Hunting Eagles

A few quick snaps from a little drive down in Sanpete. The eagles are out in force this time of year. Such a beautiful bird. I don't do much wildlife photography, shooting mainly people, so it is always fun to do something a bit different. Look at this first guys claws!!!

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

This bird, wasn't to happy we disturbed him from his perch, warm sunbathing. He flew away with some coaxing, but we hoped he would fly in the right direction (toward the camera, or at least not away). So much for hoping...

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

One quick hint, shooting in snowy weather can be challenging for a camera to meter. There is so much white with the snow that the exposure can vary dramatically from frame to frame (ussually you end up with shots on the dark side). One quick way to get your exposure pegged, is to meter manually. In this case I set the exposure for the sky.

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 6.3; 200mm

One more taken through the glass door of my parents back door. These deer are feasting on frozen apples under the apple tree;)

1/640 sec; ISO 200, F 7.1; 200mm

Some photos from Sanpete

I have been so busy lately, that it has been hard to keep the blog updated with all that has been going on.

Just wanted to share a few pics from July visits to Sanpete (back to my roots).

When we go down to Sanpete, it is a so relaxing, time to just hang out play some games and the like.





Here is Clayton checking out the scores...








Brodes is digging, I wonder if he found anything?



This one of those moments for Clayton but he gets over it real fast.



One last quick nigth shot, this year has been one with a lot of storms!



A few more, this July I was able to meetup up with some fellow photography friends. Captured a few rodeo action pics. Hey it was real fun! Enjoy:

Memorial weekend

We all went down to Sanpete for memorial weekend. It was a nice little visit, I wanted to share pics with all those who were there and those not...

First in memory of my great great grandfather...



One thing about going down to Sanpete, there is never a lack of food to eat. Everyone has happy tummies (or unhappy tummies if you loose self restraint).



Some people were a little confused as what to do with all that food.





Outdoor cooking at its finest!





My parents got some new baby ducks and chickens...



It was a wet Memorial weekend, had to get out and capture some of the clouds!





We took portraits of a few of the cousins and Clayton. Isn't he getting soo good looking!





The cute cousins (girls)!







Ethan had his own style of portraits in mind...



I look at this one and can almost hear the bullets whizzing by...



I feel so much safer with Ethan on guard!

Outdoor riding in Sanpete

Last weekend we all went down to Mt. Pleasant for a visit to Grandma and Grandpa (My mom and dad). My brother in law had happened to get a new dirt bike so we headed out to the old gravel pit South of town. Beside there being a bunch of trails there was a lot of old equipment lying around.

Wouldn't you know the only child not looking at the camera is my own (he has sure learned to ignore his father when he has a camera).





Here is Clayton with Grandpa! Clayton used to be scared of the noise from the machines, but he has but not anymore!



Jordan getting geared up!



Will Brody take after his dad?



A couple of the bro. in law tearing up the trails!

My little nephew

My sister needed new portraits as the latest photos of her youngest are from when he was only a few months old.

My nephew is a little sober dude. It is rare to get him to crack a smile.



He loves to fight with his little sister, and is pretty good at getting her into trouble. He takes after a certain uncle that was a quite little mischief maker.



We did manage to sneak a few smiles out of the little guy









Just a few photos from around Grandma and Grandpa's house. There is so much fun stuff to do outside.

Fall, the hunt, and why I love it all

Every fall there is a ritual that my family performs called deer hunting. For me it is a time to get away from the city, and be with my dad, brothers, cousins etc.

Our hunting grounds are the same used by my grandfather whom I never had a chance to know. I do feel that I know him a little from the stories I hear when we are hunting in the mountains he loved. The country is gorgeous during the fall, leaves are turning, the wild hills seem wilder. Winter is coming and you can feel its bite, you can see the land changing with the change in the season.

This year, my cousin Bob brought his little boy Aaron along for the hunt. Will next year be the year I take Clayton for his first hunt?



Aaron had a blast, hanging with the guys.

The hills we usually hunt were a bit dry this year. Here is Troy (brother in law) over looking from the same point that was a favorite of my Grandfather.



See those mountains in the distance, well it isn't exactly where we ended up but close.



Mountain hunting is different from the hills, but the views are spectacular. We sat in this valley watching the sun rise up lighting the hillsides around us.



If anything the terrain is even more rugged, but all the more magnificent for it.



A stand of quaking aspen.



OK, I couldn't help being a little artsy fartsy, adding a little motion blurr...



Here is part of our group heading back to the top...



This was the view at our backs, you gotta love the wild places in Utah.