Tuesday, December 21, 2010

December Sunset


Looked out a back window and saw this incredible color from tonight's sunset.  Looked like the forest was on fire.  The photograph didn't quite capture the intense color - it was spectacular!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All!  Had some fun taking 'creative' photographs of my Christmas Tree.  For this photo I used a tripod, set a slow shutter speed, and as the camera was taking the photo, I slowly turned the lens creating a pretty cool-looking effect.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Old Cordage Park - Plymouth, MA


Spent an interesting morning walking around the old Cordage Park buildings in Plymouth, MA.  I chose to
use black and white for these two photos as the condition and character of the buildings seemed to
warrant the lack of color.

Although the buildings at first glance do not appear to be in ruins, the infrastructure has deteriorated to the point that there are plans to revitalize the area with a new waterfront development.  These once proud buildings were home to the world's largest rope maker.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Luddam's Ford Park - Hanover, MA

Elm Street Bridge - 1894

Participated in my first "Meet Up" with the Plymouth Photography Meet Up group.  We met mid-morning at Luddam's Ford Park off of Elm Street in Hanover, MA.  Luddam's is a beautiful, peaceful conservation area with walking trails, a stream, open fields, and a pond.  Even though the fall foliage is just past its peak, there were still some beautiful colors left to enjoy.

Herring Run "Ladder"

Monday, October 18, 2010

Window Light


Tried my first foray into the world of capturing images in "Raw".  Raw images are digital negatives, similar to a film negative.  The purpose of raw formats is to save the image, with minimumal loss of information.  The image is then processed using imaging software, similar to sending a "negative" to a lab to process.

I love how the available window light shines on the elements in the photograph.  The image was captured at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers, Massachusetts.  Rebecca was one of the first women to be executed as part of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.  For more information on Rebecca please visit the Rebecca Nurse Homestead.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Basin, NH


During a picture perfect day in New Hampshire, with a fun group from the South Shore Camera Club (Quincy, MA), I shot this photograph at The Basin in the White Mountain National Forest.  The day before the area had experienced heavy rainfall.  The water was rushing down the basin with a thunderous, yet calming, sound.  This photograph was taken at a slow shutter speed to create the flowing effect.

Friday, September 10, 2010

"Lobbyists" at the Willard Hotel

Located two blocks from the White House, the Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, as legend has it, is where the term "lobbyist" was coined.  The word "lobby" can be found back as far as the early 1500's and in the Oxford English Dictionary in the early 1800's.

In 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant, leader of the Union Army, would often relax in the hotel's lobby, drinking brandy, and smoking cigars.  Agents aligned with 'private interest groups' would often approach General Grant seeking special favors.  The Willard Hotel legend claims that General Grant himself called these private interest agents who lingered in the hotel's lobby, "lobbyists".

The Willard is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and, in addition to General Grant, has hosted many dignitaries including, to name a few:  U.S. Presidents since 1850, Julia Ward Howe who wrote the lyrics for the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", General Tom Thumb and his bride, Martin Luther King (who worked on his "I Have a Dream" speech), Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens.

There is a wealth of information available online about the history of the Willard Hotel.  The National Park Service has a wonderful synopsis at their website NPS U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Friday, August 20, 2010

SAND IMPRESSIONS



Nature creates its own art. 

Walking along a Cape Cod beach, the tide was
ebbing and in the process formed these two perfect
impressions of trees.






What is striking about these impressions is the sense
of majesty and intricacy of the designs.  One can imagine coming upon exact replicas of these trees somewhere in the world.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION

"To understand any living thing, you must, so to say, creep within and feel the beating of its heart". -- W. MacNeile Dixon, poet, historian, scholar of the English language.

While waiting to board a boat out of Boston Harbor I noticed this young man wandering around the waterfront.  As soon as this ship appeared he sat on the thick black chain and watched the ship until it vanished into the open waters of the Atlantic.

I wondered what brought the young man to the waterfront, and in particular what fascinated him about the ship.  He didn't board any of the boats leaving the harbor, and he was still on land when my boat left. 

  • Was he yearning for the freedom of sailing around the world and dreaming of the ports he might visit?
  • Did he just disembark from the ship and may be missing his shipmates?
  • Does he aspire to build great ships?
  • Or, maybe he just enjoys spending time by the water.

What is your impression?

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

THE AFTERNOON I WORKED FOR A CATBIRD & LEARNED NATURE PATIENCE

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience".

With the intention of moving an azalea bush from one garden to another, planting a butterfly bush in its place, and weeding two extremely neglected gardens, I began what I thought was a 'solitary effort'.  Pitchfork in hand, I attacked weeds that had sprouted and spread unrestrained.

Approximately 10 minutes had passed when I noticed this little gray catbird.  It seemed to be hanging around, watching what I was doing.  I stepped back from the garden, looking at the catbird with curiosity.  Seizing the opportunity, it hopped onto the overturned dirt, grabbed several bugs and worms, and then flew away.  Laughing to myself, I resumed working.  The catbird returned within minutes!  I stood back; it hopped right into the freshly turned dirt, grabbed more bugs and worms, and flew off.  This continued over and over for quite some time.

I took a break before starting to dig out the azalea bush.  What did the catbird do?  It flew up onto the handle of the pitchfork, looked at me, and chirped, as if to say, "Hey get back to work, I need more food!  There's no slacking off!"  I actually answered it, out loud, "I'm doing all the work, you're reaping all the benefits, and I need a break!"  Oh yes, I talked to the catbird quite often that afternoon, and realized I had become its employee.  This was one smart bird!

Since my new 'supervisor' didn't allow breaks, I immediately began digging up the azalea, creating quite a large pile of dirt.  The catbird stayed close, watching me with its ever vigilant black eyes.  Every time I stepped away, it hopped right onto the pile, scooped up the bugs and worms, and flew away.

Freeing the azalea I carried it to the other side of the house, and started to dig a large hole.  The catbird followed me!  I'm sure it was thinking, "Ah, a new food source!"  This little catbird was one persistent, bold and courageous bird, at one point coming within two inches of my feet.  I continued to dig.  I would step back.  It would grab food.  It would fly off.  It would return.

Having never experienced this type of interaction with a bird, I was fascinated.  I watched as it went after small bugs, watched as it deftly picked bugs right off the cement foundation of the house, and watched as it grabbed worms, maneuvering the worms with its beak into tight loops making them easier to carry back to the nest. 

The gardening I had planned to do should have taken about two hours.  It took over four.  I didn't mind.  I was delighted to become the employee of the catbird; together we worked hard so it could feed its family.  I was permitted to participate in and observe the beauty that is nature; and in the process I learned "nature patience":  I learned to slow down my 'human' pace and observe the world around me.

For more information on catbirds (Orpheus Carolinesis, Linn., dumetelle carolinesis) visit the Audubon Society's website.