Saturday View - 15 April 2023 Edition

Welcome To The Exploration Photography Daily View

Today's weather was supposed to be wet but not until around 11am. So I figured I'd head out early and do a little shooting while it was still dry. I grabbed my camera and headed to Valley Forge National Park and had a quick walk around. While there it was very cloudy and there was even a drizzle or two but it was very comfortable. And I grabbed some nice pictures that I would like to share with you today, Oh the rain? It never happened. Not more than that 30 second drizzle at least.

That's all for today, Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - August 8, 2016

Hi and welcome to The Daily View!

While at Valley Forge yesterday shooting a scenic panorama I also made a point to visit and photograph "my favorite tree". In fact it is on the left hand side of the panorama but here is a little closer look.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Sunday August 7, 2016

And that will do it for now my friends. Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - August 7, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

How was your weekend? Can you believe it's almost over already? It seems that the older I get the faster everything goes. That's why Kim and I do our best to get out there and see whatever we can see and do whatever we can do. Sometimes it's far from home and sometimes it's very close. And then there are the times that it's really short. Time wise that is. Today was a fine example. We had a lot of stuff to do around the house but we also had some errands to run. And in between the errands we made time to drive over to Valley Forge and enjoy the park for a short while. And it was at Valley Forge that I made this panorama to share with you today.

Green grass, blue skies and fluffy clouds. It doesn't get much better than that. Of course it was also very warm but that just goes with the territory.

When we returned home I thought it would be cool to do some video in the Cafe. But I wanted to do something a little different. And I think I hit the mark. The name of the video says it all. "Up Close And Personal At The Cafe". And you can check it out below. Like all of my videos this one is best viewed at full screen and in 1080P resolution. I viewed it on our 46" TV and it was very cool.

This was shot with my Samsung Galaxy S6. Have I mentioned how much I love this phone? Am I the only one who chooses a phone based purely on the camera?

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Saturday August 6, 2016

And that's a wrap. Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - July 9, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Switching gears away from the zoo pics today I would like to share another view from our drive through the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge last week.

Shot through our car window with my Samsung Galaxy S6 this is a fine example of how this protected area is left to nature to do as it pleases. One important policy of the refuge is to carry out anything you carry in. The road is very basic and there are a few walking trails and that's it. No vending machines, water fountains or restroom facilities on the trails. And it is 100% awesome! Except for the bugs that is. After we entered the main driving trail there was no way I was opening the windows or doors. We would have been infested with more flies and insects than you can possibly imagine. But I am sure there is something that dines on them making them an important link in the area's life cycle. Check out the video below for just a sampling of what it was like.

It was a lot worse than you can see here but at least you get the idea.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Friday July 8, 2016

And that's all for now. Thanks as always for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - March 27, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Happy Easter everyone!

Over the past few years I have come to start an Easter tradition of visiting Valley Forge to photograph the sunrise and then whatever else I am in the mood to work with. Well though I continued this tradition today I was unable to get the sunrise because it was way too cloudy. But that's okay because I was able to concentrate on other areas. Of course I shot a lot of frames of "my favorite tree". I can never seem to get enough of it. I would dare say I have photographed that tree on several dozen occasions and probably well over a thousand frames. Probably a lot more than a thousand. After I was done with the tree I did one of the things I often preach about in photography. I turned around. I always say that turning around can often lead to an even better scene than that I just finished with. I guess it boils down to observing everything around and really take in the environment. Even if it is somewhere I have been many times before I might just see it in a different way or from a different angle. This keeps it fresh if you know what I mean. At least that's how it is for me.

So today I am sharing what I saw when I turned around.

The moment I started to process the RAW image I knew this had to be black and white.

When I got home from the park the Garden Cafe was filled to the gills with diners. Big birds and little birds alike. And our squirrels too of course. The fountain bird bath got lot's of visitors too. Here's a video showing many birds coming and going.

This is best viewed full screen in 1080P HD. It's kind of long but there is a lot of action from start to finish. Feel free to scan through it.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

 Saturday March 26, 2016

Before I go I would like to give you a quick history as to how my tradition of visiting Valley Forge on Easter morning started.  

Several years ago both of my parents passed. My dad in 2004 and my Mom in 2005. They are both buried at the cemetery at Washington Memorial Chapel located at Valley Forge. I try to visit when I can and a few years ago I went on Easter morning and just sort of did so every year since. It sort of makes this very special day even more special. And though the day can be somewhat solemn it is also very inspiring too.

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog my friends! I really appreciate it. Please be sure to come back real soon because I have a lot of good stuff coming your way.

