Elgin IL

Week 10, March 10-16, 2019 – Colorful Nature

March 16th, 2019

Tagged 18.07.28, 18.11.03, 18.11.09, 18.11.18, 19.01.27, 2018, 2019, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, beak, bird, blossom, bulbs, bush, Chicago IL, Christmas Cactus, colors, D600, dusting, Elgin IL, eye, fall, fall colors, flower, flowers, green, greens, hummingbird, IL, Jan19, January, Jul18, July, leaf, leaves, Lincoln Park Conservatory, macro, Nikon, Nov18, November, Oakbrook Terrace IL, orange, perch, pine cone, pine tree, pink, purple, red, Shawano WI, shrub, snow, stalk, sunlight, sunlit, Week 10 2019, WEEKS, WEEKS 2019, white, yellow

“Nature’s Ending Contrast”

March 12th, 2019

Tagged 18.11.03, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, IL, leaf, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, Week 10 2019, yellow

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“Sunlit Blossom”

March 11th, 2019

Tagged 18.11.18, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, blossom, Christmas Cactus, D600, Elgin IL, flower, Nikon, Nov18, November, pink, sunlight, sunlit, Week 10 2019

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Week 6, February 10-16, 2019 – Black & White Downtown Elgin

February 16th, 2019

Black & White Week 2

For the second full week of Black & White February, I decided to follow up on an idea that I’d had for a few months – to shoot light trails in Elgin. I enjoy capturing long exposures, but the added challenge of capturing light trails in downtown Elgin instead of Chicago (where there’s more traffic) seemed challenging.

While we were out in the bitter cold for the January Lunar Eclipse, I realized that Elgin’s parking garages would make a great vantage point for some light trail images. I’d taken images from the top of the Spring Street garage, in fact, I’ve led photo walks in downtown Elgin and used the Spring Street garage as a vantage point.

However, I decided to add one more aspect to the week’s photos: I would attempt to shoot 7 images and capture 7 photos that I was proud of…I didn’t quite make it. Capturing light trails of traffic when there’s very little traffic turned out to be a bit more challenging than I expected. But I took 14 images, from 6 vantage points, and captured 7 images that I’m proud of.

“Concrete Frame”

February 16th, 2019

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“Straight Lines & Wet Turns”

February 15th, 2019

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“Empty Street and Streetlights”

February 14th, 2019

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“Snow, Sidewalk, and Grey”

February 13th, 2019

Tagged 19.01.21, 2019, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, D600, downtown Elgin, Elgin Artspace Lofts, Elgin IL, Elgin Professional Building, Elgin Tower, Fulton St, Jan19, January, Nikon, sidewalk, snow, tree, Week 6 2019, winter

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“Downtown Rooftops”

February 12th, 2019

Tagged 19.01.21, 2019, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, black & white, Black & White February, D600, downtown Elgin, Elgin IL, Elgin Tower, Jan19, January, long exposure, Nikon, rooftop, Week 6 2019

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“River, Trains, & Towers”

February 11th, 2019

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“Lines, Poles, & Traffic”

February 10th, 2019

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Week 3, January 20-26, 2019 – Car Shows

January 26th, 2019

Tagged 18.06.17, 18.07.15, 18.09.09, 1935 Morgan Super Sport, 1957 Chevy Sedan Delivery, 1958 Chevrolet Impala, 1960 Ford Sunliner, 1965 Shelby Cobra, 2018, 2018 British Car Festival, 2018 Elgin Antique Car Show, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, 57 Chevy, 80-200mm f2.8, auto, black & white, blue, boat, British Car Festival, bumper, car, car show, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Impala, Chevy, chrome, Cobra, D600, door handle, Duesenburg, Duesenburg Dual Cowl Phaeton, Elgin Antique Car Show, Elgin History Museum, Elgin IL, engine, exhaust, fender, Ford, Ford Sunliner, gold, grass, Harper College, headlight, hood, Jul18, July, Jun18, June, maroon, Morgan, Morgan Super Sport, Nikon, orange, Palatine IL, red, reflected, reflection, Sept18, September, Shelby, Shelby Cobra replica, silver, sparkle, stripes, turn signal, Volo Auto Museum, Volo IL, Week 3 2019, WEEKS, WEEKS 2019, white, white walls, wood

1957 Chevy Sedan Delivery

January 23rd, 2019

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1958 Chevrolet Impala reflected in a 1960 Ford Sunliner

January 21st, 2019

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Week 51, December 23-29, 2018 – Playing with Lights II

December 29th, 2018

“Frozen Dance”

December 28th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.08, 2018, 2018 light painting, 80-200mm f2.8, black & white, D600, dance, Elgin IL, light painting, lights, lines, Nikon, Oct18, October, pose, Sarah E. Manata, studio, Week 51 2018

