ICM: Tagliapietra

ICM: Tagliapietra, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We went to the Columbus Art Museum yesterday afternoon. Sundays are free at the museum, and it was very crowded. The major exhibit was focused on legos - very strange, I know, but it drew a huge audience. I was more interested in the floor mosaic from Israel, and I'm always happy to see the installation of glass by Lino Tagliapietra. The dramatic lighting made for a nice study of intentional camera movement. I took this photo with my Sony RX-100, which gives me full control on manual settings.

ICM: Waterman Farm

ICM: Waterman Farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Walking in the snow at night at Waterman Farm. I couldn't resist this intentional camera movement setting.

Mendenhall Laboratory

Mendenhall Laboratory, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Another nighttime long-exposure photo at OSU after the first big snowfall of the season. Mendehall Lab is right next door to Orton Hall.

Mirror Lake

Here's another image from December 26, 2012 - the campus was so serene with its blanket of freshly fallen snow. The lights strung around Mirror Lake made for a lovely image. I'm glad I had my snow boots on - I set my tripod up in the outflow stream.

Orton Hall at night, in the snow

Orton Hall at night, in the snow, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

My favorite building on campus is lovely at night, but even lovelier when it has snowed. Long exposure of 10 seconds was a bit tricky with the wind that was blowing, but the patience paid off.

Steve and I were out on our photo walk about 2 hours. I had on three layers and snow boots. Aside from my face, I was nice and toasty the entire time. All that technical clothing we used in the Himalayas in 2009 has been good for doing winter photography as well.

Mom, I want to play with snow!

Mom, I want to play with snow!, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We're having our first big snow of the season today. I've shoveled the driveway three times since this morning. Emma doesn't mind, she loves! to play in the snow. Click on the picture to see the other pics in this series......

Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

The festive lights at Mirror Lake at Ohio State University always make me smile. This was an 8 second exposure. Happy Holidays to all.....

Into the engineering zone….

Into the engineering zone…., a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Steve and I did a 1.5 hr predawn photowalk over on the OSU campus yesterday. The snow on the ground was the lure, and it was a fantastic time to do photography, indeed. This was one of my last photos, just after sunrise. There's a building over on the engineering side of campus that is all glass and metal with interesting angles. After working the views a bit, I decided to play with some intentional camera movement ideas - particularly a zoom shot with the interesting lights. That blue dot in the center is one of the emergency phones scattered all over campus.

First snow of the season

First snow of the season, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We received our first snow of the season yesterday with about 2 inches accumulation and winds of up to 50 mph. It made for a blustery day, but at night, the lights were magical. This is from our driveway.

Luna and Topper

Luna and Topper, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I love how my youngest dachshunds sleep in the same position in the same chair.

Wrong season....

Ohio State University, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I took this photo December 8, 2012 - Ohio State University Mirror Lake. Pumpkins in Mirror Lake? I wonder how long they had been there, trying to escape through the outflow channel. I wonder when they were thrown into the pond, too - Maybe the Michigan plunge?

Columbus Zoo Carousel

Columbus Zoo Carousel, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Another image from our excursion to the Columbus Zoo a couple of nights ago. The carousel is always a big draw, and it's fun to photograph at night.

ICM - Columbus Zoo

ICM - Columbus Zoo, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We went to see the lights at the Columbus Zoo last night, courtesy of Ohio Health. They sponsored an evening for their employees, which made for a very nice photography outing. We even got some hot chocolate as part of the package - a very welcome addition after spending a couple of hours in subfreezing temps. This is an intentional camera movement image. I set up my tripod at one entrance of the tunnel and did a zoom while the shutter was open.

University Hall

Ohio State University, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We have a lot of beautiful buildings on the campus of Ohio State University. University Hall is right up there at the top of the list for most interesting.

Orton Hall

Orton Hall, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

This truly is my favorite building on the Ohio State University Campus. I love photographing it in all sorts of light. This morning Steve wanted to get some night photos with wet pavement, so we headed over to campus around 6:30 a.m. - plenty of time before sunrise and before the rains started back up again. It rained most of last night. The slight bit of fog added to the mood here.

