Sarcophagus

Amenti Haunted House

On Friday I got out of covering football to photograph the haunted house at the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb. My boss found a slideshow online of scared people at a haunted house and wanted us to do the same. Everything worked out, but I wish I had more time. At 7 p.m. when the house was scheduled to open the fire alarm went off, which delayed the opening for a half an hour. Also, since they only allow so many guests through the house at a time I only had the opportunity to photograph nine groups before I had to leave to make deadline.

Mantis

I saw this mantis at the office today. It moved to look at me as soon as it heard the shutter. I like bugs.

Gun.Smoke and Horses

 

There is a week or so long event in DeKalb called the Kishwaukee Fest. I don't completely understand it because there are some festivals in the area that have been taking place for years and now they are combined into this new fest. Saturday the Northern Illinois Outlaws rode horses and shot guns at balloon targets. Someone was explaining how the .45 Colts work and I just kept thinking about Red Dead Redemption and how Marston was done wrong. Apparently there is going to be a sequel or a prequel. Anyway these folks are serious and boy they like guns. Gun.Smoke on the NES was good too.

 

Turkey Vulture

Nearly ten years ago while traveling through Missouri on a road trip I saw a turkey vulture for the first time. Since then I see them everywhere in northern Illinois. I am fascinated by turkey vultures because they remind me of dinosaurs. I also like to pretend they are thunder birds flying way up high looking for children to carry away. Anyway, I called up a local animal rehabilitation center and the director there confirmed that yes indeed turkey vultures are fairly new to the area. I then stopped by the center to get some up-close images and I almost got more than I bargained for. At one point during my visit, Vinny, a 23-year-old turkey vulture, and I were left alone in his enclosure and he hopped down from his perch and started biting my shoes and pants. I thought "oh great, this damn bird is going to bite me with it's bacteria filled mouth and I'll have to go to the hospital and endure a series of painful injections." Well I climbed up to higher ground and just kept lifting my feet. When I was finally rescued I learned Vinny just wanted my shoe laces.

Red, White and Blue

Receded

I meant to post some photographs of the flooding in DeKalb County when it happened, but I didn't so here you go. The above is from today and the rest are from April 18.

Slacking

So I have been slacking uploading anything new. So here's two that I shot recently.