Sky Watch Friday, Pastel Sunset

With a storm front moving in the evening sky displayed a beautiful palate of pastel colors

Summer Flowers

The Fulton County Courthouse and a red petunia combine to create a colorful reminder of the beauty of the summer season.

In the middle of winter I find myself anticipating the more pleasant days ahead.

Walking Alone

My Saturday morning photoshoots are typically solitary adventures. They usually consist of a combination of driving and walking. The time spent on foot seems to decrease along with the temperature.

On this day, with a new snow covering the ground, I paused to look back. Only my solitary line of footprints marred the delicate snow. It is a privilege to enjoy such beautiful scenes but to do so one must rise early, step out into the chilly morning air and immerse themselves in the surrounding beauty.

As I capture the images that capture my attention, somehow the air does not seem so cold.

Boat Ride, Anyone?

Saturday was not a good day for a boat ride on nearby Raystown Lake

I captured this shot of the floating dock at the Weaver Falls Access Area. In the warmer months the dock is bustling with activity but on a cold winter morning not another soul was to be seen.

My eye was drawn to the lines created by the empty dock

Road of Water

With ice rimming the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, it resembles a highway cutting through the Pennsylvania Mountains.

In times past the Juniata was an important water route for early explorers. Beginning along the Allegheny Front in Bedford County the river winds through the mountains until it reaches the Susquehanna River. Raids were very common at numerous settlements along these shores during the French and Indian War.

As I stand in the early mornings light admiring the Juniata near Saxton Pennsylvania, in my minds eye I can see the canoes of an Indian war party slipping silently along in the icy waters.

Snow Capped Peaks

With no high rugged snowcapped mountains here in Pennsylvania, I searched for snowcapped peaks on a macro scale.

Sky Watch Friday, Looking West at Sunrise

Once again I turned my camera away from the rising sun to capture this image. The promise of a beautiful sunrise was thwarted by a heavy cloud formation in the east. As the hidden sun rose, the band of clear sky to the west began to glow with subtle yet beautiful colors.

Soon the entire sky was clouded and the day took on the somber tones of a cold dreary winter day. Thanks to the western sky, my morning shoot was not a total loss.

River of Ice

Not really a river but rather a stream running across a previously drained lake bed.

As my photographic excursions have been highly limited lately I have been reviewing my archives from last winter. The Meadow Grounds Lake was lowered by the Pa Fish & Boat Commission during November of 2006 for assessment and repairs to the breastwall. This action exposed land that had been under water since the early 1960’s providing a unique photographic opportunity.

During this past summer the assessment was completed and the required materials were delivered. The repair work was to be completed by the end of the year but as yet no work has begun.

The current lake level precludes the launching of anything but the smallest of boats. According to a newspaper article quoting officials the complete repair will only cost around $15,000. I wonder if the boating public will once again be denied the use of this lake during 2008 by an agency who is only too happy to sell one the required boat registration and fishing license.

Stone House

The stone structure appears strong but with the holes in the roof the future of this house is questionable.

Again I used Photoshop to achieve a monotone effect in this photo.

I have been working lately with a few hundred old family photographs that we borrowed from relatives. Scanning and restoration has been both time consuming and very rewarding. I was inspired by those old photographs to create the effects you see here.

Dilapidated Shed

The old shed leans as its timbers ever so slowly give way to the incessant demands of gravity

From the holes in the roof and the trees growing in front of the door it is obvious that no one has used this shed in years. Surprisingly, to the right just out of the frame is a house; not quite as decrepit and still occupied.

I reduced the saturation and toned this photograph to achieve the effect you see here.