Posts Tagged ‘Capture NX2’

A Tale of Two

A Tale of Two

Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk occurred much later in the year than usual.  For the first three years, this event took place in July but since it has been brutally hot in the USA and other countries, instead he announced just a week before the anticipated July date to move it to October.  Thank you, [...]


The Big “O” in Las Vegas

The Big "O" in Las Vegas

When a mature single woman goes to Vegas for her birthday it’s assumed that she had the time of her life. Well, I did, and it had absolutely nothing to do with scantily clad men, er… almost nothing to do with scantily clad men! Image above made with a Nikon D300 camera and Tamron 17-50 [...]


Big bad scary contests

Big bad scary contests

I don’t know about you, but for me, entering photo contests seems to be fraught with danger and peril.  Around every corner lurks a heinous consequence that could make all the blood, sweat and tears I poured into my image seem like I helped sentence it to life in prison with no possibility of parole. [...]


Travel stories: Road Kill Stew Madeiran-style

Travel stories: Road Kill Stew Madeiran-style

On one cold rainy Funchal, Madeira December night in 2008, I was enjoying the fruit of the gods (some smooth and sweet concoction with not enough honey, citrus and ginger to cover the distilled alcohol aftertaste) with some new friends. The Poncha mixture, as explained by my hosts Tadeu and Jacinta, had not fermented enough [...]


Dirty Thirty – my safety valve

Dirty Thirty - my safety valve

No matter where I go, what lenses I bring, which bag I use, or even if I carry a speedlight, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 goes with me. But, but… why you may ask? It’s my normal view. Lots of photographers will tell you that your normal view with a full-frame camera is around 50mm.  Well, [...]


Philadelphia – UrbEx Underground

Philadelphia - UrbEx Underground

Normally this time of year, members of the DC/MD/VA NikonCafe.com photography group travel to the Eastern Shore for a long weekend of spring migration shooting. Well, this year we decided to go north to Philadelphia and shoot some lesser-known but just as memorable city scenes. Yes, we did the Cherry Blossom trees in Fairmount Park’s [...]


April 2011 featured photo – Cherry Blossoms in infrared

April 2011 featured photo – Cherry Blossoms in infrared

It is now peak Cherry Blossom week in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. However, the weather in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA has not been very cooperative this early spring season; most days have been cold, windy and/or rainy. It’s been so drab around here that I have not even felt like trudging my [...]


March 2011 featured photo – clever cover girl

March 2011 featured photo - clever cover girl

Almost two years ago, I took my first steps in learning model photography at the now defunct Pinhole Box Studio in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was a great day and I learned a lot of lighting techniques from the instructors but much more so from the model. Meet Roxie: beautiful, sweet, effervescent, and a natural in [...]


December 2010 featured photo – Forest Haven Asylum red chair

December 2010 featured photo – Forest Haven Asylum red chair

Image above made with a Nikon D300 camera, a Tamron 17-50 lens, and a Nikon SB-900 flash In late May of 2009, a small group of intrepid photographers from NikonCafe.com drove up to Forest Haven Asylum in Laurel, Maryland to have a look around the abandoned mental institution. We all met at the administration building [...]


Featured Monthly Photo – November 2010 – Abandoned wooden boat

Featured Monthly Photo – November 2010 – Abandoned wooden boat

Image above made with a Nikon D300 camera and Nikon 70-300 VR lens During the last 5 years, the DC/MD/VA sector of the NikonCafe.com internet photography group have traveled to Virginia’s Eastern Shore for a Spring and Fall Migration weekend shoot. One of our regular venues is sunrise at an Oyster, Virginia marsh then we [...]


Featured Monthly Photo – October 2010 – Amtrak train (infrared)

Featured Monthly Photo – October 2010 – Amtrak train (infrared)

Amtrak passenger train pulls into Fredericksburg, Virginia railway station – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens The above photo was taken towards the end of Scott Kelby’s 2009 Worldwide Photowalk in Fredericksburg, VA.  Our walk leader, Rachel, had chosen a route filled with fantastic photo opportunities [...]


Featured Monthly Photo – September 2010 – ESVNWR wetlands (infrared)

Featured Monthly Photo – September 2010 – ESVNWR wetlands (infrared)

Driftwood stuck in the mud of a marsh in the wetlands of the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


Featured Monthly Photo – August 2010 – Fredericksburg Riverboat (infrared)

Featured Monthly Photo – August 2010 – Fredericksburg Riverboat (infrared)

Riverboat awaits repairs at the city dock in Fredericksburg, Virginia – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


Invisible light = Visual beauty

Invisible light = Visual beauty

Infrared photography is often described as “invisible light” or light that we humans cannot see.  So, how do we take a picture of what we can’t see?  Easy.  We see everything in Technicolor brilliance but some scenes and subjects, in our mind’s eye, look better in black-and-white. Infrared is very similar to black-and-white photography, so [...]


Featured Monthly Photo – July 2010 – Pinning Prom Boutonniere

Featured Monthly Photo – July 2010 – Pinning Prom Boutonniere

Close-up view of pinning a boutonniere on to the jacket of prom date Image above made with a Nikon D300 camera, a Nikon 18-200 VR lens, and a Nikon SB-900 flash My most viewed and requested photo for the months of May and June 2010.


Featured Monthly Photo – June 2010 – Adirondack chairs infrared

Featured Monthly Photo – June 2010 – Adirondack chairs infrared

Two empty Adirondack chairs overlook the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, Virginia – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


Featured Monthly Photo – May 2010 – Assateague Island wetlands infrared

Featured Monthly Photo – May 2010 – Assateague Island wetlands infrared

Trees reflected in an Assateague Island blue-skied cove of Chincoteague, Virginia – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


Featured Monthly Photo – April 2010

Featured Monthly Photo – April 2010

The salt marshes of the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge wetlands extend to the Atlantic Ocean – infrared Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


Featured Monthly Photo – March 2010

Featured Monthly Photo – March 2010

The sun rises to create shrubbery silhouetted in golden reflections on a Chincoteague Island cove in Chincoteague, Virginia – a false-color infrared image Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens


My infrared cravings – foray #2

My infrared cravings – foray #2

I had dipped my big toe into the cold murky waters of infrared photography and received quite a bit of positive feedback on my first set of pictures. The next step should?ve been to carefully wade into that deep pool ? little by little – and stay close to shore, perhaps only getting my feet and ankles wet. However, the encouragement from friends and strangers alike emboldened me to push far beyond baby steps. Instead, not knowing or caring where the bottom was, I decided to jump in headfirst.


Featured Photo – January 25, 2010

Featured Photo – January 25, 2010

As of Monday, January 25, 2010, my photo website is officially launched!


My infrared cravings – foray #1

My infrared cravings – foray #1

While I’m very pleased with my very first DSLR (a Nikon D300) camera, I am absolutely in love with my infrared camera (a Nikon D200). Infrared blocks visible light and therefore subjects such as foliage (grass and trees) show up as white instead of green in photographs, skies are darker, and clouds are bold and more defined. To put it mildly, infrared is otherworldly!