Take A Left

First snow of the year

2012-01-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ah, you've got to love our weather lately! One day it's 55 degrees and sunshine all day, but the next it's 30 degrees and blowing snow everywhere. I guess the one good thing about it is that I had a chance to get some decent wintery photos. Although these weren't taken the day it actually snowed, they were taken a few days later when it was back around the 40 degree mark. The sun was out and the wind was blowing pretty hard at times.

I also took a few shots around the house. I had an empty Goose Island bottle on the window ledge above the sink, and it looked cool with the sun shining. I tried a few shots but the window would look blown out and the bottle looked too dark. So I had an idea to try my new Lightscoop attachment. It's a great little device that attaches to your hot shoe and deflects the flash towards the ceiling. It fills the scene with a nice even light instead of the usual harsh light from the flash. I highly recommend it! That was the look I was going for. The bottle is lit and the window isn't completely blown out either.

I also noticed that the icicles outside the window looked interesting with the light glistening off them. It wasn't until I went to take the shot, and the focus was off, that I discovered the bokeh was a lot cooler looking.

And finally we have a new panorama. I haven't made one in quite a while and I thought the scene was neat. No real story to it.

Spring in January

2012-01-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm around here, and I figured that I had better take advantage of it! I think this time of year has the best sunsets of any season, and I wanted to capture some without having to trudge through snow. These are all shot with my Canon 50mm f1.8 II lens a.k.a. the "nifty fifty".

These last few pics aren't sunsets, but they are a few pics I grabbed while it was nice out. I was using my old manual focus Tamron 80-200 f3.5 lens. I am using it with and adaptall to ef mount adapter. It doesn't do too bad, especially for a free lens, but it's kind of a bitch to keep myself still! If this was an auto focus lens with image stabilization, then it would be amazing. I think I may have to add a modern version of this to my camera bag. It took me many shots to get a few good images of the gulls at Lakeland Park, but I am very pleased with the few that I got.

2011-12-29T10:58:00.000-08:00

Nothing major, just a few pics I shot last night after work.

Christmas Time

2011-12-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

In between all the craziness of a 2 year old boy enjoying Christmas, I managed to get a few Christmas themed shots. It was not a white Christmas this year, which was kind of a disappointment, but the weather was very nice. What that means though, is no snow shots this time around. I focused on getting some shots of some decorations and ornaments, and I am happy with what i was able to get. Ok, on to the photos!

I know this is neither a decoration or an ornament, but a GOOD, QUALITY beer is a fixture at any England get together, and this was no exception. We had 2 packs of Goose Island Christmas Ale 2011, a pack of Goose Island Mild Winter, some Skull Splitter from Orkeny Brewery, and Kev also had some Glenfiddich. There was also assorted wine and other libations.

2011-12-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

I saw this out of the window of my car the other night. I thought it looked interesting and wondered if it would make a neat picture. I only had my phone on me, so that's what I used.

Bethel Cemetery and others

2011-11-23T21:52:00.000-08:00

I had a feeling that the fog we had in the area today would make for some good shots, and I knew just the place to get those shots. I was recently given some info about a small cemetery that I never knew existed. This place is about 5 minutes from my house, so I had to check it out! I would like to thank Mr. Calhoun for the heads up about this place.

I also grabbed a nice shot on the way out to Bethel. I normally pass this sign and not think much of it, but the fog made it seem a little more interesting. I also grabbed a shot from out at the lake. Thanks to the lake being so far down, I could walk on parts of the shore that are usually under water. I need to head back out and see what other areas I can explore.

Since the weather has been so wonderful the last few days, and snow is in the forecast, this picture just seemed fitting. I took this back in September, and it was such a beautiful day and the clouds were so amazing.

Broken Inspiration

2011-11-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the first night in about a month that I have even looked at my camera. It has been sitting in it's bag, waiting patiently for me. I feel like my inspiration has left me lately. I have been working on the house for the last few weeks, but that project is about done, just have to finish the little things. I feel like tonight is a turning point and I think I have a few ideas that may make for some interesting shots. I think I just have to find a new way to look at things. Here is the first real attempt at photography tonight, and it is inspired by my lack of inspiration. See ya soon.

