View 346: Love is an Open Door

Last weekend I had the honor and pleasure of escorting my daughter down the aisle to start her next life adventure.

Photo © Doug Fenster

The newlyweds had a beautiful day to start their lives together.

Photo © Doug Fenster

To Ally and Joshua Reeves…

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View 345: Goodbye to Summer

It was a good summer.

It started off with a tour of Syracuse at night beginning in Franklin Square.

Statue of Ben Franklin in Franklin Square Park taken at blue hour during the Syracuse Area Photography Classes Teaching Tour: Syracuse at Night on Saturday, July 12, 2014.

Statue of Ben Franklin in Franklin Square Park taken at blue hour during the Syracuse Area Photography Classes Teaching Tour: Syracuse at Night on Saturday, July 12, 2014.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, 30s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 24mm focal length, tripod.

I had a lot of fun covering the Syracuse Crunch Summer Street Hockey series which included the annual Media Game.  The winning team included members of the media and Crunch front office.

Team Axe posing with the Cup after winning the Syracuse Crunch Street Hockey Media game outside the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, July 26, 2014.

Team Axe posing with the Cup after winning the Syracuse Crunch Street Hockey Media game outside the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, July 26, 2014.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/320s, f/10, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length, fill flash.

The Onondaga Redhawks Senior “B” Box Lacrosse team successfully defended their Cam-Am title and went on to win the Canadian Lacrosse Association President’s Cup.

Onondaga Redhawks Matt Noble (18) scores on the Newtown Golden Eagles in the Can-Am Senior

Onondaga Redhawks Matt Noble (18) scores on the Newtown Golden Eagles in the Can-Am Senior “B” Box Lacrosse finals at the Onondaga Nation Arena near Nedrow, New York on Saturday, August 2, 2014.
Nikon D700/70-200VR, 1/500s, f/2.8, ISO 10000, EV +1.3, 150mm focal length.

Before the Air Force Thunderbirds took to the sky above Rochester, New York, Bill Gordon piloted his Red Baron Stearman plane in stunts from loop-to-loops to controlled stales.

Bill Gordon piloting his Red Baron Stearman at the Kwik Fill Rochester International Airshow in Rochester, New York on Sunday, August 17, 2014.

Bill Gordon piloting his Red Baron Stearman at the Kwik Fill Rochester International Airshow in Rochester, New York on Sunday, August 17, 2014.
Nikon D700/80-400VR, 1/160s, f/18, ISO 200, EV 0, 400mm focal length.

While photographing with a remote camera at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip, I caught one of my favorite pre-race preparations….the burnout!

1970s vintage Plymouth Duster buying out before racing at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip on Sunday, August 24, 2014.

1970s vintage Plymouth Duster buying out before racing at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip on Sunday, August 24, 2014.
Nikon D700/70-200VR, 1/125s, f/20, ISO 200, EV -0.3, 200mm focal length.

I ended the summer at the Northeast Mustang Meet photographing my favorite automobile. The Ford Mustang grew up in the 1960s ending in 1969 with the Mach 1 with its 390 cu. in. (6.4 liter) V8 engine and Ramair shaker hood.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 at the Northeast Mustang Meet on the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 at the Northeast Mustang Meet on the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, 1/160s, f/8, ISO 200, EV +0.6, 24mm focal length.

While we are talking about the 1960s, let us end summer correctly with A Summer Song by Chad and Jeremy from 1964, the year the Ford Mustang was born.

 

 

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View 344: Three National Parks Revisited

A year ago I posted a blog from the McDonald’s in Moab, Utah of the Three National Parks I had visited in the last week. This past week, I have been reviewing and editing photos from the trip and wanted to share three new photos.

Grand Canyon National Park. Here is another photo from the sunset I photographed from Yavapai Point along the South Rim trail.  The play of sunlight and shadows on the massive rock formations as the Sun got lower in the sky made the canyon even more breathtaking.

Sunset light in the Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

Sunset light in the Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/320s, f/9, ISO 200, EV -0.6, 145mm focal length.

Arches National Park. Before I took the colorful sunset of Delicate Arch, I took a few High Dynamic Range sets of photos to process when I had time. This week, I installed the latest version of Photomatix’s Plugin for Aperture (3.0.1) and knew it was time to revisit the icon of the National Parks. I merged seven photos which covered -3EV to +3EV in 1 stop intervals and used the new Enhanced Photo 2 selection.  Finished off processing back in Aperture to get the finished image.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. Processed using Photomatix Plugin for Aperture 3.0.1.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/16, ISO 200, 65mm focal length, tripod.

Canyonlands National Park. Visiting Mesa Arch was another highlight of the trip. I got in real close with the fisheye. I also got way back to put the arch in the context of the landscape surrounding it. Again, using an HDR set of photos and Photomatix (new software versions need a good shakedown, right?), I created the image below.

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah.

