Gettysburg Again - Chasing the Light and the Details



11th PA Monument



                We recently made another return trip to visit this Park. We did more research on Sheryll's relatives and their activities on and before the battle. It has come to light that five belonged to units at the battle, one may have succumbed to "camp fever" (more than likely either typhoid fever). This is a change from what we earlier discovered. Previously, research showed three in units that fought in the battle but digging deeper we learned more about other relatives. We are able to back up the findings with regimental histories, Pa State Archives and other research sources. We are planning another trip in the next few weeks to gather more information. I think I will include all the pertinent information in a separate blog with just information about the relatives and their respective monuments. Having a personal link to the park makes the trips more interesting. We are really getting to know the park  quite well. A noted historian claims he could be dropped into any part of the park by helicopter while being blindfolded and know where he was. I will be the one whispering to him where he is when he arrives!



11th PA different view



                As usual, you can't always count on the weather to provide just the right light you yearn for. But, there is always light and so you take advantage of it. We were at a part of the park where the fighting took place on the first day and were waiting to see what the sunset was going to present to us. I was watching a large ominous looking cloud moving towards us so I was adjusting my position in relation to that when I happened to turn around to see how much more light we were going to have and the sun was just beside the monument. Naturally, you need to start shooting. Turning back again, gave me the cloud in a good position that I was hoping for. It pays to keep your head on a swivel to look at everything around you.



Part of the VA Monument



William Wells battle scene



                The last few shots are of details      in  the monuments. The soldier with the pistol is part of the Virginia Monument. It is one of the largest and the work on the faces clearly shows the toll the war is taking on the combatants. The smaller image is part of the William Wells monument just before you reach Big Roundtop. The sculptor actually used photographs provided by family members to accurately portray his work. I liked the angle and the shallow depth of field I got in this image. It really stands out, literally and figuratively.

                 I hope you enjoy the views and look forward to the next installment. And as I showed here....Always go to the light!

Steve

Boston Portsmouth Airshow



Army Golden Knights



                I recently took advantage of the awesome folks at Southwest Airlines and joined my son Sean for a trip to a major airshow featuring the US Air Force Thunderbirds. It has been quite a while since seeing a featured demonstration team. My usual airshow is the WWII weekend at Reading. He has been venturing to 3 or 4 shows within 2 hours of his Boston area home. Last year he took in this show and felt it was worth visiting again. The draw to this venue, besides the planes, is the photo pass you can get. For an extra $50 you get close up parking, a program, $8 food coupon, 2 pins, early admission, access to cockpits not available to the public, water all day and VIP seating. Sounds expensive at first but is actually  a good deal.

                The group was split into two as the numbers were just under a 100. You never know what will show up as a photographer on these soiree's. On guy traveled really light and just used his I-phone and the other extreme is the guy with the 4 cameras and light meter around his neck and the rolling suitcase with the 2 monster lenses. We prefer light. Two lenses in a back pack, with the other essentials;  sunscreen, water, micro fiber cloth and extra memory chips.

                Going in we knew by the end of the day we would be shooting right into the sun. This was one of the challenges facing us. Also, compared to Reading and the top speed of the show being 400mph and usually half that, speeds are going to be between 400 and up to really, really close to Mach 1. Gotta' love the F-18 and the F-16! A quick review of camera settings made sure we were ready. Meter settings, focus settings, ISO, aperture, RAW, all set. This is  a good place to know you and your camera limitations. When an F-18 is screaming past you at 600 mph, you have to know when to pause to let your buffer empty so as not to lose the next the picture you really want. And without the right focus point, it is going to search and cause you to lose focus when you really want it.



Crossing Thunderbirds



                I need to give kudos out to the fellas' running the photo group portion of the show. Glitches always pop up and they did their best to rectify them as quick as they could. At one point permission wasn't granted to go up to the cockpit of the C-5 Galaxy cargo plane. Within a short time small groups were up where not many people get to go. Pilots and crew were giving talks on specifics of flights and plane performance. Later, there weren't chairs for us in the Media section and they soon arrived. Black tarmac can get really hot on a 85° day.



Mig-17 Low Photo Pass



                It is unique to see a civilian demonstration team that flies with the precision of the Navy or Air Force teams. Team Heavy Metal flies Albatross L-39 trainers and a Mig 17. These guys are not timid, love speed and can "Wow" a crowd. The Mig pilot flaunted gravity with the wing just off the runway pass after pass. It helps to have a former member of the Thunderbirds as part of the team. Their precision is on par with the 2 major teams.



                Although at a much slower pace, Team Aeroshell, flying their pre-WWII aircraft performed with the same precision level. These AT-6's with smoke pouring out of their exhausts worked the skies in unison. Earlier, before the actual show flying schedule began, they took some guests up. Usually this is just a flyby to make everyone on the ground a little jealous but they went right into part of their routine. I hope the back seaters were expecting rolls and hammer heads!

                No big airshow is complete without the Golden Knight's Army parachute team. Most airshow pilots are a rare breed and brain cells may come into question, but to prefer leaving an airplane before it gets on the runway brings on a whole new set of questions. Some of these guys have made over 1400 jumps.

