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The Fort at the End of the River
Fall at the Officers ClubFort Niagara, Youngstown, NY
A wonderful quiet morning by the river and by the lake. I arrived well before sunrise planning to take advantage of the dawn light and sunrise colors. I first headed to the Old Fort Niagara parking lot to see what's going on there, checked out the lighthouse, watched the first tour buses arrive an hour before the official opening time, and headed out to search for my morning locations.
Not too far from the Old Fort Niagara visitor center is the Officers Club building with its design inspired by the French Castle inside the fort. It was already getting a bit too bright but the light was still nicely balanced to show the building with its lamp above the entrance under the morning sky.
In this first corner photo I liked the layer of fallen leaves on the ground providing additional color in the foreground, as well as serving as a season clock showing how far into fall the photo was. Most trees were bare but look, that one tree by the club still had its coat on! I took couple different shots playing with the perspective and with the trees framing the scene.
Officers Club at DawnFort Niagara, Youngstown, NY
Then I started walking around the front of the building to head down to the river. As I stood face to face with the building viewed head on I could not resist! I must admit, despite all of the theory about diagonal lines being more dynamic and resulting in better photographs I like frontal views. It may be due to their symmetry, it may be something else. I am not sure but I like staring the buildings in their faces.
For these shots, I like to let the buildings breathe and include just enough open space around them rather than filling the frame. They need to be comfortable, they're going to stand around for quite a while longer!
It was interesting how different seasonally this angle looked compared to the first photo just a few feet away. No leaves on any of the trees here and barely any on the grass. Here, it's more of an early winter look rather than late fall. It probably looks no different now on December 21 than it did a month earlier. Where is winter this year? I hear that El Niño has it locked up in a closet somewhere.
Once I satisfied my hunger for some architecture I walked down to the boat launch and the Niagara River to see what sunrise would bring. Yet again, I was in a sunset location at sunrise and perfectly happy to be so. The color show towards the north was not too strong this morning but as soon as the sun rose above the horizon and flooded the river and the banks with its warm light, I had no regrets for the very early wake up call this morning. Once nature puts on the show it is always so worth it!
Where the River EndsNiagara River Mouth into Lake Ontario, Youngstown, NY
Where the River Ends, Niagara River Mouth into Lake Ontario, Youngstown, NY
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!
Did you enjoy this post and the enclosed photographs? Would you like to see more? Visit one of my Photo Galleries and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a wall decor present? Choose from several ready to hang solutions. Select a photo you like and click View All Products to add it to your shopping cart. Canvas gallery wraps, vivid metal, and standouts are available in the Showcase category. You can also choose a fotoflōt (from its own category). Or you can stay with the traditional photographic print (under prints) and use the Customize button to dress the photo in a mat and a frame (under the Mount & Frame drop down). Select your frame first and mat and glass options will appear.
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Reflected Colors of Winter
Green Lake Boat Launch at SunsetYates Park, Orchard Park, NY
A moody photo that has been on my list to post for a while and it feels like today is the right time for it. Why?
With the 60+°F weather now in the middle of December 2015 it feels like winter might not show up this year. While it feels so much different than last year there are some similarities. While last year brought the record snow storm and many areas got 7 feet of snow in November and the term Snowvember was established, it was a very passing event. The snow disappeared as quickly as it came and for the balance of 2014 there was no snow.
This photo of the small boat launch on Green Lake in Yates Park, Orchard Park, NY, shows what looks more like a late fall scene despite being captured at the end of December. As the day ended some light clouds rolled in from the western sky and provided just enough canvas for sun to draw some beautiful, although subtle colors on. And the doldrums helped with the mirror below. I really liked how the silhouetted trees and the pier stood out in front of the colorful palette.
Scenes like this are not possible this year, as the lake is empty ready for cleaning later next year (What you won't see this year by Green Lake).
So what is next for us? I have no idea but remember that after being slow to arrive winter came and came strong last year. I was able to capture some wonderful frozen scenes like never before (see my Winter collection for some). Is this going to be a repeat? Or are we going to continue breaking the no snow records?
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!
Did you enjoy this post and the enclosed photographs? Would you like to see more? Visit one of my Photo Galleries and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a wall decor present? Choose from several ready to hang solutions. Select a photo you like and click View All Products to add it to your shopping cart. Canvas gallery wraps, vivid metal, and standouts are available in the Showcase category. You can also choose a fotoflōt (from its own category). Or you can stay with the traditional photographic print (under prints) and use the Customize button to dress the photo in a mat and a frame (under the Mount & Frame drop down). Select your frame first and mat and glass options will appear.
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 not mentioned here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Morning in the City
Morning at Niagara SquareBuffalo City Hall - Statler City
This was a wonderful weekend morning in the city. It was overcast and sunrise never really happened but the light was great for architectural photography with the directional yet soft diffused light lowering the contrast, opening up shadows, and taming highlights.
I started at the Buffalo Milk Company building on Niagara Street (Photography with a Deadline) and later moved down to the Niagara Square area looking for new angles on familiar subjects, and also for new subjects altogether.
Statler TowersNiagara Square
This photograph is from the first bucket. I really wanted to add a photo of Statler City to my gallery as I really lacked something more prominent. The last photo was from 2011 (Statler Towers through the Columns of Buffalo City Hall)! However, I still liked the juxtaposition of the city hall and the towers for a sense of place.
