USAF Thunderbirds Gallery Is Now Available

We attended last Saturday's Rhode Island Air National Guard Air Show at Quonset Point.  The weather was terrific and the air show was fantastic.  The USAF Thunderbirds were the final performers of the day and thrilled everyone with their precision flying skills.

Some of the photographs that I took of the Thunderbirds are now availabale to be viewed on my photography website:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/USAF-Thunderbirds/23725718_c37vQr

I am sorry that I can not post any photos with this blog tonight.  I have a message "Your browser is no longer supported by Blogger. Some parts of Blogger will not work and you may experience problems. If you are having problems, try Google Chrome"  It looks like Google and Microsoft are not playing nice.  I've got to figure what I am going to do next.  I guess I can't be friends with both.

My Review of Manfrotto 119 Female Spigot Mounting Adapter, 1/4"x20 Female Thread and 3/8" Female Thread, 31mm Long. (#3108)

Originally submitted at Adorama

Bogen - Manfrotto Female Spigot Mounting Adapter, 1/4"x20 Female Thread and 3/8" Female Thread, 31mm Long. (#3108)

Manfrotto 119 Female Spigot Mounting Adapter, 1/4"x20 Female Thread and 3/8" Female Thread, 31mm Long. (#3108)

Homage to a Spigot Adapter

By Allen from Groton, CT on 6/22/2012

 

5out of 5

Pros: Fit for purpose, Professional Quality, Highly Compatible, Easy To Use, Compact Design

Cons: None

Best Uses: What it was meant for

Describe Yourself: Hobbyist

Was this a gift?: No

An aesthetic device demonstarted by its utilitarian shape, form, as well as finish. It is rather unpretenious in appearance but exuding class in its material of construction, brass, weight, and curves. It seems to shout out aspirations of a greater potential than to just adapt 1/4"x20 Female thread to 3/8" Female thread. You may find yourself contemplating more glorious, if not more noble, uses for this product.

(legalese)

My Review of Bogen - Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Lite-tite) (#2905)

Originally submitted at Adorama

Bogen - Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Lite-tite) (#2905)

Bogen - Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Lite-tite) (#2905)

Just what I needed now and future needs

By Allen from Groton, CT on 6/18/2012

 

5out of 5

Pros: Easy To Set Up, Reliable, Fit for purpose

Cons: None

Best Uses: Speedlite Lighting, Artificial Lighting, Photography

Describe Yourself: Photo Enthusiast

Was this a gift?: No

I needed something to be able to mount at various angles my Photofles extra small Octodome nxt to a lightstand. This swivel umbrella adapter does the job and has the versatility to be used for many other similar purposes. It is well made and should be very durable.

(legalese)

My Review of PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver Radio Slave for Nikon i-TTL Flash System with On-Camera Hot Shoe, 32 Channels, Multi-Zone

Originally submitted at Adorama

PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver Radio Slave for Nikon i-TTL Flash System with On-Camera Hot Shoe, 32 Channels, Multi-Zone

PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver Radio Slave for Nikon i-TTL Flash System with On-Camera Hot Shoe, 32 Channels, Multi-Zone

Glad That I Bought Them

By Allen from Groton, CT on 6/11/2012

 

5out of 5

Pros: Reliable, Easy To Pack, Easy to Use

Cons: Pricey

Best Uses: Fashion, Glamour, Portraits, Weddings/Events

Describe Yourself: Photo Enthusiast

Was this a gift?: No

I recently purchased three to trigger my Dynalites and speedlites. So far - over 1500 shots without a misfire. In every combination of lighting that I have set up the Flex TT5s have functioned perfectly. It is nice to have one less thing to worry about when shooting. Yes, they cost a great deal, but the value makes it worth the price.

(legalese)

Rocketmen of Isaan

 

Another gallery, "The Rocketmen of Isaan", is available for viewing at the attached link:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Isaan/Rocketmen-of-Isaan/22631674_LD3chR
 
The 33 photographs are another submittal for an upcoming festival in Cambodia.
 
It was an especially fun task to create this gallery today because I am headed back to Thailand and I will hopefully be attending a couple of Bun Bang Fei while I am over there.  It will be great to once again experience and photograph some of the unique cultural events of Isaan.
 

New Gallery

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Thailand/Isaan/Isaan-Lao-Loum-Funeral-Ritual/22612446_HwfDLs

A new gallery, "Isaan Lao Loum Funeral Rituals", is now available for viewing.

This gallery is a combination of old photos and some new ones which have not been shared before.

I created the gallery to answer the call for submissions to the 8th Angkor Wat Photography Festival.

I believe that submissions are just like the lottery;  "You can't win if you don't play"  So I am submitting in hopes of getting to participate.  Unlike the lottery the odds have got to be more favorable.

Decisions and notifications will be made by the end of July.

Reunion

My 1967 Senior Class Photo

This year my graduating class of 1967 at Robert E. Fitch Senior High will be having its 45th Reunion.

The opportunity of attending this reunion has presented me with a dilemma.  Why should I make an effort to attend an event with people who I have not seen or communicated with in 45 years?  Obviously these are people that have meant very little to me and I have meant very little to them over the years for if we had, we would have maintained some contact.  On the other hand, the reunion does present an opportunity, perhaps the last opportunity for many, to express my appreciation and regards to people who shared events and experiences from a critical time period of my life.  Perhaps more importantly a reunion provides the opportunity to pay some respects to fellow classmates who are no longer alive.

Perhaps many of us did not turn out the way that we were supposed to or were expected to.  Life has a habit of presenting opportunities and challenges to the path that we start upon or the path that we prefer to travel on our life journey.  However it is our decisions and manner in which we cope with these opportunities as well as challenges that makes each life so interesting and rich.  At the events like this, we learn that we are not alone ... alone in the suffering, joys, triumphs, and disappointments of life.  We are not alone in having shared many of the world events that have shaped history over the past 45 years.

Attending a reunion is not a matter of seeking vindication for the choices that we have made or giving vindication to others for theirs. Rather it is an opportunity to share those choices and to perhaps better understand why we are who we are today and to understand better where we came from.

I have addressed the fear of perhaps being on my death bed and wondering back upon my life and questioning "What would my life had been like, if back ... I had ..."  I did not want to be in that situation, so I made a decision to take that branch off to the side of the road and discover what lay down that road.  I do not regret having done that for my life is richer and more complete.

So after discussing it with Duang, I agreed that we will attend the reunion.  I don't want to regret at some point not having attended.  It will be an opportunity to thank some people and express appreciation to some people for the influence that they had on me so long ago.  Attending the reunion will also be an experience for Duang to learn a little more about American culture, my past, and to enjoy a night out.

Duang and I have traveled many miles to encounter and interact with peoples of very different cultures.  We have enjoyed the opportunity to learn and experience what other people are like.  We have never been disappointed.  Having done that and our intention is to continue doing that, it is only logical that we would cross the river to spend some time with some people that I went to school with.

I will return to Groton from Thailand on Thursday night, so after 30 hours of travel and 13 hours of time change, it should be even that more interesting for me on Saturday night.

It is far better, in my mind, to be curious than to be sorry.  One thing that I am certain of, there will be no 90th Reunion.