Bird Photography During the Pandemic – Part 3

More photos of birds frequenting my feeder setup.
Continue reading »

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Photographing the Glade Creek Grist Mill

Glade Creek Grist Mill

Equipment
Hasselblad X1D Digital Camera
Hasselblad XCD 30mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 90mm Lens
Accessories (the usual suspects; more details here)

Where and When
Located in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia in Babcock State Park, the Glade Creek Grist Mill is a popular subject for fall photography. It’s not a restored mill or a brand new mill. It’s a composite, completed in 1976, built from parts from defunct mills around the state, and is a replica of the original Cooper’s Mill that was located nearby. It’s like a ’57 Chevy built from parts from a dozen other junkyard cars. And this “Chevy” still runs! You can purchase cornmeal and buckwheat flour, ground on the premises.

Our timing (early October 2017) wasn’t perfect. The remnants of Hurricane Nate were passing through. Fall colors weren’t quite at their peak. And there wasn’t much water running through the creek. Fortunately, there weren’t many other photographers or tourists braving the weather conditions, and the rain and mist resulted in more saturated colors in the foliage that surrounded the mill.

Photo opportunities abound, with good shooting locations downstream, from the side, and up close and personal to the mill itself. I’ve also seen some outstanding photos of the mill in winter with snow covering the mill, creek bed and trees.

On September 29, 2014, the Glade Creek Grist Mill was featured on a USPS Priority Mail postage stamp:

The scenes depicted on the first day cover and stamp are coincidentally similar to my photos. I had not seen the stamp until recently, well after my trip.

Getting there is half the fun, going through West Virginia’s mountainous countryside any time of year.

For trip planning, Robert Hitchman’s Photograph America Newsletter – West Virginia Back Roads has a good description of the mill and local accommodations.

Click on a photo to enlarge:

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
Topaz Sharpen AI
Nik Color Efex Pro
FrameShop script

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Photographing the Canadian Rockies with the Hasselblad X1D 50C

Photos framed using the FrameShop script.

Equipment
Hasselblad X1D Digital Camera
Hasselblad XCD 30mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 45mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 90mm Lens
Hasselblad HC 210mm Lens
Novoflex Tripod (TrioBalance with 3-section Legs)
Arca-Swiss L60 Leveler Head
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SD Cards
Accessories (the usual suspects; more details here)

Where and When
The province of Alberta, Canada, centered near Calgary in Okotoks, exploring south to Crowsnest Pass and west to Lake Louise in June 2018.

This “first for me” trip to Alberta was a success, thanks to our gracious host, good friend, and fellow photographer David Duffin, who acted as our guide and expert source of information on everything about Alberta. David is a true gentleman and his photographs of the Canadian landscape, particularly of Canadian railroads, are truly stunning. Thanks also to my long time friend and frequent photo trip companion, Ron Basinger, for joining me on this trip and for helping me point the lens in the right direction.

The Canadian Rockies are in a word, breathtaking. I found myself in awe at every bend in the road. Photos don’t do the scenery justice. The photos in this post and in my Gallery are just a sample of what one can see through the viewfinder. When you step from behind the camera, your jaw drops. Stunning!

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
FrameShop script

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Bird Photography During the Pandemic – Part 2

More photos of birds frequenting my feeder setup. A few new species, different “poses”, and a new “stage” (woodpecker feeder) have been added.

Photos framed using the FrameShop script.

Equipment
Leica SL2 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 Lens
Sirui L-10 Aluminium Tilt Monopod Head
AmazonBasics Carbon Fiber Monopod
General Brand 82mm Collapsible Rubber Lens Hood
Really Right Stuff MPR-73 Multi-Purpose Rail (for lens foot)
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SD Card

Setup
A woodpecker feeder has been added to the feeder and perch setup.


All photos were taken from indoors, shooting through a double-pane window, using a black cloth to conceal my location. The rubber lens hood allows the front of the lens to be close to the window and helps reduce/eliminate reflections.

Settings
P-S-A-M mode: Manual
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec.
ISO: Auto ISO (Maximum 6400)
White balance: Auto
Focus mode: AF-S
AF mode: Spot
Exposure metering: Multi-Field
Drive mode: Continuous-Medium Speed
Image stabilization: On

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
FrameShop script

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , |

Bird Photography During the Pandemic

Photos framed using the FrameShop script.

Equipment
Leica SL2 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 Lens
Sirui L-10 Aluminium Tilt Monopod Head
AmazonBasics Carbon Fiber Monopod
General Brand 82mm Collapsible Rubber Lens Hood
Really Right Stuff MPR-73 Multi-Purpose Rail (for lens foot)
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SD Card

Setup

All photos were taken from indoors, shooting through a double-pane window, using a black cloth to conceal my location. The rubber lens hood allows the front of the lens to be close to the window and helps reduce/eliminate reflections.

Settings
P-S-A-M mode: Manual
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec.
ISO: Auto ISO (Maximum 6400)
White balance: Auto
Focus mode: AF-S
AF mode: Spot
Exposure metering: Multi-Field
Drive mode: Continuous-Medium Speed
Image stabilization: On

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
FrameShop script

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , |