HL Photo Thread
We all have some great photos that are not necessarily topic specific so let's share them here.
Sunset at Merrill Creek Reservoir
OP
5catmom 
singlemaleinnj 
Here is a shot of one of my neighbors. I generally see two at a time, but this little guy was alone on this day.
RAD Question. I have some of the NJ Shore from February 2013. Some from Long Beach Island and some from Point Pleasant Beach. They are of beat up houses and such. I won't put them up if people do not want to see them. Just let me know what you think. Maybe I should'nt have said anything. I don't want to offend.
(Is this guy done with these river views)? Yes, the last river view for now.........
Thought we might be a little shy on the river views - this is at Stephens State Park from a couple weeks ago. I don't think I have ever seen the river this covered by ice and snow.
Kurt 
ignatz 
Firefly 
joyful 
Thanks Joy and 5cats...it was at Waterloo - one of my favorite close to home places to visit at sunset.
Calico696 
JrzyGirl88 
thanks - how about eagles on Hornby Island, B.C. - my favorite little island with my favorite eagle pair
John C Where is the photo from that John C. took? It is gorgeous. My guess is the UK or Ireland/Scotland?
Halfway There 
Hilltop Care in Montville shortly after hurricane Irene caused a structural collapse of half the building.
Darleen 
Detail of a bird. You guess which one. ;-P
Don't have much to post, but just wanted to say I'm LOVING looking at everyone's images!
Rebecka 
OP, your photo of the butterfly hovering over the butterfly bush really caught my attention! Beautiful.
It truly represents summer to me, because I have two huge butterfly bushes in my yard and enjoy watching all the activity around them...butterflies, insects and birds.
Chickadee Thank you to OP .....Love, Love, Love the picture of the yellow butterfly...One of my favorite things in the world is a butterfly especially yellow ones....Hoping someone in the future on this thread will post a picture of a single red rose with a butterfly near the top of the rose. That was my logo when I owned a business many years ago and is actually carved in my headstone at the cemetery that will be my resting place..
positive 
The Titanic Memorial at Harland and Wolff Shipyards, Belfast Northern Ireland. Looked cool at night!
@ Joyful I was thinking it was someone popping in for a quick visit when I saw them both..
Jrzygirl88: I know exactly what you mean...Cbel suprises me sometimes with her visits. Nice picture too, 5catMom....Waiting for one of you great photograhers to post a picture of a beautiful long stem red rose with a butterfly (any color) up at the top of the rose..right side....The man who carved it on my gravestone had a template in his computer of exactly what I wanted and it is already on my stone at Pequest cemetery...
Joyful - sorry - I have butterflies on flowers but none on roses of any color.............
I am impressed by so many of these photos! John - now I want to visit that memorial. So pretty. Fuji - love the water flowing. Not an easy effect to achieve and get just right. Nice!
Here's a pic I call "Flamingoscape." Dragon Hill region of Santa Cruz Island (Galapagos). It's very pano so it may look teeny tiny depending on how HL displays a long pic.
In any case - great idea for a thread, OP. Love the sharing. And guess what - there's no fighting here! :-))))
Spring and summer are on their way, 4catmom....you might just happen upon a beautiful red rose with a butterfly on it and capture the picture I am waiting for...I am a terrible photographer ...and golfer...so do not bother with either anymore..
I just love this thread!! Such talented photographers in this group - thank you for sharing!
pmnsk 
I'm gonna miss the old Bergen Tool buildings. The grit and grime made for some good pictures.
I'll look for more butterflies joyful
Darrin 
What a beautiful kitchen, RAD. I think everyone would give anything to have a kitchen that looked like that! Thanks, OP...more butterfly pictures would be appreciated!
Oh, the sheep herder shot, RAD. Gorgeous!
Where did you find Sleeping Beauty to take her pic?
In your magical kitchen shot - what in the world is that screen on the right??
Rebecka, thank you!
Angel is a model from the Allentown area and this was shot in my home here in Independence. We've done a few sessions together.
The panel in the kitchen shot is a large plastic sheet (Plexiglass?) that has been etched with a landscape design. I think it is two sheets laminated with the etching inside. It is edge lighted to bring out the design. You can see it better in the attached photo.
Rebecka, forgot to mention an interesting fact about that kitchen panel. The image is actually taken from a photo of the local area and is what you see when you look to the north from the home. You can see it in the attached photo taken through the kitchen window from my house that was about 1/2 mile away.
5catmom - Right now my website at http://radphotographics.com is only used to host client proofs in password protected galleries but I will be adding public galleries sometime this year. I have lots of stuff on Facebook and I periodically post stuff to Instagram.
It turns out that Google+ is a great place for photographers and a bunch of us have started moving over there. Where Facebook has a social networking focus Google+ is focused on connecting people into interest groups. And your photographs look so much better on Google+ than on Facebook. If you're interested in photography you should check out Google+.
Finally, my friends and I also post on 500px and Tumblr. 500px is an EXCELLENT photography site. And then for strictly model photography - beauty, glamour, fashion, etc. we have accounts and portfolios on Model Mayhem but that site seems to be slowing down a bit.
RIP in peace Bergen Tool building. I really really wish I had stolen that sign in OP's photo when I had the chance. Curse my mostly law-abiding nature.
Local Fauxtographer 
Gibraltar monkey.
Don't take any plastic bags up to the rock. The monkeys will immediately steal them because they associate the bag with groceries.
GC 
I couldn't find a rose so how about a tiger lily? This was taken at the Hunterdon County Arboretum.
I tried to find the rose with butterfly for you joyful... but all I could come up with is one of each.... funny how we forget what all photos we take thru the years till we start looking back...
and the rose from the better half's garden.. oh how I desire to see them bloom once again!
Grascal....Take that yellow butterfly and put it on top of the red rose and you have my picture. Thanks for your efforts and you too, OP.. even 5catmom with the pre-butterfly (catapillar) (sp)...Love them all!
I can't wait to contribute more to this thread... I am just waiting for my camera to arrive!
