Sunday, May 1, 2016

For Mom


This one is for my Mom - who is a professional artist. She will always be a professional artist, whether she has a paintbrush in her hand or not. During her "hey day", she had galleries throughout the USA - New York, Boston, Maine, Florida - oh snap - I don't really know - as my Mom was and is just "Mom". But back then - she always cheered me on in photography - and she was always keen on color, composition, light and textures. 

And today - she still cheers me on.

Anyway - this is a single image from a Sony A7R II with the Sony/Zeiss  16-35mm f/4 lens taken a few days ago in North Carolina on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

In this image - I wanted to focus on color complementary hues/tones, and set an image which was balanced both visually and dynamically. The processing, I did last night while being stranded at the airport - and, well - I "kind'a got into it" - pushing some of my boundaries in post-processing.

The original image was taken on the Blueridge Parkway - and it was processed from a single RAW file. Brought into LR, then PS - oh dang  - I can't tell you everything I did to it, as Mozart was playing in my earphones and I kind'a got lost into just "working" it at between about 1:30 - 3:30 AM this morning in the airport...

Anyway - thanks Mom...

This one is for you.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Looking Glass Falls


As a couple of you know - I've been in Asheville NC for the past few days - so while I have hundreds of images from many State Forests, the Brevard area - including Pisgah, DuPont - and several others.  I'll share one taken this AM as the sun came up... As well - this is processed on my Surface Pro 3 Tablet - so I'm pretty sure I'll either reprocess it entirely or clean this version up before entering it into my next challenge...

Anyway -  I waited for a bit for the rays to strike the falls - and really didn't know it would take the effect it did. I had only a few minutes to watch it - and less time to capture it. It's a magical place...  How magical?

As an aside - up the stream about 50 yards, was a lunch basket sitting on a rock..? I wondered who had left it, as no one was around, and I was certain I was alone - as there were no cars in the parking lot? Going back to shooting and composing - down walked a young man and woman, smartly dressed - as if they were about to go out on a date (even though it was still very early AM?). Anyway - they walked the shoreline to the picnic basket sitting on a rock downstream...

A few minutes later - I heard the young girl shriek - and looking back towards them - she was staring at her left hand and suddenly jumped into his arms... Obviously - he had just asked her to marry him - and from the sound of it - she was thrilled... I raised my voice and bellowed "CONGRATULATIONS!" - and they both looked up, still embracing - and waved back with huge smiles on their faces...

Yes - it's a magical place... And I'm sad to leave it shortly...

Friday, April 22, 2016

The Jetty


It's been a bit since I've posted to my blog, so - I thought I share one from earlier today. The day was dark with heavy clouds - and surprisingly, not a breath of wind. The calmness was almost surrealistic serenity that allowed unhampered shooting while enjoying a "perfect" morning to just get out and "do it". As the cloud bank above rolled nearer to the shoreline - it started to gently sprinkle and drizzle - adding just another dynamic to the morning.

This was taken at Ordione Point, Rye NH USA. I use my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with an ND filter covering the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens. Postprocessed in both Lightroom and Photoshop - I hope you enjoy the final result.  

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

The Path at Bellamy


Recently, I challenged myself to take exactly one camera with one lens out for an extended landscape session. It's interesting to see what happens - rather than slog along with a camera bag with various lenses, filters, remotes, etc. In some ways, it frees your mind and requires you become more creative with composition.

That being the case, and that winter continues to unleash its wrath here - there was little color in this shot - so I envisioned originally as a B&W conversion - keying in on the textures of the grass, tree limbs and the subtle visual path that  carried through the composition. This was taken a few days ago in Dover, NH USA at the Bellamy Wildlife Reserve.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with the Olympus-Zuiko 12-40mm Pro lens.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Springtime Snow


Woke up this morning - and we were having a Spring Snowstorm! Yea!!  Grabbed my camera and headed out with my Sony A7RII, tripod, ND filter and remote. What - really - an ND Filter? You bet..!  You see - I wanted to not see individual snowflakes, and as well, as there was a slight breeze, actually blur the trees with new hints of foliage to just "see" the color and to smooth the water. It's something I've always wanted to try, anyway..

So, above is that image.  Thirty second exposure, Sony A7RII with the Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm, ND filter taken from a tripod in Portsmouth NH USA.

Now - I'm hoping for more snow..!