Test

2011-10-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

These photos are simply a test of my new camera. I just wanted to see how they looked on my page with all of my other photos. These are unedited photos that I uploaded and threw on here. I am curious to see what kind of results I can achieve after a little post processing in Photoshop. No, this isn't some big new dslr, it's a tiny little guy that will be with me almost everywhere I go.

And here it is! I must say that I am impressed with it, especially after dealing with shit phone cameras for years. These are smaller versions of the originals, and while the quality of my big Canon will not be matched by this, it is very nice to have in that situation where I don't have my main camera. Another nice feature is that I can update my blog while I'm out and don't have my trusty mac with me.

Older Stuff

2011-09-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

I was digging around, looking at pictures I had taken a while ago, and thought I would post them up to the blog. Some are from earlier in the summer while a few are from way back in the winter. I don't think I have posted these up before,not on here anyway. I did a quick search and couldn't find them, but that doesn't mean much! I don't think the old "abandoned" house would look better in any season other than winter. I feel it enhances the feeling of abandonment, of being alone. The only other time may be while a thunderstorm is approaching, but that would be more horror movie than anything. While I was shooting the pic of the Fusion, I attracted the attention of the proprietor of the lovely Siesta Motel. He was not too keen on me being there, and dropped what he was doing to come investigate. I nodded my head at him as he started walking towards me, framed up the shot, and then took off. He stared me down the whole time I drove away. Maybe there is something going on with those back rooms that he was afraid I might discover. I believe the shot of the dam is from last summer now that I think about it. I was back there recently, and due to the lack of rain, it has dried up other that a small pool of dead, rotting fish at the base of the dam. There is water in the lake, but it has to be very shallow. The picture of Braden has to be my all time favorite shot I have ever taken of him. I feel that his personality really comes through, and it is obvious he is having the time of his life! Finally the picture of the setting sun and the storm. We had a very wicked looking storm roll through at the start of summer. It never really amounted to anything, but it sure looked like we were in trouble. I may have to dig into some more of my older stuff to see what other jewels may be lurking around.

2011-08-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

I have taken to shooting sunrises lately. I am almost always up at this time of day, and there are some fantastic colors on display. I am on the hunt for some other locations to capture some nice sunrises, but the window of opportunity is small. I chose these locations because they are rather close to home and I can drive there in a few minutes. The lake is kind of bland, and while I like the shots I got, I find Lakeland Park to be a better location. The geese that inhabit the area add a nice element to the scene and the park is a hell of a lot cleaner than the Lake area. I am amazed at the amount of trash that has accumulated at the lake recently. It could be a very nice place, but it's starting to look like a city dump. On to the sunrises...

2011-07-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

I had a great photo outing on Sunday with a great group of friends and family. The temperature was very hot, but it was still a fun day and I think we all got some great shots. We visited a few abandoned buildings and were lucky to not get any hassle from anyone, other than the gawker in the Mustang who felt it was a necessity to rev at us. I had never been to the inside of the old factory before, so I would like to go back and get some other shots now that I know what to expect. I hope to do this again soon, and would like to thank Tim for setting it up and thank my dad Craig, my brother Kev, Mike and Tim for an awesome time!

2010-12-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

I went out the other morning to grab a few photos before work. I had an idea of what I wanted to shoot, so that made it easier. I had a feeling that the old abandoned house would make a good shot, especially with the recent snow fall. I think it adds to the desolate feeling. I also think about stopping and taking a shot of the old truck every time I drive by, and today was the day! I am happy with how they turned out. I also thought that the old mine would be cool looking in the snow. I was a little disappointed when I pulled up to the entrance to the mine and saw fresh tire tracks leading to the back. I though it could have been someone else just poking around like I was. I parked at the entrance and got out. I stopped to take a picture of the house which I believe was the office and used to house a bunch of files. The house is right at the entrance, which is right off the highway, and there was quite a bit of traffic going by. Once the traffic took a break I stopped when I heard the sound of a diesel truck running. I knew that I wasn't alone and didn't want to find out if I was welcome or not. It was a bummer, but there will be other days. Once I had my photos uploaded I started to process the truck shot. I decided to add a b/w filter and then lower the opacity a bit to mute the colors. I then played around with some textures and brushes. I liked the scratches so I left them. I then decided to do the same treatment to the other two and make it a series of shots with the same theme and look.

