Big Red Adult Toys

Today's image is a shinny red enticement.  This is one of the tools used to motivate and seperate you from your hard earned cash in Las Vegas.  Wish I had a nickle for all the people that have tried to win it.
Actually the casino does have all those nickles.  That's it for today.

Who Knows What This Is?

Today's image is an animal that I have no idea what it is called. In fact I can't say I'd ever seen one before this encounter.  It you know what it is please leave a comment.  It looks like it's from the raccoon family. That's it for today.

Batman Returns

Today's image is of a street often featured in movies filmed in Chicago.  Those movies inspired a special down town trip this summer for some night photography.  You will have seen this street in Batman Returns, Transformers, The Untouchables, and others movies. This is one of my favorites.  That's it for today.

Test Shots Are Useful

Today's image is from a studio test with cross lighting.  This is straight out of the camera with no post work. That's it for today.

Windex At Work

Today's image is just a detailed shot of glasses on a table.  This caught my attention while shooting an event. All the glasses were perfectly clean, not a finger print in sight.  It was shot with a D200 and 50mm lens in natural light.  That's it for today.

A Beautiful Combination

 

Today's image was taken during a celebration for Martin Luther King Jr..  It's the Chicago Symphonic Orchestra and the Apostolic Church of God Choir performing together. This was a historic event being made.  It was a beautiful program.  You could actually feel the music. Guess what camera I used?  Hint,  it's always with me. That's it for today.

Almost All Gone

Today's image comes a little  late of the second big snow of the season we got last Friday.  The good news is it's just about all melted already due to the rain and the very mild temps. we've had most of the week.  So much for this being the worst winter on record in a long time.  Now there's plenty of time left but so far so good. This image was taken with my favorite always with me G11.  That's it for today.

One Day Closer.

Today's image is the lagoon in Lincoln park on a warn summer day.  It's only a few months away.
Until then think warm thoughts. That's it for today.

Beautiful Back Light!

Today's image is an example showing beautiful back light. The black light was the sunset in the Cayman islands. Thought I'd share younger puppy picture to counter that cool mug from the repair shop
posted on Friday.  Sorry, didn't want to start off the week with a snow image. That's it for today.

Just Can't Do It.

Today's image is an interesting art piece I ran into during our Trip to Cancun.  I know, I just could not bring myself to post two in a row on the snow.  Maybe tomorrow, so for now hope you enjoy this one.
Taken without flash.  That's it for today.

Just A Fence

Today's image is just a simple fence.  Not just any fence but a reddish fence against snow.  I got out of my nice warm dry car in the middle of the snow storm to get this shot. I knew it would not look like this again so I bit the bullet and got it.  That's it for today.

Not Quite A Wonderland.

Today's image confirms it's really winter in Chicago.  I'm finally accepting that winter has arrived. Yesterdays storm was no wonderland.  It dropped 5 - 8 inches in a few hours.  The roads were bad and the driving was slow and visibility was poor.  A trip that normally takes 45 mins. took 4 hours.  More winter images coming in future posts.  That's it for today.

Does Your Dog Bite?

Today's image was taken at a repair shop I was visiting.  When I saw this dog I had to get a picture of that mug.  Before I did, I asked the guy behind the counter.... does your dog bite?  He said no,  as I was bending down to get the shot I started thinking what if this is not his dog!?   After I got the shot I couldn't stop laughing to myself and here's why.

I was thinking of the clip from the Pink Panther.  The inspector see's a cute little dog and asks the man standing near "does your dog bite?"  The man said no. The inspector bends down to pet the dog and the dog quickly bites his hand.  Shocked, he looked up at the man and said, I thought you said your dog didn't bite!  The man replied "that's not my dog".  That's it today.
 

It's Just Kool

Today's image is one more from the base player.   If you couldn't finish the line from yesterdays post, here it is. 'And the guitar player laid down a heavy layer of the funky chunky rhythm of the disco beat'.  Of course that line was made famous by Kurtis Blow from his  "Christmas Rappin" song. Close up  detailed shots make great images for large prints. That's it for today.

And The Guitar Player .........

Today's image is more music. This is the base player from the band I've been posting the last few days.
Can you finish the next line?  'And the guitar player laid down _____________ of the ________ chunky _________  disco beat'. If you know it add it to the comments.  That's it for today.

The Magic 88

Today's image is the detailed close up from the piano player.  Even though the world is full of vivid color I still just love a good black and white image. That's it for today.

Tickle The Ivory

Today's image is more from the band. As you can see the sax player isn't the only one with intensity. The piano man was also jamming.  These guys have some serious faces and play some serious music.
Stay tuned for more. That's it for today.

The Sax Man Cometh

Today's image is another from the event and band I posted about yesterday.  This is one of the different Sax's I mentioned.  While it looks like a toy, in his hands it delivers big soothing sounds.  As you can see from his intensity this is serious business.  Whenever I shoot a musician I shoot several detailed shots to capture the hands and facial expressions. Give it a try next time you get the chance. More to come later.  That's it for today.

