One of My Favorite Flowers

Everytime I see one of these beautiful Lotus Flowers, I want to photograph them...

A Misplaced Budda?

I think he has seen better days...

The Lotus Pond

It was a nice spot to just sit, listen to my ipod, and ponder life...

Skywatch Friday - Golden Sun in Thailand

Wow, hard to believe it is Friday...this week flew by...

Happy Friday!!

Be sure to visit the many great people around the world to see other skies...

Click HERE

The Jungle Takes Over

No, this is not Angkor Wat in Cambodia....this is probably what Angkor looked like hundreds of years ago when the jungle just started to take over...

Bangkok, Thailand....by the way...

Anyone Up For A Ride on a BIKE CYCLE?

Gotta love it...

An Old Thai Bike

Remember those days riding a bike with a bell and light? Those bikes are still around...

The New Airport in Bangkok

Just back from Bangkok...I had no internet at home last night, so have to post this morning...

I like this shot of the terminal at the new airport...

Skywatch Friday - Golfin' in the Gobi

Happy Friday!!

When I went to Mongolia, I thought it would be cool to get some photos of myself golfing...No, there were not any golf courses in Mongolia, but wouldn't it be cool to have photos playing golf there? So, I carried a couple of clubs and balls, and when we got to the sand dunes in the Gobi Desert, we took some shots pretending to be in the world's largest sand trap...

Yea, I am nuts....but, it was sure fun, and we all had a good laugh...

Be sure to check out all the other skywatch blogs...it is fun traveling around the world through other's blogs...

The Small Nudibranch That Tried to Look Tough

I guess if you were the size of my thumbnail, this guy would look pretty intimidating...

Like a dragon climbing on the hill in your back yard...

Tiny Fish Hide in the Fan

Sometimes, when taking photos underwater, you don't notice what you are really taking a photo of...when I took this photo, I remember trying to capture the patterns and texture of this fan coral...I didn't even notice the small opaque fish...

Trekking in Korea

When people think of Korea, they don't really think of trekking, but Korea is really a mountainous country with beautiful hiking trails...

Wild Horses at Sunrise

It was one of those magical mornings in Mongolia...I woke up early, climbed out of my yurt, and saw these wild horses eating near the stream...magical.

Skywatch Friday - Mongolia

Happy Friday!!

If you read below, you will know what kind of serious internet problems I have been having lately...please don't think I am a snob when I don't come visit your blog...I really want to, I do...

BUT, don't let that stop YOU from visiting all over the world at Skywatch Friday (click on "Skywatch Friday")

Have a great weekend!!

My Internet Is Driving Me Crazy

So, there I was last night, trying to post to my blog...I have one of those USB hook-ups that connects with some tower, that connects to some satellite in space....you have to "dial-up" to get a connection, and then just hope that the connection is kept connected while you are on-line. Well, it took me 31 tries to connect (22 minutes)....yes, finally, got connected....then, I tried to get to my homepage (this blog)...took 15 minutes to load my page...then, I had to sign-in to blogger...another 10 minutes for that (got disconnected while trying, then another 10 attempts to get back on-line)...then I had to wait another 15 minutes to open the "create a new post" window. THEN, I tried 22 times to load a photo...no go, kept watching that insane "loading circle" spin for hours, and then a message that the signal was disrupted...

After yelling many obsenities at my compute screen and banging my desk in disgust, I gave up....

Hence, no blog entry last night...

I am now at work where the connection is not bad....but, I really don't have much time at work to play....but will post a photo now in case I have the same problem tonight (you can bet on that)...

Twenty Five Things on Facebook

If you are on Facebook, you probably have seen this "Twenty Five Things" thing...I was tagged by my cousin's husband, and since then, I have seen many of my friends write their own "twenty five things"...you are supposed to write 25 things about yourself that perhaps people don't know about yourself...well, I have been thinking of my list all day today, and will probably write something when I get the time...I keep getting these ideas popping into my head...I should write them down when I think of them....I will let you know when I write my own "Twenty Five Things"...

I have no idea what this photo has to do with "Twenty Five Things", but it is one of the shots I got of Bromo at sunrise last year...I don't think I have ever posted this one before...

Balloons Over Hanoi

It's my birthday today, and this kinda looks like "candles in the wind"....except these count for about 17 candles each...well not that many, but I am inching towards the big Five-0...trying to hold onto my forties the best I can...

25 Things about Me...From Facebook

I promised awhile back to post what I wrote on Facebook 25 things about myself...

It was actually kind of fun to write, and it is brutally honest...

Twenty Five Things…

1. I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. I keep thinking my current job is only temporary and something better will come along next year.

