Sunday View - 16 June 2024 Edition

Today we take a look at some more photos from my visit to the wonderful Jenkins Arboretum . A trip that I will be making more often.

I love shadows and this one is really cool.

I always notice fallen leaves and sometimes can't resist sharing them. Certain ones seem to really grab my attention. Notice the intricate detail build into each of them.

Scenery along the way.

I'm not sure about this one. When I shot it I told myself I had to share it. I just hope you can see what I see.

And here is another video. This is along one of the walking trails.

Until next time...

Saturday View - 15 June 2024 Edition

Hi there my friends. I know it's been a few days but I am finally back with a new post. Today I took a drive to Jenkins Arboretum. Though it's only 15 minutes away and on top of that free of charge I haven't been there in at least two years. I'll be going back again soon though because I forgot how nice it is. For today's view I would like to share some photos I made during my visit.

This isn't the best shot of a chipmunk but it's the best I could get. They are very quick.

When I saw this on one of the walking paths I instantly thought it looked like an acorn and had to share it.

These two are particular cool. There is a patch of Prickly Pear Cactus that bloom for one week a year. I just happened to visit at the right time.

I shot a few videos too and would like to share one of them with you. It is best viewed in 1080p or 4K.

Until next time...

Wednesday View - 19 April 2023 Edition

Welcome To The Exploration Photography Daily View

If there is something that is just as important if not more so to attracting birds and wildlife to your garden as providing food it's providing fresh water. Here at the Cafe I refresh a bird bath and three other watering stations daily. Sometimes twice daily. I believe that is why I see so many birds. I even get robins in the winter months. For today's view I would like to share some of our visitors enjoying the water.

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

Until next time...

Sunday View - 19 August 2018 Edition

Welcome To The Exploration Photography Daily View

Four years my friends! Four years ago I made a commitment to post a photo every day. And for four years I have done so. Sometimes it has been a simple snapshot and others something I put a lot of work into. This Summer in particular has been a little different with Kim and me traveling every weekend but so far I have kept up with it. And I hope to continue and dare I say even improve on that. I have lots of ideas but just need to put them to work.

As much as this blog is an outlet for me to express myself with my camera there is something equally important. That is you the viewer. Without someone to share with this would be all for naught. To me it's just awesome that there are people out there that take the time to visit Exploration Photography and check in on what's going on in my world. Thank You!

The idea behind today's photo is much the same as the first daily photo I shared on August 19, 2014. And it's simple. No really, it's simple. Or perhaps simplicity. I took something that we could see any day but may not notice and attempted to make you notice it. Make sense?

Here is Today's photo. I shot this today as Kim and I were closing up camp for the week. Can you guess what it is?

Click For Full Size Image

Okay, I know this is pretty easy. These are of course droplets of water. They were hanging from the support beams of our camper's awning. Just an every day thing that caught my eye. And for those interested...

Here is the EXIF data.

And no milestone post would be complete without one of if not my most popular subject. During the course of my blog something new was spawned. And that would be the Avian Cafe. The Avian Cafe was our yard at our previous house and more specifically the area that I had bird feeders. But anyone who has maintained a bird feeder knows that not just birds eat from them. Squirrels do too. And while many see them as pests I see them as wildlife that is just trying to survive. So instead of fighting them I went with it and fed them too. So at that time the Avian Cafe became the Garden cafe. Fast forward a few years to when we moved here  and I created the "New" Garden cafe. The new one is much bigger simply because we have much more land to work with.  And LOTS of variety of birds too along with more squirrels than ever.

So there you have it. A quick history of the Cafe. Oh and this too.

Click For Full Size Image

And before I share Yesterday's View and wrap this up I would like to share two things I have learned over the last four years.

One, even if you are not fond of squirrels it's a lot easier to live with them for a few bucks a week. A simple bag of peanuts helps keep them away from your garbage cans. This is of course my opinion based on personal experience.

And two, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SQUIRREL PROOF BIRD FEEDER!. Do not waste your money. And if some company guarantees their feeder is squirrel proof they are liars. Plain and simple. Squirrels are a lot smarter and MUCH more resourceful than you could ever imagine.

To put it simply, just try to get along with them. besides, they are really fun to watch!

Here is yesterday's View.