                There is so much for so many. Warbirds, a Heritage flight with a Corsair and a F-18, aerobatic performers and many others. I got a kick out of the KC-135, an in-flight refueler. This airport is home to a refueling wing and of course they have to get their time in the limelight. I happened to be partaking in lunch when they were flying. My sirloin burger was the first time my beef was bigger than the roll it was in. A KC-135 did a "dirty" flyby (wheels and refueling boom down)  and in the time it took for it to go down turn around I had finished 3/4 of my sandwich! Couldn't say the same for any of the other planes there.



Thunderbirds Mirror View



                Of course, the biggest draw is the Thunderbirds. It has been a number of years since watching them. I love the roar of the engine, the echo staying long after the jet is gone. Their formation flying is superb. Flights on rare occasion are below 500 mph. I was very happy with one image. Opposing jets are coming at each other about 300 feet above the runway and flying with a closure speed over 1000mph (each doing 500+ at each other) and at the last minute turning to face each other cockpit to cockpit and pass out of harms way. I was pretty happy with my result. Occasionally, you just need to put the camera down and watch. Photographing this team is a challenge. Making sure you  have a new chip handy is a plus because you are going to go through them in a very short time. As I mentioned before, the skies are not in your favor. August usually brings hazy days and you are shooting into the afternoon sun. White skies and white jets are work for auto focus.

                It was a good trip. Good to Sean and good to see the show.  It will take some time to cull through the images but I am happy with the results so far.

                Until next time, remember......Always go to the light, Steve

Camera Club Outing







Supposed Green Heron Hangout







                A few Saturday's past, several members of our camera club got together to visit a member at his private membership club that surrounds several lakes in our area. No big fancy homes, just travel trailers, a few cabins, and some great habitat. He has always been able to get out at the right times and be at the right spot to capture some really great wildlife pictures. He takes some good natured ribbing because he just seems to have so many of the pictures that all the rest of us which we had, especially being so close to home. It is less than 15 minutes many of our homes. Green herons, no problem. Raccoon peaking out of a hole in the tree, just drive over to here. Bald Eagle perched on an old tree snag, just move around to this spot here. Warblers flitting amongst the lower trees, just drive to this road over there. Deer with antlers in velvet, just keep your eyes open along the tree line. You get the picture (he usually does, now it was our turn). Well, he made arrangements for us to visit one Saturday morning. After getting the pre-requisite guest passes, our road tour began to all the hot spots. We began to go around and visit all his favorite stops. Soon the ribbing really began towards him. They may be his hotspots but not on this day! I got a great shot of the old branch in the water where the green heron usually perches... without the heron. I didn't take the picture of the hole in the tree where the raccoon usually peaks out. No raccoon. No wild turkeys, no deer in velvet. We did see some warblers, but there was too much activity on the other side of the road for them to get too settled. We rambled through the wooded area around the lakes and had to agree, it is prime habitat for all sorts of wildlife. Like most times you have to be at the right place at the right time. That day wasn't our day.

Supposed Warbler Hangout





                We drove back to where his site is. Of course, the ribbing was heavily one-sided against him but by nature he enjoys it as much as giving so it was good fun. He and his wife had prepared a small lunch for everyone and then one of his exploits came to fruition. He has claimed that a Great Blue Heron will come and feed off his dock when he catches small fish and leaves them for it to grab. Naturally, we were hesitant to believe this one because of his track record for the day. No sooner than he had his pole out and was standing on the dock than this relative of the flying dinosaur came swooping in from nowhere landing near our group. Initially  landing about 15 " away, as soon was the first fish was on the hook he was on the end of the dock. He knew as soon as the bobber was under water a fish was on. He was not intimidated by a human near him either as he was so fixated on the fish, it didn't matter about a two legged creature. No more ribbing, delivery on this brag had been confirmed! Sounds of the wind through the trees has been replaced with every shutter sound you could think of. Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax, Kodak. It was good fun and good pictures. 

               

Promise deliverd

 It was fun to go out with the group. Maybe we didn't get as many pictures as we wanted, but we got some good ones. An easy, laid back trip close to home is a good thing to include in your itinerary. You never know what will present itself.

                So remember not to pass up any chance and ....

                Always go to the Light,

                Steve

Destination:   Mid Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend

Mission: Full Circle Propeller Pictures



P-51 Mustang



For the past 21 years, the above museum has hosted a gathering of historic airplanes and it has grown to include one of the largest venues for ground troop re-enactors. My interest has always been the aircraft. I may go alone, with a friend or lately with my son Sean. Sheryll has gone but has lost interest in another 65 year old plane roaring by. Even after all these years, there are some things I can’t understand about her.

