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November 7, 2021

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2021

“I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. I’ve never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images I live with them.” — Bruce Gilden

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

Sunday, 10/31/2021: Posted photo — Bells.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 320, f/1.7, 1/10 s, 4 mm

These are the bells that are rung at Saint Denis Church. I rang the bells this week since the deacon was on vacation. Brought me back to the days when I was and altar boy.

Bells were rung to alert the people to what they could not easily see or hear, so that they could attend to the important and solemn action at the altar. In the past, due to the architecture of a church, the people were physically separated from the altar by the choir — and in some cases a significant number of faithful were impeded from seeing the altar during Mass. So, a little before the consecration a server rings a bell as a signal to the faithful.

Monday, 11/01/2021: Posted photo — Pu’u’ula’ula.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/9, 1/100 s, 32 mm.

Pu’u’ula’ula (Red Summit Hill) at Haleakalā National Park Makawao, HI on the island of Maui. This is the highest peak on the island at 10,023 feet. “The road to the cinder cone is paved and holds the world record for climbing to the highest elevation in the shortest distance. Starting from Kekaulike Avenue, the ascent is 34.11km (21.2 miles) long via 28 hairpin turns. Over this distance the elevation gain is 2.011 meters. The average gradient is 5.89%.” (https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/3509-pu-u-ula-ula-red-hill.html) I did not mind the ride. I think the crazy people were the ones that rented bicycles and drove down the hill.

We attempted to get to the peak for sunrise since our initial plan was to spend the night on Maui. We had our tickets in hand to get into the park before it officially opened. Due to Hurricane Lane, we were only on Maui for one day since our cruise ship left Honolulu two days late due to the port being closed. We were able to drive up to the summit later in the day to take in the view. The view was wonderful. It was great to be above the clouds.

If you go to Maui, you should go to Haleakalā National Park for the sunrise. I hear it is spectacular.

Tuesday, 11/02/2021: Posted photo — Foliage Again.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 32 mm.

I took a photo of these set of trees a few weeks ago. I did so since I liked the brightness of the sun against the past colors of the tree. We are now past the colorful foliage season and into the fall browns.

Before long, all those leaves will “fall”, and someone will need to rake them up. Fortunately, it will not be me since these trees are not on my property.

If you cannot tell, this photo was done with an HDR, or High Dynamic Range, process. This is a single photo that I made into an HDR photo. I took the photo and processed it by stepping up and stepping down the exposure to blend into an HDR photo. The proper way of creating a HDR photo is to take three or more consecutive shot with your camera at the different exposure levels and then blending them together. HDR is a technique used to reproduce a greater range of luminosity than that which is possible with standard photographic techniques. This is done when the lighting is not that great for a single photo.

Wednesday, 11/03/2021: Posted photo — Stacked Wood.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/50 s, 42 mm.

We had two of the five cords of wood I ordered delivered to the house on Monday. My son did a great job stacking over a cord in the woodshed. I stacked the remaining wood in the woodshed last night. This stack of wood is what is remaining from last year’s supply. We have been burning some in the last weeks to get the chill out of the house. When we get into the burning season, we will be mixing the old with the new wood to get a more efficient heat output.

This photo is a yearly photo that I take of our wood. It serves as documentation to when wood was ordered each year. It just happened that this wood was delivered 364 days after my last wood delivery.

Three cords of wood will be delivered to the house sometime soon and I will all need to be stacked in the woodshed. My woodshed is designed to hold four cords. A cord of wood is four feet wide, 4 feet high, and eight feet long. It has a volume of 128 cubic feet. The wood that I get is cut at 18 inches long to fit in out wood stove.

Thursday, 11/04/2021: Posted photo — Orion.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/11, 15 s, 18 mm.

“Orion is the brightest and most beautiful of the winter constellations. Some of its stars, including Betelgeuse and Rigel, are among the brightest stars.

Orion is clearly visible in the night sky from November to February. Orion is in the southwestern sky if you are in the Northern Hemisphere or the northwestern sky if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. It is best seen between latitudes 85 and minus 75 degrees. Its right ascension is 5 hours, and its declination is 5 degrees.

There are several versions of the myth of Orion, but one of the more common iterations is that Orion proclaimed himself to be the greatest hunter in the world, much to the dismay of Hera, the wife of Zeus. She had a scorpion kill him, and Zeus put Orion into the sky as consolation. In another version, Orion is blinded for raping Merope, a granddaughter of the god Dionysus. He has to travel East to seek the sun’s rays to recover his sight.” (https://www.space.com/16659-constellation-orion.html)

I saw Orion yesterday morning when I was going into work. Today I decided to take a photo of the constellation. I knew at the time that I took this photo that I would not be the best one of a constellation since I was going to take it in the parking lot at work. (For your information, this is the third constellation photo that I have taken.) Today is the new moon so the conditions would be better to take this photo. I should have taken it in a darker location. Look in the bottom near the center. You can see the belt clearly.