Saturday August 18, 2018

And that will do it for today. Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Welcome To The Daily View

Today Kim and I took a drive out to Longwood Gardens to see their newly renovated Main Fountain. It has been under construction for nearly two years and finally opened to the public last weekend. And it is nothing if not absolutely spectacular. Aside from the fountain shows that occur at various times during the day it is just plain nice to look at. I have several pictures that I will be sharing soon. Probably tomorrow. But for today's photo I would like to focus elsewhere at the Gardens.

As a by-product of the construction of the Main Fountain the Chimes Tower waterfall was shut down until last week too. And I almost forgot what a beautiful display it is. So here is a new look at an old favorite.

Click For Full Size Image

Technical Info

- Canon EOS 80D
- Sigma DC 18-250mm Lens at 22mm
- Shutter priority
- Aperture F6.30
- Shutter Speed 1/20 Second
- ISO (Film Speed) 200
- Center Weighted Average Metering

Here is the "Before" image.

Click For Full Size Image

And so you can enjoy what we did here is a 30 second video of the falls.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Friday June 2, 2017

And that will do it for today. Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Welcome To The Daily View

Well folks we are back from our long weekend. It was short but a nice change of pace. And though it was really cloudy and did rain a bit it didn't really affect us that much. 

If I didn't mention it already Kim and I spent the weekend in Atlantic City. And as usual we stayed at our favorite place, The Flagship Resort. We had a 14th floor suite with a pretty nice ocean view. So when you add it up you can pretty much bet I was going to try to shoot a nice sunrise.

Nope! As it turned out our view was just a touch too far southwest. I could see some of the early red sky but the sun itself was just out of reach. Sure I could have gone outside and grabbed a great shot except for the fact I woke up too late. So doing the best I could under the circumstances I grabbed today's photo.

Click For Full Size Image

Not a sunrise but I do like the way the light fades.

Technical Info

- Canon EOS 80D
- Sigma DC 18-250mm Lens at 18mm
- Aperture Priority
- Aperture F16
- Shutter Speed 1/250 Second
- ISO (Film Speed) 100
- Center Weighted Average Metering

Here is the "Before" image.

Click For Full Size Image

And that will do it for today. But I'll be back with more (a lot more) from our AC trip in the next few posts. So please be sure to check it out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Welcome To The Daily View

Today I am sharing one more shot from our quick overnight trip to Atlantic City. This is a row of houses along the water at Gardner's Basin.

Click For Full Size Image

I guess this can be in celebration of the first day of Spring. Pretty soon the warm weather will be upon us and this scene will go from desolate to packed with the fun of Summer.

Technical Info

- Canon EOS 80D
- Sigma DC 18-250mm Lens at 31mm
- Aperture Priority
- Aperture F18
- Shutter Speed 1/60 Second
- ISO (Film Speed) 200
- Center Weighted Average Metering

Photoshop was used for cropping, color adjustments and brightening.

Here is the "Before" image.

Click For Full Size Image

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Sunday March 19, 2017

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

Until next time...

Welcome To The Daily View

Today I am carrying on with yesterday's theme. This yet another photo from Atlantic city New Jersey and like the empty boat docks seems a bit lonely. Spring however is a mere hours away as I type this and with it hopefully warmer weather. And when it does I hope to return to AC and report back with some nice sunny and fun filled shots. But until then...

Click For Full Size Image

Over the past few years I have been drawn to this scene time and again. If that bench could talk it would probably have a good story or two. And perhaps some not so good ones.

I cropped this in Photoshop and converted it to black and white with the help of Silver Efex Pro 2. Part of the wonderful NIK Collection of filters available at no charge from Google. Click here to find out more.

Technical Info

- Canon EOS 80D
- Sigma DC 18-250mm Lens at 22mm
- Aperture Priority
- Aperture F18
- Shutter Speed 1/50 Second
- ISO (Film Speed) 200
- Center Weighted Average Metering

Here is the "Before" image.

Click For Full Size Image

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Saturday March 18, 2017

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

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - November 29, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

As you probably know I really like to shoot the Sun. Especially a good sunrise. And lately I have really taken to shooting in black and white. But I don't believe I've ever shot a black and white sun/sunrise. So isn't it about time? I think so!

I kind of like it.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Monday November 28, 2016

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - August 17, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

While we were out and about this past weekend I came across this beautiful lake and made sure to snap off a few shots so I could share it with you. Enjoy!

