Big Mike's Photography

Review by Reflecting on the Past...

2015-12-17T12:56:00.002-07:00

I know I've been away from blogging for a while. Sadly, I also stopped creating new images for a longtime as well. I hope that won't happen again!

I though it would be good to go back to my roots in sharing some insights on how I have developed as a photographer over the years. While I'm sure there are many much more talented photographers out there, I find it useful to share my experiences to help other learn and also to help me continue to develop. That is what is behind my post for today.

I think it's good from time to time to revisit some of your old work to see how you have grown and improved as a photographer. Can see a difference in how you frame the subject? How do you see the lighting and shadows? Has your eye changed on white balance, vibrancy, or saturation? Has your interest in in subjects changed? How will I view the images I'm creating today in 5 years or 10 years? How has imaging technology and workflows changed my process or images? Take some time to look back at some of your old work... if nothing else you will hopefully see that you have improved as a photographer. Use that as motivation to continue to improve.

Day 13 Monorhyme

2014-04-13T23:03:00.000-06:00

This poem may be quite small,
I had no time to think at all.
My brain has started to hit the wall.
My sense of verse is at a crawl.
I seriously think I dropped the ball.
I'm shocked and surprised this rhymes at all.

Day 12

2014-04-13T22:48:00.001-06:00

Miles go by hour by hour, minute by minute, seconds and so on.

Just the humming noise of my tires to and an old song on the radio pass the time.

The destination far ahead, sign posts count down the miles I've gone.

I try to speed up the to hurry up but I don't want to get a fine.

Along the way, other cars driving to go to their own destinations and homes.

Some fixed on the road ahead, others barely aware or their surroundings at all.

Way too man distractions, eating, drinking, music, and texting on phones.

With all these distractions why don't we see more cars hitting the wall.

Day 11

2014-04-11T15:33:00.002-06:00

The darkness settles on the land enveloping everything.

Eyes strain to perceive the slightest glimpse of light.

Wondering what lurks near by as the crickets sing.

A faint flutter of wings, a bat? Will it bite?

Day 10 - Brevete

2014-04-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

Tacos
Burning
Mouth

Day 9

2014-04-09T23:54:00.001-06:00

Zoom, zoom, zoom I used to say,

As a young child I wish to play,

But as I grow older day by day,

Carefree like my youth I wish I could stay,

But perhaps if wish real hard I may,

Remember the joy of yesterday.

Day 8 - Flappy Bird

2014-04-08T20:43:00.001-06:00

You came into our lives with not so much as a word.

The critics all asked, "Hey! What's with the bird?"

The graphics were boring and flat as a board,

but that didn't matter, the rankings soon soared.

Oh the time wasted playing your game,

the chatter on Facebook just wasn't the same.

Then came the news that your app was pulled,

we thought they were joking, we wouldn't be fooled.

Then it made headlines, everyone had heard.

Gone was my good friend, my game, Flappy Bird.

Day 7

2014-04-06T21:46:00.001-06:00

Let's Get Away

Grating, noisey, ringing in my ears,

the pressure in my head strains to let go.

I keep the anger at bay, afraid to face my fears.

Please let the the calmness and peace flow.

Imagine yourself on on a beach far away,

where tropical drinks flow from the bar.

A destination not more than a day,

some place quiet, peaceful, pleasant and far.

Day 6 The Brevette

2014-04-06T21:45:00.001-06:00

The Brevette

The Brevette, created by Emily Romano consists of a subject (noun), verb, and object (noun), in this exact order. The verb should show an ongoing action. This is done by spacing out the letters in the verb. There are only three words in the poem, giving it the title Brevette.

Chihuahua
a s s u l t i n g
anklebone

Day 5 NaPoWriMo Katauta

2014-04-05T23:11:00.001-06:00

The Katauta is an unrhymed japanese form consisting of 17 or 19 syllables. The poem is a three-lined poem the following syllable counts: 5/7/5 or 5/7/7. The Katauta form was used for poems addressed to a lover.

Look at her

Eyes like the blue sea

lost in you I have become

my heart yearns for your fair smile.

Day 4 NaPoWriMo Acrostic

2014-04-04T22:59:00.000-06:00

Acrostic Poetry is where the first letter of each line spells a word, usually using the same words as in the title.

Lonely

Love always seems to be far away
Only know by those who's tales I read
Needing to have a closeness and comfort only dreamed
Each day, waiting, wanting, wishing for love
Let your heart take a chance, a leap of faith
You must reach out, and love, or lonely you will remain

Day 3

2014-04-03T22:55:00.001-06:00

Writer's Block

As I sit here tapping my pen,

words and thoughts escape my mind.

What to say, how to say it,

words, expressions, I fail to find.

My paper sits lonely, unused, blank,

wanting me to use it to express and feel.

The keys are cold, unused and stiff,

I think the hamster fell off the wheel.