Looking at the setting for my shot, it seems that I did not change the aperture setting that I used from my last moon photo. The f/11 setting is too small. I should have used a setting of f/3.5 to get more light in my photo. With a larger aperture setting, I could have reduced my ISO value taking noise out of the photo.

Friday, 11/05/2021: Post photo — Mouse Eye View.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/13 s, 18 mm.

This is what our yard might look to a mouse. I put my camera down in our lawn and took this shot. I will be cleaning up these leaves soon. There are still more to fall, so I just wait a day or two.

Saturday, 11/06/2021: Post photo — TBD.

Settings: TBD.

I have not decided what to post today. Come back later today or tomorrow to see my updated post.

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/.

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October 31, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 10/24/2021 to 10/30/2021

“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

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

Sunday, 10/24/2021: Posted photo — Ashburnham Community Church.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/640 s, 18 mm.

The Ashburnham Community Church is now home to the New Dawn Arts Center.

Information off the New Dawn Arts Center website (www.newdawnarts.org). The church was constructed in 1834, the steeple houses a church bell cast by a former apprentice of Paul Revere, and the 1886 pipe organ was installed by Boston organ builder George Hutchings. The church was part of The Underground Railroad.

The Community Church was sold to the Arts Center a few months ago. The congregation of the church was getting smaller so they could not afford to keep the church in operation. The Arts Center is allowing the church to hold services there and all other outreach services are still running at the church, such as a food pantry.

New Dawn Arts Center at the Ashburnham Community Church

I just like the look of churches with their steeples and stained glass. When I was going to church, I was drawn to the contrasting white church and the clear blue sky. The foliage looked to be past, but it did show well in this photo. The church that I belong to is across the street from the Community Church. I have taken photo of this church before and will again since I like its architecture.

Monday, 10/25/2021: Posted photo — Mountain View.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/80 s, 39 mm.

What a great view from the summit today! As you can see, the summited was fogged in. I had to use my map and compass to find my way down part of the trail. Using a map and compass on Wachusett Mountain is not very common since the fog has not been this dense in a very long time and people look at me strangely when I use them in good weather. I could see the trail ahead of me tonight. I was just verifying the bearings at each trail junction just so I did not head back up the mountain. It was good practice for me.

Over the past few months, I have been taken the bearings at each junction and verifying elevations and coordinate locations with my trail map program and with the paper trail map of the mountain. I am in the process of putting together a detailed map of the mountain to help new and experienced hikers. Map and compass skills are essential to survival. Using these tools on a well hiked mountain is great for learning this skill.

The error most people will make is not accounting for magnetic declination (14° West on Wachusett Mountain). Magnetic declination is the angle between true north and magnetic north. Remember “West is best and East is least.” You add the declination to your reading if the declination is to the West or subtract the declination from the reading if it is to the East. I can adjust my compass for declination prior to use so I do not have to do the math if I am in a dangerous situation. Not all compasses can be adjusted. I would suggest spending a little more money on a compass that can be adjusted. It could save your life. Remember to always practice this skill in a known location prior to any “big” hike. Do not rely on the GPS on your phone.

Tuesday, 10/26/2021: Posted photo — Flowers.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 80, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

Part of the opening paragraph from the novel “Paul Clifford” by Edward Bulwer-Lytton states, “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents …” It was a dark and stormy day today. Heavy rain, high winds and fog were the norm. I was going to post the following photo for today, a photo of wet foliage.

I went grocery shopping before I posted my photo and saw the flowers that I posted. I thought of how flowers put smiles on people’s faces and wanted to brighten up this gloomy day. Here is another photo of some more flowers that I took today during my shopping trip to brighten your day.

Wednesday, 10/27/2021: Posted photo — Reflection.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/3.5, 1/25 s, 18 mm.

I was not intending to take this photo. I was intending to post a photo from either my trip to Alaska, or my trip to Hawaii, since the weather still is a little gloomy.

While on my way home from work, the reflection of the trees on Round Meadow Pond caught my eye. The lighting was iffy, but I made the quick decision to go to one of my favorite photographic locations and see if there was an opportunity for a reflection photo in the smooth water.

I first took a photo of the island and its reflection. I did not quite like it lack leaves on the tree. It made the island look unattractive and scraggly. Then I took a photo of the trees along the shoreline. Trees along the shore usually take a good photo. I was happier with this photo. I was not excited about this photo, just happier than I was with the island photo.

Sometimes it is better to post a bad photo from that day, then a good photo from the past for historical reference.

Thursday, 10/28/2021: Posted photo — Weather Front.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/800 s, 36 mm.