I sometimes say I’m going to skip a year but before you know it, a plane I have never seen before is scheduled and I am right back again. This year the vacuum forcing me to return was Fifi, the only remaining flying B-29 (think Enola Gay), a C-46 cargo plane and the Grumman F-4 Wildcat. I believe this was my 14^th year. I always come home with pictures that I am happy with but this year I wanted a different image. It is easy to shoot most planes, especially jets. Pick an aperture that gives a good fast shutter speed (I shoot in A 95% of the time) and blast away. Sometimes (or most times) in a propeller type aircraft you generally get a stopped prop. The plane may be traveling 200 mph, but the propeller isn’t moving. It doesn’t seem natural. Jets don’t have that problem. Most times you can’t tell if it’s going 200 or 2000 mph. To shoot a full circle propeller, it takes some effort. There are many things to consider besides the usual ISO, shutter speed and prevailing conditions. Also to be taken into consideration is, propeller speed, aircraft position and panning, all at a slow shutter speed. Sean and I were both experimenting as planes moved about and took daring visitors up for rides (we dared two years ago when we flew in a B-17). A little research before and we knew we were talking shutter speeds down to 1/30^th of a second or slower. To get even parts of the circle, you need to be slower than 1/125^th. As the various aircraft moved by, we were calling out what shutter speed we were at and what the results were. We did get some strange looks from those around us but it goes with the territory. The type of aircraft had a direct relevance to the results. Older, or should I say simpler designed engines that don’t have a constant speed propeller, were different to shoot than constant speed props. This means the early trainers and biplanes have a fixed pitch prop that relies on engine rpm for speed changes whereas a constant speed prop means that the prop will change pitch as the engine rpm remains constant. We had to wait for them to be increasing rpm’s to get the faster prop speed to match the shutter speed to prop speed. The fighters and bombers revved up and changed to a coarser pitch as they moved about. Panning was critical for success. Panning was also making it difficult to get the images you want. After all, following planes lifting off near 150 mph, or better, at 1/30^th is not easy. Once again, the beauty of digital is the ability to see the results.



B-17 taxing



F-4 Wildcat




Reading is generally a very good air show to visit. Crowds are usually under 15000 on Saturday, the sun is behind you during the afternoon flying for good lighting on the wings and there are aircraft that are slowly becoming extinct. Fuel expenses (think 75-95 gallons per hour for a fighter x two or four for engines in a bomber), insurance rates are rising higher than a flight of P-51’s and parts for these Warbirds are becoming non existent. It will be a sad day when you will not hear the deep rumble of a radial engine or the distinct growl of the Rolls-Royce Merlin.



Wildcat interior



We generally get there when the gates open, set our chairs up at the fence and then cruise around the static displays. It’s a good time to look details on the different planes and talk to the pilots. They are always interesting conversations. You get to learn so much about the finer points of flying or the intricacies’ of the aircraft handling. This year we had such a conversation with the pilot of the Wildcat. He had flown up from Texas and because of fuel capacities and flight characteristics (read unstable), it was done in less than 2 hour trips. He visited other air shows on his way to break the trip up. This Wildcat was used by Chevron Oil Company to transfer engineers and other oil men to different sites in South America. First of all, this plan was designed for tight turns and dogfighting and why they thought they could cram three plywood seats into the back of this plane I’ll never know. The executives who thought of this was somewhat of a sadist and I’m sure they never flew back there.



AT-6 Demo w/ stopped prop



My examples are a few of the good images I was looking for. The AT-6 with the smoke was an example of a propeller that was stopped in flight because of a higher shutter speed, in this case 1/1600^th of a second at f11. The Mustang was 1/40^th @f29 ISO 125 and the B-17 was 1/30^th @f32 ISO also at 125. As you can see, the ISO has to be low as well as the shutter speed. Only digital has the capability to use these stopped down f stops. Older lenses just wouldn’t have the broad capability to cover down to f29 or 32 in a lens that also opens to f4. I also included the Wildcat to show the craziness of adding seats to this plane. OK, it may be good for short, unimproved fields, but it couldn’t be good for passengers.



The air show was fun even if rain came in before it was over. We just relocated to the road outside the airport and took some shots of the planes coming in on the approach. Sean got a great shot of Fifi just over the lights.

I hope you were able to follow the jist of the message on slower speeds. Remember, no matter what the shutter speed or intent….

Always go to the Light,

Steve







Upper Bucks County's Covered Bridges








Well, it has been too long since I have posted. Bad because it means  

we haven't had the chance to get out shooting. That was rectified on a recent trip to the Upper Bucks area to shoot the covered bridges that dot the country side. It is a big part that was missing that I needed to get done to get the book together on covered bridges. I have plenty of pictures but I felt I needed the "pretty" pictures to go with a photo book. We threw together a book using Shutterbug to see the outcome. From here we looked at it critically and decided what we had to do for a final. Shutterbug does a nice job, was reasonably priced (especially with an online discount), and got it back quickly. If you are looking for someplace to print a photo album from a family outing or a vacation they are a good source. For what I am looking for, they are limiting. They only have so many templates and layouts for images and text. I am taking a serious look at Blurb for a final product. That will be coming up in the near future.

Are these signs necessary?

                We hit the road with cumulus clouds breaking up the blue skies. Typically, the conditions are a little cooler when you go north, even if it is just 40 miles by road, so the forsythia and flowering trees were out in full color and the leaves were just beginning to open so the full summer green wasn't in place yet. The trip up River Rd is always a great ride as you follow the Delaware Canal and the Delaware River. Parts of this road could be considered for car commercials.  

                 Our first stop was the Knecht's bridge. Built in 1873 it is 110 feet long and is in a beautiful area. Surrounded by fenced in farmland, it is one of the easily viewed bridges. Usually, you come around a bend and the bridge suddenly appears in front of you. Unfortunately, the county has deemed it necessary to install high visibility fluorescent green signs that scream at you the 9'5" height, one lane bridge or that the bridge is 140' in front of you. Even though you are standing right in front of it. Sometimes you just have to shake your head. Just another dumbing down of society.

                Next came the Sheards' Mill bridge. Also built in 1873, this bridge is 130 ' long. It is clear why this bridge was necessary. Not only is the bridge spanning the water, there are huge boulders strewn about in the water. Next to the bridge is an old mill that dates back to Revolutionary War times. The owner was in the process of restoring it but has since passed away. He was able to have it placed on the National Historic Register before he passed so although not complete, its prominence was recognized.

