By Ted Grussing
… our friend just released from his perch and dove for the ground and as he picked up airspeed he baked sharply and veered off to the right as he came out of his dive. There was a substantial number of our local Murder of Crows in the neighborhood this afternoon and the lighting was perfect to get good detail in them. I think the two toughest subjects to shoot are solid black and solid white as the detail is tough to get and bring out. I took this shot with the Canon 1DX and 100/400 lens. Shot details f/5.6, 1/2500th , ISO 1000. Manual mode with ISO float.
I got to the airport mid-afternoon, but the sunlight was that cold barely sunny sky you get when there are high cirrus blocking the sun. Maybe tomorrow will work, plus it is going to be warmer … I like that part. Also hoping the clouds will more scattered and no high cirrus. What they call the dry adiabatic lapse rate is 3C per thousand feet and if I go to the altitude planned it will be approximately 30C colder than at the surface … that translates into cold, but the canopy of Mariah is like a greenhouse so it provides a lot of warmth as long as I keep it in the sun. That is the reason that temperatures in Arizona (and elsewhere) are elevation dependent. Sedona is at an elevation of 4850’ msl … Phoenix is about 1100’ msl giving a difference of about 3750’ x 3C = 11.25C or about 19.25F cooler. So if Phoenix is at 110F in the summer, theoretically we will be at about 91F. Flagstaff is about 2500’ higher than we are and it is truly nice up there in the summer.
I think the experience with the mule deer a few weeks ago has caused One to abandon her outdoor ways. She absolutely refuses to go outside now … could also be that from her perches in the office she has seen the bobcat go by numerous times as he walks right by the glass door several times a week … who knows what their conversations have been? Perhaps a threat that if she ever goes out and chases him again, she will be dinner? Whatever the reason, it is nice to not feel guilty about going outside without her now. I leave the door open, but she shrinks away from it.
Have a beautiful day, keep breathing and keep on enjoying life, friends and family … and smile!
Cheers
Ted
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth
quietly and clearly, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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