3D Experiment!

When we went to the National Stereoscopic Association's trade fair a couple of weeks back Dale picked up a couple of photography magazines that gave him pointers on how to create 3D images using his digital camera on a tripod and a couple of tricks in Photoshop!

Coincidentally, TV Guide and Wal-Mart have teamed up to give out 3D glasses THIS WEEKEND! So if you're at a Wal-Mart this weekend--or anywhere that sells TV Guide--pick up your glasses and check out these images! Can you believe we got such big corporate tie-ins!? Okay, Miley Cyrus's big 3D concert on TV tonight also helped.

Feel free to click on the photos to make them bigger...

This is the fence in front of a Frank Lloyd Wright house in our neighborhood.

This is the cat's scratching post--strategically placed by Dale to provide depth in relation to our TV and chair!

This is the plant that sits in front of the window in our living room. Ooh, you could reach out and touch it.

And this is the bust of Frank Lloyd Wright that sits at the edge of the park near our house. Ghostly in 3D, in my opinion.

If you somehow miss all the 3D giveaways this week, feel free to check out the Rainbow Symphony store where you can get FREE 3D glasses by sending them a self-addressed stamped envelope! Click here. I don't know how legitimate this website is but I'm guessing nothing bad will come from sending a SASE to a random company?

And just because we're nerdy? Check out images from Nasa in 3D by clicking here!

Coffee in Chicago

One night last week Dale and I met our friend Hannah for dinner. Along the way, Dale ran into a breakdancing troupe. They've traveled about the world breakdancing and they are licensed street performers.

I dug the pictures so much I felt like sharing them all.

Handstand!

I love this one! He's way up in the air.

Starbucks outdoor cafe right next to the Adams/Wabash el stop in the loop.

Dale took pictures of Hannah as the wind was blowing her hair.
She's originally from Flint and Dale knew her when they were kids.

Some extra pics of Charlevoix

Dale took a few postcard-esque shots of Charlevoix and other things that caught his fancy. Just though I'd share them rather than tuck them away in a folder! The photo above is the harbor in Charlevoix.

An abandoned building. Abandoned buildings are almost always interesting to me; I don't know why.

Lake Michigan from Charlevoix. Pretty!

The Glass Experience

Dale and I went to one of our favorite places--the Museum of Science & Industry--for the The Glass Experience. Check out the chandeliers.

The first section of the exhibit involved examples of glass and it's innumerable applications. This is a paperweight that looks like a snowglobe. I LOVE it, especially the little lady standing in the snow.

Eeek! Glass eyeballs!

Rolling Rock glass bottle form.

There was also an art glass exhibit featuring the work of the famous glass blowing artist Dale Chihuly.

There was a sea of huge Chihuly decorative bowls.

There were also artisans on hand working on real stained-glass projects.

Restoring stained glass if a good deal like putting together a glass jigsaw puzzle.

Antique stained glass lamp.

A huge decorative glass piece balances precariously on a tiny stem.

And finally there was a real live glass blowing exhibit. Pretty neat!

Dale was also nice enough to take a ton of photos of the Fairy Castle--but there are so many and I love that miniature house so much that I think that's a separate post!

Dale's DIY Sandbags

Yet another thing I forgot to blog about!

Dale LOVES a project. And as winter dragged on in January, Dale decided to make his own sand bags. He didn't want to pay the $25-$35 each (click on prices to see the styles he modeled his after) at the camera store for a bag of sand--he just couldn't justify the price. He made a total of 10 and he said they cost him about $6.50 each to make, using the same materials as the commercial equivalents!

He borrowed a bag from our friend Pat and then reverse-engineered the bags to make his own. He's even had photographers on message boards offer to buy the bags (empty, of course)!

The bags started out as a simple piece of fabric, of course.

He had to add handles...

And without sand, it's just an empty bag. He put the sand in plastic bags to reduce leakage.

Finally! A bag with sand in it. Each bag has 15 pounds of sand--perfect to create leverage for his light stands!

Here's a link to his photo gallery, showing step-by-step how he did it. And here's a link to a PDF Dale created to give to other photographers with a do-it-yourself nature!

And here's a picture of two of them in action--against our still bare orange wall!

Dale's new lens...

Dale got a new "tilt-shift" camera lens. He's been wanting one for more than a year and he found a great deal on ebay so he grabbed it up. The lenses are known for sharp focus--that allows the shooter to create fake miniature photos! Which is my favorite kind of thing.

Here is a construction site from Dale's building! Look! It's a miniature construction site! But it's REAL! Hee. I'm easy. You can click on the photo to make it super big. It's sweet.