Day 2 NaPoWriMo Interactive Poem - Guess What It's About...

2014-04-02T19:03:00.002-06:00

Guess what is it?

In my fridge, way in the back,
your sour goodness makes my lips smack
I remove the top of your jar with care,
Reach in with my fingers? I wouldn't dare!
Your great with a sandwich, or even plain,
Eating too many could cause my foot pain.
But I don't care, I love you so much,
I might have your brother tomorrow for lunch!

Blogging Again...

2014-04-01T22:09:00.000-06:00

I decided that I would join my daughter in NaPoWriMo which stands for National Poetry Writing Month. The goal is to write 30 poems in 30 days. Frankly, I can't remember the last time I wrote a poem. With that said... here we go!

What, No Photos?

I know that I normally post photography,
I'm attempting this task to break the monotony,
Thirty days of poems to write,
Hope my lyrics cause you no fright,
Or my use of spelling and apostrophe.

Hope you like it.

Old Number 7

2013-08-27T20:15:00.001-06:00

Old Number 7, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I love the texture of this old casting on an old plow rusting away in Northwestern Montana

Fire Works

2013-08-27T20:14:00.001-06:00

Fire Works, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Picture from a small fireworks show in Northwestern Montana this summer.

Mike Braaten shared an Instagram photo with you

2013-07-13T14:26:00.001-06:00

Hi there,

Mike Braaten just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Jake passed us again."
(taken at Missoula, MT)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team

Blow Up!

2013-06-12T10:02:00.001-06:00

Blow Up!, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Huge plumes of smoke going up to 20,000 feet from a blow up of the Black Forest Fire on June 11, 2013. The smoke cloud was so big they could see it on Doppler radar.

Panoramic view of smoke

2013-06-12T10:01:00.001-06:00

Panoramic view of smoke, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
A panoramic view of the smoke plume stretching for miles from the Black Forest Fire.

After Sunset Day 1

2013-06-12T10:00:00.001-06:00

After Sunset Day 1, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
A bright orange glow app an be seen from the advancing flames of the Black Forest Fire after sunset on the first day of the fire.

Repost: 123D Creature From Autodesk Makes Monsters Real

2013-02-15T14:11:00.001-07:00

123D Creature From Autodesk Makes Monsters Real:
Check this out. The team at Autodesk, creators of the suite of 123D programs, just added a new tool to the arsenal: 123D Creature. And they’ve made a Thingiverse account!
We all know the higher-end 3D modeling programs from Autodesk like Maya and AutoCAD. They’re targeted to people with a bunch of experience or professional need for 3D design. The 123D programs like 123D Catch and 123D Sculpt let users with far less experience create really sweet 3D models. They’ve taken this mission one step further with 123D Creature.
Watch this! Even if you’re at work. You’re boss will love it.

Yes! You saw that correctly. 123D Creature is an iPad app (available on the App Store for a sweet introductory price) that basically lets you sculpt any kind of creature you can think of.
Oh snap, is that is a MakerBot Replicator 2 featured in the video? Yep! Just export the 3D design file from the app, run it through MakerWare, and bam! You’ve got yourself a custom figure ready to for printing on your MakerBot. This has to be one of the easiest ways ever to do this kind of organic modeling. It’s like hand-sculpting clay figures, but the clay is trapped inside an iPad screen. (Yes, I actually get paid to make analogies like that.)
We’re gawking at all the examples that have already gone up. Dan from the 123D Creature team writes on Thingiverse that all of these models are available in their in-app Creature community, so you can open them up and modify them.
Please for the love of your childhood dreams, and especially your nightmares, go and create some awesome new Creatures and upload them to Thingiverse. Let’s just say that there’s a pretty decent chance you’ll get featured if you do! Because we love this thing. Really, we do.

Baron Speed Shop - Stray Cat

2013-01-16T12:44:00.001-07:00

Had to repost this awesome Triumph!

Baron Speed Shop - Stray Cat: You've probably seen the latest Baron Speed Shop custom, the Triumph T100 sprint bike on the excellent Bikeexif.
But the Baron Speed Shop build more very nice Triumph customs.
Meet the Stray Cat!

Red-Tailed Hawk

2012-10-17T14:51:00.001-06:00

Red-Tailed Hawk, a photo by Big Mike's Photography on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Rescue bird on display at the 2012 Elk Festival.

Jake's Senior Portrait

2012-09-19T08:06:00.003-06:00

Just finished Jake’s senior photo for his yearbook last night. We decided to go to Fox Run Park, a popular spot for portrait photography because of the variety of backgrounds available. It was a little busy but we managed to get a few choice shots. This one is my new favorite portrait. Hope you like it too.

Mike Braaten shared an Instagram photo with you

2012-08-25T18:12:00.001-06:00

Hi there,

Mike Braaten just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"Tessa finally up from her nap."
(taken at Braaten's)

Thanks,
The Instagram Team