I would like to know what camera and lens people used to some of these shots!
AMAZING!
how about a hummingbird at the Desert Museum in Arizona??
fuji - I use a bunch from 2 panasonic lumix- which I love to a nikon d90 with either a tamron 18-270 or nikon 80mm micro --what are you getting?
ok - my last for the evening - my most favorite of people I don't know - at Lincoln Center during intermission of South Pacific ---don't think he's so happy she dragged him there
oh sure, RAD .....watched her fish around in her bag and come up with the bottle of water - clearly an appropriate peace offering eh?
5catmom: Aside from the fact that these people look like some people I might know... The following caption should be under that picture as the wife softly says "So, what is your problem?"
5catmom- I a waiting for my Fuji xt1 to get here! I have been an early adopter of their system and love them.
good point, Joyful - - I think you're right about the caption---and now for something cute called After the Party
Awww! 5catmom: The caption for that picture should be: "Where did all my friends go, Mommy?"
skippy actually she had been to a community party and came to show me her outfit - I caught her in full color but liked this of her looking out my front door - better in b&w than color -
Denis 
Bosque del Apache, New Mexico. A place to go if you like to see/photograph birds. Unusual landscape. Here are some sandhill cranes at sunrise. The original image was good technically but sort of ho-hum, so I did all kinds of magical things to it in Photoshop... lol.
Question - does the horizon look off on this image? I couldn't tell if it needs to be rotated or not.
dang, Rebecka - just when I was about to write that your pix makes me want to return to new mexico to see that sight - and then I see that you tweaked it -
it is beautiful - horizon looks ok to me.........
no rebecka - have done a fair amount of traveling around NM - mostly from Santa Fe - favorite place so far - Bandelier Natl Monument, Abiquiu - hmmmm lots of favorites but not Bosque yet
Ah, ok. Well, to be honest, there's not much in Bosque except birds and bird watchers and bird photographers. It's not a place to go out of your way for, unless you're really into flying creatures! (The person I was with was a bit bored.) But if you ARE a bird photographer, you have to have it on your "resume," so to speak. I felt like I gained some cred in going. ;-)
Bandelier is so underrated, it rivals Mesa Verde but that ladder at the end will kill you. I'm not 100% sure of our route to know if we ever went through Bosque when I looked at the map. I know in NM we hit Carlsbad first and then White Sands. At some point we hit the petroglyphs, Bandelier, and Chaco. But even if our route did included that, I doubt we stopped. So many great places in all the 4 Corners, it's hard to pick one in each state let alone one out of all of them. I wish we had digital back then because all the pictures of both years grand adventures are old slides only. And I know I'll never get my hands on the originals.
GC I have a scanner that also does slides and film...quality is very decent...then you can adjust on computer if you like..you may want to try a rescue....of course I have about 30 carousels of slides my dad took...and he was a good photographer...hard to know where to start
Pyc Beautiful, Pyc...now if we could superimpose a butterfly near the top right side of that red rose...you would have my logo...
I've lived in both New Mexico and Utah - both are amazing, but I tend to enjoy the southern half of Utah. Since Mesa Verde came up, here is a shot taken an Spruce Tree House.
Acoma Pueblo, NM. The Acoma have continuously occupied the area for more than 800 years, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. Acoma tribal traditions estimate that they have lived in the village for more than two thousand years.
5catmom - Thanks! I will be going back there with a bunch of my Utah friends this spring. Acoma, Santa Fe, Monument Valley and a few other stops. Should be fun!
And here is Monument Vally at sunset.
Joyful,
Thanks. I personally don't like any "additions" and "manipulations" with the shot.
I prefer to take 100 shots and have 1 or 2 good ones ). Digital cameras allow this attitude.
I understand, Pyc and that is the way it should be if you are a good photographer. I only mentioned that as I have been looking or just the right photo with the single red rose and the butterfly up in the right corner above the flower for some time.
Joyful,
If you wish, I could email you this photo in full res.
But this is not a rose, this is magnolia. I have some roses, but with usual background (grass, other flowers and plants), which doesn't make them really beautiful.
Wow, you guys bring up a hot topic when you mention that you don't like "additions" or "manipulations" to your digital photography. My position is that arguments about whether it is right or wrong, good or bad, should or shouldn't be done, or whatever else, really miss the point. To a MUCH greater extent than film photography, digital photography REQUIRES manipulations in order to get a final image. There is just no way around it. The real question is WHO gets to make those manipulations. Will it be you the photographer, or the engineer who decides the parameters that your camera uses to create a jpg, or the guy that picks the parameters for the built-in profiles in Adobe Camera Raw or whatever other manufacture's software you are using to convert your raw image files. Every set of raw image data from a Bayer sensor goes through manipulations to get to a final jpg or tif image. Those manipulations affect exposure, color temperature, shadows, highlights, saturation, contrast, and so on. If you take the same raw image and run it through different software packages the resulting image WILL look different. Now I personally prefer to make those decisions myself to fit my artistic interpretation of what I want to see in the final image. And to be perfectly honest I generally go way beyond basic exposure and tonal adjustments. Digital cameras just do not "see" the same way our eyes and brains see, and beside, I'm not a photo journalist and I'm not just a button pusher - I'm looking to create certain feelings when my images are viewed and not necessarily a "realistic" copy of what was in front of the camera - which, by the way, is totally impossible anyways. I don't accept that makes me not a good photographer.
RAD - Before we did our two grand vacations, the top two things I knew I wanted to see from pictures were The Mittens and Montezuma's Castle. When we got there The Mittens like your picture are great to view from afar but there's not much else around. We didn't know until we got there that Montezuma's Castle is far to brittle and dangerous to allow crowds of people. It was still dynamite to see from a distance and visit the area in the canyon below.
