Fuji XT-1, XF 18-55mm @ 28mm, f/22, 1/17 sec, ISO 200
This image is from the other site of Swann Fountain, depicting the other two rivers: Schuykill and Delaware. My focus for this image was just to come up with a symmetric balance between the sculptures. One lesson learned here is to pay attention to the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO trade offs. I braced the camera on the fountain wall to get a reasonable sharpness at 1/17 second.
Fuji XT-1, XF18-55mm @ 50mm, f/11, 1/80 sec, ISO 500
Swann Memorial Fountain (aka The Fountain of the Three Rivers)
Alexander Stirling Calder, 1924
This fountain in Logan Circle depicts the three rivers that converge at Philadelphia: the Schuykill, the Wissahickon, and the Delaware. In this image I was trying to capture the fountain image and the Philadelphia City Hall in the background. I also wanted to capture limited blur in the flowing water.
Fuji XT-1, XF18-55mm @ 46mm, f/10, 1/20 sec, ISO 400
Tuscan Girl Fountain
Oskar Stonorov, Jorio Vivarelli, 1965
Philadelphia is full of sculptures. Walking around Center City, sculptures are everywhere you look. The overall sculpture draws my initial attention, but typically does not make an interesting photographic image to me. It is very difficult for me to capture the three dimensional aspects. I then usually just walk around and try to get a detailed aspect and perspective of the sculptures essence. I moved around this sculpture to capture an interesting element and a “nondescript” background to frame the image.
Fuji XT-1, XF18-55mm @ 55mm, f/8.0, 1/120 sec, ISO 400
Benjamin Franklin, Craftsman
Joe Brown, 1981
Ben Franklin, “The Printer”, provides the foreground against the Philadelphia skyline. I worked this image from multiple angles before I came up with this perspective. I had to wait patiently as other tourists posed in front of the sculpture. It was worth it.
Fuji XT-1, XF 18-55mm @ 37mm, f/4.0, 1/800 sec, ISO 400
This rail around the Philly City Hall provided a very clear message: “No Leaning” or should I say “No Sitting”. Today I was just walking around downtown Philly watching for images to appear. This one popped up and pain entered my body from all directions. It was not a very inviting element for the City Hall. But it did provide an interesting image. I purposely used my widest aperture to provide an interest depth of field.
Canon 7D, Tamron 18-270mm @ 18mm, f/4.5, 1/4000 sec, ISO 800
Skyscrapers amaze me. Heights scare me. I imagine what kind of person it takes to work on these structures. My knees shake and start to buckle. Looking straight up for me is also difficult. When I raise my camera to take a photo like this, I feel like I am going to fall over backwards. I need to work on this!
Canon 5D MkIII, EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 43mm, f/8.0, 1/40 sec, ISO 6400 (handheld)
Furniture making in the 17th century was limited by daylight. Each key workbench was located near a window to make use of the available light. Work could only be done when adequate light was available. This image is taken in the Cabinetmakers Shop in Colonial Williamsburg. It is my favorite place to spend time when I visit. When I go, Karen and my guests usually go somewhere else and meet me after awhile. This year it was a special stimulus for me as I move from wood machining with power tools to wood working with hand tools. I learn something new each time I visit.
Canon 5D MkIII, EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 3200
Karen and I spent the last day of 2013 exploring the Jamestown museum and settlement reconstruction. It was a wonderful day of exploring and learning about our history. Karen and I visited Jamestown back in the mid 80’s when we were living in Fairfax, VA. Back then there was really just the beginning of the excavation of the site. So much has changed. All Americans should visit this museum and settlement site to get an appreciation of the Jamestown Settlement. It was a day to remember and reflect on.
This image is taken from the inside of the Jamestown Settlement Church. My objective was to create symmetry and balance between the diagonal, vertical and horizontal elements.
Canon 5D MkIII, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS @ 195mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 800
I was walking along a Hilton Head Island beach one evening when I looked up and saw this white feather floating above me against the stars of the Milky Way. I quickly threw up my camera and snapped away. It was an amazing sight!
Now getting back to reality, I saw this white feather laying on the sand. Not too much contrast, but I thought it still might make a good image. A little work in NIK Silver Efex Pro did the trick.
Canon 7D, Tamron 18-270mm @ 42mm, f/11, 1/125 sec, ISO 400
This sculpture is located in the Old Mill District of Bend Oregon. Karen and I spend several hours just walking around and enjoying the day. I took the opportunity to focus on different shapes of structures around the area.