Marion's Images

Fog

2012-01-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

This image was taken early today, when there was a pretty dense ground fog.
There is an eerie beauty to foggy images...this was taken with my G9; the G12 doesn't go on my walks on rainy, foggy days...One morning I slipped on a branch and fell with the G9: it smacked my lip and gave me a bloody nose..haha..but the camera was fine.
The area in the image is behind my property...the land consists of about 85 acres but the owners chose to cut down most of the forest. It is really heartbreaking to see the destruction to the old growth trees plus the habitat for wildlife is wide open and the deer are more vulnerable to hunters.

January-some sort of resolution or challenge

2012-01-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I have decided to attempt posting an image at least every other day this year; it will force me to take shots even in the winter when everything is pretty drab around here...so, having said that, here is a shot of one of my cats roaming around outside...This winter has been one of the mildest we have had here in New England, but no complaints from me.

December already?

2011-12-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

This is a mirror image made using a technique learned in an Andre Gallant seminar. There isn't much to shoot around here outside until we get a little snow: the trees are bare and drab in December. Will have to go down to coast some evening.
The image above was taken using the Canon 100mm macro lens on Canon 5DII.

Andre Gallant seminar

2011-11-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

These two images are the result of attending a seminar by Andre Gallant. His creative techniques are liberating to me as a photographer...because of his dreamscape, panning, and moonlight dreamscape techniques, my work has suddenly become more fun and exciting. Viewing his creative images changes my whole point of view about photography...now it is fun for me to combine images using textures with amazing results and some failures...but the challenge of pushing my creative envelope is never dull...I highly recommend anyone with the ability to attend one of his presentations to not hesitate; it will open doors in your mind.

November beginnings

2011-11-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here are two images taken the other day...the left one is a pattern shot; the right is about light and shadow...I used a softening filter on the grasses to blur them a little and give it a more abstract feel...these were taken on my morning walks with Ralph; although, now that it is shotgun season for deer, I have to be cautious and walk a little later in the day...

Maine in October

2011-10-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

These two images were among the many taken in the area of Bar Harbor, Maine.The first shot is of a bait shed in Bass Harbor; the barrels contain fish used for baiting lobster traps. Bass Harbor is mainly a lobstering area.

During my week there, went to Acadia, Corea Harbor (very small protected inlet), Cadilllac Mountain and other places in that general vicinity...the foliage was past peak but still interesting; the many brooks in Acadia were lovely with leaves blanketing the area..the image below was taken along the Carriage Trail in Acadia park.

There are more images that will be added to my website today.

October in Acadia, Maine

2011-10-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

Leaving this weekend for a week in Acadia Park, Maine. Every day is a harbinger of the winter to come: leaves turning and coating the earth in a carpet of yellow and red, a chill in the air during my morning walks with Ralph, horses are getting their winter coats, my garden is going belly-up. However, the eggplants are hardy; still growing, at least until a hard frost. Every winter that I have left on this earth is a gift; one I didn't appreciate when I was young, but now there is a joy to each morning and every sunrise is a wonder. These are days when I remember being in high chool and then college, wanting to be a writer or painter: writing all the time, painting as often as I could. Time changes all those things, sometimes for the better, sometimes not..my camera has become a substitute for a pen or a brush, so perhaps those dreams are finally coming true.
These two images were taken on one of my walks with Ralph..G9 of course..can't be carrying an SLR with a crazy Jack Russell terrier alongside.

Coastal Oregon

2011-09-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here is an image from Bandon Beach taken at sunset...there were some great opportunities on that beach, but also a lot of people...it was hard to find a composition that didn't involve someone in the shot. The Oregon coast was not what I expected; it is very congested along the coast highway: the only place that was really beautiful was Ecola state park..rainforest and pristine views...but photography is what you make of it and sometimes it involves a lot of work to find a composition...used the Singh-ray blue/gold polarizer at times with varied results. The blue image was taken with the polarizer.

off to Oregon

2011-09-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

It seems like yesterday that I signed up for a tour in Oregon, but now it is only a couple of days away. Already packed my camera equipment but the new lens from Canon, the 70-300mmL, is very heavy..I'm almost tempted to bring my trusty old 70-200mmn lens, because it is approximately a pound lighter; however, the 70-300mm gives me just that extra reach...forget the 100-400, that's a real killer to tote around unless you have to photograph wildlife in the distance. Also, I haven't been using the new lens at all so this will give me a chance to really field test it...
will be visiting Ecola State Park, Bandon Beach, Cannon Beach..hoping for good cloud cover since that makes every image more dramatic...loaded all my filters..can't function without my polarizer, ND filters, and graduated ND filters..should be a lot of fun.