It was both Mesa Verde and Bandelier that matched what I hoped Montezuma's Castle was like. And it was Arches that turned out to be my most favorite place of all - as a kid we scrambled here and there and even at the camp ground ran up all the formations making a very concerned mom. That was 25 years ago and I hate to think in todays climate how they would never let you do that. On a nature walk down in one of the canyons at Arches once I figured we weren't allowed to climb. But the guide mentioned casually that you could get quite a different view if you walked on top of the maze of the mini-mesas we were going through. I didn't even think to ask if we could actually climb on top but another kid asked his parents if he could. Before the parents said no, the guide said that kids had an amazing ability to scramble and just to let them go. Well I didn't need much encouragement and mentioned I saw just the step in the walls you would need to get up there not more than 20 yards back. As the guide waited to give her talk at the stopping point, a group of 5 kids emerged 10 feet above to listen. The guide added the she was not at all surprised that we had gotten up there without even blinking. That was the whole reason why Arches was the favorite of both me and my brother. We did more there than any of the adults did.
Southern Utah has a lot more than Arches as well, my mom's most favorite place in the entire world even having been to more places than I have, is Bryce. That and Cedar Breaks are exceptionally dramatic, although I liked Zion as a kind of hybrid between Bryce, Arches, and something like a Yosemite. So many places in all four of those states that it's hard to go over and review them all. But it was a different time where there was no flying in and out with a quick rental car. The only place we didn't get to that friends of our raved about and called their favorite was Canyon De Chelly.
5catmom - Thanks for the offer, but the situation is such that when I say I'll never get the originals, "rescue" isn't possible even by illegal means. It's complicated and I'll tell you about it if we ever finally meet. :-#
RAD - On that subject, there are many old photographs out there by the Ansel Adams or Weston out there where the original negative exists. When you see the burned in or held back and the film pushing and the penciled in areas and whatever. So no one should have to apologize for how a piece of art was made. You just have to realize that it's art and not just a strict capture of reality. Some people might like it, others not, but that's no different than any other subjective opinion.
GC - Yes, I seen those. Have a few books and a video on Ansel and have been to the Ansel Adams gallery in Yosemite - first time I ever got so close to a $30,000 photographic print.
I didn't mean for that rant to come across as an apology for how I work - I don't apologize for that - ever. Rather wanted to point out that the "manipulations" are always being done and it was just a choice of WHO got to do them.
RAD,
come to think of it, I DID a"manupulation" - I used a different lens (not original Nikon) which gave a better picture... more life-like, or, rather, richer, deeper...appealing.
In the film days, we chose different emulsions for their characteristics - whether it was a low contrast Reala or a saturated and somewhat high contrast Supra. Slide films (while I never shot them) are an even better example.
Also keep in mind that any negative or slide film also went through some manipulation during the printing process. The photo printer (not the current digital photo printers but the old lab machines) had built in adjustments to bring out the "best" (based on settings that assumed an average exposure) of the medium shot.
Negative film itself has a fairly large dynamic range. Ever get a really dark or overblown print with negative film? I would bet that it was the printer's fault. A custom print could have recovered the shot (but people assumed it was their fault because they didn't understand how film worked.)
Even before digital cameras were ubiquitous, most of the best photographers scanned in their slides and worked them digitally before printing. Digital cameras, in fact, demand that you work them in RAW to get the most out of them. There just isn't any way around it. For all the great hardware, camera companies to balance the in-camera processing with speed. Photoshop is vastly superior but takes longer.
emaxxman 
3wbdwnj 
On the subject of Photography & photo manipulations, I'm on both sides of the fence.
When on media assignment for the newspapers, I have to get as much as I can correct in-camera and may only make minor adjustments to saturation, tone and contrast to the image before submitting for publication. Although I may crop an image, I cannot clone anything out, etc. I like to use the histogram to make minor adjustments to change in-camera settings on the fly - exposure, ISO, flash compensation, etc.
Example) http://photos.lehighvalleylive.com/express-times/2014/02/phillipsburg_girls_basketball_184.html
However, away from photographing events for the media, for my own projects, I do harness artistic freedom per se and use the tools available to me via Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and 3rd party filters to achieve the final effects I am looking for.
Example) http://www.nickscaleraphotography.com/hdr-cars/
Nick Scalera Photo 
GC - Re: Arches, you can still play around on the arches and pretty much climb anywhere you want - at least as of four years ago. The main restriction in the parks is that they want to keep you on the paths to/from the rocky areas to preserve the cryptobiotic crust over the desert sand. Helps prevent erosion and takes forever to come back if disturbed.
Yes, southern Utah is spectacular. Imagine, five national parks plus numerous monuments, state parks, recreation areas, and all in just the southern part of the state.
And I agree about Bryce and Cedar Breaks - both very beautiful. Fortunately I lived just 45 miles from the main gate of Zion National Park so I went there fairly often. During the off season you can drive anywhere. In season you have to take the shuttle buses up the canyon.
Canyon De Chelly is a fun place to visit. Just rented a Jeep and let the Navaho guides drive you through. It was pretty wet when we went so we were driving through water for part of the trip.
Oh, and if you like off road Jeeping you should consider renting Jeeps in Moab and driving Elephant Hill in Canyonlands National Park. It's a real trip! I did a set of photos that were used in a glossy regional lifestyle magazine. We brought along one of the editors and she wrote a nice story about the trip - I've attached a scan of a one page from my tearsheets.
From one of the viewpoints on Windham High Peak in the Catskills, December 25, 2013.
Robert Durana Omg all kinds of wonderful photography!! Loving this.
Nick - the effects you used for the Corvette shot are superb - they really suit the subject.
And now I want to travel to NM, UT, CA....
Nick - I'm not usually a big fan of hdr and excess editing - but those car pix are just fabulous -
what wonderful pictures are appearing here - love the thread - of course I love posting too - but I have few talents except a pretty good eye
Nick - when it involves photojournalism I totally understand the need for the absolute minimum amount of post processing. It seems like it can be a real job killer if you don't follow the rules. But beyond that I'm all for Make rather than Take and anything goes. I'll do most anything to get what I want. And nice car shots of that Vette - (even though I was a Mustang guy!)
and from the annual airshow at little Greenwood Lake Airport - it's always a really good show and usually includes antique cars
-----> This is an **environmental photojournalism** shot to raise awareness about the problem of domestic cats killing wild birds.
