IN THE FIELD: CAR SHOWS

 

Car shows are what I like to call “a gathering of mobile works of art”.

You can find all kinds of shapes, styles and models represented from stock as the manufacturer originally made the vehicle, to full out customs. Some cars and trucks are loaded with chrome adornments and some vehicles are customized with almost none. Paint schemes are always a treat to see since imagination is the only limit as to what colors of the rainbow are used to color the car or truck.

One thing you may want to consider when visiting a car show is to plan on spending way way way more time there than you would think you will need. The owners of the cars and trucks love to talk about the vehicle they brought to the show. The amount of automotive history you can learn in an afternoon is amazing. 

In addition to the car owners, fellow spectators are also a fun bunch to hang out with. Hearing their stories of previous shows and their interest in cars and trucks can keep you occupied for quite awhile. And sometimes you may be lucky enough to meet folks who are building a special vehicle of their own. Just don’t forget to check out the rest of the vehicles! 

When I come across a vehicle I would like to photograph, I always chat with the owner for a spell before I ask if I can get a few shots of their pride and joy. So far I’ve never had anyone say no. It’s great that the owners are so accommodating. 

The most recent car show I visited was at the Oley Valley Fair which took place a few weeks ago. See previous post. Cars were on display from the 1920’s to present day, so there was something there for all to enjoy.

 

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IN THE FIELD: Uh Oh

 

Summer storms. 

A few days ago a strong line of storms were predicted to blow through the area. As the day progressed, huge cloud formations began to build. And sure enough, my phone and iPad started going nuts with audible weather alerts and messages of impending doom. I.E. Heavy rain, lightning, flash flooding, possible hail, and strong winds which could lead to mesocyclone winds and even tornados. 

I looked out the front windows and judging by how the trees were now bending over from the increasing winds, and the skies were really darkening, a nasty storm was brewing. And it wasn’t far away. Then a quick peek out the back window revealed what was really in store. I literally said out loud…“uh oh”.  

Not knowing how much time I had before the skies let loose, I quickly grabbed the camera and went outback to get a few shots of the stormy clouds. It was really windy so I figured by going out back I would be sheltered from the wind and all the debris that was flying around. Well at least somewhat sheltered.

It was quite easy to see the rotation of the clouds…right above me. I mean the clouds were really spinning. That’s probably why the last alert I heard and read before going outside was a tornado warning.

I was only outside long enough to get a few shots. As much as I enjoy inclement weather, that was long enough. The experience was pretty exciting and rather scary at the same time!

White Balance: cloudy

ISO: 640

Shutter: 1/50

 

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION AND ASSIGNMENTS: LOOKY WHAT I SEE

 

Most of the subject matter I photograph falls into the “nature” category. Flowers, trees, scenics and everything in between are typical subjects. There are times when architecture even comes into play.

While out shooting these “typical” subjects, I am always on the lookout for something fun, different, or the unusual.

Images that don’t have a specific category on my computer yet, and could be classified as unusual, or different or fun, are stored in a folder I have named “Abstracts”.

Here is a photo that has just been added to my abstracts folder. I would bet that most folks have seen this a time or two.

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION AND ASSIGNMENTS: TREES A SECOND APPEARANCE

I enjoy living in an area where there are distinct seasons. The scenery changes often enough and sometimes rapidly enough to have different visuals almost on a daily basis.

The photo of the lone tree illustrated in the previous post was taken on June 5 of this year. The photo of the same lone tree in this post was taken on May 1 of this year. 

And in a few weeks time, the corn that has been planted in the foreground fields will be so tall that the tree will not be visible from this same vantage point.

Ya know…looking back, I wonder if I should have reversed the order of photos/posts. Oh well.

