Another old car parked at the caboose motel.
Category Archives: Landscape
The Tree of Life
This image of the three crosses caught my eye because they were under the canopy of this beautiful tree. This cemetery has numerous grand old trees,many of which I do not know their type.For those looking for photo tips,take note how I framed the tree without overlapping the branches and stones.Picking the right lens for any given situation allows you to visually pull off the shot you envision,and little details like that can be a huge advantage.Here are a few quotes relative to my image. From the Bible,
and Albert Einstein-“Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life.”
A Flash of Light
This is another example of adding light to a scene for a different look.The bottom photo is the original and the top is after adding multiple flash pops. I had to anchor the tripod in the creek solidly and then move around with hip waders on while I lit all the areas with a small flash unit on a pole. It’s not perfect but it was raining so I had to rush a bit.I used a wireless remote to fire the camera and use radio popper wireless flash transmitters to fire the flash. I enjoy trying to create something from scratch and encourage others to try new effects.
Reflections of Autumn
A calm pond reflects autumn colors contrasting against pine trees and birches.All I need is a moose standing there in the water and I would really be happy.
Sculpting with Light
This pair of images exemplifies what you can do with a small flash,a tripod and a little time. The top image is the result of about 10 different flash pops on separate exposures,all done at various angles to light the subject and bring out the texture. The bottom image is no flash added. This technique would be considered painting with light,which is essentially using a flash like a brush to bring your subject to life . I definitely prefer the top image of the two,because I feel it shows the sculptors work in a way that showcases his talent.Having wireless flash and remote camera firing is a must with this technique so you can move around your subject and operate your gear at a distance.
Back to Nature
This old wagon has been sitting by this tree for as long as I can remember,so I finally decided to stop and ask if I can photograph it before it disintegrates to nothing.The ivy growing on the wheel caught my eye initially, so I broke out my spotlight to try a little light painting. There were a lot of things to hide no matter which way I composed the shot,so it’s the best I could manage.
Fog Shrouded Dawn
This is one of the first images from a recent photo excursion to the cemetery with a friend,and initially this area caught my eye as the rays of sun spread across the grounds. We parked along a lane and I decided to walk about 30 yards in,which put me in the right spot to see the rays and various light and dark tones. We had an hour drive to get there,and we had no idea the morning was going to be enveloped in fog,so we wish we had left earlier.
Fall Meets Winter
Fall foliage shimmers in the golden light of a late autumn afternoon while snow covers the mountaintop above. Shot near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks
Art in Stone
It has been a while since I have done any cemetery infrared shooting,so both myself and a good friend went out yesterday to explore a new destination. Lovely weather in the low sixties provided the perfect opportunity to look for compositions amongst the grandeur of this Victorian era cemetery.This image was captured with a converted Nikon D200,which only captures infrared now. I spotted these ornately detailed urns which were sidelit by the sun,and the mausoleum in the distance rounded out my composition. I am always amazed by the sights you see in these old cemeteries. I will share more from this trip in the month ahead.
Trip to the Summit
This is a view along the way up to the summit of Whiteface mountain near Lake Placid. It cost twelve bucks to drive up to the top and it was a nice drive but photo ops were tough.The valley had decent color but the distant views were somewhat hazy. This is the kind of road you pray all the way up and down that your brakes don’t fail. Sidelit pines add a little foreground interest to the view.
Fence and Foliage
Some of the last fall color for this year still hangs on along this row of trees. The fence adds a bit of appeal to the shot and leads your eye into the photo.
Fall Pumpkin Arrangement
I decided to light paint this arrangement as the end of fall is rapidly approaching,and images of autumn will be getting more scarce by the minute. Spiders crawling on the house and fall leaves around the scene rounded out the composition.Shot this about a half hour before sunrise,and used about 10 separate exposures to produce the end result.
Peaceful Country Lane
This country lane is another location that I had stored in my memory banks for future possibilities,and thankfully I got to shoot it before all the leaves had dropped. I like the fact that you can’t see the end of the lane,which leaves you wondering what might be waiting and beckons you to walk down to find out.
Fall Palette
Varied hues of red,yellow and orange combine to produce an autumn scene that takes on a painterly look.
Country Barn
Fall color provides a pleasing background for this lovely barn.
Rain Soaked Trees
Heavy rains the night before had trees saturated and full of rich color. The tunnel effect,with the dark trees framing the brighter road drew me to the shot.
Fall Tapestry
This little microcosm of autumn color was the result of three different trees dropping their leaves in one area.One maple was predominantly red,the other maple was mostly yellow and the third tree was what I believe to be a white oak,and those leaves had a reddish-brown to magenta appearance. I find it very hard sometimes to isolate a small patch of leaves that has an appealing composition.but I like the mix and my framing on this one.