A weather front is the transitional zone between two different air masses. An air mass a body of air with horizontally uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure. The high-pressure side of the front is the side with no clouds. In a high-pressure system, the warmer air is flowing downward. The low-pressure side of the front is the one with the clouds. In a low-pressure system, cold air is flowing upward causing condensation around dust particles in the sky, forming clouds and often precipitation. In this photo, the low-pressure system is moving out of the area. As the high-pressure system is moving in, the air temperature will be slightly higher that it was yesterday. A simple fact in physics is that if air pressure increases, the temperature must increase and if the air pressure decreases, the temperature will decrease. This explains why the air gets colder at higher altitudes, where pressure is lower.

Friday, 10/29/2021: Post photo — Footbridge Over the Virgin River.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/9, 1/200 s, 18 mm.

“In the summer of 1909, President of the United States William Taft declared the area as federally protected and officially named it Mukuntuweap National Monument, deciding to go with the Paiute name rather than the one chosen by Utah’s early pioneers. State residents were not pleased, to say the least, with President Taft passing over the name they had originally chosen for the area. In 1918, after almost a decade of grievances, the assistant director of the recently formed National Park Service, Horace Albright, changed the name of the park to Zion National Monument.” (https://zionnationalpark.com/zion-national-park/zion-national-park-history/)

Footbridge over the Virgin River in Zion National Park

Here is some information about the Virgin River. The Virgin River and its tributaries run through Zion National Park causing the erosion that continues to carve and shape Zion National Park. The North Fork of the Virgin River begins north of Zion National Park at Cascade Falls, near Cedar City, Utah, where it drains out of Navajo Lake in Dixie National Forest at 9,000 feet above sea level. The East Fork of the Virgin River originates above Long Valley in western Kane County, Utah. Both the North and East Forks of the Virgin River run through the park and empty into Lake Mead at about 1,000 feet above sea level, where it joins the Colorado River.

Our time at Zion National Park included camping and hiking. We also had one of the better star filled night skies on our trip. One of the hikes we did was in The Narrows. A great place to hike in the heat of the summer. The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The gorge has walls up to a thousand feet tall and the Virgin River is just twenty to thirty feet wide in some locations. The hike through The Narrows requires hiking in the Virgin River. The river when we hiked was a milky color so you did not know how deep the water would be in your next step. You need to be very careful of flash flooding in The Narrows since there is little to no room of escape due the height of the gorge walls.

Saturday, 10/30/2021: Post photo — Maple Leaf.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/60 s, 100 mm.

Last week an oak leaf, today it is a maple leaf. A sugar maple leaf to be precise.

More rain today. I took this photo in my driveway while I was on my way to do some shopping.

Once again, a short and sweet Saturday post.

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/.

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October 3, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/26/2021 to 10/02/2021

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

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

Quick posts this week.

Sunday, 09/26/2021: Posted photo — What is It.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/13 s, 67 mm.

When I posted this photo, I did not expect someone to identify the object as quickly as they did. This is not a common item. Only people that have seen this object before could possibly identify it. I was surprised when someone knew what it was within an hour of my post. It happened to be on the first guess!

The object is the foot pedals of an organ. This is the organ at my church. I played the organ for many years when I was younger. I have not played on for a great while.

I will have to post a harder photo next time.

Monday, 09/27/2021: Posted photo — Vacancy.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5, 1/50 s, 55 mm.

The previous occupant of this web has vacated the property.

Occasionally I see a great spider web at this location. I took this photo before the web was destroyed by the wind.

Tuesday, 09/28/2021: Posted photo — Wet Seasoned Wood.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/6 s, 62 mm.

Quick photo Tuesday.

I needed a photo for today and looked at the wood pile as I was getting out of my car after work.

Wednesday, 09/29/2021: Posted photo — Third Quarter.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/16, 1/125 s, 300 mm.

Handheld photo of the third quarter of the moon. I took this photo about three hours after the official time of the third quarter.

The eight phases of the Moon in order are (according to NASA):

New Moon: This is the invisible phase of the Moon, with the illuminated side of the Moon facing the Sun and the night side facing Earth.
Waxing Crescent: This silver sliver of a Moon occurs when the illuminated half of the Moon faces mostly away from Earth, with only a tiny portion visible to us from our planet.
First Quarter: The Moon is now a quarter of the way through its monthly journey, and you see half of its illuminated side.
Waxing Gibbous: Now most of the Moon’s dayside has come into view, and the Moon appears brighter in the sky.
Full Moon: This is as close as we come to seeing the Sun’s illumination of the entire day side of the Moon (so, technically, this would be the real half moon).
Waning Gibbous: As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the opposite side of the Moon now reflects the Moon’s light.
Last Quarter: The Moon looks like its half illuminated from the perspective of Earth, but really, you’re seeing half of the half of the Moon that’s illuminated by the Sun ― or a quarter.
Waning Crescent: The Moon is nearly back to the point in its orbit where its dayside directly faces the Sun, and all that we see from our perspective is a thin curve.

Thursday, 09/30/2021: Posted photo — Color.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 50 mm.