I took the image today, processed it and entered into the EPJ category/contest on the nature photography site I belong to. (Domestic cats are estimated to kill between 1 and 4 billion birds per year in the US.)
Comments on the image are welcome, but we've had the discussion elsewhere on this forum about whether cats should be allowed outside or not. Let's not rehash. :-)
Rebecka, great shot of an invasive species engaged in environmental damage! Nice that the snow bank moved in behind so we see the cat and bird better.
Lol 5catmom. So nice of you to feed the squirrels, too. They are so comical! Some people get so annoyed with them at their feeders. I don't mind them.
Well - Rebecka - I don't have a big choice - they know how to climb up to the deck - last year I only had 1 - today I counted 5 - unfortunately I get less birds while the squirrels pig out - but they are awfully cute - and since I help feed the babies that come in to Antler Ridge - I'd have a hard time not providing food..........and oh geeze - baby squirrel season at the rescue is about to begin
5catmom - too bad you had to build your non-native deck in the middle of the squirrels native habitat lol.
omg how did you know RAD - here are a few more- my little friend Mottley - wondering if he has mange - almost bare tail and a bare spot on his back - though I did see one of the others chase him away from some food I had just put out - maybe he's being bullied
It really is Rebecka - I remember my 4 hour shifts late last summer when all we did was squirrels - the youngest every 2 hours - the next group every 4 - in the nursery - in incubators - as soon as one group was finished it was time to do the next - exhausting
ok, so not the best pic... took with my iphone... but here's the "famous" Diamond Hill albino squirrel!! Or at least one of the family.... this was just last week. He was right off my patio.....
JeffersonRepub 
Squirrels are the reason I got into birding. It all began in the winter of 2010-2011 with some leftover pizza crusts that I had tossed behind my work. So many squirrels showed up, it appeared that a nearby tree was wearing a fur coat. So the next day I installed a squirrel friendly bird feeder. As soon as my first red-bellied woodpecker showed up I was hooked...
I found an old children's toy battleship and filled it with sunflower seeds. My objective was to see how many squirrels I could get aboard...
Wow - some excellent work here!!
Rebecka, that cat & bird image is amazing - good luck in the contest!
5catmom - thanks for the HDR compliment, much appreciated. I'm enjoying your Squirrel photos! I've never taken pictures at an airshow...would like to as your photo is super cool.
RAD - great images & amazing light!
Nick - tried to send you an email here - it was bounced - is your email addy correct? here's what I said, "when I get the dates for this year's show I'll let you know - they don't
seem to be posted yet ---- it's a really well done show - surprising for
such a little airport in the middle of nowhere.............always fun -
take a beach chair - camera and you're set"
question: who is estimating 1 to 4 billion dead birds? and how do these people know they are domestic cats vs feral?
Hastings Old Rhinebeck is lots of fun as well - but the Greenwood Lake Show is much more of a show - lots of planes - lots of events - surprisingly impressive - Jane Wicker - the wing walker who didn't make it last year in a show crash elsewhere used to be in this show every year among others --
I wasn't quite sure what to do with this picture. It was shot 5/5 of an HDR composite just after sunset at Merrill Creek as thousand of Snow Geese descended from the sky.
OP - nice one!
@3wb - thanks :-)
Here's a Nazca Booby image I just processed today. Unusual comp, I know, but I was going for something different.
on a photo outing with friends today - clydesdales in Long Valley, merganzers in Califon, and orchids - somewhere near Long Valley - at stony hill gardens
Greg @5catmom - ah, sorry, my e-mail address changed but I didn't want to change my HL avatar since I have previous posts here -- please feel free to contact me via my website: http://www.nickscaleraphotography.com/contact-us/
Thanks for the heads-up regarding airshows GC & others - much appreciated!
Ancient Bristlecone Pine - Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT. Elevation approximately 10,000 feet. This image was taken just as the sun was setting behind me and the full moon rising in front of me.
What an interesting tree, and lovely shot, RAD.
This was taken at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. A female Yellow-Rumped Warbler... I think!
RAD - That tree looks familiar, I want to say we saw the same one while we hiked there. I can also recall a picture of me and my brother sitting in the boughs of a tree at our camp site. But I want to say that was either Zion or Bryce because I don't believe we camped at Cedar Breaks. But I can definitely say our 1972 VW Campervan struggled like crazy to get to the top. Besides Kings Canyon, that was one of the worst grades ever.
Killdeer portrait; taken in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
"Malheur" means "misfortune" in French. I was paranoid the whole time I was there. What was going to *happen* to me? :-D
since we were talking about post processing.. i think i'll leave this here haha.
Photoshop has gone too far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnvoz91k8hc
My cat-eating-bird image was selected as the weekly pick for Environmental Photojournalism, but more than that... the American Bird Conservancy has just expressed an interest in it! Kind of cool. :-) I'll let y'all know if it goes up on their site or in their magazine called Bird Conservation.
congratulations Rebecka - perfect picture for the purpose - well perfect regardless-
Congrats Rebecka. I've stalked some of your nature pics on naturephotographers.net. A well-deserved honor.
Went adventuring in Sandy Hook yesterday. Good times meeting strangers from the Internets.
christography 
Lauren 
JayP831 
@jay - I remember that. That was after Sandy, correct? The water had reached the underside of the bridge.
Closeup of a rose in my dining room. Converted to B&W and sepia toned in Lightroom. I also applied a custom Orton effect for the soft focus effect.
You really captured the beauty and essence of the rose...that's art in it's purest form. Great work!
Some Guy (Art) I want to confirm something:
Those barns across from 7-11 near where 517 and Old Alamuchy split off are ok for public access?
There is a little road there that I see people park on.
thank you!
For those who enjoy birds and photography, Enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc
Ignatz - amazing footage of Birds of Paradise. Thanks for posting. I will definitely get to New Guinea one day to see them - it's on my short list.