These next photos are some that I took for Kara. These were her Senior Pictures and she seemed to be very happy with them. These are a few of my favorites. I also had to add a pic I took of the car after a storm came through. I wasn't happy that the sun was was so intense, but I don't have a chance to redo the shot, at least not for a while. Oh well...

2010-10-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

These are just some test shots I took a few days ago with a new lens I'm borrowing. It's a 50mm prime lens and I had to see what kind of shots it could take. I figured my car was a good place to start, and I am rather pleased with the results. The last picture with the sign was a test of the focal range and bokeh effect with the aperture wide open. The lens seems to be pretty sharp, especially once you get around the f2.8-5.6 range.

2010-10-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have abandoned my poor blog lately. I just haven't had much time to go shoot lately. Tim let me borrow his 50mm prime lens to see how I like it, and I am getting quite attached to it. It's a good excuse to go shoot as well! It was a nice day so I took little man out to shoot some pictures. He is a good subject and it was time for some updated pictures of him anyway. So here they are...

2010-07-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

The storm that came through town last night was pretty wicked looking. Even though it didn't amount to much it still looked like all hell was going to break loose. I didn't have a whole lot of time to shoot pics, and the only camera I had was my small Canon point and shoot (S3 IS). I wasn't going to let that get in the way of getting some pics of some awesome looking clouds.

2010-07-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is where we began our journey. Actually we began at the gate, but we decided to work our way back to the front from here. I have wanted to go here for a long time, and often wonder what lies beyond the gate. There is more to this place than what I thought, and I could only imagine what it was like in it's prime. As neat as it would have been to visit back then, I think it is a more intriguing place as it sits now. Sure it's still used, but nowhere near its intended use. If the walls could talk I am sure they would have some great stories to tell, although some of them don't look like they would be able to speak anymore. Some of you may be wondering what I am talking about, a few of you already know or have figured it out and to those that live in the area, the next photograph is sure to give it away

The giant golf ball. I have been enchanted with this since I was a little kid. I always talk about how cool it would be to go on a shoot here and my wife decided to do something about it. She was secretly working to get access to the old Air Force Base turned Juvenile Detention Center turned Work Release Camp turned Peoria County Sheriff's Training Area. She surprised me with the news that we would be give a few hours access so that we could tour the base and I could take some pictures. The place is truly awesome but it is in sad shape. It is currently owned by Peoria County and the police use it as training grounds. There are some building that are used, but others are not safe to enter. Most of the houses that you see as you drive by on Route 116 have been ravaged by the police training. Windows have been busted out, and I'm not talking the glass, I mean the whole frame! One house has the whole front caved in and most of the doors have been opened with the giant ram, just like you see in the movies and tv. We were allowed access to a few of the buildings, but even the ones we were in felt like the floor could collapse at any time in a few places. As a matter of fact, one of the barracks buildings we were in had just recently had the floor in one of the bathrooms collapse. The building that housed the kitchen was off limits due to an extremely high mold content. As we walked through the barracks building there were shell casings everywhere and there is also a mid 90's Buick Riviera that has been trashed from police training. The county also uses some buildings to house old files and other random stuff. I was surprised to find so much stuff left behind also. It almost looks like the place was evacuated by looking at some of the buildings. I know you probably want me to shut up and get on with the pictures, so without further ado, here they are...

Yes this is a full 2 lane bowling alley! It has a still working ball return and pin setter. Unfortunately the ceiling has collapsed on it and water has filled the gutters. It was very dark and the flash didn't want to reach all the way down the lanes. There are still bowling balls sitting around and quite a few pairs of bowling shoes still on the shelf.

Looks like RAW was in town.

I thought this shot worked in black and white also so I added both.

2010-07-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

Time for another post. There has been some activity going on at the old house by me. I thought it was abandoned, but apparently it has been sold. A lot of stuff has been taken out of it and the overgrowth has been cleared away. The new owner plans on redoing the house so I went over and snapped a few pictures of what the place looks like now. I have an appreciation for old forgotten buildings and structures, but I am also interested in seeing what can be made of this house. I did find out that there is a colony of bees living inside the wall. They enter and exit from a hole right above the front window, and they were not to happy that I was getting close. Well, here are some of the last pictures of the old house

These next photos are of no particular series, they are just some random pictures I have taken lately. Of course I had to throw in some car shots, and the pictures of the fishing stuff was from our family reunion in Indiana. I had my camera, and was down by the pond and thought it would maybe make for an nice shot.

