Inspiration - The Piano Guys

Months ago a friend of mine recommended a video on YouTube by ThePianoGuys. I checked it out and was really impressed. I noticed that they were going on tour this year so I bought two tickets for their show at the Keswick Theater, just outside of Philadelphia, PA. The concert was last Friday night and it was fabulous. I laughed, I cried, I was moved. It is inspirational to see artists doing what they love to do. One of the things that touched me most were these words that appeared at the beginning of one of the songs on a video screen in the middle of the stage.

“Don’t only practice your art, But force your way into its secrets, For it and knowledge can Raise men to the divine.” -Ludwig van Beethoven

I’ve been a Beethoven fan since I was in school. The passion and drive in his music oozes out of every melody, every scale, every rhythm. It was a reminder to me, and I hope it is to everyone. You can download today’s picture for free with Beethoven’s quote and use it for inspiration whenever you need it. Download Link Here’s a link to the wonderful song from the Piano Guys so you can be inspired through their music also. Beethoven’s 5 Secrets - OneRepublic (Cello/Orchestral Cover)

Nikon D800 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 34mm f/8 ISO 100 5 image HDR

Get Out There

Now is the time! Grab your camera and get outside. Take some great pictures of Autumn. It goes by fast, very fast. Today’s colorful cornucopia is tomorrow’s barren stick. Stop reading - go play outside!

Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @36mm f/7.1 ISO 100 1/250 sec

Zombie Time

With Halloween quickly approaching, and this being Friday, I thought would try my hand at a little photomanipulation, and practice a few Photoshop skills. I downloaded a few pictures and textures and blended them together in Photoshop to see what I could come up with and this is what emerged. I’ll see what develops next week… Have a great weekend.

Tales of Entanglement Avoided

Last October my wife and I trekked the trails atop Hawk Mountain. Fog entangled our views and intermittent drizzle made walking on the boulders not only slow, but dangerous. I first visited the mountain on a field trip in Jr. High School. I remember being told to watch where I was walking because the terrain could be tricky. Most of the trails are rocky but easily passable in decent hiking shoes, but the lookouts are predominantly clusters of boulders. Scrambling over damp rocks carrying camera gear impressed upon me what could happen if an ankle twisted or a foot got stuck. I don’t want to sound macabre, but people have died from lesser things. The last thing I want is to have James Franco play me in some movie, so I was extra cautious.
After a while the thicker fog began to rise from the valley floor and presented some rich autumn colors for the two of us to see. Not that we were alone at the North Lookout, but most everyone else was craning their necks to catch glimpses of hawks migrating past. I’m sure they appreciated the views, but even the guide I spoke to, whose station was the North Lookout for the morning hours, informed me in great detail about the birds spotted over the past few days. I was told genus and species, quantities, flight paths, behavioral patterns and so forth for the hawks gliding their way gently through this area of Pennsylvania. I was more interested in how many broken ankles or falls over the cliffs had recently occurred, but those questions went unanswered. Eyeing my camera she assumed I was there to take pictures of the aviary wonders, so I felt compelled to resume my perch and click off a few more pictures.

Nikon D800 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm f/9 ISO 200 1/100 sec

Blue Skies and Yellow Trees

It’s this time of year that tests my patience. I look for the magic of Autumn to embrace the landscape, but I can’t wait too long. One day the leaves are green, the next they could be dried up and lifeless, laying on the ground, waiting for decay. Opportunities sometimes don’t present themselves. One day a tree starts to turn, the next it’s shrouded in fog, the next the colors are dull against a gray sky, the next bare branches look bleak and old, the next a naked stick figure poses for a picture. It can be frustrating, but right now, the search is on.

Nikon D4 Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm f/5.6 ISO400 1/1000 sec