Photographic Thoughts — 01/09/2022 to 01/15/2022

“When I photograph, what I’m really doing is seeking answers to things.” — Wynn Bullock

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

Sunday, 01/09/2022: Posted photo — Tricky Santa.

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

This figurine looks like my in-laws. My father-in-law is Santa to many people during the holidays. He goes to many parties and events as Santa. Before Covid, he took calls from children on the local cable channel. He likes to eat cookies.

My mother-in-law bakes cookies around the holiday. Some of the cookies she bakes look the cookies on this tray. She is Mrs. Clause to some people since my father-in-law is Santa. Tricking Mrs. Clause to sneak cookies is something my father-in-law would do.

I took this photo today because it is a figurine that I often photograph during the holiday season. We took our tree and decorations down today, so I wanted to post it this year since I have not done so.

Monday, 01/10/2022: Posted photo — Ice.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/60 s, 42 mm.

Not one of my best shots. I took this photo to show how cold it is her today and will be for the remainder of the week. I was hoping the photo came out better than it did. After posting photo for 4393 days in a row, there are a few you do not like.

Tuesday, 01/11/2022: Posted photo — Cold.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/60 s, 106 mm.

Yesterday it was cold. Today it was frigid. The temperature did not get out of the single digits (°F) and it was windy. The wind chill was well below 0° F. Last night’s hike was very cold, but it was 10–20° F warmer than today. The cold and the wind do not bother me since I know how to dress for it. Dress in layers.

Your layering system is as follows: a base layer that wicks sweat off your skin, a middle layer that is an insulating layer to retain your body heat and protect you from the cold, and an outer layer that shields you from wind and rain.

“The wind chill temperature is how cold people and animals feel when outside. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the internal body temperature. Therefore, the wind makes it FEEL much colder. If the temperature is 0°F and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the wind chill is -19°F. At this wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.” — From the National Weather Service.

Wednesday, 01/12/2022: Posted photo — Droplets.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/0, 1/125 s, 50 mm.

This is one of my favorite photos. I took this during the summer when the grass in our yard was tall and needed cutting. I saw the water droplets glistering in the sun and wanted to capture it.

I was very happy with the way this turned out.

Thursday, 01/13/2022: Posted photo — Playground.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 125, f/7.1, 1/100 s, 18 mm.

I had a follow up appointment today and took my camera to take a photo in the daylight. The appointment was near Dunn State Park, so I decided to take my photo there. Hiking, canoeing and kayaking, boating (non-motorized), fishing, and cross-country skiing can all be done at Dunn State Park. Sometimes there is a great shot of the water, trees, snow, and blue sky. The sky was gray, so I did not get that shot. What I did see was one of the play areas in the park. It looked to be a great photo that would tell a story about how cold it has been around this area in the last few days. I have hiked the easy one mile trail around Dunn Pond a few time, just hiking it and looking for Geocaches.

“Dunn State Park is named after its benefactor, John Ainsworth Dunn (1831- 1915) who had a lifelong career in the chair manufacturing industry, eventually founding the John A. Dunn Company with a large factory in Gardner and offices across the country. Dunn was seen by the people of Gardner as a man of strong personality who made the city known in the woodworking/chair industry. He was also very involved in the civic life of Gardner. In his will, Dunn gave this park property to the city of Gardner. At that time, a picnic area, 7-acre pond, field for baseball games, tennis courts and horseshoe pits were added. Over the years, Dunn Park grew to the current 120-acre day area that includes a 20-acre pond, playground, beach, picnic area and trails for us all to enjoy.” — From the Dunn State Park Trail Map.

Friday, 01/14/2022: Post photo — Fan.

Settings: FLIR i5, ISO N/A, N/A, 1/30 s, 7 mm.

This is a thermal photo of the fan on our wood stove. The heat of the stove makes the fan blades turn. The faster the turning, the hotter the fire.

Saturday, 01/15/2022: Post photo — Westminster Crackers.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/320 s, 56 mm.

In my town is the original Westminster Cracker factory. If you ever had oyster crackers, you may have seen this building. The old locals tell me that they use to put out the defective crackers for people to scoop up.