This last picture is a preview of my next blog post. This belongs to a set of photos from a very recent photo shoot (recent as in today!) Once I sift through the photos and find my favorites, I will post them up. I have a feeling it will be a rather lengthy post and I will try to include all the info I can. I would like to thank Celesta for making it happen, she is such a wonderful wife! Until next post...

2010-07-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Since my work schedule ended up being different than what I thought it was, I decided to go out on a photo shoot finally! I knew there was an old factory in Havana that I wanted to shoot, but had no idea where it was. I originally saw a photo of it on flickr, and knew I had to go shoot it. Here is a link to the pic I found http://www.flickr.com/photos/myoldpostcards/3012354792/#/ Unless there is an identical building elsewhere in Havana, then the weeds have really taken over in 2 years. There appears to be a fence around it now, and the building next to it seems to be in use as some sort of manufacturing business. I did find a fire escape that could offer a better vantage point, but it is attached to the part that is being used. I will for sure be making a trip back to gather some more photos. Here is what I found when I got there

So I decided that I needed to venture around town some more. I shot some pictures around the backside of the old Crescent Forge factory. This side of the building has a set of train tracks running right beside it. A good portion of the windows are broken out and you can see right into the building. It looks like this old section hasn't been used for many years and is still full of old machines and desks and other junk. I found that people there could care less about what you are doing. I had all kinds of cars drive by and they didn't even acknowledge me. There was a guy out walking and he just smiled and asked how I was doing. This is a lot different than shooting in Canton, where everyone is so concerned about what you are doing.

I then found the treasure of the day. I'm not sure what this old building was, but it is very intriguing. It appears to be an old factory and I'm not sure if it is in the process of being demolished, or if it is just abandoned, or what exactly happened to it. I parked at the entrance to what was once the parking lot and walked up to the building. I noticed that there were bolts and screws all over so I'm glad I didn't drive any further. I was also not prepared to encounter anything or do any exploring as I was in shorts and sandals. The sounds that were coming from the building were very creepy. I'm sure it was the wind whipping through the basically open structure, but I wasn't going to enter by myself. Of course I had to shoot a few pics of the car there as well!

After leaving the old factory, I decided to head down to the river and see what was going on there. The river was really high and it had flooded parts of the park there. I grabbed a few shots and then hit the road for home. I would say it was a worthwhile trip.

2010-05-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

I was taking some pictures for a new blog I'm working on and I thought some old tubes of watercolor I had looked kind of interesting. I snapped a few shots and thought they were pretty cool, so here is my favorite. Kind of a random thing but I feel like I need some new things to take photos of. I think I am losing my inspiration and I need to find it again.

2010-05-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

I was up early the other day and I noticed that there were some rather cool looking clouds to the west. I had a originally planned to just shoot some pics of the clouds, but I lost all inspiration once I was out. I figured that I had a clean car so I might as well shoot a few pics of it while I was there, so I tried to incorporate the clouds in the picture. I like the pic but I wish I would have waited until the sun was up a little more, but I was hungry and wanted to go home and eat.

2010-04-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful spring day today and I thought it was a great day to shoot some pictures. I had Braden all to myself almost all day while my wife worked, so we went and took some pictures. These are just a few of the many pictures that I took.

2010-01-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

Dang, it's been over a month since I've posted any photos up? I guess that's what happens when you hibernate over the winter. I had a few hours one morning so I figured I would go out and try to capture some nice snowy winter photos. I am not a fan of winter at all, but I do love the look a fresh fallen snow. Now if it could only just magically disappear! I froze my toes off and wore myself out trudging through the snow, but I did find some nice shots. I was surprised to find that no one had been back to the dam yet. I couldn't see any foot prints except for some animals, so that was kind of nice. The house photo is right across the street from me, and it came out pretty good for taking it through a window with a screen in front of it. The tree is in Big Creek Park, up where the zoo used to be. I may try to get out and get some more, but life is kind of busy anymore.

2009-12-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Had to post a new picture of our little guy! I know it's hard to tell, but he is in a giant stocking. I will have to get a picture that better shows the stocking.

2009-12-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

So I haven't been doing much photography at all lately. It's nearing the end of the semester at school, and it's also means that I will finally have a degree in Graphic Design around the end of December! I do have a few things I have been toying with, and a few things I really want to try in Photoshop and Illustrator, so as soon as school is done I should have more content up. I had to post up a pic of my little guy Braden though! I can't believe how fast he is growing!

