Triple Threat: Ornament, Gift Label, Gift Card Holder

Triple Threat! Gift Tag, Gift Card holder, Ornament

Every Christmas I try to come up with new and creative ways to label my gifts, this year was no different! I grabbed these extra Starbucks cups from an office meeting where we’d order a large amount of coffee from the blessed coffee house. My first use was to make an ornament out of it for the office Christmas tree. We work shift work, including midnight shifts, so coffee holds a special place in all our hearts. This was the end result.

After making this ornament I realized I could use it not only to label my Christmas gifts, but it would also hold the Starbucks gift card I had gotten them.

Here's what you'll need:

• ·      Starbucks cup & lid
• ·      Push pin
• ·      Ribbon
• ·      Marker
• ·      Gift card (optional)

Step 1: Punch two holes side-by-side in the middle of the lid using the push pin

Step 2: Cut 6-8 inches of ribbon (I use thin ribbon) and thread a loop through the hole just made.

Note: I say 6-8 inches because it will give you enough room to make the knot and allow you to decide how low you want the ornament to hang

                            

Step 3: Tie a knot so the ribbon won’t slip out

Step 4: Place Gift card (optional) in the cup, close the lid and write their name on it!

I used a little more ribbon to tie the ornament/gift card holder/label to the gift bag/present.

Merry Christmas!!

Morning Constitutional & The Prairie Dog Whisperer

I’m up at 7 AM, I glance out my window, sure enough, it’s morning. I don’t usually wake up this early when I work the evening shift, but something about the mornings being cooler with a slight breeze encourages me to start the day. I skip breakfast, too anxious to eat anyway, and head out for a walk along the lakeshore. Yesterday, during my morning constitutional, I stumbled upon a family of prairie dogs. I have my trusty Nikon and head out the door, hoping for a second encounter.

     In my limited experience, I’ve found it difficult to photograph woodland creatures, patience doesn’t seem to be a virtue I possess. As I approach their home I hear one of them begin to call out. Some say their cry sounds like a squeaky toy. Not only did I find this to be true, but it sounded like this squeaky toy was currently being used by a very excited dog! I gave them a wide berth, walking close to the lake, all the while the little furry squeaky toy kept on yapping. 

Patience, I thought to myself, patience. I pass on and headed to the pier, figuring while I was out I might as well take a look. I approached the pier, hesitantly at first as there were fishermen at work, but they didn’t seem to take much notice of a lone photographer. Embarking upon this well used structure I think to myself, this pier must have been made rather inexpensively. Instead of trustworthy planks with several sets of nails, there lay in front of me rows of plywood, with nails only at the seams. What’s more, the plywood was old, chipped and warping, looking like it had been bearing years of memories and hours of patient fishing. 

Putting one foot in front of the other, I followed a trail of nail heads to the end of the pier. Once at the end I took a deep breath, made it! I took a survey of my surroundings, snapping some photographs of the general landscape and hope-filled fisherman, sharing in the peace of the morning air. I placed my hand on the rail for safety, but found more than safety. Upon these white weather worn railings was more than the mark of time, there were names. Rusted from old age, the scratches in the surface reflected the patrons of this faithful, yet barely safe, pier.

Finally back on solid ground, I decided to return and give the prairie dogs another go. They were still out grazing what little grass was left around their holes of sanctuary.  I knew they had seen me, but they made no mention of it. Once again I stayed near the edge to allay any intimidation. I moved closer to their home and with the help of the sun captured some decent shots. Pleased with my work thus far I continued. Just as I was making my way around to get a better view, and elderly man, whose name I would later learn was Mike, began walking toward the little creatures bearing bread. With all possible confidence, he sat down and started slapping the bread on the ground and calling them by name. To my delight two members of the little family wobbled their way over to the man with the bread. As he fed them he told me their story.

The fattest one was actually the offspring and use to be quite tiny, but now bore what might be considered a pot belly among prairie dogs. The mom was the second bread connoisseur, and was so use to this man that she let him pet her. I felt like I was intruding, and would have left had the man not engaged me in conversation. He told me he could even get the mom to sit in his lap and he’d scratch her tummy from time to time. I sat in amazement snapping as many photos as I could while this golden opportunity lasted. 

Now that the mom and her young had their fill of bread they began grazing for more fibrous sustenance and I made my way over to Mike. He asked where I lived and what I did for a living. We talked about the low lake levels and how the lake had been dry back in the 70s. He spoke of his past in Vietnam and how he’d been wounded five times. After a pensive moment he remarked on how thankful he was for the ability to walk around, and have all his limbs. We watched the two prairie dogs continue to eat, and I silently thanked God for people like Mike.

