Photography has opened up a whole new world to me. I see light in ways I never thought of before. Sometimes nature’s wonders catch my vision and other times it’s a person’s smile. I stop and look at beauty in the world as others pass right by. Do people not see what I see? Isn’t anyone looking, or maybe they're just not paying attention? I want to live life to the fullest and experience everything I can while I’m here for such a short time. It’s not only my responsibility but a passion. We have five miraculous senses that we can use to soak up the universe. I see now more of what had been eluding me for years. I have photography to thank for that, and a quest to breath deep and live this life to the fullest.
The Closing
Spring is drawing to a close and Summer is beckoning; many days in recent weeks have been filled with rain. I have gotten a few breaks from time to time on an evening outing to snap a few pictures. We are preparing for the next trip so my next post will probably feature a Summer 2013 gallery. In the meantime I leave you with this image from the dam at Marsh Creek State Park. The sunset wasn’t particularly bursting with color, but I felt it made a nice black and white picture.
Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm f/6.3 ISO 100 5 image HDR
Philadelphia Phoenix vs. New York Empire
Last Saturday I had the privilege to photograph the Philadelphia Phoenix in their battle against the N.Y. Empire. The Ultimate game took place at Cheyney University which is home for the Phoenix. In a hard fought contest the Phoenix were unable to rise against the Empire and were defeated 17-21. These are some of my favorites from the game.
Access
I have plotted picture taking spots in numerous locations on maps, and I have been disappointed many times. Sometimes there’s no path through a section of dense woods, other times, where I wanted to go would only be accessible by a transport I didn’t have. More and more I find some areas are just forbidden, either by signs, or fences, or “I wonder what the hell that thing is, but it doesn’t look safe!” I’m not one to let a little thing like a sign stop me from snapping a picture of a breathtaking view, but I’m not foolish either. If the sign read “rattlesnake breeding area” I would retreat and regroup.
I have frequented Marsh Creek State Park many times over the past years because it is close to my home, it’s well kept, clean, and friendly. There are many parts of the lake that are not visible from the main boat launch areas, and one area in particular that had peaked my interest. A park official explained to me that last winter Marsh Creek’s volume was decreased by six feet because Hurricane Sandy,as a preventative measure against flooding. I didn’t quite fully understand the complexities of water table maintenance for the tri state area, but I nodded politely. The notion of being able to control the amount of water in this lake led me to the conclusion that there must be a dam somewhere, and it was probably in the one place I had never seen directly. This thought, buried in the back of my brain for months, rushed forward a few weeks ago when I was viewing the lake from an elevated position that I had never seen it from before. I spied the dam!
Arriving atop the dam a week or so later yielded the view you see here. Of course this area was no well kept secret from anyone except me; there were plenty of hikers, canoers, and bikers already there.
Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 30mm f/16 ISO 100 9 image HDR
Philadelphia Phoenix vs. D.C. Breeze Ultimate
Last Saturday I got to photograph the second half of the Ultimate game at Cheyney University. It was sensational. The Phoenix rose from the flames during the fourth quarter to take the wind out of the Breeze. These are a few of my favorite pictures from the game. Come out and support the Phoenix this Saturday as they take on the New York Empire at home at Cheyney at 3:30.
Nikon D800 Sigma 300mm f/2.8 + x2 Sigma teleconverter f/5.6 ISO 100 1/1000 sec
