Tag Archives: landscape

Working Bellamy

Posted by Mike on

Bellamy Harbor, Rome, NY

There was a sliver of light in the sky Sunday morning. The forecast didn’t look good for the rest of the day, but I wanted to capture colors. I wanted the sunrise. I drove to Bellamy Harbor in the hope I could capture both.

The light was changing fast as the clouds were fighting the rising sun. I could see it already, my normal view down the canal with the sun providing the color against the gathering clouds. It was going to be a good one.

This time of year the sun rises to the right of the Mill St. bridge as I look east down the Barge Canal. When I arrived at the harbor my first choice was to setup at the water’s edge near the pedestrian bridge over the Mohawk River. I would be looking straight into the sunrise and could include rocks with river debris as foreground elements.

First Choice
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 0.8s, 26mm, f/11, ISO 100

Not a terrible image but not the one I had in my head. Time to move to “my spot” next to the water control gates at the opening of the harbor.

Damn.

The city fixed the fence again. Not sure what my thought process is or why I think this way, but I have no issue going around the fence if someone else has made the opening. I refuse to do it myself. It is a small difference but I stick to it.

Now what?

There is still a view to capture. Keep working the area.

Maybe the view looking down the canal framed by tree branches and the over growth? It could work. I’m not a fan of obscuring the sky but at least give it a try. Placement of the camera is important for this one. Too low on the bank and all you get is the over growth. Too high and the branches from the tree invade the harbor view. There it is…

Framed View
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 0.8s, 38mm, f/11, ISO 100

Still not the one. The light is changing too. Closer to sunrise. Next option?

An elevated view? Same spot in the harbor as the first image but from the top of the bank. I’ll still be looking into the sunrise. The light will be centered.

Higher View
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 0.8s, 29mm, f/11, ISO 100

Almost. Is it getting darker? No, my eyes must be playing a trick on me. Any other thoughts for your sunrise?

Something with out the over growth in the foreground?

Wow! Look at that color. Definitely a view with more water to get the color reflection. From the pedestrian bridge? That could work.

Bridge View
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 0.8s, 26mm, f/11, ISO 100

Damn. It’s cold out this morning. Fingers are getting a little numb.

One more. Back to the water’s edge. Look at those colors.

Fire in the Sky
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/4s, 29mm, f/11, ISO 100

As you can probably tell, the last two images are my favorites. I didn’t know what I would find for an image but I stayed with it. I didn’t get the image in my head but I didn’t walk away. The light was constantly changing providing new and different opportunities..

Looking at the last two images, I wish I had used a neutral density (ND) filter. It would have slowed down my shutter and created smoother, silkier water. It could plus these images or maybe not. The option for me as I processed the captures would have been nice. Next time…

Don’t give up on a scene, especially if an obstacle prevents you from the planned image in your head. Don’t be tied to that vision, create a new one.

Home 103

Posted by Mike on

Delta Lake State Park

Work and the short winter days have a tendency to impede my photography. Not an excuse, a simple statement. Those conditions do afford more opportunities to be creative, but not today. I still have a few images to process from a walk on Sunday along the Mohawk River Trail and the quick run up to Delta Lake.

I liked the snow on top of the bird house. I was high on the bank of the pond for this image, zoomed in to isolate the bird house. I thought maybe a landscape view would be better to give a bigger feeling of isolation. To achieve that I walked closer and zoomed out a little. I failed to watch my background, and I lost the separation of the bird house.

The first image is my “reject” and not fully processed. Notice how the bird house is mixed in with the background. It doesn’t stand out as I wanted. The second image separates the areas of the image and has a greater focus on the bird house, my intended subject. In my rush to capture images before I lost the light I didn’t “see” the scene in my viewfinder.

Home 103 Miss
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/15s, 50mm, f/8, ISO 100

Home 103
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/25s, 70mm, f/8, ISO 100

White Caps

Posted by Mike on

Wordless Wednesday
Monochrome Winter
Mohawk River Trail

White Caps
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/25s, 29mm, f/8, ISO 100

Color in the Sky

Posted by Mike on

Delta Lake State Park

There it is!

What?

A little blue color.

Where?

In the sky.

There are clouds in the sky.

No, it is peeking through between the clouds. Look closer. Do you see it?

Stop kidding around. We haven’t seen blue in the sky in a while.

