A cold lunchtime adventure to Oriskany Creek for another image in the Monochrome Winter series…
Cold Day
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 35mm f/1.8, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 100
Cold Day
Category Archives: landscapes
Venetian Blinds Sky
The continuing series Monochrome Winter with this early morning sky…
Venetian Blinds Sky
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/160s, 17mm, f/8, ISO 400
Water Lights
I have captured this bridge a few times over the past year and a half but I never ventured out at night. There were a few scenes I wanted to explore last night and although not all of them panned out for me, this image of the walkway bridge over the end of the Black River as it enters the barge canal turned out as I had hoped. There is something about reflected lights on water that just fascinates me.
Water Lights
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 50s, 26mm, f/20, ISO 100
Winter Flow
Another image from the backyard creek for the Monochrome Winter series…
Winter Flow
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/8s, 35mm, f/16, ISO 100
Snow Dam
The weather yesterday was almost perfect for a winter day in Upstate NY. The temperature was above freezing (if only slightly) and the sun was out during the afternoon. How could I sit inside just waiting for the new year to arrive.
I threw on some appropriate clothes for trudging through snow and headed out the door with the camera. I had a few scenes in mind that could work in the mid afternoon sun but eventually I ended up at Delta Lake dam just north of Rome. I’ve found this is a location I have no trouble visiting repeatably as there is always something of interest to photograph.
As I worked my way down to the water I noticed another adventurer admiring the view. At first I thought it might be a fisherman but as we said ‘Hello’ I noticed the long lens attached to the camera around his neck. He was out hoping to capture one of the eagles that inhabit the trees around the dam. We stood and talked for quite a while before he decided they were not coming out and I was going to lose my sun behind the approaching clouds. It is always nice to meet fellow photographers.
I played around the dam for another thirty minutes before the sun disappeared behind the clouds. I think I like this area best during the winter. The views are wide open with all the foliage hidden beneath the snow. These images are not possible during the summer…
Delta Lake Dam Memorial
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/80s, 21mm, f/16, ISO 200
Snowfall Dam
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/100s, 21mm, f/16, ISO 200
Dam View
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, (1/5, 1/20, 1/80s brackt), 17mm, f/20, ISO 200
Winter Wonderland
I had promised my daughter we would go see The Hobbit yesterday so I convinced her to go to the first show of the day. Getting the near 3 hour movie in early was important because it was looking like the sun was going to be out and I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to get outside with the camera. A little selfish, I know, but with the snow we have been receiving I had an image in my mind I wanted to capture and the possibility it would present itself yesterday was great. Luckily, she understands my photography insanity and manages to accommodate me. 🙂
We arrived back home with an hour to spare before sunset. I didn’t even take off my coat, just gabbed the camera and tripod and headed down the road. I have been watching the snow accumulate on this lone pine tree in the corner of a fenced in field and thought it would look best in the setting sun. I used my telephoto lens to bring the barn across the fields closer and compress the whole scene.
I had to wait 10 – 15 minutes while the sun played peek-a-boo with the clouds but eventually it lit my scene as I wanted. I’m not sure if the cars passing me while I stood on the side of the road knew what I was doing as some of the drivers gave me some interesting looks. Any of my neighbors are use to the crazy guy walking the roads and fields with his camera but the casual visitor to my neck of the woods always wonders what I’m up to.
My Winter Wonderland scene was exactly what I wanted to capture. I made a few adjustments in Lightroom 4 then processed the image with Topaz Labs’ Adjust 5. I used the plugin to bring out some additional detail in the snow and grass. I tried not to over-process the image but I did want just a little extra punch in it.
Winter Wonderland
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/25s, 55mm, f/18, ISO 200
From a Different Time
Where I live in Upstate NY I’m very close to the old Griffiss Air Force base. Actually, I’m only a few miles from the airstrip and I can still see large cargo planes performing practice take off and landings from my yard. It’s great to see a big C-5 fly over heard at a very low altitude while it makes multiple passes at the runway. The base was decommissioned in 1995 and is now home to a technology park, an aircraft refurbishment center and the Air Force’s Rome Air Labs.
There is another abandoned site not far from the air base that I have been passing on my way to and from work for the last 22 years. I believe it was an old army station but I have not really investigated its history. What this small site does have is a plethora of old buildings I would love to explore. I just haven’t gone as far as to jump the fence and fight my way through the overgrowth.
Yesterday afternoon the sun was fighting its way through the clouds so I decided to head over to this site and grab a few images with my telephoto lens. There is a group of white birch (I believe) growing up around a cement tower and I can also spot the top of another structure from one of the corn fields next to the fence. I’m thinking once the snow starts accumulating it would be a good time to revisit these buildings and maybe get a little adventurous.
Installation Decay
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/60s, 55mm, f/16, ISO 200
The Tower
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/60s, 98mm, EV -0.7, f/16, ISO 200
In The Round
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/80s, 200mm, EV -0.7, f/16, ISO 200
Blue Morning
I had a few days of vacation to use or lose before the end of the year so I decided to have a mini vacation in the middle of the week. Yesterday didn’t work out for me because of the rain but today has been fantastic. This is a four image panorama of the morning clouds rolling in over the Mohawk Valley.
Blue Morning
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/5s, 90mm, f/16, ISO 200 (4 image panorama)
MLCreations Photography 