Photographic Thoughts — 03/19/2023 to 03/25/2023

You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” — Joan Miro

Random thoughts and ideas for this week.

Sunday, 03/19/2023: Posted photo — Laetare Sunday.

From the Catholic Dictionary: “The fourth Sunday of Lent, when the introductory word of the Introit is laetare, “Rejoice O Jerusalem.” As it is Mid-Lent Sunday, rose vestments are worn, flowers are permitted on the altar, and the organ is played.” Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It’s a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.

This is the view of the altar from the choir loft of our church.

Monday, 03/20/2023: Posted photo — Hike.

Some photos from my weekly Monday night hike on Wachusett Mountain. It is getting lighter as we start our hike. Soon no headlamp will be needed.

Tuesday, 03/21/2023: Posted photo — Sunflower.

A sunflower that I saw today while I was out shopping. Tuesday night is my shopping night.

Wednesday, 03/22/2023: Posted photo — Umpqua River Lighthouse.

From the website: https://oregonisforadventure.com/oregon-lighthouses/#:~:text=Umpqua%20River%20Lighthouse,lighthouse%20on%20the%20Oregon%20coast. “The Umpqua River Lighthouse was the first lighthouse on the Oregon coast. To this day, you are still able to climb to the top of it while also learning more about the area’s history. It is still operational and has only recently switched over from bulbs to LEDs to keep it lower maintenance. Once you reach the top, you are even able to take a look inside the working light.

The lighthouse a vibrant history, Before it was placed on the bluff on the entrance to Winchester Bay, it was commissioned along the beach of the Umpqua River in 1857. It was then moved less than 10 years later.”

This is a photo of inside the lighthouse I took a few years ago during one of our west coast trips to visit family.

Thursday, 03/23/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise.

The weather is getting warmer. Rain has been predicted for today so I was happy to see the sunrise on my way to work.

During sunrise and sunset the sun is low in the sky, and it transmits light through the thickest part of the atmosphere. A red sky suggests an atmosphere loaded with dust and moisture particles. We see the red, because red wavelengths (the longest in the color spectrum) are breaking through the atmosphere.

Friday, 03/24/2023: Post photo — Crater Lake National Park.

This is me standing in front of Wizard Island, a volcanic cinder cone, which forms an island at the west end of Crater Lake. Photo taken by my wife.

At 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America. Famous for its beautiful blue color, the lake’s water comes directly from snow or rain – there are no inlets from other water sources. Crater Lake was formed by the fall of a volcano. Mount Mazama, a 12,000-foot-tall volcano, erupted and collapsed approximately 7,700 years ago.

Saturday, 03/25/2023: Post photo — Loon.

From https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Loon/overview, “The eerie calls of Common Loons echo across clear lakes of the northern wilderness. Summer adults are regally patterned in black and white. In winter, they are plain gray above and white below, and you’ll find them close to shore on most seacoasts and a good many inland reservoirs and lakes. Common Loons are powerful, agile divers that catch small fish in fast underwater chases. They are less suited to land, and typically come ashore only to nest.”

I have an interest in loons. When my wife and I went on our honeymoon almost 32 years ago, we were on a secluded island in a lake in northern Maine and were serenaded by loons.

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/.

Photographic Thoughts — 01/01/2023 to 01/07/2023

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” — Ansel Adams

Happy New Years to all. Wishing you all a healthy and safe 2023.

Sunday, 01/01/2023: Posted photo — Sunrise Selfie.

Happy New Year’s to all. For the last 15 or so years, I have been starting off the new year by hiking a local mountain to see the first sunrise of the year. This year’s hike was a wonderful hike. There had been snow and ice on the trails for most of December. Just after Christmas, we had a warm and rainy spell so there was not ice and snow. I did have to use my microspikes in areas near the trailhead and the mountain was clear of snow and ice at the summit.

Monday, 01/02/2023: Posted photo — 7 Sisters Hike.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/3.5, 20 s, 18 mm.

On the second day of the new year, I hiked the 7 Sisters in Mt. Holyoke Range. The 3,000-acre Mount Holyoke Range State Park features a 7-mile mountain ridge line. The park also includes streams, wetlands, woods, and thickets. Visitors can explore more than 30 miles of blazed trails.

