IN THE FIELD: Frosty Windows

 

Spring may be right around the corner…at least according to the calendar. But just the other morning when I went outside to warm up the Jeep, Mother Nature said winter is still here. 

Luckily for me the sun had just risen above the horizon and I was able to capture this display of ice diamonds on the passenger window.  

 

 

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IN THE FIELD: SNOW SQUALL

 

The weather forecast for this past February 13th called for a brisk sunny day. No snow was forecasted and there were no storms of any kind showing on the radar. It was mid afternoon when I happened to glance out the window and it was snowing sideways! This snow squall materialized out of nowhere and caught everyone by surprise. Traffic on the nearby highway had slowed to a crawl. The storm lasted about 20 minutes or so and then the sun reappeared from behind the clouds.

Ya know…this image may be something to refer back to this summer when the outside temperature is 90 degrees and it’s oppressively humid!

 

 

 

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You can find all kinds of shapes, styles and models represented from stock as the manufacturer originally made the vehicle, to full out customs.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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: A MONTH APART

 

In this part of southeastern Pennsylvania there are small towns and communities surrounded by farms. Interspersed among these farms are more farms. Corn, soybeans and wheat are the primary crops grown here. Most farms also raise various grasses which are grown for hay. Dairy farms are also prevalent. Whole milk and some wonderful cheeses are produced and sold in small co-ops. Organic veggies along with grass fed beef and pork can also be found in these small stores. And the eggs, oh the eggs…yummm!

On the way to and from work I often see folks out working the fields. And yes, they are up before sunrise. Watching the transition from fallow fields of late fall and winter, to lush crops of early spring and summer, for me, is a sight to see. Man and nature working together to the best of their abilities.

The farm in these photos is quite close to where I live. Literally about seven minutes away. I will be visiting from time to time to document the changes through the seasons.

These two photos were taken about one month apart this year. The first was taken on May 1 and the second on June 5.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Well Wadda Ya Know

 

I walked out my front door this morning and looked to my left and this is what I saw! Just a few hours ago this was a bud waiting to open.

The back story to this Iris is kind of interesting. My Mom had acquired this variety of heirloom Iris many years ago. When she moved from her home to a town-home, we dug a bunch of the rhizomes from her garden and planted them in her new garden. About ten years ago we divided some of them and transplanted them from her garden to ours  at our old house. About two years ago when we moved to temporary digs while our new house was being built, I dug as many of the rhizomes from our garden as I could and put them away in storage. Apparently I didn’t tend to them properly and they all dried up. Drat.

Mom to the rescue again. Last fall I was digging Iris rhizomes again and transplanted some from her garden to our new garden in front of our new house. The results have been amazing. I think I have found the perfect spot for them to flourish.

IN THE FIELD: IRON HORSES

About an hour from where I live is a major freight yard for the Norfolk Southern railroad.

There is usually a lot of activity with various locomotives moving freight cars of all sorts from one track to another and coupling them together in long trains headed for destinations around the country.

Although you can not get up close to the equipment due to security reasons, there are a few places in the parking area that provide good vantage points looking east or west. A zoom or telephoto lens comes in real handy for close ups and for compressing long distance perspectives. It’s a great spot for railfanning.

It was an overcast day when I took this photo and the light was pretty flat. So I decided to use black and white to better capture the mood.

IN THE FIELD: Revisiting Greenhouses

Most of my photography is done outdoors, but there are a few places I like to shoot indoors. A greenhouse full of plants and flowers is one of them.

There are several reasons I enjoy shooting flowers indoors. Usually there are no breezes to contend with. Except for the fans used to circulate the air. If I do find a prime subject, and the flower is waving in the breeze, I will ask if I can move it to another location. Or for something creative, I may compose the shot to show movement.

Also, the light is evenly diffused in a greenhouse, either from shade cloth or frosted glass. You can even shoot at high noon and not be concerned with harsh shadows.

The humidity inside a greenhouse is something to be aware of. If your camera and lens has been in air-conditioning for an extended period of time, allow it to warm to the temperature inside the greenhouse. Take some time out to scout the location before removing the lens cap. Otherwise the lens will fog instantly, and then you will have a really long wait before you can get any photos.

There is no need to wait for a rainy day to get shots of plants and flowers with water droplets on them if you are there when folks are doing their watering. Plus you won’t get wet from the weather…you’re inside.

In my opinion, one of the greatest reasons to go on a photo shoot in a greenhouse is the variety you will be exposed to. Find a local greenhouse and ask the folks there if you can photograph their plant material. You’ll be rewarded with a wonderful time and super photographs.

This photo was shot using a tripod. Zoom lens set at 135mm, ISO 200, sunny white balance, f7.1 @ 1/125.

IN THE FIELD: Those Magnificent Flying Machines

I have a fascination with aircraft of any kind, and to me, vintage airplanes have the biggest attraction. There is something about a machine constructed of wood, fabric, and metal in perfect form and function, which allows a human to fly.

I was driving by a small privately-run airfield and noticed this biplane on final approach for a landing. It wasn’t easy to miss the bright yellow paint against the blue sky. I pulled over, grabbed the camera and ran up to the fence to get a couple of shots. I wasn’t in time to get photos of the plane while in flight, but I did get a few as it taxied back to the hanger.

This is a Boeing-Stearman. They were made in the 1930’ thru the 1940‘s and used primarily as training aircraft.