The colors of the leaves on the trees are starting to turn. This seems later than normal this year. Could be because of all the rain we have received over the summer.

Friday, 10/01/2021: Post photo — Starlight.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/50 s, 290 mm.

Sol. The nearest star to the earth.

I have been looking for my solar filter for a while. There was a partial solar eclipse a few months ago and could not find it. I was looking for a framed photo to bring to my uncle for his birthday last week and found it amongst my photos.

I took it out today and took a photo of the sun.

Saturday, 10/02/2021: Post photo — Angels.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/13, 1/500 s, 52 mm.

I went to visit my parents today at the cemetery. They are buried next to the clergy section of the cemetery. When I looked over to the clergy section, I saw these angels under a tree. Looking at what is on the sign, it seems that there are other’s in the cemetery.

I liked the foliage next to the monument, so I took this picture.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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September 12, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 09/05/2021 to 09/11/2021

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

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

Sunday, 09/05/2021: Posted photo — Angel.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/100 s, 67 mm.

This is a statue in the flower garden near the rectory of the church I attend. I have never noticed this angel before, so the new priest could have put it in. It is a welcome addition to the grounds.

I like the black-eye Susan’s that blanket the statue making the statue stand out.

Monday, 09/06/2021: Posted photo — Playthings.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/60 s, 24 mm.

Today is a holiday, Labor Day. Labor Day is an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters. “In the wake of this massive unrest and to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.” according to the History Channel.

Even though today is a holiday, I still planned on going on my Monday night hike. My in-laws called me and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the cottage to visit and to have some food. I only had a couple of hours between the call and the hike, so I went over. I noticed a new picnic table for my grandniece and liked the color contrast with the wet ground. The slide in this photo was in the water for many years, until she wanted to play on it. We took it out of the water and cleaned it the best that we could for her to play on.

Tuesday, 09/07/2021: Posted photo — Cannon.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 25mm.

This cannon at the Westminster town common. The plaque states: “Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women from Westminster who have served their country in time of war and peace.” This cannon is not on display year-round.

I ran a few errands today and drove by town common on the way back looking for something to photograph. I saw the cannon and took this photo. The town common is being cleaned up with old trees being removed and new trees being planted.

Wednesday, 09/08/2021: Posted photo — Handheld Falls.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/20, 1/4 s, 36 mm.

It was getting late today, and I was trying to decide what to photograph today. As I have stated many times in my blogs, I take photos of items during the day and decide later what photo to post. When I drove by one of my favorite locations to photograph, I wanted to test out how steady my hand can be. I practice long exposure photography a few times a month. During some of my hikes, I see flowing water and need to practice holding still while taking photos.

I did take many other photos today and liked this one the best. This is one of my favorite spots to photograph and it is one of the favorite locations for people looking at my photos.

Thursday, 09/09/2021: Posted photo — That Time of Year.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/15 s, 135 mm.

Some trees are changing, some trees are not changing. Our sugar maple is one of the first trees on our property to change colors in the fall. Because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible.

Friday, 09/10/2021: Post photo — Red-Tailed Hawk.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/800 s, 135 mm.

This morning this red-tailed hawk was spotted on campus at work. First, we thought it was a rabbit and then an owl. I took my camera out to get a closer look at it and to photograph it. I was surprised to see that it was a red-tailed hawk. The hawk did not move from its position and allowed me to walk very close to it. I kept my eyes open and was very alert that the mother of this hawk could have been around, and I did not want to be attacked by her. It did not look like it was injured but it stayed in the same location for over an hour. Someone saw it walk across the lawn so I could have been injured.

I took many photos if it and like these the best. I did not know what one to post so I made a collage out of them to post as one photo. I liked the look of the closed eyes showing its eyelids and I like the profile of the hawk.

Saturday, 09/11/2021: Post photo — Flags on the 48.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/500 s, 18 mm.

Not much room on Mount Willey for a group photo. Here is the group squeezed into the overlook for a photo. This hike was for the annual Flags on the 48 event.

“We in the hiking community continue to honor the deceased with a tribute: flying the American flag atop all 48 four-thousand foot and higher mountains in New Hampshire on the Saturday closest to September 11. By demonstrating our steadfast unity in this challenging endeavor, we also hope to express our unwavering support to the families, friends, and communities whose losses are beyond comprehension and whose suffering we remember in our hearts.” — Flags on the 48 website.

I have been doing the Flags for the last 10 years mostly with the same core of people. There are two of us that have been doing if for all 10 years with various other people joining us. Out of all the people in this photo, nine of them have been hiking with us for several years. This group has not done the same peak twice.

A member of our group does a great tribute to all that passed away from that day 20 years ago to the day of the hike. The names are placed at the base of our flag.

