Longtime readers know of my love of photography. Today, Amazon is holding a Lightening Sale on Camera equipment

Photo taken with a Panasonic DMZ-ZSI ISO800 1/60 f4.5

Hoping a bird lover out there can help me identify the species.

Samsung 16 GB SDHC Flash Memory Card, Brushed Metal -  MB-SPAGA/US

Having suffered a couple of SD card failures in recent months, I was intrigued at these new Samsung brushed metal SD cards. They’re said to be waterproof, shock proof and magnetically resistant. They’re about twice the price of one of the cheaper plastic ones, but if it saves your photos, its probably worth it.

From Samsung:

Up to 24 MB/s read speed and 21 MB/s write speed
Class 10 Speed for the highest performance standard
From the world’s #1 memory manufacturer since 1992
Water Proof - Can survive in sea water over 24 hours
Shock Proof - can withstand being run over by a 1.6 ton vehicle
Magnet Proof - Can withstand a 10K magnetic force equal to an MRI
Unmatched quality of Samsung genuine memory and a 10 year warranty

Photo taken with a Panasonic DMC-LX5. f2.2 iso80 1/100th.

Amazon has lots of markdowns on camera products. You can still get them in time for Christmas.

I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to get a press photo pass at the US Senior Open because I wanted to get photos of everything BUT the players: crowds, people watching, standing in concession lines, landscapes, etc. The USGA assured me that their photographers would get all the photos I needed and that I could use as many as I liked from their photo lightbox. But, just as I suspected, what their photographers produced was pretty much all the same: player swinging, player swinging, player swinging, player swinging. I knew that’s what would happen because every guy I saw with a lens was taking the same photo from the same angle (just different players on different holes). I’m surprised that the USGA doesn’t want more “atmosphere” photos for their archives. I’d have a guy wandering about with a camera with orders to shoot everything but players swinging.

Japanese photographer Makato Uchida takes the photos I’d like to take. He’s got a great blog with shots here. Some are of the “player swinging” variety, but others show a much better photographer’s eye.

Spotted at the Coyote Preserve golf course in Fenton, Michigan.

Photo taken with a Canon Rebel Xsi, 270mm, iso 100, 1/80, f 6.3