Post Irene thoughts

2011-09-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is one of the paddocks in my backyard..one of four trees that fell during that Sunday of Irene..there is nothing artistic about this image, just a straight shot with the G9 of the tree that smashed down the fence..I worked for three days straight cleaning up the debris with a chainsaw, which went bellyup when the chain came off, then a handsaw..dragged as many trees as possible with my old Ford tractor up into the woods..my husband was fortunate to be in Florida that week. But it gave me a chance to think, over a week without power, so I could sit and think and read with a flashlight...since I am not a tv watcher, not having tv meant nothing to me...but the quiet and dark nights, when I could really see the stars, were magical..and if I hadn't been so damn tired, it would have been even better...
what is strange is the fact that I didn't take any images except for broken trees and videos of the storm at its peak...however, I did take the following image just a few days before the storm:

tenuous life

2011-08-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

This is a tomato hornworm, the larva of the Hawkmoth; it was on one of my pepper plants. The white objects are the eggs of a wasp which were laid on the hornworm in order for the larvae of the wasp to feed on it. I can't imagine how it must feel to be eaten alive by parasites clinging to your body: it may only be a worm but it is still a dreadful idea...after taking this image, I removed all the eggs from the body of the hornworm and moved it out of the garden into the woods...it just needed a chance...sometimes everything needs just a chance to survive...

August beginnings

2011-08-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

This is a dahlia from my friend Lynda's garden...they are lovely flowers that are in bloom in the month of August. This one was photographed with backlight in a dark room but I didn't like the result so I took a flashlight and lit the flower from above for a few seconds during the long exposure to highlight the petals. This was taken with the Canon 100mm macro lens.

Sunflowers

2011-08-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Here are two images taken over the weekend at a sunflower farm in Connecticut...these are not my best images..those are on my website...but these are interesting enough for me to post here...the one on the left is the flowers after they have died and are beginning to dry up...these were taken with my 70-300mm lens but many of my images, the best ones, were taken with a 100mm Canon macro lens...it is very difficult to shoot in bright sunlight but it was fun anyway and challenging too...I would hold some of the taller plants to cast different shadows on others and then photograph them.

Mid July

2011-07-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

These images were taken the other day...the ferns are really beautiful this time of year...the fern above is an Onoclea..the leaves have lovely tones of green.

This is another infrared image taken in a field..wish the sky had been clear of clouds but I didn't hang around long enough for that large cloud to disappear...I have found that taking infrared images it is sometimes necessary to use manual focus, other times the autofocus works..but it appears to be random...therefore, I check the LCD on camera to see if the image is sharp, if not, then it is important to use the manual focus.

Hazy hot mornings

2011-07-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

These images were taken just after sunrise, when there was a heavy mist in the air. It almost appears like fog, and perhaps on some level it is, but the moisture is almost palpable. Mornings like this in summer, when the sun starts to penetrate the trees, are magical.
The rays of sunlight are incredibly lovely; and as in the upper image, they can have wonderful dimension and color. I also photographed some trees that were backlit but didn't get the result I was expecting...The lower image is given depth because of the mist in the background.

June

2011-06-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

This lower image was taken prior to a severe thunderstorm..the clouds were amazing...I shot straight up at the sky. Did not have a lot of time to compose image since the wind was blowing around 35 knots and rain was just starting.
The upper image was taken the other day in the forest...the way the light was hitting the leaves was just lovely..sort of gave it a rim lighting effect...

Infrared conversion camera

2011-06-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

These images are the first few I've shot with a CanonG7 converted to infrared...which simply means that the infrared filter has been removed from the camera sensor professionally...I have long been fascinated with this spectrum of photography so this is a real treat for me...there is something bizarre and unique about shooting infrared and since there is no better time than summer, it should be a lot of fun...the image with the blue sky is the result of swapping the red/blue channels in the channel mixer of Photoshop..

the ferns of June

2011-06-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

The bracken fern are beautiful in early June..especially after a night with rain or moisture. I love the sinuous curves and enigmatic shapes they create. When shooting this type of plant, it is important to underexpose the images since the background is sometimes cluttered with brush and other plants. By shooting a little dark, with only a touch of sun on the edges of ferns, as in this image, it is easy to use levels or curves to darken the background and keep the image simple.

More fog images

2011-05-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here are two more fog images taken this morning. The hardest thing about shooting in the fog is developing a good composition; especially when everything around you is a tree. Tree images are very tricky to compose: too many of them and it is visual chaos..too few and it looks barren. I try to construct little vignettes using a few interesting trees or even one visually appealing tree and work around that area. These are two images that felt right but there were probably 30 or so that I deleted.

Wonderful fog

2011-05-26T07:18:00.000-07:00

Driving this morning was a visual adventure...fog everywhere...almost like being in a soft box with diffuse light and eerie shapes in the trees.
This image was taken from my car window at a local farm; couldn't even see the farmhouse in the distance. I pulled off the road, rolled down my window and proceeded to photograph the field containing this group of trees. There were several compositions, some without the line of trees in background; but this one was my favorite. It was converted to black and white with Nik Siler Efex Pro.

Not more rain!

