Holding an (end of) spring cleaning sale.  Have a closet full of gear, but am no longer using several items which could certainly be put to better use by someone else.

The newspaper classified ads have always been a reliable method for buying & selling cars, cameras, and appliances.  But today suspect the newspaper audience is smaller and perhaps a bit too narrow for selling some of the higher end photo gear have accumulated over the past few years.  Making the eBay plunge today, therefore, with the first of several items (Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D AF ED IF Lens) to be offered for auction.

Just returned from a summer holiday in the southwestern United States with visits to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, the stunning red-rock formations of Sedona (Arizona), and the deep, colorful, sandstone canyons of Zion National Park in southwestern Utah.  Over the next several weeks will be adding the best of the images I captured.

Today am updating the previously posted Image Cataloging article with several select screenshots of a custom developed Image Database application assembled earlier this year with Microsoft's Access product.  Perhaps this might help you with ideas on how to classify and catalog your own images.

Added several new images to the Michigan gallery page today.  They are from an April sojourn to South Haven, Michigan to photograph the lighthouse at sunset and from a visit this past May to Holland, Michigan for the annual Holland Tulip Festival.

This past weekend began a personal effort to capture on film the look and feel of my hometown.  Will add the best images as soon as they're made, processed, and edited.

A little over a month ago completed development of the Access "Image Database" application.  Have begun adding image information to the database and can clearly state the results are worth the effort, but it does take dedication and time.  Will post an article (with screen shots) briefly describing this application soon.

During the last couple weeks have completed phase one development of an Image Database application using Microsoft Access for cataloging my vast collection of images.  Progress on this project involved overcoming a couple significant hurdles.  One was diving beneath the surface and learning more about the deep functionality of Access.  The other obstacle was deciding what information to capture and what methodology to use for classifying images.  You may wish to read the new Image Cataloging article posted in Technique to learn about the best practices.

Last weekend journeyed to South Haven, Michigan with my daughter where we hopefully captured the essence of a Lake Michigan lighthouse at sunset.  Although high winds and cool temperatures made it a test of our character, the panorama of the water, pier, and lighthouse was just beautiful against the cloudless sky and the occasional spray from crashing waves.  Will post the best of these images once they're back from the lab.

This first real outing by the way with the new Nikon F100 camera was a great experience.  Especially appreciated its fast focusing, ability to choose from one of five focus points, and easy exposure bracketing.  Also, while out on the pier made use for the first time of the new Domke Photog Vest and can say it functions exactly as advertised.  As the conditions out on the pier made it no place for resting a camera bag, it was great to be able to have the vest's multitude of deep pockets at my disposal.