# To some old friends



## acpeacemaker (Mar 4, 2017)

I had come acrossed about a ton and a half of old automotive relays. So thinking about yields, GRF came to mind.

It's been awhile since I've been on. I don't really think anyone missed me since I've been gone, but that's okay. I figured I'd drop by, and give a gesturing handshake. To a lot of people that have helped me on my hard path through these past couple years. To the fellows that know what I've been through. I'm getting back on top. I've been steadfast with love and staying strong hearted. 
After everything that had happened a lot of people told me I needed a dog. Leave it to me to get the horse of dogs. She is a six month old Great Dane. We are in the mountains hunting gems and ore all the time. I hope everyone is doing well.

Andrew


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## Geo (Mar 5, 2017)

Welcome back Andrew. I hope things are looking up for you. Glad to see you got yourself a companion. Now that we know you can get back on, don't be a stranger.


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## goldsilverpro (Mar 5, 2017)

Good to hear from you again.


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## patnor1011 (Mar 5, 2017)

Gem hunting is a fun I would like to try. I have seen some documentary or show about hunting gems while ago, I do not know the name but it was cool to watch. You never know what you will find, perhaps one day.....


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## Palladium (Mar 5, 2017)

Welcome home brother!


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 5, 2017)

Glad things are going well. Looks like a heck of a pal you've got there!


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## geedigity (Mar 5, 2017)

> Gem hunting is a fun I would like to try. I have seen some documentary or show about hunting gems while ago, I do not know the name but it was cool to watch. You never know what you will find, perhaps one day.....



There was a show that used to run called "Prospectors," where gem miners are in Colorado and a few of them mine at 12,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level. It is something else to see the hazards they face and the nice gems they get.


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## mls26cwru (Mar 6, 2017)

glad to see you are still enjoying the gem hunting and wilderness! I had been wondering how your gem hunting was going from your last thread... Hope things are going well for you out there!


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## g_axelsson (Mar 6, 2017)

Nice to see you back, Andrew.

Glad to see that your life have taken a turn for the better.

Over the years new members arrive, others slowly fades away, visiting less and less often and finally drop out of sight. When reading old posts I often wonder what happened and if all is well in their life. It's always nice when someone drops by again and say hi. I hope you will stay a while.  

What type of gems are you looking for?

Göran


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## acpeacemaker (Mar 7, 2017)

Thanks for the warm greetings gentlemen.  It's been an interesting journey. 
The Prospectors Show you guys are referring to has caused a lot of heartache, anguish, and very upset people over the years. They had to shut down Mt Antero to the public and half of Mt. White. Claim jumpers all the way from China had made their way to these places. You better believe these locals don't play around. Everyone is packing heat. 
Through a lot of this I've found I have something most in society don't have. I know a lot of people that would have died in the position I was in. But in this is if I want to go to no mans land off in the back 40. I know my body can take it. I know I can endure things that seem at the utmost impossible. Which I've started using to my advantage. Especially when I'm out in the 14'ers.
Here lately I've found a huge pocket of azurite. I still have my amazonite veins. I seem to find lots of large topaz often. But, I'm always on the move for our infamous aquamarines which I've been finding quite a bit. Then of course silver and gold. I have found some decent wire specimens. 
Anyone else been getting these crazy wind storms we are having? 
I'm very thankful for you guys. Some of you are reasons why I'm still here.
Andrew


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## FrugalRefiner (Mar 7, 2017)

Andrew, you should look into selling some of your photographs for another source of income. You've shared some great images that people would love to have hanging on their walls.

Dave


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 7, 2017)

FrugalRefiner said:


> Andrew, you should look into selling some of your photographs for another source of income. You've shared some great images that people would love to have hanging on their walls.
> 
> Dave



I absolutely agree! 

This last one is amazing. It has somewhat of a Dali type surrealism feel about it. I had to zoom in a couple of times to make sure it really was a photo and not a painting. If you don't mind, I'd like to try and save it and use it as my wallpaper on my phone!


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## anachronism (Mar 7, 2017)

I completely agree with Dave.

That second picture is simply stunning. 

Jon


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## acpeacemaker (Mar 7, 2017)

Thank you guys,
Dave I've actually thought of that in the past. It's a really good idea. I just have the harder side of marketing it...A lot of my pictures are taken more or less from the situations I've been in. Whether I was sleeping under the stars or battling lightening lol. I had quite few pics even pop up on the news even..,
Ben you can use it most certainly. 

Andrew


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## Shark (Mar 8, 2017)

High quality photos such as yours can sell to companies that make post cards for a very good price. While prices aren't near what they were before the digital age, they can still bring a good price. I sold the negatives to this picture about 15 years ago with a one time use right for $1500. While the quality is somewhat lower than the original it is still a nice shot.


