Archive for the ‘Architecture’ Category

Fishing Pier at Lake Quanah Parker

|Sony A700 | CZ 16-80 | 16mm | f8 | 1/320 sec | ISO 640 | 3 images tonemapped|

The winter sun rises south of due east creating low angles of light and many opportunities for dramatic lighting.  I was hoping for such an opportunity when I headed out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge this morning.  I had a strong hunch that the sun rise at ESE 118.1°, would create interesting shadows and texture on the fishing pier at Lake Quanah Parker.  However, I have to admit my surprise at finding so much beach exposed, considering the rains we have had in December.  At normal lake height, there is very little, if any, beach.  As much as I was surprised, I was also excited because of the additional opportunities 20 yards, or so, of beach would present.  I parked just outside the entrance to the Quanah Parker Conservation Center and hiked to the pier.  I arrived well ahead of the sunrise and was able to get set up in plenty of time so I could just wait for the light and the fun to begin.

Oklahoma University's Icon of Knowledge

[Sony A700 w/CZ 16-80mm | 27mm | f/8 | 1" – 15" | ISO 1600 | 5 images, tonemapped]

It’s been a good while since my last post.  I apologize for that!  I have been distracted by life and have not been able to pursue my love of photographic art.  However, this past week I was in Norman, OK. attending a three day marathon workshop on Franklin/Covey’s “Four Dimension of Execution”.  After sitting for hours upon hours the first two days, I had a great need to stretch my legs.  Toward that end, I loaded up my camera gear and headed for the OU campus about 9:30 PM.  Being an alum of OU, and very familiar with the campus, I was already anticipating seeing our Bizzell Memorial Library glowing in the night.  I was not disappointed and I hope you like it.

The Sun Rises Early!

I never know what I’m going to get with a sunrise.  I’ve enjoyed countless sunrises over the years:  the majority from getting up early, not coming in late, although there’s been a few of those, too.  For the past decade, or so, the sun risings I’ve witnessed follow on the heels of simple planning.  But in spite of the planning there’s no way I can know what scene will unfold in the eastern sky.  I’m always in the dark on that and leaving home at dark-thirty doesn’t help, either!  Sunsets are different and I can anticipate and see the event unfold;  I’m waiting on it to happen.  Sunrises are so different!

Best Made Plans?

It’s an easy matter to catch the nightly weather forecasts to get an idea of what the weather is predicted to be five to seven days in advance.  But gee whiz, I live in Southwest Oklahoma where moist warm air rising from the Gulf and dry arctic air sweeping down the Plains from Canada can ruin the best meteorologist’s forecast in a matter of hours.   Experience has taught me to check the forecast late the night before and then don’t bet any money on what it’s going to do.  It’s also easy to get the forecast for things like the times for Nautical Twilight, Civil Twilight, and actual time of sunrise, percent of cloud cover, probability of precipitation, direction and velocity of wind, and temperature at any given hour.  There are also plenty of simple software programs that will tell you the precise degree from North that the sun will actually rise on the horizon based on your geographical location.  I use a free one called “Ephemeris.  I plug in the angle of declination for Lawton, or any other location, and then every time I open it I have the time and angles for the rising and setting of the sun and moon on that particular day.  It’s very handy.  Now, with all that in hand a reasonable person would think it’s just a matter of getting out of bed.  “Not so Sherlock!” Read the rest of this entry »

Clouds Through My Window

I’ve visited this cabin located on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (WMWR) many times over the years.  I’ve always wanted to take pictures from the inside looking out through these windows but always knew the result would be very disappointing.  The problem was the darkness of the interior in contrast to the bright outdoors.  I would never be able to achieve what I wanted until High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography came onto the scene.  This time when I visited this great little cabin, I was exhilarated with expectations of the possibilities.  I learned some things from this experience and am sure I can make some technical improvements.  This image was made using five exposures.  I needed to use more, maybe seven.  I’m satisfied with what I have now, and await my next visit.

Cameron University: Showing Its Pride!

The skies over Southwest Oklahoma had been heavily clouded and pouring forth rain in abundance for the past three days.  Because of predictions of more rain on Saturday, I had already planned my day ar0und computer tasks such as adding needed descriptions to some categories and albums on my online gallery, and working on the images in my database before it got out of hand.  However, throughout most of the day the wind was dead calm and I couldn’t keep myself from the disappointment of not being out shooting wildflowers.  I kept thinking how great a day it was for doing just that.