Mirror Lake - all decked out

Ohio State University, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

There's a tradition at Ohio State University for the winter season - decorating the trees around Mirror Lake with strings of lights. It's lovely this time of year, and yesterday's unseasonably warm weather was perfect for doing some night photography on my way home last night. With the sun going down so early in the day, my walk back to my car over across the river is usually after dark. I like that stroll, especially if the winds are not too strong.

Ohio State University

Ohio State University, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

This is the breezeway next to RPAC on campus. The architecture is pretty cool, and the connecting walkway between buildings makes for an interesting night subject. I wish there had been someone walking across the bridge, but I didn't want to hang around in the cold to wait for an unsuspecting pedestrian.

Alpine lupine

Alpine lupine, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I need a reminder of summer, so here's a photo from Wyoming, taken during the American Penstemon Society meeting. We were in an alpine meadow of the Medicine Bow Mountains.

Scioto Sunset: ICM

Scioto Sunset: ICM, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We did a walk along the river below Griggs Dam yesterday at sunset. This Intentional Camera Movement image was done with my Sony RX100, using a horizontal sweep with a 1/20 sec exposure.

I hope everyone in the states had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. i really enjoyed having a break to spend time with family and friends. It was wonderful to have Michael and Tania for the long weekend. We haven't seen them since their wedding last August. It's hard when family is so far away.....

π X 2

π X 2, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

My pies are made. Thanksgiving tradition for my family includes me baking a blueberry (on the left) and an apple pie. In fact, I think the pie baking is the only reason my oldest son comes to visit for Thanksgiving :-)

We'll have a mostly vegetarian feast today, except for the salmon filets I'll bake with a cranberry glaze. Included for today's menu: kohlrabi, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, fresh green beans, quinoa, carrots, olives, dates, mashed potatoes, cranberries, lentils and rice, bread, pie and ice-cream. Not your traditional feast, for sure, but very tasty and extremely healthy…..

Olentangy reflection

Olentangy reflection, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

When the water is still and there is no breeze, the Olentangy River at Whetstone Park is a perfect mirror. I turned this photo upside down to mimic a landscape, but it is, indeed, a reflection of the far bank of the river.

November 19, 2012 sunrise

November 19, 2012 sunrise, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Steve and I rise early in the mornings to either go for a long walk, or to go to the gym for a workout. I love it when the sunrise is going to be spectacular, given how close we live to Waterman Farm. This sunrise is from today - it made for a good start of a holiday work week.

OSU Sunrise on a rainy morning

OSU Sunrise on a rainy morning, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

From November 12, 2012. I've had a very busy week and so have not been able to do much photo processing/posting recently. This is from Monday's sunrise, which was actually very rainy. It's a view of the Ohio State University campus from the edge of Waterman Farm.

Rainy sunrise in Columbus, Ohio

Rainy sunrise in Columbus, Ohio, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Today OSU has a holiday in honor of Veteran's Day. I started it at the gym at 6 am. On the way home it started to rain, but the sunrise looked promising so I fetched my camera and headed back to the edge of Waterman Farm. By the time I got into position to capture the sunrise, the rain was pouring down. The resulting photo was worth a soaking, I think. The colors combined with the rain made for a great photo with a very ominous mood for the cityscape.

Obama Rally 11/05/12

Obama Rally 11/05/12, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I attended the campaign kick-off rally back in May, and it was my privilege to attend President Barack Obama's final Ohio campaign rally yesterday afternoon. There was an estimated crowd of 15,500 according to the news reports. The crowd was enthusiastic and very patient with all of the delays. I arrived at Nationwide Arena just before 2 pm, but the doors opened at noon, and there was a crowd waiting in line from the early morning hours onward.

Fortunately, I had a campaign office ticket, which meant I didn't have to wait in a line, and I was able to work for much of the day before heading to the rally. I sat in section 119 and had a decent view of the stages, although I was slightly behind the stage where Bruce Springsteen and Jay Z did their sets.

I have been inspired by Barack Obama since I first heard his speech at the 2004 DNC. He has been a president who represents and cares about the majority of citizens in this great country of ours. He represents the demographic of current day USA, whether the conservative GOP pundits want to recognize that or not. When I look out on the audiences of Obama's rallies I see people from every ethnic and religious background, cheering him on and lending their energy to his campaign. When I look at the audiences for Romney and Ryan, I see a bunch of scared and angry old white men, but mostly I just see white skin color - a sea of it, with a lot of hateful messaging to go along with their support.