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 8, 2017)

acpeacemaker said:


> Ben you can use it most certainly



Thank you, sir! You seem to be what they call a natural with a camera. You should definitely look into profiting from that talent.

Ben


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## anachronism (Mar 8, 2017)

Andrew do you have a large format file of the blue lightning one? A good definition one please?


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## FrugalRefiner (Mar 8, 2017)

The one he posted is 2048 x 1365. Click on the image, zoom in, then save as.

Dave


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## acpeacemaker (Mar 8, 2017)

Shark that is a beautiful picture. Where is that?
Anachronism, I'm really sorry I don't. I just have the pics I've taken saved on my phone. Dave's advice should work though I believe.


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## acpeacemaker (Mar 8, 2017)

I'll leave these last few and call it good.  That fox was my pet. I also had a pet bear but we kept a distance from each other  There are lots of big horns around the front range area now. My yard in Cripple Creek always had 100's of elk graze through.


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## glorycloud (Mar 8, 2017)

Dear God in heaven, son - those are great pictures!! You have a tremendous
eye and frame things very well!!! 

May you come to understand that gift and may it help put some jingle in
your pockets as well!! 8)


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 8, 2017)

acpeacemaker said:


> That fox was my pet.



Nice, man! During a 2 month plus stint I spent in the woods after high school I had a red fox almost eating out of my hand. Toward the end it would follow me around like a puppy dog. Probably because I was usually fishing and would throw any little bream and sunfish onto the gravel bars for him, but still, it was company!

Edit: And I will second the popular opinion and say it again, you really do have a certain talent with a camera!! And if that is just a good cell phone camera, I'd love to see what you could do with a real one!!


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## Shark (Mar 8, 2017)

Sorry about that, but it is the bridge at New River Gorge in West Virginia.


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## anachronism (Mar 9, 2017)

FrugalRefiner said:


> The one he posted is 2048 x 1365. Click on the image, zoom in, then save as.
> 
> Dave



Thanks Dave. 

I've tried many times to capture a great feeling of ambience in my camera shots and consistently fail, so any helpful pointers would be appreciated.


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## acpeacemaker (Mar 9, 2017)

Thank you guys. I'd be lieing if I said I hated taking pics lol. It would be pretty sweet if I could make some money off of it.

Pointers? Well, I'm not really sure where to begin with that. I was blessed in a way a lot of others never really experienced life. I think I've said before but it's been so long ago that my Dad is a world renowned wild life painter. The only one ever inducted in the Hall of Fame. So the artsy side has always been around me. As well as critters and test subjects lol. I've made sure that my kids know nature to a great extent. These newer generations seem to have lost these types of things. 
My daughter with the deer went viral on news and social media. It was bashed so hard from people taking a quick look and not even understanding what was going on. At the same time there were thousands that praised good emotions towards it. But people were saying your not supposed to feed the wildlife. Your supposed to keep your distance. The parent of this kid should be shot because that deer could have trampled the kid and bashed her skull in.- Exact wording. 
Now the real story. I've taught my kids to stick their hand out when this kind of creature comes running up so it can scent the hand. I've been around wildlife my entire life in ways most will never experience. I wouldn't ever put my kids in danger. How did I get this shot? Well we had dozens literally at my doorstep. You couldn't walk out of the house without them in your face. So she was doing just that. No food. Just a neat connection making a really memorable moment. I ended up having the news take it down because I didn't want that memory ruined by negativity. But, that's when I really realized society is way different nowadays. I think it's sad.
The best advice is practice with moving things. It can take 100+ to get one good one. 4 year olds are always on the move.
They say never to make your main subject in the very center of the picture. Balance it out with other objects on either side...
Lighting and angles can play a huge role. Same kind of light in different angles of a hairs difference can make a completely different picture. Ever hear of girls on the internet making misleading pics? It's because they hold the camera up in the air above head height. The angle gives off a thinner appearance and the way light hits causes flaws to not show.


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## kurtak (Mar 10, 2017)

Andrew

Glad to hear things are going better & glad to see you posting back on the forum :!: 8)  

And as always AWESOME pics :!: 8) :G 

Kurt


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## snoman701 (Mar 10, 2017)

I don't know you, but your pictures are inspiring.

Except the first one...the dog is handsome, but the guy needs to put a shirt on  

Seriously...I have tremendous respect for someone who has figured out that their place in the world is where most people run away from. Being alone with your own thoughts, without the comforting companionship of someone else can be beyond scary. 

Thanks for sharing!


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