The range may be on a ridge line, but during the first three miles of the hike, there were ten different peaks. Looking at my gps tracking, I agree with someone I was hiking with, the tracking looks like the EKG of ones heartbeat. Not and easy hike, but fun. Again, now snow and ice. The range is at lower elevations that near my house. The highest peak in the range is lower than the elevation of my house. The difference is that you start just above sea leave because the range starts near on the of major rivers in the area. The Mount Holyoke Range is unique because it runs east to west, not north to south as most of the ranges. The Metacomet Ridge runs mostly north to south.

Tuesday, 01/03/2023: Posted photo — Mount Holyoke.

This is a photo of Mount Holyoke from the high point of the range, Mount Hitchcock at 1,005 feet. This is 1,001 feet lower than the mountain that frequent, Wachusett Mountain.

Mount Holyoke, a traprock mountain, elevation 935 feet, is the westernmost peak of the Holyoke Range and part of the 100-mile Metacomet Ridge. The mountain is in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts.

Wednesday, 01/04/2023: Posted photo — Ladder.

One of the hills on the 7 Sister’s hike required the use of this ladder. As I noted a few days ago, the hills were very steep on the trail. The route I took had about 1,092 feet in elevation gain. As you can see, the elevation gain was more that the height of the tallest peak on the hike.

Thursday, 01/05/2023: Posted photo — Snow.

Starting to snow around here. Great to see the ground covered in snow again. This snow is a wet snow, so I need to keep up with the shoveling so that it does not get too heavy.

Friday, 01/06/2023: Post photo — During the Storm.

Happy Epiphany. Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God in His Son as human in Jesus Christ.

About this photo: one thing about snow is it does make for some great photos.

Saturday, 01/07/2023: Post photo — Full Moon.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 135 mm.

Today I went on a full moon hike with the members of my hiking group. We are re-starting group hikes with the group. When the group was founded eleven years ago next week my four of my friends and myself, the goal was to do group hikes. It lasted for a while, then the group grew exponentially. Now we are back to schedule group hikes to get back to our roots.

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/.

Photographic Thoughts — 12/18/2022 to 12/24/2022

“Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.” — Matt Hardy

This week will be short because of the Christmas holiday.

The week started out with the fourth Sunday in Advent. On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance as we wait for the birth of our Savior. This final candle, the “Angel’s Candle,” symbolizes peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

The second item I would like to show this week is my patch for completing all 48 of New Hampshire’s highest mountains. These are all over 4,000 feet in height. The shortest of these mountains is Mount Tecumseh at 4,003 feet and the tallest being Mount Washington at 6,288 feet. To be on this list there must be a 200-foot prominence between peaks. There are many other mountains that are over 4,000 feet but they do not meet the 200-foot rule. Follow this link for a history of the 4,000 foot club.

After 40 years (10 on, 20 off, 10 on) I have finally completed my counting round of 48. The last peak of this round, Mt Hale, I did was after my ankle injury. Hale was a nice and easy 4000-footer to end on. I started this round just out of high school to help some friends complete their first 4K, Mt. Washington. I hiked with more friends in college just to get outdoors. I took a break when I started to work and finished when my son started to hike. Never give up on your goals.

The last photo I would like to share this week is from the summit of Wachusett Mountain. I just like the glow of the lights from the ski area on the snow and ice covered trees.

Thank you and happy holidays to all.

Back to normalcy next week.

Photographic Thoughts — 10/09/2022 to 10/15/2022

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” — Dorothea Lange

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

One of these weeks I will be up to date on my posts. I am attempting to get back to my original format so people do not lose interest in my blog.

Some photos that I took this week.

Sunday, 10/09/2022: Posted photo — Pattern.

I liked the pattern on the roof in our church.

Monday, 10/10/2022: Posted photo — View from the Summit.

This was my view from the summit of Wachusett Mountain tonight. The light is my headlamp.

Tuesday, 10/11/2022: Posted photo — WACHUSETT.

