managed to arrive at something I'm quite pleased with. Refreshingly simple, but effective. I released my new look into the wild last night (or was it early this morning?), so I hope you take the time to check it out:</div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/">www.travisgrahamphotography.com</a></div>
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I'm sure I'll continue to tinker with it some more in the future, but for now I'm pretty happy with it. On that note....</div>
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Each spring my wife's grandmother has a couple flower gardens that explode with a colorful rainbow of Iris flowers. Interestingly, the name "Iris" is actually derived from the Greek word for a rainbow since the many Iris species come in so many colors. I've taken a lot of pictures of these Irises during each Spring, but I was never able to capture an image that I really liked, until I captured this one earlier this Spring. The sun was low on the western horizon and the light transmitting through the petals caught my eye. This flower appeared to glow. I moved to arrange the brightly lit grass as a background, which makes the flower's colors really pop.</div>
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Enjoy!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Portfolio/Nature/i-KcMx4Xr/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1gjEG-5z7vCIWCAW7ryEaqGhOZ0tUUr2RQ3h_WYwWRENpSZm3XxTndPC6ToIz1eAQ0hg-QaHp7zT9yDl-pVMw9MTfUfBB_DjUmjmXRuoSJt2tfz4k88JmJqxXeOrBk0Al9xJOLLQNHrk/s640/DSC_0733-Edit-2.jpg" title="Spring Iris" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-48364902184114350372013-07-22T23:11:00.000-05:002013-07-22T23:37:04.428-05:00Along the Kansas River<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Just a quick post to let everyone know I'm still alive and we didn't have to leave anyone alongside the interstate during our move. Always a plus. But, we are official St. Louisans - not sure if that's the correct term, but it sounds good.<br />
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I haven't had a chance to venture out around St. Louis with my camera, since we're still getting situated. Therefore, this is an older photo taken during an afternoon visit to the Kansas River, which was one of my favorite places to photograph. I loved how vibrant the yellow and green grass was against the tree trunks. That color really popped and easily caught my attention. I also wanted to capture greater depth of field, so that details are seen throughout the photo. I think it turned out good. I like to think of my images like this as mini-landscapes. We often get caught up in the "Grand Vista," but sometimes it's the smaller details that affect us most.<br />
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-92100482864722188402013-06-25T20:02:00.001-05:002013-06-25T20:10:45.454-05:00The Sun Going Down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2597458021&k=FJgRRNT&lb=1&s=XL" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2S4y2R39N3mColmZ4-AJTaZG60jAIkEJ7PtPhM8aEwCMA5tc4qE2daqSeBg5b-HEwp_2hOJB8Y-QjWi-yigBh3fXufB_j1Ogk60eloFyincb5VYXRvYcTvzsltUc9H51HeSiYp8exHzf/s1600/DSC_0742-Edit-10.jpg" height="471" title="Northeast Kansas Sunset" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wow, the last 2 months passed in a blink. That can sometimes be good or bad. In this case, it's a little of both. Since my last post, I accepted a new job in St. Louis and have been commuting weekly from our current home in Basehor, Kansas. I've been doing that since April 29 and I'm ready to get my wife and kids moved. I've told many people in the past that Northeast Kansas was the farthest east I was ever going to live, so I guess I'll proceed to shove my foot in my mouth over that comment.<br />
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With all the new work and all the traveling, I've had very little time with my photography. But, sometimes you have to make sacrifices and there's nothing you can really do about it. Obviously, a primary objective has been finding a house and we succeeded. Now, we are anxiously awaiting our July 8 closing. My second objective was another obvious one - make the most of my weekends spent back with my wife and kids in Kansas and I think I've succeeded on that front, also. But, the weekends have gone much too quick, as well.<br />
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I mentioned previously about time passing quickly being both good and bad. It's good in the sense that I'm really enjoying my new job and I only have a little more than 2 weeks before my family makes the move to St. Louis and our new adventure will officially begin. If the job was going poorly, then I can't imagine how miserable I'd be having to be away from my family. It's bad in the sense that we'll be moving away from family and an area that has grown on me over the last 11 years. It's never easy to leave family, but at least we're not moving so far away to make frequent visits difficult. As for leaving Kansas, I never imagined I'd ever admit that moving there was probably one of the better decisions of my life. Have I enjoyed Kansas? Yes, at least for the last 9 years. Will I miss Kansas? Absolutely.<br />
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So, to honor the state I've called home since 2002, I give you another magnificent Kansas sunset. I've been awed by many of these over the last 11 years. Seems fitting as the sun goes down on one chapter of our lives and a new chapter begins.<br />