 

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Moods Bridge



                Leaving this bridge, the next we come to is the Moods' Bridge. This is an interesting bridge in that vandals destroyed it in the early part of the new century. Fire completely decimated the historical bridge. This is one of all the bridges greatest hazards. Credit should be given to local activists and the county commissioners because the historical value as well as the practical value of the bridge was recognized and the bridge was rebuilt. (OK, they ruin the aesthetic value of one bridge but they did work at rebuilding this one). Moods' bridge was originally built in 1874 and is 120' long. This is now part of a local park so access is open all around the bridge. Walking under the bridge, the massive beams supporting the span are now easily viewed. And since we had lunch and bought gas locally, yes, the bridges do help support the local economy.

        Driving a short distance leads you to the only bridge that no longer allows traffic over it. The South Perkasie Bridge was taken out of service in 1958 because spring floods were a cause of constant expensive repairs. Moved a short distance to its' present location, a new concrete span replaced it. Now only families cross the bridge on foot. Built in 1832 it spans 93'. Because of the relationship with all that encompasses a bridge ,i.e.; water, rocks, cool temps, it is not uncommon to see various examples of wildlife at these locations. South Perkasie bridge is no exception. Upon exiting one end, I looked down to see a young lady stretched out on a towel sun bathing, lying face down with her bikini top undone. At a different time, meaning younger and not having Sheryll with me I know doubt would have had to scream "SNAKE"! Just to make sure she hadn't passed out or any such thing. 

                The last bridge on our sojourn was the Pine Valley Bridge. This 81' bridge is the most heavily traveled through bridges in the county. There is a constant flow of vehicles traversing the span. Upon climbing under the bridge I came across some of the true wildlife myself. Many of the bridges post signs claiming snakes are under the bridges, but I just looked at it like the landowner was just using that as a ploy to keep you out. And, as I told Sheryll, "It's still too cool and too early for them to be out". NOT! I came across one that was at least 2'' around and 10' long. OK, actually 3/4" around and 18" long but with my phobia it was getting bigger every second! That's another reason I couldn't scream at the girl before. What goes around comes around and if I had did that to her, mine would have truly been 2" around and with fangs!

                This trip is one I never tire of. The scenery is gorgeous, the area is historic and is full of wildlife; finned, feathered and scaled. The day was a successful day of shooting. Although not dramatic lighting the clear day provided great colors, so no matter what....



                Always go to the light,

                Steve







Silver Lake Nature Center Part Two-Sheryll's photos

This is a second edition to the Silver Lake Nature Center photo contest. I certainly need to include several of Sheryll's images. The image of the staircase was taken at the Stover-Myer Mill near Bedminster and is the rickety staircase leading from the second floor to the third. As most old places, they are great windows. This was a 3 shot HDR using Photomatix for the conversion. We are frequent visitors to this place to see the ongoing restoration.

The color landscape was shot at Gettysburg at sunrise. The temperature this morning was 23  but calm winds. I am not sure about the barns and if they were there at the battle. As always, you are at the mercy of Mother Nature and as much as you hope for the "right" sunrise, sometimes you get what you get and make the best of it. She did.

The cannon and farmhouse is the Weichart Farm along the road between Little Roundtop and the Pennsylvania Monument. This farm was there during the battle and on the third day saw heavy fighting all around it. The cloudy day helps the image and through the trees you can see the hill leading to Little Roundtop.

The last image is the decking for the bridge across the Delaware River. The best part was she just had to walk up to the pile of decking and take the picture without laying on the ground to do it! This picture has appeal because it leads your eye through the picture and also the repetitive patterns.

Sometimes, "chasing the light" isn't always the bright sunlight. Even on overcast days there are opportunities. I have a saying, "If it's bleak, go black!" Sometimes a scene just doesn't have the light that jumps out at you but the grey tones translate very well to a black and white image. Three of Sheryll's photos prove this. Don't just stay in or pack up the gear early and be disappointed with the outing. Thinking b&w get help get the creative juices flowing.

Hope you enjoyed her photos and remember.....

