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The Mystery of Papermill Falls
This story started last summer when we wanted to start exploring some of the less obvious areas of the wonderful Letchworth State Park. The first trail we hiked with that goal in mind was the St. Helena Trail (#13 on the Letchworth State Park Trail Map) that leads down to the Genesee River. With any canyon or a gorge I always like to get the perspective from down below and the Letchworth gorge is no exception.
Since waterfalls are one of our favorite sites to visit and mine to photograph, a hike to the Papermill Falls was to be our next exploration. However, it was not meant to happen on our first attempt. As we arrived there were bulldozers and other construction trucks all around trail 19 and the trail head was closed. Checking with the workers on site they said a water main burst in the area and they were busy fixing it and the whole area was closed. So instead of trail #19 we ended up on the nearby 18 and instead of hiking it from its trail head that was also closed we started at the campground about one third into the trail. It was a beautiful hike but no waterfalls there.
Lower Waterline Falls
We made the second attempt at hiking to Papermill Falls during the Memorial Day weekend and timed it so that we could complete the round trip hike and then go to the Archery Field to see the potential balloon launch. We parked at the trail head, which was clear this time around with no construction or closures, got our water bottles and cameras ready and off to the woods we went. After about 30 seconds, the trail split. One path went down to the creek to the right, one turned left. And look, there's a waterfall down by the creek! So we turned right, ended the hike after about 1 minute of hiking, and spent quite a bit of time exploring the place. It sure seemed strange since I had everybody ready for a 2 - 3 mile hike but everyone seemed happy with the surprise "shortcut".
Much later at home at the computer I started looking for clues about this mystery and soon confirmed we totally fell for a diversion. We should have followed the left path along the creek. But what was it that we found? Even the mighty Internet had few clues. The official Letchworth hiking map had none, their trail map and descriptions are sketchy at best, leaving any unofficial sights completely out of their documentation. Even Scott A. Ensminger's Western New York Waterfall Survey did not provide clues (or I did not search right).
However, e-mailing some local waterfall fans I met through Flickr yielded quick replies and at least the mystery of the diversion was solved. Apparently, we ended up by the Lower Waterline Falls. Visit +David+'s Flickr page to see those (Waterline Falls, Papermill Falls) and many others. Now since the name includes the word Lower, there must be Upper Waterline Falls too, right?
Equipment Used:
Nikon D600, Nikon 24-85mm Nikkor Lens, B+W 77mm 1.8 - 64x Neutral Density Filter, Manfrotto tripod (055MF3; replaced by 055CXPRO3 with the convenient Q90 column) and Manfrotto Ball Head (496RC2), Think Tank Speed Demon Waist Pack, Petzl Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp (always in the bag just in case), Jackery Bar 5600mAh (usually on hand to keep the smart phone going), SanDisk Extreme 32GB SD Cards, Nikon Capture NX2.
Using my links to buy your equipment keeps me going and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything not mentioned here. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!
References:
Letchworth State Park Trail Map - Scott A. Ensminger's Western New York Waterfall Survey - NY Falls - +David+'s Flickr page
Mutual Riverfront Park, Buffalo, NY
The other day, someone on G+ posted a comment under one of my photos from Buffalo that Buffalo is dead. I did not feel like arguing and simply replied "It is what you want it to be". And just a few days later, I feel even stronger about that statement.
The waterfront around the Fuhrmann Boulevard waterfront area has been going through some wonderful changes for years now, but clearly, things are happening elsewhere too.
There's a new park on the Buffalo River, Mutual Riverfront Park, that provides river access for the boating fans, but also great views of Buffalo's history as a grain storage location during the days of the Erie Canal. This photo here shows a view as the sun was dipping below the horizon and sending some rays of last warm light at the Lake & Rail Grain Elevator.
There's also a lot of construction in the area, including Ohio Street, Ohio Street Bridge, and some surrounding streets. There are also some cool things happening with and at some of the grain elevators, but more on that some other time. I must admit, things are happening so fast I can't keep up! There's also an interesting controversy brewing up around the use of the Silo City term.
Equipment Used:
Nikon D600 (replaced by Nikon D610), Nikon 24-85mm Nikkor Lens, B+W 77mm 1.8 - 64x Neutral Density Filter, Manfrotto tripod (055MF3; replaced by 055CXPRO3 with the convenient Q90 column) and Manfrotto Ball Head (496RC2), Think Tank Speed Demon Waist Pack, Petzl Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp (always in the bag just in case), Jackery Bar 5600mAh (usually on hand to keep the smart phone going), SanDisk Extreme 32GB SD Cards, Nikon Capture NX2.