This was the original summit benchmark on Wachusett Mountain.

01/01/1844 by CGS (SEE DESCRIPTION)

DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1844 ON THE SUMMIT ON WACHUSETT MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 8 MILES SW OF FITCHBURG, 3-1/4 MILES SSW OF WACHUSETT VILLAGE AND 2-3/4 MILES N OF PRINCETON CENTER. THE STATION IS ON A DETACHED ROCK ABOUT 4 FEET BY 2 FEET AND IS MARKED BY A COPPER BOLT SET IN THE ROCK. THREE REFERENCE MARKS, HOLES DRILLED IN ROCKS, AND FILLED WITH LEAD AND COPPER TACKS, WERE PLACED IN THE FORM OF AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE ABOUT THE STATION AT DISTANCES OF 11 FEET 11-3/4 INCHES TO THE NNE, SE BY S, AND W BY S, RESPECTIVELY. IN 1884 ONLY THE LAST-NAMED REFERENCE MARK REMAINED, THE OTHERS HAVING DISAPPEARED IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD AND THE ERECTION OF A HOTEL CALLED THE SUMMIT HOUSE. IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ROCK BEARING THE STATION MARK WAS MOVED TO BE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOTEL, BUT, SUBSEQUENTLY ON LEARNING THAT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT MARK OF THE COAST SURVEY, AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RESTORE IT TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. THE MASSACHUSETTS TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY COMMISSION HAVING OCCASION IN 1895 TO USE THE POINT, AND LEARNING OF ITS REPORTED REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT, DETERMINED THE POSITION OF THE COPPER BOLT AS FOUND AND CALLED THE STATION WACHUSETT 2. THEIR FINAL COMPUTATION INDICATES THAT WACHUSETT 2 IS 0.3 METER S AND 0.2 METER E OF THE ORIGINAL STATION.

Wednesday, 10/12/2022: Posted photo — WACHUSETT 2 RESET

`

This is the new summit benchmark.

NAD 83(1996)-  42 29 20.59612(N)    071 53 12.26962(W)     ADJUSTED

MY3792* NAVD 88     –       611.32   (+/-2cm)    2005.6    (feet)  VERTCON

MARKER: B = BOLT

SETTING: 80 = SET IN A BOULDER

MAGNETIC: N = NO MAGNETIC MATERIAL

STABILITY: C = MAY HOLD, BUT OF TYPE COMMONLY SUBJECT TO SURFACE MOTION

Thursday, 10/13/2022: Posted photo — Foliage.

Wonderful day today to look up at the sky.

Friday, 10/14/2022: Post photo — Mums.

Some mums that we have at our house

Saturday, 10/15/2022: Post photo — Gene Farrell.

One of my good friends passed away this week from ALS. He had great faith and always looked on the bright side.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. My he rest in peace. Amen.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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/.

Photographic Thoughts — 09/25/2022 to 10/01/2022

“Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.” — Ambrose Bierce

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Here are some random photos from my first photo book. My second photo book is in process. I am looking for someone to print and sell my books are a reasonable price point.

Sunday, 09/25/2022: Posted photo — Dunefield.

A dune field located in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. Being on the dunes was like being in the middle of a desert. What impressed me is how far away from the park you can see the dunes.

Monday, 09/26/2022: Posted photo — Frozen Watch Tower.

This is a photo of the old watch tower on Wachusett Mountain. You can clearly see the wind blow ice on the tower.

Tuesday, 09/27/2022: Posted photo — The Golden Rule.

My niece got married this past weekend. She married one of my son’s friends, a great guy. He asked my son if he could date his cousin. I found a verse in the Bible, took off my wedding ring to take this photo. This is a photo that I have wanted to take for a while.

Wednesday, 09/28/2022: Posted photo — Balance Rock.

Balance Rock in Arches National Park. This is not the traditional view of Balance Rock, but I like it.

Thursday, 09/29/2022: Posted photo — Footbridge of the Virgin River.

I saw this bridge at Zion National Park and took this photo. I liked the way the bridge was situated with the view of the cliffs and the water.

Friday, 09/30/2022: Post photo — Star Trail.

