Photographers in Movies

The Angry Red Planet was released in 1959/60. One of the astronauts in the film was played by Nora Hayden. In this still from the film, she has a Hasselblad camera on the surface of Mars. Later in real life, US astronauts actually used Hasselblads in space and on the moon.

Sign of the Times

See more of my Sign of the Times photos at my smugmug gallery.

Sign of the Times

Photographers in Movies

I started going to the movies at a very early age to see Saturday Kid Shows at the Varsity Theater in Dallas. I liked westerns, war movies, horror films and Abbott and Costello. I never liked musicals or crime movies, now known as film noir. As I watch old movies these days I have come to appreciate film noir, but not the old fashion musical. I have been photographing scenes in movies if there is a photographer or cameras in the story. A lot of B-movies in the 1930's and 1940's seem to have a newspaper photographer in them. I will post some of these stills I have taken off the big screen now and then. For starters, I am going to show a few frames from one of the best of the film noir style movies, The Big Sleep, 1946. It starred Humphrey Bogart as detective  Philip Marlowe trying to solve a crime or two. He encounters Lauren Bacall as Vivian Rutledge, and has more problems than just solving the murders . Early on, he discovers a camera hidden in an piece of art, a female head. He removes the camera and then takes the film out. Close-ups reveal the camera is a Zeiss Ikon. No way to tell how the camera was triggered to take a photo, after all it is a crime film, not a film about how-to take secret photos. Check the film out some time, you will like it.

Critter Cam Catches Another Critter

I have been trying to get critter cam pix of something other than squirrels on my deck. The squirrels jump from the tree to the deck and then climb up to the roof. I have quite a few squirrel shots made with a DSLR and a few with the critter cam of squirrels doing this routine.
I also have found several times a deposit on the deck made by something larger than a squirrel. The deposit was scat (Excrement, especially of an animal; dung.).
I thought it might be an opossum or raccoon as there are many living in town these days. Early this morning, I finally got my answer, at least a partial answer. I didn't get a pix of the critter making a deposit, but maybe someday. Circumstantial evidence at this time points or pictures a raccoon as the scatee.

The raccoon is back about 43 minutes later, but the critter cam got only one shot as it appears to start the climb to the roof top.

Sign of the Times

Richard L. Greiner Ball Turret Gunner

Richard L. Greiner served as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 during WWII. He flew missions out of Foggia, Italy with the 15th Air Force. On one mission to bomb German oil refineries at Brux, Czechoslovakia, his B-17 was hit by flak. The crew decided to try flying behind Russian lines instead of back to base in Italy. They were intercepted by Russian fighters and eventually located a Russian air field. The Russians helped them find parts from a downed B-17 to repair their plane. After 23 days at the Russian air field, they flew back to Foggia.
Greiner told me this story as if it happened last week, as we sat under the wing of a B-17 (named "Aluminum Overcast") that was visiting Wheeler Airport near downtown Kansas City, Mo.

There is not much room inside the ball turret.

A drawing shows how the gunner is horizontal in the ball turret.

The ball turret's two .50 caliber guns.

The ball turret hangs inside the plane.

Richard Greiner shows one of the .50 caliber rounds.

The Aluminum Overcast at Wheeler Field 7/18/10.

To see more of my photos of the B-17 (Aluminum Overcast) go to my smugmug gallery.

Sign of the Times

Critter Camera Catches Thief :~)

I recently found a used critter/trail camera at an estate sale. They are mostly used by hunters wanting to know who/what/when/where about deer in the woods. I wanted to try to catch some unknown critter that hangs out on my deck at night. So far the only photos I have from the critter cam are these of a guy trying to take my cat and an iron fish :~).

The intruder triggers the camera.

He reacts when the flash fires.

He is upset.

He grabs at the camera.

He tries kicking the camera.

He tried to steal my cat Saki, in June.

<:~)

Sign of the Times

(Image made 7/25/09)

See More of my Sign of the Times photos at my smugmug gallery.

Sign of the Times

(image made 7/16/09 in Dale, Indiana)

Would You Live In A Shipping Container?

Somewhere, someone probably lives in a shipping container. A house has been built in Kansas City, Mo from multiple containers. I think it is a great idea to re-cycle the containers. Some may not like the look, but I do.

The container house shown next to an older frame house.

The container number is still in place.

(Photos were made 4/27/2009)

Sign of the Times

White Haven Motor Lodge Auction Misc

The 2nd day of the White Haven Motor Lodge Auction ended with champagne corks flying. The original owners, the White family, celebrated as the big neon sign sold.

The White's extended family posed for a photo beneath the sign.

This neon sign and two others similar to it sold for hundreds of dollars.

The bid for this Gazebo at the Motor Lodge was $205.00.

This lucky bidder picks a room key from a large selection.

Many bidders bought several keys, price for a key was as high as $45.00.

A lonely little statue found a new home also.

There was one of these nifty message devices on each door. The occupant turned a knob on the back and could select "Do Not Disturb" also.

At the end most rooms were empty or as this "blue room" photo shows, a few items were waiting to be picked up.

Large Sign Sells at White Haven Motor Lodge Auction

The large neon sign that stands in front of the White Haven Motor Lodge on Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park, Ks sold to bidder #102 for $5500. The sign was purchased for the Johnson County Museum.

A representative of the Johnson County Museum is interviewed by a local tv reporter.

Auction at White Haven Motor Lodge

The auction at the White Haven Motor Lodge in Overland Park, Ks started early July 1, 2010 with a good crowd buying items from each room. As the auction proceeded high bidders were seen carrying items to their vehicles. The original owners were at the auction also.

Sheila White Berry (right) and her mother Esther White, the original owner of the White Haven since 1957, talk with a tv reporter as happy buyers carry furniture.

A photographer "chimps" or checks his latest shot on the back of his camera.

John Sleezer, KC Star photographer gets a high angle at the Coffee Lounge, when items were auctioned inside.

A happy bidder carries away some art.

Inside one of the rooms.

One of many lamps sold.

A tapestry and lamp in a room.

A statue/lamp.

Another lamp.