Images

Just Cool

Wow, that was just cool!  When we first started talking about shooting some aerials of the entire student body of WPS, I thought sure it’ll be neat.  That was just cool and a little overwhelming.  To be honest, I was nervous until it was all over.  Shooting aerials of that many people gathered in one space with an aerial camera makes me nervous.  But we pulled it off.  How about that?!  And the camera was a huge hit.  Kids love that stuff – and I’m including adults ‘cuz we’re just big kids, right?

The entire student body of Winchester Public Schools (roughly 4,400 students) gathered today for an aerial shoot promotion cultural diversity. The footage will be featured in a video to be shown in January on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The entire student body of Winchester Public Schools (roughly 4,400 students) gathered today for an aerial shoot promoting cultural diversity. The footage will be featured in a video to be shown in January on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Almost

If you knew what you were looking at you could see almost the entire course of yesterday’s Battlefield Half Marathon.

This is the "view" from my house - well, at least from straight above my house.

This is the “view” from my house – well, at least from straight above my house.

Early Bird

I know the saying – “The early bird gets the worm” – but it’s so much harder this time of year.  I suppose the payoff is worth it.  And also, I don’t like worms.

Such a cool (quite literally) sunrise this morning at the inaugural Battlefield Half Marathon in Frederick County, VA. | Order a print of this image.

Such a cool (quite literally) sunrise this morning at the inaugural Battlefield Half Marathon in Frederick County, VA. | Order a print of this image.

Close

Early day for me tomorrow, but the silver lining is that it’s the closest race to me that I’ve ever shot.  Any closer and it’d be in my back yard!  I’m not complaining, but I do need to get some sleep.

Big event for the area tomorrow morning. See ya bright and early - well, at least early.

Big event for the area tomorrow morning. See ya bright and early – well, at least early.

Because

Well, simply because I can.  You know you’ve used that excuse at some point in your life, right?

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Recon

A little course recon this morning for the Battlefield 1/2 this weekend.  Hope the weather forecast is good for Saturday morning cuz I’m hoping to get some good running aerials.

Kernstown Battlefield near Winchester, VA

Kernstown Battlefield near Winchester, VA

81

So I was driving down the interstate highway and got the urge to take this photograph.  So I did.  Its pretty colorful along our section of 81.

Our colorful section of I-81 near mile marker 309.

Our colorful section of I-81 near mile marker 309.

Walkers

I passed this sign as I was walking (aha, see what I did there) to a meeting yesterday from the parking garage in downtown Winchester.  Watch out for walkers tonight (haha, did it again).

Are you a "Dead" fan?

Are you a “Dead” fan?

Aerial HDR

So it’s tough enough to handhold an HDR image, but given a choice between handholding and aerial HDR – I choose handheld.  Even with the 3-axis gimbal guiding the camera, the aerial cam just can’t hold still enough.  I probably spent about 20 minutes trying to eliminate all the ghosting in this image (and could have easily spent another 1/2 hour).  Enough’s enough.  This will have to do.  I think I’ll just stick to the one image post-processing using the raw data straight out of the camera.

I just realized that was an incredible amount of technical geek-talk.  It’s late at night – thanks for listening.  Now just enjoy the image.

Fall On The Mall - Old Town Mall in Winchester, VA.

Fall On The Mall – Old Town Mall in Winchester, VA.

Nature’s Palette

It’s nature’s color palette.  What a great time of year to be a landscape photographer.

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Order a print of this image.

Morning’s Here

“Morning’s Here
The Morning is Here
Sunshine is Here
The Sky is Clear
The Morning’s here (hey you’re back!)
(Hey!) Get into Gear
Breakfast is near
The Dark of Night Has Disappeared”

– Joey & his neighbor (Friends)

Order a print of this image.

Order a print of this image.

 

Beacon of Light

Yep, that’s what they’re calling it.

It's been a while since I actually shot something other than aerial.  It felt creative.

It’s been a while since I actually shot something other than aerial.  It felt creative.

Art

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

– Scott Adams

So this is what greets you now as you arrive at Bears Den in Bluemont, VA.

So this is what greets you now as you arrive at Bears Den in Bluemont, VA.

How It’s Done

And that, folks, is how it’s done.

Having some fun at the Rocktown Cyclocross Festical today in Harrisonburg, VA

Having some fun at the Rocktown Cyclocross Festical today in Harrisonburg, VA

Favorite

Another awesome sunset over what has turned into my favorite place to shoot these days.  Go figure.

Order a print of this image.

Order a print of this image.

Wonka?!

Wait, what?!  They’re really selling that in the candy aisle?!  Are you seeing what I’m seeing here?

This is what they really are.

This is what they really are, just in case you need any explanation.

Camera

“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine…and a decent camera.”

– Anthony J. D’Angelo

I added the “decent camera” part. 😉  I had planned on launching the aerial camera up here, but forgot the media cards.  So I challenged myself by only taking one lens – the 50mm.

Bears Den Nature Trail

The nature trail at Bears Den in Bluemont, VA.

Second Spring

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

– Albert Camus

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The peaking foliage over Abram’s Creek in Winchester, VA.

Peak

Anybody have an issue saying the word “foliage?”  I worked with someone once who did.  Anybody have a guess as to who it was?  I wonder if she’s reading now.  Anyway, the fo·li·age [ˈfōl(ē)ij] is about to peak here in Winchester.  Hope the weather holds for some great images.

The foliage on SU campus in Winchester

The foliage on SU campus in Winchester around Wilkins Lake.