Onondaga Yacht Club Marina
Onondaga Lake Park
I have driven by the top end of Onondaga Lake Park for as long as I have lived in Central New York. Since I have been doing this photography thing I have been thinking to myself that I need to stop and explore this park. Well, it only took four years for me to make it there…
On Saturday my daughter had the Biology GRE test at Onondaga Community College. Although she has been enjoying her independence with the car I wasn’t sure even I could find my way to the college without some help from the GPS and who wants to fight a drive to an unknown location before a big test? I took the opportunity to go exploring after I dropped her off at the college. I had about four hours to myself, so the expansive park was all mine to explore. I started at the main entrance off Route 370 just North of Destiny USA.
This image is one of the first views that caught my eye. I loved the varying shades of blue and the reflection of the trees. It didn’t hurt to have the stone wall leading toward my subject trees either. Typically I would have stayed with a landscape orientation but by flipping to portrait I was able to focus in more on the trees and their reflection while using the wall as a contrasting angle and leading line.
Osler Medical Back Center, Melbourne, FL
When I am in Palm Bay/Melbourne, Florida I generally head toward the Indian River and the ocean to look for my pictures. I have to pass by the Osler Medical building in Melbourne in order to get to the 192 causeway. I always make a mental note to stop and grab a few images of this building as I enjoy the color scheme. One of the last nights of my most recent trip I turned left off of US 1 and headed down to the Crane Creek Promenade to see what I could discover.
Not only is my colorful building visible from the promenade but the train trestle and a private marina were on my areas to explore. Even though it was an overcast evening and the sun was fighting to show through the clouds the building ended up being illuminated well, creating a very nice reflection in Crane Creek. It took a few tries to get the composition I wanted but I think this view which includes the train trestle works the best. This is an area I will have to explore more on my next visit.
Delta Lake State Park
I’m back! Did you miss me? I have been having fun these last few days, how about you? The latest Windows update that was installed Wednesday night decided to trash my hard drive. Luckily it didn’t do anything to my files as I have them on a second hard drive but my operating system needed to be re-installed and I am still in the process of reloading all my software. I have one more issue Microsoft is going to have to deal with but the one department I need to talk to does not work on the weekends so that will be an interesting call on Monday.
Just to get me back in the swing of things I processed another view of the sunset from last Sunday evening up at Delta Lake State Park. I just love the colors! The ice was starting to melt and break up some so there is also a cool channel for the sky reflection. After these past few days I’m hoping to get back out with the camera today… 🙂
Crescent Lake, Walt Disney World
I am going to go with the excuse that I have not been feeling well and that work has been really hectic as the reason for not venturing out with the camera of late. That is my story and I am going to stick with it. So that leaves me looking through my photo library for something interesting to show.
I seem to be stuck on night/pre-dawn/sundown type images recently. I know I can attribute this fixation on the fun I had during my vacation over Christmas. I came away with quite a few great images and it sparked a desire to learn more.
This image is from my October trip to Walt Disney World. An early morning walk around Crescent Lake which ended up having a very foggy sunrise. This is the Yacht Club Lighthouse looking toward the Boardwalk about thirty minutes before the official sunrise. Usually there would be wonderful deep blues in the sky and if there were only a hint of clouds the morning colors would be bouncing off of them. What I captured is the glow of the Boardwalk lights soaking into the clouds and fog. The colors create a different mood but they work together.
Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World
When we were in Florida for Christmas it was a given that we would be going to Disney. The trip was to be with Grandma, but the kids had not been to Disney in almost 4 years. There was no way I was getting away without taking them. So we picked two parks and went over for a couple of days.
After a successful day at Epcot we did change up our plans and rather than fight the crowds at the Magic Kingdom we opted to go to Hollywood Studios and spend the middle of the day at Disney Springs (formally Downtown Disney). This worked out well as sadly, Hollywood Studios is going through some changes and we were able to do everything in the morning, and make it back for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at night (this was the last year for the lights).
We arrived back at the park via one of the Friendship boats from the Boardwalk resort. I decided to run to the car to drop off everyone’s purchases and dare I say it, my camera! I didn’t want to get caught up trying to photograph the lights and thought I would rather just enjoy the evening. It was a great decision.
On my way to the parking lot I couldn’t help but notice the Tower of Terror against the blue evening sky. I didn’t have the tripod but I made my exposure adjustments, balanced the camera on a railing and grabbed this image. I really love the colors in this one…
Lock 20, Barge Canal
Another GREAT morning! I used the excuse to stop into work early to get myself motivated to go exploring. Yesterday’s early morning run was a success and I wanted to continue my streak (is two a streak?). I had the thought of capturing the tug boats docked at Lock 20 of the Barge Canal with the sunrise behind but that didn’t work out. Apparently they were docked there to be removed from the water.
Luckily for me the sky was putting on a show all of its own! The two images are only 15 minutes apart but the changes in the sky are beautiful. I captured one from above the lock and one from the lock looking down the canal. It didn’t hurt that it was almost 55 degrees out this morning. It is suppose to rain this afternoon but the start of the day was awesome!