I nearly gave up hope during my last fall outing.  I was on my way back to where my journey began near a tall, beautiful tree.  The wind was starting to come up, and pretty soon strong, repetative gusts sent leaves raining down on me.  I smiled sat down, then layed flat on my back and shot upwards to get the right angle.  After multiple attempts of this composition, I did finally get what I wanted this fall season.

The result of the effort exerted here will never make me second-guess doing it again.

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Dakota Days (D-Days) comes and goes once a year, and I've only missed one since 1996.  My streak was ruined last year, but I came back with a vengeance this year...and I brought my camera! 

This year the University of South Dakota celebrates 150 years. 

Cheers and enjoy these pictures of USD.

CLICK TO ENLARGE THESE USD PHOTOS

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Visiting USD during D-Days always brings me back to the good ol' days when I ran around (or biked around) campus.

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USD looks shockingly different than when I was there.

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Yet the atmosphere feels exactly the same.

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The gold leaves captivated my attention even more now than they did then.

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The Muenster University Center gives the University of South Dakota a great first impression...kudos to the alumni and administration for making this happen!

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Silly me. As we were about to leave this area of campus, I didn't grab a shot of the new Coyote...so I took this while I was in the car at a stop light.

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We got to our spot, even before the parade started, so off I ran with camera in hand.  Caught this picture right by the Continuing Education building.

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Behold, USD's finest landmark, Old Main.  I took my time and composed this shot with multiple exposures (an HDR shot)...really loved the way this turned out.  Memories churn everytime I see this image.

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I climbed up the stairs at Slagle Hall so that I could have an elevated classic shot of Old Main.

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Had to get a little artistic with this one...incorporate the red.

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So yes--this setup is fake.  There was not a leaf at this precise spot, but I needed a meaningful foreground, so here's what I came up with.  With the wind it was particularly challenging, but I like the end result.  P.S.--photographers fake the foregrounds all the time--sorry for breaking the news :-(

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I couldn't resist this take on it.

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Why not try another?  I have Old Main fever!

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Off to Prentis Park--the D-Days Parade was about to start!  I had to capture the awesome fall foliage.

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Any of you photographers out there experimenting with HDR---here's a secret.  HDR shots of fall trees are incredible---it brings out all the color and kills off the harsh reflective light.

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The parade started, so of course wanted to get at least one shot.

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University of South Dakota's finest, Mr. Tom Brokaw and his wife, led the parade.

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AJ wasn't "digging" the parade (the loud truck horns mainly), so he and I further explored Prentis Park.

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The light was awesome...passing heavy clouds opened up to reveal a deep blue sky.

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The wind gusted, forcing it to rain leaves.  I love this one...it's like the tree is exploding.

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My wife was a proud member of Kappa Alpha Theta, and I was a proud member of Phi Delta Theta.  I'm disgusted to report that I didn't get a great shot of Phi Delt...next year for sure!!

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After the parade, I decided there was more exploring to do.

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The new business building, Beacom Hall, had interesting architectural elements...got creative with this shot.

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Beacom Hall has a high-tech edgy feel, quite a contrast from the old Business School I went to ;-)

If USD tugs at your heart like it does mine, perhaps you need a little reminder.  I'll be offering these pictures of USD for sale and you'll receive 15% off if you order by October 31st.

They also make terrific gifts! 

Contact me for details.

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Here's a pricing list for canvas and shipping is a flat $15 regardless of size or quantity ordered.  Images also available in traditional frame, acrylic, or metal.

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Meaghan decided to hop in the car with me to go chase a sunset and capture some of the fall colors that are extremely vibrant this year.  It was fun to have her (and the kids) seeing exactly what I do when I go sunset chasing.  A sporadic left and right turn led us to a gravel road out in the middle of nowhere.  I was desperate trying to find a shot unti lthe sun started slipping down past the horizon.  So I got out and was disappointed to capture many shots including this image below.

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Weak sauce.

As the sun mocked me for my procrastination and lack of planning, it dropped below the horizon, and i turned towards the car walking across the road in disgust.  I then looked back behind me to discover this (below.)  The moon will save me!

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Whoa...cool moon!  I later found out it was the harvest moon.  I had to get a better shot than this, so off we went moonrise chasing! Finally we found a spot where I could capture the ambient light still shining on the fall colors and the moon at the same time!  So, I must admit that I pretty much never use a tripod.  Yes, guilty as charged.  This will probably change because I've been burned a few times in the past.  Moon shots are nearly impossible without a tripod, but I spotted a fence post that could do the trick! YES, it IS a trick!