Friday, April 1, 2016

A Short Walk to Whaleback Lighthouse



This was taken mid-morning this morning at Ordione Point, Rye NH USA- low tide on the coast of New Hampshire. While I have a few I'm working on - this one allowed me to play with various things I've learned in only the past week or so in The Arcanum.

And yes - the weather really is this dark and grey today - and the fog is real, as there is a 10 degree temp difference only yards from the shoreline... I left the house with only a light shirt - and was in a coat while shooting for three hours this AM... You have to love New England when "Spring has almost Sprung"...

Sony A7R2 - Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Estuary in Bellamy Wildlife Preserve




What a silly day. With the winds blowing steady at 20MPH and gusts up to 50MPH, temps hoping to meet 40+ - it was perfect shooting conditions, if one is a masochist...  ;)

Anyway - when I headed out this AM - I wanted to accomplish simply two things...  Shoot/make an image which would show "something from nothing". Second, not drown or something if I stepped onto the reeds covering a mud-hole.

The first target for today - I might have hit.  The second goal? Not so much. Stepped into the muck in one area, one one leg sank up to my thigh. My wife is thrilled when she came home this evening to find my boots drying on the hot radiator - and my pants are so covered in mud, that I'll have to hose them off in the driveway before putting them in the washing machine... ;)

Anyway - I used quite a bit of post processing - as this image has been in Lightroom, Photoshop, On1, back into Lightroom - and I think I finally have a version I like enough to show here...

It was taken - uncharacteristically for me - handheld, as with the wind and all the branches dancing about required a fast shutter-speed (1/1000). BUT - when the branches turned up due to the wind - I liked the effect in the limbs. I hope you do as well...

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Shoreline Path


Playing a bit with textures, colors - and moods created by colors in single images. This is one of those. I was drawn to the path, the leading lines - and with the ability to pull the post processing into what I saw at the time. This was taken today in Portsmouth NH USA - and the post processing went like this:
  • Raw file into Lightroom whire I played with colors, hue, saturation, curves - and "painting" in various effects;
  • Into On1 Photo 10 for dynamic contrast, hues and color balance;
  • Into Photoshop for layer masks;
  • Back into Lightroom for final edits and export

Sony A7RII, Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm.

Shoreline Shrub


I must say - my journey in The Arcanum (http://thearcanum.com) has been both inspiring and pushed several "hot buttons" creatively. In short - in many ways - it's been both a revelation and an artistic rejuvenation.

The image above  was taken today on the coastline. As the sky was tremendously boring being almost a pure blanket of white clouds - I lay in the sand to frame the tree against only the bare sky. Converted in Photoshop and tweaked in NIK Silver EFX Pro 2, the original image was taken with my Sony A7RII and the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Snow Capped


Taken yesterday morning during a snowstorm, this tiny plant was 14" (35.5 cm) away, and using a Sony NEX 7 with a Olympus/Zuiko 50mm f/1.2 - and shot at f1.2 - yields a total DOF of exactly 0.04" (0.02 cm) - which produces some wonderful results.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Spring & Winter


Just one of those days that "Old Man Winter" has a difficult time letting go. This morning, we awoke to several inches of newly fallen snow, and until late morning, decided to to show us one more blast. While I really like shooting in the snow, typically landscapes during the height of a snowstorm, today, I just wanted it to end and "be gone".  And apparently - I'm not the only one - as these daffodils are worse prepared than I was.

Sony NEX-7 with a vintage Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.2 lens. The bokeh that this combination delivers is almost surreal. Post processed in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Misty Morning


Taken yesterday while it was raining at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I wanted a long exposure to remove the raindrops and bring out the mist and reflection on the "smooth" water. The actual exposure was 25 seconds, which helped blend the clouds and mist - while leaving the water perfectly still.

Sony A7R II, Sony Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 with an ICE 10 stop ND filter. Post processed in both Lightroom and Photoshop 

Thursday, March 10, 2016

The Tidal Stream


Taken this morning, this tidal stream is port of the networks of estuaries that comprise Great Bay on the seacoast of New Hampshire USA. With a light drizzle that turned into a slightly harder rain - and coupled with the higher than normal temperatures, it created a mystical and eerie feeling. 

Upon entering the reserve, there was a flock of about 50 turkeys who decided to take a "stroll" across a field and up the road I was walking at the time - and they seemed not to care that I was there.. Almost as if they were appointed my "Welcoming committee".