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<br />T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-43682555388132077742013-04-13T19:53:00.001-05:002013-04-13T19:53:32.210-05:00A Southern Surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2454377946&k=Bv6WTxq&lb=1&s=XL"><img alt="" border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXBRKhljTa3l8uXgq_TtNKVMvPsbtVWzBIjV4lBBD0rv97Q9EQ8x1qKD8BjDKGBII6GcylxHfqWWbWO-lqH8vwI98ssOyp2uX-wv_vFqj7Fdifos3G-eGP5izDoWpMIQD1LngwUmyboP9/s640/DSC_9550.jpg" title="St. Joseph Peninsula" width="640" /></a></div>
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Had someone tried explaining to me prior to my family's trip to the Florida panhandle that 60% of the route would consist of driving through dense pine forests, I would have told them they were crazy. My mind had already painted a picture of what I was going to see and that painting did not include pine trees. But, my first trip through the south was a pleasant surprise regarding the scenery. I was amazed as we drove through Mississippi and Alabama - pine trees everywhere and the overall scenery was gorgeous. How could this be? Was I ignorant or just uninformed? Probably both.</div>
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Even as we crossed into the Florida panhandle I figured there <i>HAD</i> to be some point where we'd leave the pine forests behind and we'd move into flat grassland...or palm trees. Where were all the palm trees? I kept picturing breaking free of the pine "tunnels" we'd been driving through to see the ocean waves breaking on the horizon. But, this vision never materialized and those pine trees followed us right up to the edge of the gulf coast. Oh, there were palm trees, too, but how did these pines get there? </div>
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This photo was taken on our first morning waking up on the peninsula. We'd finally arrived at the camp ground after dark, so there was <i>some</i> mystery left as to what things would look like right on the beach. Once again, I was thinking there would be more palm trees than anything else. But, walking 20 feet through an opening in the bushes behind our camping spot yielded the beautiful scene here: tall grass, a marshy waterway, and...towering pine trees.</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-78050513384851894302013-04-04T23:14:00.000-05:002013-04-04T23:16:40.369-05:00Spring...Maybe??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2441656250&k=cWk22MR&lb=1&s=XL"><img alt="" border="0" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-cl5yUeAO99Cj4k1AKzXw_w7UYZOFW0hYbrv0Tz3rMb4mlmTF4X5z5VLh2GRSC5XHh3U1WaLIF64IoSjwMZGmXhQavEq4SpWBZFX80f6hpFcbwXSyVbJWfGwiasjo5oP9FwLwzcU0Rt-/s640/DSC_0174-2.jpg" title="Walking The Green River" width="640" /></a></div>
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The winter season has finally ended...or at least we'd like to think. Kansas winters aren't too terrible, but this last one seems to keep dragging on and we had a couple significant late season snow storms. And, just when we finally do get a little spring weather tease, it seems like we slip back into cooler temperatures. I know more than one person who'd like to strangle that stupid groundhog in Pennsylvania.<br />
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So, what does a sunny summer photo of a beautiful river have to do with winter? Absolutely nothing! I'm tired of cold weather and I'm ready for summer. In fact, let's just skip spring altogether and bring on the heat wave!</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-23564349282082288582013-01-16T00:30:00.000-06:002013-01-16T00:37:33.165-06:00It's Been Cold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2322185379&k=fZ9bjG3&lb=1&s=XL"><img alt="" border="0" height="521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWahNPeTZtMd8Mi8IYvBFuLOSx1yFKujcEErdpOz4CyrlCeVz-Wd31aBQJhyphenhyphenuxgYtD8jUM6XBNKuGGyhqTOP8JtOSk1N5n3ZctbmMKRwnrOeQtImICVmONN48u0WlM5HgAAI-lP7C0rJ99/s640/PA190103-3.jpg" title="Autumn, Roaring River State Park, Missouri" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cold, wintry weather is upon us. But, that doesn't mean we can't have warm thoughts! This photo is from our October camping trip to Roaring River State Park located in southwestern Missouri. The park is a wonderful place to spend some time relaxing with family and friends.</div>
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A trout fishing destination known for its beautiful natural spring that feeds the river and local trout hatchery, this state park also offers some good hiking trails with access to gorgeous scenery. This year, we lucked out and experienced some marvelous fall colors.</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-70218141768952260782012-11-11T23:17:00.000-06:002012-11-11T23:17:49.221-06:00Not Your Typical Fall Color<br />
Wanted to share a couple pictures taken this past month close to our home. I was targeting the stereotypical fall foliage that we all love, but didn't have much luck in that department. Instead, these two scenes grabbed my attention and I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2181148025&k=JZXh6tL&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Fall Leaves on Reflecting Water"><img alt="Fall Leaves on Reflecting Water" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-JZXh6tL/0/M/DSC_2024%20-%202012-10-02%20at%2018-21-23-M.jpg" title="Fall Leaves on Reflecting Water" /></a></div>
T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-70817555673539156462012-10-29T17:33:00.000-05:002012-11-11T23:08:48.267-06:00Behind the Lens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2181150409&k=45nJrzH&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Self Portrait in Native Surroundings"><img alt="Self Portrait in Native Surroundings" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-45nJrzH/0/M/DSC0180-M.jpg" title="Self Portrait in Native Surroundings" /></a></div>
