Tag Archives: Bucks Co.

We Will Never Forget !

150525_We Will Never Forget-1 by Karl Graf. Fuji X-T1, XF 18-135mm @ 49mm, f/9, 1/280 sec, ISO 200

This image was taken at the “Garden of Memories” near Newtown, PA.  The Gardens memorialize the 9/11 tragedy.  Along its spiral walk it memorializes the 2973 people killed, the the 58 Pennsylvania victims, the 42 children from Pennsylvania who lost a parent, and the 18 Bucks County victims.  On the inner ring of the spiral, the Bucks County victims are etched in glass.  It is a quiet and peaceful place.  A place to walk, sit, and reflect.  Remember … on this Memorial Day!

 

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Fall at Fonthill 2

141031_Fonthill Castle by Karl Graf. 141031_Fonthill Castle by Karl Graf. 141031_Fonthill Castle by Karl Graf. Canon 5D MkIII, EF24-70 2.8L @ 27mm, f/10, ISO 200 – 3 image HDR

Yesterday was another beautiful fall day in Bucks County, PA.  Late in the afternoon I saw some white billowy clouds coming across the sky.  I rushed over to Fonthill Castle and caught about 15 minutes of late afternoon warm sunlight.  What attracted me the most on this image were the long shadows casting themselves on the lawn and the castle walls.  It was worth the jaunt for the 15 minutes of nice sunlight.

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Enjoying the Fall Colors

141029_Window & Leaves by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-55mm @ 55mm, f/20, 0.8 sec, ISO 400

Walking outside this time of year in Bucks County, Southeast Pennsylvania is always a real treat.  The combination of old structures, interesting landscapes and fall color are abundant and are just waiting to be captured.  Each day changes.  Colors come and go, always changing.  Something new is always just around the corner, or just standing in front of me.  Such walks always help me balance the daily challenges and beauty life brings.  Time to get out for another walk!

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Sheard’s Mill Covered Bridge

141018_Sheard's Mill Covered Bridge by . Fuji X-T1, FX18-55 @ 55mm, f/20, 3.7 sec, ISO 200

This was one of the last shots of the day.  Sometimes they are some of the best, at least for me.  The hay rake provided a strong near field compositional element.  Most images of this bridge are taken from directly on or perpendicular to the bridge.  I wanted to get something a little different and catch some of the fall color.

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Knechts Covered Bridge

Knechts Covered Bridge by . Fuji X-T1, FX18-55 @ 20mm. f/22, 1/10 sec, ISO 400

Knechts Covered Bridge is one of my favorites.  It is somewhat hidden off the meandering country roads on what seems to be a single lane remote road.  The simplicity of the structure is marred with bright caution and height limit signs.  I took the liberty of removing them from the image with Photoshop.  If you look close you can see the remnants on the left stone abutment and below the bridge name placard.

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Cabin Run Covered Bridge

141016_Cabin Run Covered Bridge by . Fuji X-T1, EF18-55mm @ 18mm, f/22, 0.5 sec, ISO 400

I was not too creative and made several mistakes with this image.  So there are several lessons here.  First, as I was walking along the rocks, I hit a slippery area and tumbled down on my knees and elbows.  I made sure the camera was safe.  After the fall, I lost my focus and interest and only took a few images.  Lesson 1:  if something happens, take the time to regain composure and then start again.  I knew that I had an extreme dynamic range between the sky and the shadows on the bridge and ground.  I did not take enough exposures to generate a blended image or HDR.  Lesson 2:  Take my time to capture the image and lighting that I am looking for.  I put on a cheap polarizer on my lens.  It leaves a little flare from time to time.  I had discovered this before and still put the filter on.  Lesson 3:  Don’t put anything but good filters over good optics.  No filter is better than one that even degrades the image a little.  Anyway, this post is a good example of what not to do.

 

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Loux Covered Bridge

Loux Covered Bridge by . Fuji X-T1, FX55-200mm @ 55mm, f/11, 1/9 sec, ISO 1600

Fall days are a wonderful time to drive around rural Bucks County, PA and enjoy the iconic covered bridges.  During the last few days, a friend and I spent late afternoons exploring around the area.  For this image of the Loux Covered Bridge, I focused on a composition that did not include bright road signs and caught some of the fall color.

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