Announcing the first annual Ozark Photos' "High Noon" Photo Contest

Photo taken at noon in Springfield, Missouri

What is the High Noon photo contest?

Noon light, especially in the summer, gets very low marks for quality. So what I have decided to do is challenge the readers of Ozark Photos to go out between 11 am and 1 pm in their local time to take their best shot. I realize you readers in the Southern Hemisphere may have an advantage here since it is winter. Oh to have those long shadows! The contest will run from June 1st to August 15th. Your pictures must be taken between these dates. You will submit your entries to me via my email address ozarkphotos@sbcglobal.net . You may submit low resolution images or watermarked images if you wish. I will collect your entries and along with a couple of other local Southwest Missouri Photographers we will judge the entries after August 15th and come up with First, Second and Third place winners The first place winner will win a copy of Joe McNally's newest book The Hot Shoe Diaries.

Why am I doing this?

First off, because I think it will be fun. Secondly, I would like to get this blogging community that I have enjoyed so much for the last 3 years active again. Thirdly, I think mid-day light gets a bad wrap.

Who can participate?

Any reader of Ozark Photos. Of course, that number has dwindled of late so you need to go to all your blogging friends and tell them about this contest for it to really work and for us to see some really creative noon time shots.

What do I need to turn in and how many times can I enter?

You need to turn in a jpeg image preferably no smaller than 550 by 600 pixels. Please also submit a description of what you did to get the shot. Also make sure you have your name in the body of the email. If you are the first place winner I will request your mailing address to get your prize to you.

You can submit one shot each week during the contest.

Anything else I should know?

Obviously, I can't change what mother nature does so you may get lucky and have a cloudy day. That works too. Pictures do not need to be in a particular category. Portraits, landscapes, flowers, macros all qualify. The picture must be taken outdoors to qualify. Studio work is cheating! :)

If you come up with questions post them on this entry or any of the updates so everyone can see. I am sure I am not thinking of everything.

Good luck and most of all have fun! Let's see how creative we can be with noon time sun. Tell everyone you know, the more that participate the more we will learn from one another. I will give periodic, probably weekly updates if people really get involved.

The Log Cabin Porches of Nathaniel Greene Park

Friday's sure seem to roll around fast! I was at lunch today and realized I had no new shots for "Front Porch Friday" so I drove to Nathaniel Greene Park. The harsh noon sun was not much fun, but hey sometimes you don't have choices.

I have seriously been thinking of running a challenge to the one or two people still reading this blog. It is going to be called "High Noon" and will consist of shoots taken at the lunch hour when the sun and hence light is the worst. I am thinking about running it through the summer and even giving a prize for the best picture. Any takers? We will have to work out the logistics...let me know your thoughts.

First Baptist Church Hartsburg, Missouri

Now for a shot of the whole Church. You can see where the stain glass window fits in now. This was one of the most interesting old Churches I have shot. Architecturally, it had many interesting lines, details and angles.

In the Light

This is one of the stained glass windows in the First Baptist Church of Hartsburg, Missouri. I pushed the exposure on this one, which wasn't too hard since it was about 2:30 in the afternoon. Then when I got home I pushed it even further in Photoshop. I like the way it turned out. What a beautiful little Church this was sitting close to the mighty Missouri River.

Memorial Day 2009

Thank you to those who served.

Easy...A Commentary

I found out last week you can no longer go into your local Staples store and purchase an "Easy Button". You must now order them online. What happened to easy?

Well that is my deep thought for the day.

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

Teresa and I had to attend a funeral today. Normally funerals are not something I enjoy going to, but going on Memorial Day weekend was pretty neat. And before you guys wonder what I am doing taking my camera, well Teresa took hers first! Seriously, we were invited to bring cameras...Has anyone ever taken photographs at a funeral before? Hmmm, maybe I have found a new niche.

Attending a funeral of someone who has served in the Military on the Memorial Day weekend really brings home what Memorial Day is. I hope you have a good holiday weekend and remember what Memorial Day is all about.

Sorry No Front Porch Today

This is a scene from Antonito, Colorado and the archives. I have been so busy getting the Springfield Photo Walk set up there has been no time for taking pictures. The scene above was taken on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. If you get a chance go out to Colorado and take a ride on it.