“Not so many years after the American Revolution, at the hearth of a colonial house in Westminster, Massachusetts, our first Master Baker pulled a batch of warm crackers from the oven, and a New England tradition was born. Back then, the bakery’s power came from a horse and treadmill; dough was mixed and rolled by hand, then individually stamped into crackers and baked in a wood-fired brick oven. Neighbors and passers-by delighted in the fresh-baked, hearty goodness of our breads and crackers.” Read more at https://www.westminstercrackers.com/about-wbc.

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

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

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

Photographic Thoughts — 12/26/2021 to 01/01/2022

“If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug around a camera.” — Lewis Hine

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

This week’s post will have short descriptions each day since I am getting ready for Christmas.

Sunday, 12/26/2021: Posted photo — Ice on Mountain Laurel.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/25 s, 78 mm.

Another day of freezing rain today. The good news is that it was only in the morning. We postponed our Christmas gathering until today because of the bad weather we had yesterday.

When I went out to clear off the driveway and to warm up the car, I decided to take a photo of the ice off the mountain laurel that is in our yard.

The other possible post for today was that of the nativity seen at church. Before mass today, I took photos of the crèche and the wooden hanging on the lectern. I have also taken a photo of the altar from the choir loft.

Monday, 12/27/2021: Posted photo — Y12 D361 Wachusett Mountain.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1250 s, 91 mm.

Tonight’s challenge, hike Wachusett Mountain on ice covered trails.

Usually not a challenge for me and my experienced hiking partners, it is more challenging when you hike with a group of various abilities. Some of the people in the group have not hiked in the winter.

During the hike, I had on my “rock” microspikes because of the ice cover and not much snow. These spikes are inexpensive, so I do not mind if they get damaged during the hike. That is what happened tonight. One of the chains broke on them so I need to order a new pair. I use my “rock” spikes so that I do not damage my “good” microspikes on the trail. It is less costly for me to replace the “rock” spikes than the “good” spikes. My inexpensive spikes were purchased off Amazon and my “good” spikes are Hillsound Trail Crampon.

Tuesday, 12/28/2021: Posted photo — That Spot Again.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/22, 1/10 s, 35 mm.

Had to run out and do some errands today. I went shopping during the day since it was a day off for me. Because it was daytime, I wanted to take a photo of the dam at Round Meadow Pond. This is a usual spot for me to take during the year and it is many people’s favorite location to see in my photos.

Wednesday, 12/29/2021: Posted photo — Top of the Cascade.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/14, 1/10 s, 62 mm.

A few weeks ago, I did a hike with the AMC leaders and we went past this Cascade in Worcester, MA. Today I was in the city go do some cleaning at my mother’s house when I decided to stop by the cascade with my good camera to take a photo of the falls. This photo was a handheld photo by leaning on the bridge that overlooks the falls.

Thursday, 12/30/2021: Posted photo — Sand Dunes.

Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/13, 1/800 s, 95 mm.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mosca, CO

The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Elevations within the park and preserve range from 8,200 feet to 13,604 feet and keep changing due to the weather. In summer months during mid-day, sand temperatures can reach 150 degrees F. Hike during the morning or evening to avoid heat exhaustion and/or burned feet. Wear closed-toe shoes. This is something that we experienced in the park. We were there in the summer of 2012 and could feel the heat through our shoes.

An amazing thing about the park is that you can see the dunes and the Sangre de Cristo mountains from miles away. When you turn off the main road to the access road, there they are.

Our national parks are wonderful, and everyone should have the opportunity to explore them all.

Friday, 12/31/2021: Post photo — Mom.

Settings: N/A

This year my mother passed at age 95. I did not know what photo to post for the last one of the year, saw a photo of my mother, and posted the photo of her with all her boys.

For your information, here are the final count of photos for the year 2021:

Total
Portrait6
Still Life82
Landscape105
Food8
Sports9
Wildlife25
Macro5
Event11
Documentary1
Weather35
Architectural22
Long exposure8
Flowers48

Saturday, 01/01/2022: Post photo — Cushion.

Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 556, f/1.8, 1/120 s, 4 mm.

Happy New Year! The start of year 13 of my project. I started on January 1, 2010 and have been taking and posting a photo a day.

The seat cushion on my wife’s aunt’s couch. We had our annual gathering at her house. I normally post a photo of the sunrise on New Year’s morning, but the weather had something to say about that.

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/.

Please note that my Weebly page will be working soon.

