Monthly Archives: February 2023

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February 26, 2023

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hiking, Nature, Photography, Thoughts, Travel, water

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Photographic Thoughts — 02/19/2023 to 02/25/2023

“All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth.” — Richard Avedon

Photos for this week. On vacation (or holiday) depending the country your are reading this blog in. Looked forward to a relaxing week in the warmth.

Sunday, 02/19/2023: Posted photo — Flight Pattern.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 62, f/1.8, 1/678 s, 7 mm.

During the ride down to our vacation destination, I noticed the contrail left by at plane as it was turning. Contrails or vapor trails are line-shaped clouds produced by aircraft engine exhaust or changes in air pressure, typically at aircraft cruising altitudes several miles above the Earth’s surface. A little later, I noticed that a plane took a turn and flew in front of another plane. I took my phone out, since I was the navigator at this time, and took a photo.

Monday, 02/20/2023: Posted photo — Shell.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 66, f/1.8, 1/593 s, 7 mm.

We reached our destination and took a walk on the beach. I took a photo of this shell because of its color. The beach was full of white shells. I did not see many shells that were dark. This shell is a common cockle shell. The common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) is a species of edible saltwater clam.

Tuesday, 02/21/2023: Posted photo — Under the Pier.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 22 mm.

The Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier is nearly a quarter of a mile long and offers visitors close-up views of the Atlantic Ocean. The pier was closed for years because Hurricane Matthew wiped out part of the pier in 2016, then Hurricane Irma damaged it some more in 2017. Unfortunately the pillions on the pier do not make a good of a photo as the last pier did. At least this one might hold up to hurricanes.

Wednesday, 02/22/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7, 1/8000 s, 300 mm.

Woke up early this morning to take a photo of the sunrise. Drove down to the pier to get this photo. The cloud cover was sparse, but the sunrise was wonderful. Each sunrise is different.

Tonight, while visiting family members, I saw the moon and Jupiter. Later on, I saw the moon, Jupiter, and Venus. I took out my camera and took a series of shots just after sunset. These photos are ones I took a little later at night at night time. These photos are handheld photos.

Thursday, 02/23/2023: Posted photo — Lizard.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 42, f/1.8, 1/234 s, 7 mm.

Don’t know if it is a brown anole or a Florida scrub lizard. Someone can tell me. All I know is that this little guy wanted to go with us to the beach today.

Friday, 02/24/2023: Post photo — Leaving the Nest.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 300 mm.

We watched this osprey flying around and gathering sticks for its nest. They move so quickly. This was the best photo that I got of the osprey. This photo was taken in Cradle Creek Preserve. Cradle Creek Preserve consists of 36 acres, purchased on August 9, 2001 by the City of Jacksonville Beach and the city of Jacksonville. The City of Jacksonville Beach holds title to the property. It a very peaceful place in the middle of the hustle of the beaches.

Saturday, 02/25/2023: Post photo — Feet in Ocean.

Settings: Google Pixel 7, ISO 42, f/1.8, 1/4049 s, 7 mm.

As my vacation winds down, and the snow and ice falling up north, I took this opportunity to put my feet in the ocean. With temperatures in the 80s F here and in the teens up north, just relaxing for one more day.

Here is a gull and a Royal Tern that was hanging out with us on the beach.

I also took a walk in a nature preserve and saw this great blue heron. It was going to be a quick walk so I only had my cell phone. Watched it for about 15 minutes and it did not catch a fish. I do like the reflection and the shadow.

Back to the cold weather and reality.

Went back the next day and this egret fished successfully caught a fish, a small fish, but a fish none the less.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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February 12, 2023

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hiking, Nature, Photography, Travel

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Photographic Thoughts — 02/05/2023 to 02/11/2023

“I never have taken a picture I’ve intended. They’re always better or worse.” — Diane Arbus

Photos for this week. I this week will be mostly a silent week.

Sunday, 02/05/2023: Posted photo — Richardson-Zlogar Cabin.

The AMC Worcester Chapter took had a leaders hike to the Richardson-Zlogar Cabin. We had great views of Mt. Grace (MA), Mt. Ascutney (VT), Mt. Monadnock (NH), and Mt. Wachusett (MA). It was a wonderful hike with hiking leaders, both experienced and Leaders-in-Training. There were many trees down on the trails due to recent heavy snow and ice storms. Here is a line to mor information on the cabin: https://newenglandtrail.org/overnight-sites/richardson-zlogar-cabin/.

Monday, 02/06/2023: Posted photo — Summit.

Standing on the summit of Wachusett Mountain during my weekly Monday night hike.

Tuesday, 02/07/2023: Posted photo — Full Moon.

It has been a while since I took a photo of the moon. I do not think I did so bad for not practicing for a while.

Wednesday, 02/08/2023: Posted photo — Look up.

Snow sliding off the Richaradson-Zlogar cabin. From my hike on Sunday.

Thursday, 02/09/2023: Posted photo — Roses.

Some roses to brighten up the day. I started dating my wife 35 years ago this week.

Friday, 02/10/2023: Post photo — Sunrise.

Going back into the archives for the last two photos of this week. This is from a trip a few years ago to Jacksonville Beach Florida.

Saturday, 02/11/2023: Post photo — Double Arch.

One of my favorite photos from Arches National Park. This is Double Arch. I like it because you the people in this photo give it some scale.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.

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February 5, 2023

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Nature, Photography

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Photographic Thoughts — 01/29/2023 to 02/04/2023

“I wish that all of nature’s magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed.” — Annie Leibovitz

Here is a variety of photos for this week to memorialize this week.

Sunday, 01/29/2023: Posted photo — I Can Breath.

The temperature is going to drop at weeks end. To keep our house heated properly, I cleaned out the stack to out wood stove. Over the last week, we were burning more wood than normal to keep the house warm. This created more creosote than normally produced since we were burning low, warm, fires to keep the how warm during the power outages.

Monday, 01/30/2023: Posted photo — Turkey Tracks.

During one of my walks today, I saw these turkey tracks. Looking at this photo now, I wish I would have put something down to show the relative size of these tracks. They do have a very big gait.

Tuesday, 01/31/2023: Posted photo — Blocking Clouds.

There is a comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), or the green comet, in our solar system. For most days, there has been cloud cover when you could see it. Today was the day I was attempting to see it, but once again, there was cloud cover. I will try again in the next few days, but it will be cold.

Wednesday, 02/01/2023: Posted photo — Splitting Tools.

Preparation for the artic blast, I was taking some of our firewood and splitting it into smaller pieces to extend our supply of wood. We are in no danger of running out of firewood, we still have a few cords remaining. This is a photo of our awl and the hammer I use to split wood.

Thursday, 02/02/2023: Posted photo — Sponsor.

It has been a few since we had a polar plunge. I did a plunge called Plunge for Preemies, to which I was a sponsor. This is my photo company name next to the remembrance of my aunt and one of my cousins. We had a preemie back in 1992, one of my other cousin’s children lost a child and started to work for Project Sweet Peas. I witness the plunge the first year and then took it every year from the start to 2020 when the plunge was canceled.

Friday, 02/03/2023: Post photo — Temperature Dropping.

At the start of the day, the temperature was in the high to middle 20 degrees F. At the end of the day, the temperature was -14 degrees F. That is not as cold as it was on the summit of Mount Washington. The ambient temperature was -45 degrees F with the lowest wind chill every recorded on earth, -108 degrees F. I hope nobody was hiking on the mountain last night.

Saturday, 02/04/2023: Post photo — Fire.

Keeping warm today as the temperatures raise slightly above zero degrees F.

For more photo of other projects I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com or visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotobyJosephCiras/.