Friday ~ November 22, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on November 22, 2024
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Welcome

I had a long lunch with a couple of my dear friends and then decided to take some back roads home.  I haven’t done much photography since my recent family photo session so it felt good to get back out there.

I decided on black and white for this shoot because it always feels right to me when I’m shooting some colorless landscape images.  The other reason for B&W is that it was a gloomy day weather wise and it just seemed to lend itself to that format.

This farm is a long way away but I like how all the buildings are arranged and it just looks like a great place to live.  Remember by clicking on any image it will reveal a larger more detailed image for viewing.

I believe I have made this same image at sometime in the past.  I looked for it on past blog posts but couldn’t find it so here it is.

This guy was just setting in a partially harvested field of corn.

Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy your day and be careful.

Saturday ~ November 09, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on November 9, 2024
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Welcome

I did a family photo shoot this past week.  It was very enjoyable although with all the walking I was pretty sore that night.  Awe the joys of getting older.

I have been wanting for sometime now to photograph a Blue Jay and while I was waiting for the family to show up I found this little guy.  It made my day.

I did the shoot at the wonderful 4-Mounds retreat.  I had never been there but will visit it more frequently now.  It is really pretty and some neat things including this wishing well to add to the ambience of the setting.

I was out on the road home a couple of days before and found these naked trees.

I love photographing naked trees against a great sky.  I believe the tree is more beautiful and interesting without leaves.

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Sunday ~ October 27, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on October 27, 2024
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Welcome

Out traveling the roads of eastern Iowa looking for images to be made.  If you have followed this blog for any time at all you already know that I love to photo farm stuff.  Today’s blog is no exception.

I saw this combine coming to the top of the hill, which let me get parked and camera setup ready for the shot.

After the tractor and grain wagon left I waited to get a full view of the combine.  These hard working farmers are amazing.  They never go by the clock and work till the day is done or the field is harvested.

On the way home saw this sunset getting close to the surface so turned down a road and found some hay in the field and a shad at the top of the hill.  What more can I say.

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Tuesday ~ October 22, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on October 22, 2024
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Welcome

I have some images from a couple of days ago that I want to share with you.

I just love this time of year.  The crisp air, the wonderful colors, and even the smell is better. I just couldn’t pass up this great naked tree.

As a child growing up our church would have it’s annual “Lord’s Acres Sale” and a lot of the farm women would bring pies, cakes, and other delicious food to the church to be bid on by the town folks.

It was also a time for a feast such great food and lots of it.  Any wonder why it was my favorite thing to do.

The other thing I love about fall weather is you don’t have to wait so long for the golden hour and of course all the wonderful color in the trees.

That’s all I have for today.  I’ll be out and about this week so hopefully I can capture more fall images for you.  Remember you can click on any image to see a larger more detailed image.

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Sunday ~ October 20, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on October 20, 2024
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Welcome

Jeanne and I went out looking for images late yesterday afternoon.  As we were driving through the countryside it occurred to me that I have a tendency to photograph a lot of the same stuff year after year.

Granted I have taken some vacations to other parts of the country but as of now I am very limited in my walking ability.  So often you have to do a fair amount of walking to get to the subject you want to  photograph.

I’m not complaining.  Age catches up to all of us at some time.  No one is immune to old age, some handle it better than others.

So if you see a constant theme in my images, just understand that if I could walk better I would get different images for you to view. 🙂

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Friday ~ October 18, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on October 18, 2024
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Welcome

I had spent a fair amount of time at the river earlier this week as I discussed in my previous post.

I was working my way back home ~ (isn’t there song with those words in it?) ~ any way I came across this amazing car sitting in a parking lot.  I had to drive a fair amount more to find a place where I could turn around and get back to it.

In an earlier life this was a 1953 Ford.  I say in an earlier life because there was not too many original parts on this amazing car.

I spent a fair amount of time photographing this beauty and frankly just looking at it from all angles.