Later in the day, when shooting this image, a large flock of Mallard ducks passed overhead, landing in the mist and fog of the distant bay. As I was set up with a 16-35mm lens - all I could do was watch and enjoy one of the gifts of the estuary.

This was taken with my Sony A7RII and, as I mentioned - the 16-35mm Sony-Zeiss f/4 lens.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Shoreline Storm


Taken several days ago over the coast of Rye, this fast moving storm kicked up both the surf and the wind. The image above is a four image panoramic - each frame shot with my Olympus OMD E-M5 Mark II. The trick in doing a panoramic in weather with fast moving clouds and surf - is pay particular attention to shutter speed (1/500th of a second in this case) and pre-plan your panning motion with a level pan head.

While I'm still processing several other images from that session, I enjoyed the way this turned out, especially with the frenzied detail in both the clouds and surf.

This image was processed in both Lightroom and Photoshop.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

The Harbor in Portmouth


Portsmouth Harbor, Portsmouth NH USA - Taken earlier today with a Sony A7RII and the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 and an ND10 filter. Early morning in the harbor, as the light was a still soft and warm. I thought it complemented the bricks used in so many of the early building along the historic waterfront. As well, this morning, the harbor was a bedlam of activity, as one of the Irving Tankers was escorted out by two of the tug tenders. After passing, another freighter was pulled away from the wharf at Granite State Minerals by two other tugs and escorted to the open ocean.

Welcome to my blog and my hometown!

Saturday, March 5, 2016

The Deafening Stillness


Frankly, I love the forest, nature and beauty of shooting in conditions that keep most people indoors - certainly true for most photographers. During this particular storm, one could hear the snow falling, the branches on nearby trees straining under the load of the wet heavy snow that kept falling at an incredible rate. As well, the snow muffles typical sounds such as faraway traffic, or call of birds - and the silence is quite deafening, in a very peculiar and wonderful way.

In this spot, which is a frozen over estuary, one has to be careful when walking upon the snow, as there are hidden soft spots of ice that one can fall through without warning. But, using a tripod as a walking stick to poke forward before the next step is taken - and turning back, simply walk back in the previous footsteps.

This was taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the Olympus-Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens at the NWR in Newington NH USA.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Sarah Mildred Long Bridge

I thought I'd capture this before this bridge is demolished and replaced, which construction is now underway. It spans the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth NH and Kittery Maine USA and as a truss bridge, carries both traffic and a railroad tie into the the Portsmouth Navel Shipyard.  It has been a part of the Portsmouth waterfront since 1940.

Taken with one of my Sony systems, this was primarily post-processed in Photoshop using luminosity layers with the final export into Lightroom for final adjustments

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Outgoing


Very strange weather this morning - the temperatures rose overnight by 15 degrees Fahrenheit and rain was coming down "sideways" as a blustery wind whipped against everything in sight. I thought the surf might be interesting, so I grabbed my camera, wet weather gear and headed out to the coast of Rye NH USA.

As I slowly made my way out onto the rocks and through the seaweed,  the rain started to magically let up - and intent on shooting large waves in front of me, barely noticed what was coming up from behind from the seashore. It was a huge line of clouds that hung low and formed a nearly perfect line.

Above is just one of the many images I took, and I'll be post processing more as I get the chance over the next day or two.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with the Olympus 12-40mm F/2.8 Pro lens, taken this morning on the coast of Rye NH USA.  

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Thank you Olympus Corporate...

Today, I woke up and found out that Olympus USA Corporate marketing posted one of my images to the world on their site and Twitter feed. I'm both humbled and shocked, as most of you know - I just "do what I do"..

Anyway - the link is here:  Get to Olympus

My thanks Olympus.....


Saturday, February 27, 2016

Breakwater


Breakwater. The image struck me as I was shooting, simply watching the waves and wind strike one side of the jetty while the ocean was perfectly calm on the opposite side. I could draw numerous analogies to life, people and social norms - but, I'll spare all those quotes.

Sony A7RII with the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 taken February 25, 2016.  Long exposure with an ND 3 stop filter. Post-processed in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Thank you for looking!

Friday, February 26, 2016

Shoreline Storm


Taken yesterday during wonderfully high-surf off the coast in Rye NH USA. The cause of this seasonal storm was a rise in temperatures by over 20 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, bring on terrific winds, rain and even a random February Thunderstorm.

