Category Archives: landscape

Waterfront Grille

Posted by Mike on

Barge Canal, Herkimer, NY

Waterfront Grille – Portfolio Blog

Although the thermometer was reading zero degrees I had a thought for a sunrise image that I wanted to capture. Checking the weather and the Photographer’s Ephemeris, I felt today was a good day to try. There is a area along the barge canal in Herkimer, NY that has been developed and includes the Waterfront Grille. Looking at Google Maps earlier in the week had me thinking I would be able to get next to the canal, have the restaurant and the sunrise over the water in the same view. I got lucky with the open water still in the canal as well as the great chunks of broken ice along the edge. Normally, on my sunset images I have the sun in the scene but for some reason I love the colors in the hour before sunrise and never stick around to capture the actual sun… LOL

 

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Waterfront Grille

Waterfront Grille
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, {1.3, 2.5 & 5s bracket}, 14mm, f/11, ISO 200

in which they wait…

Posted by Mike on

Monochrome Winter

I have begun transitioning this blog over to my portfolio website. I created that site almost two years ago due to running out of image space on WordPress. I have still been using WordPress to publish my ramblings but it is time to fully embrace the new site. I will continue to publish on this version of the blog for a while and will maintain it as an archive of my growth over the past several years…

in which they wait – portfolio blog

  

It was another of those moments yesterday as I traveled to work. I have viewed this scene from the on-ramp to the Thruway for quite a long time. The casino by me built a parking lot for their employees and they would bus them back and forth. I haven’t seen this lot being used in a few years, other than the occasional semi-driver needing to rest.

With the fresh coat of snow and supposedly the full moon (damn overcast skies), I turned the car at the intersection to track down my image. From the moment I spied the three shelters in the parking lot I knew when I eventually stopped to capture the picture, it would end up as a black & white. I have been collecting my B&W winter scenes in a folder called Monochrome Winter. I think it might be time to create that gallery here on this site…

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; in which they wait...

in which they wait…
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 6s, 12mm, f/9, ISO 800

Old Erie Canal Park Twice

Posted by Mike on

Old Erie Canal Park, DeWitt, NY

I have begun transitioning this blog over to my portfolio website. I created that site almost two years ago due to running out of image space on WordPress. I have still been using WordPress to publish my ramblings but it is time to fully embrace the new site. I will continue to publish on this version of the blog for a while and will maintain it as an archive of my growth over the past several years…

Old Erie Canal Park Twice – portfolio blog

  

I’m still working through the few images I captured last week when I snuck out to the Old Erie Canal Park around the corner from where I work. If you remember it was not the best day to be out for pictures but I needed a break from the events at work. It definitely was what I needed and reinforced in me the ability to create interesting pictures in any type of conditions. It is not always sunshine or rainbows when you have the urge to be creative. You work with what you have to satiate the cravings.

I struggled with the post-processing of this image. I originally saw the image in monochrome when I was composing the view and capturing the picture. I could see my normal B&W processing pulling out the subtle layers of light from the drizzling, overcast scene. I think my latest post-processing trend with my Disney images (an attempt at a vintage look) has had an affect on other images. I saw this image that way too. I struggled with which creative trend would win on this image. Even after processing this scene both ways I am still conflicted as to the one image I wanted to post… so you get both.

Not always the best choice for an artist to present conflicting stories, but I think each of these will speak to different people. The first version is the vintage processing attempt. I used Lightroom & On1 Effects to attempt to give this version an old film vibe. On1 has a few interesting presets for accomplishing this look and each time I use it I end up tweaking it slightly. It is a great learning tool for me.

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Yesterday Gone

Yesterday Gone
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/10s, 12mm, f/16, ISO 200

  

The second image is obviously the monochrome version. I processed it with Lightroom & Luminar going for an ethereal look. Besides converting to monochrome there is some blur added to the image as well as the Orton Effect. You will have to let me know which image you prefer…

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Sleep on the Water

Sleep on the Water
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/10s, 12mm, f/16, ISO 200

Hinckley Morning

Posted by Mike on

Hinckley Reservoir

The weather forecast was calling for a warm weekend. It also indicated that rain would be moving into my area in the afternoon. I took a chance that those conditions would produce a good sunrise up at Hinckley Reservoir. Although the thermometer was reading in the low teens I didn’t think it would affect my morning photography. Stupid me! I forgot about wind chill. I lasted about 30 minutes up at the reservoir before I gave up and jumped back into the car.

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Grand View

Grand View
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 6s, 24mm, f/11, ISO 200
8 image panoramic

  

I have captured numerous pictures over the years from my vantage point next to the dam. If you do a search for Hinckley on the blog you will get a sense of how often I return to this spot. Before I ventured down to my normal vantage point at the water’s edge I decided to try for a panoramic image of the entire scene. I didn’t quite have enough coffee in me as I neglected to turn the camera to its portrait orientation but I grabbed 8 images covering almost 180 degrees. FYI – turning the camera to portrait will require more images to capture your scene but you can capture more information top and bottom which will help when your software stitches the images together. If you are interested in the process, check out this article at Digital Photography School.

After getting all my images for the pano I went closer to the concrete columns frozen in the reservoir for my traditional image at Hinckley. If you did the search you will see these columns are typically the focus point of my pictures in this location. I think it is time for me to explore this area a little more and find the other views I am sure are here. Maybe next weekend…

 

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Frozen

Frozen
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M.
Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 2s, 13mm, f/16, ISO 200

Well-trodden Path

Posted by Mike on

Wordless Wednesday
Delta Lake State Park

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Well-trodden Path

Well-trodden Path
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/60s, 14mm, f/16, ISO 200

Winter Rays

Posted by Mike on

Delta Lake State Park

I started Saturday at the Utica Marina but I ended up at my favorite stomping grounds, Delta Lake State Park. Practically balmy conditions made it easy to walk around the park with the snowshoes. It didn’t hurt that the sky has some great clouds to catch the light from the setting sun. Also, I’m always a sucker for a good reflection, even if it is only a muted trail of sunlight.

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Winter Rays

Winter Rays
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/160s, 14mm, f/16, ISO 200

Marina Morning

Posted by Mike on

Utica Marina

Yesterday was a get out of bed and find the sunrise morning. After working on my image for yesterday’s post I gathered up my gear and headed East in search of the sunrise. I could see the colors were going to be great but I needed a suitable subject. I wanted the barge canal in the image as I thought there would be open water somewhere along its route. The first few locations did not work for me, either the sunrise was in the wrong location or the ice was still on the canal. Finally I found my prize at the Utica Marina.

  

MLCreations Photography: Blog Post Related &emdash; Marina Morning

Marina Morning
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/4s, 31mm, f/16, ISO 200