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - February 4, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Well it's another busy day so this is going to be another quick one. Today I would like to share one more photo from Valley Forge this past Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - February 3, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Well folks it's getting late so this is going to be fast. Today I would like to share a photo from Sunday's Valley forge trip right before the Sun came up.

When I set out to shoot a sunrise I usually shoot a few pre-sunrise "test shots". Usually with my phone such as this one. This was made with my Galaxy S6 and post processed in Photoshop to bring out the colors and correct the whiteness of the snow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - February 2, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

It's February second and that means it's Groundhog Day! And Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow so it means an early Spring for us. You know because this is science we're dealing with :) Okay maybe it's not science but it is a fun tradition. But how accurate is Phil? Well according to this article about 39% of the time. But I will gladly accept his prediction for an early Spring this year. Though we haven't had a bad Winter overall.

Today I am sharing another shot from my Valley Forge trip on Sunday. It's another scene that I have done many times but I really like how this came out. I think the snow is what makes it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - February 1, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

And welcome to February! Winter is just rolling along isn't it? Before you know it all of that snow will be a distant memory as we sit on the beach and hide under umbrellas to cool off. So I guess it's a good thing I shot a lot of frames while I was at Valley Forge yesterday huh? Let me share another with you today.

 

What photo shoot at Valley Forge would be complete without my favorite tree? It's a great subject for any season.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - January 31, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Yesterday I had planned on getting out to shoot but as I said in my last post it just didn't work out. So I figured I'd get up and shoot the sunrise today but it seemed unlikely because I was up rather late. But as it turned out I was up nice and early so I drove over to Valley Forge with plenty of time to spare. So for your viewing pleasure here is today's sunrise.

As you can see there is still plenty of snow left on the ground but luckily it's only on the grass. And it was quite warm too.

After shooting the sunrise I thought it would be nice to take a drive through the park and take in some of the scenery.  So I set up my camera phone (Samsung galaxy S6) on the dash and made a video so I could share it with you too. I will warn you though that it is a bit long but you can always skip ahead. And as always it is best viewed at full screen in 1080P.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - September 4, 2015

Hi and welcome to the Friday edition of the Daily View!

In wrapping up last weeks adventures I would like to share one more shot from the Schuylkill River Trail in Valley Forge. This is one of the pedestrian bridges as seen from the river.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - September 1, 2015

Hi there and welcome to the Daily View!

Well September is here and that means less than a month until we leave Summer behind and enter the Autumn season. While I do love Autumn with it's amazing colors and the holiday season I am really not looking forward to what comes after. That horrible six letter "W" word. I understand fully why people head south for retirement. But that's just a few years off.  Not that I'm complaining. I'm quite happy to be young(ish) and working.

Now getting on subject here I would like to share today's photo. I shot this while walking along the Schuylkill Trail this past Sunday morning. When I came upon this scene it seemed to me that nature framed it very nicely.

Thanks for stopping by my friends!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - July 3, 2015

Hi and welcome to the latest edition of the Exploration Photography Daily View. I was fortunate enough to be off from work today for the Independence Day holiday and tried to make some good use  of it. So that of course means lot's of photos!

So I took a drive over to Valley Forge and shot a few hundred frames. But instead of simply shooting the regular buildings and monuments I chose to focus on the small things. And you can see one of them below.

How many times have I walked through the woods and passed right by is or something similar? Many I am sure. We are always told to look at the big picture but sometimes you need to appreciate the small stuff too.

Thanks for stopping by my friends!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - June 22, 2015

Hi there! Welcome to the Exploration Photography Daily View! Today I would like to share a photo that I shot early yesterday morning. If you read my previous post and checked out the video you know that I visited Pawlings Farm in Valley Forge National Park. Well after about an hour and a half there I was heading for my car and spotted some wildflowers. And that is what I would like to show you.

And also check out this quick video. It is a view of one of the open fields from close to the ground. Lots of gnats but a cool perspective.


A View From The Bottom <<< Click Here


Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - June 5, 2015

Hey folks! Welcome to the Exploration Photography Daily View. Kim and I are in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey and while out driving this evening we came across the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. As many if you have probably figured out by now I am a fan of National Parks and wildlife in general. So we had to check it out. In doing so we found a marsh trail which led to this beautiful scene.

Considering it was rather cloudy, a little dark and this was shot with a camera phone I think it came out nice. I hope we return there for a longer visit. There is lot's to see.

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time...

December 28, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Yesterday I shared a couple photos that I shot of the "Witness Tree" at Pawlings Farm in Valley Forge. Photographing the tree was my main goal but when I got to the park the sun was setting and there was a lot of opportunity to capture some nice images. So today I would like to share a few of them with you. I hope you enjoy these.

