Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO 80, f/6, 1/253 s, 9 mm.
We arrived at Yosemite National Park late one evening in 2008 and did not see the valley. Today we went hiking to Bridalveil Falls. Since this trip took place in the summer, the water was not flowing over the falls as well as it does other times of the year.
Monday, 04/25/2022: Posted photo — Camp Curry.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO 400, f/3, 1/147 s, 8 mm.
This is where we camped, Camp Curry. We occasionally had a visitor near our site. Yosemite bears will open your car doors to get food. All your items that have odor were to be placed inside a bear locker. Yosemite bears are the only bears in the National Park system that will open your door for you.
Tuesday, 04/26/2022: Posted photo — El Capitan.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO 80, f/4.8, 1/434 s, 6 mm.
The famous El Capitan. We saw some climbers on the side of the cliff. It is interesting at night to see their flashlights as they are setting up their sleeping ledges.
Wednesday, 04/27/2022: Posted photo — Half Dome.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO 80, f/8.5, 1/274 s, 18 mm.
Also next to our camp is Half Dome. We did some hiking around Half Dome but did not have the time to climb it ourselves.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO 80, f/4.8, 1/360 s, 18 mm.
Here is Yosemite Valley. One of the most picturesque placed that I have visited. We drove in at night and did not see the valley. When we did see the valley later in our visit, we were not disappointed. As I stated above, this was the start of me taking photographs daily. I have an inexpensive camera and did not have much experience with post processing my images.
Friday, 04/29/2022: Post photo — Vernal Falls.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO N/A, f/3.2, 1/350 s, 28 mm.
Another hike, another waterfall.
Saturday, 04/30/2022: Post photo — Yosemite Falls.
Settings: KODAK DX6490 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA, ISO N/A, f/3.2, 1/500 s, 11 mm.
Since our trip was in the middle of the summer, upper and lower Yosemite Falls were not flowing. Would be nice to get back to Yosemite National Park in the spring to see the water flowing.
“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.” — Annie Leibovitz
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This week we visit the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
Sunday, 04/17/2022: Posted photo — Bison outside the Park.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/6, 1/500 s, 300 mm.
This week I am posting from a trip we took to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Not many people go to the north rim since it is not near any population area. To drive from the north rim to the south rim of the Grand Canyon takes about 8 hours from closest entrance to closes entrance.
Before you get the sign for the north rim, you go past a bison farm. What a majestic animal to see up close.
Monday, 04/18/2022: Posted photo — North Rim Entrance.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/60 s, 32 mm.
Here is the sign for the north rim. I have signs from all the national parks that I have entered. It is a good way to remember what parks the following photos were taken. I also like to take photos of signs along the trails.
Tuesday, 04/19/2022: Posted photo — View from our Campsite.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/8, 1/100 s, 55 mm.
This is the view we had when we woke up the few days we were at the north rim. Not a bad view!
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/100 s, 20 mm.
We were walking the Transept Trail to Bright Angel Point to head into the canyon. We saw a sign for ruins that were used 1000 years ago by Pueblo people. There are many historical ruins in Grand Canyon National Park and other parks in the area.
Thursday, 04/21/2022: Posted photo — Western Tanager.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/320 s, 300 mm.
As we were approaching the trailhead area, I spotted this colorful bird in a bush. I like how colorful it is. I have sold a few prints of this photo during some of my gallery showings.
Friday, 04/22/2022: Post photo — Lightning.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/10, 1/400 s, 70 mm.
We did not go down into the canyon because of storms in the area. There was tornado and severe thunderstorm warning in the area. When this storm was approaching, I took out my camera and started to take photos. I did not see the second bolt of lightning until I looked at the photo on my computer.
Saturday, 04/23/2022: Post photo — View of the Canyon.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/8, 1/125 s, 40 mm.
As we were leaving the canyon to go from the north rim to the south rim, we stopped an looked at the temples.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting 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
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 09/12/2021: Posted photo — Trail Mix.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/10 s, 135 mm.
Trail mix is typically a blend of cereals, dried fruits, nuts and often sweets, trail mix can be a mixture of crunchy and chewy, salty, or sweet. My trail mix is a mixture of different types of M&Ms, nuts, and Chex mix.
I snack on trail mix off and on the trail. I like the mixture of the different textures and tastes of the food. Trail mix may not be the most nutritious food to eat, but it does cut down on my hunger and keeps me energized on my hikes.
Monday, 09/13/2021: Posted photo — Sunset from the Summit.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/3200 s, 135 mm.
Every sunset is different, and none disappoint. Some are more spectacular and colorful than other. The anticipation of how the sunset will look is one of the great things about them.
This is why sunsets are so colorful according to Brian Resnick in an article in Science and Health “Sunset colors are created by a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. It is the same phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue during the day.
Sunlight contains all the colors of the rainbow. But not all the colors reach the ground in the same concentration. Nitrogen and oxygen molecules in our atmosphere act as little mirrors for blue and violet light. That means not as much blue or violet light reaches the ground. Instead, it bounces around in our atmosphere, creating the blue dome of sky we’re all so familiar with.
At sunset, light must travel through a greater distance of atmosphere to reach our eyes — so even more blue light, and even some green and yellow light, gets filtered out. That leaves us with the warmer hues of the visible light, the reds and oranges, and it’s why many sunsets look like fire.”
Tuesday, 09/14/2021: Posted photo — Maggiore Fun Flame.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm
A Maggiore Fun Flame is a stunning dahlia with huge, fiery red and yellow flowers. Its tall stems are perfect for cutting. It Reblooms effortlessly all season long. The dahlia is an eye-catching, fuss-free summer accent for containers, beds, and borders. The flower needs to be watered regularly — twice-weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers. It also is good at attracting butterflies.
