Posted on January 7, 2010 in Architecture, Topaz
St. Mark’s Church in Jim Thorpe, Pa. is a landmark and a very beautiful stone structure on historic Race Street. I love the red doors and arches above the stained glass windows. I originally photographed this with my soft focus filter on the camera and now when I processed it, decided that I didn’t want a soft look. So, I ran the image through Topaz Adjust using the “spicify” filter and after some fooling around in Photoshop, this is the result.
Posted on January 5, 2010 in Black and White, Landscape, Winter
This image from Lancaster County, Pa. was created with a layer of 2 shots – a softened version and a sharp version. I layered the softened version on top and with a layer mask painted through the 2 trees in the foreground so that they would appear sharp while the rest of the image is soft. There is also a little Topaz Simplify added as well. A little snow on the fence and branches would have been a nice touch, but while we had snow at home, it was all melted in Lancaster County the day I visited.
Posted on January 3, 2010 in Black and White, Landscape, Winter
I love rural landscapes and set out to photograph them whenever I can. Barns, silos, animals, farm equipment, etc. all appeal to me photographically. In my mind this scene works because it’s winter and there are no leaves on the trees. While I was shooting, I imagined this composition with full leafy trees and I can’t see it as having the same draw for me. The silos and barns were in the fog, so the dark tree trunks and branches really stand out against the haze in the background.
Posted on January 2, 2010 in Architecture, Black and White, HDR
Poole Forge is an iron plantation along the Conestoga Creek in Lancaster County, Pa. that dates back to the 1700’s. The property includes the Iron Master’s Mansion, tenant houses, and a covered bridge. This image is of the mansion decorated for the holidays. I just happened to stumble upon this historic spot as I was driving around Lancaster County. I’m so happy that I stopped to explore!
Posted on January 1, 2010 in HDR, Landscape
This day was filled with just about every type of weather. When I left home it was sunny and mild. As I drove toward Lancaster, the skies became cloudy and when I reached my destination, the countryside was shrouded in heavy fog. Later the sun peeked through the clouds and some blue sky was visible. On the way home, I ran into some light rain, and by the time I reached my house, it was snow flurrying! Crazy weather, but beautiful scenery in Lancaster County, Pa.