Some Macro Photography Experiments

My better half just had a hip replaced.  She received some flowers for her recovery so I thought I would take the opportunity to use the flowers for some photography trials.  I wanted to see what I could do with my Tamron 18-270mm lens.  Here are six that I took.  They were sitting in a room that is lit only with a chandelier that has 60 60watt clear candle shaped lamps.  I did not use a flash, I hate flash pictures unless it is added light in the daytime.  Just my likes, not an opinion.  F-stops were either f-6.3 or f-11.  focal lengths were 270mm except for one which was 91mm.  Shutter speed was either 1/13 sec or 1/20 sec.  Tripod and timer of 2 sec. plus mirror was in locked up position.  ISO ranged from 1250 to 5000.  Manual focus was the norm and was used in setting the blur effect.  Picture number two was set to monochrome in the camera.  Enjoy and enlarge if so desired.

Snow in the Mid-West.....Again!

This year seems to be following the same path and cycle of last year.  It reminds me of when we lived up in Caribou, ME.  A little snow before Halloween and sometimes on Halloween.  I remember my brother and I going out in clown suits that our mom made.  It was just starting to snow.  When we got back there was maybe four inches of wet snow on the ground which made the ruffles at the cuffs get weighted down and start to unravel.

We had a slight warming spell but it only lasted three or four days and since then we have had some sort of precipitation every  two or three days faithfully.  It has become a photo opt on many occasions and a great time to learn photography in the winter when most people when most people think there is no color so why try and then put the camera away until spring.

I admit, wintry, snow covered fields are daunting in some respects but after reading some “tips and tricks” of photographing winter scenes my appreciations of the white stuff has gained in strength.  Otherwise, it is good for Santa’s sleigh and should go away on December 26^th.

Like I said, the color is there, sometimes you just have to look a little bit harder and then try to appreciate the cold and the inconvenience of the season.  After all, it is just a seasonal thing and it too will pass.  When it does, it will again be full of brilliant colors.  Click to enlarge the photos.

A Christmas Card for a Neighbor

We have a neighbor that has a real natural decorating touch so, with the first real snowfall of the season I took a picture of their house.  It was a little difficult since I didn't want to go out in the rain and snow combo so I took it through a side window that had water droplets on it.  Had to dodge the window pane bars in between the glass and try to keep the vehicles out of the picture.  All in all, I think it came out pretty good.  I tweaked it to take the "photo" look out of it.  No, it isn't HDR but it does have that effect somewhat.  I sent her a big enough copy for next years card.

Merry Christmas All.

The Big Snow...It Came and Left

We had our day or so advanced weather warning/advisory for yesterday, 12/05.  Three bands with different depths expected.  If I got it right, those that weren't suppose to get too much got their butts kick a bit and those of us that were to get 4" to 8" and up to 10" pretty much hung around the 4" mark if you were measuring with a standard ruler and not pushing down on it.  It blew some and it was wet some.  They say it caused a lot of wrecks on the highways but I have yet ever seen a snowflake or ice crystal drive a car or truck yet so I'm hanging in there that it was more human error all along.

One thing the storms bring is opportunity.  The opportunity to get some really nice pictures and or to hone your craft or, as in my case, to work on perfecting your hobby of taking photos.  Snow is one of the most difficult to do.  Frustrating and yet fun to keep trying.  I've tried, now it can go away.

Ice Fishing Heron

Today we had a visitor to the pond.  It's a Blue Heron that comes on a regular basis, however, since it has turned cold we haven't seen it around.  The pond has a skim of ice but the weather warmed up a bit and shrunk from around the edges.  It was interesting watching it in action, wondering how it could see through the ice but I saw it strike and a fish dart away after being missed.  The fish looked as if it was maybe 4 to 5 inches.

Anything Will Do For a Brief Stop Over

We've had what appears to be a young Coopers Hawk hanging around for the past week or so.  On Wednesday it decided to not land on our deck or any of the neighbors roofs but instead to use the one of the neighbors cars as a perch.  It then moved lower and closer to the pond by landing on the sign telling everyone that they are not to fish, ice skate or swim in the pond.

I've been busy thus I didn't get to post this before the snow melted and we get the Ohio weather swing of 60+ degrees tomorrow.  These roses caught my eye last weekend, down below the window that morning. 

(click to enlarge)

 It all started with the first dusting of snow on the trees.  A bright and clear but cold day ahead.

Then all of a sudden the clouds moved out and turn to wispy looking clouds that could have been painted with a brush.

A Fall Trip To Get Apples

Not many left at this time of the year.  This is Irons Fruit Farm, a cooperative that sets up in farmers markets throughout this area of Ohio.  At the main farm they also have the corn maze, some animals for the kids and hay rides.