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So now i'm living through the viewfinder as I get lost in the picture I'm trying to capture.  I was pleased with the result below:

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I'm shooting away one picture after another when I hear a noise behind me.  Well lookee there, yet another picture opportunity behind me.  Mr. Ed looked pretty friendly, so it was time to change the scene once again.

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Ugh...of course this had to happen now.  The light was incredibly low.  The camera had to choose whether to have appropriate light for my friend Mr. Ed or the sky. 

This moment would pass quickly, so I stood there thinking about how to get the best photo. We stared at each other.  Meaghan was entertained and took this picture of us.

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I knew an HDR shot would be key, but questioned whether it would be possible.  Not only would I have a moving subject, but it would be hand-held as well...a treacherous road for a successful HDR shot.

But something happened.  It was meant to be.  I tweaked my settings and Mr. Ed just stood there..frozen.  He read my mind.  He didn't move an inch, allowing me to get the three exposures I wanted.  Better yet, his head stood perfectly in front of where the sun had been just minutes ago to create a perfect back ambient glow. For some odd reason, I have several photos of horses, but by a mile, this is my absolute favorite (below.)  Make sure to click on it to enlarge it.

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It just goes to show you.  There might be a better scene behind you so make sure to always be looking ;-)

Being a photographer has its rewards that last forever.  Perhaps that's why I ignore the curse and anxiety of missing a great shot because I know it's only a matter of time before one shot will truly pay off.

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Feel free to use the image below for your Facebook profile. (Sized 851x315).

Simply click to view and download full size.

Often the thought of making changes to home decor is followed with overwhelming thoughts of time and money. Giving a room a new look doesn't require the replacement of everything you currently own, it doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune or even spend a lot of time. A room can be given a makeover by changing minor accents like blinds, rugs, throw pillows and wall-hangings.

Walls

Change the look of a room by adding new art to the walls. Adding more artwork, sconces, or three-dimensional pieces can make a room look different. One can find inexpensive artwork and other wall art at flea markets and yard sales. Using personal made artwork is easy and gives your home a unique creative edge. A fresh coat of paint can help with walls, even if you don't want to change the color a new coat can revitalize a room. Use lighter wall colors in small spaces and dark only in large spaces as dark colors close-in a space.

Carpets

A professional carpet cleaning can give carpets a new look and the home a fresh smell. Use rugs in high traffic areas to protect the carpet and to add a splash of color to a room. When using rugs on hardwood or tile floors applying double-sided tape to the bottom can prevent the rug from sliding out of place.

Window Treatments

Changing the blinds and curtains in a room can alter a room's entire look. Choose curtain rods, colors, deigns and styles that accentuate the overall style of the room.

Furniture

Adding new accent pieces like end-tables or replacing chairs, tables or shelves can alter the style of a room while staying cost-effective. Furniture sales, flea markets and yard sales are all great places to look for cheap furniture. If you're looking for a red or black table don't look for the color, look for the style. Do you want something modern and clean with simple lines? Restoring simple pieces like shelves and tables is easy so keep and open and creative mind while hunting. When restoring pieces dare to get creative turn wooden planks and a wooden ladder into an eclectic shelving unit and use Mod Podge to collage tables.

Organize Space

Sometimes a look isn't working for a room not because of the style of the "stuff" in it, but the amount of "stuff" put into one space. Before redesigning a space de-clutter. If you normally keep magazines or projects out on a coffee table buy something to keep everything in underneath the table--this will keep things tidy. Keep everything in something unless it is a decoration and keep nonfunctional decorations limited.

Plants

A general rule has always been to have something living in every room. Plants literally bring life to a room and have a way of keeping things fresh and up-beat. Some of us have a gift of having just the opposite of a green-finger, if keeping a plant alive is not your four tet a fake plant will do--although living is better. Plants are a great way to bring color into a space, changing out flowers in a vase weekly is a great way to keep a space seasonal and colorful.

This guest post was contributed by Serena Blaschke.  If you have ideas to share, contact me to become a guest blog contributor.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

 This is called VEILED.  I couldn't resist making this Golden Gate picture a selective colorization artwork.

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The Golden Gate Bridge serves millions of cars a year and I wanted to reveal how alive it is constantly with traffic.  This artwork is called OVERPASS.

