Steven Helmer Publications

I didn't get an opportunity to get out late last week because of a modeling-related road trip with my wife. So, even though it was a bit muggy out, I went for a walk with my camera.  It was fairly active out there today and I didn't need to rely on tracking down some dragonflies this time around. I even spotted a mystery bird (see below) that required some sleuthing from my wife to back up my first thoughts. Here are some of the photos: There are a lot of these late summer/early fall flowers out, so I figured I'd try to get some photos of them. I got one with and one without a bee. This was a pretty large moth. I spotted it from some distance away. This pelican pod wasn't the most cooperative. I had to zoom in to maximum just to get this photo and they immediately started swimming away from me despite quite a bit of distance from the shore.  This guy (or girl), in comparison, was very cooperative, giving me multiple photo opportunities so I could choose the best one. I...

Synopsis: Things move slow in Suddenly, California, giving Sheriff Tod Shaw plenty of free time to try to win the heart of a widowed mother, Ellen Benson. Tod's quiet routine experiences some upheaval, however, when it becomes a planned stop for the President of the United States and a group of would-be assassins led by gangster John Baron take him, Ellen, her father-in-law "Pop" and her young son, Pidge hostage in her home, intending to use the living room window to fire the kill shot. Who's in it? The movie stars Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden , James Gleason , Nancy Gates and Kim Charney. Review: I added the film Suddenly to my library a few days ago, partly because I haven't seen too many Frank Sinatra movies and partly because the plot sounded interesting. I found time to watch it this morning and was pleased with my choice. I'll start out by saying this film is very American. This includes plenty of talk about patriotism, including the idea of your l...

My wife and I made a modeling-related road trip out of Wisconsin this past weekend, traveling to Langley, IL for Psycho Silo Saloon's annual Photo Fest. She went to model and I went along with her both to do my typical behind-the-scenes stuff and also do some one-on-one photography with her. As it turns out, the event wasn't as fun as she was expecting it to be. The photographers she had expected to work with either didn't make it or failed to connect with her at the event and many of the other photographers were already working with their favorites. The end result was our one-on-one being pretty much the only one she did, something we both agreed didn't justify the drive and hotel stay in Annawan, IL (though we would recommend Mick's Bar and Grill if you're ever passing through that tiny community) since my strength is catching impromptu moments rather than trying to pose someone. Here are some of the photos I took. Model: Cynthia Helmer The rusted pickup truck...

The cuts are in and the Packers are down to their initial 53. There's a good chance more changes will be made prior to the start of the regular season, but here are my thoughts in the meantime: The NFL made the Packers' Josh Jacobs decision for them. The legal process needs to play itself out, so I won't make any comment about the criminal charges he is facing but the decision to put him on the commissioner's exempt list means he won't be part of the team's plans in the near future.  Green Bay made a quick move to replace him. I was little surprised to see the Packers trade for Kaleb Johnson and waive Pierre Strong Jr. but they must see potential in him. The Packers made the only choice they could make with Kyle McCord. In a perfect world, they would have kept him on the roster as the third-string quarterback and give him an opportunity to win the backup role from veteran Tyrod Taylor. There were just too many other needs though, and they got a draft pick for hi...

Synopsis: Stuart ( Kevin Sussman ) and the gang end up in a dimension where humans are descended from cows, are vegetarians and have four stomachs. Despite the oddity, Stuart convinces Denise ( Lauren Lapkus ) to give up on his mission, stay there and get married even as the universe begins to implode. My Thoughts: The four-stomach thing was clever but also got repetitive after a while. My wife wants to go on record as saying she thought it was disgusting. I thought it was funny at first but also started to feel as though it was the only cow-related joke the writers could come up with. Jokes about herd mentality were right there for the taking. We are six episodes in, and I am still confused about one part of their inter-dimensional travel . Do they replace their alternate selves in each dimension, or do they become that dimension's version of themselves but maintain the memories of the other dimensions?  If it is the former, then why did they end up with four stomachs and what ha...

Synopsis: After moving from Kansas City to New York and putting her impending marriage to a coal mine owner on hold to pursue a career on Broadway, Joan Terry has gone months without finding work and is forced to move into a boarding house with other aspiring actresses. She is about to give up on her dream when her fellow boarders, recognizing her talent, decide to pool their resources and invest in her. They, however, continue to face obstacles, including Joan's impatient fiancé, James, who is even willing to spend money to ensure her failure.  Who's in it? The movie stars Frances Langford , Edward Norris , Iris Adrian , Craig Woods and Linda Brent. Review: I added Career Girl to my library a couple months ago but, mostly because I wasn't completely sure what the movie was about, hadn't bothered to watch it. I finally decided to do so this morning and it turned out to be a good choice. The movie won me over from two different fronts. First, it didn't sugarcoat ...

I wasn't able to get out for a walk yesterday because of other things being on the calendar, so I made sure to slip out for a little while today, while the weather was decent.  I didn't see as much as I would have liked but still managed to get some photos. There are a few of them below. This green heron surprised me a bit. I didn't realize it was nearby until it popped out from the grass and landed on that branch. The turtles popped out of the water as I was approaching, taking advantage of the sun while it wasn't behind the clouds. I was kind of far away on this one, even with the zoom lens but still think it turned out OK. This must have been a popular hunting spot. This bird chased away one of its own right before I got the photo. ___________________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my previous nature photos: Lunchtime Walk Photos (8/7/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (6/4/2026) Morning Walk Photos (6/3/2026) Morning Walk Photos 9/...