2. I am a wanderer. I have lived in 4 different countries, 9 different states or territories of the United States, and have traveled to all 50 states, and 110 countries.

3. I used to fly a 45-foot long helicopter, weighing over 17,000 pounds carrying 25 passengers, landing on ships at sea. My call sign was “Hobo” because of my constant 5:00 shadow on my face.

4. My favorite place I ever lived was Kauai, Hawaii. My job was scuba diving, and I lived in paradise….too bad Hurricane Iniki ripped through the island in 1992 or I would still be there.

5. My favorite place to be is underwater with a camera.

6. I have over 4000 logged scuba dives. That is about 500 8-hour “work days” underwater...or 2.7 school years underwater.

7. I once was eye-to-eye with two 50-foot Humpback Whales in Kauai. It is an experience that I will never forget, and is the best dive I ever had.

8. My wife, Tika, and my daughters, Kayla, Kelly and Carissa are my life….they are who I live for. Family is everything.

9. I work only so that I can play.

10. Yes, I love kids and love teaching….but really, I teach because of the vacation time….don’t tell anyone though.

11. Nothing really bothers me. I like all people and I have no enemies. The only thing I hate is traffic and a bad internet connection….unfortunately, I live in a place with the worst traffic in the world, and my internet connection sucks.

12. I love the movies….ALL movies. Tika and I see one or two movies every week.

13. Speaking of movies….I am a “YES MAN”….did you see that?....I have a hard time saying, “No” to just about anything asked of me…sometimes a problem, but like in the movie, saying, “yes” brings opportunity.

14. I love sex. Who doesn’t?

15. I am a photography addict. I am always thinking of photography, and I am rarely without my camera. Life is just one big picture, and I love capturing moments of life. There is nothing that compares to capturing a moment of time that can be shared with others for an endless time.

16. I am a Mac guy and a Nikon guy, and think PC’s and Canon are for those “other” people.

17. I probably spend half my day playing with Photoshop. I will probably be buried with the latest version in my arms.

18. I think life is backwards….it should be: get an education and learn the ropes of life your first 20 years…then, take the next 40 years off and play….then start to work when you turn 60. Now THAT would be the life.

19. Golf is a good walk spoiled. I love the game, but I suck and will probably always suck...but I love the walk with good friends or with my Dad.

20. I am not a city person, but have lived in one of the largest and most polluted cities in the world for over 12 years now.

21. I am a dreamer. I love to dream BIG….sometimes my dreams come true. Even if they don’t come true, it is still so much fun to dream.

22. I love watching people, and can sit in one spot for hours upon hours watching people walk by.

23. I am a sucker for a great beer.

24. I whole heartedly believe that love, friendship, family, travel and adventure is what life is all about. The other stuff is irrelevant.

25. I liked doing this list….kind of puts things in perspective...

Killing Time in the Pool

So what do you do when the traffic is bad outside, the weather is just so-so, and you are bored out of your mind?

You grab your 4-year old daughter, and jump in the pool with your underwater camera, and kill a couple of hours taking photos....then you jump on the computer and play with Photoshop...

A bad day turned into a pretty dang fun day...

Skywatch Friday - Prayer Flags in Nepal

I am a bit late in getting my "skywatch" photo out today...

But, Happy Friday!!

Have fun surfing the net checking out all the other skywatch photos HERE

Don't Blame Me, It's My Daughter's Fault

I am not a big fan of the color, Pink....why?......Well, because I am a guy...guys are not supposed to like pink....pink is for girls...right?

My daughter, Kayla, was sitting at my desk with me when I was searching for a photo to post tonight....when she saw this one in Lightroom, she immediately yelled, "that one....that one...that one, Daddy...!!". How could I resist?

The Aliens Have Invaded

Sometimes when I am underwater, I can't believe my eyes...
it really is another world down there...

This is a brittle star climbing over a sponge and a crinoid...like a creature from another planet.

Deep In The Jungles Of Cambodia

A thousand years ago, this would probably have been a pretty nice place to live...I find it amazing the actual condition of most of the structures of these ancient buildings near Angkor Wat...and what is even more amazing is that they are still finding these wonderful buildings in the jungle today hidden for over a thousand years...

My Wife and New Daughter, Kelly

I usually save photos of my family for my "Family Blog", but I posted this yesterday on my family blog, and liked it, so thought it had a place on this blog...

Hope you like it...

