The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

Milkweed at Quixtar.
November 29, 2008.
Nikon D300. Nikon 80-400mm VR lens. EXIF.

Dad and I shot turkey and deer for Thanksgiving. Actually, it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Despite what you are already thinking–we’re not that Michigan. Well, Dad is pretty Michigan. This shooting involved cameras. We grabbed our Nikon D300s and Dad supplied the glass: a Nikon 80-400mm VR and a manual Nikon Reflex 500mm. Being a novice to this sort of photography, Dad let me shoot the 80-400 since it has AF. Armed with the long lenses, we climbed into the Mountaineer to begin our safari. (continue reading…)

Happy Thanksgiving yall! We’re chilling over here at the Aupperlees. Dave grilled a bird and Karen whipped up some dishes. Emily brought the Michigan State Spartan style party [via bar hopping last night], Betsy took the AmTrak from Chicago and I flew from Ronald Reagn National Airport to Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Aaron is still confused about how to use a razor. Anyway, the whole gang is here and we’re just eating, drinking and talking. (continue reading…)

Robin Pecknold of the Fleet Foxes.
Capitol Hill Block Party. July 26, 2008.
Nikon D300. Nikon 18-200mm VR lens @ 105mm.
Aperture Priority. 1/100 sec @ f/5.3. ISO 400.

The Fleet Foxes are incredibly good. Like disgustingly, filthy good. I mean that literally and figuratively. I caught the Fleet Foxes on Saturday at the Capitol Hill Block Party. They played during that space in the day where you are not sure if it’s late afternoon or early evening. That ambiguous hour complimented their timeless sound well. Listening to the Fleet Foxes feels like the first time you figured out how to use your dad’s record player and dug into some Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel. Even though the Fleet Foxes sound like everything you’ve ever heard, their music rings with an urgency and newness that is unmistakably born of this generation.

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