I saw this flower on my shopping trip this evening. I took a photo of it because I just liked the way it looked. The colors and textures caught my eyes.
Wednesday, 09/15/2021: Posted photo — Tent.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 1600, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 26 mm.
A tent is an important piece of equipment if you are going on an overnight hiking trip or just camping in general. This is the tent that I use when hiking and/or camping when I am not using my roof top tent. This tent is lightweight and very easy to set up. It is well ventilated when the rain cover is not installed. My son was camping the last two weekends and borrowed my tent. All my hikes in the White Mountains were either day trips or I stayed in my brother’s condo. Setting up a tent is not as easy as one my think. You need to be aware of your surroundings to make sure that you will not get washed out in case of rain, or have blood rush to your head if you are setting up on a slopped surface.
Thursday, 09/16/2021: Posted photo — Mount Hancock.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/400 s, 47 mm.
This photo was taken a few years ago when I hiked Mount Hancock (4,403′) along with Mount South Hancock (4,278′) for the Flags on the 48 event. The event was sponsored by the Worcester Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. I was the peak coordinator, while senior members of the AMC were leading and sweeping the hike.
Hancock Mountain is a 4,380 foot mountain in the Pemigewasset Wilderness area of the White Mountains between Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch. The mountain is named after John Hancock, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The mountain used to be the most remote and inaccessible peak in the White Mountains, before theKancamagus Highway was finished. Today, the trail begins on the well known hairpin turn on the Kancamagus Highway at the Hancock Overlook Parking area.
When I hiked it for the Flags on the 48, I hiked with the person who blazed the original trail up to the summit, Hancock Notch Trail. He showed us photos of the trail being blazed and would tell us stories of how they decided to make the trial were it is located. There is a landmark rock in the woods near the summit. We did some exploring to see if it was still there since it had been many years since he blazed the trail.
The weather is looking wet for my hike on Saturday. If I do not make it to the summits, the mountain will still be there. If I do make it to both peaks, I would have a total of ten 4,000 footers this year. 4,000 foot mountains my not seem difficult to some of you. I have heard from people that live and hike in the taller, younger mountains, in the western United Stated that the mountains in the Whites are more challenging. I have hiked a few mountains out west and agree with their assessment. The prominence of some of the mountains in the Whites is more than the prominence of the mountains out west.
Friday, 09/17/2021: Post photo — Foggy Hike.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/120 s, 4 mm
Went on a group sunset hike tonight through Leominster State Forest. As you can see, it was foggy and misty, so I did not see the setting sun tonight. The hike was almost three miles long and easy. It was a good warm up for my hike tomorrow, weather permitting.
This tree is one that I have photographed a few times before. I just like the way that it is isolated in the middle of the pond.
Saturday, 09/18/2021: Post photo — Mount Osceola.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/640 s, 41 mm.
Mount Osceola as seen from the Mount Hancock trailhead this morning. Today I hiked Mounts Hancock and South Hancock with a few people associated with the group that I hike with on Monday nights. Rain was in the forecast for the later in the afternoon. The weather held up until the last 1.8 miles of the 9.8 mile hike.
Mount Osceola is one of the 4,000 footers that I have climbed.
“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” — Marc Riboud
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 is the last of the “catch up” series of blogs.
Sunday, 06/27/2021: Posted photo — Bridge.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/3 s, 18 mm.
This is one of the bridges in Watkins Glen State Park. This bridge is over Central Cascade, one of the 19 waterfalls that are in the park. We camped at the state park three nights, enjoying the Glen in-between storms.
Monday, 06/28/2021: Posted photo — Yahoo Arch.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7, 1/250 s, 24 mm
Yahoo Arch has a height of 17 feet and a base of 70 feet. It is in McCrary County, Kentucky. You get there by hiking 1.5 miles, one way, on a spur trail that brought you to Yahoo Falls. The height of Yahoo falls is 113 feet.
Tuesday, 06/29/2021: Posted photo — Clouds.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/1000 s, 44 mm
Now that we are back home, I needed a photo. The air was very humid, and clouds were forming near Round Meadow Pond.
Wednesday, 06/30/2021: Posted photo — St John’s Wort.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/25 s, 69 mm.
“St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering shrub native to Europe. It gets its name from the fact that it often blooms on the birthday of the biblical John the Baptist. The flowers and leaves of St. John’s wort contain active ingredients such as hyperforin. St. John’s wort is available as a supplement in teas, tablets, liquids and topical preparations. People use St. John’s wort to treat depression and menopausal symptoms.” — Mayo Clinic
binary comment
These wildflowers are in an area that I hike often. I stopped to take this photo since I was in a rush to take one for the day.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/25 s, 18 mm.
This is a new month, and I wanted a good photo for the first day of the month on my web page. This location is one that I photograph often and is one of the favorite locations for those who look at my photographs.
Rainy day today. No opportunity to get outside to take a photo. I took this when walking between buildings at work. This photo can also be used as a historic record of today’s weather.
binary comment
Saturday, 07/03/2021: Post photo — Mangos.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 64, f/1.7, 1/120 s, 4 mm
“A mango is a popular tropical fruit that is eaten in sweet and savory dishes around the world. It can be green, yellow, orange, red, or a combination of these colors, and has yellow or orange flesh surrounding a flat, hard pit. The fruit is typically peeled and cut away from the pit before use. A mango can be eaten raw unripe or ripe, or cooked into desserts, curries, and chutneys. It’s a moderately expensive piece of produce per fruit, but many varieties are large and heavy. It is also a popular dried fruit.” — The Spruce Eats
“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.
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.
Photo by Joseph Ciras 