Not a Test... /  by Dave Hileman

…Cause he had a lot of these days called birthdays:) Dennis has been very instrumental in helping my photography get to the next level (You can decide where that level is:) He is always informative, a good teacher, well versed with 50 years of experience in all kinds of equipment and, most critically, always willing to help. A good friend, now, along with Kathy his significantly better half - I look forward to those days spent shooting photos and sharing the experience with Dennis. They are too rare but always a blessing. So, Happy Birthday my friend.

You can visit his blog, Tuesdays and Fridays have new content at www.thewanderinglensman.com

At Chincoteague Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Test Three /  by Dave Hileman

Back at the NC Museum of Art with a couple more shots. These are with the 16-80 lens, which I like a lot. I am not too sure I had the right settings on some of the photos I took and I do not have the element activated that tells you when you are correctly exposed. I am trying to only use the histogram at this point.

This is a 20 foot tall outdoor “quilt” - good colors and a bluebird on the top

This alcove was very dark, with some bright light patches, pretty pleased.

I saw this hawk land and was able to approach to about 35 feet. He was backlit and in a tangle of branches. Using the smallest focus point and spot focus I got this shot. Very happy with it particularly do to the relatively short focus of the lens.

Frist of the X-T5 shots outside. This is Cindy in a new installation of mirrors.

Test Two /  by Dave Hileman

One of the features is “eye detect” for birds, people and animals. I shot these at a local lake where we often walk. All of them are cropped severely. The turtles were about 25 feet away, the buffelhead and the gulls were 100 -120 feet from shore and moving slowly. The Great Blue Heron about 40 -50 feet away. The camera located each one but not necessarily the eye. I did not switch the settings for the turtle I just wanted to see what happened if I did not change. Nothing really in this case. I was pleased as these were all hand held with the lens at full tilt about 400mm and I am not the most steady shooter. Plus there was a bit of wind.

Good feather detail - eye is not as sharp as i hoped

Bright white feathers in bright sunlight is a tough assignment but the Fuji did well.

This is a tiny duck bobbing and diving, never still and a long way from shore. Pleased with this.

,These folks lived up to their reputation and did not move. Lots of detail in this photo.

Test One /  by Dave Hileman

Well, it happened, I purchased a new camera. A Fuji X-T5 to replace my X-T3. While it still works fine it has a lot of shutter clicks. And the new one adds, IBIS to help stabilize shots, larger photos for more detail or better cropping and lots of other new features. I have a lot to learn and set up yet. This week some of the first photos with the new gear. Today’s image is from the North Carolina Museum of Art not far from our house and a great place to walk and explore. There are outdoor installations like this tall metal tree and three large indoor spaces.

Be Beary Careful Out There Today /  by Dave Hileman

Katmai National Park

Thus ends 2022. For Two Lane Touring it was a mixed bag indeed. There was a new post every day of the year, although a couple were late in the day because someone in our vast staff forgot to change the PM to AM. Still over 600 photos and more than 365 posts. The first trip ended prematurely when our electric system melted while in Texas. We had to abort the trip, return to the Oliver factory and leave the trailer to have extensive work done. Once we picked the repaired trailer up we toured for two weeks in Kentucky (two new parks) and Tennessee. We were also able to take a short trip to the Outer Banks, two weeks in Pennsylvania and the nation’s newest National Park, New River Gorge. A trip to Florida for a wedding was extra special. We also completed the plans begun in 2019 before Covid hit for a two week trip to Hawaii. This was our last state to visit and we spent time on three islands and saw 6 parks. Once home we did a trip to Florida for Disney with friends and a short stint at a VRBO in the Blue Ridge with good friends with photography in mind.

2023 plans Monday.