I've never seen so much spiteful hate in a campaign, and it starts with Fox News, carries on with Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and Shawn Hannity. Why do people get sucked into this misinformation that is largely misogynistic, bigoted, racist, and full of hate-mongering? I just don't understand how any woman can vote for the GOP ticket when one of their main goals is to take away our rights.

As you can probably tell, I support Barack Obama for president. Whether you agree with me or not isn't relevant, but getting out to vote today is. Exercise your right to vote and please inform yourselves about the issues, the candidates, and the future before you hit that "vote" button.

Here are more pictures from yesterday's rally:

Obama's final Ohio campaign rally

Lake Somerset in Autumn

Lake Somerset in Autumn, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

From early October - Autumn in Pennsylvania.

Waterman Farm

Waterman Farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

More scenery from my neighborhood. Ohio State University's Waterman Farm with Columbus as a backdrop.

Autumn leaves

Autumn leaves, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

With all the wind we've had on the fringe of Superstorm Sandy, the autumn display of colors has been transferred to the ground. This leaf drop has been going on for the past month, but the storm finished it off in style.

I've heard from family and friends that were in the heart of the storm, and everyone is ok. My thoughts are with those that have suffered damage to property, loss of loved ones, and are struggling for transportation and the challenge of being without electricity.

Time to harvest Jesse's fruits

Time to harvest Jesse's fruits, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

We've come full circle on the life cycle of our second Titan Arum to bloom at the Ohio State University Biological Sciences greenhouses. Jesse bloomed May 25, 2012. We pollinated with pollen from two different titan arums, and it worked beautifully well. The fruits are ripening, and the uppermost ones are ready for harvesting.


I documented the growth of the inflorescence and the bloom with this time-lapse video:

LeVeque Tower Shadow

LeVeque Tower Shadow, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Downtown Columbus, Ohio. This is from October 11, 2012 - 10/11/12. Pretty cool shadow from the LeVeque Tower on the adjacent building.

Columbus has a lot of cool things in the downtown area, but I'm partial to the historic LeVeque Tower.

Autumn at Highbanks series

Autumn at Highbanks, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

This weekend the weather is cold, windy, rainy and very gloomy. That's a huge contrast to last weekend when the weather was in the 70s and absolutely perfect for showing off the last of the fall colors. Whenever possible, Steve and I walk the trails at Highbanks Metro park - usually covering about 4 or 5 miles of the 12 or so miles of trails there.

During this time of year I really enjoy capturing the beauty of the colorful autumn canopy against a blue sky. This is one of the many beech trees, which are among the last of the forest trees to exhibit a riot of color. When most of the maples have already dropped a significant proportion of their autumn leaves, the beeches are just coming into prime.

The view from Waterman Farm

Waterman Farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Last weekend's fall colors were glorious - especially with a bit of stormy weather and the sun peaking out after the storms. This photo is from the western part of Waterman Farm at Ohio State University. The row of houses is along North Star, and represents the eastern edge of Upper Arlington.

UA autumn

UA autumn, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

This is from my neighborhood. Last Saturday Steve and I did a long walk just after the rain stopped and the sun was peeking through holes in the clouds. For just a fleeting moment sunlight illuminated this sugar maple. The stormy clouds in the background were the perfect setting to highlight the fall colors. It lasted for just a couple of seconds, so I'm glad I had the camera out and ready to shoot.

Oak leaf and moss

Oak leaf and moss, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

A cool morning with the dew clinging to all surfaces, leaving trails of drops on windows. The light gently streaming in muted beams, filtered by yellow, orange, and red leaves, making the forest a cathedral of whispers. It's autumn at its best.

Autumn at Highbanks - beech leaves

Autumn at Highbanks, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

The colors of the beech canopy were awesome this past weekend. I wish I could capture this spectrum in some of my artwork.

Autumn at Highbanks

Autumn at Highbanks, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

The autumn colors are still going strong at Highbanks Metro Park. This was from yesterday morning.