Thank you again for having faith and my abilities. Now I need to go through the photo and pick some out.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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August 29, 2021

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hiking, Nature, Photography, religion, Thoughts, Travel, water, Wedding

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/22/2021 to 08/28/2021

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” — Karl Lagerfeld

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

Sunday, 08/22/2021: Posted photo — Stained Glass.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/80 s, 32 mm.

This stained glass shows the initial for Ava Maria. Ava Maria is a prayer to the Virgin Mary used in Catholic worship. The first line is adapted from Luke 1:28. Ave Maria is also called Hail Mary.

“Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.”

Why did I take this photo — I took this photo because last week I took a photo of some stained glass windows with my cell phone and I wanted to take a better photo. I took my DSLR with me into church this morning, saw the glimmer of light amongst the rain, and took this photo.

Monday, 08/23/2021: Posted photo — Wet Leaf.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/40 s, 135 mm.

Tropical Storm Henri just paid a visit to the area. Yesterday there were some gusts of wind and a little rain in this area. Some other areas around me received more wind damage and rain.

Today I was walking around and say the water beading off this leaf, so I took a photo of it. Always keep your eyes open to the wonders of nature.

Later in the day, I took my normal Monday night hike up Wachusett Mountain. There was only two of us this week because of the heavy rain that came in this afternoon. It was wet and rainy on the way to the summit, and it was very wet and heavy rain on the way down. When I hike, I just keep wiping the water from my eyes and just follow the tail. You need to take all your steps very carefully. Hiking is still fun in the rain.

Tuesday, 08/24/2021: Posted photo — Web.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/20 s, 135 mm.

Is it just me, or are there many more spiders this year that there have been in the past? I keep seeing webs and the light shining off the webs. Today I stopped and attempted to take a photo of a web in the sunlight.

Looking at the photo, it looks like my ISO was set too high since the web looks blown out to me.

Wednesday, 08/25/2021: Posted photo — Moon.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/16, 1/125 s, 300 mm.

Look, Joe took another moon photo!

This morning, as the moon does many times, I was just called to take a photo of the moon.

Thursday, 08/26/2021: Posted photo — Hike.

Settings: N/A.

This is not a photo. I took many photos today and did not like any of them good enough to post.

This is a photo of the trail I took tonight on Wachusett Mountain in the heat. The hike was 3.5 miles long, it started in the light, and ended in the dark. The air was very moist and heavy. When you hike in situation similar to this, you must drink plenty of water.

Friday, 08/27/2021: Post photo — Aialik Glacier.

Settings: N/A.

Aialik Glacier is the largest glacier in Aialik Bay, located in Kenai Fjords National Park. While stable, the glacier calves most actively in May and June. We say the glacier in June and saw the calves.

We went to Alaska in 2016 for our 25th wedding anniversary with my son and niece. Alaska is a great place to visit. If you have an opportunity to visit, please do so.

Poster created from my photo of the Aialik Glacier

About the photo. I took some of my travel photos and made posters of them to remember were the photo was taken. It was a fun process to learn a new photo editing technique. I made a photo script to help me do this for my photos. The script will resize the photos and add the text and boarder.

Saturday, 08/28/2021: Post photo — Mr. and Ms.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 24 mm.

I would like to thank Doug and Vicky for allowing me to photograph there special day. This was my first official wedding that I photographed. They had faith in me do this knowing that I am primarily a landscape photographer.

I have worked with Doug’s father for many years. He asked me if I was comfortable enough to take photos as his son’s wedding, I said I would love to do so. As you can see from the photo, they are a fun couple. When I was told that there were wearing Hawaiian shirts for the wedding, I thought that just Doug was going to wear one. When I went to their house and saw that everyone in the family had one on, I went home to put my shirt from Hawaii on to fit in with the crowd. My house was on the way from the morning photoshoot to the wedding.

Thank you again for having faith and my abilities. Now I need to go through the photo and pick some out.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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August 22, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/15/2021 to 08/21/2021

“One doesn’t stop seeing. One doesn’t stop framing. It doesn’t turn off and turn on. It’s on all the time.” — Annie Leibovitz

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

This week will only be photos.

My computer hard drive crashed this week. I was able to recover information late Saturday so no commentary this week.

Sunday, 08/15/2021: Posted photo — Church.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 125, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

Monday, 08/16/2021: Posted photo — Brace.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/120 s84, 4 mm

Tuesday, 08/17/2021: Posted photo — Change in Season.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 52 mm.

Wednesday, 08/18/2021: Posted photo — Cloud.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/6 s, 48 mm.

Thursday, 08/19/2021: Posted photo — Rock.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

Friday, 08/20/2021: Post photo — Red Sox Win.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/100 s, 74 mm.

Saturday, 08/21/2021: Post photo — Clouds.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/8144 s, 4 mm

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

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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August 15, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 08/08/2021 to 08/14/2021

“The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words.” — Elliott Erwitt

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

Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.

Sunday, 08/08/2021: Posted photo — Balancing the World.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 106 mm.

My wife’s family have a reunion the first Saturday of August every year. Relatives from all around the country, and sometimes the world, come to visit. The reunion is only schedule for one day yet it occurs over the course of the week.

My brother-in-law likes to juggle. He juggles clubs, balls, boxes, fire clubs, fire balls, scarfs, and people. He also does tricks for the younger members of the family. People young and old look forward to his juggling act. In this picture, he is spinning the parasols to balance the world.

Monday, 08/09/2021: Posted photo — Backpack.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 80, f/1.7, 1/120 s, 4 mm

Monday night is hiking night, as some of you may know by now. We purchased a new backpack for my son since his is old and losing padding. I tried out his backpack tonight to see how comfortable it is to use. This photo was taken on the summit fire watch tower on Wachusett Mountain.

For your information, the backpack was comfortable for short hikes. I may not be so for the longer hikes we have planned so we will be purchasing another backpack for him.

Tuesday, 08/10/2021: Posted photo — Can You Hear Me.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/1600 s, 135 mm.

Hearing protection is required when one is exposed to a sound level over 85 dB for 8 hrs. Some examples of how loud that is are: Garbage disposal, dishwasher, average factory, freight train (at 15 meters). Car wash at 20 ft (89 dB); propeller plane flyover at 1000 ft (88 dB); diesel truck 40 mph at 50 ft (84 dB); diesel train at 45 mph at 100 ft (83 dB). Food blender (88 dB); milling machine (85 dB); garbage disposal (80 dB). Manufacturing plants have sound levels that exceed the 85 dB threshold so hearing protection is required.

Why did I take this photo? I took it since I liked the mixture of colors in the container. This is one of the photos that I took today for my photo project. I liked this one over the other once that I took today. I will not be posting the other photos I took. That should be telling you the quality of those photos.

Wednesday, 08/11/2021: Posted photo — Feed Me.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 135 mm.

These birds were waiting for their mother to feed them. I have walked past then a few times over the last two weeks and decided to take their photo today. I took a similar photo last year. I like the way that one of the birds is looking for food and the other one is just looking like he is annoyed.

Thursday, 08/12/2021: Posted photo — Find the Meteor.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/4, 15 s, 28 mm.

The Perseids are a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Swift–Tuttle. The meteors are called the Perseids because the point from which they appear to hail lies in the constellation Perseus. The meteor shower reached it peak this year at 4:01 a.m. today. The photo is dark because I had to adjust for the light pollution in the area. I look online and see these great photos of the meteor shower taken from dark sky areas. Someday I will travel to a dark sky area during a meteor shower. Last year I posted my first photo of the Milky Way from a dark sky reserve, Canyonland National Park. Dark Sky Reserves are designated by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). They are areas that offer exceptional starry nights and are specifically protected for scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment.

Did you find it? Look northwest of the “Seven Sisters”. What are the “Seven Sisters”?

From space.com: “The Pleiades are a group of more than 800 stars located about 410 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. Most skywatchers are familiar with the assembly, which looks something like a smaller, hazier version of the Big Dipper in the night sky.

Also known as the “Seven Sisters” and Messier 45, the object derives its English name from Greek legend. The Pleiades are the seven daughters of the Titan god Atlas and the ocean nymph Pleione. During an ancient war, Atlas rebelled against Zeus, the king of the gods, who sentenced his foe to forever hold up the heavens on his shoulders. The sisters were so sad that Zeus allowed them a place in the sky in order to be close to their father.”

Friday, 08/13/2021: Post photo — Sunflower.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/287 s, 4 mm

Sunflowers have symbolic meanings in love, luck, spirituality, and dreams. Why did I post a photo a sunflower today? Today is Friday the 13.

From my web research I found out more information. This is from the CNN website: “From Scandinavia, Panati explains, the superstition then spread south throughout Europe, becoming well established along the Mediterranean by the start of the Christian era. It was here that the unsettling power of the numerals was cemented through the story of the Last Supper, which was attended by Jesus Christ and his disciples on Maundy Thursday. The 13th and most infamous guest to arrive, Judas Iscariot, was the disciple who betrayed Jesus, leading to his crucifixion on Good Friday.”

For you that follow FOX news: “According to the history website, the association of 13 being unlucky likely started in Western culture the Last Supper in the Bible. In the biblical story, 13 people sat at the Last Supper table – Jesus and his 12 disciples – and the next day, Jesus was crucified.”

Here is wishing you luck today.

Saturday, 08/14/2021: Post photo — Sunrise.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 300 mm.

Saturday is my day to sleep in. I wake up around 4:30 a.m. every day so I look forward to sleeping in on Saturday mornings. Today I woke up at 4 a.m. to climb Wachusett Mountain to take a photo of the sunrise.

When I arrived at the summit, I was the only one there. The sky was clear until just about the time the sun was to rise, 5:42 a.m. There was a fog bank that rolled in. I could see the sun over the horizon since I knew the location that it was to rise. I was giving up hope of seeing the sunrise. Then the fog burned off just enough for me to take this photo.