Always go to the light,

Steve

Silver Lake Nature Center Photo Contest

Yesterday was the awards ceremony for the Silver Lake Nature Center 37th Annual Photography Contest hosted by the Focal Planes Foto Club. I like this contest because images are judged (by 4 judges this year) in a more straight forward manner, in lieu of more heavily and obviously Photoshopped pictures. Don't get me wrong, I love using Elements and I use it on every picture, albeit sparingly. I have seen pictures in some contests that have objects placed there that no way could have been in the scene and won. Not a problem but put them in a category for manipulated images. SLNC pictures are as close to "what you saw in the scene is what you get in the picture" (Wow, my own WYSISIWYGIP!) There were over 300 images presented for judging in two levels, Amateur and Advanced Amateur. Categories cover the usual, landscape/seascape, animals, plants, people outdoors, outdoor architecture and Bucks County Parks both black & white and color. Because of having won in the past, both Sheryll and I are in the Advanced Amateur level. Sheryll won First Place (B&W BC Parks), 3 Second Place (B&W Architecture, B&W Plants, Color Landscape) and 2 Third Place (B&W Landscape and Bonus Photo, a B&W Architecture). Yes, she apparently likes black &white photographs. Too bad she missed the darkroom days. I won 3 First Place (B&W Animals, Color Animals, and Color Plants), 4 Second Place (all B&W in Landscape, Architecture, Plants and BC Parks) and 1 Third Place (BC Parks Color). Impressive and humbling. It is validation that the work we put into the time and travel is worth it, the effort we take to improve pays off and above all else, it is fun and something we enjoy doing together. Sheryll has really grown. Five years ago, if you said Sheryll would be out in 10 with a 20 mph wind beside a frozen lake, I would still be laughing. All that was needed was a camera (on a tripod, of course!) to make it happen.
When preparing pictures for the contest, you have high hopes for all entered images. But you never know. This year a 4th judge was added and all came with a different perspective which was good for the judging. My two favorites were the Bald Eagle and my landscape of the Barnegat jetty. My eagle won and the jetty didn't. My b&w of another bald eagle won a 1st and yet I wasn't happy with the conversion from color. Photography is a very subjective subject! There were some very good photographs entered in both levels and next years' Advanced Amateur level will definitely grow. It is a good way to get ideas on places to visit for future outings and we have some good ideas. The Best of Show was a picture taken at the Eastern State Penitentiary and every bit worthy of the award. What a place to visit and is definitely on our list.
It is fun to watch the winners, especially those new to competing. Of course, some go home disappointed. Hopefully, learning can come out of the experience. I have included 3 of my winners, Sheryll's will follow soon. The first is the Bald Eagle, then the flower and then the mill picture. Hope you enjoy!

Always go to the light,
Steve

Gettysburg's new visitor center

As a continuation of our trip to Gettysburg from January 30th, we spent a great deal of time in the visitors center after touring the town.
One of our ideas was to take a tour with a licensed guide from the park. We haven't done this before but have heard part of their talks from prior visits. Usually a two hour tour, ours stretched a little further because we had asked for specifics of Sheryll's relatives and I think he liked Sheryll's new Venza. We spent a little more time at the places her relatives regiments fought than I think a normal outing would have encompassed. At $55, not including tip, it was a good plan and I would recommend it if you are planning a visit. Although we are very familiar with the three day battle and the progression of the fight, you do learn smaller items we haven't heard of before, especially who some of the major drunks were leading the troops and some smaller items about some of the monuments. And speaking of the monuments, we have started a project on photographing some of the smaller details of the monuments. It is incredible some of the elements the craftsmen put in them. The 17th Pa Cavalry (one of Sherylls' relatives regiments) is to scale of an equipped trooper sitting on the horse with a recognizable face. You can see the fear in the eyes of horses in others and some the rifles, if not made of granite, could be loaded and fired. I think this idea has a lot of possibilities and one I plan to take further.
We also dropped by the visitors center. Many times as a matter of fact. After all, it's 20-30 degrees out and bathroom facilities are few and far between. This is a new facility that replaced the old building that was actually located where parts of the battle took place so the idea was to go bigger to house all the artifacts and get it away from the battlefield itself. They moved it about a half mile down the road, but frankly, I was disappointed. I loved the old building. It had an extensive collection of arms, clothing, munitions and it had the Electric map. There was not a clearer way to see the battle progress than by sitting in the auditorium and watching the battle unfold with tiny lights coming on and going off as troops moved about. Unfortunately, the Parks Service did not see fit to include this as an exhibit. This used to impress the Boy Scouts when we took them on campouts here and that is not easy to do. I also don't feel all the artifacts are displayed either. Sheryll seems to think that not everyone cares about all the different rifles and guns and such, so she wasn't as put off by this as I was. It was a wasted opportunity, in my opinion. The movie they show on Gettysburg was confusing to Sheryll and a disappointment to me. Only about a third of it dealt with the battle and the rest was on the Civil War. I didn't go to learn about the rest of the Civil War. As you tour the exhibits, you need to progress through quite a few of them to get to the battle itself. Once at this point, the information flows and to someone not familiar with the grounds, you can get an understanding of the 3 days. The place seems too PC to me. As much as Martin Luther King, Jr. deserves a place in history, I'm not sure if this is the venue for it. Otherwise, it is a beautiful facility. They really do need to bring in some form of the electric map. Granted the other was old, filled with asbestos and maybe needed freshening up, it very much needed to be there. I was never at the old facility when there wasn't a full house to see it. Even the new facility at Bull Run (Manassas to those of Southern Heritage) has a form of the electric map.
One outstanding feature of the visitors center is the Cyclorama. This is incredible! Cleaned up, touched up, with the sky added back to it, this is a 360 view of the last battle at Gettysburg, commonly referred as Pickett's Charge. Poor George Pickett! Although only part of a group also led by Confederate Generals Trimble and Pettigrew, poor Pickett lives on in infamy. This feature of the visitors allows me to forgive all the other shortcomings because this worth the trip. Before you is the entire battle that draws you in to every scene. This version was originally painted in 1884 and has finally been restored to its full size (which I believe is 42' high and 377' if stretched to its full length). Added are wagon pieces, cannon parts, legs and arms cast in front of the painting to add realism. Ok, no arms and legs but there was some in July of 1863. Make this part of your trip, it is time well spent.
Besides all other accoutrements the visitors center offers, the cafeteria is actually pretty good with large portions, even in the sandwiches. I felt it wasn't unreasonably priced either. At the opposite end is the large bookstore. Full of literature covering many officers, units and so on, it offers all the latest from the prominent Gettysburg authors. Maybe someday one of mine!
Add this to your itinerary, it is full of photographic possibilities and remember.....
Always go to the light,
Steve