Spring Fever 
Taken Dec 26, 2004... just hours before the South Asian Tsunami hit. (I'm going through my archives to re-process photos I haven't seen in a while.)
Fantastic photo Rebecka!!!
As you may already know by my many ramblings about Vietnamese food, I'm from Vietnam. I left there when I was 4 and would love to go back one day. I would love to see any other pictures you have.
Emaxx - Vietnam was one of the most dynamic, energetic, industrious, young and hopeful places I've EVER visited! I think it was like what the US must have been like right in the early stages of the industrial revolution (but theirs is a modern, technological revolution). (And truly, if I were to invest my money in one currency, or bet on one country, Vietnam would be the place.) The people were so nice, outgoing, welcoming... it's a place I would highly recommend visiting to anyone, but you especially if you were born there! Also, as someone who does and appreciates hand embroidery and handcrafted items, I was blown away at the skill of the needleworkers, and of the craftsmanship in general of the Vietnamese. They are perfectionists! Such gorgeous items... I don't usually buy much when I travel, at all! - but in Vietnam I made quite a few exceptions. ;-) What an amazing country.
I'll see if I have any other interesting images. I wasn't that great of a photog back then, but I should at least have some snapshots.
Fellow photogs - if you haven't seen this already, check out this video of a wildlife photographer who was harassed by a bull elk, Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park, Fall of last year.
http://m.koreus.com/video/wapiti-vs-photographe.html
Kind of insane. At one point, the photog actually yawns. I would have been way more worked up than that!
That was crazy. Would that have just simply been "inquisitive" behavior on the part of the elk? It didn't seem to be defensive or antagonistic. I liked how the photog snuck a few shots in when the elk wasn't looking.
Christine Is there a spot (open to the public) with a pergola or gazebo in Hackettstown? The clematis on my pergola hasn't yet bloomed so it looks pretty sickly with just the brown branches. I don't need the structure to have any plants on it but don't want to have just brown branches either.
I'd like to stick to places in Hackettstown. If I drive out of town, I'll go to Willowwood or Bamboo Brook.
emaxxman - The town gazebo at Main & Moore is public. But is what you're looking for a back drop for pictures of plants? The gazebo is pretty open air so I'm not sure it's the right thing for what you want.
Centenary College***enter through main gate, bear left,walkway has little pergolas if this is what you are thinking of
I had forgotten about the gazebo on Main Street. It's a bit busy there though. I'll check out the Centenary one. I do find that area, including the main building, quite beautiful.
Thanks to the both of you.
Horseshoe Lake has one, but it's only slightly closer than Willowwood.
There was a pathway of pergolas to the left of Centenary, I haven't been over there recently so maybe they took them down.
Not sure if it has already been discussed? Anyone know of interesting abandoned building in the area to explore and take pictures. Are there any local groups that explore such places?
Some great pictures from Bergen Tool
http://www.vacantnewjersey.com/locations/bergen_machine_and_tool_company/index.html
Denis, thanks for the pictures. I never knew there were so many buildings back there. Those big wooden beams are worth a lot of money.
fujixt1, nice picture.
4paws 
Denis:
You can search for urbex or urban exploration. In general, they don't like strangers, so it takes a bit to get to know them before you get invited along.
started a blog and I think i'll keep up to date with it more often now.
http://mirrorlessphoto.tumblr.com/
please share you sites!
Merrill Creek was great yesterday, too. I especially like the "closes at 9pm" lately. Lets you stay long enough for the good stuff.
Look at the detail on this whatever it is. Can anyone identify it for me? Still has two dew drops on its wing.
just coach Thanks GC, I googled and I think you are right. Found the moth on my garage door in Hackettstown. very beautiful.
MeisterNJ 
I really miss living near the Jersey shore. Took the family down there yesterday to enjoy some local seafood and the beautiful weather.
Grascal - Just noticed the macro shot of the bee. Wonderful color and detail. I love how it just pops off of the gray background.
Thanks emaxxman, I must say your shore photo makes me crave getting back to the shore. Awesome view...
Santa Fe is a great place to use as a base for day and short trips. White Sands, Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and more. Any of the four corners places are great for that.
Yup - love Santa Fe--- pueblos to visit, Bandelier Natl Monument - wonderful small towns, Sky City ---and lots of action on the Plaza --- the annual Indian Market is great - as are the galleries - I could go on but I won't - have been there 3-4 times ....and I'll go back
Found this on my FB and thought some might like it
http://reframe.gizmodo.com/7-diy-photography-tricks-that-only-use-household-object-1601615281?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_facebook&utm_source=gizmodo_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
Bessie 
Great shot, GC...I think when you see Dragonflies like that it is a sign of good luck coming your way...
joyful - That's a nice thought, but in reality it looks like just the opposite happens.
A quick search identified the name of the dragon fly as a male "widow skimmer".
Some great photo opportunities coming up this week. Get your cameras ready!
Unique Photo will be at the Pequest Hatchery for a Moth Seminar (Free)
This weekend is the Quick Check Balloon Festival in Readington
Warren County Farmers Fair also starts this weekend
This had to be a top ten summer day and your photo only proves it more. Great shot OP....
one of the permanent residents at Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary - he picks certain people to "attack" - fortunately I'm not one of them
We were driving up Rt. 287N to 78W and that sunset was amazing. The colors of pink, turquoise, purple, orange was breathtaking.
justwondering 
Booster90 
5catmom, I do believe that bird was sizing you up! lol
I went to balloon fest yesterday and I am picured out. I shot just under 256GB.
gorgeous OP ---love balloonfest - especially Friday - when it's easier to get in and out
some of you may want to try this - lovely event -- fabulous show - http://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-greenwood-lake-airshow-2-8?utm_campaign=us_dt_sea_ggl_txt_ttt_sr_cbp_ch1_nbr_k*greenwood+lake+airshow_m*e_d*westchester-county-rtc-root_g*rtc-gl-greenwood-lake-airshow-2-8-exact_c*52821788681_ap*1t1&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google#
Shot this with my 14mm and cropped. I really need to start building my lens collection.
fujixt1 
went on a 2 hour sunset cruise on a schooner out of Battery Park - gorgeous views and sunset
Another from Saturday morning's balloon fest.
