Photostream - # - Photography by Dave Hochanadel

Jellyfish IV
Jellyfish at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Jellyfish at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Aquatic Hypnosis
The most marvelous sights from our trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago were those found in the center's Jellies exhibit. I could watch these bizarre creatures float about for hours. It's almost hypnotic.

Jellyfish at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Nathan Hale's likeness stands before Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago.

Ripple

A "ripple tank" at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry demonstrates how waves interact with each other, casting light onto the floor below.

A model of naval vessels on display at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.

Trumpets, stars and dreidels on display in front of Macy's in downtown Chicago.

The Park at Night
The Millenium Park amphitheater.

Reflections on Chicago
Millennium Park on a wet December evening.

City Walking
Making our way through The Windy City.

Dirty Apples

On The Orchard Trail

Family Picnic

Pumkin's Season

The pier at Jacksonville beach.

Downtown Jacksonville.

Jacksonville, Florida

Disney Hot Air Balloon

Downtown Disney

Always

Portrait of an (underwater) slinky

A Splash of Strawberry II

Strawberry Trio

A Splash of Strawberry

St. Joseph's Church

While in downtown Maumee last night, I brought out the tripod to get this long exposure shot of St. Joseph's Church, which was constructed in the 1840s.

Snowmelt

The Maumee River has been raging the last few days as the recent spring-like temperatures have been melting the mountains of snow. For those familiar with the area, I shot this from the Conant Street bridge around sunset today. It was a semi-long exposure (four seconds) to capture the motion of the water.

Waterville Bridge

Geese in Flight

Boutonnière

A Noble Champion of Love and Cows

Let me introduce you to Hippie Cow. Our paths first crossed when, as a photographer for my college newspaper, I was walking in the rafters of the university’s basketball arena to turn off strobes after a game. Then there he was, half hanging over the edge. While his brethren from Chick-fil-A had parachuted into the bleachers to fight for their “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign, he did not jump. Perhaps he’s a chicken sympathizer, or simply a coward, I don’t know for sure.

I provided him shelter, as he resided on the tower of my work computer for many years. He later donned a green headband, perhaps a symbol of a vegetarian cause. After I graduated, HC has taken more or less permanent residence perched on the edge of my desk at home. I say more or less because he often jumps from the edge, possibly an act of self sacrifice in the name of love.

But enough of his saga. You may have read about how my last image involved using exorbitant quantities of aluminum foil to create a bokeh background. It seemed a waste not to recycle it, so I got some more mileage out of it with this portrait of a distressed bovine. HC was lit with a shoot-through umbrella and strobe at 1/128 power, and the background foil was lit with a second flash at the same power and a blue gel. Shot at f/2.8 with my “nifty fifty.”

Uh oh, he’s trying to jump again; Hippie Cow, no!!!

Green Thingamabob

"Be mine? 'Cause I'm yours."

Part of Alicia’s Valentine’s gift to me is this delicious, dessert of desserts, chocolate cheese cake. Though I enjoy it in its many manifestations, this is my favorite form of chocolate. The only catch? I have to wait until tomorrow to eat it.

‘Our Story’

It begins with “Once upon a time at the University of Toledo, two young lovers met for the first time.” On our one-year anniversary in June, Alicia gave me a journal titled “Our Story,” with an astonishing 50 pages of handwritten documentation of just that, including the first time we met, our first date, our first Valentine’s together and of course all the other wonderful memories throughout.

Strobist info: One flash, with pink gel and at 1/128 power, slightly behind and to the left of the journal. Another, un-gelled, aimed at the ceiling at 1/64.

It Came from Inside My Shower

While strolling down the aisles of our local Walmart, I came across this black light and felt compelled to buy it to see how photos lit with one would turn out (some examples to come).

I also picked up a work lighting dish, with aspirations of building a poor man’s beauty dish. Whenever I’ve lit a scene, I’ve always (for good reason) used strobes — less uncomfortable for subjects and less power consumption — but I’m kind of curious what using a “hot light” is like. Seems like it might be a good way to see the effects of more finite lighting adjustments as you go.

(Background in this photo is thanks to my “Fake Mac” monitor.)

Bored

This tree at Sidecut Metropark is riddled with what appears to be damage from the Emerald Ash Borer, a notorious and highly destructive invasive species that threatens ash trees. The little beetles are causing a lot of problems for Toledo-area (and beyond) metroparks, as the dead, falling trees are dangerous and often need to be cut down.

Side Cut Lock

Red Red Something or Other

Relaxing after a hard week's work with this fine glass of sparkling grape juice. Lit with two strobes — one aimed at the white board used for the background, and the second shooting up from beneath the table.

Snow Day!

Here Comes the Snow

Mist

This mountain-climbing cog railway takes passengers to the top of Mount Washington.

The Tip-Top House at the top of Mount Washington.

This mountain-climbing cog railway takes passengers to the top of Mount Washington.

The geographical marker at the very peak of Mount Washington.

Lakes of the Clouds at Sunset

This sign warns hikers of the rough conditions on the route up to Mount Washington. It reads: “The area ahead has the worst weather in America. Many have died there from exposure even in the summer. Turn back now if the weather is bad."

Lakes of the Clouds

Making the descent to Lakes of the Cloud, a hut located just below Mount Washington.

Another group of hikers climb from the ridge to Mount Monroe.

A mountain ridge along the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I captured this photo during a hiking trip through the mountains in August 2009.

Crossing the mountain ridge.

On the first day of the hike, we traveled up to the peak of Mount Jackson, seen in the distance.

The Supreme Court.

The first amendment etched in stone outside The Newseum in Washington, DC.

The Lincoln Memorial at night.

There was a place in DC called "Segs in the City" where you could rent the Segways.

The Potomac boardwalk as a storm rolls into Washington, DC.

University of Toledo students Joni Camp and Danielle Thomas ambush Jenna Fausey with snowballs outside their residence hall on Feb 26, 2008. All classes at UT were cancelled for the day due to inclement weather.

Hillary Clinton speaks to a packed crowd at Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio while campaigning for the Democratic primary nomination in 2008.

A human heart, which has undergone a process of preserving organs and body parts called plastination.

University of Toledo senior Kristi Zeller goes for a layup against the University of Detroit on Dec. 5, 2007. Zeller scored seven points in UT’s 26-point victory. She hit a three-pointer late in the game coming off the bench and was four-for-four in free-throw attempts.

This photo illustration accompanied a story about flu season. I asked the model to spit out water several times until we produced this photo depicting an exaggerated sneeze.

This photo illustration went along with a story about student depression at college. I lit the shot with a single strobe firing through a bottle of Windex to achieve the blue background.

Phillip Martinez, a University of Toledo student in the ROTC program, rappels down the side of the Student Union Building in September 2007. Several ROTC students rappelled down the building as a training exercise.

Bobby Lovejoy of Total Maintenance, Inc. cuts rubble in the University of Toledo’s Memorial Field House on Aug. 20, 2007 to make it small enough for transportation and disposal. His work was part of the building’s complete overhaul.