It’s now almost 7:30 PM, and I’m watching TV, when I see the bright rays of the descending sun breaking under the cloud cover shining on the fence in my backyard.  I immediately think of the Cameron University sign at the corner of 38th Street and Gore Boulevard.  It had caught my attention Thursday night as I was returning home from a Wichita Wildlight Photographic Society (WWPS) meeting.  I remember thinking that it would have great HDR potential late in the evening, especially with thunder clouds in the background.  This was the moment!  I knew it would be fleeting and I had to hurry.  I needed to change clothes, but luckily, I the necessary camera gear was already in my camera bag.  I rushed to get out the door and on the way to Cameron.   Another bit of fortune is that I live less than two miles away.

By the time I reached the corner of 38th and Gore, the sun was casting it’s golden rays beautifully on the corner where the Cameron sign is beautifully displayed.  However, there was a bank of clouds below the sun resting on the horizon and I knew it would on be a few minutes before the sun sank behind them.  And here I was waiting on the green left turn arrow!  I had just missed it and would now have to wait for all the lights to cycle back to me.  I prayed, “GOD, I only need five or six minutes.  Please, just give me a chance!”  Finally, the green arrow flashed and lurched forward into the intersection turning onto 38th.  I turned into the huge parking lot that used to bear the traffic from those attending Cameron football games but is now used for high school football fans whose teams use the stadium now and for high school marching band contests.  Fortunately I was able to park directly behind my objective.  My camera was already prepared for the shots I needed.  I made sure of that while I waited for the green arrow at the traffic light.  I grabbed my tripod, shutter release, and camera and made for the corner of the intersection.

My mind was racing like crazy as I mentally made sure I was covering all bases and not overlooking something minor that would have disastrous results on my efforts.  First I sat up as a close to a pole as I could get without it getting into the picture and took a wide angle of the entire brick structure.  I couldn’t help but notice how bright the colors of the plants were following the two days of rain and now in the bright light of the sun they were brilliant.  I was excited to see the clouds in the background mixed with patches of blue sky.  I knew they would look great.  I was moving quickly, as always in the back of mind was the knowledge the sun was sinking behind those clouds at my back.  I also had to make sure my own shadow did not get into the picture.  Following the first series of exposures, I repositioned closer to the sign but still with my lens at its widest setting, 16mm and f22.  I was like a machine going through the motions after someone flicked the “On” switch.  Even so, I was only able to maneuver into five different positions before the sun was obscured by the clouds and light was gone.  Whew!  I paused, sighed deeply several times, gathered myself, camera, and tripod and walked back to my truck with deep satisfaction.

Concrete arches rise from a wheat field in Cotton County.

I still don’t know what this is, or was, or whatever!  I can no more estimate the number of times I’ve passed by this structure as I can estimate the number of times I’ve traveled Hwy. 5 between Temple and Walters, OK.  Growing up in Temple, and Walters being only 10 highway miles away, slightly over 7 miles by the railroad tracks that run between the two Southwest Oklahoma towns, I passed by this structure often.  It caught my attention every time I passed during daylight hours.  I’ve always found it mysterious.

Over the years I’ve asked many people the history of this place with most only responding they thought it had something to do with the railroad.  One story, presented with confidence by a man who grew up in Walters and said his parents told him that this was the ruins of a vegetable cannery built around the turn of the 20th Century.  I feel he’s probably right, but I still don’t know what part this structure would have played in a vegetable cannery.  If someone has any other information, or has any suggestions on the use of this arched structure, I’m interested in hearing them.

The Vaska Theatre Sign Still Lights the Lawton Sky.

Built in 1948, the Vaska Theatre, located at 1902 NW Ferris Avenue, is the oldest movie theatre in Lawton, OK.  It may not be as modern or have the latest technology like the multi-screen theatres in town, but it still has a lot to offer.  You can see movies for $3.00, you get free refills on large popcorns and sodas, and their longevity, having opened in 1948,  means they are dependable.  To point out the latter, Lawton suffered the worst ice storm, in anyone’s memory, on Thursday, January 28, 2010.  It shut the whole town down, taking out power to about 30,000 people and doing indescribable damage to trees throughout the city.  Many people were without electricity for 7 days, or longer, and the schools were closed for 7 days, too.  Well, you can imagine my surprise when looking out a back window of my house, I saw the top of the Vaska tower aglow from the red neon lights.  It didn’t surprise me that they had eclectricity, because we had been blessed and spared that particular misfortune at our house, only a block away.  What caught me offguard was that they were open, at all.  I thought to myself, “How great that during a time of hardship, for many, the Vaska was sending the message loud and clear of stability and strength, steadfastness in the face of adversity, and reaching out to all who sought refuge from the storm.”  This photo was taken the next night to record the proud moment in the Vaska’s rich history.