Historical Society

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This was actually a test run for a shot I hope to do this winter with full snow coverage.It is the local historical society grounds,and I recently spoke with them to see if they had any interest in adding some holiday decorations such as a nice wreath on the door to spice up the shot and I want to bring luminaries for the sidewalk on the left.  My first impression is they might be up for it. I will share a little information about the shot so everyone can understand the effort involved. First my camera was mounted on a pipe attached to a 6 foot ladder,so my camera is about nine feet off the ground so I could position the clock in the center of the main building and be close to parallel.Next I used my flashlight to spotlight the wall behind the clock to add some interest, and then I lit the lantern on the wall with my flashlight and the area surrounding it as well as the tree on the left. Things that complicate a shot like this are the brightness of the clock face which quickly overwhelms the scene at longer exposures,so you need to capture that early in the shot before it gets too dark,and there are street lights that have a terrible red cast that becomes hard to work around. Below is a visual in case anyone wants to try this crazy idea. I mounted a board to the ladder top,then a pipe fitting to that so the pipe can thread into the top. Lastly I used a bogen head and clamp to get my camera to be able to articulate however needed and it can go up or down along the pipe. The things on the camera are a wireless transmitter to fire it and a camranger to send a wifi signal to my tablet.

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Giving Thanks

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This set of images were taken in the small town of Lititz,Pa in the area known as the Moravian Church Square. It is a gorgeous section of town that includes numerous old buildings and is  right along the main street. This year I spotted a dazzling yellow Ginko tree on a friday night and took a shot or two before it got dark.I called a friend to tell him he might want to check it out,and he did just that on the next day.I called him to ask if he got anything and he said all of the leaves were off,to which I laughed and said there is no way all the leaves fell off overnight. He insisted it was true so on Sunday morning I headed over at sunrise to see,and lo and behold  he was telling the truth. I was busy getting more photos in the pre-dawn light when the caretaker strolled by and said he was lighting the church and hoped that would not be a problem,to which I said go for it. The added illumination inside took the stunning scene to a whole other level in my opinion,and I was very thankful not only for the beauty before me but the ability to appreciate it and capture it. I joked with the care taker about the leaves not being cleaned up because he is a very efficient worker and keeps the property well maintained and he said the parishioners love to walk down the golden path as they arrive for Sunday worship so he leaves them lay an extra day.

Past and Present

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This scene is at a local park and features trees on the hill that are already bare and trees in the foreground about to drop their leaves. If you saw this park,you would never think you could get a nice shot like this,but careful attention to composition and eliminating junk by meticulous cropping allowed what I think is an excellent overall image at sunrise.

A Bygone Era

14 13I have driven by this old home countless times but something caught my eye as I drove by this past week. Maybe it was the fall leaves scattered about or the sunlight skimming across the facade of the beautiful porch,but whatever it was,I was glad I decided to stop and snap a shot.The bottom image was taken the first day and the top one was taken at night the next day.The owner was very accommodating in letting me shoot it and even turned lights on for a little added drama.The detail in the porch is amazing and the craftsmen from yesteryear that made it really had talent.The focal point for me was the curved door entrance which had a certain grace to it and I can envision a Christmas image here if I can come up with an idea.

Foggy Night in the Park

park-fogThis foggy evening found me in the quaint town of Lititz,Pa doing a photo shoot for a friend at Wilbur Chocolate and when I came outside to leave I was struck by the serenity of the neighboring park with its lamp posts glowing in the fog. I spent almost two hours roaming the park in the quiet of the night taking photos and saying hello to the occasional person walking through this mysterious setting. Lititz,Pa has a certain intangible quality that draws you in and makes you feel like you are in another time. A lucky break happened this night because the local high school band was practicing in the field in the distance and they had large portable floodlights which added the blue effect in the distance that contrasted with the warm lamp-post lights.

Rail Trail Views

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This is an old railroad bed behind my house that is being converted to a rail trail,and like I mentioned in the past,they are planning to fill it in to bring it to the level of the road behind were I am standing to shoot this. I put on my muck boots,headed into the swamp and tried to light paint the scene. The leaves were sitting in puddles that were at least 8 inches deep and I liked the way they were layered in there so I took a shot. My boots actually stuck fast twice and I literally walked right out of them in my socks into the muck. I think it’s a gem of natural beauty but elected officials have decided to fill it in ,so I am trying to document it so years from now when people want to see what we had and lost,there will be a record.

Foggy Fall Morning

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This is one recent morning that I was thankful that I got out of bed early to go shooting.Heavy fog and very still conditions created the perfect set of circumstances for great photography.The cool light of early morning was the perfect backdrop for the warm fall colors.

Olaf and Sven

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Meet Olaf and Sven, a pair of edible characters straight from the movie frozen and made by self-taught candy aficionado Kathy Blankenbiller of Wilbur Chocolate in Lititz, Pa.  Kathy uses her expertise to create amazing chocolate creations each year for the towns chocolate walk and this was her project this year. Sven stands almost four feet high and it took three men to help deliver him to this display.Both characters incorporate Rice Krispie treats,chocolate and candy clay.She began work on them in august and continued till octobers chocolate walk.This was photographed at Wilbur Chocolate and includes some chocolate making items in the background on the left.

 

Shining a Light on Veterans

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Veterans day was celebrated Tuesday throughout the United States in a wide range of programs to honor the men and women who served our country, and one group of people in my area organized a special display of luminaries to honor them. Over four hundred bags with candles were placed along a local rail trail and visitors could walk the path and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many.I light painted this military jeep that was parked at the entrance to the trail. This was the first annual event and some things will be adjusted next year to make it more amazing. From a photo standpoint,the trail lights were way overwhelming compared to the tea lights in the bags and made capturing them a bit challenging,plus the tea lights were a blue color in the bags,so I adjusted the file to resemble the traditional luminary look. I may post another shot with the blue look later.

Autumn Sunset

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This gorgeous location is situated right in the back yard of a lovely Lancaster county property and overlooks a creek and Amish farm country.I had the privilege of being allowed to photograph here last winter and recently noticed the fall foliage from a distance away while driving in the area.I decided to stop and see what things looked like and was rewarded with this glorious scene featuring fall foliage,several farms and a lovely sky at dusk.This property features numerous old trees that are full of character and I hope to capture their grandeur this winter.