Lightning Never Strikes in the Same Place Twice...

Electric Shock

Electric Shock

This image is straight from the camera.  I have tried capturing an image of lightning for some time. I usually end up with small glowing bursts of light that end up looking like a lightning bug flew in front of the lens. Other times I have entertained myself while on the rode by taking traveling lightning shots. I have never ended up with anything I have ever considered a true lightening capture. 

This evening was finally my perfect opportunity. We had an incredible lightning storm so I jumped at the chance to set up the tripod up right in front of our house. I do not mind a tree line, in fact I think it give perspective but I am not a fan of power lines. I strategically pointed the camera on this brilliant night display of lightning that jetted across the sky without it looking residential. Since it was so late, I really did not want to pack up and head to the prairie though I am sure it would have been a spectacular sight.

I am glad I stayed put because chances are I would have ended up missing out and finally ended up with a lightning photo I am pleased with! 

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I added Electric Shock to Night & Day in my RedBubble portfolio: tscp profile

To view more of my photographs, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com .....I am also on facebook at: TSCPgraphics

This is your LIFE.

This is awesome. I love the message and it is showing up everywhere!

I wish I knew the source to give credit but a friend of mine got it from a friend, we all know how it is with sharing these days.

If you follow your heart, you will do what is right.

Do not let others drag you down and influence you because in the end you are going to be miserable. And most important, if you can not change the situation for the better - get out of it, it is not your loss. Something better is waiting for you.

I did a quick google search and I found both the graphic and this street version photo. I am now curious if the photo on the street is real or if this is Photoshop. If they used Photoshop this was a very creative image someone created with a combination of the photograph and the graphic. I know if I would have seen someone holding up this poster, I would have taken this photo in a heartbeat!

For more journals, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com I am also on facebook: TSCPgraphics and if you are a twitter bug, follow me at:tscpgraphics

Wind of Change...

Kansas Flint Hills

Wind of Change

We had a cool front move in last night dropping the recent high yesterday of 112 degrees to the mid 90's. It was a pleasant change in weather. I was enjoying the day doing errands without breaking out into a sweat. 


Going along with the theme of change I thought I would share one of my photographs from my Kansas Flint Hills Collection. I have been working on sorting through countless photos trying to upload my favorites and most memorable photos to my website while sharing on this blog site the stories behind them.


One evening I noticed this beautiful cumulus cloud towering over Topeka and decided to drive west on I-70 so I could get a good view of it from the prairies of the Flint Hills. Once I found a place to pull over I walked up a grassy hill with this view back to the east. The sun was setting and the light was getting low but everything was still. It was the perfect evening to take in this landscape of the Flint Hills.


As I started taking the photos, the wind started to blow the grass and I thought I was not going to get the photo I wanted. I started out framing up this skyline in the tall grass but then the wind pick up and would not stop blowing. I kept thinking if I had only made it there sooner I would have grabbed the perfect photo. Then as those clouds glowed and the wind would not let up, I started to realize that the wind was adding to this scene not hindering it with the grass blowing in the wind giving the entire scene more interest.


As I stood there in the wind as the sun set behind me, I thought of how things constantly change around us. Sometimes I struggle with what to title a photograph but for this photo as I stood there enjoying this spectacular view I knew what the title would be because this 1990 song Wind of Change by Scorpions immediately came to mind. 

The future's in the air

I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change

"Wind of Change" is a 1990 power ballad written by Klaus Meine, vocalist of the German heavy metal band Scorpions. It appeared on their 1990 album Crazy World, but did not become a worldwide hit single until 1991, when it topped the charts in Germany and across Europe, and hit #4 in the United States and #2 in the United Kingdom. The Scorpions were inspired to write this song on a visit to Moscow in 1989, and the opening lines refer to the city's landmarks: I follow the Moskva,  Down to Gorky Park, Listening to the wind of change (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

To browse for of my photographs, visit: www.tscpgraphics.com You can also like me on facebook: TSCPgraphics and if you are a twitter bug, follow me at: tscpgraphics

I Spy A Dragonfly...

Summer's Simple Pleasures

Due to these extreme high temperature we have been having in the midwestern states, I have been soaking our yard and plants every chance I get. I was out early this morning trying to beat the heat setting up the sprinklers when I noticed a dragonfly on this stick. 

Something on this stick must of attracted him to it. He flew off and returned several times so I grabbed my camera while he was entertaining himself. I have to admit, a dragonfly on a stick is not the most exciting photo I have ever taken but I was very curious about his spotted pattern and thought if I captured the detail of this dragonfly I may learn more about him.

I Spy a Dragonfly - detail

I am not sure what is so interesting about a wood stick to a dragonfly but I did discover he is indeed a male Twelve Spotted Skimmer with the bright white spots between the black ones.

Male 12-spotted skimmer

Female 12-spotted skimmer

The females lack the white wing spots. Also the abdomen is dark brown with solid bright yellow lines down the outer top edges. 

Click on this link: Summer's Simple Pleasures  to view more photography from my Summer collection ....enjoy!

Visit my website: www.tscpgraphics.com for a collection of my photography and journals. You can also follow me on facebook: TSCPgraphics