This is a long-exposure taken with my Sony A7R II and the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 using a three stop ND filter. Postprocessing from a single RAW file was accomplished in Lightroom, and then brought into Photoshop for some work in various layers.

I'll be posting a few more images from yesterday over this weekend, but, I hope you enjoy this one. Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Mist, Snow and Fog


We awoke early this morning to new snow, with a quick changeover to sleet and freezing rain - all of which created a wonderful fog over the coast. As the tide was coming in, and expected to peak in the next few hours, I packed up my gear and headed to the coast. While the wind was brisk on the beaches and inlets (to say the least,  I was thankful that I brought my cold weather gear.

There are a few challenges in shooting in weather like this with the first - staying warm while it is blowing cold rain and mist into your face. The second is trying to keep the fron element of the lens dry enough during a long exposure (such as above) to not blur the image. As a lens hood won't fit (and probably isn't long enough) - I sacrificed my warmth to use the visor of my cap to shield the ND filter long enough to finish the long exposure.

I'll try to post more from this mornings shoot in the next few days, but for now, this was taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, the Olympus 12-40mm f/2,.8 Pro lens and a 10-stop ND filter. Post processed in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The Trail


Taken earlier this week in Bellamy NWR, Dover NH USA.  While the snow comes and goes, it allows outstanding photo opportunities as there are huge expanses of natural habitat that most folks don't go into given the recent weather. And tomorrow? We are expecting snow, sleet and freezing rain. What I saw, and liked, are the subtle tire tracks leading my eye to the incredible winter sky.

Sony A7R with the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 lens. Post-processed in Lightroom and Photoshop

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Spring Break


What a terrific day today - it is finally feeling a bit like spring.  Taken today in the late morning in an estuary.  Given the weather, I was surprised that no one was in the 120 acre refuge.

Sony A7R II with a Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm. I used an 10 stop ND filter to show the motion in the water. 

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

First Flight


Taken this morning at GBNWR. The past few days has been a bit challenging weather wise, when until this morning, temperatures have been hovering at the 0F mark. But, that changed early today. We awoke to a new 6" of wet snow and the forecast was for rain and temperatures soaring into the mid-50s (F), which as I write this - it's headed up into.

For that, I knew before heading out this AM that the estuary would be deserted of people and hoped for a foggy mist to continue to roll in as the the wild temperature swing would create.

Walking through the estuary, I heard a flock of Canada Geese making a ruckus - as they always do before taking flight. So, I crept to the shore and simply hoped for the best, as I didn't have my typical wildlife gear/lenses, so I figured I try to combine my two passions - both landscape and wildlife photography. Out of the hundreds of images I shot this AM - this is the one that I thought caught the moment - the stillness of the estuary, an incoming flight and the beauty of the reserve.

Taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with the consumer version of the Olympus 40-150mm lens.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Winter Mere


Taken during the snowstorm a few days ago, this small pond ("mere") was the only open area of fresh water within the Wildlife Refuge. Numerous deer, rabbit and other tracks were quickly getting filled in by the increasing snow fall. The only sound made by the forest were the infrequent groans from branches as they struggled against the weight of the new snow. It was, for the most part - "deafening silence" for sure.

Shooting during a snowstorm is challenging enough, but to effectively post-process images I find even more challenging and complex, as I always want to show what my mind's eye captured. In this case, I processed in Lightroom - and then exported into Photoshop, where I used several layers/masks and filters to subtly bring out the contrast, lights and tones. This image was taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens. 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Winter Coastline


Yesterday along the coast, we had exceptionally high surf and temps in the low 20's F (-6C) - making shooting somewhat daunting. As the surf rolled in - the sea-spray would turn into an icy slush, covering the rocks - and unsuspecting photographers ("me" ;) ) and equipment. The soft winter light, however  - was just tremendous.

This was taken with my Sony A7R II and the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm with a 10-stop ND, tripod mounted - giving a 20 second exposure at f/16 - 100 ISO. The image was processed in PerfectPhoto Suite, then finished in Lightroom for export as a JPG for the Web.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Season Change


A few months ago - I posted an image taken from this same location. Today, however, we had our first major snowstorm, and like an mad idiot - drove to one of my favorite locations. Upon arriving on un-plowed roads, I was the only person once in the multi-acre area. That was no surprise, quite frankly - as it was still snowing quite hard and I'm sure most rational people were safe, warm and cozy at home.

