Spring at last
Wow – Spring was a long time coming this year! Birch. Nikon D800, Tokina 100mm, f/8, 1/125 sec, ISO-800.
Rainy Day at Belle Isle
Scott Fountain at Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan
Belle Isle is an island and a park that sits in the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Canada, and this past June played host to the Detroit Grand Prix. I was at the track on the Friday before the big race, which was primarily a practice day for the race teams. Although the weather was terrible, I spent some time walking around the park and captured a few shots of the beautiful Scott Fountain.
Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 200.
Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/11, 1/60 sec, ISO 200.
Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/2.5, 1/500 sec, ISO 200. For those who don’t know the Detroit area, the building in the background is the Renaissance Center (which houses the General Motors headquarters, among other things).
Standing out
Another shot from the edge of a local parking lot in Canton, Michigan. Taken with my Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone.
Giant dandelion
Spotted this dandelion on the edge of a parking lot list this weekend, and quickly grabbed a shot of it with my phone (Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone). I used the macro focus mode on the phone to get pretty close, but this dandelion was huge! I didn’t measure it precisely, but maybe 1.5-2 inches in diameter.
Last of the sunset
The sunset caught my eye on Saturday while driving around Canton, Michigan. I quickly found a spot on the west edge of town where a subdivision had been planned and started, but not completed due to the financial downturn of recent years. These partially completed subdivisions may not do much for property values, but at least this one provided a nice vantage point for a rapidly disappearing sunset! :) Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/8, 1/200 sec, ISO 200, EV -2.0.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Together
For the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge this week. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec, ISO 400.
Orchid #8
From the University of Michigan’s Matthei Botanical Garden. Taken with Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone.
Natural Mosaic
Mosaic plant shaded by palm fronds at the University of Michigan’ Matthei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Take last weekend with a Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone.
Orchid #7
Taken last weekend at the University of Michigan’s Matthei Botanical Gardens with a Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone.
The colors of spring
From May 2011. Photo taken with Nikon D80, Nikkor 24-120mm at 66mm, f/10, 1/200 sec, ISO 200.
Orchid #6
Visited the Matthei Botanical Gardens today with the family. Figured I shoot some photos while everyone looked around, but I neglected the battery on my D80 and it died after just a few shots. I reverted to my Nokia Lumia 900 for photos the rest of the day. Not the approach I expected, but some of them came out alright! Taken with Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone.
West Michigan, Early Morning #3
Taken just east of Saugatuck and west of Fennville, Michigan. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/11, 1/640 sec, ISO 200.
West Michigan, Early Morning #2
Taken near Fennville, Michigan (Southeast of Saugatuck). Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 200.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Two Subjects
Joshua and the lighthouse in Holland, Michigan. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec, ISO 200, EV +0.7. For the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge.
Dollybrook Farm – Reflections #5
On our recent trip to West Michigan we stayed in a great little cottage at Dollybrook Resort. The resort is really just getting going. There are 5 cottages open now, and 4 more should be ready soon. The cottages are located on the property of Dollybrook Farm, near Saugatuck. This photo is of the nearby Dollybrook farm house, reflected in a pond. Taken late afternoon. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/5, 1/160 sec, ISO 2oo.
Through the mouth of the storm #2
Grand Haven, Michigan. Nikon D80, Nikkor 24-120mm at 85mm, f/5.6, 1/20 sec, ISO 200. Tripod mounted, but boy was it windy (guessing 50 knots or more – had to hold the tripod to keep it from blowing over).
Lake Michigan pilings #1
Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 sec, ISO 200, EV +0.7.
Through the mouth of the storm #1
Lighthouse, Grand Haven, Michigan. This shot was taken about two hours after the Holland Lighthouse photo. After leaving Holland, we headed up North to try to catch the sunset in Grand Haven. We were running behind, and arrived at the beach with the sun no where in sight — only a narrow streak of orange sky between the storm clouds and Lake Michigan.
The road was closed for construction, but we got as close as we could and I jumped out of the car and ran maybe another half mile down the beach with my gear. I found a spot on a sand dune, and hurredly set up camera and tripod facing directly into what felt like a 50 knot wind. For some strange reason I was expecting some longer exposure shots, but I immediately discovered this would be impossible. In fact, I had to hold the tripod almost constantly to keep the wind from blowing it over backwards. Thankfully, the rain held off until I made it back to the car. Wheh!
Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO 200.
The storm is coming
Lighthouse, Holland, Michigan. The day started out sunny, but by late afternoon it was clear a storm was coming. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/6.3, 1/100, ISO 200.
Fixed: West Michigan, Early Morning #1
I awoke with the sun already in the sky. Grabbed my clothes and camera as quickly as I could without waking the rest of the family, and snuck out of the cottage to find the sky filled with beautiful little clumps of clouds lit from the side by the sun. There were too many trees around to get a shot I felt showed them off well, so I jumped in the car to find something better. The roads were farm roads – which is to say very narrow, mostly empty, and an occasional truck barreling along at 50 mph. I turned east at the first intersection, and within a few minutes I found a wide spot where I could pull my car all the way onto the shoulder of the road. I jumped out and started shooting. The sky had completely changed by then, but it was beautiful nonetheless!
This particular shot was taken with my Windows Phone (a Samsung Focus).
Belleville Fishing Dock
Fishing dock in Belleville, Michigan. Morning. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/11, 1/125 sec, ISO 200.
Discovering the joys of nature
Taken at Crosswinds Marsh back in April 2010. Julianna was 8 and Joshua was 5 at the time. We set out to get a good look at a bald eagle that nests in the marsh, but we only saw it from a distance. We did, however, get up close with lots of other things, including swans, red wing black birds, and leaves left over from fall. It was a cold, rainy, windy, wonderful day to be in the marsh! Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/3.5, 1/40 sec, ISO 200.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey
Julianna and Joshua striking out on their journey to find a bald eagle. Taken April 2010 at Crosswinds Marsh, Michigan. Nikon D80, Nikkor 50mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO 200. For the Daily Post’s latest photo challenge.