2011-05-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

I am getting a lot of practice shooting on overcast days lately... I have been spending a lot of time with the Canon 100-400mm L IS lens trying to get good images of the barn swallows residing in the rafters of my barn. Photographing them indoors is not suitable due to lack of light; I have to use an extremely high ISO...even outdoors, it is a challenge; I was able to get a few images of them picking up pieces of hay for their nest, also, some of them making mud balls for nest construction. The hardest thing is getting an image of them doing something interesting: patience, patience, patience...it has taught me that bird photographers are very tenacious, now I have a great appreciation for the many excellent bird images that I've seen...take a look at the images by Larry Selman..they are amazing.

more rain

2011-05-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

This has been a very wet month. It's been raining off and on for about a week; the good thing about rain is the diffuse light. It is a great time to get some good foliage images and even wildflower images: I never photograph flowers in daylight, it is too harsh...the image on left is a weed growing on my manure pile. It has the most beautifully shaped leaves, so I took a few images the other day..

The other is the wildflower photographed a couple of days ago prior to opening its petals...this is the flower now...

It is important for me to photograph something every day, even if the images fall way short of being good...it improves my vision and ability to compose...some mornings it seems there is nothing that appeals to me while I'm walking, but then it forces me to search even more for something interesting. Photography is an ongoing learning experience; every day is a challenge.

Wildflowers

2011-05-14T14:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I came across a few wildflowers starting to bloom in the yard and on the path to the woods...here are a couple of images taken with the G9...the colors of these fragile plants are just amazing this month; unfortunately, rain is predicted for the next few days so I can't bring out the macro lens and Canon5D if that happens. But if it's a light rain or drizzle, it may be ideal for shooting these flowers.

Time

2011-05-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

This month my birthday arrives again; I often think about being a teenager who couldn't wait to grow up. Now, it seems my youth was evanescent and perhaps not really appreciated at the time. It takes aging to realize the gift of living on this planet, the incredible journey that life holds for each of us. To some extent, we control our destiny and in many ways, it is determined by circumstance...

For me, photography has become my life record; images are moments that can never be repeated in time or place. I have photographed the Canadian Rockies in all seasons, have felt the power of this planet in those mountains; every time is different. The light is always different, my choice of locations may change, but mostly it is my feeling that changes..the myriad emotions surging in my mind on the day I am photographing determine the way I will capture an image.

Down to the sea with cameras

2011-05-07T05:22:00.001-07:00

These three images were taken two nights ago along the coast of Newport, RI..on the left is the Castle Hill Light and on right, below, Castle Hill Inn...the sky looked amazing as sunset approached with turbulent clouds and even rain showers in the distance..you can see a rain shower behind and to the left of the Inn. However, as time went on and dusk drew near, the clouds seemed to just disappear over the ocean; the earlier images, when the light just wasn't quite what I was seeking, seemed to have more fascinating clouds in the sky.. images were taken with the Canon 5d Mark II, the 17-40mm wide angle lens, a 3 stop soft grad ND filter and polarizer...I always use Singh-ray filters in a Cokin holder..the Cokin filters give a strong magenta tone, which some people seem to love, but I just don't like that particular tone. The Singh-ray filters, also the Tiffen filters, are always truly neutral...the top right image was taken after the sun dropped below the horizon, leaving just a little color in the sky..it was a long exposure; it's my favorite.

Spring

2011-05-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Spring...finally, something is in bloom up in the woods! This was taken this morning then processed using Lucis Art plug-in for photoshop..I like the effect that some of the Lucis plug-ins have on a few images: this is the sculpture effect...it softened the image and gave it a pleasing monotone...

The barn swallows are back again this year, will try to get some photos of them in the air, but that is very hard..they can really move. A coyote came through yesterday, paused in the paddock, then continued over the rock wall behind the paddock...beautiful looking animal: grey with brown points on body. He saw me as I came out the door with a camera and immediately was at the wall and over it.

Misty mornings

2011-04-29T05:54:00.001-07:00

Some mornings are just magical; the light on visible moisture can be lovely. Last night a cold front came through, making this an incredibly picturesque dawn...the sunlight on the mist was absolutely amazing. Although I was walking Ralph and didn't go back for the 5D, these shots from the G9 are still interesting...it is hard while walking a dog to stop to compose an image.

The lichens are really fascinating this year, too..the first image shows the variety of colors on one rock.

Canon G9 at the beach

2011-04-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

Finally have a chance to write; the weather here today is in the 70s: that is a very good thing.

After the vicious winter we had, it is a welcome sight to see the skunk cabbage coming up...I will try to get some shots near the brook this week..

All of these images were shot with the Canon G9 at Second Beach in Newport a week or so ago; at the far right of the shore, there are some fascinating rock formations...the advantage of a good quality point and shoot is portability and fun. I stress the fun part because the camera is relatively small and light, and on the whole takes excellent images without hauling around a tripod. It is my scouting camera, used to take shots when I don't have the slr with me or just to practice composition. It will shoot in Raw but that is seldom used: if there is something truly remarkable, the 5D and tripod will come out...