For My Sister, Kathleen...Happy BIrthday

I was searching for a photo that made me think of you....and this is what I came up with...

here is my "artistic" thinking....the big tree on the left represents Tyler...big and still in the picture...the small tree represents Megan...still a budding young girl...and the empty beach huts represent Steven and Matthew...leaving an empty nest (soon for Matthew), but also leaving you with a great view on life...and the things you have accomplished as a mother of four!!

Happy Birthday, Kathleen!!

Skywatch Friday - Monas Monument, Jakarta

Happy Friday!!

This week's skywatch photo is from my home (for the past 12 years) in Jakarta. This monument is called Monas, but locals call it "Sukarno's Erection". Sukarno was the first President of Indonesia after independence from the Dutch in 1945...

Have fun visiting blogs from around the world featuring skies in every corner of the globe...CLICK HERE
Please forgive me if I don't visit your blog, however...I am having serious internet problems again!!

Now Dem Are BIG Tires

These are the biggest trucks in the world...and they are huge. Each one of those tires cost more than the average house...

I Was Inspired Today

Scott Kelby had a guest photographer on his blog today named, Joey L. He is a VERY young photographer that has hit it big in the states. He is a good writer as well, and I was inspired by what he wrote and his portraits from Africa.

Since I have not posted a portrait in some time, here is one I took in Papua of a young Komoro watching a bunch of crazy white people eat grubs...

Oai Town in Santorini

Looking for a place that is romantic, has great food, great people, great weather?...and a great place to take photos??

Santorini is the place for you...

Just a Normal Day at Chobe, Botswana

Seeing Elephants in Chobe is a lot like seeing stray cats in my neighborhood....they are everywhere...but even so, the are just so cool, and I never got tired of watching them...

A Caribbean Bar in Asia

I like the Chinese characters written above "Mama's"...

Only thing missing is Bob Marley...and people sitting at the boat bar.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset in Indonesia

Don't you just love those sunsets where the entire spectrum of light is showing in the sky??

I always remembered from Science class....
RoyGBiv...Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet...

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Take a trip around the world...
Please be sure to visit as many Skywatch Friday bloggers as you can...

Saturday Night

A bit of texture added to an HDR photo of the Singapore Skyline...

Hey, if you have a minute, check out my FAMILY BLOG for some new personal news...

Nirwana Golf Signature Hole

If I were to pick my favorite golf course I have ever played, I think Nirwana would be it...should be called "NirVana"... When you finish the 18 holes, you just don't want to quit...you just wish there were a few more holes to play...

Clarke Quay - Singapore

I think it is the combination of good food, good beer, great atmosphere, and good people watching that makes Clarke Quay the ideal place to hang-out for the day...

Guess Who Loves The Camera?...My Daughter, Kayla

It is pretty nice having a daughter that loves to pose for her Daddy...

Singapore Should Be "The City of Lights"

This is Clarke Quay in Singapore...It has changed over the years, and is now bustling with activity...not that it wasn't before, but with this new enclosure, it is a really cool place to stroll around and watch people. There are loads of great restaurants and clubs...

I guess I am getting old...instead of standing in line to get into one of the hot clubs, I wandered around with my tripod and camera and took photos...what a nerd...

Skywatch Friday - Afternoon at Annapurna Base Camp

Happy Friday Everyone!!

This photo is from the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal a little more than a year ago...

Be sure to check out all the other skywatch bloggers here...

The Lion Takes A Stroll

It must be nice to be on top of the food chain. There were several zebras, giraff, and various other animals sipping water at a nearby water hole when this lioness got on her feet and started to stroll. ALL the animals took notice and shot off like bullets...what power...

Elephant Crossing

I was in a small boat traveling down the river in Zimbabwe, when we saw a herd of Elephants crossing the river. We were only a few feet away from them...I had mixed emotions about this...I was so excited to get photos that I forgot to be afraid of several wild elephants mere feet away from me...

Cool Photo To Celebrate The Inauguration

This photo is from The Big Picture blog that I talked about a few days ago. It is an AP photo by Sandy Huffaker. I think it is great...

I have increased the size of the photos in my blog...I will try it out, and see how it looks. I really do think photos look better when they are BIG...

I just noticed I will also have to re-do my banner...I will get to that soon enough...it needs a change as well...I am getting tired of that photo...

Rugby Jumps

One of the great things being a Photographer at school is moments like this...

It's also great having an appreciative audience that can enjoy the hard work put in when making pictures...kids always love it.

Skywatch Friday - HDR of Tanah Lot in Bali

Happy Friday!!

On Wednesday, I posted and talked a little about HDR photography. This is another HDR photo, but it is processed a bit differently than the photo I posted on Wednesday. This version is more "illustrative" looking. Many people don't like this kind of look, but I really like it....and when you come down to it, we as photographers have to like our own stuff before we share it with others....right??

