Gilbert Run Park

We went to Gilbert Run Park for the fall colors on my birthday, mostly because I was afraid it would be one of the last nice days with leaves left on the trees.  I didn't know Jim invited some friends at the last minute.  Here are photos of the park I took of the trees, hybrid geese, canoes and some lovely birthday flowers from friends in didn't expect.

Reflections

Fall flowers

Hybrid geese

Injured goose

Bridges are for running

Nicolet Park in January 2025

I took a few photos of Nicolet Park in Lexington Park in between appointments last week.  For fun, I added the Orton effect, which adds a soft glow to the photos.  It is a nice little park for a short walk, a baseball or basketball game, a visit to the playground, a skatepark for BMX bikes or skateboards, a picnic, or a splash park visit in summer.  The snow made most of the exercise difficult, but I enjoyed sitting in my car to eat my lunch.

Autumn in St. Mary's County 2

I wandered around the south part of the county a few days.  Here are the best images.

 

St. Mary's College of Maryland Bicycler

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Woods

Red Maple Closeup

Red Maple Row

Home Grown Farm Market

Creek in Lexington Park

What to Photograph in January

Brrr!  It’s cold out!  I don’t walk outside as much except when the weather is pleasanter and not cold and windy.  I even walked in the rain the other day, just because it wasn’t as cold.  This limits my photography a little.  

Here are some ideas I’ve tried for those of us in rural environments.  

1. Do still lifes indoors.  Experiment with colors, shapes and odds and ends around your house like books and shells.  
2. Buy flowers to photograph indoors.
3. Photograph interesting tree shapes and branches.
4. Try ICM, intentional camera movement with long exposures and move your camera or lens to create abstracts.
5. Photograph birds and wildlife that are easier to see in the cold weather.
6. Photograph sunrises and sunsets and clouds.  Somehow they often seem prettier in the colder weather.
7. Learn more about photography from a good book.
8. Photograph snow scenes if you have snow nearby.
9. Try indoor or outdoor portraits.
   
   
   Some roses that a kind woman gave me from church.
   
   
   
   Recent huge flocks of robins.
   
   Intentional camera movement.
   
   

Tau Herculids Meteor Shower May 31, 2022

I stayed up to look for a few meteors.   The night was quite pleasant with a soft breeze in St. Mary's County.   Having no idea where to point my wide angle lens, I was taking a photo when I noticed a bright meteor a little more over to my left.  It wasn't in the frame, unfortunately.  Fortunately, it was close to the Milky Way, and that would make a nice photo.  So, I moved the camera over and took some more photos.  I didn't see any more, although I thought I saw some out of my peripheral vision.  After looking at the back of my camera today, I could barely make out a small meteor just above the trees to the left of center in one photo.  I don't do much night photography, so I don't own a good wide bright lens for thousands of dollars, so I just tried it out with what I have and the stars blurred a little.

For photo geeks here were my settings ISO 2000 21 mm f/6.3 30 seconds 

Fall color in Fredericksburg VA

We spent Sunday in Fredericksburg, hoping to see a few leaves left on the trees after all the recent wind and rain.  In between the nice light for pictures, we went Christmas shopping midday. Here are some highlights of our day.

A lovely tree in the little beach park near the Harry Nice Memorial Bridge.

A little park behind the Wawa at the Central Park mall.  A picturesque oasis.

Canada goose snacking.

Reflection and pier near the Chancellorsville Battlefield.