Nature Preserve fall oct 18 2008 closeup
May, 2014Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York State system, has a wonderful Nature Preserve which includes this pond. I took a midday hike there during my birthday weekend and found this pond to be full of color, including the strange white and pink on the surface. I was using a simple digital camera, nothing fancy. The pond had been created years before by beaver activity in the area, which accounts for the dead tree stumps. Prior to the beavers moving in, this land was just part of the forest.Time
The photo was taken around noon.Lighting
The sun was brilliant that day with a clear blue sky. The colors were absolutely vibrant.Equipment
This was a basic early model digital camera, not even a SLR.Inspiration
Along with simply enjoying the beauty of this pond, I also had a connection to it through my work. I was employed at the campus at the time and had been for nearly 25 years. During my time there I had to work with the local Committee on the University Environment and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to remove the beavers from the area because of concerns about the large body of water they had created at this location. The pond at that time was much larger, but the only thing holding it back from potentially damaging neighboring properties was the beaver damn. I coordinated removal of the beavers and the dismantlement of the damn. This small pond remained for years after the effort. There are several other photos in my collection from this Nature Preserve, including a few of a bridge I designed and had constructed in 1987 to cross the marshy area at the edge of the other pond in the preserve. That bridge is still in use today.Editing
I did crop this photo to enhance the focus on the colors. The original and at least one other version of this are in my collection, but this version is my favorite. In this one, I intentionally did not include sky above the trees, as the reflected sky told the story of the clear blue sky day. Instead I wanted the vibrant foliage and strange colors on the surface of the water to be the focus.In my camera bag
At the time of this photo I had given up my Minolta XG1 for a basic, run of the mill digital camera which I used until I got an iPhone. I then used the iPhone for a couple of years. I was traveling home one Friday in August when I experienced the best sunset I have ever seen. For over 30 minutes as I traveled west I was rewarded with a outstanding array of colors along Rt 88 in NY. Using my iPhone, I was able to capture the ever changing sky. It was that experience that was the impetus for me to find a place to share my photos, and joining ViewBug. After being on ViewBug for some time, I finally, I begged for a "real" digital camera for my birthday. Now I have a Canon Rebel SL1 that is in my car with me at all times. I travel throughout NYS often, and want my camera by my side at all times. I have the original 18-55 lens, which is my go to lens, plus a 75-300 for special conditions. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the stabilizer feature on the 75-300, but someday I will correct that problem.Feedback
I have been an amateur photographer for years, and am so excited by the digital media. When using film, it was so expensive to take multiple shots from slightly different angles in order to capture the right moment, that often I would spend long periods of time moving around to pick the right shot before finally clicking the shutter. Now digital photography allows freedom of experimentation. My advice is to try several different views. For new photographers who might think that using the view screen on the back of the camera is the best way to see the image, I suggest use the viewfinder instead. Having the total darkness surrounding the image give the best opportunity to compose the shot. The image panel is handy however for special lighting shots, especially in very dark conditions with special aperture settings. Even so, once I have the setting right, I still take the photo with my eye on the camera. I also find that viewing the images of other is extremely inspiring. I get many ideas from ViewBug photographers, both for taking shots and for editing. I am sloppy about putting too many shots on my profile, rather than taking time to perfect my images and select only the very best for display. I look forward to retiring and being able to cleanup my collection, and to spending days just wandering, looking for great shots.