 

 

 

 

 

INSPIRATION AND ASSIGNMENTS: TREES

I have a special affinity for trees and it doesn’t matter what species of tree I may be looking at. To me they are all special. I honestly think my love for trees started when I was a young boy. My parents planted a Scarlet Oak in the front yard before I was born. Scarlet Oak trees are pretty fast growers and by the time my younger sister and I were able to climb nearly to the top, it was already taller than our house. Granted, it was a ranch style house and we were still youngsters, it was still big to us! My sister and I spent many a day playing in the tree. Mom always knew where to find us. Oh, by the way, the tree still stands in the front yard of our childhood home. It’s at least 60 feet tall now. Maybe taller.

Now several (well, many) decades later my love for trees continues. Whether it is through photography, woodworking or just visual enjoyment. And lately I have been doing a little exploring around the community where I live. Looking at trees. The area is nestled in a wide valley, surrounded by small and a few not so small family run farms. This area has been farmed for hundreds of years and most of the farms have been handed down over many generations. Though sparsely populated, in town there are two gas stations, a grocery store, a couple of small eateries and a few small shops. And tree lined streets. Yup, there are two.

Back to the trees…

Dotted among the farmland and rolling hills carved out by glaciers centuries ago, are groves of trees that have been untouched for a couple of hundred years. And then…what I find puzzling…are the lone trees some farmers leave to grow in the middle of their fields. 

Maybe they let them grow out there in the middle so some shade is provided for relief on a hot summer day. Or maybe, just maybe, the farmers leave the trees in the middle of their fields just because. I like that reason the best. 

Ya know…I would think that farmers are pretty well-read. So the quote that follows may be familiar to them. Just because…

“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a

green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some 

scarce see Nature at all. 

But to the eyes of the man with imagination, Nature is Imagination itself.”

William Blake

Letters

1799

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration And Assignments: Look Closely And You Will See

This photo was taken just two days ago. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and  you folks will probably figure this one out pretty quickly. In this day and age of modern technology what you are seeing can be a pretty common occurrence if the weather and light all gel together. In fact, I would bet you have all seen something like this in your travels.

Inspiration And Assignments: View From Above

I have been wanting to use this photo in a blog post for quite some time but was at a loss for words. Well it appears timing is everything.  A few weeks ago a good friend of mine came across a quote that she felt would be perfect inspiration for one of my blog posts. She turned me on to the quote and it turns out she was right on the money with this one.

“It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.”

Henry David Thoreau

In many more words than Mr. Thoreau used, this has been my mantra for years. 

“I think that people will too often look and not really see. And if I can see for them, to show them what fascinates me about a single leaf floating in a creek, or the morning light highlighting a stand of trees or the seemingly random pattern in a pile of rocks…then I have shared that single experience, that split second in time with them. And if I can give them the opportunity to enjoy that one moment, then I have accomplished what I set out to do.”

Try to take the time out to “see.” It will make a world of difference in your life, and in your photography.

By now you are probably wondering what the subject matter is in the above photograph. I’ll give ya a few hints. It’s not a photo of a mountain range or of a river delta taken from a window on the International Space Station. I’ve never been invited to go up there.

 

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Candy Color

Recently I was asked why I photograph the places or things I do. I photograph subjects that grab my attention, evoke an emotional response and/or inspire my imagination.

This photo is a classic example of all three. It features a cup full of colorants from a custom color paint mixing machine, after the nozzles have been purged for color purity.

First the vibrant color caught my eye. I liked the random patterns that were formed by the various colors.

Second, looking into the cup and seeing all that color reminded me of when we were kids visiting the boardwalk down at the beach. We used to pop into an arcade where we would squirt different colors of paint onto a card and a machine would spin the card and create wild designs. Cool stuff for a 10 year old.

And don’t ask me why, but I thought this looked like a delicious piece of exotic candy.

f 8

1/45th

ISO 200

cloudy WB

flash at 100%

INSPIRATION: HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!

IN THE FIELD: Another Glimpse Of Summer

I find it rather inspiring how some folks can turn a tiny space into an inviting garden.

I shot this photo in the first week of September when the summer season was winding down.

f5.6

1/80th

ISO 200

cloudy WB