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Tuesday August 16, 2016

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Exploration Photography Daily View - May 7, 2016

Hi and welcome to the Daily View!

Like most Saturdays Kim and I were on the run today. Lots of errands to get done you know. On our last task of the day we drove past a little man made lake that is a few miles from our house. I glanced at it and thought it would be cool if I pulled over and shot off a few photos. Of course by the time I thought of it we were already too far away to turn back. And I was certain that on the way home it would be too dark. As it turns out though it wasn't. And I pulled over and grabbed a few frames with my phone since my camera was at home. That's okay though because I think this came out pretty good. Have a look.

And now...

Yesterday's View...

Friday May 6, 2016

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

September 20, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

The weather today was picture perfect! Autumn is definitely taking hold but the temperatures are still warm enough for shorts. What a great time for all those outdoor activities that may have been put off because it has been too hot.

Today Kim and I made another trip down to Kennett Square to visit Longwood Gardens. I know it seems like we go there a lot and it is because we do. I just love it there. Not just for the photographic opportunities but because it is so peaceful and serene. Very, very relaxing. 

On this trip we concentrated n the Meadow Garden. We visited there early in the season when it first opened and it was beautiful but wow! What a difference! The meadow is now full of wildflowers and tall grass. The paths are very well defined and maintained and it is just a nice pleasant atmosphere. A lot of walking but being mostly grass trails it is easy on the feet at the same time.

At the entrance there is a large pond. it is very mossy and is loaded with turtles, frogs and all kinds of small fish and tadpoles. They are not always easy to see however because of their camouflage. Today I was lucky enough to have one of the garden employees point out a couple of frogs. For today's photo I would like to show one to you.

I would also like to give you an idea of the environment these frogs live in.

On another note I would like to point out a couple additions to my blog. On the sidebar I added a "Contact Me" section that you can use to send me a message if you like. I also added a couple of links to the photo sharing sites I use. There you will find a lot more images than you see here on the blog. Please check them out.

Thanks as always for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!

Until next time...

September 16, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

While out on a photo shoot there is something I sometimes do that often yields great results. Something really simple yet not as common as it should be. I turn around. I can be shooting an amazing subject but I turn around and get the best photo of the day. This is not always the case but is is something that sometimes works. More often though the image I am able to create is good in it's own right but not necessarily better than my main subject. I believe that to be the case with today's photo.

This was shot from the same place I shot the sunrise photo I shared yesterday. Just in a different direction. I feel that this came out well but I still like the sunrise better. Others may feel differently and that is the great thing about photography and actually all art. It is subjective. That is a great thing!

What is your opinion? I would love to hear it.

Please take a moment and check out some more of my photography here if you like. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Until next time...

September 15, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot resist a good sunrise. Especially at the shore. Yesterday I shared a photo of the Ocean City Aerobatic Airshow with you. That was shot around the time we left for home from a short getaway. Today I would like to share a photo of how my day started at 6:38 am. Here of course is yesterdays sunrise.

Please Click For Full Size Image

 

And it was absolutely beautiful. A lot chillier than it looks too. But the chill didn't keep people away. You can't see it here but there were quite a few others around. In fact there was someone on each side of me. Each of us with our cameras set up on tripods. And this brings me to the great part of photography. 

I would bet that although we were all shooting the same scene that none of our images looks the same. This has nothing to do with equipment or ability. It has everything to do with the art of photography. The camera is only a tool. It records the data but the person behind it makes the photograph. It starts with composition and ends with post processing.

I kind of wish I could see the results of the other two guys that were out there with me. They were both very knowledgeable and I believe talented. And best of all I got some really good ideas from talking with them.

Thank you for taking some of your time to come here and letting me share my photos and thoughts with you.

Until next time...

September 13, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

It was a cloudy day here in Ocean City. The forecast was calling for a lot of rain but we were pretty lucky. The rain held off until around 4 PM and didn't last long.

During a stroll up the boardwalk I decided to step off onto the beach and shoot some photos of a jetty with the waves breaking on it. And the waves were strong. Very strong indeed. Take a look.

This goes to show that even in rough waters nature can be beautiful.

Until next time...

September 1, 2014 Photo Of The Day

A concrete ship? Yep! Today I would like to share a photo I shot while at Sunset Beach in Cape May Point, New Jersey yesterday. The S.S. Atlantus. One of twelve experimental concrete ships built during World War I. Though this ship made two Trans-Atlantic trips to bring soldiers home from Europe it was quickly discovered that concrete ships were not very feasible. Obviously due to their weight. 

