Exploration Photography Daily View - August 22, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Continuing with my mini shoot yesterday I would like to share a photo of the flower I was working with when I looked up and saw the sunshine through the tree.

The black and white was not intentional. The night before I shot this I was working in monochrome and simply forgot to set the camera back to color. But the more I look at this the more I like it. I love black and white but to be honest I usually reserve it for architecture or cityscapes.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Sunday August 21, 2016

Have a great day my friends. Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - September 9, 2015

Hi there and welcome to the Daily View!

Today I would like to share another shot from Valley Forge over the weekend. Like I said yesterday it really was a mini photo shoot and I didn't come away with a lot but I think I captured few good ones from that day. And as with any trip I make to Valley Forge I did spend some time photographing my "favorite" tree.

Click For Larger View

I have worked with this particular composition before both in color and monochrome. And each time I think I get a little closer to what I want to present but it still seems to be an ongoing project. And that's okay. After all what would I do if I achieved perfection? There wouldn't be anything to work toward. That wouldn't be any fun would it?

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

November 13, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Yesterday when I photographed our Rhododendron I also shot a few pictures of our Hydrangea. It is still very full. There are no flowers but the leaves are almost out of control. Last Winter I pruned it way down and it came back with a vengeance. I'm not sure what to do this year.

The funny thing about this Hydrangea is that Kim and I cannot remember if we planted it or if it spread from our neighbor's plant. I know for certain that it was not originally there. There was another bush and we removed it. I just cant remember how the Hydrangea got there. Either way it sure took off.

For today's photo I would actually like to share two photos with you. The first one is a black and white version of our Hydrangea and the second is in color. here is the black and white.

And here of course is the color photo.

I personally like the black and white better.

And before I go I would also like to share another sunrise time lapse. I shot this one this morning. And it sure was a nice cool and clear morning.

Thanks for stopping by and please check back soon.

Until next time...

November 11, 2014 - Photo of The Day

Today I would like to take you back to old Valley Forge. Well, not really old Valley Forge. Just Valley Forge in black and white. As much as I love black and white (or monochrome) photography I usually save it for buildings or people. I don't use it a lot for landscape. Today I did though and I think it turned out pretty good.

This was shot with my camera phone in HDR at 21 megapixels and converted to black and white in Photoshop. As usual I tweaked the tones and highlights and did some other minor fixes.

As always thanks for visiting and please come back soon.

Until next time...

November 6, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

What a rainy day. What can I do on a rainy day? How about a little black and white photography? I think the rain and mist go hand in hand with black and white. There's something about the mood I suppose. Something else also goes well with black and white. Trains. Well I had to run out today during work and went by the local trolly station and couldn't resist. And that brings us to today's photo.

This was shot with my Motorola Droid Turbo in color and converted to black and white in Photoshop with some other very minor adjustments thrown in for good measure. As you can tell it was also shot through a chain link fence. One that has very small openings. Instead of cropping the fence out though I chose to keep it in. I think it adds to the picture and mood I am trying to create. You can see the original color version here at the Facebook Group. It is untouched and as it came out of the camera.

I am not a big fan of rain but I try to make the best of it. though I would rather make the best of some sunny and 75 degree weather. Hey that would make a great country song ;)

Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time...

October 16, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

After all of the rain yesterday the sun has finally come out and most of the clouds cleared away. It feels a bit like Summer around here. I can sure live with that! Even if only for a short time before the brisk Fall weather kicks in.

I was out on our deck enjoying the afternoon and noticed how healthy our Vincas are. We get them every year because they are so hardy. And that is what I am sharing with you today. In black and white.

I don't usually present flowers this way because most of my previous attempts have not turned out so well. But I am very pleased with this one. And just for contrast I will also show you the color version too.

What do you think? They both came out nice but I think I like the black and white better.

And before I go I just want to mention that today would have been my Mom's 83rd Birthday. Happy Birthday Mom :) I love and miss you so much but I know that you are always watching over me.

Until next time...

September 4, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

The end of Summer is approaching quickly and I must say it makes me a little sad. I think it is the fact that it went way too fast. I do enjoy Autumn and the holiday seasons it brings but it is also a cruel reminder that Winter is about to show it's ugly face. After last Winter I am not ready for any more cold weather.

My favorite time of the year is Spring. The arrival of Spring means warm weather and trips to the beach. To me it is also my prime time for photography. Spring is also a great time to go camping because it is warm but not too hot. That is just what Kim and I did earlier this year.

On our last few camping trips I have picked up a habit of bringing home a rock that is local to wherever we are. I know, it's strange, but it's just something I do. And that brings me to my Photo Of The Day.

Click For Full Size Image

This particular rock is actually not from our last trip. It is from a trip a couple of years ago to The Ponderosa Campground in Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey. As you can see I shot this in black and white. I think it shows off the reflections and shadows very nicely. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by. If you like what you see please feel free to share with your friends. You can also leave a comment if you like. On that note, I have been told that the comments section is not working for everyone. I am looking into this and I hope I can figure it out soon.

Until next time...

August 26, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Welcome to day 8 of my "Photo Of The Day" blog posts. I have been having a lot of fun and I hope you are enjoying my little project. Please be sure to check in every day because there is a lot more to come.

Today I would like to share another photo from Valley Forge. This time it is a black and white panorama composed of three of the shots I made while photographing my favorite tree. Please have a look.

You can click on the image to see a larger version.

Most of my landscape work is of course in color. I must say though that I quite enjoy working in black and white too. To me there is something less intrusive about it. I can enjoy the subject without the "reality" of color. Does that make sense?

On a completely different note I would like you let you know that I am slowly tweaking the layout of my blog. One thing I have added in the sidebar is a list of websites that I enjoy and I think you may too. They are mostly photography related. If you enjoy any of them be sure to check back because I will be adding a lot more. Also if you have any ideas that you think I may like feel free to let me know. You can share them in the comments section or in the soon to come "contact me" section.

Well that's about all for today. I know I say it a lot but I really do appreciate you taking a few minutes out of your day to visit me.

Until next time...