David Middleton Workshop

2011-04-18T09:30:00.001-07:00

David Middleton, the well-known nature photographer based in Vermont, came to Rhode Island to conduct a workshop for PSRI...I was fortunate to have attended with other enthusiastic photographers from our Photographic Society...it was an intense three day workshop, one in which David was able to take us from our comfort zones and challenge our creativity. His patience and humor in the review sessions never wavered.

Since I am primarily a landscape photographer, it was a challenge for me to shoot the docks at Galilee; we were not allowed to use our comfort lenses (for me it is the Canon f4 17-40mm wide angle); this lens and the 70-200mm are my favorites...I shot a lot of the images for the workshop, and all of the ones here in blog, with my f2.8 24-70mm street zoom...and they were all hand-held with higher ISO's then I usually would use..for these it was 400..for most landscapes on tripod, my ISO is usually 50 or 100...

I have never had so much fun being creative, looking at lobster boats and trawlers; things I would have dismissed in the past as not worth photographing. It was an eye opener, to say the least; there were some images that surprised me with their graphic beauty. I recommend him highly as a workshop leader; this is the first time I have been challenged to exit my comfort zone and just have fun creating images.

Camera bags and other issues

2011-04-11T11:27:00.001-07:00

On the left is an image of a shredded tree stump...it was fascinating to look at; almost had a feel of fabric...lately, I have been struggling with a camera bag issue: Lowepro bags have always been my choice as they are rugged, very protective of equipment, well designed and usually lightweight...Just purchased the ProRunner 300 which is a newer model of my old ProRunner that's now about 5 years old...but no matter what bag, because I am only 5'2" tall, it seems they all hit my lower back in a weird way and feel uncomfortable. I have tried many other bags but I don't want a huge backpack style like the F-stop: the ProRunner weighs only 3 pounds, but fully loaded, it feels like I'm carrying an elephant on my back...these are day packs that I usually want to use, not overnight backpacks...

it seems that camera bags are not designed for short women so I will just have to deal with it...

going on a David Middleton workshop the end of this week; should be fun and a chance to test the Canon 70-300mmL lens...local workshops can be a lot of fun because it gives one a chance to get out and shoot for three days without travelling a long distance.

Fisheye lenses and me

2011-03-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of images taken yesterday at a brook...it was not an ideal day to shoot water because of the sunny conditions: I prefer overcast when shooting water to control the reflections, because it is nearly impossible in sunny conditions even with a polarizer...the black and white image was hand held, taken with a fisheye; I really liked the reflection of the trees on the rock ...looked like a petroglyph...found that I'm becoming a real fan of the fisheye 15mm...it always makes me smile when looking at my fisheye results..sometimes they are fascinating, sometimes just plain funny.

Thoughts of aging

2011-03-28T06:22:00.001-07:00

This image was taken with my new lens: Canon 70-300mm L f4-5.6 It seems very crisp, but this is not at 300mm, but at 252mm..will try some images with lens at full length. The reviews of this lens have mentioned that it is a little soft when extended to 300mm. Now that spring is almost upon us here in New England, my thoughts turn to why a lot of people seem to turn to photography as they reach the later years of their lives..actually, the last years of their lives. I think it has to do with time: the importance every moment of time holds for us as we reach the end of life...to capture those elusive moments that will never occur again..to remember by taking an image that touches the heart and soul..this is what I have tried to do...take images that touch me in some way..that made me feel something that possibly will never be felt again in that place and time...

Ides of March

2011-03-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

These images were taken in the last few days; at last, Spring is more apparent in every walk I take in the woods. I can detect the feel of life coming back to the earth; and after the bitter winter we had, it is most welcome.

Canadian Rockies in Feb retrospective

2011-03-11T05:51:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more images taken while in Alberta, Canada last month. I have reviewed mentally this tour taken during one of the coldest recorded weeks in the area...it seems to me

that you lose all creativity and desire when you are slowly freezing...these images are not what I would have wanted, but they are the result of my viewpoint at the time which was: get warm..get the damn shoot over with and get in a car with heater blasting...there was one day when the temps were about 20F so that is when these two images were shot..the bottom one is with the Canon Fisheye 15mm..the top is with my favorite lens the Canon 17-40mm F4L..it is the lens that best defines my personal vision..I have just purchased the new Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6 L lens..will try to get some images to post later this week taken with it..I am hoping it will replace the two lenses usually taken on photo trips: Canon's 70-200mm F4L and the Canon 100-400mm...if it works well, it will be nice to have one less lens in my backpack..