The speedometer showed a mere 1,878 miles and I would suspect that those are the actual amount of miles on the new motor.  I really wanted to look at the engine but I didn’t want to touch it without permission and I just imagined what it looked like.

Remember you can click on any image to reveal a much larger and more detailed version of the image.

Enjoy your day.  Pray for our Country and stay safe.

Tuesday ~ October 15, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on October 15, 2024
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Welcome

Last Friday I finally took my camera and toured around the river.  Saw a lot of things and enjoyed myself.  Since I am retired you would think that I would be out every day with my camera, alas I have a tendency get side tracked.

So I spent some time at the river.  Wasn’t happy with what I had to photographed so I settled for some Mallard Ducks who had gathered near some drift wood.

Then I heard a loud engine coming from the river.  I’m not sure how fast this jet ski was traveling but I had a hard time keeping in the sweet spot of the camera.

Then the other side of river travel.  A nice slow pontoon boat and a leisurely cruise up the river on a beautiful afternoon.  I would take the slow boat first. 🙂

Now Dubuque is not exactly a small town with 60 thousand plus citizens,  so the odds of me running into anyone I know when I’m back in the sticks is unlikely.  However I ran into my Son, Daughter-in-Law, and my little Grandson.  What a treat that was and how unexpected it was.

The Video below is only 3.5 minutes long and some pretty scenery.

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Sunday ~ September 29, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on September 29, 2024
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Welcome

What a great time I had yesterday.  My wife Jeanne has been going to our friend Sara’s ball game every Saturday this summer.

I haven’t gone to any of the games because it was hot and it too early for me.  Okay, I can hear you chastising me, and I deserve it.

But yesterday it was not hot, and the final game started an hour later, which really worked for me.

It was a pretty long way from the parking lot to the ball diamond, but I made it fine and got to count the walking as exercise.

So briefly each team get to let everyone on the team bat.  There are no strikes or balls called and most of the players get a hit and if not they can use the tee.

All most all of the hits turn into home runs with lots of high fives and congratulations from all the coaches and players.  It is wonderful to see.

The announcer is amazing.  He has a nick name for all the players and is a cross between Bob Uecker, and Harry Carry.  He keeps everyone laughing and really makes all the players feel like they are in the big time.

Oh, did I mention they don’t keep score.  Which, is great because it’s all about the players having a great time, which they all do.

A one minute video of our friend Sara singing the National Anthem. 

Enjoy your day and be careful.

Wednesday ~ September 25, 2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on September 25, 2024
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Welcome

I was in Maquoketa today for a meeting and a video shoot, that we had to reschedule.  So after some visiting I headed home

The use to be there all the time when I first started shooting there but then they moved to a larger pond, which is difficult for me to get to.

So I was delighted to see this pair swimming in the over grown water of the “Duck Pond.”

Unfortunatly I only had my 400 mm lens so I couldn’t get some close up tight shots.  However if you click on any of the images it will reveal a much larger and more detailed image.

Enjoy your day a be careful.

Saturday ~ 09/21/2024

Posted by Dave Updegraff on September 21, 2024
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Welcome!

Today I have a random number of images that I took a couple weeks ago at the annual NAMI walk event.

My little 13 month old Grandson, Brooks.

NAMI Dubuque, the (National Alliance on Mental Illness), is an affiliate of NAMI National, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by lived experiences. Locally, our community minded approach to brain health services allows us to be approachable, accessible, and equitable in care for our peers, their families, our loved ones, the community and the tri-state area.

Grand-daughter, Gabby playing with Brooks.

Dubuque’s Finest, Police and Fire members were at the walk and supporting the event.

 

My Son, Mark and his wife Julia.

My Daughter and her husband Ben.

Julia’s parents Jeff and Tina plus other members of their family.

Mark, Grandson Joshua, Angie, Jeanne, Ben.

 

A lot of people were looking in my direction and it finally occurred to me that they were not looking at me but at this beautiful sun set that was concurring over my shoulder.

Enjoy your day and be careful.