This photo of a young couple dressed in period costumes was taken at the fall "Potrero Wars" where members of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) engage in real combat using rattan weapons and blunted arrows to reinact battles from the Middle Ages renaissance fair renaissance Renaissance Couple
White Heron (Egret) in front of a waterfall. | | Shot RAW (digital negative) with a Canon EOS Digtal Rebel XTi, and Canon 70-200mm f/4.0L USM lens, a B&W UV MRC (Multi Reflective Coated) Filter attached. | | My camera and lens were mounted on a Giottos MM 9180 5-Section Pro Monopod with a Giottos MH-1301 Pro Series II Ballhead with a MH-656 Arca Swiss Quick Release attached, using a remote shutter release (with mirror lockup) to avoid camera shake. | | Camera Settings: Aperture Priority, F-Stop: f/4.6, ISO Speed Rating: 100, Focal Length: 200.0mm (upper limit of my lens), Shutter Speed: 1/800 sec. | | Image was manipulated using Adobe Photoshop CS2 with the Camera Raw v4.2 plug-in heron white heron White Heron 2
This was shot on a Saturday when there was perfect weather and wind for hundreds of people to be out sailing. | | It was shot from Coronado "Island" towards the San Diego skyline with the bay in between. | | Saturday mornings just don't get much better than this sailboats power boats Saturday Morning
Three crosses at the site of a Baptist Church. | | In the photos is California Highway 67, as it goes through the Barona Indian Reservation. | | I don't know about you, but to me it is an interesting coincidence that the mountains in the photos "mimic" the heights of the crosses cross crosses Jesus Three Crosses
This photo was taken of a "Muy" (very) "Bonita" (pretty) Mexican "hija" (daughter) of very prominent Mexican parents celebrating Mexico's Independence Day, in Tecaté, Mexico. | | Notice she is dressed in the traditional colors of the Mexican flag (Red, White and Green). | | She was very serious about having her photo taken until I used the Spanish word "sonrisa" (smile). Then she gave me a smile that could light up the world (as well as Mexico) pretty girl mexican Muy Bonita
This photo was taken in Baja of a friend petting a mama whale while the baby whale looks on whales baja boat There Be Whales Here
The original Barrett General Store still stands quietly next to the current building. This tiny structure was built in 1917, to serve locals and travelers along highway 94, which at one time was a stage coach route. The Barrett Room is a Quonset Hut that was added after the 2nd World War. You can take a trip back in time to Old California when you visit Barrett Junction Café and Mercantile. This historic building was been a local hot spot for 100 years. A favorite stop for motorcyclist and visitors on highway 94, people come from miles away for the "World Famous Family Style Fish Fry and Country Breakfast Buffet". This "Angel" was found in the "Mercantile" section angel child doll Little Angel
This photo was taken, exactly 1 year after my first "Renaissance Couple" photo, at the fall "Potrero Wars" where members of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) engage in real combat using rattan weapons and blunted arrows to reinact battles from the Middle Ages renaissance portrait couple Renaissance Couple 2
This was shot just as this Airliner was lowering the main landing gear in preparation for a landing at the San Diego International Airport. | | From the time the plane became visible, until it was overhead was just a few seconds (great practice for quick zooming and focusing). | | I'm a pilot, so I can appreciate just how difficult landings at this Airport are. You have to come in high to avoid hitting buildings, and then drop fast to touch down near the beginning of the landing strip. I believe this is why the San Diego International Airport is named as one of the most dangerous to land at. | | I learned how to fly at the Ashland Airport in Ashland, Oregon. There you had to come in high to avoid hitting the trees, and then drop fast to touch down near the beginning of the landing strip. Every year there was at least one plane that hit the trees, and some didn't make it airplane jet landing Gear Down
The bar was a very popular place at a recent Christmas party. | | This is a shot of some good friends gathering there to enjoy some Christmas "spirits Christmas Christmas cheer Christmas Cheer
Christmas "cherubs" dressed in Santa hats and Christmas ties, toasting each other during a recent Christmas party Christmas wine Italian Christmas Cherubs 2
What does Santa do after Christmas? | | He goes on a safari of course! Some place where it's warm, lots of sun, with sandy beaches and surfin'. | | After all, Santa is a pretty cool guy (who just wants to be warm) santa santa clause Surfin' Santa
These chocolate fountains are used by the Ranch House Buffet (Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, San Diego, California) to make chocolate covered strawberries as additions to their award winning French desserts. (Shot in Raw, at ISO 400, with a bounce flash.) chocolate chocolate chocolate Chocolate Fountains
Whenever you're cruising along at 50 MPH, think about this animal. It can run along side of you, at that speed, for a long time (especially if it's being chased by a Lion) antelope gazelle mammal I FEEL THE NEED . . . THE NEED FOR SPEED
At a recent Christmas party, these two "cherubs" decided to dress up in Santa hats and Christmas ties, and get right into the "spirit" of things christmas xmas portrait Christmas Cherubs
This is a candid photo of a "Gringo" getting his hair cut by the finest Mexican hair stylist in the border town known as Tecate, Mexico haircut style cutting Haircut
The elephants (Elephantidae) are a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea in the class Mammalia. | | Elephantidae has three living species: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant (until recently known collectively as the African Elephant), and the Asian Elephant (also known as the Indian Elephant). Other species have become extinct since the last ice age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. | | Elephants are mammals, and the largest land animals alive today. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kg (265 lb). An elephant may live as long as 70 years, sometimes longer. | | This elephant is 37 years old. | | Elephants are considered symbols of wisdom in Asian cultures, and are famed for their exceptional memory and high intelligence, rivalled only by cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and hominids (primates). | | Elephants are increasingly threatened by human intrusion. Between 1970 and 1989, the African elephant population plunged from 1.3 million to about 600,000 in 1989; the current population is estimated to be between 400,000 and 660,000. | | The elephant is now a protected species worldwide, placing restrictions on capture, domestic use, and trade in products such as ivory. | | If you would like to know more, just click on the other photos in my "African Elephant" series Elephantidae Pachyderm Mammalia African Elephant