Chandelier

Luckily, this image was taken right off the side of the road although I had to go in to shoot it. The interior didn't interest me at all, in fact, it looked pretty bad, but this fixture stood out. Seemed out of place. I moved quickly, before anyone could tell me to stop, and found a good angle with a background that wouldn't wreck the shot. People did watch but nobody seemed to care. I guess they thought I was a tourist and figured, "whatever" and let me do my thing. I took a couple of images and was happy with this.

Late Autumn

Just a week or two earlier and this view wouldn't be possible. The corn would have been in the way. I remember trying to make an image of this place before and this angle never seemed right although it interested me. I guess removing the corn made it. Now I see more layers rather than the tall corn waiting to be chopped. This field was pretty clean of corn. I hope a little was left for the deer in late winter.

Rotting Trucks

The front end of these trucks were covered pretty good and the home of the owners within view so that ruled out a frontal shot. I had to try to do something. I got low and included the leaves and this helped rid some of the sky. It makes me think how soon these trucks will be part of the ground, rather than the landscape. No more potatoes for theses guys.

Weathered Trees

I know these trees have taken a beating over the years. Luckily they're in a tree friendly neighborhood. I looked at these, and others around, and most had good full limbs of leaves. They were my original target, but I kept turning around and thinking of the ugly flower shot. I then decided to go to work here. They look skeletal, naked, and cold. If I were a bird, I'd be happy to live in the hole in the upper right, until the tree falls over of course.

Ribbon Stop

I was headed into the Stop and Shop when I noticed this. I'll admit, I didn't stop, but I did decided to make an image after I did my business in the store. The wreaths by chance were in a good spot for a little snow from the night before, but not to much. The red repeating itself is good, but I like the cool blue in the upper left corner also. Purchasing a wreath would have ruined the composition.

Waiting

This is one of my favorite places to shoot because of the mountains and light, or fog, whatever seems to drift in here. Western Mass is quite an area for photography as it has the mountains, rushing streams, and farm land. There's also good places to eat, and warm up. I have a series I've been doing of John Deere tractors and although this one wasn't at work, it was ready to go as usual. Sometimes I wish I could hop on and chop some corn. I love stuff like that.

Baby Ferns

This was a bright sunny chilly morning with hard direct sun. I almost didn't know what to do with it. The only thing I saw (or couldn't get out of my mind) was this little patch of baby ferns at the top of my driveway. A regular shot wasn't doing it for me. So I played.

Snow Trees

This was the first snow of the season, way late. We didn't get much, so I decided to try to make something of what was where, if that makes any sense. I liked how the light was sweeping across this tree line and also the contrast of the snow with the darker background. /...

White Barn

I've been past this barn many times and always hoped for some kind of image but it's never seemed right until this day. The timing was perfect for the cross lighting and a little shadow. There is depth from front to rear and right to left on this long range shot. If I had the ultimate lens, maybe a 400 mm or better I could have zeroed in on the barn and not had to include the 2/3's of the photo being grass. That's OK and better. The barn is small, the grass is BIG. I think the story here is how the farmer decided to put the barn as far away from anything as possible. I wonder why?

Sunny Fern

This image has a flashed look to it and this isn't something I want, unless it wasn't flashed. The sun was creating the effect, and trees and leaves were helping by casting shadows into the background. I moved just enough to include the color in the background, and this repetition of color strengthens the overall composition. The final touch was the focus effect. Shallow depth of field throws the background out of focus, but not the left half of the fern. This I made by slightly removing the lens, and crossing my fingers. Works every time, ...sometimes.

Autumn Afternoon

I was watching the wind in the tree tops thinking not enough wind and not enough leaves. I'd missed it by hours I think. The digital phenomenon allows me to play, and try things where I normally would have been more reserved with film. No cost to trying something. My first thoughts where I wanted to just look through the camera and see if I could find a shot up there. I liked how the upper leaves shoot across from right to left to break up the dominant vertical lines. The soft back lighting with the bare upper limbs seem to look more distant. I decided to make the image. The imperfect foliage worked out after all.

Pole

For a few days now I've been around these buildings with no windows, a scattered layout, and a manicured military neatness. I wanted to make an image and knew there was something here but couldn't see it, or figure it out. It was going to be forced, so I never pulled the trigger. I saw the pole, liked the pegs, the orange, and finally, photographically, the chipped paint. I didn't think masterpiece by any means and forgot the image as quick as I shot it. It wasn't until I brought it up on the computer that the image struck me. I'm glad I didn't trash it from my camera in an edit! Lesson learned again, photograph what you like. Viewers I think, will use more time trying to figure out what they're missing than what their actually looking at.

