... the first time - probably early 80's - was returning to the trailhead late one evening after backwoods skiing many laps (totaling probably six miles - the usual workout) around the 'Kentuck Ski Area' up at 'Ohiopyle State Park' - took a final look back to view a gorgeous golden sunset - wow! - my iced-up ski tracks (only ones - had the whole day/place to myself as usual) formed two golden, brightly reflective lines contrasting with the darkened snowpack and forest, golden sunset on the horizon - what a great photo - unfortunately, didn't have a camera aboard...
... that will never happen again!...
... hikin' around one day, and notice something dart quickly across the trail up ahead - thought it was a squirrel - reach the spot and just happen to look over to my right - five baby fox pups are settin' all maybe six inches apart - lookin' at me and probably wonderin' what I am - what a great photo - unfortunately, didn't have a camera aboard...
... that will never happen again!...
... was out at the Rod and Gun Club one evening - they got a decoy/scarecrow Horned Owl mounted to a post overlooking the trout pond for the purpose of scaring away predatory fish-eatin' birds - Ha! - there's a 'Kingfisher' standin' on the "Owls" head, eyeing the pond - what a great photo - unfortunately, didn't have a camera aboard....
... that will never happen again!...
... then there's buddy Matt executing a giant, probably 60ft leap from a railroad trestle into the Yough.... a dive bombing 'Bald Eagle' snatching a large fish from the river, then flying up into the trees, fish held aerodynamically - just like "in the pro nature films" - then landing on a large limb and proceeding to dine... 'Ospreys', twice, doing the same thing... a black 'Grackle' hangin' out ten feet from me along the river bank - I'm hangin' out drinkin' a beer and he's probably spent twenty minutes sneakin' up and spearing small minnows from a small pool - totally oblivious to my presence... a black bear walkin' right up probably 30ft away, did a circle around me through the brush, then disappeared - and this on the large island just upriver from the 'Crawford Avenue Bridge' in C'ville... buddy Matt and I climbin' up one of the piers at the abandoned 'swingin' bridge' at the 'Old Overholt Brewery' to check out an active 'Bald Eagle' nest... three baby black bears we surprised while MTB'ing, bawling and trying to climb a large tree ( all awhile slippin' and slidin') for protection (and Mom making some ominnous snarling sounds from somewhere close by - beat it out of there quick!) .. what great photos - unfortunately, never had a camera on board.... I could go on...
... then the final straw - about three weeks ago I'm drivin' from the 'shooting range', glance over toward 'Mojo Rapid' (on the 'Yough' river) - there's a large 'Bald Eagle' setting on the rocks at river level at the south end of the large island - was late evening - great lighting - plus it just finished raining for most of the day - very cool "wafting" mist to add to the "ambience" - what a great photo - unfortunately.....
... so, after probably 30 years, finally had enough - looked around for a good compact camera to keep "on board" for emergencies and came up with this:
... an 'Olympus TG2' - fast f2.0 lens - waterproof (< 50ft) - shockproof - freezeproof - crushproof (all with limitations) - lots of options - able to convert to accessory telephoto or fisheye lens' - high speed sequential shooting (< 60fps) - 1080p HD video - GPS - everything but the "kitchen sink" - anyway, I ain't runnin' an ad for Olympus cameras here - will say that their old OM-1 film camera was a great primary for many years before switchin' over to digital... we shall see....
... shot some test footage with this thing - not bad...
... used this cool old ivy-covered oak (or maybe maple - who knows) as a "subject"...
... some various "angles"...
... "ditto"...
... "ditto"...
... obviously did some adjusting and 'color balancing' in the 'darkroom' - but not bad photos - and we're not "serious" artists here - enjoy a 'nude Raquel Welch' just as much as a 'Van Gough' (maybe even more)...
... nearest branch was probably 60 feet up and didn't think to identify the leaves - was gettin' late - here's the 'bark pattern' for those wonderin'....
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