This also looks much tinier than it really is. And it's also in pretty sharp focus. Neat-o!

Dale's Winter Photo Essay Final Part!

Ever wonder how they clean the windows on a 35-story building? Let’s just say not much has changed in the past 50 or so years; a plank of wood (otherwise known as a Bosun’s chair) with a few straps, some rope, and a bucket with tools. Freaky!

I am not one who is usually put off by some life-threatening thrills in semi-controlled circumstances but hanging off the side of a building on a piece of plywood is very low on my list of desired activities. If it were a climbing harness, on the other hand, I would be all over doing that.

And a few commuter bikes for good measure.

Dale's Winter Photo Essay Part 2

Recently we had some snow and on 2/13/08 we had crystal clear blue skies.

This is what my morning commute looks like.

The shots below are from my office windows on the 28^th floor. The sky was so clear is was surreal. Unfortunately shooting though the windows caused a nasty color shift in the upper right corner.

Dale's Winter Photo Essay Part 1

Maybe I am a bit sadistic but I really enjoy a good snow in the city and today did not disappoint as you will witness below. Of course my joy is not supported by those around me who have to drive to work – including Rebecca – but since I am wholly reliant on the train and the trains are not affected by snow I am perfectly fine getting a few inches.

These first four shots were taken while at lunch at the Fidelity building across the street from my office.

I didn't realize until a few weeks ago that the moose is actually made up of car bumpers.

A view from my window at work.

After work I took a walk to Millennium Park a few blocks away. In the summer there are free concerts in the park, a reflecting pool, picnic areas, gardens, etc. It is really an oasis in the city. In the winter the activities are limited but they do have an ice rink and the video sculptures at either end of the reflecting pool are still in operation.

The Cloud Gate – “The Bean”

Video Sculptures

Funny Monty Picture

Dale took this amusing photo of Monty recently. Monty always looks very serious and it kind of cracks us up. Poor little serious Monty!

January in the City

Dale took a few black and white shots of riding the el in Chicago in winter. I really like them!

Snow on the tracks.

Quiet mid-afternoon on the train.

I think this one is my favorite.

Dale in Milwaukee

Dale took a quick overnight trip a few weeks back to Milwaukee to visit his friend Gary.

Milwaukee is just over an hour away from Chicago! While visiting, they went to the Milwaukee Botanical Gardens. The above photo is Dale's favorite from the trip.

This is Gary and his girlfriend Jessica.

They had some neat cactus plants.

More cactus plants. Neat.

Dale is Shooting Weddings!

Dale's gotten a couple of gigs as a second shooter on some fancy weddings.

Even though we don't know these folks we thought you might be curious to see some of what Dale's been up to. Look how lovely this mansion venue was!

Very sweet candid.

Inside the tent reception!

The Bride & Groom!

A quiet moment...

100 Posts in a Year!

This is our 100th post--and it just so happens that we started this blog just over a year ago!

It's been a big year--and we're very happy we moved to Chicago. There's been so ups and downs but mostly we're just so grateful to live near such a beautiful and friendly city and to have all the amenities--a strong economy, a wide variety of inexpensive activities just outside our door, and many new friends--that Chicago has to offer.

For example, Dale took a little walk after work a few weeks back and found a free Symphony Concert in the park! Just another day in the city.

Dale wants us to go next summer and enjoy one of the free symphony performances and perhaps pack a dinner to go. I'm looking forward to it.

Another lovely shot of our adopted city.

They look like odd pine cones. Hee!

Flora and Fashion on the Magnificent Mile

Garden-inspired student fashions are decorating the Magnificent Mile this summer. Click on the link to see more. Dale took a few shots of ones he liked. I love the one above!

Each "dress" has been designed by a local fashion student to complement the garden. A local business sponsors the green space.

This one is my favorite; it's over the top! It's a popular picture spot now--I've seen gals put their heads on top of the dress form so it looks like they are wearing the dress.

Harry Potter Release Party in Oak Park

Our little village was the site of a huge Harry Potter Release Party on Friday. The entire town was packed with Harry Potter fans and there were activities for families scheduled the entire day. Above, a woman offers divination lessons in the park.

A view from the crowds gathered around our Divination Professor (at least, that's my best guess).
Scofield Park was turned into Hogsmeade Village for the day. There was live music and vendors throughout the park.

Many families came dressed in costumes!

A view of the park/Hogsmeade Village.
Lots of gals dressed as Hogwarts schoolgirls and the fansite Mugglenet.com celebrated the book's big day in Oak Park.