2009-11-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got around to posting up some pictures that I've had for a while. I've got quite a few of the car, and some autumn pics. I like the way the blue of the car contrasts with the autumn colors. The planet photo was fun to make and I'm pretty happy with the way my first one came out. I hope to have some more pics of Braden up soon as well. Until the next set, enjoy!

2009-10-21T13:38:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Braden!

2009-10-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

I decided that I needed to shoot some autumn pics after I got out of class today. I didn't have a whole lot of time, so I drove out to the lake for a few quick pics. I tried my polarizing filter to help with the bright sun, but I was pissed to find that most of the pictures came out blurry! So I salvaged a few of the car and decided to post them up. Car pics are always fun anyway.

2009-10-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

Braden had some company tonight, his big cousin Quentin! Trying to take a picture of two babies together is rather hard. They squirm around and slap each other in the face and when one is still then the other one moves and then looks blurry in the picture. This is probably the best in focus pic I could get, and it is still a little blurry in areas. Oh well, it was fun and they looked cute in their little sweat suits!

2009-10-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

Well I decided it was time for Braden to have some more pictures taken. He was being so cute, and was really good about having the camera in his face. I also felt like trying out a different copyright and signature watermark.

2009-10-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

This is a picture that I took from Mike and Jen's wedding. I then added some photoshop work to it. I guess I can elaborate on what I did to it. I removed the camera guy that was behind Jen, and the DJ speaker that was behind Mike. I also added the shadow at the bottom of the curtain. I switched it to gray scale then added a fake film grain effect and then added a slight brown tint to it. I also added a border.

2009-09-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

I had to do a little photoshop work to a photo of our new baby boy! I made one for my Sister's new baby Quentin, so I HAD to do something for Braden!

2009-09-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the day that my 1st son, Braden James England was born! He was a big healthy baby weighing in at 10lbs 4oz and 21"! I hope he is ready to have a million pictures taken, because he's in for it. So here is the start of many many pictures of our big little guy!

2009-08-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't gone out and taken too many pics lately, so I decided to mess around with some that I have had for a little while. I felt like doing some work in Photoshop, so all of these have been tweaked some (some a bit more than others).

2009-08-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Not much new, but I did get some pics of the crop duster that's been flying around my part of town. I also had to throw up a pic of my trusty steed-aka the Fusion.

2009-08-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today's shoot was suggested to me by Mike. He told me about this abandoned factory that made mining equipment. It's on Route 116 outside of Middle Grove. The place is very overgrown, and I couldn't see any signs of recent visitors. There is what appears to be a run down house located by the entrance. It has a very cool wrought iron fence around part of it. Tim, if you would like all the specifics then just let me know. ( I know you want to know )

2009-08-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it's time for another post. I haven't really been out shooting much lately, so I worked with some photo's from an earlier shoot. I need to get out and find some interesting stuff, but life sometimes gets in the way, and that is fine. I have been on a panorama kick lately, and I have some really cool ideas for some, but I just haven't found the right location. I also have a cool idea for a winter pano, but I'm in no big hurry to try it! As far as these shots are concerned, I made yet another pano from Vanwinkle Dam. This time I stitched them together vertically. I like the way it came out! I also got a few shots from the top of the dam and a shot of a nearby bridge. Feel free to leave comments or critiques please! Also don't forget to click on the pics to see them in all their glory! Thanks for checking them out.

2009-07-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

I took a trip to Van Winkle Dam to grab some more shots. I think this place is very neat, and I thought it would be cool to make a panorama or two of the area. I think they came out very nice except for the sky. I don't know what happened there. I would like to thank Tim for reminding me about this place, because it had been years since I even thought about it. His picture he posted up got me curious about it. I can tell you that there is some...activity at the site. A lot of graffiti, empty bottles, and some empty Trojan packages. ( uh...okay...seriously people?) There is also a hole in some old concrete structure that I didn't investigate, but found my self wondering what was in there after I left.

2009-07-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

I had a little time on Saturday to take some shots. I loved the way the clouds looked and I wanted to capture them. I went to Lakeland and snapped a few pics, and even made a small panorama. I was upset that my other panorama uploaded so small, so I hope this one is bigger ( should be MUCH bigger). The left side of the pano shot is brighter because the sun poked through the clouds for just a second. I thought it was kind of cool.

