Salamander

My youngest son, Alex, captured a bunch of salamanders the other day.  They are quite difficult to photograph with a macro lens, because they don't stay still.

Reposted because blogger lost the photo :-(

 Canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro lens
Exposure 1/100 sec @ f3.2
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast

Broken Reflections

I pass by this formerly beautiful old house twice each workday, it's less than a mile from my work.  You can see it on the right from this google map link (give it a second to jump to street mode).  I shot this August, 2009.

I'm not sure who owns the house or property, but it's adjacent to the Commonwealth National Golf Club.  I've watch it deteriorate each year :-(  The house has tons of character and could be restored to it's original glory.  It's stone, but someone stuccoed over the stone years ago.  Sad to see this happen.

Submitted for Weekend Reflections #36

Canon EF 24-105mm L f4 IS USM lens
47mm Focal Length
Exposure 1/25 sec @ f4.0
ISO 100
Curves adjusted for contrast

Are You Ready For a Challenge?

Scott Kelby has something up his sleeve.  He'll be announcing a monthly challenge starting tomorrow. 

'Details' on the challenge
http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2010/archives/10466


His blog:
http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/

Lonely

I shot this at the Hilltown Baptist Cemetery late on a Sunday afternoon in March (I'm just a tad behind).  I thought the late afternoon lighting offered some solitude to a poor lost soul who obviously perished a long, long time ago.  The headstone was unreadable.  There were many very old headstones, still standing, but unreadable.

A Submission for Shadow Shot Sunday #106

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/2500 sec @ f2.8
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast

Got the boot

Ok, so I don't know what was going through my head when I shot this.  20 seconds @ f32?  ISO 800?  I had aperture on the brain. 

Regardless, I like the shot.  It's the right boot from one of my pairs of Doc Martin's.  I love these boots (obviously) because they are very comfortable. 

Canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro lens
Exposure 20.0 sec @ f32
Aperture priority
ISO 800
Curves adjusted for contrast

Wild Daisy

I shot this wild daisy at Lower Nike Park in Warrington, PA.  I love this shot because of it's such a simple, yet beautiful shot.  I'm really pleased with the bokeh considering this is an f4 lens.  I guess that's what bright, mid-day sunlight will yield :-)

The park is called Nike Park because this site used to house Nike missiles during the cold war.  You can figure out where one of the silos was located because there's a very large, level, circular area on the grounds and it stands out. 

Here's a pdf of an article about the missile site from 1955. 

A contribution for Mellow Yellow #70

Canon EF 24-105mm L f4 IS USM lens
105mm Focal Length
Exposure 1/1600 sec @ f4 (aperture priority)
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast

Stadium Reflections

My son's 6th grade class trip was a tour of Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, followed by a Phillies game at Citizen Bank Park.  These two are conveniently located across the street from each other :-)

You can see there plenty of reflections, though they are not spectacular.This is my submission for Weekend Reflections #35

The Phillies won :-)

Canon EF 24-105mm L f4 IS USM lens
24mm Focal Length
Exposure 1/125 sec @ f8.0
ISO 100
Curves adjusted for contrast

Rebar

A few weeks ago, I posted some shots from an abandoned barn and noted that the 202 parkway was being built nearby.  I try to drive the road that passes the barn several times each week, because it's a nice lunch-time escape.  I have been keeping an eye on the construction progress because I thought it might yield some interesting photo opportunities.  Well, here's one I like.  The parkway will have a bridge over Almshouse Rd.  The footings for the bridge support have been poured and this is the rebar that forms the support for the pilar.  I intentionally waited for a cloudy, overcast day so I could get the effect I was seeking.  I was able to walk up to the construction and sit on the ground to get the angle I desired.

Submitted for Monochrome Weekend #39

 Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/250 sec @ f3.5
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast

Dragonfly lights

My wife bought these really cool solar lights that cast this really cool effect on whatever surface they are sitting on (my wife likes dragonflies).  The light is sitting on the patio 'floor' which is made of a concrete material that resembles slate.

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/5 sec @ f1.4
ISO 800
no adjustments (this is a color shot!)

Playing with Fire 1.1

We had an outdoor fire the other evening.  My youngest son had thrown some pine cones in the fire that are covered with Copper Sulfate, which turns the fire blue.  He wanted me to take some photos, so I got out the camera and took a bunch.  I was experimenting with various shutter speeds and came up with this.  I think this is really interesting.  I believe this is the fastest shutter speed my camera supports. 

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/4000 sec @ f1.6
ISO 500
no adjustments

Now, let's slow the shutter down.  I don't know how to explain what I see, but I think this shot gives the feeling of movement. The flames appear to be 'rushing' you can almost hear the fire roar.  In the prior shot, the flames seem 'quiet'.  Note that these shots were taken ~20 seconds apart. 

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/20 sec @ f14
ISO 200
no adjustments

About a year ago, I posted these that were shot with a 50-250mm zoom.  I prefer the 50mm shots. 

Sea of Reflections

Nothing like rain after a you've just waxed your car.  There are more than 2,000 reflections of me in this shot!  No, I didn't count each one. I'm not that anal (but close).  Sorry, but the contrast is non-existent.  It was cloudy and cool.

Submitted for Weekend Reflections #34.

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/250 sec @ f3.5
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast

Train Bridge railing

This is the railing from the train bridge I mentioned earlier.  I guess it's supposed to keep people from falling off the bridge, but normally, there wouldn't be people on the bridge in the first place!  I provided a monochrome and color version.
 

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens

Exposure 1/250 sec @ f3.5

ISO 200

Curves adjusted for contrast

Railroad tracks

Again, my apologies for not regularly visiting everyone's blogs.  It's baseball season and I help coach my oldest son's team, so that will keep me plenty busy for the next several weeks (we have games Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday this week).  Fortunately, we have several coaches, so if time permits, I take photos :-)

Just a down low shot on the tracks.  I know the train schedule and the Philly inbound has just passed, so there would not be an outbound for about an hour.  You can see a bridge just a few feet up the track.  I shot this from under that bridge a few moments earlier.  See that railing on the bridge?  I have some killer shots that I'll hopefully post this week.

It was a very cloudy day, so monochrome was the ticket.

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/320 sec @ f4.0
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast
I did go a little heavy on the black fill, but I think it looks cool. 

Pansy reflections

Another shot from that cold, rainy day, this time I captured some water drops on a pansy leaf.  The reflection is of the arm that is supporting the planter holding the flowers. 

Canon EF 100mm f2.8 USM Macro lens
Exposure 1/320 sec @ f11
ISO 100
Curves adjusted for contrast

Monochrome Slats

On the back of the Stover Myers Mill, there is a small building attached.  I'm not sure of it's purpose, but it had an interesting view through one of the openings.  I really like the sunlight running across the bottom boards. 

A submission for Shadow Shot Sunday #104 and for Monochrome Weekend Vol 2, Issue 38.  Double trouble :-)

Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens
Exposure 1/400 sec @ f4.5
ISO 200
Curves adjusted for contrast