If it's red - shoot it!

These sage words came from Felice.  They explain so much about why you guys flock to red things.  So here's the funny thing; I've been shooting red things since leaving Maine.  I never know they're red until Photoshop tells me - but .... here are a few:

Vermont

New Hampshire

New Hampshire again

Ok - I know color is important.  That's why I stayed up north for the last few days.  That's why I took all of the following pictures.  I still say though that without strong content, a photograph cannot be totally successful.   I have heard people say "It's just about color".  What do you think?  Is that really enough?  Here are a few that might be weak without the fall colors.

Andoscoggin River

Lake Umbagog (I don't make up these names!!)

Back road.... I was lost

New Hampshire Pond

Here's one I knew was about color - but I think the content is strong too.

This last one is where I am tonight......

Ticonderoga, NY

Lemmeknow what you think!!  You can double click on the photos to see them bigger.

Weather or not.....

It's 3:30 pm, the group is on their way home and I just woke up.  Wow - what a week!!

Here's the group shot:

Of course it's a pano!!!

As you may have guessed from the title, we had some weather this week.  Yep - rain, mist, fog etc.  Is that a bad thing??  Aside from Michael's cold and the rest of us chugging Air-born all week - well, you tell me!!

Belfast Harbor

This is one of my favorite panos from the whole trip so far,  On a sunny day, I might not have even stopped the truck. 

Corea Harbor

Damariscotta River

Pumpkin Island Light

Weather is again a huge part of these three shots.  It may even be the subject of the middle one.

Remember this shot from last week?  I like it better in the rain. (Thanks again Barbara)

Marshall Point Light

So should we hope for rain on photo trips?  Probably not - it's cold, wet and crappy.  But when it does happen, we have to embrace it.  Isn't that the definition of great travel photography?  Shoot what's there..... love the one your with.  I'm really proud of this group - they braved wet equipment and frizzy hair.  Nobody complained about the weather.

By the way - the last day, the weather cleared - and that was nice too.

Portland Head Light

Stonington

Oh yeah and one more just 'cause.........

One Week Later.....

..... and a whole mess of photos.

The photo opertunities on this coast are truly endless.  Maybe it's just because it's so different from what I'm used to seeing.  Who knows why a shot will occure to someone?  I could get all philosophical here, but I think I'll just show you some pictures and see what you think.

First though - I want to thank Jeri for shooting the above picture of me.  It's one of the few where I'm not holding a camera or looking hopelessly confused or laughing.  I do laugh a lot...... life cracks me up.  In this one I just look a little lost.  It's the way I feel most of the time.  I sometimes think for me, being lost is being home.

Little Scottie wants to know what lenses I'm using for panos so I'll add that info today.  They are all "prime" or fixed focal length lenses.  In other words they don't zoom.  The focal lengths are all "full frame"  Same for Canon, Nikon or any other full frame 35mm camera.  The 35mm is this amazing old Nikon lens that has a warming filter built in.  I love the look of photos taken with that lens so I guess I'd say that's my favorite.

When you choose a lens for a pano, you choose the focal length to fit the vertical space you want to depict.  You can always add levels to add height - but that will change the look of your pano.  The more I shoot these things the more control I feel I have.  I'm addicted big time!!

35mm f/1.4 lens

Notice how there's no major distortion here,  If you keep the angle straight and stay a good distance away from your front photo elements - you can avoid that distorted look.

35mm f/1.4 lens - up close and distorted on purpose.

Doing things on purpose is big with me.

Ok, check this out - 2 shots of the same thing with 2 different lenses:

180mm f/2.8

35mm again

Remember - telephoto lenses compress the elements.  That's why I chose the 180 for the first shot.  For the second - I wanted the elongation and greater depth of field.  Don't get hung up with the pano thing - always choose your lens for all of the features it provides.

Here's another compression shot taken behind the motel in Camden:

105mm f/2.8

Ok - you get the idea...... here are some lighthouses.  There are lots more.....

35mm f/1.4

105mm f/2.8

35mm f/1.4

35mm again  Barbara found this angle last time.  I loved her shot so I tried the pano from there.