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I spend a lot of time with a camera shielding my face, staring at the world through the lens (TTL for you non-photography junkies). A consequence of my love affair with this medium is that I rarely show up in any "real" photos documenting my family's daily happenings or vacations. Sure, I could always approach a stranger and ask them to snap a photo of me and my family, but I'm not too trusting of other people with my equipment.</div>
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However, there are times when I like to document that I *still* exist. When this occurs, I typically find a light source (usually our nearest star), place it directly behind me, and then attempt to frame an interesting composition that includes my indispensable sidekick. Most of the time, the resulting photos are never shared since I don't view them as serious photos, it's simply me messing around. But, the photo here actually turned out really cool and so, I wanted to share it.</div>
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This photo was taken during our annual family trek back to Wyoming. We were wrapping up a nice evening walk along the beautiful Green River. I had actually turned to photograph something else and noticed my shadow staring back at me...and *Click*. I like to think of these photos as my own little self portraits.</div>
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If you happen to follow me on Instagram (travisgraham44), you may have noticed a couple of my other self portraits in my photo stream. Speaking of Instagram, I <i>really</i> enjoy that little application and feel like it's another easy avenue for creativity. I only post photos taken with my iPhone because I feel like importing photos from my other cameras would be cheating. My most recent Instagram photos appear in my blog sidebar.</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-50962241111542005412012-10-06T02:26:00.000-05:002012-10-06T02:26:42.091-05:00What Happened to the Print?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I recall one of my earliest computers which housed what I then considered a "large capacity" hard drive. I'm pretty sure it was 6.2 Gb and I remember thinking to myself, "How could anyone <i>EVER</i> fill up 6 gigs of disk space?" Now, 6 gigs isn't even enough to run a modern, feature laden operating system. Even worse, 6 gigs is barely large enough to hold 2.79% of my current photo library - Seriously!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEfpSpJtOpfl47mTuP76YGlZqPVv-mtUGYVdfLQoSronpvKrAjQGStADxxAGzC_F1bF6YSo7GIqHb5F6GjxFAcWWE3uyTgEbp7bgFJaZ0kusGaonD1j1bmCkw9f3VfmX8lMzyRCoUK7bf/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEfpSpJtOpfl47mTuP76YGlZqPVv-mtUGYVdfLQoSronpvKrAjQGStADxxAGzC_F1bF6YSo7GIqHb5F6GjxFAcWWE3uyTgEbp7bgFJaZ0kusGaonD1j1bmCkw9f3VfmX8lMzyRCoUK7bf/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In today's world of digital photography photo libraries and the storage to hold them have exploded in size. I recently read a quick fact that stated 70 billion photos will be uploaded to Facebook this year and that Facebook's photo collection currently has over 140 billion photos. 140 BILLION!!!! But, what do people really have to show for all those photos? If we're taking and sharing photos so quickly, are we really stopping long enough to enjoy looking at them and the memories they hold?<br />
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You may be asking, "But, Travis, you post a lot of pictures, so aren't you just as guilty?" Maybe I am. Over the course of the last 6 years I have snapped A LOT of photos. However, I bet 98% of them are never viewed by anyone but me, which in itself is a shame. They sit on my hard drive collecting digital dust. Even worse, of the 2% that I do share, probably 1 in 100 will get printed for <i>proper</i> display. Ok then, why don't I share more photos? And why don't I print more of the photos I do share? My primary excuse is that I'm very picky on deciding what photos get shared, which is where I feel I differ from the average person. If I don't think it's worth sharing, I don't share it. My second excuse is that I'm too busy to sit and go through them, which is a "mostly" true statement. Am I busy? Absolutely. Can I make time to sit and edit photos? Sure, but it's tough. Most of my photo editing sessions occur late at night after everyone else is asleep. The past 3-4 months, I've been so consumed with work that I haven't really felt like editing photos because sleep sounds so much better. Yes, yes...just excuses and excuses are like a**holes, right? :)<br />
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Not that long ago, I remember hanging out with friends and, most of the time, someone had a 35mm film camera with them. At a time when saving money for beer was on of the highest priorities, the cost of film seemed really expensive and you only got around 30 exposures per roll. Blindly snapping photo after photo could really be looked at as a waste. Even without blindly snapping it seemed like 1/2 the photos came back looking like crap anyway. Yet we snapped away and it never failed that when someone came home with several envelopes of newly developed photos, everyone in the apartment immediately stopped what they were doing, huddled together, and jockeyed for the best position to see what surprises the envelopes held. Laughter ensued, surprises were found, events were remembered! The "good" photos typically made their way onto pin boards or the refrigerator for permanent display. Does anyone do that anymore?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_FHVy7UVMQoi3poWLScdZ2H22jzQxy6XvDzlDDiz9ILCHeLEhRo0X8U7h4SFtSep5BEWPnnJPtWh8ePJguEcqJGaThv5oK5sqIOIKAJq8RTs4F0mWVFofghsWH9d2Xe1BXzDDFPG3-Xx/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_FHVy7UVMQoi3poWLScdZ2H22jzQxy6XvDzlDDiz9ILCHeLEhRo0X8U7h4SFtSep5BEWPnnJPtWh8ePJguEcqJGaThv5oK5sqIOIKAJq8RTs4F0mWVFofghsWH9d2Xe1BXzDDFPG3-Xx/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anyway, I've pretty much babbled along here without making much of a point, but I promise you there is one, so hang with me...</div>
