12/10/2009

Tidal Snow: Early Light

Last pic for the First Snow set. This bend in the tidal mouth of Back Creek where it flows into the Mousam River behind Parson’s Beach in Kennebunk ME becomes a graphic element in the composition, drawing the eye past the curve back to the snow covered trees on the far side of the marsh. The low light just after sunrise just skims the marsh.

Sony DSC H50 at about 70mm equivalent for framing. F4.0 @ 1/250th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto.

Added Clarity and Vibrance in Lightroom. Blackpoint slightly right. Sharpen Landscape preset.

From First Snow 12/09.

11/26/2009

 

The Bridge and the Dom

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all!

The stone bridge that connects Old and New Towns in Wetzlar, Germany is one of the major tourists attractions, maybe just behind the The Dom…the almost cathedral that dominates the Old Town skyline. In this shot, taken low to catch the arch of the bridge, you get both.

Despite the less than ideal light, the Sony H50 manages enough depth of field for an effective shot.

Sony DSC H50 at 31mm equivalent. F3.5 @ 1/60th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto.

Recovery for the sky in Lightroom. Added Clarity and Vibrance. Blackpoint slightly right. Sharpen Landscapes preset.

From Germany 2009.

 

11/25/2009

the River Lahn, Wetzlar

The Lahn runs through north west Germany for many miles, and is a famous canoeing river. In summer it is common to see parties of canoes working their way down the series of rapids and falls as the river passes between old Town Wetzlar and the new, and there are docks and ramps and tie-up points all along. This image was captured from one of the canoe docks, just downriver from the floating bridge (only deployed in summer) and just upriver from the famous stone bridge to Old Town. In the background you see the Leica plants. The reeds in the foreground are common reed (phragmities)…found around the globe. You can see the park along the Lahn on the far side of the river…this park runs most of the length of Wetzlar on one side of the river or the other.

No special challenges in this shot, other than the low light levels and the reeds blowing in the wind. I took several shots to catch them where I wanted them in the frame.

Sony DSC H50 at 31mm equivalent. F3.5 @ 1/60th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto.

Recovery in Lightroom for the stormy sky. Added Clarity and Vibrance. Blackpoint to the right. A tiny bit of Fill Light for the foreground. Sharpen Landscape preset.

From Germany 2009.

11/7/2009

 

Flotsom: Oak afloat

Just enough cloud reflections in the water to make the surface interesting…and then the copper gold of the floating leaves and the extended pattern they make on the water. Cropped up from the bottom for composition.

Sony DSC H50 at about 60mm equivalent. F4.0 @ 1/80th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto.

Very simple Lightroom work. A touch of recovery for the reflections. Blackpoint slightly right. Added Clarity and Vibrance and Sharpen Landscapes preset.

From Rachel Carson NWR Seasons.

 

11/6/2009

Deep Autumn on the Little River

Another not so easy exposure. I really wanted the wispy clouds in that very blue sky, so the foreground went dark. It took a Graduated Filter effect in Lightroom to bring it back up to where I am happy with it…but, oh, the sky!

I also cropped out some of the river in the foreground as it was too strong an element in the composition.

Sony DSC H50 at full wide (31mm equivalent). F5.6 @ 1/640th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto. I tipped the camera up to meter more of the sky and locked exposure before reframing for composition.

As mentioned above, Graduated Filter and cropped in Lightroom. The GF effect was pulled up from the bottom to cover about 2/3s of the image. Added 60 Exposure, and some Clarity and Contrast. Added Clarity and Vibrance overall, Sharpen Landscape preset.

From Rachel Carson NWR Seasons.

11/4/2009

 

Oaks Turn to Shine

We really have two fall foliage shows here in Southern Maine. First the maples turn in all their firey glory…and then, weeks later, when the last of the maple leaves are just clinging on, the oaks turn their rich copper brown and the forest and roadsides are filled with color again.

This is one of my two favorite vistas at Rachel Carson NWR, overlooking a bend in the Little River. This is higher than I generally frame it, but the oak leaves are as much the subject of the shot as the river and reflections. To me it all works together.

Sony DSC H50 at about 55mm equivalent for framing. F4.5 @ 1/250th @ ISO 100. Programmed auto.

In Lightroom, slight recovery for the reflections in the water. Fill Light for the foliage in the foreground. Blackpoint just slightly right. Added Clarity and Vibrance and Sharpen Landscapes preset.

From Rachel Carson NWR Seasons.

 

10/14/2009

Fall Mood

Okay…we all need a break from birds! As you can tell, most of my photography over the past few weeks has been PhotoScoping and I still have a whole set of birds from Green Cay Wetlands in FL from Monday to share…but enough birds already. Lets look at a scenic. Fall. Heavy weather. Mood. (Which seems the norm for fall in Maine this year.) Actually, of course, by the time I get home tomorrow the leaves will probably be gone. This was taken a few weeks ago, just at the start of the turn. I could not resist the sky and the reflections in the water, and that small band of color in the trees.

Sony DSC H50 at 31mm equivalent. F4 @ 1/250th @ ISO 100. Programed auto.

In Lightroom, Recovery for the sky and clouds and reflections. Blackpoint just slightly right. Added Clarity and Vibrance in the Presence panel. Sharpen landscape preset.

From Rachel Carson NWR Seasons.

10/9/2009

Autumn Angler

I was down at the river looking for a view, when I turned to see this fisherman in the stream. I had only time for one shot before he became aware of me. To me it captures a moment and a feeling. Just enough autumn color to give you the when, and yet a king of timeless quality in the activity. The reflected colors in the water, the little fall behind the fisherman…I could not have posed it better…and yet it just happened. To me those are the best shots!

Sony DSC H50 at 31mm equivalent. F2.7 @ 1/60th @ ISO 100. Programed auto.

Cropped slightly in Lightroom for composition and to eliminate a light sky expanse. Recovery for the highlights in the falls. Some Fill Light to open shadows. Blackpoint to the right very slightly. Added Clarity and Vibrance in the Presence panel and Sharpen landscape preset.

From Fall 09 Maine.

9/8/2009

Curve of Living Water

I have photographed this curve of the Little River hundreds of times. There is a little observation deck there built out over the edge of the marsh at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Of course it is never the same twice. The light, the sky and clouds, the exact colors of the marsh grasses day to day, the reflective quality of the river water…not to mention the state of the tide…it all changes constantly. So every image is different.

What does not change is the classic “s” curve of the river through the marsh.

Sony DSC H50 at full wide (31mm equivalent). F5.6 @ 1/800th @ ISO 100. Programed auto. -1EV exposure compensation.

Recovery for the sky in Lightroom. Added Vibrance and Clarity in the Presence panel. Blackpoint slightly to the right. Sharpen landscape preset.

From Rachel Carson Seasons.

8/27/2009

Ruskin's View

John Ruskin, Victorian art critic, philosopher and writer, champion of Lake District painters and J.M.W Turner in particular, claimed that this was the most perfect view in all of England. There are signs all through the town of Kirkby Longsdale directing you to this spot, and a big brass plaque and stone bench to help you enjoy it.

And I suspect it looks today just about as it did in Ruskin’s time. And I suspect this is just such a day as the day on which Ruskin drew his conclusion.

Obligatory photo.

Minolta A1 at 28mm equivalent. F8.0 @ 1/640th @ ISO 100. Programed auto.

Sharpen landscape and Punch presets in Lightroom. Blackpoint to the right. Some Recovery for the clouds.

From England 2005.