Snow Dogs

It doesn’t snow very often in North Carolina, but we were hit hard this weekend. Unfortunately the roads are too icy for us to drive anywhere, but our dogs had a good time in the snow.

That’s Bella, our Chihuahua, in the foreground, and Cider, our Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix, in the background. We had just gone out, and they both look a bit unsure of themselves.

Cider’s mom was a long-haired Chihuahua, so he’s a little better-equipped for the cold than Bella.

The dogs look alert in both this shot and the previous photo because they had just caught sight of another dog in the area.

Bella, mid-jump (the snow was only a few inches deep, but that’s pretty significant for an 8 lb. dog).

Running around.

And here’s Cider, mid-jump.

By this point, Bella was starting to get cold and was ready to head back indoors.

Cider is a really funny-looking dog.

My wife Nicole and I really like this shot.

Cider shaking the snow off.

Here they are, post-snow. Tired out and ready for a nap. (Photo courtesy Nicole.)

Hearst Castle

Some shots from Hearst Castle, California.

Sunset at Pismo Beach

These shots are a little noisy (at the time, I still didn’t really get the whole ISO thing), but I still kinda like them.

Duke Chapel

Took these photos of Duke Chapel a few weeks ago. Each of them is actually a composite of multiple photos, stitched together and edited with the help of Hugin, which is really excellent software.

Skateboard Wheels

Took the following photos earlier this evening.

The wheel was spinning; by keeping the shutter open for about 2 seconds (at f/5.6 and ISO 200), I was able to get this nice, smooth appearance (the wheel was actually extremely rough—see below).

Similar shot.

Here’s one with somewhat different lighting.

  Another.

The same wheel, but not in motion.

This is actually just a different version of the previous photo.

Different angle for this one. The wheels were spinning here too, but it’s not super apparent because each one is outside the depth of field.

Peaches

When I shot this photo, this tree in my parents’ backyard was covered in dozens, if not hundreds, of peaches. I like the natural framing in this shot.

“Millions of peaches, peaches for me, . . .”

The bunch on the left was slightly riper than the bunch on the right.

Parents’ backyard

Shot the following pictures in my parents’ backyard last summer. Shooting flowers is always fun; it doesn’t take much effort to make them look pretty.

Hong Kong IV: It’s not all city

My recent posts may give the impression that Hong Kong is all urban. Fortunately, it’s not.

 Nan Lian Garden, Diamond Hill.

Nan Lian Garden.

More Nan Lian.

The South China Sea, as seen from behind the Big Buddha, on Lantau Island.

Hong Kong III: Urban Serenity

Hong Kong is a crazy city, yes, but it also has one of the prettiest skylines in the world.

Hong Kong Island (Central, Sheung Wan). I spent the first 8 months of my LDS mission on the Island. It’s really a fantastic place to live and work. Crowded and busy, yet modern and efficient. And cleaner than NYC. Photo taken from Tsim Sha Tsui. Victoria Peak is visible near the center of the photo. That’s the Star Ferry in the center-left, which is a staple in the Hong Kong harbor (more on this below).

Hong Kong Island (Wan Chai). On my mission (see previous comment), I actually lived in Wan Chai. Right behind the building with the red “HITACHI” sign at its foot.

Another shot of Wan Chai, this one at dusk.

Central at dusk. The building in the center is the Bank of China tower, one of HK’s most well-known architectural landmarks.

The Star Ferry (taken from another Star Ferry vessel), with Wan Chai and Causeway Bay in the background. The Ferry runs back and forth across HK harbor, primarily between Tsim Sha Tsui, or TST (on the Kowloon side), and Central and Hong Kong (on the Island side). The Star Ferry was always my preferred means of crossing the harbor. For one, it’s dirt cheap (2 HKD). But more significantly, the five-minute ride is much more scenic than the MTR.

When I visited HK in 2008, it was the first time I had been there since completing my mission in 2004. I actually planned out my entrance into the city pretty carefully. I had flown from Guilin to Shenzhen, a large city in Guangdong province, located just across HK’s northern border. Took a minibus to the Luo Hu/Lo Wu train station, passed through customs, and hopped on the KCR (now the MTR East Rail), which passes through HK’s scenic New Territories before arriving in TST. I had hoped to take the Star Ferry across to the Island, where I would then hop a cab to Hong Kong University. Unfortunately, because it was pouring rain, I ended up having to take the MTR.

2 IFC. You probably saw this in The Dark Knight. Nicole and I saw that movie in 2 IFC. This building was constructed during my first stint in HK (my mission).

TST Clock Tower at dusk.

Bank of China tower.

Bank of China tower, as reflected in AIG building.

Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. This shot was taken very near my old apartment in Wan Chai.