“Photography has nothing to do with cameras.” — Lucas Gentry
This week’s blog features some of the scenes from my vacation.
Sunday, 07/28/2024: Posted photo — Milky Way.
During my vacation, I attempted to take a Milky Way shot. The first two nights, I practiced at a couple of different locations. Both these locations had a large amount of ambient light. I was hoping that when we traveled away for civilization, the sky would be darker. No luck. When we were away from civilization, either the moon was too bright, or there was cloud cover. Here are my test shots.
Monday, 07/29/2024: Posted photo — Ganoga Falls.
We went to Ricketts Glen State Park in PA during this trip. This park features 23 waterfalls along a 5 to 7 mile trail (depending on your direction). We were able to see 18 of these waterfalls. This is the largest of the falls. Ganoga Falls has a height of 94 feet.
Another fall at the park is RB Bicketts Falls. This 36 feet waterfall is a wonderful example of the cascading falls in the park. The hike we took had about 800 feet in elevation change over some easy and difficult trails. The trail we took was marked the most difficult trail in the park. It was well worth the hike.
Ozone Falls is the second highest falls at 60 feet tall. The water was flowing well in the park. It will be great to go back in the fall, after the snowmelt, to see how much water is in the river. We camped two nights at Ricketts Glen to be able to hike and rest up before we moved onward.
Thursday, 08/01/2024: Posted photo — Bee on Flower.
Back home after vacation, we went to the cottage. My wife’s family has their reunion the first Saturday in August every year. I am always in the lookout for bees on flowers since I need practice on talking high speed photography.
Friday, 08/02/2024: Post photo — Rainbow.
Rain today. Rain this time of year produces rainbows. The strange thing about rainbows is that no two people see the same rainbow at the same time. They are based on your perspective.
This one started out weak, and then became stronger and then a double. The photo is an attempt to capture the full rainbow using the panorama setting on my cellphone.
Saturday, 08/03/2024: Post photo — Nature.
Just a shot of a log with moss on it to close out the week. When I returned to the office, I had one day to get up to date with my work before customers and auditor paid me a visit.
This photo was taken during the family reunion. Great to see old and new faces once a year.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
Here are some mountains that I have seen during my travels.
There were many great views of the mountain in the park. Took this photo was in the morning when the water was calm. There was someone sleeping in a hammock just outside the frame of this photo.
Monday, 06/24/2024: Posted photo — Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The Tetons are great and majestic mountains. Took this one just after sunset in the golden hour.
Tuesday, 06/25/2024: Posted photo — Lake McDonald.
Glacier National Park, Montana
This was my first view of Glacier National Park. We did some hiking with a mountain goat and her children on this trip.
Wednesday, 06/26/2024: Posted photo — Prince of Wales Hotel Waterton Lake.
Waterton – Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta
When we arrived at the park, the ranger saw that I had a camera. She told me of the spot to take this photo. It was up a private road used just by the rangers.
Thursday, 06/27/2024: Posted photo — Along the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
Alaska
We took a ride on the White Pass Railroad on our trip to Alaska. We did go into the Yukon to turn around. This is one of the mountains along the way. This photo is in color.
Friday, 06/28/2024: Post photo — Lake Louise.
Banff National Park, Alberta
I did not know that Lake Louise was a famous lake. We just stopped in to take in the views. It was crowded when we arrived in the morning and was very crowded in the afternoon when we continued our journey.
Saturday, 06/29/2024: Post photo — Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Washington
Been to Mount St Helens many times since it erupted on May 18, 1980. I am amazed with the way nature is recovering. The first time I went there was ten years after the eruption and there were still logs floating in Spirit Lake.
Today I went out looking for the remaining waypoints at the High Ridge Wildlife Management Area. I found all but one. This one is driving me mad! The other waypoints were in the general vicinity of where they were located on the map. The map gave me a general area since the eastern and northern scales on the map were different. When I attempted to triangulate from known coordinates to find the location, the bearings did not line up. Now that I have the coordinates of more waypoints, I can zero in on the location.
