MrAndMrsIzzy

D102010F022-1 “Mimsy and Wimsy” Connetquot River State Park, Suffolk County NY, Oct 20 2010.  Couple of the locals.

N045A94HiRez36Hx8A-1 “Ferns In The Forest” Minnewaska State Park, New York State Oct 1994.  Lake Minnewaska State Park, N.Y., October 1994.  Lake Minnewaska State Park Preserve.  West of New Paltz New York in the Hudson Highlands.  22 Thousand Plus acres, 35 or so miles of carriage roads, 50 or so miles of hiking trails, and photo ops like this one.

N045A94x2A-1 “Shawangunk Autumn” Lake Minnewaska State Park, NY Oct 1994.  Located in The Hudson Highlands, West of New Paltz NY, Lake Minnewaska State Park, with 22 thousand plus acres of open space, 35 miles of carriage roads, 50 miles of hiking trails, and beautiful views like this one.  Lake Minnewaska State Park, is well worth a visit.  It’s also one of the premier rock climbing spots in The Eastern U.S. of A..  "Shawangunk", is The Shawangunk Ridge in NY, The Kittattinys in N.J., Blue Mountain in Pa., and The Blue Ridge in Va.  Basically, The Eastern boundary of The Appalachians.

N045A94x4A-2 “Colorful Cliffs 2” Lake Minnewaska State Park, NY Oct 1994.  Located in The Hudson Highlands, West of New Paltz NY, Lake Minnewaska State Park, with 22 thousand plus acres of open space, 35 miles of carriage roads, 50 miles of hiking trails, and beautiful views like this one.  Lake Minnewaska State Park, is well worth a visit.  It’s also one of the premier rock climbing spots in The Eastern U.S. of A..

N047A94x19-1 “Birch Leaves” Jamaica Bay NWR, NYC, October 1994.  One doesn’t normally think of National Wildlife Refuges and urban areas like New York City at the same time, but that’s exactly where Jamaica Bay NWR is.  Straddling the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, with most of it on The Queens side.  Its 12600 acres includes open water, salt, brackish, and fresh water ponds, saltmarshes, wooded uplands, and of course, Jamaica Bay.  It’s location on The Eastern Flyway for Migratory Birds, makes it a favorite spot for birdwatchers during The Spring and Fall migrations, and it’s accessible via public transportation.

N051D03x8-1 “Fern Patch” Laudholm Farm, Wells Maine, October 2003.  The Laudholm Farm Estuarine Reserve, is one of 30 such reserves in the country.  Its 2200 plus acres (part of which is in Rachel Carson Wildlife refuge), protects within its boundaries.  Forests, fields, fresh and salt water marshes, and The Little River Estuary.  Wildlife that can be seen on the reserve, includes deer and groundhogs.

N052D03x30-1 “Changing Seasons”, Laudholm Farm Estuarine Reserve Wells Maine.  October 2003.  The Laudholm Farm Estuarine Reserve, is one of 30 such reserves in the country.  Its 2200 plus acres (part of which is in Rachel Carson Wildlife refuge), protects within its boundaries.  Forests, fields, fresh and salt water marshes, and The Little River Estuary.  Wildlife that can be seen on the reserve, includes deer and groundhogs.

N053D03x23-1 “View From Rachel Carson” Wells, Maine. October 2003.  The 11 divisions of Rachel Carson NWR, protect salt marshes and estuaries along 50 or so miles of Maine Coast, between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth.  The section in Wells (where this image was captured), is a small (postage stamp size), patch of woods, along The Webhannet River, adjacent to The Well National Estuarine Research Facility, at Laudholm Farm.

N078A95x30-1 “Fall Gold” Killarney NP, Ireland.  November 1995.  In the Southwest part of Ireland’s County Kerry, is the town of Killarney.  Right next door, is Killarney National Park.  Well over 20,000 acre of lakes, woods, gardens, and along with Glacier National Park in the U.S. of A., a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

N084B94x24A-1 “Awosting” Lake Minnewaska State Park, NY Oct 1994.  Lake Minnewaska State Park Preserve.  Located in The Hudson Highlands, West of New Paltz New York.  22 thousand plus acres.  35 miles of carriage roads.  50 miles of hiking trails.  3 lakes.  And views like this one of Lake Awosting.  (One of the three, Minnewaska and Mud Pond being the other two).

N090B94HiRez36Hx5A-1 “Autumn Spotlight” Jamaica Bay NWR, NYC.  Oct 1994.  Created in the 50s by New York City Parks, it became part of The National Park Service in 1972 when The Gateway National Recreation Area was established.  The refuge straddles the border between the NYC Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, with most of it on The Queens side.  Its 12000 plus acres includes open water, fresh salt and brackish water ponds, saltmarshes, and upland wooded areas.  Its on The Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds, which makes it a Mecca for birdwatchers, and it’s accessible via public transportation.

