Posted by

Posted on

September 12, 2021

Posted under

hiking, Nature, Photography, religion, Thoughts, water

Comments

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!

Posted by

photobyjosephciras

Posted on

May 30, 2021

Posted under

hiking, Inspiration, Nature, Photography, religion, Uncategorized, water

Comments

Photographic Thoughts — 05/23/2021 to 05/29/2021

“A tear contains an ocean. A photographer is aware of the tiny moments in a person’s life that reveal greater truths.” — Anonymous

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

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

Sunday, 05/23/2021: Posted photo — Get Out of my Tree.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/80 s, 135 mm

The photo I posted today was of two squirrels that were running around in our yard. These were two of five squirrels that were chasing after each other, knocking each other off trees, trying to hide from each other, and fighting each other. Most squirrels mate twice a year, once during the summertime and once towards the end of wintertime or early springtime. When one female is ready to mate, males will either chase after her or they will complete for the right to mate with her. What I was seeing was the competition to mate with her. There was one female squirrel on another tree watching the activity. Boys will be boys. It is very interesting to see nature at work.

A photo that I almost posted was at the other end of the spectrum. It was a photo of a statue of St. Anne reading to Mary. This statue was in front of St. Denis’ sister church that was in town. St. Anne’s church was torn down due to safety concerns a few years ago. “St. Anne is the patron saint of unmarried women, housewives, women in labor, grandmothers, childless people, equestrians, lacemakers, miners, the poor, and seamstresses. The most well-known patronage of St. Anne is that of grandmothers. Certainly, as the mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus Christ, St. Anne was a woman of great virtue and love.

St. Anne is often shown seated with a book on her lap. The child Mary stands against her, eager to listen. This depiction of St. Anne is a small explanation of what we know of this holy woman. God entrusted to St. Anne the task of raising Our Lady in a holy and virtuous home, and from a very young age Mary looked to St. Anne to learn about God and how He works in the lives of those who love and serve Him.” — Catholic Saint Metals, (https://catholicsaintmedals.com/saints/st-anne/)

Monday, 05/24/2021: Posted photo — Buttercups.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 s, 69 mm

Buttercup is a type of herbaceous plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. There are nearly 2000 species of buttercups that mostly inhabit northern hemisphere. Buttercups are usually found in cold and temperate regions. They prefer moist habitats and live in the fields, meadows, near the roads, in the woodlands, swamps and bogs. Buttercups are widely distributed and abundant in the wild. Some species of buttercups are rare and endangered due to habitat destruction and introduction of new, invasive plant species. Reflexive properties of buttercup flowers are applied in children’s game aimed to determine fondness for the butter. If yellow reflection appears on the skin after placing buttercup under the chin – then child likes to eat butter. Signs of intoxication appear immediately after ingestion of the plant. They include bloody diarrhea, excessive salivation, colic and blistering of the intestines. They have acrid taste, so even animals cannot eat them fresh. (https://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/buttercup_facts)

These buttercups are in the lawn near were I park my car at work. I took this photo on my way home from work before tonight’s hike. I took this photo just in case I did not take any photos during my hike. On my hike, I just hiked with the group of hikers I met last week. Great to go hiking with a group of hikers that socialize and not a social group that hikes.

Tuesday, 05/25/2021: Posted photo — Rhododendron.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/200 s, 92 mm.

Short and sweet. We have a red rhododendron that blooms after our azaleas. They are such wonderful plants that attract bumble bees and other insects.

Wednesday, 05/26/2021: Posted photo — Pants.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/60 s, 35 mm.

Pants for Groot perhaps? Groot is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13. He is a man made out of wood.

Thursday, 05/27/2021: Posted photo — Rabbit.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/50 s, 135 mm.

Imagine our two-year-old grandniece’s excitement every time this rabbit came out from under our deck. “There it is!!” She was so excited that she would run toward the rabbit and then it would hide. She would then sit down next to our son and wait and get excited repeatedly.

The wonders of youth. Why do we have to lose it?

Friday, 05/28/2021: Post photo — Clouds.

Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 18 mm.

Needed a quick photo today since I was traveling north to go hiking. Took this one in the morning before the rains came in.

Saturday, 05/29/2021: Post photo — Hiking.

Settings: FUGIFILM FinePix XP70, ISO 100, f/6.2, 1/240 s, 5 mm.

My son and his friend hiking in NH. This is from Wildcat D looking towards Mount Washington.

Hiking down the trail. Mount Washington in the distance

Five 4000-foot mountains, two official 4000 footers, wet river crossing to start the hike, 1600 feet of vertical gain in less than one-half mile, and hiking with your son and one of his friends. It was a great day. I feel in the river to start the hike. Not a great way to start, but I recovered quickly. Lucky, I brought a second pair of socks to change into. The first pair did not get very wet since I had on a good pair of hiking boots. I have my warm cloths on since the temperature was not to get above freezing in the mountains, so the wetness did not affect my hike.