Abstract – Photography

We have been getting so much rain and wind the flowers are stressed out and really looking bad, so again I turn to the leaves. This time though, I’m putting the zoom to good use by ZOOMING! 

Iris Leaves - Abstract

 

Mint Leaves- Abstract

Training Workouts- Horse- Photography

I decided to go back out to Keeneland this morning and photograph the workouts.  The photo’s that I had taken earlier in the week where sharp, but didn’t show the movement of the horse. I went back this time looking for shots that would better show the  movement and speed of the horses.  I settled on using a very slow shutter speed of 1/30 sec and panned with the focus on the rider, which is the one thing that remains fairly still. The number of keepers with this technique is very low, maybe only 1 in 10-12, but can get you unusual results.

Early morning workout.

 

Keeneland- Training

Horse Racing Workouts- Photography

Decided to take a break from the normal type of photography I shoot and spend the morning at Keeneland watching the workouts. I have never photographed fast paced action much before and found the panning for sharp pictures takes some doing. It seem’s to be one of those techniques that will take time to get it right. Hopefully I can get to the morning workout ‘s 2-3 times next week and try out some ideals I have.

Morning workout turns serious

 

Head strong!

Rose Leaves in Rain_ Photography

 Today makes 4-5 days of rain this week and the rose are showing signs of stress. They are starting to drop petals from all the wind which made finding nice ones this morning harder than normal. But as I walked around the Arboretum I noticed that the rain and heavy overcast had brought out the colors in the leaves.

Rose leaves in Rain- Lexington Arboretum

 

Rain on Rose leaves- Lexington Arboretum

Red Rose in Rain- Photography

  Photographed this rose early today in the rain. Sky was starting to lighten some and made for nice light. The hardest thing about shooting in the rain is focusing with a plastic bag over the camera and the fact you look really stupid. 🙂

Yellow Roses

I would say this is not the best photo I ever took, but it was the hardest to get worked out.

Yellow Roses- Reflection

Early Roses- Photography

We have been back from Taos for several days now and I decided to see what was blooming at the Arboretum. To my surprise, I found the rose bushes flush with new flowers and buds. The heavy rain this spring has everything looking great.

Spring Rose- Lexington Arboretum

San Francisco de Asis Church- Taos

  I guess you can’t go to Taos without seeing this famous church. Photographed by Ansel Adams and painted by Georgia Totto O’Keeffe this adobe church is the most photographed church in the states. Having said this, it makes me wonder why it was so hard to find. No signs… nothing that pointed the way. We found it on a map and still had trouble finding it. It set back off the road with other buildings and a parking lot between it and the main road.  I could not take the picture that everyone goes after due to the parking lot, which stayed full of cars, blocking the view. 

San Francisco de Asis, Taos

Adobe Church in Taos, New Mexico

 

 

Dust Storm at Sunset- Taos, New Mexico

The wind in Taos blows all the time, but this day was worst. Winds of 20-30 mph with gust reaching 50-60 mph had the air-filled with dust and made our attempt at hiking almost impossible. I ask one of the locals what this did to sunsets and was told ” They look all brown and ugly”, so that night I drove out to see. The first picture  (WAS NOT PHOTOSHOPPED) was taken several miles out of Taos and you can see the dust clouds. The wind was still blowing so hard that I had to hold the tripod from tipping over. The second photo was taken two nights later when the air had cleared, a passing car’s headlights brought out the foreground sage..

Dust filled sunset in Taos

 

Sunset outside Taos

New Mexico – Photography

 Leaving the Colorado mountains behind, we began the drive south into New Mexico through a wide valley. Snow storms seemed to follow us and had the stream’s running full. The stream’s were lined with a brushy plant that I had not seen before,  with color’s ranging from red , orange and yellow’s. Mix this with the sage brush that was everywhere and it made for nice drive.

Taos valley stream

 

Sage brush - Rail fence