Tag Archives: Sunset

Week 40 … #43 Contrast … Evening Light on the Lighthouse

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Lighthouse and buildings, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Maine.

One of my favorite Maine artists is Andrew Wyeth who painted the land and people around him in his hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and his summer home in Cushing, Maine.  I’ve always found his art of everyday subject matter filled with a haunting sense of urgency and foreboding dread, yet contemplative and silent.   A few days ago, we went to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse for dinner with the hopes of some good sunset photos.  The contrast light on the lighthouse reminded me of Wyeth’s work … a silent and lonely abstract of the stark landscapes of Maine.

Week 29 … #35 Color Harmony … Pier at Sunset

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Venice Fishing Pier, Florida

After living here in Florida for two years, I had not yet visited the Venice Fishing Pier down in Venice.  So last week hubby and I planned a late afternoon trip to the Venice Rookery and then on to have dinner at the Venice Fishing Pier while waiting for sunset.  Since it was mid-week, I thought there wouldn’t be much of a crowd.  Well, I was wrong!  What a zoo!  We were able to grab a last table at Finn’s upstairs as nothing was available at Sharky’s on the lower level, who had a very long wait list.  It was 6:00 mid-week!  We took time at dinner and afterwards went down to the pier to scope out best angles for photos.  It was only after the sun went down, that folks began to leave, clearing the beach.  And in my opinion, the best time for photos.

I am such a rookie taking sunset photos with my big camera.  Once I uploaded the photos at home, I was not pleased with any of them.  The one above was salvaged with much editing (see notes below).  I see that our Club has an upcoming field trip to the pier so I’m thinking of joining them and getting some tips on how to take sunset photos.  I just hope it’s not as crowded!!

Photo: Nikon D810, Tamron 70-200, ISO 800, 1/13 sec at f/13, 70mm, Exp. Comp. -1.75 EV, Lightroom + Luminar edits

Week 24 … #24 Wild Card … Taking Flight

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Vultures in Serengeti Sunrise, Tanzania.

When on safari, one doesn’t consider African vultures worthy of photographing when there are more beautiful creatures to capture.  But one early morning at our mobile campsite on the Serengeti, there were a number sitting up in the trees, resting before the day began.  They were a beautiful sight against the sunrise.  I learned to appreciate these barbaric looking birds for their importance on the plains of Africa.  Their ability to fly over 60 miles a day patrolling the plains plays a vital role in keeping the wild areas free of disease and rotting carcasses.  They are incredibly efficient scavengers, leaving just bones, providing yet another meal for their competitors – the jackals, hyenas and feral dogs who will remove any remaining evidence of death.

 

Week 20 … #45 Full Edit … Twilight Stroll

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Trio of Sandhill Cranes.

They say ‘the best camera is the one you have with you’.  This was the case with this photo one evening as I was walking my dogs.  There never fails to be something I’d like to photograph during my dog walks in Lakewood Ranch.  Birds, gators, sunsets … it’s all here every day.  I love the Sandhill Cranes and these three were strolling on the golf hillside as we walked past.  Thank goodness for the iPhone!  I snapped the photo and later edited in the app DistressedFX and Lightroom.

I thought it came out pretty good and thought I’d try my luck at entering it into the annual Maine Photography Show, since we are summer residents of Maine.  I was stoked that it got selected to be included in their exhibit.  I actually thought that another image that I entered was better, but it just goes to show ….  photography is art and art is subjective!  And beauty (or in this case, photos) is in the eye of the beholder.

Week 14 … #47 My Back Yard … Sunset

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My back yard in Lakewood Ranch.

One of the things I love about Florida are its beautiful sunsets.  Each one is unique unto its self and oftentimes I am left in awe at such beauty.  When we purchased our home two years ago in Lakewood Ranch, one of our criteria was to have sunset views.  Before putting an offer in on our house, we asked our realtor to bring us back around sunset so we could evaluate the view.  Well, as you can see from this image, we were not disappointed …. SOLD!

The above image was captured a few days ago with my iPhoneX and edited in Lightroom.

 

 

Week 11 … #8 Wildcard, Taking Flight

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Sunset at Anna Maria Island.

One of our favorite places for sunsets is on the north end of Anna Maria Island.  The sunsets are spectacular and the sugar white sands are an important habitat for an incredible array of wildlife.  On many many occasions, we have shared evening sunsets with herons, sandpipers, ospreys, cranes, seagulls, skimmers, egrets and my favorite, pelicans.  During various times of the day and year, you’ll see different species of shorebirds, sometimes hundreds, congregating at dusk for an evening feed.

What I always find fascinating, that at some point, as darkness nears, the congregation rise collectively and fly off to their evening roost, wherever that may be.  I love that moment of unison against the setting sun.

(This was shot with an iPhone and edited in Snapseed.  The sunburst was added with the LensLight app.)

 

Week 8 … Theme #4, Wildcard

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Anna Maria, Florida

Our favorite holiday to celebrate with family is Thanksgiving and this year we decided to spend the week at our beach house on Anna Maria. Each evening presented us with a variety of sunsets, never failing to bring out the ‘awws’ in us as we watched our grandson dodge the gentle waves.

I thought the above iPhone image was perfect for this week’s theme as we journey out for another afternoon sunset.  Each sunset is always a “Wildcard” as the day turns to dusk.

Week 1 #1 Zoom Burst

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Sunset from my backyard.  Lakewood Ranch.

Well ….. here goes!  I had doubts when I decided to participate in the 52-Week Challenge.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to do a weekly theme post.  Back in 2011, I was recently retired and looking for a hobby, so I began a blog.  And in order to have good images, I bought my first DSLR, a Nikon 7000.  And then a lens, another lens and another lens.  You know how that goes.   Anyway, I was hooked!  I fell in love with photography, capturing moments of the world around me and sharing on my blog.  I was posting everyday, had some great followers and enjoying the experience …. until I wasn’t.  Creatively, I felt burned out and slowly stopped blogging routinely in 2015.

Two years ago, we moved from Philadelphia to Lakewood Ranch and I joined the Lakewood Ranch Digital Photography Club.  It has been a great experience with their monthly meetings, competitions, field trips and photo challenges.  Upon upgrading to a new Nikon 810 this year, this 52-Week Photo Challenge will be a useful vehicle for me to sharpen my photo skills as well as learn more about my camera.

Regarding the chosen image for this assignment, it took many many tries to figure out the best settings, light and zoom range.  Exposure was 1 second at f/18 handheld.

So, onward and upward!  Hope you join me on the journey!