Every once and awhile I have an urge to take a star trail photo. I set up my camera, point north to the stars, set my timer on 20 seconds and unlimited shots, go to bed and let either drain my camera battery of fill my SD card. I have a stacking program that I use to create my star trail.

Saturday, 10/01/2022: Post photo — Reflection Lakes.

One of my favorite photos and the cover photo of my first photo book. Just loved the stillness of the water and the reflection of Mount Rainier.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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/.

Photographic Thoughts — 08/14/2022 to 08/20/2022

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” — Dorothea Lange

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Sunday, 08/14/2022: Posted photo — Nubble Lighthouse.

On December 18, 1997 the announcement came from the office of Senator Olympia Snow that, based on its strong application, The Town of York Maine was, and will continue to be, the permanent guardian for Nubble Lighthouse (Cape Neddick Light Station). The daily work of maintenance for the Nubble Lighthouse is under the Parks Department who care for the property and the buildings on a daily basis. The United States Coast Guard continues to maintain the aids to navigation (the Light and the Horn).

Monday, 08/15/2022: Posted photo — Underwater Photo.

This is my very first underwater photo. I took it in Cozumel Mexico on a trip to Key West to attend my nephew’s wedding.

Tuesday, 08/16/2022: Posted photo — Clock.

Droste Effect refers to an artistic technique that creates a recursive picture in which a smaller version of the image is placed inside itself repeatedly. In still images, the recursion is limited by the fixed resolution of the picture but can repeat as an infinite loop in animations.

Wednesday, 08/17/2022: Posted photo — Route 66.

This photo was taken at the Petrified Forest National Park. I took this photo is color and really like the way it looked in black and white.

Thursday, 08/18/2022: Posted photo — Double Arch.

One of the many arches in Arches National Park. If you look closely at the photo, you can see people. This gives the arch some scale.

Double Arch is an incredible formation of arches within the Windows area of Arches National Park, an area with the largest concentration of natural arches in the entire world. Double Arch takes its name because of it consists of two arches that share the same stone as a foundation for both of their outer legs. Double Arch was formed by downward water erosion from atop the sandstone, rather than from side-to-side water erosion.

Visible from the parking loop at The Windows, Double Arch is an impressive feature—the tallest (112 ft/34 m) and second-longest (144 ft/44 m) arch in the park.

Friday, 08/19/2022: Post photo — Prince of Wales Hotel.

The Prince of Wales was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1927 as an extension of the Glacier Park Lodges and today, stays true to its roots. From the furniture in the lobby to our Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu, the hotel is dotted with historic elements and period-specific inspiration.

Saturday, 08/20/2022: Post photo — Grand Tetons.

The Tetons see from Colter Bay on Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park at sunset.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 08/07/2022 to 08/13/2022

“Photography has nothing to do with cameras.” — Lucas Gentry

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Sunday, 08/07/2022: Posted photo — American Bison.

Photo location: Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Difference between a bison and a buffalo:

Range: Wild American bison occur only in North America, European bison in Europe, water buffalo in Asia, and African buffalo in Africa.

Size: Most buffalo species are larger than bison species—1,900 to 2,600 pounds versus 1,600 to 2,000 pounds.1

Horns: Bison have short and stubby horns whereas buffalo’s are long and curvy.

Beard: Only bison have long, shaggy beards.

Shoulder hump: Only bison have a distinctive shoulder hump, the American bison’s more prominent than the European bison’s.

Source: https://www.treehugger.com/difference-between-bison-and-buffalo-6499776

Monday, 08/08/2022: Posted photo — Brown Pelican.

Photo location: Key West Florida

To find Brown Pelicans, head to the southern coasts of the US (Atlantic, Gulf, or Pacific) and look for huge birds gliding low over the water—check nearby gulls and cormorants as a size reference. These birds plunge into the water to feed. The huge splashes they make can, from out of the corner of your eye, look like a whale’s spout. If you see a splash, look for the bird on the water’s surface as it drains water from its throat pouch, or scan for other pelicans circling around to dive in the same spot. If you can’t find pelicans over the water, head to a jetty, mudflat, or estuary to look for groups of them resting.

