Freak Hail Storm = Fun With Camera

The other night, we had a pretty cool freak hail storm. I don't remember seeing hail this bad before - of course my first reaction was to get my camera and go have some fun!


I'm sure the neighbors enjoyed watching me and my expensive-looking camera gear get pelted with chicklet-sized hailstones.


Here's how the storm rolled in - pretty awesome clouds.


And this was the aftermath.

Shot with Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/2.8 IS, 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, 430EX

Fighting The River

View On Black

Another shot (previous) from the DCNR Lake Nockamixon dam release.

Twice a year, the DCNR opens up the dam at Lake Nockamixon for kayakers to enjoy. I shot about 700 photos in the two hours that we were there.

This was the first chance I had at putting my new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS to work outside. It sure didn't disappoint. The autofocusing was quick, the image stabilization was excellent, and the clarity is clearly top-notch. This was also the first time I tried the mode-2 image stabilization, designed for panning. It only stabilizes the vertical axis so I didn't have to fight it as the kayakers moved downstream past me.

Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
ISO200, f/5.6, 1/1500, 200mm

Heavy Water

View On Black

One of the day's kayakers at one of the more turbulent sections of the creek that we could get to.

Twice a year, the DCNR opens up the dam at Lake Nockamixon for kayakers to enjoy. I shot about 700 photos in the two hours that we were there.

This was the first chance I had at putting my new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS to work outside. It sure didn't disappoint. The autofocusing was quick, the image stabilization was excellent, and the clarity is clearly top-notch. This was also the first time I tried the mode-2 image stabilization, designed for panning. It only stabilizes the vertical axis so I didn't have to fight it as the kayakers moved downstream past me.

Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
ISO200, f/5.6, 1/1500, 200mm

You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You

I've been meaning to take a blurry silhouette/alien shot like this for some time. While waiting for our table at a local hibachi restaurant, I caught this trio setting at the backlit bar.

I'm really enjoying the Sigma 30mm f/1.4. There's so many more shots you can attempt when you can shoot in such low light.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4, ISO3200, f/1.8, 1/45