Photographic Thoughts — 12/19/2021 to 12/25/2021

“I like to photograph anyone before they know what their best angles are.” — Ellen Von Unwerth

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

This week’s post will have short descriptions each day since I am getting ready for Christmas.

Sunday, 12/19/2021: Posted photo — Totem.

Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 50, f/1.7, 1/346 s, 4 mm

This totem is in one of the rest areas in Pennsylvania. It has a plaque that is inscribed: “Dedicated to the American Indians (Seneca) …but they won’t be forgotten, but will be remembered in the minds and in our hearts. Love is life.” Peter Toth June 30, 1973

Totem

I took this photo on my way back from watching my nephew’s dance performance in Columbus, OH this weekend. It was a great show, and he did wonderful. He was one of the main dancers in this new ballet called Wonderland. He is a typical 14-year-old boy that enjoys what he is doing.

A totem is a natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem. I took this photo today on our drive home. I took other photos during the trip and decided to use this one for my photo of the day.

Monday, 12/20/2021: Posted photo — Icicles on Yew.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/200 s, 135 mm.

We had some rain and ice overnight. It is dangerous to drive on but looks great to photograph.

Icicles on a Yew

I also went on my weekly Monday night hike and took this photo of the ice on the trees on the summit being light up by the lights of the ski trail.

Ice covered tress on the summit.

Tuesday, 12/21/2021: Posted photo — Hockey Ornament.

This is an ornament that I have had for a while. I played hockey for almost 45 years. I have not played in a few years and would like to get back on the ice to play.

My Hockey Ornament

Wednesday, 12/22/2021: Posted photo — Sunrise HDR.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/1250 s, 135 mm.

The lighting was of interest this morning, so I took this photo. I did not like the way the original photo looked so I made it into an HDR photo. Good thing that I always photograph in RAW format.

Sunrise in HDR format

Thursday, 12/23/2021: Posted photo — Road Treatment.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/40 s, 29 mm

Treated Road

Getting ready for a storm. Most of the streets in town have this treatment on it. Sodium chloride (salt), magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate and potassium acetate are chemicals used to prevent and remove snow and ice from roadways.

Friday, 12/24/2021: Post photo — Driveway.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/80 s, 35 mm

We did get a dusting of snow last night so yesterday’s road treatment worked.

Snow down the Driveway

This is a photo of our neighbors’ driveway. I just like the way it looks in the snow, lined with the trees and the driveway being a dirt driveway.

Saturday, 12/25/2021: Post photo — Christmas Lights.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/8 s, 33 mm.

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christmas means “mass on Christ’s day”. The placement of lights on a tree goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolized Christ being the light of the world. The Christmas trees were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany. Here is a page I found with the history of lights on a tree: https://www.christmas-light-source.com/pages/history-of-christmas-lights.

Christmas Lights

On another note, we have freezing rain today so we went to church and then postponed a family event until tomorrow. When I was clearing off my car this morning, I saw some tracks in the snow and took these photos.

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/.

Please note that I have not been able to post to my Weebly page for over a month, so the photos are a little behind there. Weebly technical support is still working on the issue.

Photographic Thoughts — 12/05/2021 to 12/11/2021

“Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.” — Tony Benn

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

Sunday, 12/05/2021: Posted photo — Second Week of Advent.

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

Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and the beginning of the Christmas season.

The four weeks of Advent are broken down into the themes: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. The three purple candles on the Advent Wreath represent the preparation and repentance. During the third week of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday, a pink candle is lit to indicate rejoice, the time of waiting is almost over.

This photo was taken from the choir loft at our church. My wife and son sing with the folk group, and I joint them for the celebration of the Mass.

Monday, 12/06/2021: Posted photo — Color “fish” Photo.

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

I cancelled the Monday night hike, for safety reasons, due to the high winds and rain we were experiencing. Since there are inexperienced hikers in the group, it was not safe to be on the mountain. We would have hit the summit just at the bad weather was peaking. Because I did not hike tonight, I went grocery shopping tonight instead of my normal Tuesday evening.

When I am grocery shopping, I look for some food to photograph. I do this more in the winter since I do not have much opportunity to go outside in daylight to take my photo. Today, I saw these Goldfish crackers that are Goldfish Colors. I thought it would be punny to post a title of “Color ‘fish’ Photo”, instead of “Colorful Photo”.

https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/campbell-history/6-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-snack-that-smiles-back/

In 1962, Pepperidge Farm founder, Margaret Rudkin, launched Goldfish crackers in the United States.