Source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Pelican/overview

Tuesday, 08/09/2022: Posted photo — Dall’s Porpoise.

Photo location: Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

The Dall’s Porpoise is the largest porpoise species, reaching 210-220 cm long and 200 kg. There is some sexual dimorphism in size with females being slightly smaller at 160-206 cm long. The size difference between the sexes varies across the species range.

Source: https://porpoise.org/about-porpoises/dalls-porpoise/

Wednesday, 08/10/2022: Posted photo — Humpback Whales.

Photo location: Juno, Alaska

Bubble-net feeding is a feeding behavior engaged in by humpback whales and Bryde’s whales. It is one of the few surface feeding behaviors that humpback whales are known to engage in. This type of feeding can be done alone or in groups with as many as twenty whales participating at once.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble-net_feeding

Thursday, 08/11/2022: Posted photo — Mountain Goats.

Photo location: Glacier National Park, Montana

Mountain goat, (Oreamnos americanus), also called Rocky Mountain goat, a stocky North American ruminant of the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla). Surefooted relatives of the chamois, mountain goats cling to steep cliffs in habitats ranging from ocean shores to glaciated mountain tops. They are agile, methodical climbers, adapted to the insecure footing of snow-covered and icy cliffs, where predators are loath to follow. On these cliffs, they readily turn on their pursuers, including humans.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/animal/mountain-goat

Friday, 08/12/2022: Post photo — Western Tanager.

Photo location: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

While most red birds owe their redness to a variety of plant pigments known as carotenoids, the Western Tanager gets its scarlet head feathers from a rare pigment called rhodoxanthin. Unable to make this substance in their own bodies, Western Tanagers probably obtain it from insects in their diet.

Source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Tanager/overview

Saturday, 08/13/2022: Post photo — Desert Spiny Lizard.

Photo location: Goosenecks State Park, Utah

An adult male desert spiny lizard usually has conspicuous blue/violet patches on the belly and throat, and a green/blue color on their tails and sides. Females and juveniles have large combined dark spots on their back and belly areas, and the blue/violet and green/blue coloring is absent. Both sexes have brownish/yellow triangular spots on their shoulders. A female desert spiny lizard will lay anywhere from 4 to 24 eggs during the summertime. A fully grown desert spiny lizard will reach a body length of up to 5.6 inches. Besides their bright colors, the desert spiny lizard changes to darker colors during the winter to allow them to absorb more heat from the sun and become lighter during the summer to reflect the sun’s radiation. It is frequently seen doing push-ups, pushing its body up and down, as a form of territorial display. The first recorded case of Leukemia in the family Phrynosomatidae was found in this species.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceloporus_magister

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 07/24/2022 to 07/30/2022

“A tear contains an ocean. A photographer is aware of the tiny moments in a person’s life that reveal greater truths.” — Anonymous

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Some photos that I took with my phone this week.

Sunday, 07/24/2022: Posted photo — Mushrooms.

A group of mushrooms at our cottage.

Monday, 07/25/2022: Posted photo — Hiking.

Some of my Monday night hiking group.

Tuesday, 07/26/2022: Posted photo — Rabbit.

The rabbit that lives in our yard.

Wednesday, 07/27/2022: Posted photo — Ducks.

Ducks in the pond.

Thursday, 07/28/2022: Posted photo — Rainbow.

Saw this on my way home from work tonight.

Friday, 07/29/2022: Post photo — Fish.

The fish my nephew caught.

Saturday, 07/30/2022: Post photo — Streak in Sky.

To me it looks like there are streaks in the sky.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe. For more photo of other project I have work, visit my website: https://photobyjosephciras.weebly.com

Photographic Thoughts — 06/05/2022 to 06/11/2022

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” — Paul Caponigro

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

For the first time in a while, all these photos were taking this week.

Last week we are played a game — name the national park.

Here are the answers.