This being Oak Park, there were war protesters. The churches here are notoriously liberal!

One of the churches transformed into Azkaban--the frightening prison where dementors can steal the hope from your soul and drive you mad!

One of many Harry Potters we spotted about town! He was adorable.

Grace Church was set up to be like Hogwarts Great Hall.

Mysterious Floating Candles illuminated the grand space.


And at the altar?

Children were being sorted into one of the four Hogwart's houses--most of the children picked Slytherin while I was there (generally considered the "dark side" by most kids).

A view of the line of kids waiting to be "sorted"!

Click on the picture above to spot me in the line at 11:30 p.m. to get my book.

This is the line that wrapped around the other side of Barbara's Book store. These folks didn't reserve their copy!

Another view of the line for those who reserved.

There are four bookstores in Oak Park within a few blocks of each other; each had a line longer than the last. This is the discount bookseller The Book Table. It went on for half a block.

Another view of my line.

The line at Borders was the longest of all!

It was a madhouse!

Some witches waiting on the book at Borders.

Crowd outside Borders. I'm guessing they were waiting on their kids/family inside? The streets were lit up with people; it was really crazy!

And I got my copy at Barbara's (a block from home). I was reading in bed by 12:28! I finished the book today and I really enjoyed it! What a great series for all ages!

Some Lunch Shots & New Job

Dale started a new job in the city yesterday! He's very excited to be back to taking the train to work each morning and he's right down on Michigan Ave. This is his first direct hire/no contract job in Chicago and he plans to stay with this company for some time.

Dale took a few shots recently that he's proud of and thought we'd like to share.

Ah, depth of field!

Dale feels these shots are "pretty" and technically pretty great!

I like this one. I'm a fan of breakfast.

Updatey-ness

Just a rundown of what we've been up to in the last couple of weeks:

Dale spent Memorial Day morning at a moving exhibit: Eyes Wide Open.

He spent the morning photographing nearly all of the 3452 boots on display. Click on the link above to learn more and see select shots--or check out the whole gallery!


We've also been busy socializing with people from work--lots of comings and goings so we've had happy hours and parties to attend.

We played "skill golf" a couple of weekends ago at a famous place called Par-King! We didn't get any photos, sadly, but it was a really fun afternoon. It's billed as "The World's Most Unusual Miniature Golf" and it's filled with fun custom holes including a roller coaster that takes the ball on a crazy ride! Another hole features a replica of the Sears Tower and take the ball for a ride up the elevator of the tall building! Ha! It was a hoot! To give you an idea how wacky the place is, I did a search on Flickr. Click here to check out the fantastic holes--including the awesome Mt. Rushmore hole!

St. Louis Gateway Arch

We went to Memphis last weekend to see my mom and to lend some support to my stepdad, Gary. Along the way, we opted to take I-55, which cuts right through St. Louis. Unable to resist the chance to stop and see the Gateway Arch up close, we pulled off the highway and Dale took a few shots of the landmark arch.

A view from the waterfront, looking up to the park that serves as the base of the arch.

The sun shining behind the arch, looking up the stairs.

A view from the side of the arch.

I thought it was pretty cool that there is an underground area where you can learn all about the arch and watch a movie, get a snack, and, of course, pee.

Woo. Freaky angle.

From our parking spot near the river, the arch is pretty spectacular.

The Statue of Liberation

Dale was so excited about this wacky roadside attraction that he wanted me to cross post it from my Roadside Curiosities blog to our personal blog:


I was in Memphis last weekend and saw one of the best roadside attractions I've stumbled upon in years! This takes the cake, people! This is the Statue of Liberation through Christ aka The Lord's Lady Liberty. For a complete FAQ click here.

I can't tell you how excited I was when we spotted her, standing on the corner of Kirby Parkway. She beckoned to us and we had no choice but to submit.

So enchanted were we, we had to circle her to get a better look. To what did our wondering eyes appear?

Better than reindeer. This liberated lady features a tiny chapel/altar under base/skirt. There is a spot to kneel and pray (for forgiveness?), a "tomb" made of sprayed plastic foam that features the slogan "HE IS RISEN" above an alcove that I'm guessing is supposed to be where Jesus chilled out before he woke from the dead. I like the white sheet that provides a shroud of Turin flavor. Crappy soothing relgious music is pumped in below the altar.

