Project 52 by George (geoz) continued

[geoz]

Visited Jockey Hollow near Morristown, NJ where the Continental army bivouacked in the winter of 1779-80. There is a recreation of a 18th century farmhouse there, Wick House. One picture from the garden and a couple from the kitchen. C&C welcome.

[Brownbear]

Very nice. I like how you captured the bee in motion.

#2 is my favourite... gorgeous.

[geoz]

Very nice. I like how you captured the bee in motion.

#2 is my favourite... gorgeous.

Thanks Christina, It is a little known fact the 18th century American farmers had interior decorators arrange their cupboards.

As for the bee, I looked a bit silly chasing it around the garden but it was worth it.

George

[Brownbear]

It's a gorgeous photo...! I'm not sure if you are kidding me but I could use an interior decorator to arrange my cupboards to look like art.

Yes, well worth it. I chase bugs too, and I hope to do it more often in the future.

[geoz]

The location is managed by the National Park Service. Whoever set it up had a very good eye. Here is another room.

[Wavelength]

They are all G(e)orgeous images; those first set are killing shots

[Wavelength]

...and this last one is truly amazing

[geoz]

First thanks Christina and Nandakumar for the kind comments on the previous set. Last week I went to a local park but since it was an overcast day everything was a bit flat. The only thing that stood out were these berries.

The first two are Porcelain Berries, then a Pin Cherry, and last is Japanese Honeysuckle. C&C very welcome.

[jcuknz]

Depending on your camera you should be able to use the 'on-board' flash to lighten shadow areas when you shoot into the sky ... have the flash set to a weak setting such at minus two stops more or less so that you can expose for the sky properly.
A second solution which PSE will do better than LR is to have an appropriate stock shot of sky and replace the white with it.
The white is probably good as it helps Magic Wand make the selection.
To me you have a collection of fabulous action shots with some very mundane ... the passing yacht. An interesting record of your trip in the yacht perhap but without the personal connection not in the calibre of your others.
The gun looks as if you were not very careful is adjusting either the sky or the foreground with the white line separating them.
Sometimes it is possible to copy with a tidy edge and in the paste to move it up or down from its original position. In this case probably the sky down over the foregrouind a pixel or two.
But the composition of the gun looks like a hurried snap and in a rough sketch this is what could have been a much better image instead of just a gun in the middle of the frame where most people tend to place their subject only to correct in editing. But with th gun it needs to be bigger in frame. To me registering the end of the barrel with the sun adds something perhaps.

[Geoff F]

Just a thought, George, but with the berries, I prefer the closer crop than the whole scene as with #2 which tends to look a bit overly complicated and distracting. Maybe something between the two would show the wider scene but still keep everything 'together'.

I also wonder if just having one honeysuckle flower would produce a 'stronger' image.

Having tried shooting some berries recently, I know how difficult they can be. I tried with and without flash; in sun and in shade. Still have to try an edit but 80% have already been zapped!

So well done with these photos.

[Cantab]

George, I enjoyed all four photos but particularly the pin cherries and honeysuckle.

[Brownbear]

All very nice... I like #6 the best likely because I have never seen such colourful berries... So far my favourites are the cupboard, the room and the bee.

[geoz]

Depending on your camera you should be able to use the 'on-board' flash to lighten shadow areas when you shoot into the sky ... have the flash set to a weak setting such at minus two stops more or less so that you can expose for the sky properly....

Thanks J.

All good advice. I exposed for the sky in this shot and had to lighten the foreground in LR5. I usually take very quick shots with basic setups of ISO, focal length and speed, but the I'll have to try the technique with the flash. If I had had more time I would have composed it better. But I think it is OK as is. I don't have enough experience in PSE to manipulate the image. This is will be on my list of learning for the next year.

George

[geoz]

Just a thought, George, but with the berries, I prefer the closer crop than the whole scene as with #2

I liked the first berry shot the best too but added the other since there were so few good shots on the outing. I like the honeysuckle one because of the repetition in the flowers and the diagonal. I've seen close ups of flowers on CinC and they are amazing and not easy. I will have to try next time.

[geoz]

George, I enjoyed all four photos but particularly the pin cherries and honeysuckle.

Thanks Bruce,

Appreciate the feedback. Especially about the Pin Cherries of which I wasn't sure of.

[geoz]

All very nice... I like #6 the best likely because I have never seen such colourful berries... So far my favourites are the cupboard, the room and the bee.

Thanks Christina,

To be honest I've lived in New Jersey most of my life and have never seen these berries, which is why I took the picture. Then I searched on Google/Images to find out what they are. The Porcelain Berries are from Northeast Asia and an ornamental plant considered an undesirable invasive species in the mid-Atlantic US because it shades out native species. On the other hand you can see why they would become popular. It turns out the same is true for the Japanese Honeysuckle. As for the Pin Cherry its habitat may extend to Vancouver. On the other hand its formal name is "Prunus pensylvanica" so being from Pennsylvania most Jersians would also consider it invasive.

The image of the cupboard is also one of my favorites. Here is another from Wick House to see how carefully the whole house was arranged.

[geoz]

Well, not as exciting as the one on Paris. These are from the Red Mill Museum in Clinton, NJ. A restored 19th mill. Basically a four story clockwork.

One from the outside.


The goose on the right found a good place to sleep. I watched it for 15 minutes and it didn't move.


The inside was very interesting and very noisy since some of the huge gears were moving. Here are a few photos.
1

2

3

4

5


C&C always welcome.

[Brownbear]

Adore the museum scene and also #1 and #3, and I find #3 especially beautiful and I'm not fond of machinery so that is a huge compliment

[geoz]

Thanks Christina,

High praise indeed. I like #3 the best also.

[geoz]

A few from a couple of weeks ago from the Spruce Run reservoir / recreation area in NJ. Looking for space and wind. C&C always welcome.

1.


2.


3.