A Touch of Autumn
This small lake was showing some hints of autumn color along its shoreline while the mountain in the background features glorious fall foliage .Shot in the Adirondacks of New York.
A Cool Fall Day
This was shot after a night of heavy rain and conditions were as calm as I have seen in recent memory. I usually would crop out the road,but with the leaves partially covering it, I found the blue shade a nice contrast to the row of trees. This is one of my favorite fall shots from this season.
Encased in Ivy
This church which was covered in ivy is located in Brattleboro Vermont and caught my eye as we passed through the town. Several local residents stopped to ask what I was doing and told me it is no longer an active church,but they now hold dances inside. I wish I had been able to shoot it this week or next as the ivy most certainly will be changing to more vivid hues..
The Standout
This grove of trees included this colorful maple that seemed to steal the show.
Nature’s Dazzling Display
Fall is my favorite time of the year,and even though this years spectacle of color seems a bit lackluster,one can still find pockets of beauty if you look a bit. Despite the fact that I traveled thirteen hundred miles this month to see foliage,this scene was among my favorites and it was less than ten miles from home. If anyone wants suggestions on shooting foliage,I would say mix it up and try some tight shots like this using a telephoto to compress the scene and keep sky out of the shot. It wont be long till old man winter starts to blow and just between you and me,I hope its one of the snowiest and coldest winters.I just got four new snow tires on the truck and I am itching to get out and explore.
Vermont Maple Syrup Shack
This little shack was along the road in Vermont and the mums in the window boxes,the wood pile,and the stone wall all combined to create a country scene worth shooting. There were little maple syrup bottles on shelves in the windows,but I don’t know if the shack was used to make maple syrup or not.
October Lantern Light
I posted a summer image from this lovely location a few months ago, and thankfully I decided to drive by and see what it might be looking like now. The old maples were in their prime of fall color transition and the fact that fallen leaves were covering the entrance and sporadically covering the lane as well made for an impressive sight in my opinion.The property is gated at the stone wall and posted as well,but after I spoke with the groundskeeper and gave him a few large prints from my first visit,he was all too glad to welcome me back.I started shooting at the entrance and then moved up the lane for a variety of angles,and at one point the keeper pulled up on his tractor and offered to open the gate,which allowed me to get what is perhaps my favorite view. The lit lanterns on the stone walls finished off this fall scene,which will be just a memory if hurricane sandy hits the east coast as predicted. trees will be blown clean of leaves,which makes my visit even more special only days before the storm.
Lake Placid Park
This Lake Placid park was full of color, but with twenty-mile per hour wind and driving rain,I was wondering why I left my warm motel room an hour and a half before sunrise in search of images. All the light in this image is coming from lamp posts throughout the park and my exposure for this image was thirty seconds at f11. Several early morning joggers gave me funny looks as they wondered what on earth I was doing.This image was taken shortly after I finished my streets of gold image from yesterdays post.
Streets of Gold
This colorful store in Lake Placid caught my eye as I headed toward the countryside for sunrise shooting. It was raining at the time,so the walkway was shimmering in golden street light which added to the appeal. I added some flash to the store fronts for added kick and enjoyed the stillness of the lonely street.
Foliage Lined Stream
Fall color stretched along the banks of this stream outside Lake Placid as autumn rapidly advances across the Eastern United States. A pair of hip waders are a great addition to the photographer’s tool kit and can provide access to get the shot you want.
An Autumn Postcard
This is another classic fall scene from the heart of Amish country featuring farmers hard at work bringing in the corn harvest. Pleasant temperatures and a mild breeze made for the perfect day to be out in the fields. A full complement of farms and silos provide the perfect backdrop to the men at work in the foreground.
Fall in Vermont
This Vermont farm is accented by autumn color,and the reflection in the pond just adds to the scenic appeal. A stone wall runs along the dirt drive and seems to be a very common attribute at many Vermont farms.
Rainy Day Stroll
I was out shooting fall foliage the other day and decided it might be nice to show some folks enjoying the great outdoors. Just as I was contemplating what might make a nice image,it started to rain pretty hard and at that moment I noticed a dad and his three sons getting out of their car, so I gave them my umbrella and they took a little stroll among these colorful maples. The blue umbrella seemed to match the blue attire and made a nice contrast with the autumn colors. Heavy rains the night before had everything saturated and provided rich colors throughout.The rain subsided a short time later,so hopefully dad and the boys got some time to explore the woods while color still abounds.
Donald Reese Photography 