February in the Canadian Rockies

2011-03-04T05:39:00.000-08:00

Well, being in the Canadian Rockies, near Nordegg, in February was very very cold. It was beyond my cold tolerance photographing in that area. What I have learned is that it's necessary to have the best equipment because quite a few of the eight people on the Darwin Wiggett Winter Magic tour suffered from equipment failure, also there were frostbite issues because at times we had to expose fingers to change lenses or make adjustments; my Really Right Stuff ballhead never failed me, even at -35C...my Canon 5D also never failed to operate..many of the others had issues with other brands of ballhead; Arca swiss heads did freeze up. I feel that my images are not as good as they could have been because all I could focus on was keeping warm or getting somewhere warm: a half hour was about it for me tolerating the extreme temperatures...my new 15mm f2.8 fisheye lens from Canon was amazing..took some great shots that are very unusual yet interesting...glad to be back home again and warmer...changing the filters on wide-angle was a real challenge; just using my hands became challenging as the moment they were exposed to weather they were freezing.

2011-02-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

My daily blog soon turned into a weekly blog and now it seems that monthly has become the norm...that is going to end right now..going to try to write and post images every week. This winter has been very difficult; one of the hardest we've had here in the Northeast. These images were taken a week or so ago after another heavy snow. The lower image of the brook was taken with the Singh-ray blue/gold polarizer..the result is something that appeals to me; I have had some really ugly images with the filter: you have to know when it works by practicing a lot. Sometimes the result is just too over the top with the gold..the blue can be beautiful, if used subtly in the winter.

2011-01-13T05:50:00.001-08:00

These images were taken yesterday after a sixteen inch snowfall...it was really quite beautiful, except for the fact that I'm an adult

and not a kid who can play outside all day...a lot of snow always means quite a bit of work outside...but it is still beautiful and serene, nothing can change that...Ralph has a lot of trouble going outside since his head is below snow level so we have to make a path for him to walk around and go to the bathroom...These images were taken with the Canon G9 instead of the G12 because I was afraid of dropping the G12 in the snow..the night shot was taken last evening with the camera on Tungsten setting to cool the tones...

After Christmas thoughts...

2010-12-28T05:47:00.001-08:00

Here is my dog, Ralph; he will be 5 years old next month...the strange thing is that it seems like yesterday when I brought him home on my lap in the car. He was small enough to hold easily in my two hands...he has brought me on a journey in the past few years; despite the fact that he can drive you crazy playing with his toys and wanting you to throw all the squeaky balls, he has taught me humility and the joy of small pleasures...he doesn't worry about his appearance, he wakes up happy every day looking forward to the adventures ahead of him, no matter how small they may be...just a walk is a joy for him, playing with a toy I toss is enough for Ralph, being beside me is all he asks of life. In many ways he has enhanced my life, and in many ways he has been my tutor in the joy and fun of being alive and appreciating every day...

Here are a couple of recent images taken on my walks with him.

2010-12-12T09:41:00.001-08:00

Two more images taken yesterday with the G12..

haven't been able to get anything really good lately..hate the weather in winter..everything is drab; trying to do my best until there is snow or ice to photograph..although, maybe it isn't the weather but my way of looking at things..sometimes, when I am walking, it's easy to see images or envision a composition..lately, not much has struck me as interesting...

New point and shoot!

2010-12-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

These are a couple of images taken with my new Canon G12 point and shoot camera...for years I have used the G9, which is a fantastic little camera..but my husband surprised me with this one a couple of days ago..the advantage to the G12 is the articulating LCD screen..you can use it in the normal position on back of camera, but if necessary, it can be snapped out and rotated 180 degrees making it easy to take images with the camera in any position...the images I've taken so far, appear sharp and crisp with good dynamic range..it still has the ND filter..which comes in very handy at times..more images to come..the other one in b&w is a macro..the major complaint I've heard about this camera is that the spot for your thumb is small...but it's ok for me because I have a small hand, but for a man, it could be a problem avoiding hitting buttons on the back accidentally...what's interesting is that I was going to get the Sigma D1x..but when I read Darwin Wiggett's review and found that it had a lens cap (which must be removed prior to shooting) and poor performance in low light despite the large sensor, I knew it would be a pain in the neck..it's a lot better to have a retractable lens with built in protection, which the G12 incorporates.

December mornings

2010-12-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

Weather here has turned cold, nights in the 20s, and I'm having a hard time finding good images to shoot up in the woods...there is a lack of color..everything appears brown or dull green, so black and white images are going to be the norm for this month; at least until there is some snow...took this one in a clear cut area that was logged a few years ago..this is one of ony three standing trees. Just a lucky tree, I guess..

thoughts on aging

2010-12-02T06:04:00.001-08:00

This image of sunset was taken a few days ago...a cold front was moving into the area that evening and the sky was spectacular..I should have taken a few minutes to drive to the reservoir to get some reflections of this incredible color; instead I was walking Ralph in the backwoods so had to shoot through the trees...

Now that I'm over sixty, it is often that I reflect upon the aging process and the changes it has upon a person...the one thing that is irritating me lately is the senior citizen discount offered by so many businesses...I often wonder what that's all about..does it imply that seniors (and who came up with that word for older people anyway?) cannot afford anything anymore and have to be taken care of by being offered a discount or is it a way to lure people back to their store or restaurant? It definitely is not a reward..there is something insidious about it..like we are doddering old codgers...

