ADVANCING TREES

I took this shot of the Roaring Fork Nature Motor Trail in Tennessee the last week in October. I used a slow shutter speed with a mid-range zoom handheld for the effect.

METHODIST CHURCH AT CADES COVE

I think this Methodist Church is probably one of the most photographed churches around. I did a GOOGLE IMAGES search on it though and I didn't see any shots I liked as much as mine. [Of course I could be a little biased!] It's taken from the Rich Mountain Road which is a 12 mile unpaved mountain side ride that runs one way from Cades Cove to Townsend, TN.

This shot was hand held with my Olympus O-MD EM1 and a 40-150 F2.8 telephoto all the way out.  Settings were F4.5 # 1/800 and ISO 1250 on auto.

MENNONITE FARM

This was one of my October entries in the OPEN division of the photo clubs Honor's Night program.  This farm was located in a Mennonite community in Tennessee and was photographed in July of this year.  I added texture an focus adjustment to give it an aged diorama appearance.

BUMBLE BEE

Here's a shot from the Baytown Nature Center a few weeks ago.

BUG PAINTING PARTY

This was my other shot submitted for the BAPC assignment of "AMERICANA".  Interestingly enough this was what I considered to be my "A" shot for the night, but it turned out to be the lowest scoring photo of the night.  Meanwhile "The Pie Lady", see previous post, was the highest scoring.  Judges didn't like the effect, which started as and in-camera Olympus "art filter" and went on from there.  I guess what I liked the most about it is that it's exactly what I intended the shot to be from the time I took it.  An over-the-top representation of an over-the-top event, hence the early selection of the fish eye lens.

THE PIE LADY

This was one of my shots entered at the Bay Area Photo Club under the August Honor's Night assignment of "AMERICANA".  Dianne and I built the set and she posed as the "The Pie Lady."  The judges liked the shot and awarded it with a Gold award and enough points to make it high for the night.  I shot it with my tripod mounted OMD-EM1 and a 12-60 f2.8 lens in mostly late evening light.  I did add a little light from the lower right of the shot to help brighten Dianne in the shot.

SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK

This gater was swimming in the waters on the outer edge of the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge when I snapped this shot.  I entered it in the last BAPC Honors Night program and was awarded a "Gold" award.