Pilot Tony Sica of Derry New Hampshire readies his smiley face balloon for flight.
OP- Was this the balloon fest in Hunterdon county? If it was...my daughter was there representing Quick Chek as their mascott. She was in a Q costume walking around and dancing.
When I went back for the afternoon launch, estimates were a conservative 70,000+ in attendance.
Does anyone know if the balloons launched Saturday afternoon/evening? We stayed till 7:30 but it was still a bit too windy.
Lulu Yes they launched, but very late. They started to go up at 7:45 pm even though the gust were still hitting 10 MPH. They flew away so quickly that some of the less experienced pilots set down in the field behind the airport. No specialty shapes took off.
We need to get the photowalks going again. If there's any interest, lets start a meetup.com type arrangement so we can get email notifications and hopefully get more people involved.
alpha1beta 
Make the thread, alpha1beta. See what happens. I'd be up to more photowalking.
fujixt1,
Was there a filter on that last shot, or any after-editing? Were those the ACTUAL colors of the sky???
HDR Jefferson.
Btw for all you home studio folks, I'm selling a 107" x 12 yards Super White roll of Savage background paper. $35. Used it once for a shoot and now it just takes up room.
LJRubi Jefferson- No filter on the camera. I did some post on the ipad with exposure and saturation.
The sky was not that color but it was a very odd color to start with. The sunset was behind me on the other side of the island but the reflecting colors were so different.
I'm down for a photowalk, but there's not much happening locally.
Greenwood Lake Airshow is this weekend Aug 15-17
Longwood Gardens Fireworks and Fountains is Saturday the 16th
The Lehigh Valley Airshow is Aug 23-24
I have to scope out Donaldson's farm and see how those sunflowers are progressing.
Longwood Gardens was great! This is one of the tropical night blooming lilies. Using a neutral density filter, I let the long exposure collect all that beautiful color and detail.
Great color and nice pic OP. I'm headed to Newport and Providence this week. Hopefully I can get some nice pics by the Cliff Walk and the mansions.
Emaxx - growing up, I spent my summers on the Cliffwalk. Please give the ocean and First Beach my love... so envious of you right now!
OP - what are your technicals on that lovely shot?
Cool emaxx, don't forget the castle hill lighthouse.
Rebecka, nothing fancy.... I used the craptastic 18-135mm lens that came with my 7D and an ND8 filter. The shutter was a full 2 seconds. Used photoshop to remove some vignetting.
Here's a fireworks shot from that night, I like how the center looked very nebulous.
MK 
The overcast skies made for some interesting pictures at the airshow, but the rain did not help. Hopefully the skys are blue tomorrow.
I am still all burnt up from Sunday, all I need is some lobster claw gloves and the ensemble is complete- at least I got some good pics.
eapos 
I rented a 400mm lens and a 2x teleconverter from Unique Photo. Some shots got me way too close so I had my other camera ready with a 70-300mm.
Here is one of the Misty Blues...
Great shots OP. Was that the Canon 400 mm 5.6? With Canon 2x on the two plane photos? I'm pondering that lens with a 1.4x as if I'm not mistaken you lose auto focus with a 2x? Did you return the rental already? If not maybe try a few pics of birds to give an idea of clarity?
Yes it was the 5.6 400mm and yes you lose auto focus. Most of the action was centered over the runway so manual focus was easy. I didn't care for the amount of light it took to get a good picture out of it. I took a few pics of a bush full of birds in front of my house- they didn't turn out to well. I prefer my image stabilizer. I think the Sigma 50-500mm is the better choice.
Thanks OP... You may have just saved me some $. My Sigma 50-500 does well. I was pondering the Canon 400mm simply for something less heavy to carry while hiking and birding. I'll stick with the Sigma for now.
Sunset sailboat ride in Newport, RI.
My first HDR - 5 exposures - each 1/2 stop apart.
These guys have become a bit of a rarity lately. Found a handful feeding on some bee balm at Merrill Creek this weekend.
If anyone is interested I am looking to lead a photo walk at Donaldson's Farm soon.
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/630286
botheredbyuu2 5catmom, Can you recommend any places to see or eat while in Chincoteague besides the main park? I'll be down there this fall for a couple days.
# 1 restaurant choice - Bills's on the main drag - for great take out - Capt Zack's and Woody's Barbeque - both right on or just off Maddox - to see - hike around the wildlife loop (entry off Maddox past the nature center) - it's about 3 1/2 miles - you can bike or hike it until 3pm - cars allowed too after 3.....take one of the island cruises - you'll see a fair amount of wildlife - and don't forget to go to the Island Creamery...........
We like the Seashell Motel - reasonable and clean and a pretty flower garden....
Hope you love it.
Grascal - a few more notes - Aj's on the Creek is good - The Village - not so much
Do watch a sunset from the bay side
Emaxx - for some reason I missed your HDR shot when you first posted it. Very nice work! Beautiful subject, comp and processing.
Hilton Head last summer. SkullCreek Boathouse for dinner. Went back again this year. Just as beautiful.
seasonal pix from Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary - one of the critters I helped care for this summer
Just a cell phone pic. Had to stop along Asbury Anderson rd to watch hundreds of birds flying in circles over a field. Snow geese maybe? Saw them on Jackson Valley a week ago. Lots of people pulling over to watch and take pictures. Beautiful.
maja Yes maja! Snow geese. They migrate along the valley every year. Aren't they beautiful?
Is this what you are talking about Rebecka?
http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/04/08/pkg-bobcat-snatches-shark-out-of-the-ocean.wplg
Yes! Kind of amazing. Wondering if Bobcats do that routinely in Florida, if it's a learned behavior by this one individual, etc. Just fascinating.
Last Friday, I attended the Hackettstown High School production of "Shrek, The Musical". It was AMAZING!! I hope you enjoy the photos on the following link: http://ow.ly/LM5x9
Also, I would like to meet up with fellow HL photographers ~ is there a photo-walk soon?