The Philadelphia Auto Show

Today we ventured inside for a photo expedition. Sheryll had received tickets for the Auto Show so down to Philly we went. This was a first for us, having only visited these shows through other people's eyes. I took my camera, of course, since it was a week day crowds should be low. To go again, I would have taken my 12-24 instead of the 18-135. The wider angle and the distortion are a pleasing effect to me and you can cover more of the car from a closer position. Bumping up the ISO to 640 made for easy hand held shots and didn't really detract from the photos.
As Sheryll wandered around, mentally she was comparing her Venza to all the other cars and there was only one that caused a big smile as soon as she sat in it, the BMW X6 sport utility for about $85000. Can't blame her. It had phenomenal lines, sat up just enough to make it easy to get in and out of, a wide stance that just screamed to fly over some winding country road and seats that just said no problem to whatever road you wanted to zoom around.
Of course, everyone (at least everyone that hasn't won the lottery) goes to dream about the car they would buy if they won the lottery. Those that have just go to the dealer, drink his latest vintage Chardonnay and abuse the poor cussed salesman into given him a better price because "Muffy" just has to have it before the next cotillion. So, here is my list if I had the right 6 numbers. I, of course, would not have a "Muffy" but I would have first and foremost a Porsche 911 Carrera. Not sure if it would be the PDK manual shift automatic or the manual 6 speed or of the color but it would be a Porsche. Fell in love with it when my high school chemistry teacher bought the '67 Targa in orange and black. Wouldn't matter how many zeros or commas where in the amount either.
If I was born of stock that came from big oil or hotels that charge thousands per night, I would consider the Bentley. Big on power, really big on comfort and just oozes class. Of course, I'm not ready for that set yet so I would probably go with the Aston Martin Rapide. After all, if Prince Charles needs to go out in public with Camilla, he needs something to please the paparazzi because it sure isn't her and if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me! Oh yea, James Bond drove earlier models also. Once again, really big on power, comfort, class and looks.
If I was the type that couldn't care about the homeless guy on the steam vent, wore tons of Guido chains and had the top three buttons undone on my shirts than I would definitely be seen in the Lamborghini LP 570-4 Superleggera at just a tad under $235000. I think Darth Vader was on the design team. No hyper drive but you do get a V-10 with 570 horse power, 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 mile an hour. I think Superleggera means you get a tall long legged Italian super model in the passenger seat also (hey, think is my fantasy isn't it?).
The SUV would definitely be the X6 from BMW for the above reasons. A very close second was the Acura ZDX. An unbelievable sound system, racy looks, once again that wide stance and great seats for that zoom zooming again. A little smaller than the X6 but worthy of a look.
I'm not sure where they fit in, but Mercedes has to fit in somewhere. They are just an awesome company. So many design and safety features everyone else spews out came from their engineers. Innovation begins here. The CL S550 just says quietly, "Yeah. I'm successful" without flaunting it and the performance of the SLS AMG will have your passenger screaming to let her out if you if were to put it through its paces that it's capable of. So, you pull over, open the gull wing doors, let her out and carry on. It's gonna' perform even better with one person than two anyway.
To haul your toys around, you need the truck. A big truck. Toyota may have car like qualities but we're talking truck here. Still didn't see anything better than the Ford F250 with the diesel. Chevy sounded hollow shutting the doors and the interior looked cheesy with all the plastic trim. And that hurts too because I have always been a Chevy guy. Dodge still has the same old design and fit and finish. The Cummings diesel is a big teaser but it's still in the Dodge. I would still go with the Ford.
I would have to stop here because of not enough room in the garage. After all, it is already stuffed with all the muscle cars from the late sixties. You know the ones, 67 & 70 Chevelles, 66 GTO, 68 GTX, 67 Nova, 69 Z-28 and some Mustang also. Remember, we are fantasizing here.
Both photos are just fun images from the show. Something beyond Car & Driver pix.
If you get the chance, put on the wide angle lens, bump up the ISO, go early and enjoy your own fantasy. I did! And remember....
Always go to the light,
Steve

You went where?!!! But it's snowing!

