The Short Schtik on Longwood

I had an opportunity to visit Longwood Gardens of Kennett Square, PA this morning.  As one of the du Pont estates, this 1,000+ acre Ponderosa of color was awash in orchids.  Opening the door to the conservatory was a hundred times better than slapping on my Old Spice cologne.  This was my first visit,  but certainly not my last.  I look forward to returning when the flowers are in full bloom and the water fountains are dancing to the celestial stars.

A Whatchamacallit in Flight

"Look up in the Sky, it's a ????"

1/500 sec at f/7.1 ISO 200

We were on our way home from Chestertown, MD this afternoon and saw this nest atop a telephone pole.  Even after looking at it close up, I do not know what it is.  A cousin of the eagle? a nephew to the falcon? perhaps, an in-law of the hawk?  What do you think?

TIP:  When shooting moving objects, such as birds or Nascar, and you want to stop the action, go to your "action" or "running man" mode on point-and-shoots and to aperture priority mode on DSLRs (choosing 1/500 a second or faster, ie 1/640, 1/800).  Conversely, to show movement in the wings or pit crew, choose a slower shutter speed (ie, 1/125 or 1/60).

UPDATE:  One of my devoted readers has identified the bird as an OSPREY.  The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), sometimes known as the sea hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor , reaching 24 inches in length with a six foot wingspan. Thank you, Jan!

Six Tips to Taking Great Portraits

A Beautiful Bride

Meet Jenni.

TIP: When photographing females, especially, never shoot them straight on with shoulders parallel to the camera. Instead, have them turn slightly at the waist, bringing one shoulder towards the camera and then have them turn their head back toward the camera, usually with chin downward.

What Am I?

1/250 sec at f/4.2 ISO 100

Any guesses?

ANSWER:  Front wheel on a motorcycle.

Would You Like Fries with That?

"Drive By not Thru"
1/8 sec at f/4.9 ISO 800

I had a couple extra minutes tonight while waiting to pick up some folks at the Philly airport, so I did a quick spin around downtown. Hard to drive and take pictures, so I snapped this one while waiting at a red light. Neon arches only in the windows doesn't quite sesame seed my buns.

The GateKeeper

"Enter Here"
1/30 sec at f/4.3 ISO 100

Spotted this on the way home tonight. I bet, at one time, it was a pretty handsome gate.

The Elliott Ness Monster

Original data not recorded
(Don't you just love EXIF?!)

I stumbled upon this old print from 1994 (remember when we used to shoot film???). This was a poster I did for for a musical group from Altoona, PA called "The Untouchables." I

Puck-tastic!

As the old joke goes, I went to a fight tonight and a hockey game broke out ...

I hadn't been to a hockey game since Wayne Gretzky was in his prime. Wow ... that's too long to stay away from a game I love. Growing up in Buffalo and then Western Massachusetts, hockey was everything. I'm a Buffalo fan through-and-through and when I had a last minute opportunity for a ticket to tonight's game in Philly, I couldn't pass it up. Although my beloved Sabres ended up losing 5-2, I couldn't help but smile and reminisce about those precious childhood memories so closely associated with my dad. Ahhhhh ... good times, good times.

Whistles, Snorts and Pequea Creek

What a beautiful day to sight see in Amish County! The digital photography group headed north towards Lancaster, Pennsylvania in search of covered bridges earlier today. Along the way we encountered steam trains on the go, cabooses going nowhere and livestock playing in the mud. Amish buggies were everywhere. They lined the narrow, hilly roads and they dotted the farms while the people gathered in community. The bridges were scattered along the countryside and although the county is home to 30 remembrances of an era gone by, we only made it to a select few. All in all, a fantastic way to spend a Saturday.

What Am I?

1/250 sec at f/9.5 ISO 100

Any guesses?

ANSWER: Flowered cushions and red pillow on a white wicker chair.

What Am I?

1/500 sec at f/5.7 ISO 100

Any guesses?

Answer: Carousel Horse

Snow Goin'

"Wonderland Boulevard"
1/250 sec @ f/5.6 ISO 200

An early March storm dumped a good bit on snow on Delaware and its neighbors overnight which lent itself to some gorgeous photo opportunities.

Gotcha!

"Broad-winged Hawk"
1/500 sec at f/4.5 ISO 400

Mission: Accomplished.

hmmmmmm ... what's next?