New York Waterfalls: Photographing Water in Motion

Last weekend my family traveled to Rochester and Ithaca, New York (in the Finger Lakes region). While our primary goal was to look at a few potential colleges for our older son, I couldn't resist making some time to photograph a few of the region's beautiful waterfalls (who needs sleep, anyway!). 

While near Rochester, I enjoyed an early morning at the Corbett's Glen Nature Park (in neighboring Brighton, NY).  In Ithaca I spent about 10 minutes at the Taughannock Falls State Park (my family was in the car while I set up my tripod and camera in a drizzly, windy, cold).  I was also lucky enough to catch a beautiful sunrise at Ithaca Falls (right next to the Cornell University Campus).  Below are a few of my new waterfall photographs.  These are available at my ETSY shop (click HERE).  See below if you are interested in a few tips on photographing water in motion.

Corbett's Glen Nature Park, Brighton, New York

Sunrise at Ithaca Falls, Ithaca, New York

Paradise Falls
Corbett's Glen Nature Park, Brighton, New York

Ithaca Falls, Ithaca, New York

Taughannock Falls State Park, Ithaca, New York

Corbett's Glen Nature Park, Brighton, New York

Paradise Falls
Corbett's Glen Nature Park, Brighton, New York

There are two primary ways to capture moving water.  One is to "freeze" the action by using a very fast shutter speed (1/250th second or faster).  Alternatively, by using a very slow shutter speed you can create the soft, wispy appearance.  For all of the above images, I used the latter strategy.  As I was shooting with a very slow shutter speed (about 6 to 10 seconds for some of these images) I had a the camera on a tripod and used an external shutter release (to prevent any unwanted camera shake).

Autumn Woods: HDR Photographs in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Well, at least the federal government cannot shut down state parks!  Its a good thing, as Bucks County, Pennsylvania has many beautiful areas which really come to life in autumn.  To bring out the full range of colors and tones, I shot all of the following images in HDR (High Dynamic Range).  While people sometimes equate HDR photography with a "grunge" look, I use it to more fully capture landscapes and nature in a manner which replicates the way that our eyes see.  HDR can help make the images "pop."  If you'd like to learn a little about the process of making an HDR image, see the bottom of this post.

Except where indicated otherwise, I took all of these images during the first 2 weeks of October, 2013.  To see more of my photographs at my online ETSY shop, click HERE.

Autumn Woods and Wall
near Cabin Run Covered Bridge

High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park 

High Rocks Vista (taken in late October, 2010)

Delaware River Reflection (taken late November, 2010)

Autumn Reflections
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

Morning Forest
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

Fern
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

When we look at a scene which has contrasting dark and light sections, our eyes can quickly take in the various elements - those that are fully lit, those in shadows, etc.  Cameras are not as sophisticated as our eyes.  For a camera, the "correct" exposure (the amount of time that the shutter stays open) for a bright section of the scene will be very different from the "correct" exposure for a shaded part of the same scene.  So, if you base the exposure on the lighter sections, the dark areas will be way too dark.  Similarly, if you base your exposure on the darker areas, the light sections will be completely overexposed.

How do you avoid these problems and make an image in which each area appears "natural?"  To create an HDR image, the camera is usually placed on a tripod.  You then take a series of exposures (holding constant the "aperture" - the size of the opening of the shutter), and changing the exposure speed in regular increments.  You then have a number of separate images (I have created HDR images using upto ten exposures).  Using special computer software (I use "Photomatix") you merge the different exposures into one image.  This final image has the correct exposure for each part of the picture.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Photographing Animal Faces

I'm just back from a safari encompassing Africa and parts of Asia.  Well, not exactly.  Actually, I spent a few hours the other day at the Philadelphia Zoo with the self-imposed assignment of photographing animal faces.  Under my images are a few tips in case you are interested in taking your own zoo photographs.

