As 2015 comes to a close, I have decided to share my favorite images of 2015 and why they are special to me. I hope you enjoy these images as much as I do!
Arlington National Cemetery
My first image was taken this fall at
Arlington National Cemetery. I was fortunate enough to be witness to the funeral of 3 Star General Frank E. Petersen, Jr. He was the first African American Aviator in the United States Marine Corps. He was also the first African American Marine General. The photograph holds a special memory for me and also marks an event in history.
New River Gorge, West Virginia
My next landscape is of New River Gorge in West Virginia. The photograph displays the vastness of this region and the beauty of the fall colors. This was my first trip there; I do plan on going back.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
As I was walking around the Great Sand Dunes National Park area, I saw this couple walking toward me. I used the trees to frame them and to demonstrate the size of the area. The woman was dressed in a white desert type outfit, like the kind you would see Katharine Hepburn wear in African Queen. They looked like they had been on safari.
Close up of the graffiti my daughter spray painted onto one of the cars. EM is her initials.
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
The two images above are from the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. I had taken a trip out west in 2013 and passed this area without knowing what it was until after the fact. I knew we were going to be going past here again so I made sure we stopped. The bold, highly saturated colors stand out against the cloudless blue sky. My daughter enjoyed the fact she could “legally” paint graffiti onto an object and not be arrested. Her initials EM were boldly painted in yellow and I’m sure were gone by days end. What a great experience though!
Abandoned Corral, Roy, New Mexico
It was great to travel some of the back roads through Colorado and New Mexico. To see the sunset over the mountains was breathtaking. I saw all of the wooden structures in the field and pulled off the road to capture a few shots of the beautiful sunset.
Cabin in the Woods, Adams County, Ohio
This cabin is in a very private area of Adams County, Ohio. I was hiking one day in early spring and stopped at the top of an incline to look around. When I looked behind me I saw the cabin’s red tin roof. It stood out from all of the branches and trees. This image is currently on loan to the Ohio Governor’s Office from 2015 – 2017.
Enhanced Landscapes
The next 3 images are ones that I did special processing on to give the images an aged feeling or to enhance specific details in the photograph.
Sleigh Ride, Maryland
I had taken a winter workshop in Oakland, Maryland and one of our stops was an Amish farm that gave sleigh rides. I processed this image with the
On1 Photo suite. As I worked on it the scene became that of a Currier and Ives style “painting.” I used this as my Christmas Card this year.
Old Mill of Guilford, North Carolina
I photographed this old grist mill in Oak Ridge, North Carolina over Thanksgiving. While the original photograph was nice, I decided to add a little texture to the image and give it an aged feel. I used the
On1 Photo processing system to bring out the details and to add texture to the photograph.
Tabby Shack dating from the 1700’s on Ossabaw Island.
My final favorite landscape image from 2015 is that of a Tabby Shack on
Ossabaw Island along the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The leading lines of the road allows the eye to travel along these historical structures. This image was also processed with
On1 Photo to give it an aged appearance.
I hope you enjoyed these images! Photographs capture our moments in time and bring back the memories connected to those moments.
Look for my other favorites of 2015!
December 30, 2015 | Categories: Island exploration, Military, On1, Patriotic, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Summer Vacation, Travel, US Marine Corps, Woods | Tags: Adams County Ohio, Amarillo Texas, arch bridge, Arlington National Cemetery, bridge, Cabin, Cadillac, Cadillac Ranch, cars buried in field, corral, Enhanced photography, Georgia, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Grist Mill, Image enhancement, Island, Maryland, New Mexico, New River Gorge, Nikon, Nikon D800E, North Carolina, Oakland Maryland, Old Mill at Guilford North Carolina, On1, On1 10, On1 Effects, Ossabaw Island, Ossabaw Island Foundation, Pam DeCamp, Pam DeCamp Photography, Photo Enhancement, Rocky Mountains, Roy New Mexico, Sand, Sleigh Ride, snow, sunset, Tabby Shacks, Travel, West Virginia | Leave a comment
Yorktown Beach captured with a fisheye lens; you can see the slight curve in the foreground from lens distortion
The 8mm Rokinon fisheye lens is a great lens to capture landscapes and to create surreal images. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to using a fisheye lens. The photographer has to decide what adds to or takes away from the image.
Pros of using a fisheye:
Washington National Cathedral
Portsmouth Floodwall Mural
Portsmouth Floodwall Mural
Portsmouth Floodwall Mural
The motorcycle appears to be riding out of the mural
Using the fisheye to creatively “bend” the subject is a pro of this fine lens. The clarity throughout remains intact. It creates a snow globe effect when used close-up.
When shooting with a fisheye lens it is possible to capture sweeping landscapes with a greater depth of field. The image quality and sharpness throughout the image is a definite pro. The photographer can also create surreal images with a fisheye lens.
Getting low to the ground will provide for interesting foreground in the image.
Cons of using a fisheye:
While the pros listed above are very positive uses, they can turn into cons if you do not want your subject to bend or curve. Even in the best case scenario you may end up with a slight curve on the edges. When looking through the viewfinder, move the camera up and down and watch for the bend. The image can be exaggerated or will look fairly normal as the camera is moved.
Photoshop and Lightroom have excellent lens correction features; with practice, lens distortion can be corrected or enhanced depending on the final vision of the photographer.
Sunrise Crab Orchard Lake, Carbondale, Illinois
Sunrise Crab Orchard Lake, Carbondale, Illinois
Yorktown Beach
In the sunrise photos above you can see how the clouds curve, but the horizon is fairly level. It does make for a nice effect with the arching clouds. In the photograph of the boat, the horizon is curved and the foreground is bubbled toward the viewer. While this may not be a desirable outcome, the photographer has to decide if that is what the end result should be.
The fisheye lens definitely has its place in the photographer’s bag and there are many creative uses for it. Adding a slight curve to a photograph can enhance the image or provide an unwanted distraction to the viewer. It is up to the photographer to decide how to use the lens. If given the opportunity to try one; see what kind of images can be made!
Photography is a skill with infinite learning opportunities!
December 15, 2015 | Categories: Travel | Tags: Arlington National Cemetery, close-up photography, Crab Orchard Lake, fisheye lens, Flood wall murals, Illinois, landscape photography, landscapes, Murals, New River Gorge, Nikon D800E, Pam DeCamp, Pam DeCamp Photography, Portsmouth Ohio, Rokinon 8mm Fisheye, Southern Illinois, Travel, Washington DC, Washington National Cathedral, wide angle lens, Williamsburg Virginia, Yorktown Virginia | Leave a comment
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