The Twelve Days (012) of Christmas: The Star /  by Dave Hileman

First there is the heavenly phenomenon that awoke the Magi to the birth and led them to Bethlehem from Jerusalem. But there is the one who the star was for, Jesus. Christmas may not be the correct day, we may be off by a year or so for year one, but make no mistake the reason this celebration has lasted over two millennia is the reality of Jesus: foretold, born, lived, crucified, risen, ascended and one day returning. Each year we are reminded of one person among all of humanity that has changed more lives, given more hope, redeemed more people than any of us can conceive. Christmas is the joy of Jesus come among people and changing life for the better. God with Us!

Twelve Days (011) of Christmas: Family /  by Dave Hileman

Special memories, laughter and appreciation of the stream of generations always changing that make up our time and place and the roles we fill over the years. Few joys are equal to seeing grandchildren become responsible, accomplished adults and each Christmas brings an awareness of those changes. We are so blessed.

Ellary, Addie and Kellen

Twelve Days (010) of Christmas: Food /  by Dave Hileman

Christmas is an indulgence for us. Peppermint Stick ice cream, Cindy’s mint sticks, caramel squares, party mix and more. We had waffles with raspberries Christmas morning, an amazing charcuterie board that our daughter-in-law, Laura made along with lots of treats and a Christmas night dinner. Our son Gregg and other daughter-in-law, Jessica took us for a very nice dinner at Season’s 52 and we are still eating well today. Not sure what day the diet starts but it needs to be soon!

Christmas Dinner

Cindy’s scallops and…

my salmon with mustard dill sauce at Seasons.

Twelve Days (009) of Christmas: Ornament Carving /  by Dave Hileman

This is a rather new activity for me ending my third year of learning a bit of the craft. I still have a long way to go and I need to carve much more often if I am going to see Improvement. However I did a variety of efforts in 2022 but the one that seemed like it would be easy turned out to be much more time cosuming than I expected. I did several including the shelf of seven and one for Cindy plus a few more and about 9 that just broke. Oops.

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Creche /  by Dave Hileman

While all of the manger scenes are wildly inaccurate - how much fun they are. We have several and this is one of the more unique. It is made from marbles and bits of clay from a mission in South America. I bought it at the mission convention in 2021 in Richmond. It comes with three wise men, shepherds, angels, animals - the sheep are very cute and Mary, Joseph and the baby. It is a fun addition to our collection.

The Twelve Days (006) of Christmas: Travel /  by Dave Hileman

Travel is a part of the Christmas story. The Magi traveled for many miles over months, Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a few days of travel I would imagine. Later, along with the infant, Jesus, they travel to Egypt until it is safe to rerun to Nazareth. For many Christmas is a time to travel back to home or to book a special vacation. Our travel has taken us to every state - most many times and one of our favorite places is Acadia. We acquired a neat little trailer ornament with Acadia National Park on the side. So far we have not been there for Christmas but, ”Oh such fun….”

The Twelve Days (005) of Christmas: Celebration /  by Dave Hileman

It was so smart of Disney to open Florida’s Disney Wolld the same year Cindy and I were married. It allows them to focus on major anniversaries like 25 years and 50 years and people would say, “Right they opened the year Dave and Cindy got married.” So we celebrated our 25th and 50th at Disney World. For the 50th we purchased these two figures from some of the 1000’s of 50th year glitz that I converted to ornaments. Our tree is a reminder of lots of special times and valued people and it is a joy to hang the various ornaments each year and recall the stories behind them. We have glass bulbs from the 20s and 30’s, childhood ornaments, things our kids and grandkids made, some from year one of our marriage, some from vacations and a lot from friends.

The Twelve Days (004) of Christmas: Friends /  by Dave Hileman

Actually these are not friends of mine, I don’t even know them. I overheard them talking on the phone with a third person and they were all very excited that the three of them would be together after a long separation in just a few days. I was on the patio taking a photo when they came up behind me chatting away - I was not trying to be nosy:) Or at least trying not to appear to be too engaged. Anyway as I left the shelter I saw their animated conversation and took this shot. It is a perfect reminder of one of the joys of Christmas is seeing or talking to people we value but see only occasionally.