Winter Projects

This winter I decided to redesign my website. Actually it was my intent to do this last winter, but I got side tracked and it never happened. I have a general idea of how I plan to design and deploy the site, but before getting involved in that part of the project I have been spending the last couple weeks going through my image archive and choosing new pictures to showcase. The image above is from a favorite location I affectionately call the “Car Farm”. Having been to the “Farm” multiple times I’m always challenged to find something to shoot that has eluded me before. On a trip last summer I tried to focus on the patterns and colors of the cracked glass.

Fun While It Lasted



Recently Greg Daily and I were in western Maryland shooting the frozen waterfalls at Swallow Falls State Park.   By mid-day the sun was high overhead so we decided to drive over to Deep Creek Lake to have lunch.  While driving past the lake I noticed several people on snowmobiles.  They were flying across the frozen lake at what looked like 50 mph.   I was surprised that the ice on the lake was thick enough for them to do this, but then I noticed a few tents out on the lake and figured people must be ice fishing.  We had lunch and on the way back noticed a group out on the lake with their motorcycles so we pulled over and walked on out.  I must admit it was kind of strange to walk on water in this way.  Especially when I would encounter an inch or two of frozen slush on top.   I’m watching these guys use a blade on  a 4- wheeler to push the snow and make a track while a few others raced around.  Next thing I notice is a pair of policemen walking out on the lake to meet us.  Turns out only fishermen and snowmobiles are permitted on the lake, no motorcycles.  They told the group that creating the track created a hazard for the snowmobiles.  Considering the speed of the snowmobiles, I can easily see how this could be a problem.  I managed to get a couple of record shots but left disappointed.    I was hoping to come back some other time and try and shoot these guys in a much more creative manner.  

Meet Ben

That young man on a BMX bike is Ben.  I met him back in October at the Arlington Skate Park.   In the shot above I placed my D300 and a 10.5 mm fisheye on the ground and had Ben ride over it in mid-air.  At first I think he questioned my wisdom at putting my camera at risk, but I was not concerned.  I had seen him do much harder tricks and figured the chance that he would come done on my gear was remote at best.   In photography perspective is essential.  I think the small risk paid off just fine.  My days of riding skateboards and such have long since passed, but I still get a kick out of seeing these guys do their thing!    

Second Chance

I want to put up a few more pictures from my recent trip to Second Chance in Baltimore.  I really do not consider myself to be a small details type of photographer, I would much rather shoot a grand landscape.  So Second Chance is great place to practice the type of photography that does not come quite naturally to me. 

Memories

I remember that style of fan when I was a kid, the kind that would cut your finger off.  Today we have so many rules and regulations that protect us from the obvious.  I took this shot last month when visiting Baltimore and shooting at Second Chance with friends Karen Messick and Bill Gercken.  Second Chance was a great place to shoot on a cold day.  The warehouse was cold,  but at least we were inside. 

The Chute

The shot above is from a recent day hike in Shenandoah.  I was hoping to shoot a lot of frozen water, but the streams were only frozen in a few places.    This is my fault since I could not get out to the Park a week earlier when the thermometer seemed stuck below freezing.  Since then the temperature has warmed during the day and as a result streams and rivers have started to thaw.  Hopefully there will be other opportunities as the winter progresses.