You better look before it disappears…

So, I drove to Delta Lake after work. I was determined to capture a little color. I would have liked a sunset. There was hope for a few minutes, but as I drove to the lake, my chances were getting slimmer. I had to hurry, the sunset was in thirty minutes and the elusive color was fading.

I chose to stay near the entrance of the park. The pond everyone generally passes has provided me with many images over the years. I liked how the clouds were changing as I looked across the pond. There was enough light for hand-held exposures, so no need for the tripod.

I ran around for thirty minutes capturing the color in the clouds. While reviewing images back home I realized I gravitate toward the benches and the trees for my foreground subjects. That’s OK, they work for me. Especially in the winter. They add to the mood.

Sit with Me
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/20s, 70mm, f/8, ISO 100

Stand Tall
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/20s, 34mm, f/8, ISO 100

Winter on the River

Posted by Mike on

Mohawk River Trail
Monochrome Winter

We got snow! The predictions I was hearing on Friday turned out to be correct. It started snowing Saturday afternoon. Even though it was coming down pretty good I had planned on going out for dinner, and I intended to keep to my plan (at least for food). When I returned, I shoveled. It was wet snow, and I didn’t relish the thought of trying to move that much snow in the morning.

My divide-and-conquer plan worked. Sunday morning, I only needed to shovel half the snow again. I’m guessing about four to five inches each time. I went about my normal chore routine—laundry, breakfast, and groceries—before settling in for the remainder of the morning.

After lunch, the snow tapered off to the equivalent of a rainy mist. I was going to go for a walk. The city was still working to uncover all the roads and sidewalks, so I thought I would be able to capture a few good winter scenes. I drove over and parked in the lot for the Mohawk River trail.

It was a nice afternoon. Although there was a little snow coming down, it was in the low thirties. I walked the trail back toward my place and was able to capture a few good scenes. There was a path by someone and their dog on the trail, which allowed me to follow in their footsteps. It did make the walking a little easier. I had forgotten to bring my snowshoes.

The bridge over the river provides one of the best views looking downstream. I have captured this view on almost every walk. The wet snow sticking to the trees definitely creates a classic winter scene…

Winter on the River
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/80s, 32mm, f/8, ISO 100

Better Late Than Never

Posted by Mike on

Around Central NY

For quite a few years I published a “Best of” post for this blog. With my roller coaster ride last year and lack of interest at the end of the year, I consciously chose not to do one but now I’m having second thoughts. Weird where the mind goes…

I need to back up a little. So, what happened today? I thought of joining a 52-week photography challenge to push myself creatively (historically, they haven’t worked for me). The challenge I read about started out with a “Best of 2023” for week 1. I didn’t like having to sign-up for the website in order to post images in the gallery and changed my approach.

I now want to do the review. Who knew?

I think it is good to review your images. Doing an honest review is helpful to understanding what I gravitate toward photographically, and what I need to improve. Plus, it allows me to show off my images again and let everyone tell me how great I am… just kidding. No, really, I’m not that vain. I swear… ;)

I do not need to post on another site, I can use this one. I did find a 52-week challenge list at 52frames.com which might work for me. The first few challenges will not be favorites of mine but I did say I want to challenge myself. I’ll keep reading the post I wrote on my challenges this year to remind myself “to get off my arse.”

Back to the review…

One of the first few weeks of picking the camera up again I went to the West Canada Creek for long exposure water flows. I can’t get enough of these types of images. I enjoy the challenge of finding the best exposure to showcase the flow of water in the creek.

Mixed Emotions
Olympus E-M1 MK III, M. Zuiko 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II, 1/10s, 132mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

I was going for more walks in the Spring. It helped that the city completed the trail along the Mohawk River which ends very close to my apartment. I can walk out the door and get in a good five miles all while exploring the river with my camera. I also stop for a lot of macro images. I really enjoyed how this close-up of a dandelion turned out.

Gentle Caress
Olympus E-M1 MK III, M. Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro, 1/400s, f/2.8, ISO 200

I’m a waterfall nut. I don’t have any problem driving to capture a waterfall image. Most of my trips to Ithaca are due to the plethora of opportunities for waterfalls. I also have one (or two) in my backyard. Pixley Falls State Park is twenty minutes north of me. I arrived very early one morning in June and was rewarded with great light.

Cascading
Pixley Falls State Park
Olympus E-M1 MK III, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 0.6s, 23mm, f/11, ISO 200

My trip to Florida was postponed from May until June due to my worry for one of my cats. He was not feeling well until I cancelled the trip and miraculously he seemed OK the next day. It was a Florida coast and short Disney trip. I was fortunate enough to get a sunset image of a sailboat moored in the Indian River as a storm was rolling in.