1st drone shot - surveying our fields/forest. This thing is more fun than I ever imagined. Does any other photog here use a drone?
Our cherry trees this year are absolutely loaded... attracting a certain kind of visitor.
I can tell you I'm picking black berries every day like nobodies business just for the same reason. I don't need BooBoo in my back yard again.
Shepherds get very upset with bear, Skippy. We have to keep them contained or they would go after them. Like most dogs, maybe? Not sure.
I like the way this one turned out. She was smiling because she had a belly full of (our) cherries.
Was experimenting/trying to learn about tonemaps (still not really sure what the heck it is.) Untouched RAW exported from Lightroom into Photomatix Pro and then finished in Lightroom (vignetted, sharpening, etc.) Frame added in Photoshop.
Bridge at Waterloo Village. Went for a stroll with emaxxson on Thursday. Was a beautiful day. Handheld shot.
Originally, I used 5 bracketed exposures but the wind caused too much blur in the leaves when the shots were combined. This final photo was based on a single mid-level exposure.
Great photo emaxxman. A little over saturated for my taste but everyone have had a different angle on photography.
Tonight I Could see at least nine different firework shows from my deck tonight. It was absolutely amazing. Here is a picture from the closest one.
Fuji xt1 with my new 50-140. Handheld and I have decided for at least a year not to edit my pictures at all.
Fuji...yeah I was trying to figure out a way to make it pop (like velvia) without overdoing it. The yellow could probably be toned down a little.
I need to figure out how to take better firework shots. All of mine are always severely under or overexposed.
I bet sunsets with that view of yours are stupendous.
First time with shooting fireworks. Need to work on timing and things but it was fun. Unlike Fuji, this is processed. Lightroom CC's new 'dehaze' filter does wonders for the smoke.
Great pictures. What a difference the background can make for that bridge photo.
I have nothing against post processing. I am just challenging myself by not editing.
I used to over saturate photos because I wanted the pop also. You'll get the hang of it and settle into your style.
Let's keep these photo threads alive!
emaxxman - I think the tone of the bridge part of the picture is just terrific. Well done job there. But I do have to admit my eyes have trouble adjusting to the trees. I'm not a processing expert by any means, but any time I ever try to adjust saturation it doesn't lead to good things. If you're afraid the green is going to be too dark, they I would just work on lightening it with the spot tool. I'm not a big fan of vignette, but because of the light and dark of the trees and water, that didn't come out bad at all.
I have another suggestion though for something different - I know you mentioned in the past about reading the outstanding Japanese based texts about composition. That bridge should provide enough movement in the picture not to be so worried about it popping out at you. The movement would be enhanced if you rotated the image maybe 15 degrees or so counterclockwise. Because of the reflection you should get your eye going back and forth between those two lines. A closer crop of the picture could get those two lines to be about 2/3 for the bridge and 1/3 for the reflection. That could work well for a slightly different variation of the picture.
Agreed, great photo & editing emaxxman!
Sometimes when post-processing using HDR, the greens in my image get way too saturated and seem to change hue (almost becoming neon-like) requiring more work to correct the color.
Have you tried Google's NIK filters yet? Also, Affinity Pro is in beta for Mac and is free.
emaxx FWIW I love your bridge image as posted. Really nice work. Personally I wouldn't change a thing, and I love your comp and post-processing.
Last night I decided to try something different. I took the kayak out on mountain lake to enjoy the local show. The tricky part was finding a shutter speed that provided light trailing but did not pick up the motion of the boat.
Original Poster 
Here was a shot from Liberty Township Community day. This shot was tripod mounted and had a long 2 second exposure.
Wow. Sorry it took me so long to respond. I was away on vacation. Lots of great feedback. I appreciate all of it.
GC - yes, I try to follow the rule of thirds for composition landscapes (although I'll deviate when the image demands it.) In this case, the subject is both the bridge and the reflection, therefore, both are in the bottom 2/3's of the frame.
Nick - I think I may have the NIK filters downloaded. I vaguely remember downloading something when it was made available for free. I'll check the NIK stuff out if that's what I have. I have so many free utilities that it's tough to keep track of all of them (or even try them out.)
Rebecka - Thank you.
I have some pics of Boston (Freedom Trail), Providence, and Newport from my vacation to sort through. The lighting was awful most days (complete overcast with no interesting clouds or full on sun.) I'm going to try using Photomatix to see if I can get something worthy of sharing.
CR37 
Did you resize? I see some pixelation in the background. It must the forum compression because I know the XT1 is smoother than that.
FWIW, I never use the jpegs out of the Sony a77 because its jpeg engine is terrible. Very aggressive noise reduction creates a really soft image (and the image is still noisy and blotchy.) I turn the in-camera noise reduction and sharpening down to their min. levels but it's still not great. I HAVE to post process to get anything worth printing bigger than 4x6 IMO.
Cherie Emaxxman- nothing was done. I transferred the picture wirelessly from the camera to my iPhone them to this forum.
Just checked the picture on my iPhone and these is no pixelation.
Maybe it was my browser (chrome.) I've made a habit out of resizing down to around 1024 x 768. Facebook is horrible with compression.
And I'm officially jealous of your ability to wireless transfer pictures from your camera. My camera is only about 3 years old and I feel like it's aged already.
emaxxman - It may not be really pronounced and doesn't seem to be in the foreground, but I see some pixalation in the background as well. I'm on FireFox but I suspect the issue is the site resizes pictures/saves as they come in for space considerations. I doubt the original is like that.
As for wifi, it was 100% necessary recently when I was out of the country. I could not have posted any of the pictures if I didn't have that to transfer. The iPad I took in order to only have a small device has no card reader or USB slot to accept a reader. It was one of the biggest features of the D5300 compared to the older models.
Just a simple photo. I'm really enjoying the fact not to edit the photos (except when Instagram crops it into a square) because it's making me think a whole lot more about my photos. Also, knowing that I won't have to edit makes uploading way easier!
My favorite set up right now is the xt1 with the 50-140.