I went back to bed for a few hours when I came back home from my hike.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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July 25, 2021

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hiking, Nature, religion, Thoughts

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Photographic Thoughts — 07/17/2021 to 07/24/2021

“The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.” — Annie Leibovitz

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

Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.

This week’s post is short. I spent most of the week doing final preparations for my mother’s funeral and relaxing after.

Sunday, 07/17/2021: Posted photo — Roses.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

Yellow is bright and conveys happy thoughts, so it is no wonder that yellow roses showcase positive feelings of warmth. The yellow rose meaning is often considered that of friendship.

I am posting this photo to thank all the people that have supported my family during the last few months when my mother was ill. She passed in her sleep, at home, last Saturday at the age of 95. I would like to thank family and friends, her doctors and caretakers, and anyone that had her in their prayers. She was playing cards up to the end. Raising seven boys was not easy. She did it lovingly.

As my mother said in the hospital last Tuesday, she did live 95 wonderful years.

Mom — may your rest in peace. Until we meet again. Love you.

Monday, 07/18/2021: Posted photo — Ten Commandments.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 37 mm.

This monument is on Mountain Road in Princeton, Mass. It is very easy to drive by since it is small and not near any landmark. It has been on the side of the road since 1927. The monument was produced by S.D. Sargent in Gardner Mass. The monument starts with “God Sake All these Words I the Lord thy God”.

I had the history of the monument once. Now I cannot find out any information about why this monument was place where it located.

I took a similar photo last week on the way back home from my mother’s house and did not like it enough to post. I took this one today as I was returning home from finalizing the funeral arrangements. The arrangements were easy to finalize since my mother was supposed to pass last March. She was a strong French woman that had many card games left in her.

Tuesday, 07/19/2021: Posted photo — Blue Vervain.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/640 s, 85 mm.

“Blue vervain is a flowering plant that belongs to the vervain family, Verbenaceae. It has purple flowers and simple leaves with double-serrate margins. The scientific name of blue vervain is Verbena hastata and it is also known by other names like American vervain, simpler’s joy, and swamp verbena.” — Organic Facts website

Wednesday, 07/20/2021: Posted photo — Turkeys Through Windshield.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/600 s, 135 mm.

Turkeys this morning on my way to work. Took this through my windshield.

Thursday, 07/15/2021: Posted photo — Mass Card.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 160, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

The mass card from my mother. We had her wake and funeral today. I will always love you mom!

Friday, 07/21/2021: Post photo — Nubble Light.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/5.6, 10 s, 25 mm.

Today my wife and took a trip up north to Maine to get away and relax. Here are some photos from Perkins Cove where we had our lunch and photo of the Nubble Light where we ended out day before driving home.

Saturday, 07/22/2021: Post photo — View from the Trail.

Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/4.7, 1/350 s, 12 mm.

The view from Old Indian trail looking down the Look Mom ski trail on Wachusett Mountain.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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July 18, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 07/11/2021 to 07/17/2021

“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.

Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.

Sunday, 07/11/2021: Posted photo — Rough Hermit Beetle.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/125 s, 135 mm.

The rough hermit beetle is a near threatened species with its population decreasing. The adult beetle lives two to three months. These beetles do not bite. They grow inside rotting, hollow trees. The larvae feed for three years on the wet, decaying wood. They are harmless and probably make great fish bait.

The beetle in my photo was at my in-law’s cottage. I did not see it at first and be wife pointed it out to me. I took out my Seek app to identify it.

I was going to post a photo of a hammock or a photo of water lilies before taking a photo of this beetle. Since I did not post these photos in my 365 project or on my website, I will post them here for you to enjoy as a bonus for reading my blog.

Monday, 07/12/2021: Posted photo — Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/171 s, 4 mm

Mountain Stats:

Summit Elevation: 2006 ft
Vertical Drop: 1000 ft
Trails: 27
Lifts: 8
Uphill Capacity: 9200 skiers per hour
Snowmaking: 100%
Grooming: 2x per day
Times I have skied on the mountain: 1 or 2 times in my life.

As you can tell, I do not ski. I would rather hike the mountain than to ski the mountain.

Today I hiked 4.6 miles on the mountain. It has been a week since I hike Mount Isolation and just took my time to relax and stretch out my legs. I hike with a group on Monday nights which is a great motivator. Tonight, we hiked in the rain and fog and being with a group made the hike easier. You could not see the mountain much due to cloud covering so my gear was damp at the end of the hike.

This is a photo of the fountain at the base of the mountain. This location is used for many events, such as weddings, reunions, and other celebrations. The Midstate trail goes past this location giving my fellow hikers a great view to refresh their mind during a long hike.

Tuesday, 07/13/2021: Posted photo — Unicorn.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/50 s, 135 mm.