Also 35mm,   It is so cool how the swing of the pano changes the placement of the elements!

These are just a few of the many panos taken this week - hope you like them.  I gotta go do nothing for a while.  Ria and I had a great week together.  Her shots are beautiful!!  The group is coming Monday and I need some snooze time!!!!

The Maine Thing

This might be the last post for a while.  My wife is coming in tonight to join me for a week!!!

So here's a funny story.  I went into a 7/11 today to get some coffee.  Yeah - there's a Dunkin Donut every 10 feet or so - but 7/11 is cheaper and you can make it your way and all.  Anyway - I went in and zap - it was like being back home.  I mean it was just like every other 7/11 and well I hadn't been in one since I left so it just took me right home.  I was thinking about how weird it was when I saw the blueberry flavored coffee.....yep - still in Maine!

Here are a few new shots:

Hey - it's not a pano!!!!

South Portland Head Light

This is sooooo Maine!!

Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard Beach again

That's it for now!!  Ria's coming tonight and 8 of you guys are coming next week.  I'll write when I can!!

No Rain in Maine!!!!

I made it to the other coast!!!!  Yes Californians - there is another coast!!!!  I have to get used to the ocean being on the right when I'm headed North again. 

So it rained all day yesterday again.  I took more rain shots - here are a few:

New York State

Noyes Pond, Massachusetts

New England Rock Wall - Mass

  Again - I tried my best to use the rain - not just as a shower..... 

The flooding is really bad.  Seriously - I feel sorry for the people who live in those areas.  I had to find new routes three times.  No detours or anything - just a road closed sign or no road.  I'm actually not sure about Noyes Pond.  On the map - it sorta seemed like I was east of where that pond should have been.  That might have just been a flooded area - there were so many......  The rivers are amazing - even the little streams look like rushing rivers.  I didn't shoot any because they're full of mud and debris.  They just don't translate to good photos.

Today as I crossed the Maine border the rain stopped.  No kidding - really.  How cool is that??

I shot 3 views of my favorite light house in York Harbor.  It's called the Nubble or Nedick Light.  Nope - I don't know why.  The square shot is a double pano - about 30 pics!! 

Lemmeknow what you think!!  Jackie managed to leave a comment!!!!!  Thanks JRO!!!!!!!

When it pours it rains

It's been raining for 3 days straight!!  Yeah - I know - there are hurricanes and stuff.  So it goes.

It's weird how this cross country shooting goes.  The day before yesterday I drove all day through Indiana and Ohio.  Pretty farms and corn fields (and rain), but nothing popped out photo wise.  I didn't stop once.

Then yesterday I stopped 3 times in one hour.  Here are the 3 shots - all in Ohio (in the rain).

This one's my favorite

About an hour (and another inch of rain) later I found this:

Later on in Pennsilvania I found a wet cow.

Today I shot this - also in Pennsylvania...... also in the rain:

It was the only time I stopped all day.  I drove all the way through Pennsylvania.  It was scenic and all - just not megga photo ops. 

I think the photos I've taken in the last few days have used the rain rather than been shot in spite of the wet stuff.  I think the rain gives these shots something they wouldn't have otherwise.  Saturation - yeah - but something else too.  It's a kind of sharpness.  Does that make sense?  I wonder what would have gotten my attention if it hadn't been raining.

Well it looks like I'll have another few wet days.  This front isn't going anywhere anytime soon.  At least the truck looks clean.  I look like a drowned rat but the truck looks good......

Lemmeknow what you think!!  The emails are great - but try posting your coments so others can read what you have to say!!

It's Ruthie Time

Here I am in Bloomington, Indiana.  It's hot, humid and boring - but Ruthie is here!!

This is Ruthie aka Mom:

Binnie took this picture last time Ruthie was in L.A..  I love it!! 

So I'm hanging out for a few days with Mom.  I doubt if I will shoot anything.  Stay tuned for the ride to Maine, Maine, the ride to Shenandoah, Shenandoah and the ride home.

Here are a few more taken on the way here:

Kansas Sunflowers

Illinois Farm

Spur off the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

Missouri Cornfield

 

 

  That's it for now...... more after Sunday!!