Fall Football

Fall sports have started.  I finally got to test out my D500 under the flickering lights at North Mason.  I am quite pleased with it.  I shot most of the game at 1/1000.  Near the end I dropped down to 1/750 due to what I was seeing in my histogram.  My lens was my trusty old 70-200mm f/ 2.8.  My other camera was my D7100 with a 17-55 f/2.8 Sigma.  I wanted to shoot that combination from the hip, but it just would not focus in the dark.  For the post game celebration I put the Sigma lens on my D500 and that took care of the focusing issues.

 I really want another D500 as my second camera body now. 

The next two days after this game I was sore from running up and down the field and kneeling to take photos.  This surprised me as I am in very good hiking condition.

1/750, ISO 128,00 f/2.8

Game clinching touchdown

ƒ/2.8 

 200.0 mm

1/750 

 12800

ƒ/2.8

 

200.0 mm

1/1000

 

3600

ƒ/2.8

 

200.0 mm

1/1000

 

12800

ƒ/2.8

 

130.0 mm

1/1000

 

12800

Early season daylight is so nice

Shot with d500 and Sigma lens with a flash

Shot with d500 and Sigma lens with a flash

ƒ/2.8 

 17.0 mm

1/750

 

5000

Shot with d500 and Sigma lens with a flash

Quiet Summer

I've had a very quiet summer, but fall sports are just around the corner.

August 3rd B-16-17

August 3rd A-1

For this event the lights kept changing, so I had to change my camera settings a lot.  I mostly trust my D500 to set the ISO for me and that helps a lot.  I tried to get some fancy dances shots with streaming lights and a flash to freeze the motion, I'm not sure what that effect is called.  It is something that Alice Wheeler did a lot of  while photographing bands.

Moss photo essay and Varsity Photo Wrap up.

Grad Walk Farmers Market

My first Grad Walk, it was a really whirl wind but lots of fun.  My flash battery went dead half way through, but it did not matter much with my D500 and its high ISO abilities.

This track team was great to work with.  They posed themselves just like this.

Bluegrass in the Forest, Waves of Perfection

Bluegrass in the forest was a blast.  Went a little bit on all three days to capture the light and the bands the way I wanted to.  Snuck upstairs on Sunday when less people were around to make an issue out of it.

Waves of Perfection did not go as well for me this year.  The venue was changed, the new venue had almost no appeal and the light was dark and inconsistent.  My photos of the event were printed in black and white and that's fine with me.

B18-19 May 25

B-4 May 25 

Three front page photos out of four

On a roll with front page photos this month.  Festival season has started and a staffer is about to leave, so that means more work for me.  Team sports photos are just about done.

Lucky here.  

Went to this on my own and then sold it.

The long lens felt bulky and cumbersome here, so moslty used the shorter lens.

Track teams know how to have fun

May Day March, Sports, and a Fire Drill

May 4 A-27

May 4 B-4

May 4 B-6

May 4 Center Spread B-17

March for Science

April 27 no.17 A-1

April 27 no. 17 A-16

Apr 27 page B-4

Apr 27  B-17

Apr 27 B-16

Apr 27  B-1

Spring Sports

I have not been given any spring sports assignments, but I did go out and take these pictures while doing varsity photos:

Real Estate

Some Real Estate work for my collection.  Editorial work is starting to pick up with the return of warmer weather.


All shot with the D500, 17-50mm Sigma Lens with in camera HDR.  I need a new head for my tripod, my ballhead will not hold my rig at an angle.  Perhaps my rig has gotten too heavy over the years.

Valentines Day at the Senior Center

Jan Balmelli and Al Walp of Shelton do the Boot Scootin' Boogie at the Valentines Eve dance and  fundraiser sponsored by the Mason County Senior activities  Center held at the Pavilion in Sentry park in Shelton, Washington on Friday February 13th, 2015

I decided to go to the senior center to photograph their Valentines Eve dance and fundraiser. 

Bill Hillstead and Betty Berry dance at the Valentines Eve dance

 and  fundraiser sponsored by the Mason County Senior activities Center

held at the Pavilion in Sentry park in Shelton, Washington on 

Friday February 13th, 2015

Shanna Cox and Ted Little stand at the bar during their "romantic Valentines Eve" at the Valentines

 Eve dance  and  fundraiser sponsored by the Mason County Senior activities Center

held at the Pavilion in Sentry park in Shelton, Washington on Friday February 13th, 2015

Robert and Michelle Kurtz on the dance floor at the Valentines Eve dance

 and  fundraiser sponsored by the Mason County Senior activities Center

held at the Pavilion in Sentry park in Shelton, Washington on 

Friday February 13th, 2015

This venue is very dark so I was happy to have my new fast wide angle zoom.  This was the first time I got to use my new lens in this room.  I can say that the lens helped a lot.  It was nice to be able to shoot at 2.8 from 17-50mm!  

 David and Kathleen Hopkins tear up on the dance floor at the Valentines Eve dance  and  fundraiser sponsored by the Mason County Senior activities Center held at the Pavilion in Sentry park in Shelton, Washington on Friday February 13th, 2015