A few new photos from the D700

After a couple weeks with the new camera I've found a new interest in night time photography. I attempted to shoot the meteor shower but only caught one before the winds became chilling up Hobble Creek Canyon. It was nearly 2 am when I left before the most concentrated numbers would be seen. But the camera performed beyond what I thought would be possible and gone was the guessing I use to do in night time photographs. I've included two of the many. My first shooting star can be seen just above the mountain. The other one is from Springville looking towards Salem. I must be doing something wrong because every jpg I upload to the blog seems to be of a lesser quality. Just click the photo for a better look.

The real reason oil prices have been out of control.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082003898.html

Its funny that the same change in law that allowed a loop hole for Dick Cheney's old employer Enron is also to blame for allowing the current oil speculators the right to buy commodities. Enron, Iraq, oil, and who really knows the next great depression.

Like the Dude said, you find who benefits the most and there you have it, she kidnapped herself man.

Got my first real digital camera this week.

The photo was shot last night from a friends back porch. I cropped the photo to a third of the original size to show the lightning up close. It was around 11pm and dark out. I got a few more strikes but this is the one I like.

The Nikon D700 is the digital camera I've waited years for. Finally a camera at a reasonable price that actually rocks. Full size (35mm film size) sensor, not the smaller DX version that had been the norm until now for nikon. I shot a million dollar house for 4.5 hours this past thursday morning for Skrilla Builders. The camera worked beautifully and effortlessly to the extent I felt it was cheating the old need to know something film photography. Had I shot film it would have taken 10 rolls of 35mm and multiple filters to get white balance. Besides the great quality at high ISO's allowed me to leave the tripod after the first hour to just shoot hand held. That was very important due to a 9 am shooting deadline to get the details though out the house photographed before the homeowners moved 3 semi-trucks worth of stuff into the behemoth.

To have bought film, processed and scanned the stuff it would have cost me $200. Enough to buy memory cards that will last years. Plus I actually can look at the photos instantly without expensive, time consuming Poloroid instant self developing film. Instant feedback, skipping ISO settings, D-lighting which gives more details in the shadow and highlights, all just made for a really great experience. I've shot and stored away a hundred rolls of film the past few years without scanning or printing them. I got pretty good at just reading the negatives when I picked them up and took my time to archive em while they hung on the wall. Now I've got some time to catch up with my film archive. I will still shoot film for the sake of having a negative with certain subject matters. Film has been a great part of my life's experience's. Hopefully one day I can get my own color and B/w darkroom set up and have some fun with the negatives I've shot over the past decade.