Greetings!
I recently totally re-vamped my WordPress photography website & would appreciate any comments/criticism from the HL photo folks - thanks in advance, very much appreciated!
http://www.nickscaleraphotography.com/
Nick
Awesome perspective AXD. I would love to get a superwide. My camera is an APS-C so 16mm isn't all that wide.
Great pic Art. Very creative.
Hey Nick, couple little things about your site (mostly nit-picky stuff):
I'm not sure if the Corvette on the homepage is the best image to convey what you shoot. Since you mainly have photojournalism and sports images on the rest of your site, while a cool shot, it doesn't seem to fit in with your business photos.
is it just your business? I'm asking because it sounds funny when you say "About Us" and "Contact Us" then use "I" in the content on that page.
On the "services" and the "Portfolio" dropdown menus, maybe have a landing page if someone clicks on the top menu item instead of doing nothing. Personal preference though.
The "contact me" links on the services pages shouldn't open a new link IMO. if it's to an offsite page sure, but not if it's still on your website.
Like I said all nit-picky things. Overall I think the site is basic (a good kind of basic) and professional. You clearly show your past accomplishments on your about page, and your image galleries look good and are easy to browse though.
Hope this helps and good luck with everything.
Thanks emaxxman. Check out the Tokina 11-16mm lens. I've read a lot of good things about that one.
Thanks for the help AXD - much appreciated! I made some changes to the site just now.
HL folks, please feel free to e-mail me comments/criticism via Nick@NickScaleraPhotography.com (the link envelope by my name isn't working)
Here is a pic from this year's balloon fest. I took it easy this year, I only shot 110 GB.
Any one interested in another photo walk? We could check out the old Stuyvestant houses.
Great pictures folks - each one rocks for a different reason too.
Yes, I'd be interested in a photo walk in the Fall.
I'm loving the pictures..........and I wish I had gone to Balloonfest this year -
Here's a critter - junebug I believe -
Saw this Tuesday Morning. The fog was heavy then cleared as I turned in drive to Work. I had to take a picture.
Mr 4paws
I saw that on Allen Road too heading towards Gold's Gym this morning. I didn't have a camera though. Creepy.
where I'm headed - Chincoteague home of the wild ponies
this is from a 2012 visit.............love it there
Here's more of the church from my last photo. I've been biking there a lot.
I'd be up for a photo walk if other people show up :|
Taken at Longwood Gardens yesterday. An amazingly beautiful place. It's a floral and macro photographers dreamland.
Straight out of my Samsung Note 4 using the default camera app (set to center-weighted metering.) Not bad for a phone. No post processing done here. The phone did a better job with metering than my DSLR in that super sunny lighting. I always had to dial in some negative or positive exposure compensation with the DSLR.
Shot of one of the grand-kids in the pool. FujiFilm X-T1, straight from the camera, converted to b&w in Lightroom. No filters, no Photoshop.
I shoot with the Note 4 also. It's a got a solid camera for a phone, but like all fixed lens compact cameras it gets bad halos when there's too much contrast in the scene and shooting straight at the sun it does weird things.
fujixt1 - besides the standard 18-55 I have the 18-135 (a little slower but more zoom range), the 55-200 for some reach, and the 10-24.
Art,
What do you use to edit on the phone? I've been using Snapseed. It's done fairly well. In fact, I have a b&w abstract that I made that i really like. I can't get it to upload to HL for some reason though.
I know a Merrill Creek shot when I see one, Art. I was just there. I managed to sneak up on some deer in the kayak. The baby was licking mama from head to toe. Unfortunately, the SX50 leaves alot to be desired in the image stabilization department... maybe I can say I was going for the soft focus look ;)
Emaxx, did you go to that nightscapes thing they are having at Longwood Gardens?
Here is a shot from one of the Stuyvestant houses. I titled this photo "dedication" as every square inch, and I mean literally, is covered with graffiti.
Here is another shot from this past winter's visit to the Stuyvestant houses. I really dig the colors on this one.
OP - we wanted to but tickets were sold out for it. Apparently they only sell a finite number.
Emaxx, I generally edit with Pixlr from Autodesk. Sometimes I do the instagram thing too. I'm trying not to take phone photography too seriously, but lately it's been the only camera at hand.
Wow, we have some real talent right here locally. Love this thread and enjoying everyone's posts.
Art - the keyhole shot into the church blows me away. I would put that on my wall! Which church was that taken at?
And RAD - the pic of your grandchild in the pool with the reflections off the water is mesmerizing.
Too many good ones to comment on them all!! Just - nice work everyone!
Art - I found myself resorting to my phone more and more as the day went on. I'm going to download the RAW camera app and check it out. Can't remember the name of it right now. It shoots .DNG files. I'll see if there is much improvement over the standard jpg output using Lightroom.
I could certainly see me using only the phone for non-critical stuff. I'm sure the noise in lowlight exposures would be too much to handle. Another thing is that I need to find a way to set manual exposure and shallow DOF. The default camera app doesn't seem to have those options.
Thanks, Rebecka. It's the Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian Church located here:
http://goo.gl/maps/7yNBl
Emaxx, manual exposure would be very nice since the meter is quite good at averaging or even biasing for exposing the shadows properly. However the workaround is that if you hold your finger on the spot you want to expose for, a dotted blue circle will appear on screen and lock the meter/focus to that area temporarily. I just wish I could do spot metering that way instead of a smaller averaged area :p
This thread could use a bump, what's everyone been up to?
I haven't been shooting a ton lately, but here's a shot from last summer to get us started again...
JB400 I think HL should bring back the photo preview pane on the right side of the page...
Chris, nudge nudge hint hint
OP OP - There were serious complaints about how long the pages were taking to load. I doubt that's going to happen. On the other hand, a separate page that's just previews might work. People with good connections can click on it, ones without don't have to go there.
Some Guy (Art)... Your composite of the MVPCUSA entrance is extremely moving. If I saw it framed in a gallery somewhere, I'd snatch it up in a second. Bravo...
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