The glory of young men is their strength,

but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

Proverbs 20:29

To see all of the pictures from my morning walk follow this link http://bit.ly/RhU29Z

Trash to Vintage Polaroid

Recently I came in to the possession of about 4 boxes of old Polaroid film. Though Polaroid film can't boast great expose and fades over the years, I find the vintage look of the frame appealing, and so was anxious to use them. Unfortunately, they were well past their “use by” date, so all you got when you took a picture was a brown background.

Here I was with these good for nothing Polaroid pictures. I didn’t want to just throw away something that had so well represented the early stages of photography, and I really wanted to take advantage of that well known white frame. I got the idea that I could cut out the middle and utilize the white border, pasting it onto a cropped photo. I set out to do just that. I flipped the expired Polaroid film over and took my XACTO® knife to the seam.

To my surprise it cut quite easily, and I was left with an easy way to slide a cropped photo into the Polaroid "sleeve". With this new discovery I got to work measuring the opening in order to crop the photo. The end result must be 82mm X 82mm. I cut my photo accordingly, slipped the newly cropped photo into the Polaroid sleeve and taped the seam. 

So if you have any expired Polaroid film, or Polaroids that are so old you can't tell what the picture was, use this simple procedure to give your new photos that vintage look.

Street Photography Tips Part 2

      Street Photography, for an introvert like me it's difficult to put yourself out there and get the shots you need. It's easier when the farmer's market is large and the hustle and bustle acts more like a camouflage for the photographer. Unfortunately, The San Angelo Farmer's Market consists of less than 10 vendors. With so few people present, the likelihood of being notice as the only one with a camera taking random pictures of anyone is rather high! But for the love of the 'click 'click of the camera we must press on.
      In instances like the one described above, I recommend asking permission first. As you can see from the picture below they were more than happy to and if they see you taking more shots later on they pay little attention, knowing what you're there for. In fact, at quaint Farmer's Markets like San Angelo's it's possible for the vendors to get to know you and be greeted as a familiar friend.

      Be professional, dress nice! I don't mean where a suit and tie or fancy outfit, you want to be more or less incognito, but be presentable. Despite the expected heat, even that of the early morning hours, I wore jeans, a polo shirt, and my Converse (because I'm rarely without them). The public will more take notice of someone snapping shots if they wear tattered clothes, in some areas the police may even be called! So take some good advice and dress nice :)

      This next tip is optional, but I would recommend it for any aspiring street photographer, make/buy business cards. If someone stops you and asks what you're doing, or on asking for permnission to take a photo they say "why?", you'll have these handy business cards to prove you're not a creepy stalker looking for your next victim. Really, you'd be surprised how someone attitude changes when they see you as a professional. If you are nervous about putting your contact information on the card stick with item that are already public information. For example, your Facebook page (Burn & Dodge Photography), or Twitter account (WxDunn). These, in my experience, have been adequate to placate the apprehensive subject.
       Lastly, it's important to remember the legalities surrounding public photography. You cannot legally use these pictures for profit unless you get a model release from each identifiable subject in the shot (on the safe side I usually get one from everyone in the shot unless they are really to far to see). I recommend keeping some handy should a great shot present itself. I cannot stress this enough, especially when it come to photos with children, parents are rightly very protective.

       I will end this blog post with a fun story from the San Angelo's Farmer's Market. I had a conversation with a watermelon vendor while at the market, the conversation went as follows:
Me: What's the trick to finding a good watermelon, am I suppose to thump it or something?
Vendor: The trick is I picked them this morning and they're fresh.

Need less to say I bought a watermelon!

The Introverted Street Photog

Street Photography, ever tried it before? If you’re an outgoing extrovert it’ll be no problem to hone your skills and troll the city streets for your next victim…er…subject. Unfortunately for us shy introverts, street photography can lead to sweating, anxiety, and heart palpitations. As the extroverts will have little trouble putting themselves out there the first section of this post is geared mainly toward the introvert.

You can be a street photographer too!
            I know what it’s like to be nervous, anxious, shy, and above all vulnerable while in public, which is what made me pick up a camera in the first place, people tend not to notice the photographer. That leaves us at a slight disadvantage when it comes to street photography as people in public tend to take note when someone has lens pointed in their direction. You can, of course, follow the well-known sink or swim method and see whether you end up a celebrated street photog or retching your lunch into the nearest waste bin cause you lost your nerve. I prefer to ease my introverted students into the street life. First, locate the biggest tourist attractions in your area. In high tourist areas people expect pictures to be taken, and there are plenty of subjects. Second, dress like a tourist. We’re going incognito people, and once again we become the invisible photographer!

