Rain Drops on Fall Color

Rain Drops on Fall Color, originally uploaded by Allie.P.

I took this in Marquette, Michigan after taking a break from field work to turn around for two seconds to snap this picture out of the blue.

Sometimes its nice to stop for a section and appreciate the little details. I thought this shot would go in my pile of pictures that arent so great. Surprisingly, It ended up (i think) great! I didn’t even notice the rough texture on the bottom of the leaf when i took this.

Photography is great like that, you can take the shots that you know are going to turn out well, but its those shots you take blindly that seem to be the most unique in the end.

Fountain Droplets at Sunset

Fountain Droplets at Sunset, originally uploaded by Allie.P.

Sometimes in order to find interesting pictures I find i have to tell myself to stop thinking. On this photo outing to some of the gardens on Michigan State University’s campus, i kept looking for that perfect flower with the perfect light, and it wasnt until i sat down to take a break that I saw the cool water droplets I could shoot.

This is actually a large fountian in the middle of the Hoticulture Gardens, and every shot I took of this looked completely different. I made sure my shutter speed was about 1/4000 and kept shooting at different angles. The little yellow circles at the top are actually another stream of water that was reflecting the light of the sunset behind the fountain. The moral of this photo, is to always experiment! I had no idea these shots would come out so interesting until I started to experiement and move around the scene

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Fireworks Sisters

Fireworks Sisters, originally uploaded by Allie.P.

These fireworks were part of Lansing, Michigans show on the 4th of July. Firework photography doesn’t seem like one of those “hit or miss” adventures, but rather I think that almost every single picture can turn out great… it just might not be your style.

I thought that since I did not have a tripod this 4th of July, that my firework pictures may not turn out as great as I had hoped, but actually, the slight added blur from my hand shake actually created a neat surreal effect that I like better than that ‘frozen in motion’ picture you always seem to see.

It seems like “blurry” isnt really an option for firework photography, but instead, it turns into “abstract.” So for any of you thinking you dont have the right camera or dont have good enough equipment to get those firework shots… think again, you may be surprised!

Isolated Icicle on Rock

Isolated Icicle on Rock, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

I know nobody probably wants to be thinking about ice right now, but for months my eye has been trained to hunt for some rare color and interesting shapes through the gray and white winter. Now all of a sudden, i am completely overwhelmed with the colors and flowers of spring that i don’t even know where to begin shooting! it is amazing how different only a few months can be in terms of what types of things a photographer looks for. Sometimes I almost think that i enjoy shooting in the winter months more because it is more of a challenge for me… it is just too easy to find beautiful flowers and subjects in the spring and summer compared to the winter

Delicate Arch Hike

Delicate Arch Hike, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

This photo is from Arches National Park in southern Utah. The landscape out there is so incredibly unique and beautiful in its own way. It is nothing like the deciduous forest that I am used to… green grass and brown soil has been completely replaced by beautiful shades of red and incredibly blue crisp skies.

Even the soil in this picture is not simply just desert sand. It is actually sort of a crust, that contains lichens, bacteria, and algae that hold the soil together… just another interesting and unique way this ecosystem functions.

This particular photo is from the hike up to Delicate Arch, the famous arch that is on Utah’s license plate. The expansive rocks and unique landscape really was breathtaking and is worth a trip out to Utah if only to learn about the interesting geology and different ecosystem!

Looking Up

Looking Up, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

Spring seems to be right around the corner but there is still some lingering snow on the ground, or if you are in Michigan like me, a few inches are still falling!

This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park from a car window and really reminds me of how you can find beautiful shots that aren’t the main attraction of the park or that even require getting out of the car.

Sometimes, looking up can really gain you a neat perspective, or maybe you’ll even find a cool shape in the clouds

Total Lunar Eclipse Tips

Exploring Our World has a great article about the total lunar eclipse that is visible in North America at around 10-11pm ET tomorrow night. As a photographer, this is a wonderful opportunity to get out and take some really interesting and unique photos of the moon! Here is a great article about how to photograph a lunar eclipse that has some original and artistic ways of utilizing the red color and movement of the moon across the sky.

Make sure to get outside with your tripod tomorrow night and hope for clear skies!

Love in the Wood

Love in the Wood, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

Although a few days late, this photo is in honor of valentines day! Sometimes its nice to find creative ways to express “i love you” and i felt that saying it in graffiti on weathered piece of wood was not part of the norm

This was taken from one of the docks at Belle Isle in Detroit, and seemed to be one of the most pleasant type of spray painting work I found!

Carpet of Bluebells

Carpet of Bluebells, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

In just a few months, the bluebells in this photo will be entering their peak blooming season that only lasts for a few weeks. It seems like this time in winter just seems to drag on forever and looking at beautiful nature scenes like this gives me hope and something to look forward to!

Click here to see more photos of the bluebells, or here to see some information on where to find this hidden secret!

Coreopsis

Coreopsis, originally uploaded by senecacreekphotography.

As the winter months drag on and whatever remaining color is covered in white snow, i start to dream of the vibrant colors of the warmer months! This photo was taken at hight noon right from my backyard, and just the right angle and settings naturally gave me this black background. There are techniques where you can use some paper and the right angle to create a studio looking flower portrait outside but i prefer to just look for the right conditions.

These flowers are one of my favorite summer blooms. Coreopsis blooms from early summer all the way to early fall and provide a continuous bright splash of color to any garden. They are easy to grow and love full sun, and since they bloom all summer, they make an excellent source of kitchen table flowers