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A couple months ago, a friend and former coworker took a new position with a new company. After a couple weeks at his new job, he approached me with a question - if he selected a couple of my photos, would I get them printed for him so he could frame them to hang in his new office? "Are you kidding? I'd love to," was my response. Heck, it's not every day someone wants to hang one of your pictures for display in their office! With that, he selected his photos and I assured him I'd try to get him the best prints possible.</div>
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For the next week I went back and forth several times trying to decide where I wanted to submit my photos for printing. I finally decided to try <a href="http://www.mpix.com/">Mpix</a>, which was a bit of a gamble because I'd never used them before. I submitted both photos for printing on their metallic finished paper in size 12"x18", which I've found to be my favorite print size (at least for framing) because it does not require any cropping for 3:2 aspect ratio photos. Plus, I consider it my "Goldilocks" size, not too big and not too small - just right! Two days after placing my order, the prints arrived.</div>
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Now, if you've hung with me this far, here's where I'll try to make one of my points (yes, there may be multiple "points" by the end of this thing). As I began opening the box for the prints an old familiar feeling began to wash over me. A feeling of excitement and curiosity, just like the past with those film envelopes. Oddly enough, I had some nervousness mixed in, too, because I wanted these prints to turn out <i>really</i> good. I finished getting everything unwrapped and upon seeing the prints for the first time my jaw dropped. They looked magnificent and better than I ever imagined! And, I once again realized that there is no better way to view a photo than in print. Yes, computers, laptops, tablets and cellphones are nice and very convenient, but photos were <i>made</i> to be printed.</div>
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To add icing to the cake, when my friend saw his new prints for the first time, his reaction was exactly like mine. He couldn't believe how good they looked and his reaction was 110% worth the time I spent getting the prints ready.</div>
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So, thinking back, this whole process made me realize several things (ready for more points??):</div>
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1. We allow life to overwhelm us far too often and we all need to slllllooooowww down and enjoy the experiences in front of us because they don't last forever. It's more important to care about capturing the moment than it is to care about how many people are going to "like" your photos.</div>
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2. Share/display your photos! What's the point in taking them if they're never going to be viewed...and enjoyed...and talked about?</div>
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3. Print your photos! Photos help us remember, good or bad, and are worth printing for permanent display. They don't belong on hard drives. Hard drives are dark, magnetic, and spin really fast. On your hard drive a photo is just a bunch of 1's and 0's. Printed, a photo can be a work of art, a conversation piece, a memory.</div>
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4. Technology is rotting our brains. :)</div>
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Now, if I can only follow my own advice.</div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-20533883199748661692012-09-06T22:35:00.001-05:002012-09-06T22:38:15.064-05:00Color in a Dry Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thought I'd share a little bit of color in protest of the hot and dry summer we've had. These were all taken within 10 ft. of our house. My wife managed to work some magic in keeping some greenery and color going through the worst of the heat. Kudos to her! I'm quite partial to the photo of my Japanese Maple (yes, mine), since it was a Father's Day gift from my wife and kids when we first moved to our current house. It's actually had new growth on it most of the summer, which is surprising.</div>
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Anyway, here's to hoping the sweltering heat is behind us as only 16 days remain until the Autumnal Equinox and, quite possibly, my favorite season of the year! It's only supposed to be a high of 77 tomorrow. Word.</div>
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Enjoy!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/ClosetoHome/15443228_XhfnZW#!i=2071632586&k=XtwTVDR&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/ClosetoHome/i-XtwTVDR/0/M/DSC9754-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/ClosetoHome/15443228_XhfnZW#!i=2071632792&k=rv9gkBS&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Japanese Maple"><img alt="Japanese Maple" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/ClosetoHome/i-rv9gkBS/0/M/DSC9786-M.jpg" title="Japanese Maple" /></a></div>