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Backing way up to a lookout point, I got this Golden Gate Bridge photo and then spruced it up with some layers and affects to give a painterly feel.  Make sure to click on it to get a larger image.

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This picture below is perhaps one of the luckiest shots I've ever captured. I waited patiently to shoot this scene as it was meant to be...the city of San Francisco (you can see the famous Transamerica Pyramid) unmasked by moving foggy mist and the lonely sailboat sat by itself in the open water. In post-processing I removed some detail to make it as minimalist as it could be. I hope you like it as much as I do. It's called PERSPECTIVE.

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This next image of the Golden Gate reveals its monstrosity and beauty. This is called MONUMENTAL.

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The artistic journey continues with an "other-worldly" look at the bridge and its surroundings. San Francisco is such a unique and cool place that someone might consider it a different planet ;-)

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The massive structure tells many stories, and my hope was this picture of the Golden Gate reflected it somewhat. It's called TRAFFIC.

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This next Golden Gate artwork is called MECCA, a compilation of different images and textures.  I really wanted to give it a strong mood.

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I absolutely love how the foggy mist runs through the bridge.  I'm not sure if it does this constantly, but sure am glad it did when I was there!  This is a black and white photo of the Golden Gate with a minimalistic approach.

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This artwork of the Golden Gate Bridge is created using a series of photographs taken as I stuck my head and camera out the window while driving through. Not to worry--I wasn't driving! My attempt was to keep a gradual composition as we passed through the

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Jena knew the drill.  She fed me the idea and off I ran ;-)  She supplied me with a picture of his own guitar to make this art piece truly specific and special to him.

Below is what she sent me.

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With some creative magic, I turned it into this:

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Jena was ecstatic but wanted me to tweak the color scheme to stick closer to the original color of the guitar.  No problem.  So this was the final result:

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Now the artwork is displayed proudly (I hope) on a beautiful canvas gallery wrap. Jena mentioned to me, "Well....he absolutely loved it!  He kept saying, Wow, Wow!  Pretty much speechless.  Great work Kyle!  Thanks for making his fathers day special."

My words: "This my friends...is what keeps me creating.

What creative custom art project can I help YOU with?

That is--until it is printed. 

When you (or I) see a print, it just makes all of the work worthwhile.  It is fascinating to see an image isolated by itself on something you can hold--something other than a computer monitor.

When I saw this metal print I recently ordered from Bay Photo, it gave me the same feeling as when I saw my initial artwork on canvas.  I had a rather big smile.  It just "looks" DIFFERENT.  It shines.  It shimmers.  It's quite a sight.

But this was all just my opinion.  I needed to see what the public thought. 

My good friend, Kyle, whom I like not just because of his awesome name, hung up the metal print I created called MAXIM in his gallery (see below.)

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So what did the public think?

Well, it sold in about a week.  I think you can count on more experiments with metal prints--I'll let you know when there is more on display at Cliff Hangers Gallery.

Central City Family Dental

Central City Family Dental was looking to update their office and show off their logo, all while incorporating some unique artwork--in this case metal.  I really like how it turned out!

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In case your interested in how we got to the final, view the gallery below:

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Concentric Cloud Solutions

Concentric was looking for an artwork in their main lobby which incorporated their logo.  After some work, we came up with this triptych concept, and they were very happy with the final result.  They even sent a picture (below.)

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Here are some of the initial concepts.

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Now if you ever need some logo or branded artwork for your walls, you know where to find me ;-)  I can't wait to help you.

#4. Ryan Bliss (Digital Blasphemy)

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If you haven't heard of Digital Blasphemy, it is my distinct privilege to share it with you.  Forget about his incredibly awesome, intricate, complex, mind-boggling artwork and digital renderings.  Once you see them, you'll be hooked.  Ryan inspired me in a different way.  Back around 2000 when I discovered Digital Blasphemy, it implanted a tiny art seed within me.  That seed has bloomed into a larger passion and pursuit of art today.  He figured out a way he could become a full-time artist, a notion that seemed to be impossible to me at the time, but is something that seems to be more realistic each day.  I'm not sure if it will ever happen, but I am beyond thankful every day for Ryan's inspiration and ability to get me moving toward my creative passion.  He truly showed me that it was possible.  Thank you Ryan.
 

