02/22/12 Another February Sunset: Peoria, IL

The February sun sets on this
farmhouse outside Peoria, IL

On this evening, I ventured out just before sunset to see if I could capture some more vivid colors as I did on the previous evening in Kewanee, IL. I managed to get a few shots that I was quite happy with, but the previous day definitely stole the show between the two days in my opinion. The colors just couldn't top the previous evening's sunset! I shot all the photos below once again with my Canon (10-22mm) wide-angle lens and Canon (70-300mm) telephoto-zoom lens. Below are a few photos I shot as I returned to Peoria, IL for another busy work-week for myself:

This location is a favorite of mind as it literally
sits right beside the northwest-side of Peoria, IL

This was a favorite..can't help, but thinking
of Kansas with this shot!

Another favorite as the low sun angle
casts a shadow over the farmhouse...

Another wide-angle shot!

Another of my favorites...

One more close-up of the farm!

A cool reflection here...

Portrait-shot!

One last wide-angle shot here...

Geese (heading north) Hmm...

That will wrap up this post. It was nice to get a couple of days of photography in over the past week. Spring is on its way folks with severe weather already picking up in the Deep South. It's just a matter of time before it's our turn over the next few months. If you haven't already start getting your chase gear ready!

02/21/12 A Vivid February Sunset

The beginning of a spectacular sunset on the
evening of February 21st outside Kewanee, IL

On the evening of February 21st, I ventured back to my hometown of Kewanee, IL for a couple of days. I managed to get some photography-in over those couple of days mostly shooting at sunset. On that evening, I used heavily by Canon (10-22mm) wide-angle lens and Canon (70-300mm) telephoto-zoom lens to capture some stellar shots at sunset. It ended up being another successful evening for some photography for myself. I've added some of my favorite shots from that particular evening below:

This sunset ended up being quite vibrant!

Our pasture always tend to provide a good photo-op

just about every time I visit this location...

Sun angle beginning to get lower in the sky...

Interesting shot using the sun to
"break through" the broken tree-line!

Another landscape shot here...

Portrait-shot!

One more shot here before I switch locations...

Another wide-angle shot!

I used this tree for many of the photos I shot
on this evening...

A lot of times it's as simple as using the sun's

position to enhance a photo!

Wide-angle shot!

One of the several personal favorites from this evening...

A spectacular portrait-shot here!

The sun setting on this Illinois landscape!

Talk about a magnificent sunset!

Cirrus providing some beautiful colors...

Wide-assortment of colors from
Mother Nature on this evening!

Beautiful!

Quite possibly my favorite photo
of the bunch right here!

Another personal favorite!

One more shot of the brushstroke colorful
cirrus clouds in the western skies...

The next morning I woke up to "half-dollar"
wet snowflakes...Winter's last gasp?!

On this particular evening I ended up very pleased as I was able to capture some beautiful colors in the sky as if you were looking at a colorful painting in the western horizon. It was worth the time and effort to capture some of the images I was able to capture. I'll be posting another post shortly. Stay tuned for that...

02/08/12 A Winter Sunset & the Moon

A colorful sunset on the evening of
February 8th outside Kewanee, IL

On the evening of February 8th, I ventured to Kewanee, IL for a quick visit as it had been awhile since I traveled back to my hometown. I shot some photos as the sun began to set on this evening hoping I'd get some nice colors in the deep blue sky. It has been a tough winter for photography around these parts mostly due to the lack of any major winter storms and/or ice storms. Truthfully, I'm not sure you could even call this season "winter" over the last couple of months. Quite a change from last year in the Midwest and especially across central Illinois. For more info check this out from ILX here. Anyhow, I did manage to take a few photos to make this particular evening pass by and I snapped a few shots of the moon over the past week as well. I've posted some of the photos I took below:

Sun beginning to set along the western horizon!

Closer-view...
(Canon 70-300mm telephoto-zoom lens)

You may have seen this shot before late
last year under starry skies instead here...

A full moon a few days ago...

This photo looks more fall-like instead of winter
thanks to the bare-ground...
What a crazy winter this year!

Our windsock illustrating the winds of change...

Our evergreen trees at sunset as these clouds
"hover" overhead!

The moon a couple nights ago in the
eastern horizon!
(Canon 70-300mm telephoto-zoom lens)

Wide-angle shot of the evergreen trees at sunset...

Our "observatory" as the sun (left) sets...

Hopefully, we are entering a more active pattern that will create some interesting weather here in the Midwest. It has been quite a boring winter around these parts and that is putting it mildly. I'm ready for a big storm already...

02/01/12 Cloudscapes: Altocumulus

An altocumulus cloud deck passes
overhead outside Peoria, IL

On February 1st, I shot some photos during the evening on my day-off from work as an altocumulus cloud-deck moved overhead. Sometimes these clouds can provide some spectacular photos depending on the sun angle and your location of course. I ended up scoping out a nice location only a few minutes from my apartment hoping for a few "decent" shots as the sun began to set on this particular evening. This is where I shot a few photos outside my place of employment on the northwest-side of Peoria, IL along U.S. 150. This location proved to be a good "spot" as the altocumulus clouds moved directly overhead a huge American flag blowing in the breeze. Add the low sun angle and I was quite happy with the "few" shots I was able to get. I've added a few photos from the evening below:

Beautiful colors here...
(had me thinking of spring for a
sec. and mammatus clouds)

Another good one! I positioned the sun
directly behind the flag pole to
"illuminate" the photo a bit...

Another wide-angle shot of this
beautiful display and landscape...

That all but wraps up this post as well. I shot some more photos last week as well so stay tuned for those as I've been getting back into some photography on my down-time over the last few weeks...

01/13/12 Fire & Electricity...

Logs on an open fire on a January
evening in Kewanee, IL

Last month, I shot some photos of our fireplace back home in Kewanee, IL on a chilly January evening. I shot some similar shots back in 2008 I believe, but at that time I had a Canon T1i that I was shooting with. Since I have a far more advanced DSLR camera nowadays (Canon EOS 7D) I decided to take another crack at it and "play with fire" and electricity for a bit. I've posted a few photos from this particular evening below:

Electricity...(I bought this electrical device
quite awhile ago never really knowing it
would provide some interesting photos)...

More fire...

This device has a weird design, but simulates
lightning that changes color...
Pretty cool if you are a weather nerd!

Amazing the detail on this
fireplace (artificial)...

Portrait-shot of the lightning
electrical device!

Good stuff...

When I shot this one I couldn't help but think
of this quote "don't cross the streams"--Ghostbusters

One more shot as the flames try their best
to mimic the Aurora Borealis...

That's all I've got for this post. I'll be posting again soon with some photos I've shot over the last couple of weeks. Stay tuned.