Monday, June 29, 2009

Butterfly

I'm not sure what kind this is but it sure was purty on the yellow Coreopsis. :) Shot with the 70-200 F/2.8L IS at close to 200mm, aperture 4.5.


Sunday, June 28, 2009

Product Shot

My new stainless steel Tippler Shot Glass in the backyard garden.

Pagoda Gardens

Some shots of the views and the gardens at the Leverett Peace Pagoda.





Peace Pagoda

It's been some years since I visited the Peace Pagoda in Leverett but last night before sundown I suddenly had the thought that I should go up there. This is a most unusual place, one of six such structures in the US. Located on a small mountaintop, it is a massive solid concrete structure built by a Japanese Buddhist group dedicated to world peace and it is meant to be a focus of contemplation. The setting is quite amazing with a beautiful Japanese water garden and lovely views to the south.





Saturday, June 27, 2009

Couple More Water Shots

Couple more shots down at the Turners Falls Dam. It's such a neat spot and the enormous quantity of flowing water is quite intense. I decided to see if I could get some better shots than last time and set up my tripod for these.




Thursday, June 25, 2009

Playing with the 85L

OMG, what an incredible piece of glass! :D Having a ball with this thing...




Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Hosta that Ate Manhattan

Man, we have a couple of monster hostas in the backyard.


Monday, June 22, 2009

Artifacts

I really do love stuff from the 19th century. Here are a couple of livery buttons, one depicting a triumphant arm wielding a grappling hook and the other a majestic dragon. I find the images represented to be extremely interesting and have about two dozen different ones in my collection.

Also, check out this nifty pair of French made folding binoculars with compass and signal mirror. I've never seen anything quite like this early survival tool. The guy I bought it from speculated that it may be military in origin but I really do not know for sure. What is certain however is that it is cool as hell and I would think also very rare.




Saturday, June 20, 2009

Bridge of Flowers

Shelburne Falls is a cool local spot! It has many interesting scenes which I will attempt to document more of as time goes on. The Bridge of Flowers is one of the biggest and most colorful attractions in town. It used to be a trolley bridge long ago and back in the 1970's they decided to turn it into a flower garden. As you pass over the lovely Deerfield River your eyes are treated to fantastic colors and scenery everywhere you look.




Kathy's Gardens

Last week we were invited to an open house with an amazing local gardening person. Kathy Puckett collects flowers like some people collect Atwood Tools. :) LOL, anyway, she had an incredible farm up in Colrain and I was all excited to do some shooting there. But typical newbie that I am I screwed up by not setting my aperture correctly on almost all the shots. I was so pissed. I should have just left the damn camera in automatic Landscape mode and I would have had a lot more keepers.

These irises came out OK though. I will do better next time this kind of opportunity comes up and CMA by thinking things through a little better.





Water

I do love water. These were taken in May when I was really shooting in the dark so to speak. I'm getting better though. :)



See What I Mean?

Man, the subject is scrumptious but you can see why the old point and shoot camera just wasn't making it anymore. This was taken last fall... I'll have to reshoot this scene next time the scallops are on sale! :D

Memorial Day

Saw this a few weeks ago. Always makes me think as I pass by the Veterans Memorial in town on my way to the library.

Saturday Morning

A coalcar in the foggy railyard and then berries from the Greenfield Farmer's Market. All images shot with the 24-105 F/4L, aperture priority mode.



Slick and Slimy

Saw this enormous mollusk crossing the road up in Northfield yesterday. This is one form of wildlife that moves slow enough that you can actually get a clear shot. :D

Flowers

Always with the flowers! :p I know, I can't help it. Between Jenny who loves her little gardens here at the house and all the other fantastic places in the area I just can't escape shooting flowers.





Shot from the Bridge

We have had a lot of overcast days lately and mostly unsettled weather in general. It has made for some cool clouds on severaly days though. I couldn't pass up this wonderful scene on my way to the post office last week. Image captured with my Canon Digital Rebel 500D X1i DSLR with 10-22 UWA lens set at the widest angle, 10. Shot from the bridge in Turners in mid afternoon.