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T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-87715485234370884932012-08-21T00:51:00.003-05:002012-08-21T00:51:57.024-05:00Kansas Sunflowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2038025395&k=f6HHZzv&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kansas Sunflowers"><img alt="Kansas Sunflowers" height="265" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-f6HHZzv/0/M/DSC0798-2012-07-29-at-18-49-16-M.jpg" title="Kansas Sunflowers" width="400" /></a></div>
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My new job has been occupying a ton of my time and it doesn't appear to be slowing down when looking toward the horizon. I'm enjoying it immensely, but an obvious downside is the time it takes away from other things I enjoy. Catching up with Jodi and the kids when I get home takes priority over everything else, so I have to get my "free" time in whenever I can. Proof of point, it's currently 12:28 AM as I write this and even though I know I have to get up for work I'm in no hurry to get to sleep. </div>
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Overall, it's been a pretty slow outdoor photography year. On top of the busy work schedule, most of the summer was absolutely miserable due to the excessive heat. The area landscape is in very poor shape right now from the sun baking it each day with very, very little moisture. It's really hard to get too excited about outdoor photography when it's 105 degrees - every day - and all the greenery isn't very green!</div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=2038025914&k=bhcXjJx&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kansas Sunflowers"><img alt="Kansas Sunflowers" height="167" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-bhcXjJx/0/M/DSC0861-Version-2-2012-07-29-M.jpg" title="Kansas Sunflowers" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=2038041176&k=cr27g9z&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kansas Sunflowers"><img alt="Kansas Sunflowers" height="265" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-cr27g9z/0/M/DSC0860-2012-07-29-at-19-11-18-M.jpg" title="Kansas Sunflowers" width="400" /></a></div>
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But, even under the worst circumstances something sensational can occur. Driving home from Lawrence one evening I passed a farmer's field full of sunflowers and was awe struck with its beauty. It's a familiar field right off the highway in which the farmer alternates his crop each year (last year was corn). Since I no longer drive that highway each day, I wasn't aware that this year was a Sunflower year. Even so, it was difficult to imagine anything thriving in the weather this summer presented, but this field proved otherwise.</div>
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Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera. I briefly considered stopping anyway to use my iPhone to snap some pictures, but figured there was no way an iPhone could do this field any justice. At that moment I made it a point to somehow make some "free" time that would allow me to return in the next couple days avec camera. Two days later, on a superbly gorgeous evening, I returned and spent a little over an hour admiring the beauty through my camera's viewfinder.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=2038036814&k=6JWQ5Fg&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kansas Sunflower"><img alt="Kansas Sunflower" height="265" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-6JWQ5Fg/0/M/DSC0813-2012-07-29-at-18-54-18-M.jpg" title="Kansas Sunflower" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=2038036847&k=SbfVxrW&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sunflowers and Starburst"><img alt="Sunflowers and Starburst" height="265" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-SbfVxrW/0/M/DSC0810-2012-07-29-at-18-53-03-M.jpg" title="Sunflowers and Starburst" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=2038039109&k=McLS9Fr&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Late Bloomer"><img alt="Late Bloomer" height="265" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-McLS9Fr/0/M/DSC0846-2012-07-29-at-19-09-15-M.jpg" title="Late Bloomer" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=2038041523&k=wPVLqjL&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Kansas Sunflower"><img alt="Kansas Sunflower" height="400" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-wPVLqjL/0/M/DSC0877-2012-07-29-at-19-19-28-M.jpg" title="Kansas Sunflower" width="264" /></a></div>
T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-44262749363874471712012-07-30T23:30:00.002-05:002012-07-30T23:31:43.211-05:00A Simple Window<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Things/18225698_6vh3DM#!i=1997311338&k=ZpxJKHf&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Screened Window"><img alt="Screened Window" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Things/i-ZpxJKHf/0/M/DSC0311-2012-06-27-at-14-23-00-M.jpg" title="Screened Window" /></a></div>
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A simple click that probably made me stop and think more than most. Why? Because I had a really hard time explaining to myself why I like this image so much. It seems so simple, yet I kept coming back to it over and over.</div>
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So, each time I came back to it I tried to determine a new reason for liking it. Below is my list of reasons, in no particular order:</div>
