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Along the Trail
Hiking to one place while keeping one's eyes open is always a good idea. There can be so many treasures along the way that maps and other research ahead of time simply won't show. And that's a good thing! There's nothing like hitting a trail and exploring in person.
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It's a Thursday so let's do a black and white post. Both photographs were shot on a Pentax Spotmatic camera loaded with a black and white Fomapan 100 film. They also both originally featured in my Zine Issue 2: Chasing Waterfalls. If you'd like to pick up a copy of that one or one of the other two currently available, you can find them in the Zines section of my website.
Old Bridge WallLetchworth State Park
Old Bridge Wall, Letchworth State Park
Shot on film: Pentax Spotmatic, Fomapan 100
Hiking past the wall and a few other wonderful treasures that caused quite a pause in my forward progress we arrive at the intended destination of this short trail, the high vantage point above this beautiful waterfall.
Upper Papermill Falls in Black & WhiteLetchworth State Park
Upper Papermill Falls in Black & White, Letchworth State Park
Shot on film: Pentax Spotmatic, Fomapan 100
Yep, that's it for today's dose of black and white Thursday. Thanks for dropping by and hope to see you back soon.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
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PhalanxBirdsong Park
Horseshoe Falls in WhiteNiagara Falls
Edward M Cotter's Solo ShowBuffalo's Canalside
More from Lower Niagara
Another look at the Lower Niagara Gorge today, just a few feet up the river (last visit: By the Niagara River with a Camera & Film). In this location, my eyes were firmly on the ground exploring the river bank.
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The rocky river banks seem to always look different. Different colors, different levels of water and in different light. Especially the difference between high summer flow and low winter flow is striking.
For this section I also swapped film in my camera. While I started the day with a color negative film I already had Fuji Velvia 50 slide film loaded by this point. That also provided a different look for today's pictures.
Rocky River BankLower Niagara Rapids
Rocky River Bank, Lower Niagara Rapids
Shot on Nikon N75 and Fuji Velvia 50 Film
The interaction of water and the rocks is very interesting too as the powerful flow creates waves that flood some areas only to immediately retreat. In one area, there is a notch in the rock that allows water to flow in and out. I could sit there for hours watching the water rush in, overflow at the other end, then back out, and repeat. It seemed no two waves behaved exactly the same. Simple, hypnotic, magical. Maybe I am just too easily pleased.
Rushing In and OutLower Niagara Rapids
Rushing In and Out, Lower Niagara Rapids
Shot on Nikon N75 and Fuji Velvia 50
After a few beautiful fall days of sunshine and color our weather turned rather wet overnight. What is ahead of us? Is there still going to be an opportunity to squeeze in another fall visit to this wonderful river gorge? We'll see.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them (commission earned) and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Niagara RumbleLower Niagara Rapids
Sunrise over the Horseshoe FallsNiagara Falls
Class 6 Rapids, Niagara River at the Whirlpool Rapids GorgeLower Niagara Rapids
Stages of a Sunrise
The coolness of the morning, the breeze in one's face, and darkness slowly giving way to daylight. The weather situation slowly becoming more apparent and the excitement combined with the doubts. How is the scene going to develop on this day? Will the sun find a way to paint the sunrise magic, even if ever so briefly, or are the clouds going to win?
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Such are my thoughts on these morning expeditions. But there's never any regret. No matter what eventually happens, it's always great to be there, let it all in, and watch, and breathe. Sure, it's always a great bonus if I get a chance to capture a few photographs to remember the morning forever but it is not required.
Trying to Break ThroughStage 1
This specific morning on the shore of Lake Michigan was no different. It was my first time at this particular spot and as such the morning was already a success having explored a new area. And finding this old leftover of a structure was nice too, something different to place in my foreground. Clearly, I was not the only one enjoying it's presence.
Sun Breaking Through at Sunrise over Lake Michigan, Stage 2
I saw the possible opening in the clouds ahead of time and was full of anticipation. Would it be enough? As the sun started moving into the window I kept my finger on the shutter waiting for the circle of the sun to center itself perfectly.
Sun Trying to Break Through at Sunrise over Lake Michigan, Stage 3
For the final stage, I decided to wait a little longer and wait for the sun to fully hide again. When its rays started glowing above the cloud I had my Stage 3, as if a second sunrise of the days was about to happen.