What’s the best lens?
            The answer I hear most is “it depends”, and it really does. I’ve shot with a zoom, fixed focal, and wide angle, they all serve a different purpose based on what you need. The zoom lens; for the photographer who likes to keep their options open. Please note that the further you zoom the more conspicuous you appear, learned that the hard way! The fixed focal length lens; use this to stretch yourself as a photographer. The fixed focal length will require you to get creative with framing a photo as you can’t zoom out or in. These also focus faster and typically have better apertures. Finally, the wide angle lens; this beauty will capture almost everything, just remember, you have to get really close to your subjects and there may be some image distortion on the edges. 

Things to know before you go!

• If you are on public property you can legally take the photograph, except for military installations.
• Be courteous, if a subject doesn’t want you to take their picture then oblige them.
• Without a release form you cannot publish the image for commercial gain.

Yellowstone, The Tetons, Wyoming

Yellowstone Lake
The Yellowstone lake is vast, and we knew we wouldn’t be able to see it all on our schedule, so we targeted “West Thumb”.  As we drove to the lake we went up in elevation and the air became cooler, we even saw patches of snow in areas of shade. As soon as the mountains started making an appearance we knew we were close. We arrived at the lake and needed our coats. This was encouraging; we had been trying to escape the heat of Texas the whole time.  West Thumb was back-dropped by snow capped mountains and pine trees, the view was nothing less than spectacular. 

I wanted to stay, I wanted to kayak! Yes! They had kayaking on the lake. Note to self, remember to stay longer. Though it was very windy again today and not the best conditions for getting out on the water, I still would have. The water, by the way, is crystal clear, and if I had a cup, probably would have tasted it.  Walking back to the car we saw our first Yellowstone Park Ranger. Seriously, they are as scarce as big foot out here!

The Grand Tetons
Had I known, had I only known that The Grand Tetons were so magnificent I would have allotted more time. I couldn’t take my eyes off them, they were so amazing. The weather wasn’t the best for taking pictures; some clouds had moved in and were obscuring the tops of the three namesakes. We finally found a place to pull in called North Jenny Lake Junction. Lo and behold ANOTHER park ranger! We couldn’t believe it! This ranger was showing skins/furs from the animals native to this area and answering questions about the park. My parents started talking to him and found out that this time last year there was still four feet of snow on the ground! Glad we came this year. The current weather was delightful in my opinion, though as I mentioned before, not great for pictures of mountains. The temperature was around 68°F, breezy with light drizzle. Loved it! 

You know those moments when you know you’ve stayed longer than you meant to but really don’t want to leave, this was one of those moments. The air here is different, probably because it’s clean. I kept taking deep breaths, not wanting it to end, not wanting to ever forget how the air smelled fresh and clean. “NERD ALERT” It reminded me of a character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Treebeard, and he was an Int or a living tree. He told a story about an area of his forest where he could spend a week just breathing, I understood. 

I didn't want to stop taking pictures, I couldn’t stop enjoying the view, I couldn’t stop taking those deep breaths of clean mountain air. I wanted to stay, I wanted to stay forever!

We headed for the park exit; my dad fared the worst having to keep his eye on the road, mine was fixed on the mountains. One last stop before we left was the Visitor Center. I have a tradition of buying pins from places I visit and affixing them to a NASA hat I got when I was a boy. While leaving the Visitor Center something familiar caught my eye. It was a Cooperative Observer site, maintained by NWS Riverton. I had to detour and check it out.
On the far left you have the 8-in rain gauge; the funnel is removed when snow is expected. In the middle is the Cotton Region Shelter. This houses the Max/Min thermometers, and possible a soil thermometer. Finally, the far right you can see the snow stick. This made me stop and rethink wanting to live here. If the stick is that tall it means they need it to be that tall so they can see it...when it snows...a lot!

Wyoming
I learned an important photography lesson while on this trip. When shooting from a moving vehicle, because you really want to get to your destination and don't want to stop, open your aperture as much as possible and crank up the shutter speed to at least 1/600 sec. They may require additional post-editing to correct for being underexposed, but you’ll at least have a good shot. Here’s two examples. The first is taken at 1/200 sec, and as you can see there is still motion blur at the bottom. The second was taken at 1/800 sec, and has no blur. If you have the sunlight, use it!

The road through Wyoming goes on and on and on and on and on! We learned a few thing on our journey. 1: The northwestern portion is most likely the prettiest it’s going to get. and 2: They have no trees anywhere else!! This made for an uneventful trip to Rawlins. Mile after mile we’d see these fences that were perpendicular to the highway. Turns out, when they received the mountains of snow every year, these fences prevent the snow from being blown by the wind and becoming hazardous to the roadway. I suppose they act like sand bars for the north. Finally, we made it to Rawlins, comforted by the fact that Colorado was less than a days drive away.