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1. Simplicity - Let's face it, there's really not much going on here. Yet, it's been shown before that some of the most striking images are very simple in structure. For the most part, I think people tend to capture too much "info" within a single image. Have you ever come across a scene that you felt was absolutely amazing - we're talking the bee's knees - snapped a photo and then been disappointed with the image upon later review? Why didn't the image convey the awesome feeling you had at the time of capture? The likely culprit is probably that the image contains too much information. Yeah, it happens to me all the time!</div>
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2. Detail - The photo really brings a rustic feel to my mind. You can tell that the window and the siding are a bit weathered and the overall structure definitely wasn't built yesterday. The weathered look provides a lot of details in all the wood siding and I managed to nail the exposure to bring out detail in the white frame of the window and the screen.</div>
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3. That screen covering the glass window - This is probably the hardest to explain, but it's also what made me stop and take the picture in the first place. Even now, each time I open the image my eyes immediately focus on the screen. It does help that it's the brightest part of the image, which means our eyes and brains will tend to focus on it first. But, the screen itself lends a lot in trying to "see" the building as a whole and what the building is for. Right away I think of a building that's not meant to be occupied for long periods of time. The screen is too restricting to let in a lot of light and nobody is going to peer through that window to gaze at beautiful scenery. If someone had been standing there, looking out the window as I took the photo, you'd hardly be able to see them! It's also quite thick and an obvious conclusion is that the screen's sole purpose is in protecting the glass from being broken. If I had no other knowledge of this building, I'd conclude that it's located in a very public place and has been on the receiving end of vandalism in the past.</div>
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4. Contrast - I love the contrasting shades of black, white, and gray. The shadows help draw attention to the details of the wood. I think the actual building is red and white, but I took the actual picture in black and white (not color and then converted to b&w). The shadow along the left and bottom edges of the window frame help in making it pop out of the scene.</div>
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5. The bird shit - After the screened window, it's the next thing my eye is drawn too. Just a weird little detail that really seems to fit in just right.</div>
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6. It's different - By this, I mean it's different than my preferred captures of wildlife and natural landscapes. I love capturing nature in photos and it's my first choice when I venture out with my camera. But, I don't want to be caught up in a label, either. It's fun to venture outside my comfort zone to try capturing a compelling image. I mean, technically I'm not really a photographer, since I don't make any money doing this. In that sense, I'm just an engineer. But I like to keep myself on my toes!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-86122925975845224582012-07-14T17:06:00.003-05:002012-07-14T17:08:32.078-05:00A Stroll Along The Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=1964852497&k=DpCGpPQ&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rising Above The Green River"><img alt="Rising Above The Green River" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-DpCGpPQ/0/M/DSC0152-Version-2-M.jpg" title="Rising Above The Green River" /></a></div>
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It's been severely hot and dry this summer, not just here in Kansas, but all over the mid and western US. The lack of water has taken its toll: lawns are yellow, trees are already losing their leaves, and crops are quickly going to waste. It's times like these when you realize our immense dependence on water and how much we take that dependence for granted.</div>
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It's also amazing how much difference a year can make. About this time last year, we were visiting my hometown in Wyoming. The winter of 2010-2011 had produced record snow packs in some areas and, although winters in Wyoming are already tough, the vast amount of snow was a welcome site to a state suffering about 10-12 years of drought conditions. As we drove across the state creeks and rivers were flowing out of their banks. We drove into the Snowy Mountain range west of Laramie (Highway 130 - a beautiful drive!) and there were still 6-8 foot walls of snow and ice lining the road in several areas. In fact, I wanted to show my wife and kids the <i>Sugarloaf</i> area where my friends and I often hiked and fly-fished during college and we couldn't even turn off the road because it was drifted in with snow.</div>
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But that was last year. We just returned a week ago from our annual trip for this year and the landscape was a 180 degree change. Dry, hazy (fires in several regions including some of my old stomping grounds), and hardly anything was green. So, it was a great surprise when we rolled into Green River and saw that the <i>actual</i> Green River was flowing quite nicely at a much higher water level than I expected. It was probably the only flowing body of water we saw on the entire trip that didn't look like it was a couple months away from drying up completely.</div>