The Atlantus was launched into service on December 5, 1918 and retired to a scrap yard in Virginia in 1920. In 1926 Colonel Jesse Rosenfeld purchased the ship to use as a ferry dock in Cape May Point. In June of 1926 the Atlantus broke free of it's moorings during a storm and now rests about 150 feet off shore of Sunset Beach. Though many attempts were made to rescue the ship, none were successful.

You can read more about the S.S. Atlantus here and here. And here is the photo.

This is all that remains today. The years, salt water and weather have all taken their toll. Check out the links above for more pictures and you will see what it looked like before going mostly under.

As always, I really appreciate you stopping by and checking out my little blog. I hope you enjoy it and like what you see. Keep checking back. I am working on a longer post or two from our recent trip. Also check out some more of my photos here at 500px.com and here at Flickr.
 
Until next time...

August 30, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

Here comes the sun.  I know I shared a sunrise photo with you just a couple of days ago but I have a nicer one for you today. I think so at least. 

Kim and I are on a short trip to Wildwood Crest in New Jersey. As always I had to get up early at least one day to greet the sun. What's really nice this time is that we are staying at a motel on the beach so I didn't have to go far. 

Here is what I got today. 

Please be sure to click on the picture to see it full size. Another example of "The Golden Hour".

Thanks for stopping by and as always...

Until next time...

August 24, 2014 - Photo Of The Day

King of Prussia, actually incorporated as Upper Merion Township (there is no town of King of Prussia) is famous nationwide as a retail shopping destination. What many do not know is that it started out over 300 years ago as a farming community. At it's beginnings it was known as Reeseville.

I am not going to get into how it became known as King of Prussia in this post but I will however cover that at a later time.

When I was younger there used to be a fully operating dairy farm known as Nor-View Farms. I remember going there with my parents to get fresh milk. Unfortunately Nor-View suffered that same fate as many farms throughout our country and ceased operations. Another victim to "progress". However, and this is a rare move in these parts, Upper Merion Township purchased the farm land and has kept it open to the public as a park. There is even a small petting farm and an ice cream shop that operates in the warmer months. There is also a plant nursery and an artesian spring water vending area that you bring your own bottles and fill up yourself.

Through all of the changes that have taken place though one thing has remained the same. Today I share this with you as my Photo of the day.

The big chicken at the farm entrance.

For as long as I can remember the chicken has stood out front to greet visitors. It has changed over the years, a victim of age and vandalism but there it still stands. A small symbol of what Upper Merion used to be. A quiet and gentle farming community.

You may have noticed that I have included a few links in my post today. I actually do this a lot. I encourage you to check some of them out, if you are so inclined. The web is full of a lot of information that I could never fully cover myself.

As always, thank you so much for visiting. If you like what you see I ask that you share it with others and always feel free to use the comments section  at the bottom.

Until next time...

Dingmans Falls

In my last post I told you about our camping trip a couple weeks ago. During that trip Kim and I visited Dingmans Falls. Part of The Delaware Water Gap National Park. We had originally planned on going to Bushkill Falls, and still may one day, but on the advice of other campers and an employee at the campground we went here instead. What a wonderful place! There was a lot of walking involved but it was worth it. The photos I am posting here can only give you a glimpse of the natural beauty of not only the falls but the entire area leading up to them. Please look on and enjoy!

This is the visitor center. We happened to visit on the opening day of the season. The rangers we met were very friendly and knowledgeable. They did all they could to answer questions we had about the park and also gave us a lead on another set of falls that I will write about in my next post.

Visitor Center

The path that leads to the main falls is wooden and very nicely constructed. I guess you could call it a boardwalk of sorts. oddly enough I do not have a lot of shots of the actual walkway but I do have some of the scenery along the way including the Silver Thread Falls.

Silver Thread Falls

Once close to the falls there is a set of stairs that lead to the top. When I say set of stairs I mean a very large set of stairs! It is a lot of climbing but we paced ourselves and made it.

Here is a shot of the falls on the way up.

 And here is a view from the top.

 On the way back down.

And finally Dingmans Falls.

Dingmans Falls

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have enjoyed my photos and my little "tour". Please check back soon and please feel free to leave me a message. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time...