Here are some things you didn’t know about Goldfish crackers:

  • While on vacation in Europe, Margaret visited a Swiss cookie manufacturer that had a similar product, and together they reached an agreement to bring the salty, fish-shaped crackers to the U.S.
  • Oscar J. Kambly, the original Swiss creator of the cracker, created them as a birthday present for his wife whose astrological sign was Pisces — which is often represented in Greek mythology as a fish.
  • The first five flavors of Goldfish that were launched were Lightly Salted (Original), Cheese, Barbecue, Pizza and Smoky, and it wasn’t until 1966, four years after the crackers were first launched, that the Cheddar Cheese flavor was introduced.
  • Willard, Ohio is the Goldfish capital of the world! Our bakery in Willard, a town of 6,000, can produce more than 50 million Goldfish crackers a day.
  • The Goldfish signature smiley face was added in 1997, and about 40% of the crackers feature the smile!

Tuesday, 12/07/2021: Posted photo — Anchor.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/9, 1/1600 s, 18 mm.

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941— a date which will live in infamy— the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” — FDR. Thus started the United States entry into World War II.

This photo is from my second visit to Pearl Harbor. It still amazes me that there is oil floating out of the USS Arizona. Looking back, I posted the same photos a year ago. This is from that post — “’This anchor was recovered from the Arizona. The ship had three anchors. The crew used one in calm seas and two in foul weather, the third as a spare. Each weigh nearly 10 tons.’ This are the words on a placard near the USS Arizona Anchor at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument in Hawaii. The sacrifice these men and women made to make our country the great country it is today.” See my original post on Pearl Harbor, and more photos from the National Monument, by clicking on this link, https://wordpress.com/post/photobyjosephciras.wordpress.com/568.

Wednesday, 12/08/2021: Posted photo — Wood Stove.

Settings: FLIR i5, ISO n/a, f/na, 1/30 s, 7 mm.

Some of you may know that I own an infrared camera. This camera takes photo of heat signatures of object. I use it to look at insulation in houses and efficiencies at power generating plants. Occasionally I use it to take artistic photos. Some of these photos are of footprints, handprints, car engines, warm tires, and even have used it as a stud finder.

Once or twice a year, I use it to check out my wood stove. My wood stove is old and not as efficient as some of the newer stoves. It is just a steel box with an exhaust pipe. One item that I often check is the temperature given on the stovepipe thermometer. This is a thermometer that has a magnetic backing and just sticks to the stove pipe. To my surprise, that thermometer and my thermal camera normally show the same temperature. The 518°F (250°C) temperature reading is the maximum temperature my camera can detect. The brand name of our stove is Nashua. You can just make out the name near the center of the photo next to the pointer.

Thursday, 12/09/2021: Posted photo — Footprints in the Snow.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/1000 s, 25 mm

It snowed last night. Well, I would not call it a storm, just a little more than a dusting. No need to shovel or plow. The roads were snow covered in the morning, so driving for some was not easy due to black ice. Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, such as a road. As the name implies, you do not always know when it is present, and it is very dangerous.

I like footprints in the snow. They seem so mystical for me. I wonder where the footprints lead, where was the person going, or where did the person come from. I know this is not the first footprint photo that I have posted over the years. I liked the way the sun caused shadows in the prints.

Friday, 12/10/2021: Post photo — Sunset from Office.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/80 s, 38 mm

Came out of a meeting to this. Took out my camera before it was past. The colors at sunset disappear quickly so I was quick to the camera. During the meeting, I could see the light through the windows was changing as it does at sunset. I did not expect much when I went back to my office. Then I saw the red clouds just getting end of the sunset. Reminds me of the saying of always have your camera with you, you never know want photo opportunity you might have.

Saturday, 12/11/2021: Post photo — Star on Tree.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/15 s, 33 mm.

The star on our Christmas tree. This star was created by my brother-in-law for our family. Check out more of his work at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068315455341 or https://www.etsy.com/shop/PolyhedralPlayground.

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/.

Please note that I have not been able to post to my Weebly page for over a week, so the photos are a little behind there. Weebly technical support is still working on the issue.