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“Loops & Lines”

December 27th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.01, 2018, 2018 light painting, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, blue, curves, D600, Elgin IL, green, light painting, lights, long exposure, loops, Nikon, Oct18, October, red, Week 51 2018, yellow

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“Plaid Waves”

December 26th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.01, 2018, 2018 light painting, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, blue, D600, Elgin IL, green, light painting, lights, long exposure, Nikon, Oct18, October, red, waves, Week 51 2018, yellow

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“Flamenco Skirt”

December 25th, 2018

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“Movement”

December 23rd, 2018

Tagged 18.09.28, 2018, 2018 light painting, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, black & white, Christmas Lights, D600, Elgin IL, light painting, lights, lines, Nikon, Sept18, September, walking, waves, Week 51 2018

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Week 48, December 2-8, 2018 – Changing Seasons

December 8th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.03, 18.11.09, 18.11.26, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, autumn colors, Cynthia E. R. Smith, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, green, ice, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, orange, red, snow, Week 48 2018, WEEKS, winter, yellow

“Frozen Fall Colors”

December 8th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.26, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, ice, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, snow, Week 48 2018, winter, yellow

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“Season Interrupted”

December 7th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.09, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, snow, Week 48 2018, winter, yellow

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“The First Snow”

December 6th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.09, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, snow, Week 48 2018, winter, yellow

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“Burned Tips”

December 5th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.03, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, Week 48 2018, yellow

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“Softer Tones”

December 4th, 2018

Tagged 18.11.03, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, green, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, orange, red, Week 48 2018, yellow

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“Enjoy the Color”

December 3rd, 2018

Tagged 18.11.03, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, autumn colors, Cynthia E. R. Smith, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, Week 48 2018, yellow

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“Most Beautiful Time of the Year”

December 2nd, 2018

Tagged 18.11.03, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, autumn colors, D600, Elgin IL, fall, fall colors, leaves, Nikon, Nov18, November, red, Week 48 2018, yellow

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Week 46, November 18-24, 2018 – Hawthorne Hills in Autumn

November 24th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, 35-80mm f4-5.6, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, berries, bird, branches, color, D600, dry, Elgin IL, eye, Great Blue Heron, green, Hawthorne Hills Park, heron, leaf, leaves, moss, Nikon, Oct18, October, orange, pond, red, stream, tree, trees, water, Week 46 2018, yellow

“Color of Autumn”

November 24th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, color, D600, Elgin IL, green, Hawthorne Hills Park, leaves, Nikon, Oct18, October, orange, red, Week 46 2018, yellow

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“Patient & Alert”

November 23rd, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, bird, D600, Elgin IL, Great Blue Heron, Hawthorne Hills Park, heron, Nikon, Oct18, October, pond, tree, water, Week 46 2018, yellow

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“Going, Going, Gone”

November 22nd, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, berries, branches, color, D600, dry, Elgin IL, Hawthorne Hills Park, leaves, Nikon, Oct18, October, red, Week 46 2018

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“Through the Bush”

November 21st, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, bird, D600, Elgin IL, eye, Great Blue Heron, Hawthorne Hills Park, heron, Nikon, Oct18, October, pond, trees, water, Week 46 2018

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“Green Stew”

November 20th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, color, D600, Elgin IL, green, Hawthorne Hills Park, leaf, leaves, moss, Nikon, Oct18, October, pond, stream, Week 46 2018

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“Careful Watch”

November 19th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 70-300mm f3.5-5.6, autumn, bird, D600, Elgin IL, Great Blue Heron, Hawthorne Hills Park, heron, Nikon, Oct18, October, pond, trees, water, Week 46 2018

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“Clinging to Life”

November 18th, 2018

Tagged 18.10.25, 2018, 35-80mm f4-5.6, autumn, color, D600, Elgin IL, green, Hawthorne Hills Park, leaves, Nikon, Oct18, October, orange, red, Week 46 2018, yellow

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Week 45, November 11-17, 2018 – Playing with Lights

November 17th, 2018

Light Painting Workshop

In October, I led a workshop on “Night photography & Light Painting” at Elgin Area Camera Club. The only problem was the weeks leading up to my workshop; they were rainy, overcast, and generally not friendly to those kinds of photography. Instead, Sarah and I purchased several different kinds of glow sticks and LED lights, and over the next week, we tried all sorts of photo experiments with the new toys.

We enjoyed this so much that even after the workshop night, Sarah and I continued playing with the lights and having fun.

For those that are intesterested, we used regular white Christmas lights, Super Z Outlet Upgraded Light up Foam Sticks (link), Lumistick 12” Jumbo Glow Light Sticks (link), and SurLight 4 Piece Car 72 LED Strip Lights (Amazon no longer lists the items that we bought, but here’s a very similar link).