For more photos of The Grand Tetons Visit my Google+ Photo Album The Grand Tetons
For more photos of Yellowstone visit Yellowstone!

Yellowstone National Park - Day 1

When you visit Yellowstone it’s said that visitors often see less than 1% of the park, and I believe it; Yellowstone is so large you can fit New Jersey and Rhode Island inside its borders with room to spare! This excited me since there would always be plenty to see, but I was saddened by the lack of time I had to do it.
          At the entrance of the National Park my excitement was palpable; I’d wanted to visit this park for some time now and couldn’t believe I was here. With my parents and my trusty gnome Fiddlesticks, we commenced our journey.

          We entered through the western gate, as this is the closest to Ol Faithful. Unfortunately, back in the late 1980s a forest fire ravaged over 2500 acres and the devastation was still around to be seen. Dead and rotting wood just lying around, whole trees scattered here and there waiting for time to finally remove the memory of them. Yet amid the ruin of this once lofty portion of Yellowstone, beauty could be seen. Like a child on Christmas morning, Creation was peaking through the rubble. Pine trees, some no higher than my knee, others cresting ten feet, were making a mad dash for the Sun. Though dispossessed of this catastrophe would have be best, seeing the transition from death to life hits rather close to home for Christians.
            The river, of course, faired much better as it simply continued to snake through this beautiful park, causing its occupants to gaze in wonder. Pulling back and forth across the landscape, we found it difficult to stop taking pictures whenever the river made an appearance. One of our unmet goals was to catch a fisherman in his natural habitat, gleaning the fruit of this river. Then there was the sound, THE SOUND, it’s amazing. Rushing water, babbling water, lazy water, had I days on end to sit and listen it would not be enough to satiate my soul of this ballad.

             The geysers seem to be everywhere, and if you’ve never seen one before, you just can’t take your eyes off them. The first one we stopped at was Lower Geyser Basin; one of the smaller geysers but still cool to see. A major problem we ran into was the 30-40 mph winds. I never thought I would feel vulnerable and unstable on a 5 foot wide deck, but I did that day! It was nerve racking to say the least, you did not want to fall into that slime! Though, the wind interacting with the geyser made for cool pictures.

               Midway Geyser Basin was the largest geyser in the world, with eruptions up to 300ft. That was back in 1880 and did not erupt again until 1985, only reaching heights of 20-30 ft. It was at this geyser that we noticed the spike in humidity. This large pond of steaming water brought the Relative Humidity from 20% to 60%, and constantly fogged up my glasses, not to mention stunk up the place with the sulfur. We thought, at first, that the wind would be an irritant, but it turns out that the high winds swept most of the steam away from the hot springs, revealing the most amazing blue, cavernous well you’ve ever seen.

                Finally, we arrive at THE geyser to see, Ol Faithful. Ol Faithful goes off about every 45 to 90 min. They say ‘about’ because it does sputter before it really gets cranking. You’ll know when the geyser is within 20 min of going off; the crowd multiplies from about 30 people to over 100. We got there early enough to get a good seat. What’s more a little chipmunk trotted over and started nibbling on flowers. This little guy became the center of attention, they are quite cute. And then it happened, the geyser started sputtering and within seconds shot over 150 ft. We were there late in the day and the sun was at the perfect angle, lighting the stream of water for a great dramatic effect.

              After the great geyser went off, my parents and I wondered around to see the other smaller geysers in the area. There seems to be hundreds if not thousands of these small hot springs just bubbling up everywhere. After awhile you feel like once you’ve seen one hot spring you’ve seen them all, so we headed back. On our return trip we did get some good shots of the river and drift wood, and general landscape, though sadly no otters.

               There are several species of animals in Yellowstone, chief among them, or at least the most popular, are the bison. On our way back to the hotel the traffic came to a halt for no apparent reason, little did we know this was code for: there’s something to take a picture of and everyone is stopping to do so. It seems a bison was wondering across the road destination: unknown, speed: that of a turtle! These creatures, so fierce in appearance, are passive in nature. We watched in amazement as the bison strode right next to a vehicle without even a hint of aggression. Don’t let that fool you, visitors are strongly discouraged from interacting with these great beasts.
I you do get a chance to visit Yellowstone make sure to drive around at sunset. The orange light will catch the steam off the hot springs making for some great photography.

        What I remember most from day 1 are the colors, the deep greens, and the blue of the geysers and pools. You need at least a week or two to really enjoy that 1% of Yellowstone.