Now that that's off my chest..the other early morning image was taken the other day just as the sun touched the trees as it cleared the horizon..

Two days before Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T05:58:00.000-08:00

Today is predicted to be in the sixty degree range of temperatures; strange for November, but not that unusual...this image is a twisted, gnarled stump taken on my daily walk...I like the weird pattern and movement in it...this is the time of year that I miss my parents the most; because it is a time of memories...remembering all the Thanksgiving dinners my mom cooked when I was a kid...and how brief that childhood was, although at the time it seemed like forever...

Wind and cold

2010-11-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

This was taken a couple of days ago at the reservoir..a lot of wind, a lot of clouds..but a few good images..

What happened to the autumn colors?

2010-11-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

Lately, just the bare essence of color; now I am forced to look for graphic elements that translate well into black and white images...also, this is the time of year for me to practice some macro images..when I first began using digital cameras, macro was something that piqued my interest; now it is landscape..didn't know initially where my photography would take me in 2005, so I tried everything: macro, portraits, landscape, abstracts..but it was landscape that captured the essence of who I am...

Dreary morning

2010-11-10T06:13:00.001-08:00

This morning is still dreary with rain and wind...able to get off a few shots but nothing I'm crazy about..I do like the framing of this tree by the large trees in foreground...I guess the ferns, which for some reason are still alive and green in November, are my best image from this morning..will go out later with slr and try to shoot the brook way up in back..

After the rain...

2010-11-09T07:31:00.001-08:00

These two images were taken this morning after a nasty rain and wind storm..

didn't seem to see much this morning on my walk, but came out with a couple of images that are usable...the light was only good for a short time, then it was just too white very quickly and lost the color of sunrise..the lower image was changed with the polaroid transfer filter in tiffen dfx..I like that effect on this particular image..the other is just morning sun catching the trunks of oak trees...

Monday blues

2010-11-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

Originally, it was my intent to post an image per day...that may have been too ambitious; the idea has undergone some changes with the intent to now post images every few days...because I just can't get a good image every day; some days I come home with stuff that's just dull

..there are three images today, all taken with the Canon G9, as are most of the images posted here..I always carry my camera with me, especially when walking Ralph through the paths in the woods, and just shoot anything that looks interesting to try to develop a better eye for composition.

2010-11-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here are two more images..the one on the left was taken at Beavertail last Friday during a time of low tide..this enabled me to climb down to the base of a ravine with rocks on either side..

Thursday and Friday

2010-10-29T11:39:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of images taken in the last two days...

the yellowish colored image was taken using a Singh-Ray blue/gold polarizer..I have not had much luck with this filter except in winter on ice or frozen brooks..that is fog in the background out at sea.

Monday and Tuesday

2010-10-27T05:55:00.001-07:00

This is the reservoir near me taken at sunset...

Friday

2010-10-24T10:14:00.001-07:00

This is the Scituate Reservoir taken toward sunset..not a good night sky, but a few good clouds and interesting light..but I have seen

much better in this area...it was still fun to try

to make the best of what the weather gave me.

Thursday

2010-10-21T05:29:00.001-07:00

Morning with a lot of mist and humidity; it makes for a few interesting images..I love the effect of fog in the distance, especially when trees are involved..

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

2010-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

There are three days represented here because I have slacked off on my uploading to the blog..the idea of posting a daily image is not easy because many of the images I take in the morning are just not very good..

these are the best of that lot of mediocre images..but it is such a challenge to carry a point and shoot on walks with Ralph and try to compose on the fly.

Stormy Friday

2010-10-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Stormy morning..with high winds and rain, but a few good moments to take some pictures..love this Canon G9..just the right size to take in my pocket, yet it gives me some great images with acceptable dynamic range..most of the time it is necessary to use the Manual setting, as it gives me the best results..but it requires me to make a lot of changes to ISO and shutter/aperture settings..but that's part of the fun.

Thursday morning

2010-10-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

Today wasn't a good day shooting..the light didn't seem right and the images weren't very good..this is probably the best one taken this morning...I used a slight blur to soften the color...

Wednesday

2010-10-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Today's image is taken at the reservoir near my house...the sky looked like it might be amazing at sunset, and it was...

Tuesday

2010-10-12T06:05:00.000-07:00

Here is today's image..taken on an overcast morning with the Canon G9..this camera has been great for a point and shoot style camera; it will even shoot raw images plus has a neutral density filter option available...the new G12 has an LCD screen that will pull out and rotate making it easier to take macro shots in difficult spots...but the G9 is great, too...and can be purchased for a lot less money.

Daily image

2010-10-11T06:15:00.001-07:00

I'm going to push myself to shoot a daily image, worthy of posting, too..it won't be easy some days but it will be a challenge to push myself beyond my current capabilities; and force myself to create more interesting compositions until I can return to the Canadian Rockies...this is the first one today, with more to come...