One of our favorite places to visit is the Gettysburg National Military Park in south central Pa. It offers immense possibilities for photography and the opportunity to learn more about the famous battleground. I have been to GNMP about a dozen times and every time it offers me more. I have always wanted to visit in the winter and this past weekend was the chance. Sheryll has done genealogical research and has learned that she had three relatives that were actually involved in the battle. (Another blog to follow soon on this subject). As soon as we were done digging out of 16" of snow, we loaded the car and headed west. Gettysburg, three hours away, had about 6" of snow so we were headed to milder climates.
The weather was going to be a risk because more fronts were due to be moving through. Every time you go out you hope for the right sunrise or the perfect sunset ( and we have had some beauties there) or the sun to break through the clouds at the right time. For instance. Saturday morning had all the makings of that a terrific sunrise. Ok, if you forego the 21 degree temperature it had all the makings of one. The sun rose and soon a large orange ball began to appear over the horizon. I had planned to get a shadow of a statue on the side of a barn right at the main part of the 3rd day of the battle. As the sun was rising, I began to get a nice glow on the side of the barn but it was apparent that the sun was not in the right position in the sky to align it on the barn but I was getting good reflections of the trees behind it. I just needed about 5 more minutes and they would have been perfectly lined up and would have been a very good composition. Alas, 'twas not to be. As time went on so did the clouds and just as fast as Emeril could say "Bam!", the sun went behind a solid line of clouds. No more shadows. Just flat light. And that was about the conditions we had the duration of the trip. If it wasn't flat light, it was snow.
Something to keep in mind when out shooting in the snow is exposure compensation. All the reflected light off the snow fools the light meter into thinking the scene is brighter than it is and you end up with grey snow. As strange as it seems, you need to add more light so you need to add a plus when compensating. When using older film cameras it was not unusual to add 1 1/2 stops or more but newer digitals seem to work best with +.3 or +.7, depending on whether you are in half or third stops in your menu. Paying close attention to your LCD will show you what is working best. This is one time the histogram is not too much help as the spike will be very high on the right side and flat on the left. Bracketing also helps and with the lower price of chips today, there is no reason not to. Sometimes I think I may not be as careful with a shot today as I was in the past because digital has made it so easy to take more to get the one you need or want. That may not be a bad thing. Last weekend in film speak would have been the equivalent of 25 rolls of film and about $525. I would have done things differently.
The first picture is taken from Wheatfield Rd. towards Little Roundtop. This was the southern most end of the Union line and the high ground overlooking Devils Den. It was the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting on the battleground in the three days (also where two other of Sherylls' relatives fought).
The other picture shows one of the cannon and the amount of snow on the ground. Seems more like Valley Forge than Gettysburg but that's another era and another location.
I hope you enjoy them and our visit to Gettysburg. The next blogs will be on the visitors center and the park and another visiting Sherylls' relatives parts in the battle. Good stuff. And remember, just because the weather isn't the best there are still plenty of images waiting to be had, so remember......
Always go to the light,
Steve

Finally at the Barnegat Lighthouse

From a previous blog, you know we had intended all along to go to Barnegat Lighthouse to view what wildlife we could see but ended up at the Edwin Forsyth area. Our plan was to see the Harlequin ducks. After the detour we finally made it. Sunday was a bright day so we knew we would have good light (and as you may have guessed, we Chased the Light!). The trip is about an hour and a half so you can't be too sure what weather will prevail until you get there because it is winter and it is along the shore. Changes may come about in just a few hours time. The lighthouse is 165' tall, colored white at the base and red on the top half and a first order Fresnel lens, which simply means the lens has prisms designed into it instead of just a giant convex lens. Early versions were of one piece of glass where newer ones were of several pieces. They directed light in several directions at once and also magnified it at the same time. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1859 and designed by Lt. George Meade (later to be Gen. George Meade of Civil War fame) who also oversaw the construction of the project.
The lighthouse has a long paved walk for handicap accessibility that takes you about 100 yards out along the inlet. Barnegat is one of the worst inlets along New jersey coastline because of the shifting sands and currents that come in and out. The new jetty has a lot to do with safer conditions navigating the sound. Past the concrete jetty are large boulders that allow travel further out. All are flat on top and although some are naturally flat or were excavated that way, many have manmade flattened tops to make travel on foot easier. if you are not comfortable walking all the way out you can walk the shore and then climb back on the jetty. Sheryll chose this option for some of the distance. In all fairness, walking is easier and you can make better time. Just get back on the jetty where all the cameras are pointing. Birding is a popular event along the jetty and many species are seen. Brandts, mergansers, loons, longtails, scoters and eiders swim beside the jetty and on the jetty are purple plovers and turnstones. Fisherman use the jetty also. So photographic opportunities abound.
Harlequin ducks are only visiting during the coldest part of the winter and are usually found much further north in the rocky New England coast. They are a medium sized duck but very colorful. Bodies are a blueish grey with bright rust colored sides and strokes of white with black outlines on their bodies. They move along quickly as they bob up and down in between occasional dives under water. Although they don't seem to be moving, it takes a pretty fast shutter speed to keep them sharp. Even at 1/250 sec @f8 they are not tack sharp. They may look OK in the view finder but when viewed full screen on the monitor they are not as clear as you would like. Luckily, with good light, faster shutter speeds are an available option. You could also up the ISO rating but you should be aware of where your camera begins to become an issue with noise and stay below that. Of course, in the brightness of day this should be a non issue. You may just begin to lose some definition if you go too high.
As well as the 80-400mm lens, I also put my Tokina 12-24mm wide angle in my coat pocket to get a different perspective of the jetty on the way back. This is a cool lens and one I don't use enough. It can really make you look at a subject differently and get a little more creative in the process. It focuses very close, about 18", and has a great hyper focal distance. I got down amongst the rocks and it gave me a view different than looking down all the time. I converted the on e shot into an HDR and was happy with the results. This was a three shot mix using Photomatix 4. This is a great program I am planning to cover shortly in a future blog.
If you're looking for a different type of duck that is a rare visitor or intriqued by a chance to walk along some giant rocks, Barnegat lighthouse may be what you are looking for. Remember,
Always go to the light,
Steve