These are a couple of views along the way. The ground was very icy from the snow/sleet/ice we had yesterday (Saturday).
Monday, 03/25/2024: Posted photo — Morning Moon.
Today is the official day of the March full moon. It was a little cloudy in the morning, but I was able to get this shot in the morning. I was attempting to get the ring around the moon with my cellphone camera.
There was a planned full moon hike with the hiking group that some friends and I have founded. The day was turning out to be sunny, yet the ice was still hanging on. During the hike, I attempted to frame this shot. This is what I consider one of the best views from the mountain. The way the barn just sits out in the open makes this view.
Tuesday, 03/26/2024: Posted photo — Sunset.
Last night’s full moon hike was good and bad. The good part was the great sunset photos with the ice. The bad was that there was a cloud bank over Boston, so we did not see the moonrise.
On the way down from the summit, we were on a very icy trail with ice being thrown at us from the trees. The wind was picking up and it sounded as if it were raining ice.
Great day to be on the mountain.
Wednesday, 03/27/2024: Posted photo — Relay for Life.
Once again, I am doing the Relay for Life (RFL). The RFL is an event organized by the American Cancer Society to raise money for research and to help cancer patients and their families.
This is the address to send money if you want to donate. The RFL will take place in June.
Relay name: RFL of Greater Gardner Team name: One in the Spirit SK #: 6AYVG9 Relayer’s name: Joseph Ciras
If you do donate, message me so that I can get credited for the donation since was the caregiver for my bother.
Thank you for your help.
Thursday, 03/28/2024: Posted photo — View from the Trail.
During a recent hike, I attempted to frame this view. This is what I consider one of the best views from the mountain. The way the barn just sits out in the open makes this view.
The trail that has this view is a trail that is not used very much. I do not understand why. It is off one of the main trails. Might be because of all the rocks on the trail. It is not difficult, just tricky. It is one of the few trails on the mountain that you do not see many people snowshoe on during the winter.
Friday, 03/29/2024: Post photo — Ice on Fence.
I wanted to show these photos earlier in the week. These are some artistic photos from Monday night’s hike. I have been receiving many positive comments on these photos, so I am sharing them with you.
Saturday, 03/30/2024: Post photo — The Great House.
The Great House. Unearth during roadway construction, the Great House was built in 1633 and was the first public building erected in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in Charlestown MA. It is now part of the Freedom Trail. I had training today in a building that as just off the Freedom Trail by a few hundred feet.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
Here are some mountains that I have seen during my travels.
There were many great views of the mountain in the park. Took this photo was in the morning when the water was calm. There was someone sleeping in a hammock just outside the frame of this photo.
Monday, 02/19/2024: Posted photo — Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The Tetons are great and majestic mountains. Took this one just after sunset in the golden hour.
Tuesday, 02/20/2024: Posted photo — Lake McDonald.
Glacier National Park, Montana
This was my first view of Glacier National Park. We did some hiking with a mountain goat and her children on this trip.
Wednesday, 02/21/2024: Posted photo — Prince of Wales Hotel Waterton Lake.
Waterton – Glacier International Peace Park, Alberta
When we arrived at the park, the ranger saw that I had a camera. She told me of the spot to take this photo. It was up a private road used just by the rangers.
Thursday, 02/22/2024: Posted photo — Along the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
Alaska
We took a ride on the White Pass Railroad on our trip to Alaska. We did go into the Yukon to turn around. This is one of the mountains along the way. This photo is in color.
Friday, 02/23/2024: Post photo — Lake Louise.
Banff National Park, Alberta
I did not know that Lake Louise was a famous lake. We just stopped in to take in the views. It was crowded when we arrived in the morning and was very crowded in the afternoon when we continued our journey.
Saturday, 02/24/2024: Post photo — Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Washington
Been to Mount St Helens many times since it erupted on May 18, 1980. I am amazed with the way nature is recovering. The first time I went there was ten years after the eruption and there were still logs floating in Spirit Lake.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 02/04/2024: Posted photo — New Snow.
New snow fell today with more snow on the way. I was out walking today and took this photo. Nature is wonderful when it covers the world in a new blanket of snow.