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. Processed using Photomatix Plugin for Aperture 3.0.1.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/16, ISO 200, 32mm focal length.

I still have many more photos to work through. Expect they will make an appearance here from time to time.

The photos we take are part of our history
and tell the story of our lives.

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View 343: Northeast Mustang Meet

I love Ford Mustangs.  Have driven them for years with a couple of breaks for other cars. I always came back to a Mustang.  On Saturday, I attended the Northeast Mustang Meet at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York with hundreds of other Mustang fans.

Ford Mustangs on display at the Northeast Mustang Meet at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

Ford Mustangs on display at the Northeast Mustang Meet at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

Click Here to see more photos from the 2014 Northeast Mustang Meet

There were Mustangs from the very first edition which was introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.

1964 1/2 Blue V8 Ford Mustang Convertible at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

1964 1/2 Blue V8 Ford Mustang Convertible at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

The Mustang heralded the Pony Car era with the long hood line and short trunk.  Throw in a V8 engine and you also get a classic muscle car. Over the years there have been many special versions of the Mustang from the late-1960’s Cobra Jets to today’s Shelby GT500s.

1968 Cobra Jet Mustang with a 428 cu. in. V8 (top) and a 2014 Grabber Blue Shelby GT500 Mustang with a 600 plus HP engine.

1968 Cobra Jet Mustang with a 428 cu. in. V8 (top) and a 2014 Grabber Blue Shelby GT500 Mustang with a 600 plus HP engine.

Another popular Mustang came on the racing scene back in 1968 and lead to an even more popular street version called the Boss 302. In the model year 2013, Ford brought back the Boss 302 and a new color: Gotta-Have-It Green or GHIG for short.

2013 Gotta-Have-It Green Boss 302 Ford Mustang at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

2013 Gotta-Have-It Green Boss 302 Ford Mustang at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

I also learned about a new Mustang built by Roush Performance back in 2011 called a DUB Edition.  Unlike most of the Mustangs created by Roush, the DUB Edition used the V6 Mustang platform and not a GT V8.  Produced in only four colors and 150 cars for each one. These are some of the rarest of the late model Mustangs built over the last decade.

2011 Ingot Silver DUB Edition V6 Roush Mustang at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

2011 Ingot Silver DUB Edition V6 Roush Mustang at the Broome County Fairgrounds in Whitney Point, New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

Goes to show, even a big Mustang fan can learn something about a car which has been manufactured for the last 50 years.  The only kind of Mustang which was not at the meet was the new 2015 Mustang which has yet to hit dealer’s floors.  I am sure next year, there will be plenty of them to see.

2015 Ford Mustang in Competition Orange. Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

2015 Ford Mustang in Competition Orange. Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

Who knows, maybe this generation of Mustangs will contain my next one. Orange, please!

 

 

 

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View 342: At the Starting Line

Dragsters leaving the Start Line at ESTA Safety Park Drag Strip near Cicero, New York.I procured a couple of PocketWizards over the summer and took them for a test drive (so to speak) at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York. PocketWizards

Nikon D7100 camera at the base of the

Nikon D7100 camera at the base of the “Christmas Tree” Starting Line Lights.

are receiver/transceiver units which can remotely trigger a camera’s shutter from a distance. This allows me to put a camera in places which are not safe to photograph from.

At ESTA, I put a Nikon D7100 camera with a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Ulta-Wide Angle (UWA) Lens at the base of the “Christmas Tree” Starting Line Lights. As you can see, it would not be very safe for anyone to sit in front of drag racers taking off within a few feet.  I photographed during the morning time trials as each pair of competitors start at the same time. The object is to get the best time down the quarter mile track.

Below are a few of the captures from the remote camera setup:

Ford Maverick (left) and Chevy Nova (right) pull wheelies as they leave the Starting Line at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York

Ford Maverick (left) and Chevy Nova (right) pull wheelies as they leave the Starting Line at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York.
Nikon D7100/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/1000s, f/3.5, ISO 100, EV 0, 12mm focal length, PocketWizard.

As you can see, in the morning, the camera faces into the Sun causing a little lens glare. Next time, I plan on shooting in the afternoon when the Sun is more behind the camera’s location.

Dodge Challenger (left) and Ford Mustang (right) hook up as they make their run down the track at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York.

Dodge Challenger (left) and Ford Mustang (right) hook up as they make their run down the track at ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York.
Nikon D7100/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/1000s, f/3.5, ISO 100, EV 0, 12mm focal length, PocketWizard.

Some of the racers really like to put on a show with wheelies.  Click here for more racing action from ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip in 2014.

Putting the show on the Starting Line at the ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York.

Putting the show on the Starting Line at the ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip near Cicero, New York.
Nikon D7100/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/1000s, f/3.2, ISO 100, EV 0, 12mm focal length, PocketWizard.

It is going to be a lot of fun trying out different locations for my cameras using the PocketWizards.

 

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