September in Canada

2010-10-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Back from Canada after nine days shooting in the Canadian Rockies and Kootenay Park, among other places in Alberta...

Spring in the Canadian Rockies

2010-06-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Spent the last week of May in the Canadian Rockies, exploring the parks, glaciers, and canyons.

The weather, as is usual in the Rockies, was changeable with snow, rain, wind, and a sun/cloudy mix...but it didn't matter; it is the most creative and exciting place for a photographer...the area is beautiful beyond words; some days are simply awe inspiring and breathtaking to witness...here are a few images.

May in RI

2010-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Before leaving for the Canadian Rockies this month, here is an image taken this spring in the Northeast...trying to

photograph an image a day to post..but perhaps that is a little too amibitious...

Flood images from RI

2010-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Spring musings

2010-03-26T05:43:00.001-07:00

It is almost April...

that means spring here in New England.

There is a lovely brook not far from me; it's been a source of photographic inspiration for me all winter long. If it weren't for the long walks to visit that place of solitude, the winter would have been almost intolerable this year.

These images were taken at diffent times of day, mostly early morning; it is magical walking there as the morning sun peeks through the trees; the light can be truly stunning.

More from the Canadian Rockies

2009-11-14T07:22:00.001-08:00

Here are a few more images from my photo tour of the Canadian Rockies with Darwin Wiggett...

Canada's Rockies

2009-11-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

Attended a fantastic Darwin Wiggett tour of the Canadian Rockies in October..although the weather was varied and often overcast, it made for a wonderful variety of images. Just being in these majestic mountains was a stimulation of my creativity; can't remember ever being so excited about landscape. Every where I turned in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho was stunning visually; it took my breath away at times...

The tour was exhausting yet very rewarding; we shot images regardless of time of day and weather: it taught me to work harder for images and to find the right subject for conditions.

It was an unforgettable experience..can't wait to return.

July musings

2009-07-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

Finally some sunny weather after a month of dreary rainy skies. Hope to get some images of the swallows in the barn and their young today; the juveniles appear almost ready to fly. The doting parents are always dive bombing my head when I go fill water buckets outside..but what is interesting is that they recognize me when I come in the barn and leave me alone.

Went to Cirque du Soleil performance last night but somehow it just didn't click for me...the music was lovely, the lighting beautiful but somehow it wasn't anywhere as moving and ethereal as Carvalia, which I saw a few years ago...maybe the horses make a difference....

July beginnings

2009-07-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more magical and mystical than fog rolling in from the ocean...all sense of direction and place are lost, putting you in a wondrous world of white mist with no horizon...you could be anywhere in the universe...any planet...any moon..alone with your thoughts, a place to piece together your life...a place like no other to be alone or with someone you love to just sit and think about what life really means...

Each of us is limited by time, it is important to use it wisely and savor every joyous moment.

long time away

2009-07-01T05:39:00.001-07:00

These images are from a Jeff Foott workshop last month... days were very foggy, yet quite beautiful...the three images posted here are from Sakonnet point in early morning.

This was actually the only sunny morning we had during the workshop...but the pastel tones of the sky in the pre-sunrise shot are truly lovely.

Trying to concentrate solely on landscape photography now, which is odd since I've never really been able to find a genre that appeals to me at all...but after a Jack Dykinga workshop last year, a light went off in my brain and ignited something..a feel for landscape.

Will be traveling to Calgary and Banff in October for a Darwin Wigget workshop in Canada; looking forward to working with him as his images are truly stunning...thanks to his images and those of Jack Dykinga, I've come to love using neutral density filters, graduated Nd filters and polarizers...will be having a show at a local hospital in December of my landscapes; looking forward to that but must work harder to get even better images.

2008-10-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

October's end is upon us; the oak and maple leaves that once adorned the trees now lie upon the ground in an often lovely graphic composition of light, shadow and tone. All the huckleberry leaves have come full circle from the bright lime green of spring to the deep crimson color of the Fall...Ralph and I walk though the deep leaves for our daily treks wandering for miles sometimes; I am in awe of the morning light this month...the sun peeking from under a cloud cover, just catching the tops of the trees is truly a joy to behold and to try to photograph...although I carry a small pocket camera with me on our walks, there are been occasional images rivaling those of my Canon SLR... it dawns on me that it's not the camera, but the eye of the photographer that is the real lens, not the one screwed onto the camera body.

The image of the barn was taken at sunset a couple of weeks ago...I've been past this barn or stopped to photograph it for 35 years; but last Sunday, when I was driving past, it had been razed; nothing but a pile of rubble strewn in a field...

Ralph and Squeaky

2008-09-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

This, of course, is Ralph...the guy on the right needs an introduction: it's Squeaky...if you're wondering what this is about, it's important to know that Ralph isn't really Ralph without his Squeaky toy...