After spending several hours just going through the woods, fields and shoreline - this is the first image I've post processed so far - but, I'm sure I'll share others in the near future. This was taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro lens. This system is weatherproof, freeze proof and needed to be today.. 

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Sunset Over the Portsmouth Traffic Circle


Taken this evening just after sunset in Portsmouth NH USA. While outside what I typically post - it was a long day of try to shoot a flock of Canada Geese - and they had a mind of their own in coming close enough. After a few hours I gave up - went home - and grabbed my Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, as this is an image I've envisioned for quite some time.

Shot in RAW and only post-processed in Lightroom, it shows the traffic flow around the rotary. I liked the lights, sunset colors and patterns. I hope you do as well. 

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Flight


Well - this is the first time I've shot wildlife this year. It's also the first time - I used anything but a Nikon (which I have abandoned Nikon for various reasons). It's the first time I've used an Olympus MFT to shoot anything but landscapes. It's the first time I've used a totally manual lens to shoot birds. It's the first time I've left any Sony body behind on a shoot...

Here is the story behind today...

I went to the Estuary at Adams Point in Durham, NH USA - and went to shoot a rock cliff that I've been meaning to shoot. But - I also took a lens that I used to use for birds - just in case I saw anything of interest.  So - walking the shoreline for an hour, before getting to the cliff face - I noticed an Osprey circling...  I walked through the estuary headed for where the Osprey was circling.  When I arrived - I set up..

So - while waiting - a few gulls came by, so I was intrigued as they dug up mollusks in the mud - flew up to about 50 feet - and then dropped them on the ice to crack the shells...  As one flock of 10-15 birds left, another flock moved in to resume where they left off...

These are from today.  Simple seagulls in an estuary. Taken with an Olympus OM-D MFT.  




Saturday, January 30, 2016

Looking West


The weather over the past week has been a bit silly.  Either bright blue skies without any detail, and sunrises and sunsets of the same - or incredibly cloudy skies without any detail. But, today - was a bit different, as some clouds started moving in after sunrise.

This was taken earlier today with my Sony NEX-7 and the 10-18mm f/4 Sony E mount lens. Post processed in Lightroom and Photoshop, it is from the Audubon Tract in Dover NH USA which is an estuary that is fabulous. While the weather today was incredible - there wasn't another single person out during the three plus hours I was shooting at this location. That was a bonus, for sure...

Friday, January 22, 2016

Sunrise


I've always viewed photography as an art form -but, I've always constrained the post-processing by what was contained in the original image. Yesterday, however - I began to be pushed in a mind-bending exercise to try something new. And the image above is the result.

I always liked both of my two images - one of the lighthouse and the other of a sunrise in Haiti. And learning some new techniques from the library at The Arcanum - thought I'd try to creatively join the two images.  I can say, as this is "new to me" - it took a long time to explore, learn, fail - and then try again...

I have to add - while this style isn't something I'm hooked on - it's interesting to explore areas of photography we don't know - until we give it a try.  Is it for everyone? I don't know - but taking an "artistic approach" is a road that perhaps teaches us how to do our "in camera" images perhaps that much better?

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Just Hanging Out


I've always been fascinated with how nature works it's magic... Walking along the shoreline this past Sunday during low-tide (the only time the shoreline can be walked), I came upon this weathered tree - magically clinging the the granite cliff face. As I stared in awe, I could only image the strength of the the roots were dug in to keeps its precarious position for so many years and through so many storms.

This was taken with my Sony A7R Mark II  and Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 and post processed in Photoshop using numerous layers and masks. While I tried it in monochrome, a good friend and fellow photographer (Richard Adams) and I concluded that the color version works best.

Monday, January 18, 2016

First Snow


I was fortunate to have run across a You Tube video by Sam Abell - a recently retired staff photographer for National Geographic. The video was both wonderfully presented and he stressed several concepts. Those included compose the main elements so that they are separated and distinct. As well, composed from the back plane (above, that is the snow wooded shore in the background), and then compose from back to front, again, leaving the lines of each element separate and distinct. 

The image above was further post-processed using curves and layers in Photoshop - credit to that work-flo is the artist/photographer I mentioned yesterday - Peter Eastway.

