First Post In A While

It's been awhile since I posted.  This has been due in part to laziness, and to the fact that my camera has been out of commission, not because it was broken because the sensor was dirty and my first attempt to clean it made it worse.  Then I went looking for a kit to clean the sensor and the first one the sales guy showed me cost $170.  Or I could pay about $75 for them to service the camera.  I didn't like either option so I went to another store and found a kit for $22.  I cleaned my sensor and now I'm back in business but for those of you with DSLR's you probably shouldn't do what I did.  First off everything I've read says to get a mini vaccum cleaner designer for your camera.  Then if you need to clean get a kit that will clean your sensor.  Why did I take a chance, because my camera is insured so if anything happens to it, it will be replaced.  So with my sensor cleaned here is one of the first photo's I took and then the same photo below after I tweaked it a little bit.  Which one do you like better?

This weeks subject is suggested by Me, Myself, and I

String

When I first came up with this challenge I knew I wanted the picture to be of guitar strings, but then I decided to play around with over exposing my pictures.  My wife helped me pick which one from the series of photos I took. 

Getting A New Lens

Well I hadn't planned on this but I've been sort of looking at new lenses for my camera.  Then I got my latest issue of Popular Photography and saw an ad for the new Tamron A20 28-300 lens.  After doing some research, and having my spouse do some research, and a friend of mine who is a professional photographer this lense looked like a real winner.  So the spouse and I had a discussion as she is going to a writers conference in August that we paid for we agreed that the house fund would pay for part of the lens and I would cover the rest.  So I received word today that this has shipped.  I can't wait to get it and play.  I may have to take a "sick" day so I can play. 

Recent Photos

Here are some recent photos I've taken on my walks around the office.  Can you guess what the first one is?

This shot had an accidental fog effect.  I took this from inside my car so the fog is most likely a reflection off my windscreen but I thought it was cool look.

Union Station.  It's quite beautiful on the outside.

Being that I work for a company that makes and repairs railcars I thought this message was quite appropriate.

Looking down through the train bridge into the river.