Snow in the meadow
Monday, 02/05/2024: Posted photo — On my Walk.
It seems to be a while since I posted a photo of the dam at Round Meadow Pond. Since it was snowing in the morning, I decided to take a 2.5 mile walk into work today. It is always great to break the trail on the way to work.
The dam at Round Meadow Pond on my hike home from work
This photo was taken on my walk home tonight. It was the first night in a while that I hiked home in the blue hour giving me the chance to use the low light setting on my phone.
Tuesday, 02/06/2024: Posted photo — Cold Feet.
I took these photos yesterday to post today. I have an infrared camera and wanted to see how effective the vapor barrier was on my foot. The vapor barrier I am using is a small trash bag. I put on a compression sock, then the vapor barrier, and then a wool sock.
Vapor BarrierVapor Barrier Removed
My foot did not get cold last year, the first winter after my surgery. It was getting cold earlier this winter, almost to the point of my big toe changing color. As you can see in the IR photos, the vapor barrier works well. I have not felt my toes getting cold since using the vapor barrier, even after being hiking out in the snow longer that the beginning of the winter.
Wednesday, 02/07/2024: Posted photo — Eggplant.
From the Allrecipes webpage: “Eggplant, also known as aubergine, is a fruit in the nightshade family. Other edible nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. Eggplants are typically large, dark purple, kidney bean-shaped fruits with a dark green stem at one end. They usually feel light for their size and have a yielding texture.”
Eggplant
I have eaten eggplant in the past and do not find it to be something that I like. I cannot remember the last time I purchased and eggplant.
Thursday, 02/08/2024: Posted photo — Droplet.
It is getting warmer around here. The temperatures are in the mid to high 30’s. With the temperature rising and the sun beating down on icicles, droplets are formed. Every year I take photos of droplets so that I can practice the high-speed settings on my camera.
Water droplet
Friday, 02/09/2024: Post photo — Collection Time.
Time to tap trees to make maple syrup. This is one of my neighbor’s newly installed and designed setups for collecting sap to make their maple syrup. He taps a few of my sugar maple trees along with his trees. The ratio of sap to syrup for the sugar maple is 40 to 1 (40 gallons of sap yields one gallon of syrup). He will tap the trees until there is too much water in the sap. The sap generally flows for 4 to 6 weeks, with the best sap produced early on in the sap-flowing season.
Tapping my tree with a new setup
Saturday, 02/10/2024: Post photo — WPI.
Went to my graduate school alma mater, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), today for a cube competition. My family did the data entry and my son competed in a few events.
Boynton HallHiggins Lab
The two buildings in the photos are the towers of Boynton Hall and the Washburn Shop, these are in the school logo and buildings I had classes; and of Higgins Lab, a place where I had many more of my classes. In the second story of the student center, there is the Hall of Luminaries.
Hall of LuminariesRobert H Goddard, father of modern rocketry
One of those luminaries is Dr. Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry. Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard (1882–1945) is considered the father of modern rocket propulsion. A physicist of great insight, Goddard also had a unique genius for invention. It is in memory of this brilliant scientist that NASA established the Goddard Space Flight Center. His family home was down the street from where I grew up in Worcester, and he did most of his experimenting at WPI.
“Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies.” — Diane Arbus
In honor of Groundhog Day, I will be posting a previous post.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
These next few posts will be photos only that I have taken over my vacation. This week will show you some of the animals that I encountered.
Sunday, 01/28/2024: Posted photo — Prairie Dog.
One of the campsites we were camped, was a remote campground in Badlands National Park. In this campground and the surrounding area, there USGA was doing a study on Prairie Dogs. These were some that were near my tent.
Monday, 01/29/2024: Posted photo — Camping Bison.
In the same campground, there was a bison that used the site markers as scratching posts. This bison also showed up in the morning. The remote campground had only 10 sites. All eyes were on the bison. People did come out of these tents as the bison moved away.
Tuesday, 01/30/2024: Posted photo — Ducks.