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One of our first nights back in town, we took the kids and drove down to the <i>Scott's Bottom</i> area of the river on the southeast edge of town. The city has done an amazing job constructing a greenbelt system that spans a good deal of the river and now extends from the middle of town all the way to the <i>Scott's Bottom </i>(aka FMC Park) area. We were all anxious to stretch our legs a bit after the 2-day drive from Kansas and there's no better way than strolling along <i>The Green</i>.</div>
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It's an extremely beautiful river and I often forget how much I miss it. I couldn't help staring at it, reading its ripples and pools thinking, "There's probably a fish there....and there...and there." The area we walked is a thriving riparian habitat and my kids were quick to start pointing out the various birds and critters we saw. These riparian zones along the river stick out like sore thumbs, considering this area of Wyoming is mostly desert with not much more than sagebrush and dirt. I've always loved standing high on the hills surrounding the city and looking down on the contrast provided by the lush, green banks of the river. It truly is an integral part of the community and environment.</div>
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This photo shows the river and the hills that rise above her east of town. The light was just starting to come together and I stepped away from the family to frame the shot. I chose black and white to try highlighting the contrast I was seeing. The clouds were really starting to form nicely and I liked the shadow play they were causing upon the hills. I also liked how the clouds and some of the hill "faces" that were in light were complementing each other. Throw in the light that was lightly touching the grass in front of me and things came together well.</div>
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</div>T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-24825826560519428772012-06-26T01:56:00.000-05:002012-07-15T10:21:20.821-05:00It's Good to be Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=1928320722&k=hdbhVc7&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sunset over Green River, Wyoming"><img alt="Sunset over Green River, Wyoming" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-hdbhVc7/0/M/DSC0194-M.jpg" title="Sunset over Green River, Wyoming" /></a></div>
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It's hard to describe the feeling I get when returning to my hometown, but I look forward to it each visit. I don't get the opportunity to visit as much as I'd like, so I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. This year I've challenged myself with taking the time to get out and take some meaningful photos. It's tougher than it sounds because my primary reason for visiting is family and it's hard to sacrifice time with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles - who I only see once a year - to go out shooting photos.</div>
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Nonetheless, my wife, kids, and I spent most of the day exploring the wonderful landscape surrounding Green River, Wyoming scouting for good photo opportunities. This day, we concentrated on the area east of town where the Green River winds it's way south leaving the town behind it. My plan was to file away some spots that I would later return to during more ideal shooting hours. In fact, most of my shots early in the day were with my iPhone just trying to put together ideas.</div>
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It was pretty hot during our midday excursion, so we decided to give the kids a break, but agreed that we'd come back in the evening after it cooled off. Returning to the river around 7:00, we walked along the bank looking for wildlife. I wasn't fully in photographer mode, instead trying to help my kids enjoy being able to explore an area they're unfamiliar with. It turned out to be an absolute gorgeous night. I snapped a few pics here and there, but wasn't completely satisfied with most of them. After some time, we decided to call it a night, but at least I had a few more ideas to return to.</div>
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As we started back toward my Grandma's house, my wife asked about an area I mentioned earlier in the day. I told her we were very close and asked if she wanted to cruise that way for a bit and she agreed. I knew we couldn't get to the exact spot I wanted before sunset and didn't really want to attempt it because it would've made for an interesting drive back to town in the dark. Had it just been me and my wife, then maybe. But with the 3 kids with us, I didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.</div>
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The dirt rode was horribly rutted from someone else's poor decision to tear up the road sometime earlier in the year when it must've been sloppy with mud. So, it was very slow going as I navigated to keep everyone from bouncing out of their seats (the kids were enjoying it!). I finally mentioned that we couldn't make it to where I wanted and that I'd turn around. But my wife told me to at least go down around a bend she could see explaining that we could possibly catch the last of the sunlight over the town. I continued on and have to give her credit because the view back toward the west was spectacular. Actually, the views in all directions were pretty impressive. I stepped out of the car, crouched down, and snapped the picture you see here. Not bad considering I was still in "scouting" mode and we'd taken an unplanned detour.</div>
