New toy - The Dwarf Lab 3 telescope

I haven't bought anything for myself in a few years so I saved up some money for myself over a few months and I bought myself an automated telescope after careful reviews and some research. I had a few options but the Dwarf Lab 3 telescope seemed to be like the best option.

The app is available for other IOS and Android and is easy to use.  It is quite intuitive and easy to use.  The above image of the sun is the first image I took with the scope.  Spending about half an hour learning to use the app, looking to see how to use the app, the app is setup simply and intuitively.  It doesn't take long to learn how to use it.

I got the scope about 2 weeks ago and it's been raining or cloudy since.  So there's that.  LOL

Algonquin Radio Observatory shorter video

The photo and videos from Algonquin Radio Telescope are up for sale

Photos and videos are finally being accepted on the various micro stock sites listed on the right of this blog such as Bigstockphoto, Fotolia, Pond5 and Shutterstock and my own site.  Hopefully I'll make a sale or a dozen off from my fun trip to the Algonquin Radio Observatory at Algonquin Park, Ontario.

The photo and videos from Algonquin Radio Telescope are up for sale

Photos and videos are finally being accepted on the various micro stock sites listed on the right of this blog such as Bigstockphoto, Fotolia, Pond5 and Shutterstock and my own site.  Hopefully I'll make a sale or a dozen off from my fun trip to the Algonquin Radio Observatory at Algonquin Park, Ontario.

Hurry up and wait

So now that I've uploaded everything to the computer, edited everything in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC or Apple Final Cut Pro X, I uploaded everything to the various websites.  Now I have to hurry up and wait for the various websites to curate all my submissions and update their various databases so my images and videos can be sold to everybody.  Waiting is the worst part as I'm not in control of anything.  Waiting always kills me.  But at least now I can go shoot some more photos and video my surroundings.

I've also added some of my other portfolios for more customer options.  I hope you enjoy!

Algonquin Radio Telescope

I had the privilege of staying the night at the Algonquin Radio Telescope in Algonquin Park, Ontario which is located just a 3 hour drive west of Ottawa, Ontario - Canada.  I've been to Algonquin Park on several occasions to camp and do some nature and landscape photography in the past.  I've heard of the Algonquin Radio Telescope a few years back.  But due to life getting in the way, I never had the chance to go up there to visit.

As it turns out, I finally had the chance on the Canada Day long weekend in 2016.  This was the first time visiting the site.  I got there at about 14:00 or so and checked into the house where the researchers stay.  I roamed the area around the house overlooking Traverse Lake.  It started out a beautiful, cool day with white, puffy clouds.  It was supposed to clear out for the night and no rain was expected.  

I asked one of the resident astro-physicists if I could access the telescope site to take some pictures and at 17:15 I was able to access the telescope site.  The 46 metre dish is something to behold on first sight.  It is a gigantic dish in the forest.

I first spent about 75 minutes walking and photographing the site from various angles.  What a sight to see.  I left the sight at about 18:30 to go get ready for a nicely prepared dinner of curried chicken and rice.  We were joined by Robbie who flew all the way from Ireland to see various Canadian sites.  After dinner, Robbie, a fellow photographer and I decided that we wanted to go photograph the dish at sunset.  Again an amazing sight to see.  Especially at dusk with no clouds and no moon.  It was just an awesome experience to see the site, meet new people and get some education in the process.

If you do decide to go, bring several small children to entertain the large amounts of mosquitos, horse flies and black flies.  I mean this in all seriousness.  The bugs took 2 pints of blood from me which were quickly refilled with some much needed Irish whiskey.

Algonquin Park weekend!!!!

I have been waiting for this weekend for quite some time.  I've always wanted to go to the Algonquin Radio Telescope in Algonquin Park but never had the chance because life and certain events just got in the way.  The weekend has finally come when I actually get to scratch something off my bucket list.  Today I head up to the radio telescope for the whole weekend with my cameras and camcorder.  I'm just hoping the sky clears up.  At least that's what the weather channels are predicting.  At least it won't rain like it did yesterday on Canada Day.  Missed the fireworks for the second year in a row.

Mercury transit of the Sun

So I got to shoot the Mercury transit event on Parliament Hill.   A few MP's showed up along with  Canada Astronaut/Politician Marc Garneau.  I don't usually photograph people, let alone Liberal members of Parliament but photography has no sides in politics.  I spent about an hour and a half on Parliament hill spending the time photographing the event and the people.  The event was put on by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Ottawa chapter) and the federal government.  About 28 telescopes and 32 volunteers showed up for the event.

Several media outlets like the CBC, CTV News along with one or two radio stations showed up to document the event along with several photographers such as myself.  The good thing about lugging around a Canon EOS 6D and a Canon EF 70-200MM L series lens makes you look really professional.  I could get up really close to the speakers and get an unobstructed view to photograph the speakers.

After getting home from work, I uploaded all photography into Lightroom CC and finished editing fairly quickly.  I've uploaded a few of the best shots to Shutterstock, Bigstockphoto, 500px,  123RF and my website.

Hoping to have most, if not all shots accepted on the various websites.  Check back soon!