These ducks were in one of the rivers at Yellowstone National Park. I did look up the type of ducks these are but did not write it down.
Wednesday, 01/31/2024: Posted photo — Elk.
This elk came to visit us at the first campground we had in Yellowstone.
Thursday, 02/01/2024: Posted photo — Bison by River.
At the second campground in Yellowstone, we took a walk in the morning and saw this bison by the river. There was a plaque at this location that stated that this was the exact location that the idea to make Yellowstone a national park was born.
Friday, 02/02/2024: Post photo — Mini Cow.
One of my sister-in-law’s animals. It is always great to take the trip to visit them.
Saturday, 02/03/2024: Post photo — Feasting Bald Eagle.
This Bald Eagle just caught a fish, brought it to the top of this tree, and had its dinner.
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” — Karl Lagerfeld
In memory of Pearl Harbor Day, I will be posting photos from my last trip to Hawaii.
Sunday, 12/03/2023: Posted photo — Diamond Head.
“The unique profile of Diamond Head (Lē’ahi) sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki’s coastline. Hawaii’s most recognized landmark is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater.”
“The Rainbow Falls are a broad waterfall in the Wailuku river that is conveniently located within Hilo town. They are very easy to visit and you’ll have a high chance of seeing rainbows if you visit somewhat early in the day (perhaps even before breakfast).”
Tuesday, 12/05/2023: Posted photo — National Memorial Cemetery.
“Few national cemeteries can compete with the dramatic natural setting of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The “Punchbowl” was formed some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range.”
My father served in WWII in the US Navy. He had a uniform just like this. I used his duffle bag for a hockey bag when I was young.
Friday, 12/08/2023: Post photo — USS Arizona.
This is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States. “Other highly-visited historic sites include the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C., along with Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, and Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine Florida.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is operated by the National Park Service and is free to the public. It includes a museum with exhibits about World War II, an outdoor walkway with numerous historical plaques and signage explaining the attack, and a theater that shows a video of actual footage and events from the attack which is viewed before boarding the boat which takes visitors out to the memorial.”
“Located on Ford Island and in line with the Arizona Memorial along battleship row, the Battleship Missouri (USS Missouri (BB-63)) towers over its dock some 216 feet high. It is accessible only by shuttle from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center or on our tour vehicles. The island is a military installation so the public is unable to drive onto it without special passes.”
“A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” — Edward Steichen
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 10/15/2023: Posted photo — Chopping Maul.
I went out to chop some wood this afternoon and used both my axe and my maul. This is a photo of my maul. When I was chopping the wood, I had the idea for today’s photo. I wanted to let people know the difference between an axe and a maul.
An axe and maul are primarily distinguished by the fact that an axe is lightweight, has a sharper cutting edge, and has a shorter handle. A maul’s blunt, hammer-like edge is used alone or in conjunction with a wedge to pry open wood that has been cut. Sometimes I use a wedge with my axe. Using the axe with the maul is better since the maul has a better splitting action. If I need to wedge with the maul, I will hit it with the axe.
I do have a hydraulic log splitter. I have not used it in a few years since the gas line needs to be repaired and I have not had a good opportunity to fix it. I may have to bring it to a repair shop. Some of the wood that I am splitting have knots, and it is not easy to use a maul or an axe to split wood that has knots.
Monday, 10/16/2023: Posted photo — West Side Trailhead.
Tonight, for my hike, I decided to lead the group up a different trail. We have been using the same trailhead for weeks now and I wanted to mix it up a little. The West Side Trail is on what I call the back of the mountain. It is away from where most people hike. There is a rock scramble not to far in from the trailhead. It was a little more difficult to go up today since it was wet from the rain that fell earlier in the day. I decide to do a loop on the way down the mountain to avoid this section of the trail. Rain, wet leaves, and wet rocks are a safety hazard at night.
Tuesday, 10/17/2023: Posted photo — Flowers.
I have posted in the past the meaning of color in flowers. It has been a while so here is a reminder.
