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A Beautiful Day in the Country

It is a beautiful day in the country as the fall color is peaking, the roosters are crowing (and attacking my shins), the hens are laying eggs (nothing like farm fresh eggs) and the dogs are cuddled up by my feet. I'm house sitting and as usual, working hard and enjoying the country life.  I entered a photo poster and a poem in a career day contest at school. The poem won, hooray. It was about overcoming adversity.  The photo poster was about living your dream. It didn't place in the top three because it didn't really talk about career week so to speak. The original photo is by a classmate Donna R. who took a picture of an instructor's window. I took the photo, cropped it, created a reflection, text, reflection of the text in photoshop. So, I am going to post it here but of course since I didn't take the original photo, I had to include Donna, who inspired me to create the finished product. I will have to say that I am proud of my photoshop (elements) skills.  Guess I haven't forgotten everything. Thanks Donna for being an inspiration to me and to others!

Warm and Beautiful

It never ceases to amaze me how the weather can change in just a day. Yesterday is case in point where those Carolina blue skies and warm temperatures beckoned me outside with my camera. On a whim, I decided to make a day trip up to Hanging Rock State Park. It was only 35 miles away and heck, I used to commute 50 miles each way to school at RCC.  I stopped at a mom and pop store in Walnut Cove. I believe the name was Whitleys or Whittens, so I will have to stop the next time.  Anyway, the young lady working there was so nice and confirmed that I was heading the right way. She even jotted directions to get to the lower cascades waterfalls. I bought a couple of apples that were so delicious.  I didn't make it to the actual hanging rock but instead hiked to three of the four water falls.  I will have to save the upper cascades and the hanging rock for the next time. The staff at the visitor's center was great too. I am going to post one of the waterfall pictures that I took.  I didn't have a neutral density filter with me but it was late afternoon and in shade so I just played  with the aperture priority and increased the f-stop until I got what I wanted with regards to misting the water. I might not be in the actual photography program at RCC until next summer but I do continue to be a student of photography and hope to continually learn and improve. Really, even as a graduate and professional photographer, are we not all students, trying to learn and improve our craft as we move along in our journey?

Brrr, Baby It's Cold Outside!

Despite the suddenly frigid temperatures, I still had a wonderful day of hiking at the Environmental Center in Jamestown, NC off of Penny Rd and on the Fall Foilage Tour on the pontoon boat at High Point City Lake Park. The tourguide also happens to be the Park Supervisor and a fellow UNCW alumi and was quite knowledgeable.  We saw several Great Blue Herons, some nice Fall color, a beaver dam (which I also saw on the hike) and even a Kingfisher. I didn't know that they were so small. I stayed around the park and shot some more pictures and then drove to the Sheets gas station for a large hot chocolate. Yummm!

Another Day at the Park

I spent a good deal of Thursday at the High Point City Lake Park, where I had the good fortune to meet to of the park employees. Shawn, who like me loves nature photography, enjoys taking pictures during his lunch break. He graciously showed me some of his work, which is located at http://shawnrmcentee.smugmug.com/. Wow, it is some phenomenal photography, and work like that is something I aspire to do. Gary was the other employee who gave me some great information about the environmental center off of Penny Rd. He also told me about the fall foilage tour, which I was fortunate enough to get a seat in. I found out it is on the pontoon boat and goes all around the lake. There may still be some seats left on the 2pm tour, which is Saturday, November 6th, so call (336) 883- 3498 to see. At $4 for a 45 minute boat tour, it is less than the cost of a movie, to get up close and personal with nature. Bring your camera and I hope to see you there.

With that said, it was a cold dreary day at the park but I had a great time walking around and taking pictures. I think I was one of only about 4 people other than the employees who was enjoying the park despite the weather. I had a couple that I think might rate being put on the blog. Here they are.

Love that Fall color!

I love this time of year. The stifling heat of summer is finally waning and the bone chilling cold of winter has not yet arrived. 

That transitional period is just bursting with color and I have been fortunate enought to catch a glimpse through the eye of my camera. It seems like a magical time and the setting sun peeks through to give the scenes the kiss of evening fire.