Bring Water! — Mesa Verde National Park, Cortez and Mancos, CO
Do not Stand — Natural Bridges National Monument, Blanding, UT
Impassible When Wet — Arches National Park, Moab, UT
Holt Orchards — Capital Reef National Park, Torrey, UT
Dangerous Cliffs — Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon, UT
River Walk — Zion National Park, Springdale, UT
Mules — North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, AZ

Now for this week’s photos.

Sunday, 06/05/2022: Posted photo — Pentecost.

Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 193, f/1.8, 1/125 s, 4 mm.

Pentecost is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.

Monday, 06/06/2022: Posted photo — Batting Cage.

Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 132, f/1.8, 1/125 s, 4 mm.

This is our son’s batting cage. We purchased it when he was in high school about 10 years ago and he still goes out to hit balls. He is now coaching baseball at the high school that he is teaching. He enjoys going out and hitting balls.

Tuesday, 06/07/2022: Posted photo — Wildflowers.

Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 83, f/1.8, 1/1462 s, 4 mm.

With rain, comes wildflowers. These are at the parking lot at work. The grass gets cut when wet, and once the sun comes out, these flowers appear.

Wednesday, 06/08/2022: Posted photo — Deer in Backyard.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/250 s, 135 mm.

My son and I were going to the Relay for Life (RFL) to bring more items to our site. The Relay for Life is a 24 hour walk to raise money for cancer research and is put on by the American Cancer Society (ACS). This was the first time in three years that the relay was live.

Back to my story, my son asked me if I had my camera an saw this deer in the street. Shortly after I gathered my camera a car came by and spooked the deer. I followed it into our yard, expecting not to see it. I was surprised to see it posing for me next to out son’s batting cage. This delayed our trip to the RFL.

Thursday, 06/09/2022: Posted photo — Relay Quilt.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5, 1/80 s, 27 mm.

At the RFL you can do on-site fundraising. One of the members of our team made this mini quilt as a fundraiser. The color of the ribbons indicates a different type of cancer. There are websites that can help you identify the ribbon color to a type of cancer. I was going to list them here for you, but there are so many different colors. Here is a link to on website: https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/cancer-ribbon-colors.

Friday, 06/10/2022: Post photo — Survivors Lap.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/160 s, 76 mm.

At the start of the RFL, cancer survivors take a lap. Encouraging to see so many out walking. There were survivors of less than a month to over 25 years participating in survivors lap this year.

Saturday, 06/11/2022: Post photo — Luminaria.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 0.8 s, 27 mm.

One of the most powerful events at the RFL is the luminaria. Each back has the name of a family member, friend, colleague, or acquaintance that is either fighting cancer or has finished their fight. There is a silent lap after some ceremonies. The only noise during that lap is the sound of footprints and the sound of a lone bagpiper leading the lap.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

My Weebly website has not been updated since February 16, the day before I broke my ankle.

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

Photographic Thoughts — 01/23/2022 to 01/29/2022

“It’s weird that photographers spend years or even a whole lifetime, trying to capture moments that added together, don’t even amount to a couple of hours.” — James Lalropui Keivom

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.

Sunday, 01/23/2022: Posted photo — Music.

Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 252, f/1.8, 1/120 s, 4 mm.

Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd…

This is best known psalm out of the 150 psalms in the Bible. There are five books and four literary styles in the psalms. The styles are hymns, prayers of thanksgiving and petition, religious lyrics, and didactic psalms. You can go online or ask your religious leader for more information on the psalms.

Songs, or hymns, at mass are used to enhance the service. I played the organ/keyboard during Mass when I was in college. My family still plays and sings in the choir during Mass today. A good song will lift your spirits.

I did not intend to use this photo today. I used it because it was one of the only photos that I took and it was the one that I liked the best.

Monday, 01/24/2022: Posted photo — Dusting of Snow.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5, 1/15 s, 50 mm.

Last week we received heavy and wet snow. This week we received a dusting of snow.

In taking this photo, I was practicing depth of field (DOF) in my photos. I am in my 13 year of taking photos every day and I still need on practicing various techniques so my photos are of my liking. I am my own worst critic.

