Perfect Couple

Stacy and Jamie.
For their Wedding album.

Early Evening Light

A shot of Lake George Village, Beach Road.
Taken March 29th, 08 at 7:45 pm

Wedding Soon

A candid shot.
This couple is tying the knot. I am their photographer. This photo is classic and will be part of their album package.

Spring Snow

Just our luck.... an early Spring snow.

Swollen Brook

Spring run-off has filled this brook to it's edges.

Shutter priority, 1/10, ISO 100, Apt. F-22, EV -2

Signs of Life

Simplicity.

The Migration

My fellow photographers, Don & Sher, {link... "Are we there yet?" in my blog roll} can attest to the fact of what the local wetlands are like here this time of the year.

There is one area in particular just a few miles from my house that has thousands of migrating geese of several types hanging at. This morning I discovered a huge flock of White Geese among the more typical Ring Necks and Canadians. The spot is just west of the Durkeetown church... for Don and Sher in case you're reading this.

I took several shots... this being the better of the bunch. I also had the opportunity to see and shoot a Red Tail Hawk nearby. She seems to frequent this spot also. The upper Hudson Valley offers the migratory geese a sanctuary. I could hear flocks flying over our house last night. They are loud!!

Early Light

The early bird gets the light!
Shot taken at the Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve.
I hiked in there this morning while it was still dark. The full moon lit the trail. This is pre-dawn.

The Morning After

After a long night of heavy rain.
Taken yesterday in a park 2 blocks from my house.

Speedy

The Chickadee is fast as lightning. I sat with my drive mode on full burst, which incidentally shoots 6.5 frames per second, it took approx. 50 shots to get this one. The one I was trying for. Quite a challenge, but enjoyable.

By Chance

This White Tail just sat about 20 feet from me. This is deep in the Green Mountains of Vermont, not at some public park. I am doing a construction project over there and came across this beauty yesterday morning on my way to the site. It was walking down the isolated road about 100 yards ahead of me. I slowed my van to a crawl and this is what I found. I got out and it sat there watching me as if to say.."Go ahead... take as many pictures as you like". It finally got up and meandered away.

I get a serious adrenaline rush from shooting {with a lens} wild life. I wish I could afford one of those "L" class Canon 800 mm lens... they cost as much as a used Beemer!

Perspective's

I'm not sure why I took this shot, but it certainly mirrors the foreground. The building is "L" shaped giving it this effect.

Slo-Mo

I use a slow shutter speed here. I tried to get it slower but it was over exposed. This is 1/2 second, F-11, ISO 100.

Tranquil

I've probably said this before but..... water reflective shots are my favorite. I take many and have a ton in my archives that I haven't even looked at yet.

This is the Hudson River.

Thawing

The Hudson River near Spier Falls.

Noble Girl

"Chase" is my first Golden Retriever. I have had Yellow Labrador's, a Sheltie, a German Shepherd and a few mutts as well. My Lab's were wonderful, but one was
killed by a car and the other died at 6 with stomach cancer. The German Shepherd I had as a boy and she was awesome, although very protective of me to the point of aggression towards anyone who got close to me. My mother decided I could not keep her. The Shetland Sheepdog {Sheltie} was incredibly intelligent and loyal. I was very ill 7 years ago and I had to give her to a friend where she still lives, but at 11 years old.

A year ago I decided I wanted another companion. I came across the private breeder of these incredibly beautiful Golden Retriever's right here in New York State. Chase's heritage is one of Royalty. She comes from a long line of Western Europe Champion Bloodlines. Her grandfather is a Belgian 7 time international Champion on her fathers side and there are many Champions throughout her Pedigree most of whom are in Belgium, England and Germany on both her Sire and Dam's sides.

She is my pet and not an object of show or for puppy breeding. She's Royal alright... a Royal pain in my arse!! But she is still a baby at 10 months and very, very intelligent. So much so it's a little scary. She is turning into a wonderful dog.

A Bluebird

The Bluebird is New York State's state bird, yet they are rarely seen in these parts. This one just landed in this tree about 30 yards from me as I walked down a trail near Glen Lake.

Icy Reflection

With the tail end of winter here, these shots will be replaced with the colors of Spring. There is a transitional phase from mud season to new growth where everything remains a mess, but soon the grass will come to life and the trees will bud.

All Natural'

Last night's sunset.

The light! This image is not post-processed. Although I do have my in-camera setting "Sharpness" up one click for Landscape shots. I am not into the Photoshopped stuff, although an HDR image can be outstanding if done right. The light, whether it be natural or artificial is what makes a good or bad photo. With todays software technology, a little practice and about $700.00 for Adobe CS3, anyone can make a lousy photo look good. I don't even own CS3 or CS2, but I do have Elements 6 which I use for basic editing and organizing. CS3 or perhaps it'll be #4 is in my future but for use in Wedding photos mainly. Landscape photography should remain as natural as possible, IMO, and learning to use Mother Nature's light can make even a simple photo like this look wonderful.

Silk

Shot at dawn yesterday. The low light and slower shutter speed with a 5.6 aperture at 125mm and ISO 200 gave the water a silky appearance. I did not realize how cool it looked until I saw it on my PC. It is not processed... straight out of the camera.

This is the Hudson River near Haviland's Cove in Glens Falls, NY

Macro

A touch of Florida color.
Spring is closing in. Clocks ahead this weekend!
Yay!!

My Neighbor's Farm

The March 3rd Sunset. I've taken several shots of this tractor at sunset. It sits on a friends farm less than a mile from my house so when I see a nice sunset coming from my own livingroom, I can be at this farm in under 5 minutes. I live down in the village which is straight ahead and slightly to the right, so shooting sunsets from my house is not an option unless I climb up on the roof.

The "Chase" is always on! That all elusive perfect light.

Gone With The Wind

I enjoy the outcome of a macro shot. You never quite know how it'll turn out and in this cae the DOF is perfect.

Knee Deep

Another shot of our long winter that just got longer... this was shot before the 12 inches we got last night. The good news is... we are in for a warming trend this week.