Monday, October 18, 2010

Down on the farm







Summer's Farm in Frederick, MD turned out to be a real find. It takes the traditional pumpkin patch and adds much more fun for the whole family. There was many, many mazes of all sizes as well as slides, games, pig races, and of course hay rides. These types of farms provide a great backdrop for family portraits or even engagement session photos.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The falling leaves drift by my window.... The falling leaves of red and gold







Although this is the time of year that nature is preparing to go into hibernation for winter it sure knows how to go out with a bang. The rich reds, golds, yellows, oranges, purples, and the lingering green are so enfuzed I cannot help but look around in awe. My music portfolio at this time of year becomes much more heartfelt. I am often reminded of the song Autumn Leaves. It was originally a french song that translated to english with the title of the dead leaves. In the late 1940's Johnny Mercer wrote the english lyrics and Jo Stafford was one of the first to record it. It is most recognizable now with the version that Nat King Cole sang. My personal favorite is the K.D. Lang version that was recorded for the Midnight in the garden of good and evil movie directed by Clint Eastwood. Her melancholy voice really added some more depth to this already wonderful song. When I look at my surroundings at this time of year it hard not to hear that song going through your mind.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Man make fire..... I take picture





Photography fire and any kind of flame sounds great but when it comes to actually making the shot it is a different story. Joe and I often bonfire it up on Friday nights especially at this time of year. Above are some of the shots I took in our own fire pit. Here are some tips to getting the best shot you can from your fire. Remember shots of bonfires and campfires are a great way to have warmth in your photos. A longer shutter time is the way to go for sure. Another tip is the lower the F setting the better. There will be some natural blurring so if you can rest the camera on something or of course use a tripod the better the shot will come out. You must also realize that if you are taking pictures of people around the fire that unless they are staying fairly still they might appear blurred as well.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Wolverine in Maryland

 
 
Cosplay has become very popular especially with all of the Comic Con related events that have been coming around. Cosplay by definition is costume play. I recently went with a friend who bares a striking resemblence to Wolverine from the X-men comic books. We took some photos in a wooded location with the traditional Wolverine gear that he would wear in Canada with of course the claws. I did some editing with the photos to really make Wes a true comic book.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Sorry for my absence..... I was at the fair.

 
 
 
Wow, it has been a busy late summer early fall. As many of you know fair season marks this time of the year. It is a great backdrop for photo opportunities. I attended many more fairs this year than in the past ( and rode many more rides as well.) While enjoying myself I took the time to re-create some infamous shots that we often see online and in the summer activities catalogs we get at our local libraries. I would often see these shots and love the colors and authenticity of the people in them. Above are some photographs that I took with my own view on them. Enjoy.