Seagulls at the Great Salt Lake

Seagulls at the Great Salt Lake
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

My nieces who were staying with us wanted to go out and see the Great Salt Lake.

We decided to take them out to the Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina so they could get the Great Salt Lake experience without driving all the way to Antelope Island (since it was 95 degrees out and the only car we have that would hold us all has no A/C).

Of course if I am going somewhere I had to take my camera!!

I do not have a lot of experience taking pictures of birds except for ducks and geese at a nearby pond so this was a perfect chance for some practice.

I took several pictures of seagulls and was delighted that most of them turned out pretty good.

The Tree is Watching You

Tree Face
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo I took at my in laws place.

This tree which sits near their unused swimming pool had a character upgrade.

The sun was setting giving the tree just enough light but keeping the surrounding area darker.

Logan Visitor's Center at Night

Logan Visitor's Center
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

In case my regular viewers were getting tired of train pictures from my trip last week, today I have a picture that I took last night.

Drove up to Logan to visit a niece and her new husband who are attending Utah State University. After spending the afternoon with them and a wonderful dinner that they cook it was time to go home.

While driving through downtown Logan I decided to get out the camera and tripod out to take some pictures.

Here is a shot of the Cache Valley Visitor's Center.

Heber Valley 1813

Heber Valley 1813
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo taken on Saturday during my visit to the Heber Valley Railroad.

This photo is of locomotive 1813 which has been used in several of the railroads promotional shots but in its previous paint scheme which was black with a red stripe as opposed to the Denver, Rio Grande & Western inspired scheme it currently has.

Alternate Transit in Miami

Miami Mini Bus
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another photo from my trip down to Miami in November, 2007.

While Miami does have an extensive transit system run by Miami-Dade County transit, I also encountered these many buses running around the area especially North Miami.

It appears the niche for the buses are one of the minority populations of the area.

Healing Field

Healing Field
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Remembering that fateful day 8 years ago...

Grumpy Old Man

Grumpy Old Man
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Picture of my father in law taken on when my wife's cousin was married a few months ago.

I will be using this shot tomorrow when I do a Toastmasters speech which involves a demonstration so I will be talking about photography.

No Gas

Gas Pump with no gas
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another shot from anniversary trip my wife and took down to Durango, Colorado in May, 2008.

One of the towns we drove through was Bluff, Utah and while droving through I found a closed gas station and decided to take some pictures of it.

There is so much detail in this picture including the hand made sign saying no gas, the 2006 State of Utah inspection sticker, and even the taped and hand written covers to designate dollar amount.

Also, I thought that Black and White set the perfect mood for this shot.

The Forest Gump milepost

For those of you that have seen the movie "Forest Gump", there is a part of the movie in which Forest decides to start running after an incident in his life. After a while he has a large number of people who are running with him thinking he is on some noble quest or something.

One day he stops turns around, says that he is tired and starts walking past the other runners and down the highway.

This is milepost 13 on US Highway 163 just north of the Arizona/Utah border where that scene in the movie was filmed. My wife and I took a vacation in May, 2008 down to Durango, Colorado for our anniversary and stopped here on the way back.

In the background you can see Monument Valley which is not only famous for its many natural formations, but has been the site of numerous television and movie productions over the years.

Whether your a movie buff, photographer, or just like seeing interesting places in our beautiful country, you need to make a visit.

Marlin Hotel in Miami Beach

Marlin Hotel
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Remember in the film days, you would have that roll of film that you meant to get develop for some time but it just seemed to sit and sit way beyond the expiration date?

Well with digital photography we do not have to worry about expiration dates anymore but there still seems to be those photos that just sit and sit and then one day after much procrastination you finally decide to do something with them.

Well that is where this photo comes from. In November, 2007 I did a presentation at Railvolution which was being held in Miami Beach that year. I did my presentation on Saturday November 3rd and by noon I had the day to myself.