Bow-Saw and Sickle

I was with a small party of people just pondering/talking about things. I didn't want to make it a "Kodak" moment, but I kept noticing things. Things that I liked I guess. But I also know from experience that some things don't happen again, don't take it for granted. I had my camera, so it was natural to have the urge. Yes no yes, no. Finally I knew, but when? Who cares about good conversation. I decided on a beer drinker technique. Sorta smooth and natural where you raise your camera, do your shot or two and then go back to the talk world. Like nothing ever happened. I didn't fool anyone here either.

Pasture and Cloud

I like this because it is so simple to look at. I had to wait for the cloud to hurry up and get into position before the image was complete. This image says cows to me even though there are non, but they've definitely been here. It turned out a bit like a painting.

Long Road

Everything is a little out of perspective in this one. This a bike path, but with the lines on the new hot top you'd think it was a two lane road. The fog helped here by giving the illusion the road goes on forever. There's a person walking down the path a ways. I never knew if he was coming or going, but I wondered. I'm never at these spots for long.

Autumn Dead Bug

I found this bug, by a door, where I work. I wonder if it had made it in, would it have survived? I've never seen anything like it but knew I wanted to photograph it. Seemed to be posed pretty good for a dead bug. Even without the color this thing is cool, but what color!?

Foggy Morning

I've made many images of this place and not all (very few) end up as something I want to look at later. I think I like the place better than it photographs, the two can sometimes be confused. It's a matter of being there at the right time, with the right stuff. This is an intersection of a few roads, I didn't pull off to far, just hopped out and started shooting for a while. The road and barn were as quiet as the air looked, and felt.

Red Barn Board

I wish this barn could stay like it is forever but it won't. I made images of the whole thing and they look pretty good but what I decided to go with today was the skin of it. The barn had many different types of siding, and this one had that melted vinyl siding look. This barn was old but the color was still vibrant. I thought throwing the power lines out of focus was appropriate since no power was being used. It reminds me of the skin of old heavily used hands.

Grazing Cattle

There's no star here and that's ok. The scene without the fence or the cows would have satisfied me but they sure add to it. One thing I've learned is shoot what you see, whether it's perfect to what you think or not. Work with it, add to it, and move on.

Young Tree

Again, I was thinking of something different as I approached the Park, hoping to find it and try to get to work on time. I was using a camera that most people wouldn't because it wasn't current and didn't have enough pixels to be trusted. I'm glad I like to try things like older cameras and lenses. That in itself makes you different and you'll definitely get a different look, much like we did with the old film cameras. Different films/lenses, different results. In the old days (10 years ago or so) people worried about film and optics for the job. Not that way today. Why did that go away? Most people only think they understand pixels (the more the better), but they don't. I don't know what grade your in when you know 2 is more than 1 but in the adult world with photography it goes much deeper than that. This is why some people do better than others with what they have whether they're loaded up with pixels or not. In this image, the low pixel count is hidden in the fog. Have I mentioned how much I like fog? I do.

Dizzy Busy Sky

I don't remember why I was sitting here but I know what I noticed. All the gray. The sky, lines, poles, and the tree. For a short time I hoped something of color would happen by, but what is the chance of that when your aiming up. Too bad the street lamp didn't come on but this is what I had. The tree limbs being out of focus is what makes this interesting. It makes me a little dizzy.

Savoy Barn

I had stopped and turned around to make this image and that's when I noticed my previous post. On the way by I noticed the light and color of the siding and figured if I moved and turned around fast enough I might have a chance at something before I lost the light. My camera was not ready and I did a lot of fussing but finally got the shot. This has good cross lighting, longer shadows. Yesterdays image came from moving down the road about 100 yrds and shooting back over my shoulder. Back lit rather than side lit, all I had to do was manage the exposure. Two different barns not that far apart and two different looks. Good addition to my "Barns" series.

Yellow Stripes and Barn

These yellow stripes have no reason to be here, perfect for a picture. Most may know what these are for but if someone looked at this 200 years from now what would they think? I can only hope.

Ripples

Somethings look better when they're moving and somethings not. I like to see movement in my images but this time I thought differently. It might sound simple post pic, but while I was watching this I realized it was already moving, why not stop it. This happens normally even if you have your camera on auto, this I know. I was doing it purposefully here, with thought. Any shot wouldn't do, so I studied, watched and tried to understand and see it differently. I have nothing profound to speak about concerning my thoughts, but in the study I did see different moments, eventually realizing it was never the same, it wouldn't repeat. Everything slowed down, I was in the zone, had to shoot.

Granny Tree

I thought this tree was worn. I knew I had to make an image but not to make it pretty. The key was to keep it ragged. I used my foggy window, the car, a mildew lens, and the sky, all of this yucked it up just enough. It has the classic Holga look and in a way, makes me think of a little old granny.

