I never really paid any attention when I snapped this photo at an old farm in the Blue Ridge of Virginia, but when developing the image I realized this goose has blue eyes. Do all geese have blue eyes? (Nikon D300, ISO 200, 50mm, f5.6, 1/500 sec. Developed in Lightroom 2.6)
There are hundreds of old, deserted structures in and around the Blue Ridge Mountains where we live, and it’s been a quest of mine to photograph as many of them as I can. In this case, as I was standing in front of the old store, I could almost see myself as a small boy walking up the steep steps, with a dime in my pocket, looking to buy some stick candy, or a cold bottle of grape Nehi, straight out of an insulated, rusty metal box filled to the brim with ice. (Nikon D300, ISO 200, 50mm, f7.1, 1/250 sec. Developed in Lightroom 2.6 as a single image HDR)
Being at the right place at the right time has meant a lot to my photography. Like here. I was waiting for the sun to set along the coast near St. Petersburg, Florida and as luck would have it, up come a bunch of surfers who decided to “do there thing” I cranked my Nikon D300 up to high shutter speed and clicked away. (Nikon D300, ISO 200, 90mm, f5.6, 1/1250 sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta 2)
We’ve all seen them while on vacation, and been inside spending our cash for things we absolutely don’t need. Why do we do this? I’m referring to what are called “tourist traps” where various types of souvenirs are sold, most having been made in China, with little if any purpose other than to give as gifts to friends and family, who will probably take a look at the gift, shrug their shoulders, say “thanks”, and then toss the item into some drawer or closet never to be seen again. This spot caught my eye in Tarpon Springs Florida, more for the bright colors and displays outside. Had I gone inside the “Sponge–o–rama” I’m sure I’d have bought something. (Nikon D300, ISO 200, 26mm, f11, 1/400sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta2)
This is a shot where having the flip out and rotating LCD screen on my Canon G11 really comes into play. I’d never have been able to stoop low enough to get this angle any other way. (Canon G11, ISO 80, 6mm, f8, 1/250 sec. Developed in Lightroom 3 Beta 2)
This large flowering fruit tree sits directly across the street from our house. It’s about fifty feet high and about as wide at its base. It’s also the scenic highlight of our neighborhood this time of year. Before long, the grass underneath, and the street adjacent will be covered with fallen petals, looking like a winter snowfall. The tree appears better this year than I can remember, perhaps due to all the rain and snow we had this winter. Whatever, it’s a sight to see, and you just did! (Canon G11, ISO 80, 10mm, f8, 1/320 sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta 2)
Laughing Gulls do, in fact, sound like they are laughing as they loudly and constantly shriek their high–pitched cries from overhead along the beach shore. This gull is NOT one of the laughing variety, but is from what I can figure out using my Birds of North America Field Guide, a Lesser Black–Backed Gull, and a rough looking one at that. If this bird could talk, I imagine it saying something like, “Yo, camera person, you talking to me?” (Canon G11, ISO 80, 30mm, f4.5, 1/125 sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta 2, with a Topaz Adjust 4 layer added to add some “spice” to the scene.)
Here’s another photo taken yesterday of some of the tulips in our yard. This one is by the mailbox next to the street. One aspect of the flowers I like best are the bright colors in the center of each bloom, with all the pollen waiting to be picked up by passing insects. (Canon G11, ISO 80, 6.1mm, f8, 1/125sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta 2)
Each year in early April, the many tulips planted in our yard start blooming. More than any other flower, they seem to photograph nicely, at least for me. Our colors range from bright yellow, to reds, to pinks, and to orange. They don’t last long, but while they are in bloom they add much to the “greening” landscape here in SW Virginia. (Canon G11, ISO 80, 6.1mm, f8, 1/160sec. Developed in Lightroom 3, Beta 2)
Too often I find myself drawn to interesting people while touring around with my camera, but I never take the time to actually talk to those subjects. Afterwards I always feel bad that I lost an opportunity to learn more about them. Case in point was this older sponge fisherman in Tarpon Springs, FL. He was cutting sponges in half with a large band saw, and selling them as vase sponges to tourists standing close by. While I was snapping away with my camera, he was talking to a customer, who unlike me was engaging in conversation. Later after I downloaded all the photos I’d taken that day, I saw this photo (and a few others like it) and mentally kicked myself in the rear end for being so shy when I’d had a great opportunity to get to know more about this interesting person. Perhaps he had spent years suiting up in heavy deep underwater diving gear searching for sponges. Whatever he did, I’m sure I would have learned much had I been more personable. Lesson learned—I hope. (Nikon D300, ISO 200, 112mm, f11, 1/1215 sec. Developed in Lightroom 3 Beta2 with a Topaz Adjust 4 layer in Photoshop to make the image more dramatic.)