Using my links to buy your equipment keeps me going and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything not mentioned here. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!
The Subway Classic
Last year, I set to create a collection of moody photographs from the Buffalo Metro Rail Subway. I wanted to present all of them with a dose of nostalgia and used toned black and white to do that (Buffalo Subway Collection, Buffalo Metro Rail North, The Subway Collection is Complete).
Delavan - Canisius EscalatorsThe Subway Classic
However, not all subway corridors are created equal. Some subways really show off bright and welcoming modern architecture. For example the stations of the Metro in Prague are extremely well lit and decorated projecting a welcoming feeling of safety.
The underground stations of the Buffalo Metro Rail are decorated with artwork at their above ground concourses, and below ground platforms. The concourses present various art forms like sculptures and photography, while the platform walls have been decorated with local photographs since the fall of 2013.
It's not just the decorative artwork though that makes the experience more enjoyable. It's also the artwork that's part of the architecture of the stations. The use of light, reflective surfaces, and color can transform a hostile looking underground tunnel into a work of art of its own. The round tunnels encourage strong symmetrical designs that further reinforce the colors and textures used.
So next time you're in one of these tunnels, let your eyes wonder up and to the sides. You might just be surprised what a wonderful gallery a subway can be! Here, the escalator at Delavan - Caniscius station, Buffalo subway's deepest, caught my eye. It had so many elements: the reflective floor, strong symmetry (broken by the Out of Order sign), colors, shapes, and bright lighting, as well as the converging lines of the escalator taking you up deep into the scene and the photo.
Have fun!
Equipment Used:
Nikon D600 (replaced by Nikon D610), Nikon 24-85mm Nikkor Lens, Manfrotto tripod (055MF3; replaced by 055CXPRO3 with the convenient Q90 column) and head (496RC2), Think Tank Speed Demon Waist Pack, Petzl Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp (always in the bag just in case), Jackery Bar 5600mAh (usually on hand to keep the smart phone going), SanDisk Extreme 32GB SD Cards, Nikon Capture NX2.
Using my links to buy your equipment keeps me going and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything not mentioned here. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!
Watching Time Pass
As Water and Time PassLost in Thought
The mystery of Papermill Falls is what got this photo started but will be a story for another day. Finding Papermill Falls will also have to wait. And I also have to find the name for the falls we did find. Anyway, as the waterfall (off to the left) was blasted with direct sunlight and difficult to photograph I was sitting nearby watching the creek flow over this rock. I liked its square look, its colors, and how it was both sticking out of the creek and submerged at the same time.
In the end, I liked this composition combined with a slow shutter speed. I think it was the simplicity of this look that won it for me.
Have fun finding your favorite scenes!
Equipment Used:
Nikon D600, Nikon 24-85mm Nikkor Lens, B+W 77mm 1.8 - 64x Neutral Density Filter, Manfrotto tripod (055MF3; replaced by 055CXPRO3 with the convenient Q90 column) and Manfrotto Ball Head (496RC2), Think Tank Speed Demon Waist Pack, Petzl Zipka Plus 2 Headlamp (always in the bag just in case), Jackery Bar 5600mAh (usually on hand to keep the smart phone going), SanDisk Extreme 32GB SD Cards, Nikon Capture NX2.
Using my links to buy your equipment keeps me going and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything not mentioned here. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!
On the Road Collection of Road Photographs
On the RoadA new photo collection all about the roads
In American landscape photography it's usual to shy away from anything man-made. Only pure natural elements are usually included to show off the unspoiled nature. Here and there, you may see a barn or a stone wall or a wooden fence line included.
In European landscape photography, it is much more common to include fields with various crops, houses, even whole villages, more of a landscape people live in. Castles are also common, thanks to the rich medieval history.
Roads rarely get much attention. They're ugly asphalt features ruining the landscape, right? Well, I am sure you've seen some of the classic shots of roadways in places like the Monument Valley (remember Forrest Gump and the crowd following him with the rock formations in the background when he decided to stop running?).
There's something special about roads. They head into distance, they head into the future. As such, they can be mysterious. They can be straight, they can be winding, they can lead to something specific, or their target may not be visible, they can be paved or dirt, they can be marked with lines or not, they can lead through mountains or prairies. In a way, no two roads are alike and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. On road trips, roads are what we see the most of, yard after yard mile after mile, we get to see thousands of them.
So I decided to dedicate a new photo collection to them, to roads. While it is small now I know I have many more photographs to include in it and I am sure even more to take in the years to come.
So, ... take a seat, buckle up, and get On the Road!