Autumn Morning

I was telling a friend and photographer the day before how I hadn't taken my Unity Park route to work, therefore no new images. This morning I wondered if I had a chance at a location shortly before this. That spot didn't look good, and I was thinking how the light wasn't happening anyway. As I approached the final turn, this is what I saw. Straight ahead it was and parking made it even better. I couldn't figure out what to do with the little black tree in front and have the sun in a good spot at the same time. I decided to try to hide it as you see it. The subtlety of it makes the shot (and I was trying to hide it?). I wasn't late for work, but wished I could have stayed longer. Who knows.

Ragged Tree

Who knows how much longer this tree will be making leaves. I think it took quite a beating in this past winter with the ice and snow. I liked how ragged and haggard it was but still tried to put on a good fall show. I think it did, and as usual, having the fog didn't hurt. I like the word ragged too.

Green Field

This is an image of a lot of nothing. Except layers I guess. The green is what I noticed first and then it was just a matter of composing with what was left over to make something of it. I probably like this more than anyone because sometimes when I shoot, I can feel a sense of accomplishment. Just knowing what I started with, what I found, and then doing something with it, does it for me. I think the fog helped again by hiding the treeline. It wouldn't have ruined the image, but if I had, you'd be looking at something else right now.

Gray Barn

If it weren't for the bank of weeds and grass, this would be a black and white image. The barn is aged gray in reality but this with the fog make me think of a distant BIG BARN. I could have crawled up the bank and lost the bank but I thought this would be the only thing to add foreground and depth. It's not just an image of a barn, but a barn in it's environment.

Black Maple

I kept thinking there was an image here but it wasn't happening. If I widened out, I had distracting things to the left and right. The top had issues also. What made me zoom in and give this a try I don't know. Possibly because zooming and moving are easy? I'm not sure if the shot is about the tree or the leaves anymore but I like it. I wish postcards were vertical.

Yellow Ferns

I guess I never think of ferns changing colors like leaves on the trees but they do. Usually I notice them when they've browned up and clobbered by the weather, these look nice and healthy. On a good day, with these ferns, I doubt I would have anymore light on them since they were low in and under evergreen trees. The blacks and the depth of field to make this interesting. I've since learned that mosquitoes make ferns there home. I don't know if I like this, but at least there were none on this day.

Wispy Grass

I've been into this wind thing for several months now. I love wind on grass. I had to be careful with this, I didn't want all the grass moving so I had to wait for the wind speed to slow enough for the shutter speed I was using. There's one plant by itself, bigger, therefore not moving the speed of the grass and I think the wisps of green add to it. Even if you don't know there's wind, it's still a pretty image.

Seasoned Depot

This is another place I photograph a lot but things have to be just right. I'm intrigued by the building and would love to go in but this is in an area people would notice and a big deal would ensue. To the left, behind it, and to the right, it's a populated area. Without getting any closer, this is the shot. I've done ok when there's some sort of weather. I like the pastel color.

Bog Colors

There just wasn't that one tree full of color you think of. It had to be somewhere else. I go through phases of color. Sometimes I want it or just need it. Lately I've worried about loosing it. Back to dreary winter. The image has an obvious show of color and black and white. It's a nice contrast on this overcast day. Fall colors and respect for the dead.

Red Barn

The only shot was through the trees, at least that's how I saw it. I kept moving to the right but there were to many open doorways and the message of color was lost (I did make an image over there, but it wasn't about the barn). In this, the shallow depth of field gives you nothing to focus on but the color. Who knows where the livestock is. I saw this as another Fall image of color, it just happens to be paint.

Sinking Tree

This tree was acting somewhat like my latest horses but still I figured to do something with it. I thought I'd try the double shot pick. I've been doing more of these lately for some reason. All I can think of is the tree is sinking and not just behind the hill. The illusion from the lower ground. I'm happy with this one.

Early Autumn

I was thinking how much the sun had moved and realized this was one of those "good light for photographers" moments. I bumbed up the look a little with some multi-exposure, mildew lens, and a dirty windshield. In real life I'd consider this a "nothing view". It serves to block the road and some neighbors. I guess every thing was right at this moment to make this.

Japanese Maple and Sky

Talk about color! My Maple seemed to go red in a hurry and dropped it's leaves as fast. The weather was good this day so I'm glad I took advantage of it. When I look at this tree in this state, I always want to shoot the whole thing from the outside but it just doesn't photograph as vibrant as I image it. When I go inside and shoot out, I get the color. It's the opposite thinking again.

Autumn Sycamore 2

This image gives away the separation between the Sycamore and background. A little respect for the tree trunks I guess. I like this image as well. The soft carpet of golden rod and these things carrying the load. There are no deer here, but plenty of ticks I'm sure. Does that take the beauty out of it?