A unicorn is a mythical, usually white animal generally depicted with the body and head of a horse with long flowing mane and tail and a single often spiraled horn in the middle of the forehead, or it is an animal mentioned in the Bible that is usually considered an aurochs, a one-horned rhinoceros, or an antelope.

Many people are into unicorns. My mother is one of those people. She is not a crazy unicorn woman by any means. She has a collection of unicorns in her China cabinet. This one is a Christmas unicorn as you can tell by the wreath around its neck.

Wednesday, 07/14/2021: Posted photo — Pillow Pattern.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 160, f/1.7, 1/30 s, 4 mm

Sitting at my mother’s house, I needed a photo (surprising is it not) and I saw these pillows. Pillows have some interesting pattern in them. I took this photo and did not think anything about it.

When I went to process it to post, the pattern looked to me to be either and alien spaceship, an alien, or one person doing a handstand on the hands of another person. Apophenia is a general term for interpreting patterns or meaning in meaningless data. This data may be meaningless, but the power of suggestion will make someone see something that is not there.

Thursday, 07/15/2021: Posted photo — Bench.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/200 s, 41 mm.

At the intersection of Bicentennial Trail and High Meadow Trail is a bench for people to rest. This bench looks over high meadow and faces to the due south and has great views of the surrounding hills.

I meet a hiker there that told me that a local college was doing a snake study in the high meadow. I checked out the study one day only to find a snakeskin. I was going to look for a snake tonight, but I did not want to walk in the high grass in the study area because I did not want to get any ticks on me. I had my camera ready to take the photo, and my son with me to lift the board so I could get a photo of any snake that was resting.

I thought I knew everything that goes on at the mountain, but I am learning new things. You can teach and old dog something new!

Friday, 07/16/2021: Post photo — Sunrise.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/500 s, 135 mm.

What a wonderful sunrise this morning. The hazy sky made the reds jump out at me.

As I was driving into work, I saw this wonderful sunrise over Round Meadow Pond. I drove around the area of the pond to find a good location for taking a photo of the sunrise. I could not find a good location off the main road, so I stopped in the breakdown lane to take this one. Good thing I live in a town where there is not much traffic, especially at 5:40 a.m. when I was on my way to work.

Saturday, 07/17/2021: Post photo — Mother’s Hand.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/167 s, 4 mm

My hand in the hand of an angel.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!

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Posted on

July 4, 2021

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Photographic Thoughts — 06/20/2021 to 06/26/2021

“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.

Enjoy this week’s rambling mind of a mechanical engineer and photographer.

Sunday, 06/20/2021: Posted photo — Mass of Thanksgiving.

Settings: N/A.

Today was the Mass of Thanksgiving for Fr. Matt Duclos. What a great turn out for the mass. The reception following was full of family and friends. You could see how proud my wife’s cousin and her husband were of their newly ordained son.

Now off to Watkins Glen State Park.

Monday, 06/21/2021: Posted photo — Watkins Glen.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 1/3 s, 18 mm

“Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen’s stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. Campers and daytime visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, modern playground, scheduled summer tours through the gorge, tent and trailer campsites, picnic facilities, and excellent fishing in nearby Seneca Lake or in Catherine Creek, which is renowned for its annual spring run of rainbow trout.” From the park website.

Here are the photos from day one.

Tuesday, 06/22/2021: Posted photo — Watkins Glen Day Two.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/2 s, 47 mm.

More photos from Watkins Glen before traveling to Cumberland Falls, Kentucky.

Wednesday, 06/23/2021: Posted photo — Moonbow.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5, 44 s, 18 mm.

Cumberland Falls is one of the few places in the world that regularly produces a moonbow. The “moonbow,” also called a white rainbow or lunar rainbow, is formed just like a rainbow—light is refracted in tiny water droplets—and appears for the two or so days, as long as the sky is clear, on either end of the full moon. The other place in the world that a moonbow occurs regularly is Victoria Falls.

This photo was taken at 11:30 p.m. on a great moonlit night.

Thursday, 06/24/2021: Posted photo — Cumberland Falls.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/4.6, 1/83 s, 18 mm.

Enjoy more photos from the park.

Friday, 06/25/2021: Post photo — Yahoo Falls.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/6 s, 55 mm.

Today we left the park to hike to Yahoo Falls and Yahoo Arch. Enjoy the photos.

Here are more photos on our hike out to Yahoo Arch.

When we came back to the park, we watch nature at work. Here is what happens when a grasshopper gets caught in a spider web. The grasshopper did put up a good fight.

Saturday, 06/26/2021: Post photo — Hanger.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/238 s, 4 mm

There is a black bear that frequented the campground at Cumberland Falls. The sites have hooks on there posts to have garbage so the bear could not get at it.

Today we travel back home.

Next week’s blog will be the same as this week. They it will be back to normal.

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/.

COVID is real! Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask and wash your hands. Get your vaccine!