Snow Leopard Cub

Mother Giraffe with Calf

Black and White Colobus Monkey an Baby

Red Panda

Southern White Rhinoceros

Bighorn Sheep

There's a certain amount of luck involved in getting good animal photographs.  The animals have to be out and visible, the weather has to be good, and so forth.  That said, if you'd like to improve your zoo photographs, here are a few tips:  1) When possible, go at a time when the zoo is not too crowded, such as a weekday morning.  2)  Use a telephoto lens for nice close-ups (I use a Sigma 150-500mm telephoto zoom lens); 3)  If shooting through glass (like in my snow leopard shot), be careful to angle your shot to minimize the reflection in the glass.  4)  Pay attention to the background.  If you want your image to look "natural", you want to avoid buildings, fences, or other manmade objects.  5) In most cases, you want a fast shutter speed, as most animals move around quite a bit.  For instance, in my giraffe image, I wanted to catch the giraffes with their tongues. I watched the pattern of their behavior so that I could time it just right, and I shot at 1/1000 of a second.  6)  Ask the docents for information on anything special at the zoo.  A very friendly and informative docent let me know about the snow leopard cubs as well as the gibbon baby.  7)  If you're shooting through a mesh fence, use a shallow depth of field to render the foreground fence nearly invisible.  For instance, my photograph of the mother white-handed gibbon and baby was shot through a mesh fence, I used f/5.6 at 1/500 second.  Also, you may need to turn off your autofocus (which may be "tricked" into focusing on the fence, rather than the animal). 8)  Most of all, have fun and enjoy the beautiful, interesting creatures that share our planet.

If you'd like to see more of my photographs, click here:  
JOSH'S ETSY SHOP

Fields of Dreams (a.k.a. Take Me Out to the Ball Game....): Images of Baseball Stadiums

Mankind has some wonderful inventions on our resume:  ice cream, Chinese Food, the camera (To be fair to the Wright brothers & Mr. Edison, they're accomplishments also deserve some mention!).  But to me, nothing ranks higher than baseball.  From the time I was a young kid, I've played it, watched it, coached it, & for over 25 years I've even been in a "rotisserie" (fantasy) baseball league ("The Little East"...my team is "The Freudmen").  My dad coached my little league team and took me to major league games, and I've done the same with my two sons.  

To this day, as I narrow in on the half-century mark, I still become a little kid when I get to a major league ball park & step through the tunnel for the day's first view of the field.  Over the past few years, I've blended my love of photography with my love of baseball.  Grab a hot dog & some peanuts & take a look at my photos.  To see more of my images, visit my ETSY SHOP.

(The New)Yankee Stadium (July, 2011).
Yankees vs. Orioles

   

  Fenway Park, Boston (August, 2013).
 Red Sox vs. Yankees

CitiField, New York (June, 2012).
Subway Series:  Mets vs. Yankees

Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia (June, 2011).
Phillies vs. Oakland A's

Baseballs!

CitiField, New York (Mets):  Before the Game

Night at Fenway Park, Boston

Go Red Sox sign, in Fenway Park

Batting Practice:  Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia
(Half Phillies fans and half Mets fans)

Maine - Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor

I'm just back from Maine's beautiful Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor region with my wife and 2 sons.  In addition to wonderful outdoor activities like kayaking, biking, and hiking, the area is a photographer's paradise (and its not too bad for seafood and ice cream!).  Below are a few of my new Maine images.  These and others can be seen at my ETSY shop: JOSHFRIEDMANPHOTO on ETSY

Otter Cliff, Acadia National Park

Morning Light from Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

Morning Lobster Boats, Bar Harbor, Maine

Eagle Lake, Acadia National Park, Maine

Footbridge, Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine

Otter Cove, Acadia National Park, Maine

Morning Lobster Boat, Maine

Morning Light on Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine

Tide and Rocks, Acadia National Park, Maine

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Car Show

Here's the thing - I'm not really a "car guy," per se.  I've never changed my car's oil (by myself), & my one attempt to replace a flat tire was a bit of a fiasco (hey, that's what AAA is for!).  My knowledge of car parts includes steering wheel, windshield wiper, etc.  My ignorance about automobiles aside, I think antique cards have a wonderful aesthetic and nostalgic quality.  Besides, they're just really cool!  This past weekend I photographed some vintage beauties at the New Hope Automobile Show, in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  Here are a few...

Studebaker

Ford Thunderbird

Model A Ford

Saratoga Springs, New York

I'm just back from a day in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York (picking my older son up from his 3-week summer program).  I had a little extra time (my middle-aged bladder usually doesn't allow me to sleep much past 6 a.m.), so my Cannon 7D and I went out to explore the area.  The sign to an old diner caught my eye, and I was lucky enough to have a clear morning with blue skies.  Perhaps the older I get, the more charm & character I see in these vintage signs - a nice break from the familiarity of Home Depot, Target & McDonald's (I'm NOT lovin' it!).

Saratoga Springs has loads of cool shops - Saratoga Salsa & Spice Company, Bettie's Cakes (an deliciously awesome cupcake store, that makes you feel like you woke up in 1958...).  On our way to lunch, the cool collection of cowboy boots in front of Saratoga Saddlery got my attention.....