May 072010
Apr 042010
Happy Easter Everyone
My wife teaches third and forth grade combo class. Every year they do Life Science, so they hatch chicken. This is some one of the first baby chicks from this years hatchlings. The kids in the class named this one after me, since I played chicken herder this year and got all the fertilized eggs for them to hatch. 102 or 9 dozen eggs for six third grade classes.
Every year I go into the my wife’s class and do a chick fashion shoot. I do a different theme. The first year was KFC Box theme. Last year was a KFC Bucket theme, this years theme is Easter.
The eggs in the basket are real. They came from the same hens that laid the eggs that these baby chicks were hatched from.
Here is the link to the Chicks set
Mar 082010
36/365 Oak Gall Art, originally uploaded by Kirk Howard.
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My wife is a 3/4 grade teacher. This term they are doing a study of the local indians that lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the things they do is create a piece of art from a “Oak Gall” or “Wasp Gall”. These were the best among and my wife asked me if I would photograph them.
Strobist Info:
SB600
Pocket Wizards II
Lasolite 24in. EzyBox
(2) 3/16 White Core Foam Board
Feb 122010
29/365 Salmon Bagel, originally uploaded by Kirk Howard.
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This is my lunch… Salmon, cream cheese, white onion on a bagel.
Jan 262010
Joe McNally - Repeating Flash
This is the last video by Joe McNally of Repeating Flash posted at the Nikon School. This is a advanced technique that uses the Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System) used on the Nikon SB Flashes.
This example and technique is awesome. Joe explains how to light a set with 14 different strobes for the technique of stroboscope. He produces some very beautiful images with this technique. Unfortunately Joe makes it look really easy, but I know it’s not.
Take a look at Joe McNally video on Repeating Flash at Nikon School.
If you missed the last two video here is the links to those posts:
I hope you enjoyed these video post. I know that I learned something new in these videos.
Have a great day. May your horizons be straight, and your focus clear.
Jan 252010
25/365 Cayenne Chicken, originally uploaded by Kirk Howard.
Image 25/365
Today on this rainy Monday, I made in the Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot a Cayenne Chicken. It’s a take off of Grandmas Chicken and Rice. I could remember what the real recipe was, so I improvised.
It was very tasty…
(4) 1/2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed).
(2) Cans of Cream of Mushroom soup (condensed).
1 cup of brown rice or white rice.
1/2 of medium white onion (sliced).
1/2 of whole red bell pepper.
1 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper. (optional)
2 1/2 cups of water.
Salt
Black Pepper
In a slow cooker or crock-pot layer all the ingredients. Fisrt pour the water in, then the rice.
Next place two pieces of chicken ontop of the rice water mixture.
Next add one can of cream of mushroom soup. Add onion and bell pepper.
Add the last two pieces of chicken, pour the last can of soup and add the cayenne pepper.
With a spoon lightly mix the soup up with the cayenne pepper.
Last turn on the slow cooker to low and let it cook for 6-8 hours. You can cook it on high for 3-4 hours. The slower the chicken cooks the more tender the chicken will be.
To serve:
Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Scoop the rice and place it on a plate. The add some of the onion and red bell pepper on the rice. Place a piece of chicken on top. Scoop some of the soup and pour it on top of it all, Serve warm.
Jan 252010
Joe McNally - Control of Color Part 2
Here is the second video of Joe McNally teaching Control of Color from Nikon School. As Joe did in his first video, he teaches techniques of using multiple flashes in off camera mode. Show the importance of identifying the correct ambient light and adjusting to the proper white balance. Joe also shows you how to place a flash for hair highlights.
Here is the link to the second video Control of Color part 2 at the Nikon School. If you missed the first video here is the link to that as well Learning with Joe – part 1
Jan 242010
21/365 Oatmeal & Flaxseed, originally uploaded by Kirk Howard.
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The is my new breakfast according to my doctor, Oatmeal and Flaxssed…
Strobist Info:
SB600
Pocket Wizards
Lasolite 24″ Easy Box
(2) 3/16 White Core Foam Board
Here is what the setup looked like in my kitchen Oatmeal & Flaxseed Setup
Jan 212010
Joe McNally - Control of Color Part 1
As I cruise through my daily blog reading I ran across an old post from a Photo Blogger I follow Scott from Weekly Photography Tips. He posted a series of three videos from on of my favorite photographers Joe McNally. For those of you who may not know of Joe McNally he has a few very popular books out there that really have put a turn in my photography, especially portrait photography using small strobes. His first book I read is The Moment it Clicks and the other book, his most recent release is The Hot Shoe Diaries. If you are looking to improve your portrait photography especially with the use of small strobes I encourage you to read these two books. Continue reading »
Jan 172010
Ringed Nudibranch at the California Academy of Sciences, display tank for California Nudibranchs.
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is offering a special event for photographers. I have been to many aquariums. The more popular the aquarium the busier it is with visitor and guests. Sometime I wished that I had the aquarium to myself so I could film the exhibits without the interference of people walking in front of your lens or bumping you as you hold your camera still for that long exposure shot, because most aquariums don’t allow tripods, because tripods can trip and injure clumsy visitors.
Another plus to a photographers only night, is you can bring flashes, light boxes and any equipment that may require to plug in. Most of this equipment is prohibited at any other time at aquariums.
Sometimes the addition of people in the image make the photo. Here is an example that I took a couple years ago at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The addition of people made the image.
For more information read below or got to Aquarium of the Pacific Events. Continue reading »