01-28-14 Dreaming of Mexico (HDR)

2014 01-28 Dreaming of Mexico by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-28 Dreaming of Mexico by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

I wish I were in this picture, lounging on the pool-side chair. But it occurs to me that I am in every photo I take. You just have to look hard to see me sometimes. . . .

Creative Commons License

Dreaming of Mexico by Scott Shephard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

01-27-14 His Biggest Fan

2014 01-27 His Biggest Fan by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-27 His Biggest Fan by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

Glenyce Jane Shephard sits enthralled by her father, Brian, as he serenades her. It was a perfect photographic moment!

Canon 5DIII 1/80s f/4.0 ISO2500 18mm

Creative Commons License

His Biggest Fan by Scott Shephard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

01-24-14 Matt & Lacey D

You may have noticed that I have a propensity to post photos of places and things in this blog. But once and a while I like to prove that I do like working with people. Most would hope that would be true given that I have worked pretty closely with thousands of people as a classroom teacher for 35 years. 🙂

This photo was taken this past summer during an engagement session for my nephew Matt DeGeest and his fiancé, Lacey Johnson. There are great colors in this photo but I figured that savvy South Dakota hunters would know that you would not likely be out hunting in a field of mostly green grass graced with purple and gold wildflowers. And so I turned it into something that looks a little more seasonal.

Canon 5DIII 1/1600s f/3.5 ISO125 200mm

01-23-14 Ready To Fly

2014 01-23 Ready To Fly by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-23 Ready To Fly by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

I had a version of this photo ready to go several weeks ago but I had already posted several “fall color” shots so I put the maple seed pods picture on the back burner. Last night, in a quest for a photo with rich colors to use for a class demo, I came across the maple tree photo and started to play.

And all of a sudden, my “fall color” photo was converted to black and white. Why is that? Well, in part, I am partial to black and white treatment of subjects because the emphasis switches away from color to lines, shapes and textures. But I also am posting the black and white version because just after I converted the original to this, my wife walked in the room and said, “That’s nice.” And I trust her critical judgement.

2014 01-22 A Simple Salad

2014 01-22 A Simple Salad by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-22 A Simple Salad by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

This photo would never make the pages of Martha Stewart Living Magazine because, as you may have already noticed, the pears are less than perfect. But as far as I’m concerned, that’s OK: it lends authenticity to the salad. After all, the salad was made to be eaten, not to be photographed. And it was delicious.

Canon 5DIII 1/100s f/4.5 ISO800 96mm

2014 01-20 Tradition

2014 01-20 Tradition by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-20 Tradition by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

I’m guessing that a photo of freshly made Chex mix doesn’t carry much punch with the readers of this blog. But I’m posting it anyway because in the Shephard household, it is very much a traditional December/January snack. But this batch is a real treat because the Chex mix generally goes away along with the Christmas cookies, Christmas lights and Christmas trees.

And all of this has me thinking of traditional seasonal foods. What are your favorites?

Canon 5DIII 1/2s f/4.0 ISO250 90mm

01-19-14 Photographer At Work

2014 01-19 Photographer At Work by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-19 Photographer At Work by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

I snapped this action shot with my iPhone as I watched Josh, the hired wedding photographer, pose Lacey and the groomsmen in the pre-wedding shoot at the wedding of Matt DeGeest and Lacey Johnson last weekend. I missed hearing the concept behind this shot so you’ll have to impose your own interpretation on the scene.

iPhone 5s 1/30s f/2.2 ISO100 4.12mm (35mm eq:30mm)

01-18-14 The Good Life

2014 01-18 The Good Life by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard
2014 01-18 The Good Life by Watertown, South Dakota, photographer Scott Shephard

We are being hit with the second Alberta Clipper (translate: mini blizzard) in less than a week. While I enjoy seeing the swirling snow and fierce winds lash the gray/green pines outside my window, I prefer more summery scenes as a rule.

Thus, I am resurrecting a photo that made it to my Instagram feed but not to this blog. Subject: son Jon floating serenely on a back bay on the amazing Lake Oahe. Jon had made a rare visit to the midwest last summer and an even rarer visit to a place we both love, Lake Oahe.

iPhone 5 1/1153s f/2.4 ISO50 4.13mm (35mm eq:33mm)