Autumn Sycamore 3

I like making images with trees and images of trees. Sometimes I've had hard times culling images due to an in camera crop. A little to the left the shot is about the tree, a little to the right and it's about the meadow. The opportunity I thought was to pick these things apart. Usually I do this with the sky as the background but that wasn't happening (to far to run). Good light right now and it would ruin everything. I like how the Sycamore does all the work, it looks like it has good light buy nature. I used a long (mildew) lens trying to bring the background closer. The Sycamore look like veins of a forest. If I could paint with a brush, this is what I'd paint.

Autumn Sycamore 1

I have several images of this family of Sycamore. I'm glad there were no leaves on the trees, how else would we see this. I think of the lady that said the color is gone. A photographer can't think this way, at least I can't. There has to be something, and I want to be the one to find it. I don't think I could recognize a sycamore leaf, I've never paid attention, only to the limbs. It makes sense that I should like this.

Autumn Undergrowth

I'd been stopping, turning around, back and forth on a dirt road when I finally stopped and told a walking couple I'd leave them alone and be moving north. They said that unfortunately all the color was gone and I'd missed it by a week. I shot this less than a 5 minutes later. Luckily, I wasn't looking for color.

Sonic Maple

I really like this image. I've always tried to make special images of my Japanese Maples and I think think I have one here. It's a combination of many things and missing any one would change it. I had to shoot through my windshield and I purposefully slowed my wipers so rain would collect. I used shallow depth of field, and part of the inside of the car to help vignette. And then there was the timing. The speed of the shutter with the speed of the wiper and the timing of the shutter release. To fast a shutter speed and you could see the wiper system, to slow and you wouldn't have an effect you could see. I shouldn't leave out the "Mildew Lens" either. And how about the sonic wave shooting through the trunk? I like stuff like this.

Broken Horse

This was turning out to be the usual horse shoot. I'd decided to go with the horse insn't co-operating theme and couldn't line up a decent one of those. There were three horses and they were doing their best to ignore me and screw up the pix. They knew I was there. I was thinking of another pic called Horses Ass, as all three lined up a good distance apart and headed away but they made that look bad. I found another position, kept shooting, hoping, but getting nothing. Finally this one decided she had to check me out, turned and moved quickly to me. Luck was turning. I got a few decent images of her coming and she nosed my lens before I pulled my camera away. I scratched her head and talked her up, wishing I had a carrot. She waited while I changed lenses, I then shot this. She has no idea how psyched I was!

Water and Tree

This was one wet day. It almost looks like the water is coming out of the ground and headed out into the field but it was actually running to me and into a culvert. I thought shooting through my fogged up window helped with the feeling I had, wet and cold. It was slushy, wet, winter, and one of those days one should stay home. The tree was right at home. It's probably been through many of these days.

Hidden Truck

We'd stopped so I could try to make something of a half built log cabin and I almost missed the this truck. I wonder about things like this. Did someone drive it here, park it and never plan on coming back? It bothered me a little that it was almost overgrown with the brush but I had to make something of it. Maybe I just wanted to see more of it and have more of a creative chance. Not to be. The half built log cabin has vanished since, but the truck is still there. I like this now because it is what it is.

NEX Rainbows

I think rainbows are something you sit, watch, and enjoy. I'm usually trying to find a better angle, whether speeding around in the car, running through the woods, or frantically trying to find the right lens while time is running out. They just don't last long enough. These were spotted at the end of the work day and for a few moments I watched but finally broke down and ran to get my camera. My angle couldn't have been better and the light on the NEX building was just what it should have been. I captured a few and the rainbows disappeared, almost like they were waiting for me to finish.

Frigid Balloons

This was a cold day and we were about to go into a shop when I decided to stop and try to get something. I include this in my movement series and I think it has this look from a combination of a breeze and a little zoom. My fingers don't move well when they get real cold, I was having a hard time getting a grip (to stay smooth with the lens), the sun was doing nothing for warmth, but working as a fine backlight (and the angle of the shot gave me neck pain). I had to stick it out, there was an image here and I had to find it. I've found that when my fingers stop moving during shooting, they always seem to work again after warming them up. And that's good.

Train Cars

This would be a dull image of nothing if it weren't for the train coming through. I like trains and their cars and I found it's their movement that intrigues me. I can fool the viewer by changing shutter speeds, and even wait for color to help separate the the cars. You can mess up for quite awhile if the trains long enough and they usually are. This train was going about 5.

Connecticut River

There's a lot of activity on the Connecticut River normally. Maybe it was to early or something but nobody out on this morning. The little floats were what interested me at first. I liked the diagonal they were on and I only had to move a little from my original view before I had them in the composition that worked for me. I like how blue the image went, it was how the morning was.