On the way home we took another route and from a distance I could see the top of this barn coming into view.  It was a chance shot because I wasn't driving and we didn't really slow down.  A little more to the left and the wife's face, or at least her nose, would have had to been cropped out.

We are in the first of two 90 deg. turns after passing the barn.

After going through the second of the 90 degree turns we came to a canopy of trees.  There were maybe 4 homes on the left side of the road and a huge corn field on the right.  There is a 45 degree to the left up ahead that leads to Oregonia Road, runs kind of east west, that leads from Lebanon, OH to Oregonia, OH.  It's famous for the Golden Lamb Inn.  Many of presidential hopefuls and winners have stopped here to give a speech.

Ohio's Fall Colors for 2013

Finally The Clouds Move Out

As the clouds move east they left behind this wall or line of what was rain and snow today.  20 below normal.  What will winter bring this year is the question on everyone's minds.

The Moon, Clouds and Fall Colors

The evening moon in mid-October here in southern Ohio.  Rained earlier today and then cleared off late in the afternoon.

Something To Do On a Rainy Day

I took the opportunity to go through some photos of a car show I went to back in 2011.  It's called the Taj Ma Garaj Ronald McDonald House benefit.  A local gentleman name John Dixon stated it many years ago.  The name goes along with an automobile garage that specializes in foreign cars but mainly Porsches.  He also has a banquet center of 23,000 sq. ft. that is loaded with Porsche cars that in some cases have a ton of history in the racing world or as specials.  You can visit it here http://www.tajmagaraj.com/index.php.  Don't skip this link, there are Porsches that you have never seen before like the stretch lemo or the wrought iron VW Beetle (yes, that is the first Porsche built, just not raced).

John passed away recently after a long battle with cancer.  Here's hoping someone will continue his service in the community.

I think this is a 1987 911 Carrera, the year is what I'm not sure about and that is a factory Turbo look that was ordered.  Flat 6 - 3.2 litre, air cooled, 5 speed G50 transmission with approx. 214 HP that got 16 city and 23 highway mpg.  Not bad for 1987.

If you see me coming you will undoubtedly see me........

going!

Good Morning Mr. Sun

Nothing else to say.

Fall Is Upon Us

I looked through the window the other morning and then looked through the grasses.  On the other side of this was a world waiting to be part of a near perfect day.

This was taken by a friend that is just getting into photography.  Boy, for a beginner he's doing great.  The following pictures were taken near Hocking Hills State Park which is located in the lower central part of Ohio.  It's east of Athens Ohio which has a well know college party school located in it.

Another angle from the same spot.  Our foliage will be in full peak by the end of the month.  This was just taken last weekend.  

Like the caption says at the bottom of the page, a little playing around with some HDR effect.  Colorful!

It's Fall, Pumpkins, Colors and Cloudy Weather

Took the picture of the pumpkins for the wife's Facebook image.  Pumpkins and gourds were plentiful this year and of a very large variety.

Morning clouds let some light through but within an hour of this shot the gaps closed up and it drizzled off and on the rest of the day.  Supposedly we are being affected by the storm in the gulf that will go up the Appalachian trail.

 Finally we have some colors showing.  If you could see this zoomed out you would not see this much color.  There is a tree line on the other side of the soybean field in the distance that has one spot of color for now.  We have another week or so before we get real color going here in southern Ohio. 

Morning Fog

Earlier this morning there was a photo opp that my wife woke me up for. These are a couple of pics of some ducks taking off into the light of the sun and fog. They go eat breakfast some place else and then return for the day. I was literally looking pretty much directly into the sun. In less than 5 minutes the sun was up high enough to make the fog off the pond negligible. Thought a ND filter would have been nice but....

It Rained Last Night

We got three inches of rain last night hence, no Harvest Moon shot.  Tonight it is crystal clear.  Some  members in a photo club, www.focusphotoclub.com,  I belong to have some super long lenses or lenses with teleconverters where they can get great details of the moon.  I don't have but one lens, an 18mm-270mm Tamron, so I figure if you can't join them in detail then go in the opposite direction.  At 18mm this is what I got.  Also picked up the drapery reflection as well has my hand over the tower in the distance.

Getting Ready for Fall

This is from a Smoke Tree that I have trimmed to a bush.  The light was very low when I took this, nearly *8 PM.  I made my 18 - 270mm lens into a macro shooting at 270mm  1/60 shutter speed, f-6.3 and the ISO was 3200.  I accepted the fact that I would have some graininess, I actually wanted it.  What I really liked was how the sun, just a spot of light, caught the leaves.  By the way, I don't use a flash.  Only flash I have is the pop up on the camera and with this lens the flash is cut off.

This was the sun bouncing off the bottom of the clouds overhead.