My hotel was outside downtown Miami so since I had taken the bus over to Miami Beach, I figured I might as well just take a nice walk around the area and get some pictures.

First of all I look way out of place because I did not bring a change of clothes with me and I was still in my suite (at least I was smart enough not to wear the coat!)

Here is one of the pictures I captured that day which is of the Marlin Hotel that sits on Ocean Blvd. As many of you probably know I love to take pictures of transportation but one of my other interest is architecture and Art Deco has to rate at the top so I was in heaven during my Miami Beach stay.

You can see more of my photos on my Facebook or Flickr pages (there is more on Facebook).

A classic McDonald's...

McDonalds in Downey California
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

It is no surprise that car loving Southern California was the birthplace of many of the fast food places we know so well today including McDonald's, Del Taco, Taco Bell, Carl's Jr, Wienerschnitzel, and In 'N Out.

For many, it may surprise you to find out that McDonald's did not always have those big restaurants with the play rooms and inside seating. Instead they started out like many fast food places of the time with just walk up windows and outside seating.

This paticular McDonald's still retains its classic 1950/1960's styling. It is not a retro restaurant but a authentic time machine to the past. The sign at the intersection of Lakewood Blvd and Florence hasn't changed in decades. It is a throwback to a time when McDonald's weren't the generic, boring, poor quality (OK, personal opinion) fast food place we know today.

It has been many years since I had driven by this restaurant but since my wife and I were in the area we decided to drive by and see if it was still in its original form and sure enough, there it was.

So if your driving through Downey, California be sure to get off the freeway and take a quick trip to this relic of the past. You never know when it may disappear.

A photo turns special

Ross Dress for less and Metro Hybrid
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

In my last entry I mentioned the day my wife and I had in Seattle while visiting a friend between taking different Amtrak trains. After visiting the Pike Place Market my wife and I headed toward Seattle's bus tunnel in order to catch a bus down to the International District in order to find some Chinese Food (we were not impressed with the Chinese Restaurant at Pike Place on a previous visit).

My wife decided to run into a Rite Aid for a couple of things so I decided to get the camera out and take a couple of pictures hoping I the Seattle Police department wouldn't arrest me (there was an incident with a photographer in Seattle shortly before the trip).

I took this picture of a Metro Articulated Hybrid which were still fairly new at the time in front of a Ross Dress for less store which I used as a background because of the design.

Later when looking more carefully the building look as though it could have been a former Woolworth store which was confirmed my someone on Flickr.

My father worked for Woolworth's for many years and would supervise their construction projects across the west. It then hit me that this was the very store that my father was working on when I was born which is another funny story in itself.

I was way over due in the days before they induced labor. My mother had to return to California so at the last minute she hopped a Greyhound bus for Los Angeles (yes Greyhound used to be respectable and safe to ride).

I was born about a week after my mother arrived back in Southern California and for some strange reason the buses arrived early at every driver change point.

You never know when a random picture might turn into something special...

Setting Goals for 2009 and thanking some...

Photowalking Utah Temple Square
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

This photo was taken at Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City on December 8th. I was attending the Photowalking Utah event and this was one of the pictures I took that night. Before the actual Photowalk, Rich Legg did a session on improving your night photography.

So how does this picture and that night fit in with my goals for 2009?

2008 has been a big year for me. I learned a great deal by attending the Photowalking trips and most of all, I got the slap up side the head I have need for some time. I always loved photography and now I realize it is what I want to do full time.

That means that some of my goals for 2009 will include photography.

Goals must:

1. Be specific
2. Have a specific time frame
3. Most important: be written down.

Well what better way to write down a goal than to put it out here for the world to see.

Here are some of my photo related goals for 2009:

1. Add at least 10 photos per week to my stock photography portfolio
2. Experiment with a new technique at every photo shoot.
3. Learn something new at every photography event that I am able to attend in 2009.
4. Have fun!!

I also cannot leave 2008 without thanking some people that have made an impact on me this past year.