Upgrading to PhotoShop Elements 9

There are so many options to choose from when it comes to editing pictures. Of course, the granddaddy of all is the Photoshop Creative Suites (CS5) and it's not cheap at $650. It offers more than anyone will ever use. There are a few specialty editing programs from ArcSoft that are used by specific business' that come close to the price and editing features of CS5. Below this step are your Lightroom and Aperture. Both excellent at organizing libraries of images and quite a bit of editing capabilities but you still need an editor to complete the process. The next level are the consumer based programs. Corel Paint Shop Photo Pro, ACDSee Photo Editor and Photoshop Elements are all included and can do just about anything you need for most work. Of course, you can't forget the free programs such as Picasso and GIMP.
Several years ago we decided on using Elements. There are many who downplay the capabilities because it won't use 16 bit mode, only 8, and there are other controls in each option that give you greater control over the image while working in it, especially in the layers. Does 8 bit or 16 bit matter? Yes. Do you want to work with 16 million colors or 281 trillion colors? Do the math. There are huge differences in 16 bit and the image is basically being worked in while not losing any quality. 8 bit will lose some quality as the colors are just not available. But do I want to spend $650 on a editing program. Or, Can I spend $650 on editing program? Guess you know by now what that answer was. No doubt, if circumstances change I will make the expensive move. You need to keep in mind that .jpeg itself is only an 8 bit format. So, we work in RAW, do as much work in 16 bit mode as we can, save in .PSD and then when needed we save as a .jpeg. I need to add a BIG disclaimer here. I am by no means a Photoshop pro or a math genius nor do I profess to be. I try to hunt for as much information available, gather it all together and try to make an educated guess as to what will work for me. Hey, back to my hunter-gatherer roots! It may be different from your findings but I will go where I am most comfortable. You may have different roots.
We first started working with PSE 5. It takes some getting used to anything new like this as you no longer get any kind of manuals with directions with the programs. But, this has opened up a huge market for those that are experts in this and made some people very rich and famous as well. Just ask Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski and Barbara Brundage. By the way, if you use Elements and you don't have Kelby's book, you are either very good or not using anywhere near all the capabilities of the program. Do yourself a favor (and his wallet) and get the book. The layouts are step by step with very good descriptions. In our computer/photo editing room, it is not rare to hear, "How do you do .....?" and the reply is mostly, "How did Kelby do it?" OK, mostly it's me asking Sheryll. Each upgrade has added just enough to keep me going up. We started with 5, went to 6, skipped 7, jumped to 8 and went to 9. That's why we are here. Most times, enough is added to make you want to do it. This time there were improvements in PhotoMerge Style match which matches older styles of printing and some films. What is neat about this is when done and you open the images further in Editor, all the layers from the image are there as a .PSD for you to tweak a little further. Photomerge Panorama does a better job with the edges of merged images. This is a fun option and only a slight jump from PSE 8 which was a big jump from earlier versions. A big improvement, and one I haven't played with yet, but look forward to, is the improvement in working with layers. Supposedly you will be able to work on one layer while seeing the other behind it. This is supposed to be just like its bigger brother without some minor tweaks while in the work zone. A big improvement. Also, a big reason for this jump to PSE9 this time was we got if for just $39 after the rebates during the Christmas season. Not bad for a normal price of $99. You should still be able to purchase it for $59 after the rebate if you shop around.
I am always a little leery of making changes to my computer. Generations ago people had kids to work the land with them. Today, it's so we understand all the new electronic gadgets. Well, when they are 6 hours away each in different directions, we work the electronic land a little differently. And when I changed to a new computer, all the images and such moved over with only minor frustration, but none of the keywords or albums were attached to the individual pictures any more. Any idea how pleasant and time consuming it is to go through 20,000 plus images to reattach them? Not at all. But it was a good time to go through and delete. Upgrading wasn't too bad. About a half hour the first time. Something about it wasn't right and the program kept causing the computer to stall as I watched the little circle go round and round. Viewing the CPU usage in task manager reinforced something wasn't right also. It went from 3% to 80%, from 6% to 95% and so on and on and on. I also couldn't get the disk out of the burner either. So I uninstalled and tried again. Same thing (but I got the disk out this time). By the way, it's not a computer or memory issue as it is most times. I am using a Cyberpower quad core I5 chip running 64 bit Windows 7 with 8 meg of ram. A little above box store computers as much of the complaints of photo editing people are memory problems and less powerful CPUs. I rarely have a problem doing anything.
A little research and I found the solution. The problem is Elements is trying to read all the thumbnails and is slowing down trying to read them all. Just simple went to Organizer selected Edit>Select all files>Edit(again)>Update thumbnail. Problem solved ( I hope!). That appears to have worked. It is opening images right up and allowing moving about in Editor with ease. I am trying to tweak the speeds some because I have so much ram available. This is done by going to Edit>Preferences>Performance. This window will tell you the ram available. I am taking this slow just to see if I can perk it up a bit. Another plus is all my keywords and albums are there and I'm back to when importing new images into Organizer, just the new images open. Something that didn't happen in PSE 8, but did on Sheryll's computer so I maybe had something turned off that I shouldn't have. And except for having to put in my info on the metadata and converting my two catalogs it wasn't a bad experience. As Winston Churchill said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself".
So don't be afeared. If you are looking for a new editing program, I can recommend PSE 9. If you don't know of its limitations, you are not limited. It will certainly take you to the next level in your photography. Some day Adobe will bring Elements right up beside its big brother and I will be right there for the upgrade! And remember......
Always go to the light,
Steve