2009-07-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

So I have a few different photos to put up tonight. First up are pics from my shoot in St David and Bryant. I knew I wanted to check out the old elevator in St. David so I ran there real quick. It's a cool place to shoot, but it stinks there. I was also tempted to try the door, but my better judgment kicked in. I also thought there was an old building in Bryant that I wanted to shoot, and I was correct. It's also for sale which could be a bad thing. I hope someone doesn't tear it down.

I also stumbled upon some photos I took over the winter at Lakeland Park. I took them to use a practice for a panoramic photo and am now just getting around to it. I like how it came out so I will for sure be doing more very soon. Another thing I wanted to do was mess with Photomatix, so I used a pic of the Fusion and did a little HDR thing. I made the pic from 7 different exposures and am pretty happy with how it came out.

2009-07-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken tonight and they are some fireworks that were bought on our trip to Indiana. I thought I got a lot of good shots, but most were duds. I also noticed after I took a bunch of shots that my lens was fogging over. The condensation was terrible out in the field, and I figured my shots were ruined, but I was surprised when I loaded them into iPhoto. They came out pretty cool! I adjusted them slightly for exposure and to make them pop a little more, but they are basically how I shot them. The last one is of a 300 or 400 shot aerial display. Once it is lit, it just goes crazy and fires all these shots off as fast as they ignite. It made for a pretty cool shot with the foggy lens!

2009-07-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of the old abandoned Banner school. I noticed this building that was covered in overgrowth as I came through Banner. I decided one day to drive over to it and check it out, and I am glad I did.

2009-07-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

So I decided to go and take some shots of the silo by the Breeds turn off. I figured that it was the middle of the day through the week, so traffic would be minimal. WRONG! It was super busy, so I took a few shoots and some old gomer in a truck pulls up beside me and just watches me. Why do people have to gawk at you and be so concerned about what you are doing. I'm taking a freaking picture! Piss off! I said screw it and went home.

I was feeling like messing around in photoshop, so I added some texture to the barn picture.

2009-07-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the 5th of July. Yes I said the 5th. Our fireworks were postponed due to weather. The night was perfect for fireworks, and I am pleased with the way the pics came out. This was my first serious attempt at fireworks pics. I know there are a lot, so deal with it. Surprisingly there are no pics of the car.

2009-06-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

This house was once owned by the family. It now sits abandoned with all kinds of weeds and poison ivy around it. We were told to watch out for a pair of pitbulls that have been seen prowling around the area. Never saw the dogs, but there had been some recent activity there. I would have liked to get closer, but I was wearing shorts and there was a lot of poison ivy. Next year-jeans and a long sleeved shirt!

This was an old shed at the house from first pic.

So I just got back from a family reunion in Indiana. I managed to get a few pictures taken, but ended up with more crap than anything. I found a few spots that would have been killer, but I just didn't have the time. I hope that next year I will have a little more time to explore the area. We visited various relatives this year, but I had no idea where I was going so I was just following my Mother-In-Law around the backroads of Indiana. I was also very upset to find that one place I had my eye on was off limits this year. It's an abandoned farm house and a couple of barns. It now has a big metal gate across the drive and big No Trespassing signs around it. It is right off of the main highway through Batesville, so I didn't risk it. So anyway... here are some of the pictures that I shot. I tried some black and white, and also some color to b/w gradient effects on some. And of course I had to shoot some pics of my car as well. Enjoy it or don't.

2009-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

I had a little free time today, the sun was out, and the car was clean. I decided that I needed to take some pictures of it. I love taking car pictures, so you will probably be seeing more on here.

2009-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

So here are some pictures I took the other day. I have been by this bridge many times, and always wondered what was up there, so I decided to take a little walk and find out. It is a pretty cool location I think.

A few new pics

2009-05-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

I thought I would kick things of with a few newer pictures. These were taken in Canton and around the Peoria area.

Welcome to Take A Left

2009-05-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

I started Take A Left as a place to display some of my Photography and Graphic Design work. This is my first blog, so I guess I will see how I like it. I have to give credit to Tim for the name. We went on a little photo shoot around some of the Peoria area back roads, and every time he told me to turn it was "take a left up here".