The Springfield Photo Walk Page is Up and Running!

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/springfield-mo-usa/

The Springfield page for the World Wide Photo Walk is now active. Go to it and click register now if you want to participate!

Announcing the Official Springfield, Missouri Location of the Worldwide Photo Walk

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/

I am proud to announce here at Ozark Photos that Teresa and I are the official organizers of the Springfield, Missouri location of Scott Kelby's Second Annual Worldwide Photo Walk.

The World Wide Photo Walk will take place on Saturday July 18th. We will soon be determining our time and locations. The Photo Walk will last approximately two hours and we will conclude at a local eating establishment to compare screenshots and get to know one another. Each Photo Walk is limited to 50 people and I will be asking for reservations at my email address ozarkphotos@sbcglobal.net very soon.

There is absolutely no charge or fee to participate in the Photo Walk. You can be a amateur or professional or anywhere in between.

I am looking forward to ironing out and announcing the details so watch this site. Visit the link above for more general information.

Beginnings...

A shot from my photo session with Britany, Greg and Daniel. Daniel is my first newborn photo shoot. I caught this tender little moment between Mom and Daniel when we were setting up for another shot.

Front Porch Friday - Flying the Colors

A front porch shot from Old Algiers which shows the colors flying. I never said whose colors! There were several homes with flags flying that were not the US flag, reflecting the diversified heritage of many of us. I collect flags and have been know to fly the British flag during democratic administrations or the Canadian flag when there is a lot of snow on the ground (makes the neighbors feel colder) :). But mainly I fly historic American flags, and they generate a lot of questions and discussion. When I had a flagpole at our old home, my neighbors would come over to visit about the newest flag that went up and I would tell them what I knew about the history of the flag.

Take a few minutes to go out and fly your colors this weekend, whatever those colors may be. Now where is that British naval flag I have?

Camera Club Field Trip to Woods Prairie

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be traveling across the prairie's of yesterday in a covered wagon or on horseback with no farms or towns along the way?

An explosion of color!

The camera club took a field trip to Woods Prairie near Chesapeake, Missouri today. Here are a couple of shots to remind you what the prairie may have looked like at one time before our ancestors began plowing the land. Woods prairie is owned and managed by a local conservancy group.

Kay Johnson, local wildlife photographer, wild flower expert and all around great guy led us on this trip. Invariably he had to answer all of our questions!

Front Porch Friday...A Little Front Porch

Believe it or not this front porch shot was taken from Walnut Street during Artsfest. I spotted this charming little house from the street and just knew it was my next "Front Porch Friday" shot! I speculate it started life as a garage or on the site of a garage.

Barely made this one, thirty three minutes to spare. Have a great weekend.

Artsfest on Walnut Street 2009

Despite cool and cloudy weather this year's Artsfest was crowded, at least on Saturday when the rain stayed at bay.

I was fascinated with this wind sculpture. It and the others on display reminded me of that lady's yard on the movie "Twister." If you don't remember it maybe it is time to rent that movie again! :)

Teresa and I had a great time. I have to take her with me or I would probably have ended up buying something. I love this stuff. We concluded our visit to Artsfest listening to Lee Ellen Starks in concert! As my brother is fond of saying, "Life is Good."

Speaking of my brother be sure and check out his travel blog in the links to the right. He is on another adventure and it is alway fun to see what mess he is getting into and what is for dinner on the trail. Leave him a comment and tell him Mikey sent you. You know it gets lonely on the trail.

Oh and the baby pictures are now posted on Ozark Faces. Let me know what you think.

Front Porch Friday on a Saturday...Sort Of...

Okay, where does a week go? I have been busy this week working on pictures from my first newborn infant photo shoot. I was very pleased with it.

This is not really a front porch shot as it was taken on the square of downtown Seymour, Missouri , but the idea was so good I couldn't pass it up for posting on a Front Porch Friday (Saturday). I don't know about you guys but we have had so much rain here I think I am living in New Orleans. My backyard is a jungle which I have been judiciously attacking this morning.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.