Sony A7R II with the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm , Durham, New Hampshire USA taken yesterday.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

The Shore at Adam's Point


I'm just going to say this first...  The Arcanum rocks! What's The Arcanum?  Just go here:  http://www.thearcanum.com poke around - and unleash your mind. Anyway, as a Student, I had a critique from my mentor the other day - and it was a mind-blowing experience. He introduced me to another photographer's work, Peter Eastway from Australia - whose work is incredible.

Anyway - this image is the fifth frame ever taken on my new Sony A7R-II I received last evening - taken today in Durham, NH USA. It was post processed completely using the workflo that Peter Eastway espouses - using sets of layers and curves in Photoshop. I find his methods incredible, if you have in mind the final image before pressing the shutter button.

Thanks for looking - and I'm processing a few more from today in the same workflo just to see where they land...

Monday, January 11, 2016

Frozen In Time


The pond at Bellamy Wildlife Management Area, Dover NH USA. Taken last week with a Sony Ar7 and the 16-35mm f/4, only a few days previously, this small isolated pond was unfrozen and was the waterhole for the areas wildlife. But, after a quick hard freeze, even the surface was dappled to where it appeared that the ripples on the surface were "frozen in time".

This was processed from the following workflo:
1) Imported into Lightroom for a few basic adjustments including exposure, highlights and shadows;

2) Imported as a DNG file with LR adjustments into Photoshop;

3) NIK Color Efx Pro 4  and added several filters including Pro Contrast, Bleach Bypass and Brilliance/Warmth;

4) Copied a new layer and pulled several color curves to pull down several key tones;

5) Copy a new layer and added a high-pass filter using the "Overlay" blend mode for final sharpening; and finally

6) Back into Lightroom for final adjustments and export to the web 

Sunday, January 10, 2016

The Calming


An image from a couple of weeks ago that I finally liked the processing on. Taken in Rye NH, USA with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II and the Olympus-Zioke 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens - it was a challenge to place the lighthouse correctly, wait for the wave to crash onto the larger rock - and smooth the water with a longer exposure.

I want to thank a few folks in my cohort in the Arcanum who suggested removing some sea grass on the left most edge - as that's exactly what the image wanted while retaining the overall feel.

This image was processed from a single Olympus RAW image in High-Resolution mode, yielding a 64 megapixel file. Post processed in both Lightroom and Photoshop, I liked the final results. I hope you do as well...

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Incoming Tide In the Estuary


Strange day for shooting. We awoke to a light dusting of snow, then it stopped, then started, and then a light drizzle started up - which returned again to snow. The clouds were heavy and the estuaries were abandoned to any visitors, which - to me - is the perfect time to take my camera and walk for miles in the forests and along the shore.

The image above was taken earlier today during an incredible high-tide that submerged parts of the estuary that one can typically walk upon. Not today. As the incoming tide buried the sea grass and shoreline alike, it trapped the ice underneath releasing incredible amounts of surface bubbles and miniature ice-floes.

The image was taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with the Olympus-Zuiko 7-14mm f/2.8 pro lens in high-resolution mode (64 megapixels in RAW). Post processed in both Lightroom and Photoshop, the detail in the original is spectacular. I'll be posting more from today's shoot over the next week or so - as I get time to see what else I might like from today... 

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Granite Shore


View of the shoreline at Adam's Point WMA - Durham, NH USA. Taken just a few short weeks ago during unseasonably warm weather, this is a terrific walk through the woods to get to the shoreline. I've been asked what I did to the reflection in the water - and the answer is really nothing. The bay-side of the point was serenely still during the late afternoon that day.

Taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with the Panasonic-Lumix 7-14mm f/4 lens in High-Resolution mode, the original RAW image is 64-megapixels in size.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Salt Marsh


Taken today with my Sony A7R in Bellamy WMA, Dover NH USA. With the snow freezing weather lately, walking along the estuary shore and flats requires ice crampons of some sort. The difficulty with this image was not only reaching the area I wanted to take the shot, but the gentle slope from the forest leading into the area was difficult to get to as well.

The specifics of the image are Sony A7R with the Sony-Zeiss 16-35mm f/4. The exposure was 1/160 @ f/11, ISO 100 at -1 EV. Post processing was in LR then exported to Photoshop. In PS, I used NIK EFX Pro 4 with the ProContrast filter, added a bit of warmth with another filter - then bring the final image back into Lightroom. As snow cover takes a bit different approach to exposure and processing, I'm looking forward to shooting over the next few months in the "White Stuff".. ;)