Path Ahead

Will 2013 be spent looking at the road you have traveled or will it find you looking ahead to the path before you? Me, I’m looking forward…

Another for my Monochrome Winter series.

Path AheadNikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/100s, 42mm, f/10, ISO 200

Path Ahead
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/100s, 42mm, f/10, ISO 200

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

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

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

Dam View
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, (1/5, 1/20, 1/80s brackt), 17mm, f/20, ISO 200

White Hats

The Monochrome Winter series continues with another image from my snow falling walk along the barge canal. I had the bridge this fence is associated with as the destination when I started the walk. I ended up liking these snow topped fence posts over the actual view of the bridge. Sometimes the details are more interesting than the grand view.

White HatsNikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/400s, 180mm, f/8, ISO 800

White Hats
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/400s, 180mm, f/8, ISO 800

Cattail Snow Caps

The latest image in my Monochrome Winter series. I’m glad I decided to try something like this. It has me looking around quite differently. Not only am I looking for a scene or object but now I am looking for tone and contrast, light and shadow. Obviously qualities that should be present in any image but not something I focused on previously.

Cattail Snow Caps Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/200s, 160mm, f/8, ISO 800

Cattail Snow Caps
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/200s, 160mm, f/8, ISO 800

Is This Pose Good?

I live out in the country. My neighbor has a farm but mostly for a few horses and show cows. The current horse, Sonota, has been a favorite subject of mine although it is rare I get an image I truly like. Yesterday she posed for me as I was walking past her enclosure. This is probably the first image I have of her that I am very happy with.

I ended up trying to process this image as a black & white too. I’m not sure it is any better than the color version but I thought I would give it a try. I kept the processing very simple by only working in Lightroom for the conversion. I thought I would overdue the processing if I tempted myself with Topaz Labs B&W Effects.

Is This Pose Good?Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/160s, 150mm, f/8, ISO 200

Is This Pose Good?
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/160s, 150mm, f/8, ISO 200

Is This Pose Good? Monochrome Version Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/160s, 150mm, f/8, ISO 200

Is This Pose Good?
Monochrome Version
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/160s, 150mm, f/8, ISO 200

Thoughts of Summer

Thoughts of Summer Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/100s, 46mm, f/16, ISO 100

Thoughts of Summer
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/100s, 46mm, f/16, ISO 100

Water Flume

Water Flume Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/3s, 17mm, f/20, EV -1.3, ISO 100

Water Flume
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/3s, 17mm, f/20, EV -1.3, ISO 100

Layers and Ice

I received an Ansel Adams 2013 desk calendar for Christmas and have not been able to put it down since I opened it. It has increased my interest in monochrome images, so I thought I would try exploring this year’s winter in monochrome. This is the first image from the creek in the backyard.

Layers and Ice Nikon D5100, Sigam 17=70mm f/2.8-4, 1/8s, 35mm, f/16, ISO 100

Layers and Ice
Nikon D5100, Sigam 17=70mm f/2.8-4, 1/8s, 35mm, f/16, ISO 100