Fireworks

This was my first attempt to photograph fireworks. These shots were taken on the Detroit River. It's an awesome show with lots of color. A steady hand and good timing are key.

A fast lens helps capture the details as well. One thing I learned is to take most of your pictures early because after a while the smoke really clouds your viewing.

Canon 20D, 17-40 mm, f4 (L)

Stopping the Action

When the kids play on the new artificial turf fields, you can always tell when the action has been stopped in the photo......the small beads of rubber are frozen in mid-air.

Canon 20D, 70-200mm f2.8 (L)

Water Drops

Capturing water drops in mid-air is pretty cool. Check out these two kids on the Slip-n-Slide!

Canon 20D, 17-40mm f4 (L)

Canon 30D - Worth the Upgrade?

You be the judge, is the Canon 30D worth the extra few hundred dollars over the Canon 20D? Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/) has the most complete review of the Canon 30D I've seen. In fact, it's probably the most complete photography review site you can find anywhere on the web.

Although the 30D has many technical advantages, the feature that stands out is the 2.5 inch LCD. This is a huge improvement over the 20D and the one feature which may be worth the extra money on it's own. I tried one at my local Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com/) store and really liked it.

A Real High School Soccer Powerhouse!

This young lady gave it her all today in a Division 1, Regional Final Soccer game. Although her team lost 1-0, she played awesome. This was one of the first times I only shot one player for an entire game versus chasing the ball around. It's harder than it looks because you're always trying to get exciting action photos, but they are typically rare for an individual player.

Canon 20D, 70-200mm f2.8 (L) and 300mm f4 (L)

The Slide Tackle

One of soccer's most aggressive plays is the slide tackle. Normally you can see it coming a few seconds in advance, and with my Canon 20D, I simply hold the shutter down and let it rip at 5 frames per second. There's bound to be at least one decent shot. The best shots include the ball and the player's face. As you can see I got half way there in each photo.

Canon 20D, 70-200mm f2.8 (L) with 1.4x Teleconverter

Notre Dame Football

Going to the "Home that Rockne Built" is a very special time..... especially when the Irish win. Capturing some of the action in and around the game is the trick to some very interesting shots. The excitment in the air is second to none. Everyone should take in at least one game in South Bend, Indiana.

Canon 20D, (Various lens)

Animals

Zoos are a favorite of mine, but not simply to take the standard photos. Take a look at some of my previous efforts from zoos across the U.S.

Canon 20D (various lens)

Canon 30D

If you own the Canon 20D, should you upgrade to the 30D?

Bob Atkins' Photography web site reports, "The EOS 30D is Canon's upgrade of the very popular EOS 20D. Though both cameras share the same sensor (1.6x APS-C format, 8.2 MP) the EOS 30D adds a number of new features making the EOS 30D an even more capable camera then it's predecessor. Notable are the addition of a 2.5" LCD screen, spot metering, RGB histograms and an increased buffer size." (http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/)

The 2.5" screen is the most exciting feature to me. I do a lot of in-camera photo reviewing.

University of Notre Dame Architecture

Whenever I go back to Notre Dame, I look for interesting shots of ND's historic architecture. The trick is to not simply shoot the traditional views of the building, but rather look for the details.

Canon 20D, 70 - 200mm f2.8

Traveling and Photography

Traveling a lot? Trouble choosing the correct lens? I have settled on my Canon 28-200mm F3.5-5.6. I've selected this lens for multiple reasons:

• Light weight,
• Compact,
• Wide angle (28mm),
• Plenty of zoom capability (200mm), and
• Relatively inexpensive in case of loss, damage or theft.

Argentina Soccer in the U.S.

Check out some of the action from a U-13 boys soccer team. They're called U.S. River, named after the famed River Plate soccer team in Argentina.

Canon 20D, 300mm f4.0 (L)

Soccer in the Snow

I took these pictures in the middle of April in SE Michigan. Snow combined with a night game made for some interesting shots.

Canon 20D, 70-200 mm f2.8 (L)

Intensity

Capturing the intensity in player's facial expressions is a fun challenge on the soccer field.

Canon 20D, 300 mm f4 (L) and 70-200 mm f2.8 (L)

The Header!

Trying to stop the action as the soccer ball is touching the player's head takes a lot of practice. I finally learned to time the shot just right (most of the time)....by pushing the shutter a split second before and/or after the ball arrives. The shutter speed for these types of pictues typically is around 1/1200.

Canon 20D, 300mm f4.0 (L)

High School Soccer

Action, action, action. This is when the SLR technology comes in handy. Capturing the moment is the challenge. However, using Canan's 20D enables 5 frames per second which usually provides enough opportunity to get just the right shot. I believe the best pictures show a crisp view of the ball......stopping it in mid-air. Also, the more players in the air the better.

Canon 20D, 70-200 mm with 1.4x teleconverter f4.0 (L)