I did go on a great hike tonight. This is my normal Monday night hike on Wachusett Mountain. The trails were in great shape from all the people that have been hiking after the last snowstorm. Microspikes are needed. Some people say no to microspikes since there is no exposed ice on the trails. If I am leading a hike, I am requiring the use of microspikes, or other traction devices, since there is ice under the snow and the spikes give you better traction. I am cautions in a group situation.

Microspikes are great for hiking or in thick ice, nanospikes are good for walking the in areas where traction is needed, but they are not as aggressive as microspikes. I would not recommend the use of nonspikes while hiking since they do not have the grip you need on the snow or ice, or the inclines and declined on a hiking trail. A more aggressive means for traction is the use of crampons. I use my crampons in the higher elevations of the White Mountains, or on a very icy trail. When I hike in the winter, I carry two sets of microspikes: my inexpensive “rock” microspikes and my “good” microspikes and have my crampons with me. Occasionally I will also attach my snowshoes to my pack if there has been newly fallen snow and I know that trail that I will be hiking is an underutilized trail. The difference between my inexpensive “rock” microspikes and my “good” microspikes is the length of the spikes and the quality of the product.

Tuesday, 01/25/2022: Posted photo — Snow White.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/36, 1/50 s, 93 mm.

Light dusting of snow received last night. This makes for a wonderful winter scene. When I was walking around yesterday, I was thinking of the challenge for the 52 frames project https://52frames.com/photographer/20931.  The challenge is for this week is to take a minimalistic photo. This is my first minimalistic photo of the week. Look for a different photo later in the week.

Wednesday, 01/26/2022: Posted photo — Colors.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 115 mm.

Last week at this time, I posted a sunrise photo. Today I did the same.

I would like to talk about the colors in a sunrise/sunset. When the sun is low on the horizon during sunrises and sunsets, the sunlight travels through more of the atmosphere. Shorter wavelength colors (blues and violets) get scattered out. This leaves more of the longer wavelength colors like yellow, orange, and red. Therefore, sunrises often take on such colors. Some of the colors of a sunrise or sunset are #95382c, #141b24, #4f3c54, #223444, and #9c4a44 for the more technical people that read my post. Sunrises and sunsets are also in the 1000–2000 K range. Other base settings for sunrise and sunset photos are f/6–f/16 and a shutter speed of 1/500 s. I also like to take my photos one step underexposed to bring out the colors. Shoot RAW so values can be adjusted post process if required.

As always, practice sunrise and sunset photos to find out the best settings for your camera.

Thursday, 01/27/2022: Posted photo — Sky.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/640 s, 24 mm.

Here is another minimalistic photo for the week. I like this one better than the snow photo so this is the one that I may post for the 52 frames project.

Some of the elements of minimalistic photography are simplicity, negative space, powerful composition, isolation, color, and lines and shapes. Minimalist photography shows the power of a simple solo object. In this case, it is the contrail against the blue sky.

Looking at the simplicity of this photo, my watermark may be taking away some of its impact. Need to think about that next time. There is a debate whether to watermark photos. It does take away from the aesthetic quality of some photos. I watermark the photos that I post and not the ones that I display in gallery showings or the ones that I sell.

Friday, 01/28/2022: Post photo — Hook.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5, 1/15 s, 62 mm.

I see a hook, a needlenose shark, or a stitch puller. What do you see? This is another pareidolia photo.

Today I am not writing much about this photo since I need to prepare our house for the snow storm that will happen tomorrow.

Saturday, 01/29/2022: Post photo — Looking Down the Street.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/80 s, 29 mm.

We received about 10 inches of snow out of today’s storm. It is much less than originally predicted. The storm moved out to sea, and we were on the outer edge of the storm.

I did go out every two hours today to shovel the snow. The first few times out there were a few inches of show to shovel. As the day went on, the shoveling was easier and quicker. Winter storm Kenan was another let down for us. Only 10 inches of snow. We are still waiting for the first big storm of the year.

Kenan was a bomb cyclone. A bomb cyclone is a storm that undergoes bombogenesis. Bombogenesis is a rapid intensification of a low-pressure system in which we measure in millibars. The lower the pressure is, the stronger the storm.

That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.

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

My Weebly website is back up and running. I am looking of suggestions on how to make it look better.