N094C02x33-1 “Leaves of November” Rush Ranch, Suisun City California, November 2002.  One of many small natural spaces in The San Francisco Bay Area.  Rush Ranches 2070 acres is, is comprised of brackish tidal marsh, and rolling grassland.  Wildlife on the property includes 200 plus species of birds, a species of local shrew, the endangered Giant Garter Snake, and assorted fish.

N138A99x29A-1 “Green and  Yellow” Rocky Mountain NP, Colorado Sept 1999.  Established on January 26, 1915, by Woodrow Wilson.  The 415 square miles of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, protects some 300 miles of hiking trails, an assortment of mountain environments, the diversity of wildlife that lives there, and seasonal views like this one.

N139A99x21-1 “Patchwork” Rocky Mountain NP, Colorado.  Sept 1999. Established on January 26 1915.  Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles, covers a wide range of environments, including high meadows, forests, alpine lakes, and high peak areas above tree line.  It’s also a UNESCO designated, Biosphere Reserve, and home to the Headwaters of The Colorado River.  I had originally thought to call this "Atlas", because of its resemblance to the map of Western Asia, but decided "Patchwork" was probably a better choice.

N139A99x31-1 “Rocks and Trees” Rocky Mountain NP, Sept 1999.  Established on January 26 1915.  Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles, covers a wide range of environments, including high meadows, forests, alpine lakes, and high peak areas above tree line.  It’s also a UNESCO designated, Biosphere Reserve, one of the spots where The Continental Divide is located, and home to the headwaters of The Colorado River.

N139A99x32-1 “Bouquet” Rocky Mountain NP, Colorado. Sept 1999.  Established on January 26 1915.  Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles, covers a wide range of environments, including high meadows, forests, alpine lakes, and high peak areas above tree line.  It’s also a UNESCO designated, Biosphere Reserve, one of the spots where The Continental Divide is located, and home to the headwaters of The Colorado River.

N143A99x8-1 “Untitled” Carolina Sandhills NWR, McBee S.C. Oct 1999.  The 45,300 + acres of Carolina Sand Hills NWR, gets its name from dunes that blew in between 75,000 and 6,000 years ago.  Over time, the loose dunes got stabilized by vegetation.  Attempts at farming the area, were not particularly successful.  The federal government came along in 1939 and started restoral and preservation programs.  The programs worked and the natural ecosystem, along with its characteristic vegetation and wildlife is recovering.  At least that was the case in October of 1999, when this image was captured.

N143A99x24-1 “Fall Colors”  Carolina Sandhills NWR, South Carolina Oct 1999.  At the time of its purchase by The Federal Government in 1939, the 45000 acres of Carolina Sandhills NWR was a wasteland.  Poor farming and forestry management practices had left it badly eroded and supportive of very little wildlife.  Efforts began immediately to restore a healthy native eco-system.  Today the refuge serves as a showcase for what can be accomplished if the will is there.

N145A99x16AOld-1 “Shenandoah 1”  Shenandoah NP, Virginia  Oct 1999.  Sitting at the Northern end of The Blue Ridge Parkway, between Waynesboro on The South, and Front Royal on The North, is long, narrow, Shenandoah National Park.  70 some odd miles from Washington D.C., or a day’s drive from New York (depending on your point of view).  200,000 acres of forests, meadows, hiking trails, deer, black bear, bobcats, assorted birds, etc.

N045A94HiRez36Hx20A-1 “October Reflection” Minnewaska State Park, New York, October 1994.  Lake Minnewaska State Park Preserve.  West of New Paltz New York in the Hudson Highlands.  22 Thousand Plus acres of open space, 35 or so miles of carriage roads, 50 or so miles of hiking trails, and photo ops like this one of trees reflected in, and leaves floating on, the surface of a puddle. 

(That "Wolverine 96660"  in the "Taken with" line in the photo info section.  That's a film scanner.  Granted, a cheapy one.  But it does what I need it to do.)

18 hours ago, paul_d._scharpf said:

Thanks for the excellent photo and for the detailed explanation. Best regards, Paul

Thank you...Izzy

"In The Roaring Forties"

Somewhere in New Zealand

Feb. 21, 2009

The title of this piece, "In The Roaring Forties", refers to the South 40s latitudes, where New Zealand is located, and where this image was captured.

The name "Roaring 40s", is a reference to the high winds, and storms, that're characteristic of that part of the world. 

A critique.  Regardless of who's providing it and what their qualifications are or aren't, is an opinion.  And the thing you have to remember about opinions, is that everybody's got one.

That said, here's mine. 

Regarding the color (shrug).  Yes, I suppose a little less saturation probably wouldn't hurt, but I don't see that as a major problem.

The crop however is a different matter.  Granted, a little off the top and maybe the left side might help.  I think the bulk of it however should come off the bottom (foreground).  Say everything from the top of that tall tree a little to the right of center, down.....Izzy

It is a nice image but it does look like you might've gone a little overboard with the sharpening tool.

As someone already said, this is indeed a nice peacfull image.

Colors, lighting, reflection, etc.  Don't know how possible it might've been, but I do believe shooting from a position that placed the boat a little more to the left (without losing the mountain on the right, and cropping up from the bottom a little, might've made for an improvement....Izzy