When he was a puppy he carried this toy everywhere, and still does now, even though he'll be three years old in January...he has been known to take Squeaky into bed with him, softly chewing until he falls asleep; we always hope the squeak mechanism inside breaks quickly because that high-pitched sound can be very annoying late at night...sometimes Ralph cannot go outside to the bathroom without Squeaky, holding it in his mouth the entire time...or discreetly placing it at a little distance, then picking it up when he's finished...

Ralph loves to toss Squeaky down the cellar stairs, then moans until we bring it upstairs again...if a long period of time passes, he'll gaze longingly down into the cellar until it is retrieved.

If you take it away when he goes to sleep, he'll just keep staring at wherever Squeaky happens to be placed, moaning until it's back with him.

I think that Squeaky is part of his personality now...and it's weird, but there are days when he doesn't even bother with it...but should a cat go near Squeaky ,( Ralph is adamant about them not touching his toy), he will retrieve it and take it away from the cat...

Ralph's favorite game with Squeaky is to push it with his nose under a low piece of furniture so that my husband and I have to fish it out...this drives my husband crazy...

How many days has Ralph made me laugh with his antics! Those are times I'll never forget; days of pure joy, when the everyday struggles of life are forgotten and I'm a kid again.

September

2008-09-09T11:35:00.001-07:00

This month marks the end of summer for me. On my long walks with Ralph, the leaves of the huckleberry and sassafras are already losing their luster, changing color, or dropping to the forest floor. My cousin lost her husband to cancer a week ago; a good friend lost her mother to the same disease last week; it has not been a month without sorrow...as I age, the realization that we only have time, not forever as I thought when I was a teenager, not infinity..just time,and it is brief...spend it having fun, laughing with friends and family, looking at sunrises and sunsets, feeling the ocean breeze, the moonlight through the trees or the dew underfoot...perhaps this is why I love photography...it invites me, forces me to be conscious of light and the nuances of light...in a way it has become my religion: to appreciate every moment of life trying to see and remember, remembering what I love, why I photographed..what it meant to me.

Night and the ocean

2008-08-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

There is something magical about the sea after sunset; an eerie almost mystical quality changes the light and with a long exposure on my camera, the sea takes on a foggy almost insubstantial appearance as the water rushes over the rocks; they appear and then disappear beneath the waves. The colors just after sunset can be cool forbidding blues, giving even a warm summer evening the feel of winter...
This lighthouse sits in an incredible location, facing bravely out to sea...it draws me back again and again to make images of this rocky coastline.

Ralph, in the sun

2008-08-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ralph taking his morning nap in the sun.

Summer's end

2008-08-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

Drove to the coast the other day to view the sunset after a series of storms. There is a sadness about the month of August; it is the beginning of the end of summer...the beautiful weather coming to a close, as the evenings become just a bit cooler and the mornings a bit chillier...the Big Dipper is a higher over the horizon after dark. As I grow older, the winters become a little harder to tolerate, the cold seems more pervasive and my body a lot sorer after cleaning the barn in freezing weather...but there is one important fact I cannot forget...no matter what the temperature, there is always such beauty around me...even in the middle of winter.

I'll miss the colors of summer, my photography in winter is pared down to the basics: black and white images are perfect...there is a sparse graphic element to photography when snow is on the ground...

Ralph, the dog

2008-07-31T05:14:00.001-07:00

This is my Jack Russell Terrier, Ralph, otherwise known as Ralph the Brain ..he has been my best friend for almost 3 years...many people would laugh at that statement...but those people don't know anything about Ralph...when he was six months old, I was feeling sick with a virus and fainted in the woods while walking him; that little puppy stayed with me: licking my face, crying, and whining until I woke up and was able to make my way home...

He loves the ocean and will leap into the waves to chase his little soccer ball; but mostly, it is his undying devotion to me that is the clincher in our relationship...whatever I say or whatever I do, it's ok with him; if I choose to walk for three or four miles into the woods, he's up for it...take a nap in the afternoon, it's ok with him...sometimes I think he's my alter ego, but the better part of me.

The aging dilemma

2008-07-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

Although this is meant to be a photo site, it appears that I will also inflict a little of my philosophy upon anyone who happens to wander into my blog...as I am now moving gradually into old age, it is important that some of my observations are written down...first thing, the dilemma of life will always escape my understanding; perhaps that is why I love photography at this stage of my life: it gives me glimpses of such beauty in the world if only briefly and for a moment. To try to capture these moments on digital film is like creating a painting in a few minutes. When I was much younger, painting in oil or acrylic was a passion; now I feel time is finite and with photography a lot more can be accomplished holding a camera than a paintbrush... our mortality escapes us in youth; it takes age to appreciate the brevity of life.

Jamestown, Rhode Island

2008-07-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images taken during a recent trip to the coast of RI. I've been doing serious photography for about 5 years; it has been a lot of fun and an interesting learning journey.