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This is my lovely wife. Her name fits her very well, as she is full of grace and kindness as well as acceptance and caring.
This is part of an assignment for my “Artificial Light Photography” class I’m taking through the Meramec campus of St. Louis Community College. The 16-week course runs almost six hours every Friday. That’s an incredible amount of time for $250.00. Plus the use a studio with at least $100,000 of professional strobes and light boxes, etc. Thus the cost is about $2.50 per hour of instruction with an experienced professional: Matt O’Shea
, who is a St. Louis fashion and fine arts photographer with 20 years of experience.

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Half Dome at Sunset

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:21:43 +0900

Half Dome at Sunset

Kentucky Horse Ranch Fence: I’m not sure why they call...

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:15:13 +0900

Kentucky Horse Ranch Fence:

I’m not sure why they call it bluegrass. It’s not.

Processing: I used the “magic wand” and then subtracted extraneous areas so as to select just the fence shadow. I used the contrast and darkness sliders to give more emphasis to the shadow.
It’s an HDR shot, to get details in the darker areas of the fence.
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El Capitan in Autumn

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:26:30 +0900

El Capitan in Autumn

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles: This is the Walt Disney...

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:54:35 +0900

Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles:

This is the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall, new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is designed to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world, providing both visual and aural intimacy for an unparalleled musical experience.Through the vision and generosity of Lillian Disney, the Disney family, and many other individual and corporate donors, the city will enjoy one of the finest concert halls in the world, as well as an internationally recognized architectural landmark.From the stainless steel curves of its striking exterior to the state-of-the-art acoustics of the hardwood-paneled main auditorium, the 3.6-acre complex embodies the unique energy and creative spirit of the city of Los Angeles and its orchestra.
I tried to keep just the building and sky in the photo to maintain some of the abstract quality of the architecture. This is a five-shot HDR (high dynamic range) photograph. I used HDR because of the bright shine of the building, which made it impossible to get the full range of light and dark without “blowing out” highlights. It’s not in perfect alignment, because the shots were hand-held. I made a choice not to bring along a tripod on the trip out of consideration for my wife, Grace. She puts up with enough stopping and waiting for me to take photos as it is. And does so graciously.
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As the Sun Rises

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:48:19 +0900

As the Sun Rises

A Really Strange Looking Seahorse: This was an amazing...

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:44:43 +0900

A Really Strange Looking Seahorse:

This was an amazing Seahorse at the Monterrey aquarium. You don’t have to go to another planet to see creatures that look like they are from outer space. Come to think of it, the Earth is actually in outer space.

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Liquid Gold

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:41:21 +0900

Liquid Gold

Cormorants

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:41:21 +0900

Cormorants

Lil Green Heron

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:44:25 +0900

Lil Green Heron

Night Lauch, Balloon Glow, Forest Park: Must see LARGE This is...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:53:28 +0900

Night Lauch, Balloon Glow, Forest Park:

Must see LARGE
This is an unusual HDR in that there was not much light, and so there was motion blur in each shot. Somehow, though, when I blended the shots I got an effect I really liked. Unusual, contrasty, and painterly.
This was taken at the Great Forest Park Hot Air Balloon Glow in St. Louis, Missouri. It was very cool that almost all the light came from inside the hot-air balloons

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Whispery White Tern for Isabelle

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:59:44 +0900

Whispery White Tern for Isabelle