Point Betsie Splash

This is just below the Point Betsie Lighthouse - a seawall to keep erosion at bay.  This was taken last March, still a bit of snow around but no ice in the water.  This has a lot of color to it.  I like being able to bring out different blues in the water.  The seawall color is great as well.

1/320 f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 50 mm (75 mm for 35mm film)

Photo Set

Westward

We were returning to Gloucester and passed this fishing boat.  I was captivated by the sunlight hitting the vessel and the oranges.  As it turns out - the hull isn't that deteriorated but this looks great.  We were going a bit faster and I have a number of shots that all turned out well, but the sun was shining on this one.  (A current screen saver....)

1/400 f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 92 mm (138 mm for 35mm film)
Photo Set

Winter Waves

This is a breakwater next to the walkway to the light at St. Josephs on Lake Michigan.  This was at the first stop on the Lake Michigan tour last March - and I was instantly captivated by this piece of wood along the rocks.  I have read a number of stories about wrecks off the shores - and I can picture this coming off an old wooden schooner.  (It looks more like part of a pallet - but it is my daydream....)

1/250 f/10
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 30 mm (45 mm for 35mm film)
Photo Set

Old Gloucester Warehouse

Motoring away from Gloucester, we passed this building.  I like this shot but it will probably never see the light of day past the blog.  On the left is a modern house and light pole that just destroys the setting.  I like the writing on the building walls - big block white letters.  The different colors and textures of the roof are interesting.

1/320 f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 85 mm (127 mm for 35mm film)
Photo Set

Gulls on Boat

This is a fun shot.  These two were yakking for about 20 minutes.  They were hopping around - just plain showing off.  Shortly after I took this, they departed - probably for another tourist show.  In this shot I like the carvings in the wood - looks busy.  The water came out OK as well.

1/320 f/8
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 170 mm (255 mm for 35mm film)
 Photo Set

Eastern Point Lighthouse

Eastern Point Lighthouse is at the entrance to Gloucester.  The lighthouse itself is mentioned in the movie "Perfect Storm".  It is the last lighthouse seen by any sailor that does not return to Gloucester.  This was taken from the water on the way out to the whale watching area.  Most of the photos I have of this are in the shadows.  Luck  and weather was on my side - as the boat passed, so did the clouds.  I really like how the color of the water came out.

1/1000 f/6.3
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 220 mm (350 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Marshall Point Lighthouse

This is the Marshall Point Lighthouse.  I have posted the light in an earlier post.  Doesn't change the situation - it was pouring rain when I was there.  And truth be told, I was OK with that as everyone probably had a sunny photo of this shot - but I dare to be different.  Post the rainy one.  Another plus - no one else was there!  I like the reflection of the house on the pavement and the light coming from the inside.

1/400 f/3.7
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 25 mm (37 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

York Inlet

One of the first 'official' stops turned out to be York, ME.  This is the beach area.  Being on of the first times I'd seen a New England coast, this really got to me.  I really like the buildings along the coast.  After the photo was taken and I could review it - I knew I'd like the sky and how it would turn out in this version.  In most photos I can see crop possibilities - but this one presents problems.  If I remove some sky, I'll lose some of the beach - and I don't want to do that.  Problems - Problems.......

1/320 f/10
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 42 mm (63 mm for 35mm film)
Photo Set

House on Stilts

For the New England trip, one of the shots I was looking for was buildings on the water - literally on the water.  This scene is at the end of a small inlet.  We were looking for Kennebunkport and this was along the way.  In a perfect world I wouldn't have the red house or the more modern house on the right.  Looking at it now - I'm OK with the house - great color contrast.  The house on the right still would have to go.

1/400 f/5.3
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 78 mm (115 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Bunny and Plant

This little fella showed up one day and promptly made camp under the shed in the yard.  Generally speaking, we don't have a rampant rabbit problem and really don't want to have one, but this one is so cute.  I spent two days following him/her (I didn't get that close.) around the house - like I pester the kids.

1/60 f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 65 mm (97 mm for 35mm film)

Summertime...................

Well, been away for a while - almost 6 weeks.  Been a great summer so far.  (And truth be told, was burning out a bit...)

Newsletter from photo club showed up yesterday and I sort of got snapped back!  

Not that I took a great number of photos over the past few weeks, but have had lots of ideas.  I'm also viewing scenery as it would appear through my eyes - or after I applied my take on it.