Red flowers: associated with feelings of true love and passion, they can also be used to convey respect, desire, and courage. Yellow flowers: are associated with spreading happiness and joy. They can also symbolize friendship. Pink flowers: are also a symbol of love, though they can also mean happiness, gentleness, and femininity. Orange flowers: are known to symbolize feelings of excitement and enthusiasm. White flowers: range in meaning from purity and innocence to sympathy. Blue flowers: are said to symbolize tranquility and peace. Purple flowers: symbolize success and even royalty, although feelings of admiration and tradition may also come through in purple flowers. Lavender flowers: typically symbolize grace, elegance, and youth. Green flowers: are associated with rebirth and renewal. Additionally, green can also symbolize good health, good fortune, and youthfulness.
Wednesday, 10/18/2023: Posted photo — Direction.
What direction am I going? How do I get from point A to point B? To answer these questions, I use a compass with a map. Many people, including very experienced hikers, do not know how to use a map and compass. The setup for this photo is the map of an orienteering course in my area that I have used for training.
I will be teaching a basic navigation class in a couple of weeks at Wachusett Mountain. After the class, I will test the student’s skills on a hike. We will plan out the hike during the course and then use it on the trail. There will be a few obstacles and a field test along the way. In the spring, I will be teaching an advanced navigational course using the orienteering course.
Here are the 10 Essentials.
1. Navigation: Map, compass, and GPS system 2. Sun Protection: Sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat 3. Insulation: Jacket, hat, gloves, and rain shell 4. Illumination: Flashlight, lanterns, and headlamp 5. First-aid supplies: First aid kit 6. Fire: Matches, lighter, and fire starters 7. Repair Kit & Tools: Duct tape, knife, and scissors 8. Nutrition: Extra food 9. Hydration: Water and water treatment supplies 10. Emergency Shelter: tent and tarp
Having these items with you will keep you prepared. Knowing how to use them could save your life.
Thursday, 10/19/2023: Posted photo — Close to Peak.
The foliage is getting close to peak in this area. I attempted to get a photo with the sun on the leaves, but it was not out very long today. Peak season means the time when most leaf have changed color.
Leaves can change their color from as early as mid-September all the way through early November. Typically, the second and third week of October are the peak times, but it shifts depending on where you live and your local weather conditions.
Foliage starts to change in the northern-tier states out West and in the Midwest by late September. By October 4, the leaves in some areas will be past their prime.
Much of New England as well as the Pacific Northwest, will be at or near peak fall color by October 11.
A little further south in the Blue Ridge Mountains, mid-October is when the leaves are near or at peak.
Friday, 10/20/2023: Post photo — Mushroom of a Stump.
Since June we have had about 65 days of rain. It is raining today. With all the rain comes fungus in the form of mushrooms. Even though I hike, I do not like mushrooms, and I cannot tell you the edible types versus the non-edible types.
Some good rules apply for avoiding poisonous mushrooms if you are a novice that I found online:
Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva. You may be missing out on some good edible fungi, but it means you will be avoiding the deadly members of the Amanita family.
Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem. Again, you will be missing out on some good mushrooms but more importantly you won’t be picking poisonous ones.
Finally, don’t consume any mushrooms unless you are 100% sure of what they are.
Saturday, 10/21/2023: Post photo — Nature’s Elements.
Here is a photo I took today in the Leominster State Forest. I have posted photos of this lonely tree in the past. This photo shows the foliage, rain, and fog. This is how most of our summer and fall has gone so far, very wet this year.
Some of the Whoopie Pies made for our church bazaar.
Thursday, 09/28/2023: Posted photo — Rose.
I took this photo today to use for my other photo projects. The subject of this week’s project is red. I was going to do a selective color of the red. Instead, I used this photo.
Friday, 09/29/2023: Post photo — Discussion.
The ladies having a discussion during my Monday night hike. The rain stopped just in time for our hike.
Saturday, 09/30/2023: Post photo — Fall Fest.
Fall Fest is an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) event. It was held by be Western Mass Chapter of the AMC. I am a leader/member for the Worcester Chapter of the AMC. I was there to teach people how to navigate using a map and compass.
Photo by Joseph Ciras 