Get out and go somewhere!

Being part of a good local photo club has it's advantages. First off, it's fun. Second, it's educational. And last but not least, it provides great opportunities to get out and experience new places that you might not have thought of otherwise.

Our most recent club photo shoot was one of these opportunities. We have a monthly themed contests, and an upcoming contest theme is "architecture", so what better thing to do as a club but organize an afternoon photo shoot in a picturesque nearby town?

Mt. Vernon, Iowa, is one of those places that appears to have stepped out of the past. Old, quaint, full of character. Plus, home to Cornell College. Both the town and the college offer unique opportunities to explore and capture some nice images. It was fun to watch the town being overrun with people carrying cameras and tripods.

The attached photo shows Kings Chapel at Cornell College.

"The Man" made me do it!

You know the old cliche... the only two things certain in life are death and taxes. Well, in my drive to be legit, I am now set up in the state of Iowa to charge sales tax. I know, I know... government needs to run, but I'm not a fan of paying taxes, either. That's the bad news.

The good news is... Iowa Landscape Photography had dragged itself into the 21st century and now accepts credit cards! Woohoo!!!

The Iowa Moai

Seek, and ye shall find. Only thing is, we weren't seeking... for this.

Driving down a back country road in eastern Iowa... out in the middle of nowhere... we stumbled across a metal Moai. Like you would see on Easter Island (only the ones on Easter Island are stone, not metal). Just sitting right there in a field of grass. In Iowa.

Talked to the farmer who owned it. A friend of his made it. The farmer was quite proud of his Moai, and was clearly excited to tell us all about it. We had a great conversation with the guy, and he invited us back anytime. He says it looks great in winter surrounded and covered with snow. I think we'll go.