I think I have finally nailed this shot of Ashland Creek which I’ve taken several times before but never to my entire satisfaction. The key ingredients are:
1) right season (late spring or early summer–more green and more water)
2) tripod
3) right day and time (sunny day in the early morning before the sun is really out)
4) no wind (if the branches or leaves are blowing in the breeze then the “pop” doesn’t pop)

Equipment and EXIF data:
Nikon D7000
Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens
$20 tripod
f/22
1 second exposure
ISO 280
18mm focal length

June 18th, 2011 | Tags: lithia park, photography, water | Category: lithia park, nature, only in ashland, places | Comments (1)

Hamfist played a couple nights back at the Green Show. I’m not a huge bluegrass music fan myself, but live it is pretty fun stuff.

Sequoia Pearson

The band members all work (or worked) for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Many years ago I played on the OSF softball team. Ezra (EZ on the right of the above photo) was also on the team at the time.

June 17th, 2011 | Tags: green show, hamfist, music, oregon shakespeare festival, video | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on Hamfist (part 1 of 2)

This past weekend we took a trip, for the first time, to visit Butte Creek Mill in Eagle Point, Oregon. I say trip, but it really isn’t that far from Ashland. The weather was fine and the views of snow covered Mt. McLaughlin against a blue, blue sky on the way were fantastic. I didn’t stop for a photo of Mt. McLaughlin though.

Grains have been milled here since 1872, and the owner told me that the water turbine currently in use has been used for about 100 years. The system was interesting to examine–especially since it was actually working and was not just some demo in a museum.

June 16th, 2011 | Tags: buildings, butte creek mill, eagle point, national register of historic places | Category: outside of ashland, places | Comments (1)

I have a bunch more photos, but only three videos, so this will wrap up On Ensemble at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show for now. The guys seemed to be having a really good time performing. Shoji Kameda, above, was laughing while playing at this point in the show.

This last video I took with my new 50mm lens. Hence, there is no zooming in and out. I don’t see any improvement in quality vs. my 18-200mm lens, but if the lighting wasn’t as good this lens may have been a better a choice. Actually, with the VR (vibration reduction) on the 18-200mm lens (since these were hand held videos) I think the 18-200mm VR provides a better image (in addition to the versatility) for video in good lighting.

June 14th, 2011 | Tags: green show, music, oregon shakespeare festival, people, photography, video | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on On Ensemble (part 3 of 3)

The video below has better sound quality than yesterday’s. I was experimenting with sound settings on my D7000, and this one is obviously better. The OSF sound system near the end of the “On Ensemble” performance (which is yesterday’s video) was having problems as well.

June 13th, 2011 | Tags: drums, green show, music, oregon shakespeare festival, video | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments (1)

The On Ensemble played at the Green Show on Friday night. This was my second time seeing them, and third time seeing one of their members, pictured above, Kelvin Underwood. Unfortunately, this is their only appearance in Ashland this year (that I know of). Hopefully they will be back next year.

June 12th, 2011 | Tags: green show, music, video | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on On Ensemble at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show

a loooooooooooong line of SOU graduates

Part 1 is here. You can click on any of these images for a larger view. From there you can right click a picture to save it.

Dennis and Rene

Math professors...

This was the first year that professors formed a gauntlet since commencement moved from Lithia Park in 2003. I thought we should have done the tunnel like at kids' soccer games, but Dennis opted for low fives instead.

I think this is the first year that students (half of them anyway) marched in in front of the grand stands.

Perhaps you are in there?

Some SOU international students...

Soon-to-be grads sipping coffee and chatting on the phone while walking in the procession...

SOU professor gauntlet

SOU Business students

I couldn't see the stage so I got to watch the new grads watch the speaker.

Bill Rauch, of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, was the main speaker at 2011 Commencement. He must have said something funny at this point.

Tassles on the right until graduated...

This SOU graduate appears to be heading to UW for graduate work in chemistry.

This graduate grabbed a photo of the crowd just before her name was read.

After an hour or so of names being read, I amused myself with photos of graduation cap decoration ideas.

SOU School of Business faculty

I finally made it into a photo. I think Rene just wanted to try out my camera.

At long last, SOU's School of Business students approach the stage.

Funny story... Actually, look at this photo long and hard to see if you can see what is "funny" about it first.

Did you see it?

Someone's camera got in the way of the guy's hands on the far right. When I tried to remove the camera from the photo in Photoshop, Photoshop was "smart" enough to realize that hands were missing so it substituted the other guy's hands in the far right guy's "hand place" too. I would have just undone it and left it with the camera blocking the lower right portion of the photo, but I thought this looked too funny to not keep.

Jayne was one of my accounting students...

Sachta Bakshi

Susan gives Alisha a hug proving that accountants are very personable.

You can watch some of Wenjun’s Senior Recital here.

Yeah baby!

The faculty were allowed to exit before everyone else, giving us first crack at the cookies placed in the end zone.

June 11th, 2011 | Tags: commencement, dennis slattery, grizzly peak, people, Southern Oregon University | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on Southern Oregon University Graduation Photos (part 2 of 2)

SOU grads lining up with Grizzly Peak in the background

I have about 60 decent photos from Southern Oregon University’s graduation ceremony this morning. I’ll post them in two installments. This first set of pictures will consist of 10, and the next one will have 50. If you were there, there is a chance you are in at least one of these images.

Donna and Lisa greet soon-to-be grads

Mark Siders visits with former students

Donna poses for a photo

A couple of Criminology professors arrive just in time

A couple of my accounting students discuss debits and credits

Dennis Slattery and a new grad

June 11th, 2011 | Tags: commencement, grizzly peak, people, Southern Oregon University | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments (1)

We’ve been watching the rhodies bloom in our yard this past week. These are just outside my front door. I took this photo with my Nikon D7000 and new lens. I took a half dozen photos with a flash as there was no longer much sun, it being late in the day. However, this photo, without flash, was my favorite.

June 10th, 2011 | Tags: flowers | Category: nature | Comments Off on Rhododendrons