This is a trail that I often walk when I visit. In the background is an old farmhouse. In the Summer months there is a lot of foliage and you cannot see the house. Not from this location anyway.

I'm not sure what this building is or what it was used for. It is in a field directly across from the farmhouse. Probably about 50 yards away. Maybe a shed? I shot this in color but somehow that just didn't do it justice. To me it was meant to be black and white. Just like this next photo.

Actually this looked pretty good in color too and I may share that version at another time. Perhaps in the Facebook Group. This is the barn. A very large barn located near the farmhouse. It was constructed in 1826 with addition added in 1845. I would love to be able to see inside but I'm sure that won't be possible. Maybe someday it will be preserved but for now it's fenced off.

And that will do it for today folks. I have more to share from my visit to Pawlings Farm so please stop back soon. Thanks for reading. If you enjoy my blog please consider sharing it with your friends. Also feel free to use the comments section. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time...

December 27, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

What a beautiful day! We had very unseasonably warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Very unusual for December. I have a feeling we are going to pay for it in February.

Kim and I were heading out for dinner this evening and on the way I stopped by to see this.

This is the "Witness Tree" that I have shared before that is located at the Pawlings Farm section of Valley Forge National Park. My previous images were in warmer months and the tree was covered with leaves. I have been wanting to get over there and shoot some photos while it was bare and today was the perfect day. I also got there when the sun was setting and the light was very friendly. Here is another shot I made today with a closer view of the branches that reach the ground.

This beauty is nearly 300 years old.

While at the park I took advantage of the lighting and photographed some some of the buildings too. I will share them over the next couple of days.

As always thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy my photos and my attempt at writing :) If you like what you see please come back for more and share it with your friends. All are welcome.

Until next time.

December 10, 2014 - Photo of The Day

Hi again. Its December 10th and we are now into double digits. We are also only 15 days away from Christmas. Where did the year go? And how about this weather? If you are in the northeast you know what I'm talking about. Blustery wind and dipping temperatures prove that Old Man Winter is here to stay. At least for a little while.

Speaking of cold windy days, the other day I took a drive over the Valley Forge to shoot some photos and I sure underestimated how cold it was. I was out of my car for about five minutes when I realized I could barley feel my hands and my face was freezing from the wind. But that didn't stop me from sticking with it for a bit and today I would like to share this with you.

 

Not a leaf left. At least not on the trees. I must say though that I love to photograph trees in the Fall and Winter. I get to see the limbs and branches that are hidden all Summer. Some of them are really cool looking. Though I still prefer the warm Spring and Summer months.

What is your favorite time of year? Do you like extremes like Winter and Summer or do you prefer the more moderate Spring and Fall months?

Thanks for reading. And if you would like more please check out the Facebook Group here. Of course you are always welcome to leave a message. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time...

November 28, 2014 - Photo of The Day (And A Few Extra)

Over the last few Friday's I have been posting "retro" pictures. I started doing this because Fridays are usually busy and also to share some of my earlier work. And it also let's me see and share with you how I have changed in technique over the years. Today however I had off from work and had time to go out and shoot a little. That is after some quick shopping.

Today I am doing another "pick your own" photo of the day. That means I am posting a few shots and I'll let you pick your favorite. How's that sound?

I shot these on my way home when I drove through Valley Forge. I wanted to get some pictures while there was still some snow on the ground.

So there you have it folks. Which one do you like best? Let me know in the comments and thanks for visiting. Be sure to come back soon.

Until next time...

November 25, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Here we are exactly one month before Christmas. Is everyone ready? Not me. Almost but not quite. 

Thanksgiving is in two days and tomorrow is the busiest travel day of the year. And what do we have heading our way? Snow. Possibly a lot of snow. Lucky for me I'm not traveling tomorrow. And maybe I'll get some snow pics. Today however I'm sharing one more photo from Valley Forge on Sunday.

This is Washington's Headquarters.

This was created with three exposures. I combined them in Photomatix. I then adjusted and sharpened it in Photoshop. Everyone knows what Photoshop is but many may not have heard of Photomatix. Photomatix is HDR software. And HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a method of evening out a photo by combining two or more different exposures. I usually use three. One underexposed, one evenly exposed and one overexposed. This way I can get all of the highlights but not blow out the photo with too much bright light. HDR can also be used to get some very interesting effects. 

Here are the three original images used to make today's photo.

Underexposed.

Even exposure.

Overexposed.

And that is my quick explanation of HDR.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon. For those of you in the Northeast U.S. enjoy the snow.

Until next time...