Stoic
Olympus E-M1 MK III, M. Zuiko 12-100mm f/4, 1/500s, 50mm, f/5.6, ISO 100

Another waterfall. You were warned. This is my favorite section of the gorge trail at Buttermilk Falls State Park in Ithaca. A very good portion of the waterfall images hanging in my place are from this park. I also have a habit of processing the images as B&W unless it is during the fall season. If the color is a distraction I will remove it and this one didn’t need any color.

Hush!
Nikon Z6 II, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 0.6s, 47mm, f/11, ISO 100

One morning in August I went to Bellamy Harbor Park for the sunrise. The fog had other plans. I rolled with it. I miss the trees that lined the walkway. They deteriorated to far and the city needed to remove them. But, I’m still able to include the benches.

Rest
Nikon Z6 II, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 1.6s, 54mm, f/16, ISO 100

I had a really good time sharing my photography with friends at work. I did a lunch & learn session as well as a few photo walks. Engaging with everyone definitely keeps me going creatively and photographically. This image at the sculpture park is a result of the first photo walk and me attempting to explain the difference between taking a picture and creating an image.

Just Over There
Nikon Z6 II, NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S, 1/500s, f/5, ISO 100

I have to include one of the images from my walk on December 31st. I hadn’t picked up the camera in months but due to a conversation with someone I met at my go-to place for dinner I felt the need to go exploring. It was not a particularly good evening and the sunset was non-existent but I made it work. Plus, I can’t resist trees without leaves. This image was also the mood I wanted to capture when I drove to the park.

The Park
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/5s, 24mm, f/8, ISO 400

Well, let me know what you think. Is there a different image that is your favorite. Comments are appreciated.

I’m going to check if the snow has slowed enough for me to go grab a few images. And then I need to figure out what I’m doing for the first week’s challenge. It is a self portrait (which I abhor!). Wish me luck, or this might be over before it even starts… :)

Cold Start

Posted by Mike on

Bellamy Harbor, Rome, NY

I refuse to call it a resolution because I don’t make those types of statements. Especially since I historically do not keep them. But I will say the photography bug has struck again. Well, not again actually, that implies I didn’t have it. Let’s say it has reached the front of the line.

I knew there would be no sunrise. After my sunset excursion, I wanted to capture Bellamy Harbor in the morning light under the cover of clouds. I wasn’t disappointed in the scene. I was frustrated by my lack of memory. I struggled with the camera settings, which annoyed me immensely. It was too cold to search for what I wanted in the menus. I made it work, but told myself I needed to learn my camera better. Or, at the very least, not forget what I already should have known…

Cold Start
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 2s, 48mm, f/11, ISO 100

So Long 2023

Posted by Mike on

Delta Lake State Park

This year has been a roller coaster ride, photographically, that is…

The lull in picking up my camera that started in late 2022 continued through most of the first quarter of this year. It wasn’t until after a few conversations at work did I consider anything with photography. I started slow late in March and gained good momentum through the summer months.

I managed a couple of trips to Florida, one mostly for Disney and another included a few days on the east coast. I think it was the second Disney trip that started the decline in my interest again. When I returned I wasn’t engaged. I couldn’t “see” the images and didn’t feel satisfied with what I was creating. I turned to my other hobby again…

Until the last day of the year.

It was in no way a great day. Temps around freezing. A cloudy sky with off and on drizzle. But I went to Delta Lake at sunset. Or at least when sunset was occurring, who could tell through the clouds. My thoughts were on creating monochrome images. I felt I could pull some drama out of the clouds and maybe I would be able to convey how the day made me feel. 

You’ll have to let me know how I did…

Cold Beach
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/20s, 24mm, f/8, ISO 400

Through the Reeds
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/20s, 36mm, f/8, ISO 400

The Point
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/15s, 28mm, f/8, ISO 400

Guarding the Point
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/13s, 24mm, f/8, ISO 400

The Lake
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/15s, 41mm, f/8, ISO 400

Symmetry
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/10s, 38mm, f/8, ISO 400

Collect the Tables
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/4s, 27mm, f/8, ISO 400

Winter Trails
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/4s, 28mm, f/8, ISO 400

Lonely Sentine
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/6s, 34mm, f/8, ISO 400

The Park
Nikon Z6 II, Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S, 1/5s, 24mm, f/8, ISO 400