Photographic Thoughts—02/07/2021 to 02/13/2021

“In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.” — August Sander

Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week. It helps keep me going. Enjoy my blog post!

Sunday 02/07/2021: Posted photo—Wood.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 29 mm.

I posted a similar photo about a month ago. Today it is snowing. I moved our cars to their snow configuration, in line, and took a photo of this seasoning wood pile in case I do not get out again today. Once the snow melts and we get into spring or early summer, I will split this wood to get it ready for the new burning season.

Fire wood

Monday 02/08/2021: Posted photo—Blue Sky.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 55 mm.

A camera’s senor dictated the quality of the image the camera can produce—the larger the sensor, the higher the image quality. Bigger image sensors have bigger pixels, which means better low-light performance, reduced noise, good dynamic range, and the ability to obtain more information.

The best way to see if there is dust on your sensor is to take a photo of a light solid color to see if you can see the spots. Most people take a photo of something white to do this. I looked at the sky today and it was bright blue, I needed a photo of the day, so I took this photo to both check my sensors and to have a photo to post.

Nothing but blue sky

Tuesday 02/09/2021: Posted photo—Cold Sun.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/500 s, 55 mm.

We received six inches of new snow today. Before the snow, I looked up and liked the way the sun was shining in the clouds. It is not often you can take a photo of the sun without a filter. Like other photos, the scene was calling to me to photograph it00000.

The cold sun in the sky

Wednesday 02/10/2021: Posted photo—Aunt Connie.

Settings: Not applicable, scanned photo.

My Aunt Connie passed away today due to COVID. She went into the hospital for some other reason and contacted COVID. She was my mother’s older sister. Aunt Connie was 97 years old and my mother is 95. My mother called her a second mother to her. There were eleven children in the family so when the younger ones were born, the older ones took care of each other. Aunt Connie was the second oldest child, and my mother is the fourth oldest.

Aunt Connie

COVID is real! Wear your masks, wash your hand, social distance, and get your shot.

Thursday 02/11/2021: Posted photo—Falls at Sunset.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/30 s, 27 mm.

It has been getting brighter every day when I leave work. No longer am I going to work when it is dark and coming home from work when it is dark. I was driving around after work looking for something to photograph before the sun was under the horizon. I passed this spot and took this photo.

The dam at Round Meadow Pond

Friday 02/12/2021: Post photo—Snow People.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 200, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm

My grandniece 0wanted to play in the snow with my wife, my son, and me. I am not home from work when she is here so that was great to hear. When she was out playing with my son, she wanted a snowman. The snow was not the greatest for that so my made some small ones with her. She wanted a big snowman, but the snow was not “snowman” snow. My wife took out the ice pick and cut squares out of packed down snow and made the big snowman in this photo.

Snow people

Saturday 02/13/2021: Post photo—Icefall.

Settings: FUJIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/2500 s, 46 mm

Today was my second hike of the week. This one was a little longer than the one I took Wednesday night. Today the hike was with my son and one of his friends. The three of us hike often during the week. We attempt to hike three times a week. This month it was hard to do this since there was snowstorm on the days we normally hike.

My son and his friend hiking along the Midstate Trail on Wachusett Mountain

This icefall is at the junction of Harrington and Link trails on Wachusett Mountain. I took a photo of this icefall a few weeks ago. During this hike, I was reminded on why I like to hike at night, there are fewer people to run into.

Icefalls on Wachusett Mountain

Usual statement: That is all for this week. Hope you enjoyed my thoughts and constructive criticism is always wanted. I do not take criticism personally, just an opportunity to better my photography and writing skills.

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/.

Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask.

COVID is real! Be safe out there.

Photographic Thoughts—01/31/2021 to 02/06/2021

“Photograph 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 going. Enjoy my blog post!

Sunday 01/31/2021: Posted photo—Mount Flume.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 55 mm.

Today I went hiking with an old college roommate. We hiked together last year for the first time in a long time. This was the second time we hiked together and the first time in the winter. On the accent, I as faster then he was. On the descent, he was faster than I was. On the descent, I am a cautious hiker, especially in the snow. The hike was about 11 miles long and took us about 8 hours to complete.

When we started the hike, it was -4° F at the trailhead and the snow was very crisp. The temperature rose to about 18° F on the decent. On the decent the snow was softer and more slippery. I wore my microspikes on the accent and my crampons on the descent. If you stepped off the trail, you sank into about 2 feet of snow.

It was a wonderful hike, and I am looking forward to more hikes with this college friend.

We did two mountains on this hike. The first one we summited was Mount Liberty.  Mount Liberty is a 4,459-foot-high mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Overlooking Franconia Notch, it is part of Franconia Ridge, the second highest mountain group in the Whites after the Presidential Range. The second mountain we summited was the one in this photo, Mount Flume. Mount Flume is the southernmost and shortest of the five peaks on the very popular Franconia Ridge. The Flume Slide — a rockslide through the trees which you will need to climb up — is shown in this photo. The rock here is very solid and angular with good holds even in the rain. The slide lasts for 0.7 miles after which you will reach the Franconia Ridge Trail junction just 0.1 miles south of the Mount Flume summit. The general rule is that you never go down the slide, only up it. It is very difficult to climb in good weather and impossible to climb in the winter.

Monday 02/01/2021: Posted photo—Mounts Lafayette and Lincoln.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1.0, 1/640 s, 55 mm.

Mount Lafayette is a 5,249-foot mountain at the northern end of the Franconia Range. This is one of the mountains that I have climbed in the past during the spring. Mount Lincoln is a 5,089-foot mountain in the Franconia Range. I also have summited this mountain in the past. I took these photos during yesterday’s hike up Mount Liberty and Mount Flume.

I was not able to get out today to take a new photo, so I posted a photo taken yesterday.

Tuesday 02/02/2021: Posted photo—Falls Under the Snow.

Settings: FinePix XP70, ISO 400, f/4.9, 1/30 s, 18 mm.

If hiking 11 miles on Sunday was not enough, I snowshoed into work today. It was a shot 3-mile hike in the morning and a 2.5-mile hike after work. I took the safe route to work and broke trail on the way home. During my afternoon hike, I passed the dam at Round Meadow Pond and took this photo. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I photograph this place often. We received 19 inches of new snow overnight and it was a wonderful hike home in the woods along the Midstate Trail.

Wednesday 02/03/2021: Posted photo—Hanging On.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 s, 55 mm.

One of the effects of a large amount of snow is snowdrifts on buildings. This is a drift hanging off a building waiting to fall. This was up on the building for a few days because the weather was cold and we have little to no wind.

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Thursday 02/04/2021: Posted photo—1759 Philip Bemis House.

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

This is one of the historic housed in town. I pass it on my way to Round Meadow Pond and have photographed this house in the past. Today I decided to take a photo of it since it called to me when I was on my way to photograph the falls.

It is getting lighter every day after work so I will be taken more nature photos in the future.

Friday 02/04/2021: Post photo—Red Sunrise.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/50 s, 51 mm

The sunrise caught my eyes at work today. I was going to drop something off is someone’s office I noticed the red sky. I walked quickly back to my desk to get my camera, went up to a window and took this shot.

Every sunrise is different.

Saturday 02/06/2021: Post photo—Droplets.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/2500 s, 46 mm

Icicles are melting fast around here. After a cold week, we had a warm day today and things are melting. The water was almost running off the icicles so I took out my camera and took this shot.

Usual statement: That is all for this week. Hope you enjoyed my thoughts and constructive criticism is always wanted. I do not take criticism personally, just an opportunity to better my photography and writing skills.

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/.

Be safe out there, keep your social distance, and remember to always wear your mask.