Autumn at Waterman Farm

Autumn at Waterman Farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I know I've mentioned how much I like living near an urban farm. Yesterday was one of those days that exemplify why. The morning had been stormy, but as it was clearing Steve and I decided to do a long walk. We have these new fancy pedometers, which give us some incentive to make sure we walk 10,000 or more steps each day.

Given how dramatic the sky appeared with the potential for some sun beams coming through holes in the cloud cover plus the wet foliage and ground, I knew there would be an opportunity to photograph a dramatic autumn scene. We headed to the farm and found the spot I anticipated would yield the shot, and then we waited, waited, and waited some more. We could watch where the sun appeared in patches and then disappeared. When it was tracking the right direction I got my camera set up and ready.

All of a sudden the sun illuminated the autumn colors of the trees behind the first row of houses on the eastern edge of Upper Arlington. Stunning light, stunning colors, dramatic clouds - a winner.

Waterman Farm sunrise

Waterman Farm sunrise, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Yesterday's sunrise was beautiful. Steve and I missed our sunrise walk yesterday because he had an appointment in the early morning. However, he was very sweet to call me to let me know that sunrise might be awesome. So, I grabbed my camera and tripod, donned a jacket and hat, and did a fast walk down to the edge of Waterman Farm. It was, indeed, a lovely sunrise. The cows were so curious that they headed toward the fence straight away. That's why there are some cow backs in the foreground.

UA sunrise

UA sunrise, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

This photo is from my morning walk today. I took my camera to the edge of Waterman Farm to get a sunrise pic, and when I started walking home, the lighting in the neighborhood was stunning.

Autumn at Highbanks

Autumn at Highbanks, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

My Sony RX100 has a built-in panorama setting. One usually does horizontal pans, but last Sunday, at Highbanks, the autumn colors were so beautiful I wanted to capture the essence of the forest from top to bottom. A vertical panorama was needed to do the forest justice....

Gray hairstreak butterfly

Gray hairstreak butterfly, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

The scales on the edges of the wings look like small hairs. It's a tiny little butterfly foraging on the flowers of goldenrod. Seen at Glacier Ridge Metro Park September 23, 2012.

Autumn canopy

Autumn canopy, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Sometimes one needs a change in perspective. Some of the trees at Highbanks Metro Park are pretty old and have interesting branching patterns.

A slide show of my ICM photography

ICM: Autumn

ICM: Autumn, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

I enjoyed my walk with Steve yesterday at Highbanks. I didn't want to lug my big DSLR for a long walk, so I had my Sony RX100 along. I can use manual settings for this camera and so I decided to try some Intentional Camera Movement techniques to see how it would perform. It did very well, I think. This is a fairly short exposure, but the rapid movement worked to streak the light and colors of autumn.

Autumn at Highbanks

Autumn at Highbanks, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Steve and I went for a long walk at Highbanks this morning. It seemed like the best opportunity to enjoy the fall foliage. It's supposed to thunderstorm later this weekend, so we wanted to see everything before the trees get hammered by a storm.

Dawn on the Gold Coast

Dawn on the Gold Coast, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Back to Australia for this image. From Queensland's Gold Coast.

Lake Somerset in Autumn

Lake Somerset in Autumn, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

My favorite time of year.....

Colors of autumn

Autumn in Pennsylvania, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that the colors of autumn involve more than the changing leaf spectrum. Goldenrod is a prominent component of the autumn color scheme.

Autumn in Pennsylvania

Autumn in Pennsylvania, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Sumac turns such vivid colors during autumn. Last weekend, it was the big winner in terms of color hues.

Autumn on the farm

Autumn on the farm, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Steve and I spent the weekend over in Pennsylvania to go to the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch site. It rained Saturday, so we never made it up there, but we did drive around the country a bit. Near a covered bridge was this beautiful field of hay bales. I like the symmetry of the rotoballes and the color contrast of the lush green field with the brilliant autumn foliage. The soft lighting and wet foliage was a great combination for vivid saturation, too.

Hyrax

Hyrax, a photo by andiwolfe on Flickr.

Also known as a Dassie. This one was photographed in Hermanus, South Africa in 2010.