One of my favorite HDR photographers, and in my opinion, the king of HDR, is Trey Ratcliff. Check out his work here (or click on his name) if you want to see some good HDR photography...He also has an excellent tutorial on how to post-process HDR photos...

In the meantime, check out all the other bloggers participating in Skywatch Friday, and see their skies from their part of the world...

Wreck and Reef

I have been posting photos all week from my trip to Bali over the Christmas/New Year holiday...

To be honest, I only took a few photos....some of Tanah Lot near the hotel I stayed at, and some underwater photos from the Northeast Coast. Usually, I take hundreds of photos on vacation, but I have a pretty lame excuse for only taking a few photos this vacation...

I left my camera batteries on my bedroom floor still attached to the battery chargers!!

Yes, I am an idiot!! The night before we left for Bali, I charged two batteries for my D300 and two batteries for my D70, which I use underwater. I remember thinking to myself, "don't forget your batteries in the morning". I got up the next morning, got dressed, grabbed my luggage, and headed out the door with Tika and Kayla. When I got to the waiting lounge at the airport, I pulled out my camera to take a photo of my daughter...then it hit me...CRAP...my batteries!!

Luckily, a friend of mine that arrived in Bali a couple of days later had an extra battery for his D200 which uses the same battery as my D300, so I borrowed his battery for a couple of days. Then another friend was already in Bali, and shoots with a D70...he had an extra battery for me to use for my one-day dive trip.

Not sure what the chances are of having two friends in Bali with the exact two batteries I needed...A BIG thanks goes to my friends, and a lesson learned for me!!

Anyway, the photo below is another one from the Liberty wreck. An amazing reef growing on the wreck...

Wow, What A Photography Site!!

I was just surfing the web, as I often do, reading my favorite blogs and looking at photographs. I find looking at other's work inspires me to do better with my own photography, and there are always new things to learn...

Any way, I was reading the strobist blog, and he was writing about the Weblog Awards for 2008 in one of his earlier entries. He mentioned that a blog called The Big Picture was one of the blogs competing for the best Photography blog of 2008. Of course, I had to check it out....WOW WOW WOW is all I can say.....if you want to see some of the best photos taken from around the world, this is the place to see them. The blog is run by the Boston Globe which searches the web for great photos. Here is the link...go check it out, you will spend hours gazing in amazement....

More From Tanah Lot

This part of Tanah Lot is looking West from my other photo I posted a couple of days ago...

This is an HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo which has blended 5 shots bracketed at -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 bringing out more of what I remember seeing when I took the shot. HDR photography is becoming more and more popular with digital photographers. It enables the photographer to capture a scene properly exposing shadow and highlight areas all in one photo extending the dynamic range close to what our eyes can see...not possible back in the film days without using graduated filters and such...fun stuff!! I have one more HDR photo of Tanah Lot that I will post on Friday with a different look...

By the way, I have received a bunch of emails asking about my plans for a new tutorial blog. I have not forgotten and I am working on it...Once I get the blog up and running, I will write a more detailed tutorial on how to post-process HDR photos....stay tuned...

Also, the new blog will be presented by a team of photographers...I can't wait to introduce them to you...you may know a couple of them already...

An Old Mast Sunk in the Ocean for Almost a Century

This Old Mast of the Liberty Ship sunk off the North East Coast of Bali is HUGE!!
It stretches at least 20 meters from just below the surface to bottom, maybe more...

I could not believe the coral growth on the mast. Just goes to show that a heap of rusted metal,which is an eye sore on shore, can do wonders for the environment underwater...

Tanah Lot - Bali

You can probably imagine how many shots I had to take to get that crashing water on the rocks timed perfectly...but the final outcome was worth it.

Back From Bali

Wow, it seems like forever since I have been home...I guess that is a sign of a good vacation. We had a great time in Bali, and spent most of our time at Le Meridien Resort which is located near the famous Tanah Lot Temple on the South West coast of Bali. The Meridien is also famous for it's incredible golf course, Nirwana...

I did some diving as well, so will be posting some underwater photos as well as more photos of Tanah Lot in Bali...which is pictured below...

This photo is a Panorama made up of 10 portrait photos stitched together...

Skywatch Friday - Welcome to 2009

Happy NEW YEAR, and Happy Friday!!

I am off to Bali for a week, so will be taking a break from blogging....see you NEXT week...

In the meantime, have fun checking out all the other bloggers involved with Skywatch....hope this will be another great year of sky photos!! Click HERE to see the list of great people from all over the world participating...

Downtown Jakarta from the Grand Indonesia parking lot...