…or:

Fly-by burgers

(hat tit.)

A couple of quick snapshots taken on my drive home from Hanley, SK as the sun dropped low in the sky this afternoon.

The old bridge at Outlook. (Full size)

The highway looking north, near Swanson. (Full size)

Vincent Laforet is a freelance photographer based in New York;

As some of you may know, I left my staff job at The New York Times a little over two years ago. At the time many people were shocked. One colleague actually called me “stupid.” I saw some of the writing on the wall back then – I saw all of these different forces converging down on the mainstream media and thought it was time for me to diversify. If found a way to continue to work with the newspaper and its staff that I love by going on contract with them, and that in turn allowed me to do some commercial work, to work with companies such as Apple and Canon in helping them develop new software and cool toys, and work on a number of other projects. What it allowed me to do was to DIVERSIFY – which I think is key to survival in this market.
At the time people thought I was reckless for leaving such a coveted staff job. The NYT job was a union job – with incredible benefits, a staff car, and company gear and it was often described as a “guaranteed job for life.” Unless you committed a felony, or broke an important ethical rule, “they can’t fire you,” I was repeatedly told.
A few weeks ago I was at The Times to judge the Sports Shooter Student Portfolio of the Year and when I came out there was a strange feel around the newsroom. That day was the day that The New York Times was having it’s first layoffs in the newspaper’s history, that’s right until then, there had never been a single layoff at The New York Times. People were being called in the editors’ offices and being told they were being let go – this after not enough people had opted to take a series of buyouts. This was fundamental change in what we were taught to believe in – what ever happened to that “job for life.” Well that dream, that comfortable “cloud” and the idea of a staff job, is becoming a distant memory these days – no one is immune – not even The NY Times.

(h/t to Sean McCormick)

(June 26/08 near Delisle)
You should see what happens when I get stuck in a drive-through.
Another here and here.

As you’ve likely noticed, I arrived home last night. The trip was an overall success – in addition to Lucy’s win reported a couple of days ago, my male puppy Minuteman Dead Cat Bounce was Best of Breed from the classes for a 5 pt major on the final day, while his cousin (Kampfer’s Tainted Sunshine) was winners and opposite over specials, for 5 pts of her own. Which means I won everything that day (and was overwhelmed by the well-wishers, as one might imagine!)
I took a few photos on the trip to Montana, these two I thought worth sharing:
This Pronghorn stood and watched for a while before charging across the highway. Then he stopped and watched, again.

This one is for our resident meterologists. Taken from the RV parking area at Billings, MT on June 18th.

Large versions are here (antelope) and here (clouds).
Thanks for your patience with the site problems while I was away, and special thanks to our guest bloggers for keeping the place humming.

Via a reader who explains “taken from NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124) after Space Shuttle Discovery and the ISS (International Space Station) undocked on 11 June 2008.”

The full sized photos are completely worth the time to download them. Large, Medium
Another image here: Large, Medium.
Many more here.

It started with isp problems this morning, followed by a trip out to a dog show and then dinner with family. I’m pretty beat, so will probably just finish up the chores I have around here and relax away from the computer for the evening.
Thanks to reader and sometimes guest blogger Sean McCormick for sending this recent example of his work along. Go check out his other stuff by clicking on the image…

And to think that people actually ask how we deal with the “boredom” of driving across the prairies.

Sean has been out with his camera again.

Enjoy!

Taken today a couple of miles from town. I stayed on my side of the fence.

I’ve linked to this page in the past. In case you missed it, it features some fabulous photography by members of the US military. Just start here, and then go to the links at the bottom. It will probably take some time to load if you’re on a slower connection.

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(click to enlarge)


Taken near Midale, Sk on the evening of June 11.

Just one of a series of photos by “Urban Refugee” (and occasional guest blogger) Sean McCormick. Enjoy!

Or maybe, safer to say pre-spring melt. We’re by no means out of the winter woods – there’s still April to contend with.
And, eh…. May.

It’s one of a series.
Enjoy!

To answer one of the most frequently asked questions about SDA…

… this is why I link to the volcano cam.

Animated. Very cool.

This is just too cool not to share.