The statue is rife with amusingly heavy-handed symbolism, including my personal favorite: The Lord's Lady Liberty is shedding a tear. "THE TEAR represents Lady Liberation’s despair over America’s rapid decline from its Judeo-Christian values. She weeps for our nation’s self-destruction as the protective hand of God is removed. Yet, she realizes that there is still hope for America if we return to God through Jesus Christ."

There were scads of flags about the property and we were quite confused by what looked a lot like a rebel flag. I'm still not sure what it was. We caught this photo of the US flag and (I think?) the state flag? Anyway, this baby is WELL worth the trip. She's a beauty!

Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Part One

We had a pretty fabulous day at the museum today! So fabulous that I'm going to break it up into pieces because I love the pics so much!

First off, I think Body Worlds was really amazing. It was a startling exhibit that I enjoyed but also found disturbing. I was doing really well until there was a man sliced like a loaf of bread. And he had a face that had skin on it! Very unsettling. At any rate, I think if you're curious about the human body at all it's very well worth seeing. Bonus is that the entire thing was created by a totally mad scientist named Gunther who wears a black hat at all times. Very odd.

The museum is a great day-long activity! What a huge place filled with scads of interesting exhibits! One of my favorites is surely the chicken hatchery. Dale took these great shots to show off the exhibit:

There are two pens in the hatchery. The first is where the eggs go when they are 21 days old. This is when the baby chicks finally break on through the shell with their special egg-shell breaking beak! The exhibit helpfully puts one of the eggs under a magnifying glass, as you can see above.

Click on the pic above to get a closer look at a tiny beak poking away at its shell! So bitsy!

There were three new chicks milling about during our visit. It takes the little guys about 10 hours to bust out of the shell so they are tired when they get out. They kind of just hop around lamely squeaking like crazy.

They are very curious right from the start and they poke around, looking for food or momma or something and then they get tired and rest for a bit. Once the chicks have made it through the shell and have chilled out in the cage for a few hours they can graduate to the next phase...

Baby chicks can start to eat grain about 24 hours after they are born. So they are moved to the incubation housing next door where they eat and frolic with the other new chicks until they are moved to a farm or something. The museum hatches birds that were facing extinction and helps boosts the population of three different birdies.

How insanely cute is this little guy? Why does he have to grow up to be an ugly chicken? I swear, I'm eventually going to be vegetarian because animals are just too cute to eat!

More City Photos!

Things have been pretty quiet around Casa D&B! Nothing too exciting. Dale has been picking up photography assistanting gigs (which is pretty exciting in and of itself). I've been crazy insane busy at work, editing all of the company's 2008 calendars.

Dale went downtown today because he's building his architectural portfolio. These are a couple of the shots he considers "keepers" from the day! Above is a church on Michigan Ave. He didn't know which one but it sure is pretty, no?

Some huge-normous buildings along the river. Dale said he walked for miles and had an enjoyable day.

This is his favorite photo from the day downtown. I like the twist of shadows and the city in the background. Dale said he had to wait quite awhile for the sun to peek out from behind the clouds.

Sunday in the Theater District

Dale and I went for a long walk around Chicago's theater district that culminated in a trip to the public library. We found out Chicago's public library is the second largest in the world, behind London's public library. The photo above is the main rotunda!

This is the top floor of Chicago's Public Library. It's a beautiful space that can be used and rented out for private events. It's quite spectacular.

This was a controversial building when it was built as it was very modern and stood in stark contrast to the surrounding buildings. Check out the super-modern sculpture front and center.

A lovely shot of the front of the Opera House. It was a windy day but we saw lots of pretty buildings and sites.

A statue that sits in the courtyard area of the Chicago Board and Trade.

Oooh! Pretty door! That the Chicago federal reserve something or other. Hee! They have a money museum! Isn't that odd?

This is an electricity substation with a very strange art deco architectural flourish!
Pretty building.

Downtown Chicago.

Theater district McDonald's--very fancy!

Theater district.

The Color Purple is showing downtown.

Dale's Field Trip to Chicago

Dale had to go downtown and decided to make a day of it. He tooks some shots around town that he didn't think were portfolio pieces but he did like them enough to share with friends and family.

We love to take the train into the city. It's the only way to travel.

A spectacular view!

I think this is the new Trump Tower now complete. Dale disagreed but I am going to over rule him. Haa!

This is what like to call the artichoke amphiteater. At the time it was built, it was the most advanced acoustical space for an outdoor venue to date. That's what I heard anyway.

Freaky sculptures located in a downtown park. The entire waterfront is devoted to public space! It's really spectacular. Dale liked these freaky monster feet guys.

To give you some perspective, these babies are BIG.

And there are A LOT of them.