Bad Luck

So,

2 car accidents in one month and not one of them was my fault. The first one was a hit and run with damage to my front-end (radiator, trans, quarter panel and head lights; what's funny about this one was that the cops where also looking for these guys for several reports with men with guns. So I also found out why full coverage is important as State Farm won't pick up the tab because comprehensive doesn't cover hit and run (collision). The second one happened this morning, I got rear-ended with a total of 4 cars being involved; I was car number 2.

Of course if you extend this to the previous month we had our car broken into... I almost caught one of the bastards too, but I'm pretty sure I know where one of them lives. Still waiting for the cops to do SOMETHING..... With any luck I drive by that house quit often and if I do see him I can call the police, at least that's what they told me. However, I would rather see him in a dark ally and I'd even spot him a bat. I want my mp3 player back and you piece of crap; you could keep the sh*** phone.

I am so tired but plan on playing the Lottery as with any luck good/bad I may win.

A few more...

Some pictures from Halloween '05

Here are a few pictures from that night.....

enjoy,
Dan

Unbelievable.......... SOX WIN, SOX WIN!

So I always believed that the CUBS would win first, especially after their close call a few years back. I even rooted for them... hoping it would force the Sox to put together a winning team.

I was wrong, the Sox did it first. As a life long Sox fan I have tears of joy. It was always my dream and now we (the Sox and their fans) are no longer the red-headed step-children of this city. I even remember having my picture taken with Harry Carey at what turned out to be his last game with the Sox.

Sox Win, Sox Win.

They did it in dramatic fashion and deserve this. I knew Ozzie was crazy, like a fox, but he made the impossible possible for this city and I believe he just eclipsed Ditka in popularity. He'll never have to buy a drink or meal in this town.

There is a GOD and this year he/she was rooting for the Sox. It's just disappointed that John Rooney won't be back.

11th Hour Fun

Today we went to "The 11th Hour Haunted House." Really some neat stuff to try to incorporate into our halloween festivites.

Hop you enjoy,
Dan

Someone made this great looking prop

This is a great prop (I did not take this photo or had made this great prop)
When I saw this I was amazed. I'm trying to find out who made this!

Dan

another halloween prop

Tis the season

If you can't tell, the wifey like witches....

I wonder what this is........

Cough...Cough...

More...More...More...

You get the point

More lights

Taken Sept 2nd 2005

Enjoy,
Dan

It's Raining Lights...

I thought this was neat; from a few years back.

Dan

Mystic Fingers

As if to reach out and touch ya!

Dan

Dancing...

They were just dancing that night....

Dan

Streaking

The lights Streaking accross the sky...

Enjoy,
Dan

Rainbows

I thought this was a neat image...

rainbows at night with a shaft.... What you talk'n bout.... Shaft!

AFLAC

I belive it speaks for itself......

Enjoy,
Dan

"Can you...... dig it?"

I just watch the movie "The Warriors" over the weekend and though this was appropriate.


Cyrus: ....."suckas,......Can....You....Dig....It?"

As Cyrus is stand above the crowd.


Dan

Swimming with the fishes.....

At least it would be tough for this guy to get cement fins ;)

Northern lights....again

So another year of snake research and pictures of northern lights. I love looking as the lights dance in the sky; sometimes rhythmic but always interesting. The clouds act like parents to these rebelious infants, covering their naked children just as company came by for a visit.

Dance child dance!

Where's waldo?

Can you find waldo? I dare you to try......


Dan

Two lane traffic

"Life is a highway..... I wanna ride it all day long....."

It just reminded me of the song when I took this image...

Enjoy,
Dan

Are you talking to me...

because I can't talk back.


Enjoy,
Dan

Colors....Colors.....

So it not often you see a few colors in the lights. It did during this shot.... It got so bright, both the lights and the sky.... here are the results.....

Dan

Magic marker in the sky....

or "The Highlighter in the Sky" the color is called "Aurora Green"

Dan

Lilly...

This Water Lilly was just crying out to be photographed but most just walked on by...

Not me!

I hope you enjoy "Lilly,"

Dan

....."SHAFT"..... Shut your mouth....... "SHAFT!"

A shaft of aurora poking through the clouds......"SHAFT!"


Enjoy,....."SHAFT!"

Dan

A thing of eerie beauty...

So whether you look at this as being strange or just eerie, I believe these artisans which make such monuments work hard at making beauty. I also believe they do not receive their rightful acknowledgements that they deserve. So here is an image I captured and am still intrigued by it.

Hope you enjoy,
Dan

A Sea of Snakes....

I took this in Canada while working in some snake dens. To think people are scared of these guys, I handled thousands in the past couple of years and haven't been bitten once. Sometimes holding a couple hundred in may hands at once.

Oh, and they're called "garter snakes," there is no such thing as "garden snakes." Thats just where they may live; eating grubs, worms, frogs and tadpods.

Daniel

Look up, but watch out for the dog poop!

So I work at the University of Chicago and at times I think I'm the only one who looks up! This place has amazing Gargoyles. Come visit the campus if you can or visit the website I dedicated to them.

*Update*
I recently had to pull some pictures down as I had alot of photo theft with people claiming they took my images. Yet some still had my watermark on them and I had person still claim it was their image they posted on their website.... People! The best one was a guy who claimed the image was his and refused to take the image down or give me photo credit; so I changed that photograph's link to an image (since he was hot-linking my picture) of "You have stolen this image from Daniel D. Baleckaitis" and weeks later he sent me a nasty email.

I don't mind people using my images on their site as long as they cite me as the photographer to each image they use and have a link to my site. However, I will not tolerate people using my images to sell (or in selling products) unless they worked out a deal with me. I have spent years refining my photography techniques and have come to this point through the experiences of several thefts in which people were trying to sell my images through photo vendors so I now register my images with the US copyright office. Leaving the court option open....

I enjoy showing my work and appreciate the kind words people use about my images so removing all my images from the web really isn't an option. Just looking for some respect...

Sorry for the rant--

Come visit: http://home.uchicago.edu/~danielb1/

You Can't See Me! No, Really You Can't See Me!

This snake was:
A. Waiting for a female to come to him.
B. Hiding from me.
C. Dead.

I'll let you decide!!

Dan

Are you looking at me?

I really enjoy taking pictures... By far this one of the easiest I took which ended up published. It made it on a cover of a book, I was quite happy and relieved when I saw the final product. This really makes me believe I may be a decent at photography; with any luck I'll get to sell some of my images soon. If your buying...I'm selling!

I hope you enjoy this image:

Night light

The Aurora acting as a Night light to the "Chatfield" sign in Manitoba Canada.

Smoke signals

This reminded me of someone sending smoke signals.

Look at me... I'm Dancin', I'm Dancin'....

The northern lights are amazing... They are even more amazing when they dance quickly in the sky as in the shot.

The movement was fast and making it hard to keep your eye on just one grouping of lights as if the other groups of light cry out for your attention. Begging to be watched... Does that make me a Peeping Tom?

Heavens moving....

The Aurora above a church on a cloudy night....

I'm not moving.....

She was very content to stay put and not move. So I did!