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!
Have you enjoyed this post and the included photographs? Would you like to see more of my travel photographs? Visit my Landscapes Faraway or Travel Photography galleries. Do you love roads running through beautiful landscapes as me? My favorite ones are in the On the Road Photo Collection. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a present? I also offer ready to hang solutions like canvas gallery wraps, prints on metal, and matted and framed ready to hang photographs.
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Boulders, Rocks, and Setting SunLake Erie
Water & Rocks at SunsetLake Erie
Sunset Awe at Sturgeon PointLake Erie
Midsummer Day's SunsetLake Erie
Reclaiming an Old PierLake Erie
Lucky Find
Sometimes, my photographs are a result of a careful research and a planned execution. Other times, a bit of luck helps. And sometimes it is a combination. Such was the case here. While traveling to one location, I stumbled upon this one. No complaints!
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If you have followed my blog for a while you must have noticed I was a fan of covered bridges. Chasing them down is a favorite activity during our road trips. Yep, waterfalls and covered bridges never hurt. However, our own home state of New York is not exactly famous for them. But that does not mean there are none to be found! Not at all!
Oak Hill Covered BridgeFall Colors
Oak Hill Covered Bridge, Fall Colors, New York State
And this beauty showed up at a perfect time too, surrounded by the vivid fall colors of October and illuminated by a wonderful sunny day's light.
Fall ColorsOak Hill Covered Bridge
Fall Colors around Oak Hill Covered Bridge, New York State
And so it goes. Find places to travel to and explore and keep your eyes open for the unexpected bonus along the way.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Thomas L. KellyCovered Bridge
Winter's PondCovered Bridge
Holliwell BridgeCovered Bridge
By the Niagara River with a Camera & Film
I like exploring new places with a camera in hand but I also love going back to some of the same places over and over. I know I mentioned it here in the past and not just once but today's post is another witness to that. Why would I want to photograph the same place again?
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It may be the same place but will it look the same? I doubt that. First, the place itself might have changed with the passage of time. The changes can be subtle and may take a while to notice or they may be rather striking. Second, the conditions will surely be different. Different seasons, different weather, different time of the day, all resulting in different images.
And then there is the equipment. Yes, as a photographer I believe that photographs are more about the person behind the camera than the equipment itself but that's not to say the equipment does not matter. Yes, great images are possible with any equipment, as the history of photography shows us, and as something as simple as a pinhole camera can prove. But the equipment choice will have an impact.
Rock GardenNiagara River Rapids
Rock Garden, Lower Niagara River Rapids
Shot on Nikon N75 and Kodak Portra 400 Film
The lens selection will drive the perspective. Even the camera selection will change how we look at a scene. In my experience, we use smaller cameras with an LCD on their back, including our smart phones, differently than if we have to look through a viewfinder. Then one can choose to use a digital camera and apply different processing or filters after the fact, or shoot on film, in which case some of the look is determined ahead of time as different film will provide a different look. And yes, even that can be further worked on either digitally or in a darkroom.
Niagara RumbleLower Niagara River Rapids
Niagara Rumble, Lower Niagara River Rapids
Shot on Nikon N75 and Kodak Portra 400 Film
And of course, there are the creative choices of the photographer as far as how they decide to use all of the above to render the final image. Even simple camera settings have a huge impact. A slow shutter speed of 1 second or more will certainly give flowing water a very different look than an action stopping 1/1000 sec or faster. An aperture of f/1.4 will provide a very shallow depth of field where only the intended point of interest is in focus while f/16 or smaller show a landscape in focus front to back. And yes, the focal length matters too.
Anyway, all of this contemplation to really get to a simple point. I was at this location many times before but this was the first time I brought a film camera loaded with color negative film. Did I leave with different photographs than before? Absolutely! The film had an impact, the camera had an impact, and the different lens had an impact. And I found a few new spots and angles too.
I can't wait to return to this magical place on the Niagara River again for more new images.
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! #etbtsy
Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes and Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Class 6 RapidsNiagara River Gorge
The Horseshoe FallsNiagara Falls
Niagara RiverWhirlpool Rapids Gorge