Divergent :: CT

Divergent :: CT

Don’t get me wrong, I love to travel.  But sometimes you find the most beautiful things in your backyard. 🙂

Rejuvenate :: CT

Rejuvenate :: CT

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” -Henry David Thoreau

At times, it’s hard to determine what is a cause and what is an effect when it comes to my photography. Do I explore the corners of the earth looking for beauty because I want to create an image? Has photography helped me hone my ability to find joy in nature? Or have I always loved nature, and photography is just a vehicle to share that experience with others? To inspire others to appreciate the world around them?

Perhaps both truths are valid.

There is so much beauty and joy to be found in this world, the trick is to be open to it. Often that means some discomfort and growth, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

As an aside, here in CT we have had muggy, hot, rainy weather which is miserable when the humidity is so high, but it does produce some lovely waterfalls. That being said, you won’t hear me complain about the heat when California is experiencing the biggest fire in its history.  Apparently, the direct cause of the fire is unknown, though generally speaking there seems to be some acknowledgment that climate change(a complicated issue) has been playing a role in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events.  There has also been some criticism of the US forest service’s policy to suppress fires rather than letting some burn for the health of the forests.  The news outlets covering the fires do say with certainty that multiple days of three digit temperatures have exacerbated the problem.  Many have been evacuated, lost homes, and some have been injured/lost their lives. Yosemite is closed indefinitely while they try to control the fire.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone on the west coast living with those conditions. Many thanks to all of the firefighters, fire personnel, etc working to contain things.

Fairy Falls :: CT

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl

This particular morning, nothing went according to plan. My Milky Way shot failed. Clouds rolled in and I thought I could recover the trip with a beautiful sunrise. Instead, I got a waterfall. But oh what a lovely waterfall it was!

Serenity :: NY

Serenity :: NY

Sometimes you drive two hours for a sunset, and end up wading through spring runoff to photograph a waterfall instead. Life, right?

But there is a lesson there (besides a reminder to buy waterproof boots)… Opportunity is all around us, we just have to be open to it.

This shot is a single exposure, taken after the sun went down in a rapidly darkening forest. ( 14mm, 55 second, f/8, ISO 100 ) It was very blue…because blue hour…and color correcting made it look natural, but not better, so I opted for B&W instead!

A Great Perhaps

Breathing Dreams

I go to seek a great perhaps.

That kind of sums up an adventure, doesn’t it? Last weekend we took a road trip to upstate N.Y. because I found a photo online of a 215ft waterfall that looked impressive. We spent 5hrs in a car, each way, for a place that on the whole probably wasn’t going to offer many good vantage points for images.

But then again, maybe it would. Maybe it needed to be explored. Maybe it needed to be worked at. Maybe… Well, maybe’s are intriguing…so we went.

Taughannock Falls are pretty awesome. The gorge trail was closed (probably for the best…ice and cliffs don’t mix well), and the rim trails offered limited views…but the overlook was so damn pretty. The light was Narnia level magical.

And as a bonus, that area is loaded with cliffs, gorges and waterfalls. There was so much to see, we are obviously going back when it warms up.

Why, you ask?

Because… Ithaca is gorges.

Hahaha (yes, that really is their slogan. It’s my kind of place!)