First of all I have to thank Ann Torrence, Rich Legg, and Kenneth Linge who hosted educational sessions as part of the Photowalking events this year. While I may not have talked one on one with them much during the year I listened while you did your sessions and at other times getting soaking up all the good information I could. A big thank you also needs to go out to all those who organized the all the excellent Photowalks we had this year.

Also to all the other Photowalkers who I have come to know and enjoy events with. Everyone of them has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to enjoying more of them in the new year.

Finally I have to thank a very special co-worker of mine named Sydney. I had not done a model shoot except for one in college which was many years ago but she volunteered to take time out to play model for me and was very patient.

Finally, I have to say that I am more optimistic going into 2009 than any year I can recall. I look forward to the new year not hoping something good was going to happen, but with a genuine optimism that 2009 will be a great year personally.

Hope that your 2009 will be a great one and remember to set your own goals because as Zig Ziglar says: "How can you hit a goal you cannot see?".

She made it this week...

Model Shoot 1
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is one of the pictures of my model/co-worker "S" taken at a local park today.

I was pretty nervous to start off with since I had not shot with a model since college but it turned out to be a lot of fund and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I was taking some pictures of her on the playground equipment when she decided to slide down the slide.

What are you looking at "hew-man?"

What are you looking at "hew-man?"
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

On November 1st, the Photowalking Utah group did a trip up to Antelope Island. During this period the state parks dept is checking on the health of the Bison, picking ones to be sold and giving them shots.

This was the first picture I took that day and one of the few I really liked. The bison to the right seems to be staring at us weird humans who are taking a bunch of pictures.

Miami MetroRail Ghost Platform

Miami MetroRail Ghost Platform Government Station
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

In downtown Miami the main transfer station between the MetroRail heavy rail system and the downtown people mover system called MetroMover is at Government Station.

The station is four stories however, the first one does not have any Metro activity. The second floor has the platforms for the Metromover along with Metro Dade Transit customers service and various shops and fast food places.

The MetroRail platforms are located on the fourth level.

The oddity is the third level of the station. While 99% of the people that ride the system everyday just ride the esculators pass the third level in order to reach the fourth, few venture to see this other MetroRail platform.

While the MetroRail line is generally a north-south affair with some east-west jogs, there was a plan to build a actually east-west line that would pass the airport and come into the Government station at this platform. The plans for that east-west line are long dead so it looks like this "ghost" platform may never see an actually passenger.

So if your travels every take you to Miami, be sure to check out this unusual sight.

Ducks and Geese walking down the sidewalk

Ducks and Geese walking down the sidewalk
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Always having your camera with you is one of the first things you learn as a photographer because you never know what you might encounter along your journey.

I attend a Toastmasters Club that is held at Anna's Restaurant in Murray at noon on Friday's. One day after I pulled into the parking lot I noticed a large group of ducks and geese walking down the sidewalk.

There is a seasonal pond plus a year around stream just to the south of the restaurant so seeing ducks and geese in the area is not unusual. What was unusual was that this group was walking down the sidewalk in single final procession better than most humans could.

They walked about a half block before stopping and resting in a grassy section next to the parking.

So remember, always carry your camera.

The Westward Ho

The Westward Ho Sign and the tower of the Circus Circus in Las Vegas, Nevada
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another picture form the same trip as the previous entry and you will notice that once again it was raining.

Since we knew that the Westward Ho was scheduled to be closed in just a couple of weeks I stopped to get a picture of the marque sign on the way to the airport.

Maybe the rain fit with the reason for taking the picture in the first place.

New Condos Everywhere....

View from Miami Radisson Hotel
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

While in Miami to do a presentation last November, I stayed at the Radisson Hotel which is located on the north side of downtown.

This shot was taken from my 9th floor window looking toward the north looking at 5 new condominium projects that were under construction at the time.

I only had my little Kodak C743 camera with me but I was pretty impressed with the pictures it took.