#3. Bob Ross

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Yes, you know him-- the afro-painter guy who could relieve every single ounce of stress in you just by his voice.  While I watched him wide-eyed in total disbelief, others might have fallen asleep by his calm educational painting tutorials.  This man had a brilliant understanding of light and how it impacted landscapes, and this has certainly influenced my "photo paintings." I never dared to buy all the paint and brushes because my perfectionist ways might have stalled me out, but watching him deepened my understanding of light as it would certainly affect my future in photography. Thank you Mr. Ross.
 

#2. Trey Ratcliff

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A current-day pioneer of photography, he lays his artistic soul art online for everyone to see with absolutely no fear or regret. His transparency and honesty draws you in and never lets go.  Even though I began doing HDR photography before I knew what it was called, Trey has helped me solidify my HDR processing skills even though there is always more to learn.  He offers advice and guidance with nothing to gain and it has helped me over the years, that's for sure.  Make sure to visit his blog at stuckincustoms.com. Yes, you'll be hooked on that one too. I sincerely hope to meet Trey some day...he sees the world as I see it.  Thank you for inspiring me Trey.
 

#1.  Terry Redlin

{image_4}This one is deep within my heart.  He was the first "artist" I had ever heard of when I was a little kid.  I attempted to draw a few of his paintings that hung in my parents' living room.  Terry lived in my hometown of Watertown, South Dakota, and today there is a gigantic museum devoted to his artwork.  And for good reason--his artwork is immaculate and spectacular.  To see his originals will absolutely blow your mind---mark my words.  To think someone could PAINT in such detail is astonishing. I regret not being able to meet him, but when I see his art I somehow feel like I did, and yes, I know that sounds weird;-)  I feel humbled by his work and love the fact that it is something I can visit whenever I want. 

I was fortunate to be part of a private tour at his museum, the Redlin Art Center and my favorite story is something his son, Charles, shared with us.  When Charles was a kid, he was challenged by Terry to select any single point within a room they were standing in.  Terry said he could draw the entire room with every detail from that perspective.  Charles admittedly tried to be clever, and pointed to a duck which was mounted near the ceiling in the corner of the room.  Without hesitation, Terry began drawing the room from the duck's perspective, and after a while he finished.  Terry instructed Charles to take the sketch and carry it to the top of a ladder right near the duck and compare the actual room to the sketched rendering.  Charles said he was awed by how accurate the depiction was of the room from the duck's perspective...everything was perfectly accurate and in the finest detail, even though it was drawn from the opposite side of the room.  Of all the artistic qualities Charles said his dad had, he said Terry's sense of perspective was unrivaled.  If you go to the museum and see his art, you will understand this statement.  Thank you Mr. Redlin.

I am thankful for these and other artists out there in the creative world that inspire me and inspire others.  I just hope that through my work, I can return the favor in whatever form or fashion, no matter how small.

Any artists inspire you?  I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.  Thanks for listening to mine.

I'm very glad that it did turn out the way I had envisioned it.  The original file size is monstrous :-)  I can't wait to get this printed soon in the future!

CLICK TO ENLARGE

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Whether it's a 4-panel artwork (above) or a single artwork (below), placing a painted "border" will allow more attention to be brought to the artwork.

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Compare the images above and below.  It's easy to see how much impact a little extra creative wall paint can bring to tie the art in the room together with the decor.  Plus it indirectly makes the art bigger to fill more space.

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A sleek black border can really make the colors in your art pop off the wall.

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Make multiple borders to tie triptych art together.

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Or use an internal color to make an even more dramatic impact.

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You can use a larger paint border to bring the art together in a creative way...

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...and it will allow you to change out the art without changing the paint borders.

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A painted "block" will allow you to bring a collage together on a wall.

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Be as creative as you want to let the paint enhance your wall art.

I hope these inspire you.  Okay now, go get some paint, get your favorite wall art, and get creative!

Like all Americans, my life changed on 9/11, just over 10 years ago.  Without question, that day will be engrained in our minds forever and has changed our mindsets, both for better and worse.  The day the World Trade Center towers went down had such an impact on my wife Meaghan and I that we wanted to "get" something that would remind us of what we have, what heroes and brave people we have around us, and most importantly, our freedom.  Somehow the towering World Trade Center buildings reminded us of those things.

Naturally, we gravitated toward artwork to serve as a reminder.  There were many artworks made of New York City and others that were made to commemorate 9/11 including several by Peter Max. With a limited budget, we've walked away many times empty-handed.  While 9/11 is with us, we still don't have anything on our wall to serve as a permanent reminder.