In this new angle, more of the Niagara Square is visible as well as the central McKinley Monument and the Electric Tower in the distance, thus showing more of Buffalo, yet, with Statler City being prominent.
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!
Did you enjoy this post and the enclosed photographs? Would you like to see more? Visit one of my Photo Galleries and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a wall decor present? Choose from several ready to hang solutions. Select a photo you like and click View All Products to add it to your shopping cart. Canvas gallery wraps, vivid metal, and standouts are available in the Showcase category. You can also choose a fotoflōt (from its own category). Or you can stay with the traditional photographic print (under prints) and use the Customize button to dress the photo in a mat and a frame (under the Mount & Frame drop down). Select your frame first and mat and glass options will appear.
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 not mentioned here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
One Beach, Different Looks
The First Light over Hamburg BeachHamburg, NY
Revisiting locations is a favorite activity of mine as well as a topic I like to revisit (Revisit Your Locations, Revisiting Locations Revisited, Even Little Distance can Provide Different Autumn Look, Back to the Pier for a Winter Look, Revisiting Locations & The Unplanned, Try Keeping Up with Nature, ... Watkins Glen State Park's Welcome). The same place never really looks the same. Sometimes, the differences are obvious, other times, one has to look beyond, but there is always something new, something that was not there before, something we missed.
Today, I'd like to share a special place revisited several times in just a few days to show what I mean. I feel this place is special because it has that look we often chase going to faraway coastal locations, yet, we have it right here in Western New York on the southeastern tip of Lake Erie, just southwest from Buffalo, NY. It's where Hamburg Beach ends at the feet of sheer cliffs. You can't go any further without getting your feet, and more, wet.
There are days the lake is all quiet with the water just gently rocking back and forth. And there are days when high winds force the lake into a raging sea. The transformation can be unbelievable and that alone should be a reason to keep coming back to witness it.
Sun High over Hamburg BeachHamburg, NY
Sunsets are very popular along the Lake Erie shore around Buffalo, NY and for obvious reasons. But it is that obvious nature of sunsets that creates one of the best kept secrets, at least in my opinion. I love to be by the lake as daylight wins over the darkness of the night. It feels like something new, something exciting is being born. It's a beginning! I also enjoy the solitude of sunrises. Especially in summer, but in spring and fall too, there are rarely any people around. The hustle and bustle of the civilization is either non-existent or at least extremely subdued, and the sounds of the surf drown any sounds that might make it to the shore. That is what it was like in the opening photograph here and I believe the long exposure smoothing out the water captured the mood in the still photograph.
Now let's roll the clock forward several hours as the sun rises behind our backs, rises high up in the sky, and starts its afternoon descend towards the west. The quiet lake awoke and waves started crashing on the beach and against the cliffs with force. The peaceful and quiet mood of the daybreak was traded for a more bright and intense experience. Can you feel the sun piercing your eyes, photograph or not?
And finally, as the day comes to an end and storm clouds roll in, the mood changes once more:
The Very Last Light over Hamburg BeachHamburg, NY
The Very Last Light over Hamburg Beach, Hamburg - Buffalo, New York
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!
Did you enjoy this post and the enclosed photographs? Would you like to see more? Visit one of my Photo Galleries and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a wall decor present? Choose from several ready to hang solutions. Select a photo you like and click View All Products to add it to your shopping cart. Canvas gallery wraps, vivid metal, and standouts are available in the Showcase category. You can also choose a fotoflōt (from its own category). Or you can stay with the traditional photographic print (under prints) and use the Customize button to dress the photo in a mat and a frame (under the Mount & Frame drop down). Select your frame first and mat and glass options will appear.
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 not mentioned here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Buffalo, NY - The City of Light
Light Show at CanalsideBuffalo, NY at Night
Whether Buffalo got one of its several nicknames "City of Light" due to widespread electric lighting at the beginning of the twentieth century or not it does feel like it down at the Canalside more and more. Take a walk along the waterfront at Canalside at night and you will see. It's all lit up: the boardwalk, the bridges, all sidewalks, the new Ice at Canalside, holiday decorations, and now even the Connecting Terminal Grain Elevator. And thanks to the several lighting patterns on the grain elevator you have a reason to slow down and hang around for a bit to see them all. The show starts at dusk and continues till 11 p.m. each night. Personally, I like to arrive right at dusk to see how the light rapidly changes as day turns into night and the at first faint illumination starts shining brightly as night settles in.
Every time I am down there I can't help but wonder how so many changes happened in such a relatively short time. Just try to remember what the area looked like two, five, ten years ago. And I hope this freight train of positive changes won't stop any time soon. It took a while to get it moving but the results are so worth it!
Canalside Bridge at NightBuffalo, NY
Canalside Bridge at Night, downtown Buffalo, New York
Enjoy the Beauty that Surrounds You (#etbtsy)!
Did you enjoy this post and the enclosed photographs? Would you like to see more? Visit one of my Photo Galleries and enjoy! 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 and matted and framed ready to hang photographs. Those are available within the Customize function as you add photos to your shopping cart.
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 not mentioned here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
References: See one of Buffalo’s historic grain elevators in a spectacular new light - Buffalo, New York on Wikipedia - Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park