I hung a number of photos in the house.  I'm trying Qimage for a photo print application.  I'm not that disappointed in Elements, but I've read where the algorithms used to blow up photos is different.  I won't say better, but different.  And different is good.

Fritz Henry Lane

One of the first sights (after the shopping district) we hit in Gloucester was the Fritz Henry Lane statue.  The statue is located n a small park dedicated to him and his art.  From this sight you can see much of the harbor.  One hundred years ago - you could probably see more. It was fun working with this photo - trying to keep the beautiful blue sky while drawing out the statue face.  In the original, the face is completely in the dark due to the position of the sun.

1/320 f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 38 mm (57 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Cape Elizabeth Splash

I like these splash type photos.  (See the Grand Haven Splash.)  The water action is fascinating.  Getting the photos is an art to itself.  In my opinion - you just don't walk down to the area and snap a photo.  One of the nice features of the Nikon is the speed at which it will take shots.  To get this - I had to listen to the waves - look over the camera to look for waves that would hit and hold the button when the time was right........  There were a lot of photos deleted in this effort.  But you get this - and it is all worth it.

1/1250 f/5
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 32 mm (48 mm for 35mm film)

30 Mile (NY) Lighthouse

The last lighthouse we saw on the New England trip was the 30 Mile Lighthouse.  This lighthouse is on the Ontario shore.  We, again, were a bit early in the season and missed the lighthouse museum. The house is made of stone - like Sodis Point.  The house is in a campground and a very nice area.  On the other side of the house is a 30 foot cliff and not much of a beach.

1/320 f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 27 mm (40 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Pin Wheel - 1333

This is a pin wheel fireworks. (Can fireworks be singular?)

This is quickly becoming a favorite.  Every process I run it through is a good shot.  That usually does not happen.  I like the perfect yellow circle with a red exterior.  Of course the red sparks are interesting as well.  You can see the wood grains of the post that held the wheel.  All in all, very interesting.

1/6  f/10
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 140 mm (210 mm for 35mm film)

Marshall Point Light

Marshall Point light is one of the more famous Maine Lights.  I didn't know this but this light was in the movie Forrest Gump as the endpoint of Forrest's cross country adventure.  Aside from that point of notoriety this is a unique light - with the walkway.  I bet this is great in the winter - but my luck I had a weather challenged day.  And I was lucky.  I like how the green of the grass contrasts against the gray of the sky and water.  I have a photo of the house that is now a museum - which turned out good.  It will make out here soon.

1/320 f/3.5
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 18 mm (27 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Sodis Point Lighthouse

On the way home from Maine, we drove the south Lake Ontario shore in New York.  We arrived at the Sodis Point Lighthouse just as it was opening for business.  This is a nice little area - and when we visited it looked like it came out of the winter in great shape.  The original light building is no longer visible except for a brick ring just in front of the building.  The museum is one of the nicest I've seen and the staff were very friendly.

1/400 f/6.3
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 30 mm (45 mm for 35mm film)
Photo set

Portland Head Light

Another of the lighthouses on the New England trip.  This is a very pretty place.  There are paths along the cliffs that provide a number of interesting angles to this location.  This was late int he afternoon and unfortunately the house was just closing.  The tower is open and I would think the sight back to the shore would be incredible.  (Plus an opportunity for a panoramic shot...)

1/500 f/8
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal length 21 mm (31 mm for 35mm film)

Rock (Well, big Rock)

One of my favorite rocks.  This one is hard to get to.  It is accessible by foot (easiest). bike (hardest) or quad (somewhere in the middle).  This is one of my true HDR shots.  The area is basically dark and shadows are everywhere.  There is very little light - and where it does shine through it will burn out the shot.  I did very little to this as far as enhancing color saturation.  I took three shots here - none of then are any good by themselves.  This is what the rock looks like.

1/4, 1/8, .4  f/5.6
Aperture Priority  EV -0.3
ISO 200
Focal length 18 mm (27 mm for 35mm film)

Butterfly on Flower

I never thought I'd enjoy taking pictures of......  Butterflys.  Over the weekend I was walking at LMV and I saw lots of these creatures.  Taking photos of the butterfly presents a number of issues.  Mostly - they don't 'pose' for you.  Just when you think there is a good shot - they move.  And it always seem to be they will face you.  And almost disappear.  i really like the contrast of color between the butterfly and the foliage.

1/250 f/6.3
Aperture Priority  EV -1.0
ISO 200
Focal length 200 mm (300 mm for 35mm film)