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Enjoy!T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-20543429953083005702012-06-18T23:36:00.000-05:002012-07-15T10:22:12.673-05:00Freshly Baled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/15452326_9W68sk#!i=1897269416&k=rXrmJMz&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Freshly Baled"><img alt="Freshly Baled" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Landscapes/i-rXrmJMz/0/M/DSC9908-M.jpg" title="Freshly Baled" /></a></div>
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I couldn't resist photographing the hay field with fresh bales scattered about. I've always loved hay fields and farm fields, in general. There's something about them that I find nostalgic and a little romantic. The fact that they can be quite beautiful helps, too. Obviously, Kansas has plenty of farm fields, sometimes as far as the eye can see - and beyond! It's known as The Wheat State for good reason and it's been a very early harvest so far this year in regards to the hay and wheat.</div>
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I hold a high amount of respect for anyone that earns their livelihood farming or ranching. My Grandpa has ranched his entire life and shows no signs of stopping. Some of my fondest memories are from the weekly visits to the ranch to visit him and my Grandma. I loved when he or my uncle would call and invite me to help gather cows or stack hay and it's something I dearly miss. Anymore, the smell of a freshly cut hay field or the raunchy smells of cow and horse manure immediately take me back and make me wish I could visit more often.</div>
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In that sense, this photo is very fitting since my family and I are leaving this weekend for our annual trek back to my hometown. This work week can't end soon enough. And, although my wife and I go through a little bit of hell on earth traveling with 3 young kids and over 2000 miles round trip, the first time I see my grandparents and then later stand on their porch as we watch deer come of the river into the alfalfa field, believe me when I say it's worth the price of admission!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143965482596310097.post-61667545702883857422012-06-09T15:57:00.001-05:002012-07-15T10:22:38.738-05:00Struggle to Survive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/15452693_95bgSL#!i=1895415945&k=sSXh9ss&lb=1&s=A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Robin Chick"><img alt="Robin Chick" src="http://www.travisgrahamphotography.com/Galleries/Nature/i-sSXh9ss/0/M/DSC0086-M.jpg" title="Robin Chick" /></a></div>
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I first ran into this little robin chick early in the week as I walked across the property toward my in-laws' house. I'm surprised I saw it at all as it sat motionless just inside the edge of the grass. I know better than to mess with mother nature, but I'll admit that my first reaction was to look up into a nearby tree for a nest. My hope was that one was easily accessible so I could return the little guy (or gal?) to a safer environment. I'm sure no one would argue that its chance of survival are far less on the ground as they would be in its nest, especially when there are no less than 5 cats roaming around - all accomplished bird hunters.</div>
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I slowly crouched and moved closer to see if it might be injured and it finally let me know I was close enough by giving out several loud chirps and hopping away. With that "alarm" signal sent out I was suddenly bombarded by two adult robins trying to draw my attention away from the little bird. I grinned and complied with their request and felt better knowing that the little bird's parents were at least close by and looking out for it. But, as I walked away I couldn't help thinking that its chance of making it through the night were pretty slim.</div>
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Fast-forward a couple days and I happened to be walking by the same area where I'd originally noticed the bird. Much to my astonishment I once again saw it sitting motionless in the grass. It'd only been a couple days, but already I noticed that the bird had changed a bit and seemed to be doing pretty good. I wasn't tied up with anything important, so I headed back to the house to grab my camera and figured I'd better hurry since it was getting close to sun down.</div>
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When I returned, the bird was gone - at least it appeared that way. I knew it couldn't fly, so I began slowly scouring the grass and nearby bushes without luck. Just about the time I was going to give up I heard a small chirp and looked in its direction. There it was, perched upon the rusty wheel of an old farmer's push cart. I smiled and thought about the struggle this little bird was facing for survival. So far, it was beating the odds! I dropped to my stomach and crawled as close as I felt comfortable without scaring it from its "safety" perch. After snapping a few pictures, I thanked it for its cooperation and slowly backed away and left.</div>
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It's now been several days and I haven't seen the little bird again. My hope is that it made it to a safer area and is doing fine, but reality makes me think this story has an unhappy ending.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>T Grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920906252022113222noreply@blogger.com0