Smooth Jazz

Today's image is from an event.  One of my favorite subjects to shoot are bands.  I've shot this band a couple of times.  The sax player features several different types and sizes of sax during his gigs. I may share more of these later so stay tuned. That's it for today's image.

Stuck Up

Today's image is of a car kabob.  This is what happens after the first snow every year.  Just kidding, I can't bring myself to post a snow picture just yet.  We are having our first major snow of the season, 4 - 8 inches are predicted. That's it for today.

Don't Try This at Home

 Today's image is .... only word I can think of is beautiful color.  How many of us are brave enough to do this at home? This is actually the interior waiting area of a restaurant we had dinner at while in Cancun.  Thought I'd mosey down memory lane of beautiful weather before we get hit with our first big snow storm in a few hours.  Yes, I know this image has nothing to do with the weather, but it reminds me of the trip and the beautiful weather we enjoyed and left after the holidays. That's it for today.

 

Are You Yellow?

 

Today's image caught my attention because.....you guessed it, the color of that door.  I saw this on my way home one day and had to turn around and get the shot. So, I was thinking somebody has a sense of humor.  It's a nice contrast of old and new, texture and smoothness.  Wonder if I would have stopped if they had painted that door white or red.  This was a perfect day (cloudy) to make that yellow pop.  It does not quite look the same on a sunny day.  That's it for today.

Are You Mad (I missed a day) Tuesday January 10th?

Yesterdays image is being posted today (really for yesterday Tuesday, January 10th). This is one of the many faces I get to see created by my little camera ham.  Think of this as a belated image for yesterday January 10th.  After over two months of posting without missing a day it finally caught up with me and I missed one.  I'll do better going forward, so don't follow the old "at a boy rules".  What is that rule you ask?  It's says you can do a hundred good things  and one mistake wipes the slate clean.  We'll just go on from here like it never happened, ok?  That's it for January 10th.

Lighten Up!

Today's image is from a formal event.  After the stiff standard formal group shot, I always try and get a fun shot.  The clients always enjoy this shot.  It tends to set the tone for the rest of the way. That's it for today.

Who Needs Par?

Today's image is from Torry Pines golf course. After seeing this beautiful course on TV and video games for years, I had a chance to go play it.  What did I shoot you ask? Let's just say it was a beautiful day and leave it at that.  If you are a golfer it should be on your bucket list. I may share more on another day.  That's it for today.

Rough Going Ahead

Today's image is symbolic as the NFL playoffs start and  three of the major Chicago sports teams (Bears, Cubs & Sox) are going through rebuilding in some shape form or fashion.  Be it players, coaches, or GM's. Good thing we have the Bulls.  This is an image I actually shot as a stock image for some future project and figured this is a good use for it also.  That's it for today.

What Winter???

Today's image is a beautiful sunset in the heart of winter in Chicago. This is by far the mildest winter I can ever remember in Chicago.  I was driving home after work and saw this sky and had to stop. I pulled over into a parking lot and shot it.  Not the best foreground but I didn't want to chance missing it while trying to find a more suitable foreground area.  The light changes very quickly when the sun is going down so I had to take what was there. That's it for today.

See The World

Today's image is more Vegas.  Where else can you see the Spinx, the Eiffel Tower, a Castle, Roller Coster, Statue of Liberty, a Pyramid, Pirate Ship, Caesars Palace, a Water Show, Golf Course, Airport and a  Canal..... all within a 3 mile strip on the same street? Gotta love it!  That's it for today.

The Pyramids

Today's image comes from the Luxor hotel in Vegas.  I've been to Vegas a lot of times over the last ten years, but this was the first time I'd actually gone inside the Luxor.  I've wanted to go inside sense the very first time I visited but never had the chance.  The building had always gotten my attention during the day with it's pyramid shape and especially at night with the single beam of light from the top shooting into the air.  It was not quite what I expected on the inside.  It's pretty much hollowed out with the rooms around the perimeter, kind of like an Embassy Suits. I just walked in and took a quick look around sense I was staying right next door.  Maybe on a future trip I'll take a more in debt look.  I'm still curious about the elevators given the building is slanted upwards to a narrow point.  That's it for today.

Before Walter Payton there was??????

Today's image is of Hall of Fame Chicago Bears Running Back Gayle Sayers.  I've lived in Chicago almost all of my life and had never seen him in person before.  I was walking in the halls between the Mandalay Bay (where I was staying)  and the Luxor hotels in Vegas and there he was.  He was sitting at the table in the window of a store with no line.  I first walked past, but after thinking about it I went in and got a personaly autographed picture of him.  If you know me you'll know that I'm not an autograph seeking kind of person.  We talked for a few mins. and I was on my way.  He was very friendly  and as you can see he, was in great shape.  So that's my high lite for this poor bears season. That's it for today.

Not Ready Yet!

Today's image is another from my trip to Cancun. This was taken just after sun rise.  I'm refusing to accept winter as of yet, so I may keep posting images from last week for a few days.  It's 0 degrees windchill as I'm posting this in Chicago.  That's it for today.

It's 2012

Today's image is to wish you all a Happy New Year!  I  hope you find 2012 filled with an ocean of new blessings for you and your family.  That's it for the first day of the year.