That is when I decided to take matters into my own hands, and to create an artwork with true purpose to Meaghan and me.  It took me awhile from beginning to end, but I am thankful to finally have something tangible to remind us daily about what we have.

And MOST importantly, I need your help.  I'm having a rather hard time naming this artwork which means so much to me.  What should it be named?

Here are the options:

COMMEMORATE
MEMORY
REMINDER
WAS

Please cast your vote in the comments or on Facebook.

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Here's a vertical option below  to give you an even bigger viewing size.

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CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

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My advice to you is to always carry your camera and sit by the window.  You never know what kind of interesting rare perspectives you'll get.

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Since I'm in the heart of the midwest, which is full of crop fields, this was an incredible sight to see with so many mysterious landscapes below.

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I believe this could be part of the Great Salt Lake, a "soup" of different blended colors.

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I loved this aerial view of contrasting dark red and greens.  Anybody know what this is?

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As we approached, we got a great view of the mountains.

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I really liked how this one turned out.  After doing some research, I figured out that the monument-looking structure is the Kennecott Garfield Smelter of the Bingham Canyon Mine.

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A big group of us decided to visit the famous Utah Olympic Park where we even got to see some ski jumpers train.

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When you actually see a real ski jump, you realize how crazy these ski jumpers must be.  I often wonder what it was like for them to try their first jump. Yikes.

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So, they had this really cool zip line that you could zip down.  It was very, very smooth--a nice ride back down to the bottom.  Give it a try if you're there.

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This is inside, where they have a bunch of Olympic memorabilia. Thought I'd take a quick HDR shot.

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If you ever visit Salt Lake City, I encourage you to visit Temple Square.  It's quite a site...very beautiful.  This Temple Square HDR Photo turned out to be one of my favorites from the trip.

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Inside the visitor's center, they have a really intersting model of the Salt Lake Temple.

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Here's another view of the garden in front of Salt Lake Temple.

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Further down the path is this beautiful fountain.  Had to grab this shot!

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I was presented with another HDR photo opp, so I took it.

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This is Assembly Hall, another beautiful building inside Temple Square.

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Here's a shot of the Conference Center, just down the path from the Temple.

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You can see by this angle how tall the water feature is that runs along the building.  This small child was playing in front, so I had to grab a photo.

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Continuing our walk through downtown, we came upon the Salt Palace Convention Center.

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After passing by this fountain in the heart of Salt Lake City, I decided to shoot an HDR shot.

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My buddies and I jumped in a car and decided to explore.  We pulled off the side of the road and hiked up a mountain to grab this photo.

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Here's another angle, looking the other way up the mountain.

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As I went over the top, I found this unique perspective.

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I was intrigued with the slated rocks.  Time for HDR! It seemed to be like we were walking around on Mars.

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My friends hiked up even further where I took this shot.  See them on the very top?  This is an HDR too.

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I needed to capture the unique surface of this particular mountain.

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Here's another shot of the view.  I was so glad we stopped to check out this majestic place.

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One more HDR before we hit the road.

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We got back in our small (very small) car which barely made it up the mountainside.

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We suddenly discovered that rapids ran along the road, so we pulled over to check it out.

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Here's a view looking the other way.

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I was particularly interested in how the trees partically blocked the light, so of course I had to capture it.

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Here's another unique panoramic which captures the scene.  We decided that our car needed a rest ;-)

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As we drove through the windy path, we encountered a forest.

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Soon the air was thin, but it was a magnificent view.

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These two trees sprouted above the rest forming a unique photo opportunity.

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Mountains and trees.  Not sure what else to say about this one ;-)

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Our adventure then led us to the Kennecot Copper Mine where I found these twisted trees in front of the entrance.  The contrast of the light made it a perfect black and white photo opp.

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Interesting combination of colors.

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Had to capture the detail of the formation of the mine.  It looked like a volcano.

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More detail along the outside of the mine.

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The giant electric shovels in the mine can scoop up as much as 98 tons in a single bite -- about the weight of 50 cars. The truck driver rides about 18 feet above the ground -- nearly two stories high.

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Kennecott is the second largest copper producer in the United States, providing approximately 25 percent of the country's copper needs.  You could stack two Sears Towers on top of each other and still not reach the top of the mine.  Don't say you never learn anything reading my blog ;-)  Learn more amazing facts about the Kennecott Utah Copper Mine.

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Another interesting shot along our journey converted to black and white.

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Just four dudes exploring Utah.  Thanks for the memories guys!