Views Infinitum

A December to Remember Photo Hunt

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Scott Thomas Photography

It sure has been a December to Remember for me as I helped the AllEars.net website celebrate its 15 years of existence at Walt Disney World followed by more celebrating with friends and family over the Christmas holiday. Now, it’s time to celebrate with my blogger friends over at Karma’s When I Feel Like It Blog for this month’s Photo Hunt.

Lights – How about 5 million of them? That’s how many lights can be found at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here is a about half a million of them.

Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Nikon D700/Tokina 11-16mm, 2s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 16mm focal length, tripod.

Ornament – Inside the 5 story lobby of the Grand Floridian resort at Walt Disney World stands a 45 foot tall Christmas tree with Victorian era ornaments on a grand scale like these swans.

Swan ornament on the Grand Floridian Resort Christmas tree at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/20s, f/5.6, ISO 3200, EV 0, 300mm focal length.

Card – My wife has had a way to display Christmas cards sent to us on a wall of our kitchen for each year we’ve been married. That is pretty good for some yarn (replaced a couple of times) and a few cardboard cutouts. The first card is from our daughter, Krystal, who is living in North Dakota these days but still remembers her Disney roots.

Wall Christmas Card Display. Nikon D700/24-85G, 1/25s, f/8, ISO 3200, EV 0, 35mm focal length.

Frost – Last year by this time my area had over 70 inches of snow. This year, barely 2 inches. Temperatures above freezing except for a couple of mornings when I had no light before I had to leave for work. So, for this one, I am getting an assist from Michaela of The Daily Click blog who did not have time for the photo hunt but did get this photo of frost. Seems it’s colder in Texas these days than New York. Go figure? Thanks, Michaela!

Treat – there is but one treat this time of year for me…Christmas Cookies!

Christmas cookies are a favorite treat of mine. Nikon D700/24-85G, 1/30s, f/8, ISO 720, EV 0, 48mm focal length, rear-sync flash at -2.0 power.

Family – I consider myself lucky to have both my daughters home for the holidays this year. I know it might not always be so.

Scott's daughters home for the holidays. Nikon D700/24-85G, 1/50s, f/8, ISO 1600, EV 0, 45mm focal length, bounced rear-sync flash at -1.0 power.

Bonus – My favorite winter holiday is Christmas! Surprise! 😀 The only thing better than Christmas is spending time at Walt Disney World when they are celebrating the December holiday.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse and their friend, Goofy, on the gingerbread house in the Grand Floridan resort at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida.

Come back tomorrow for the Four Seasons assignment recap.

Posted in People, Travel | Tagged cards, characters, christmas, cookies, disney's hollywood studios, florida, goofy, holiday, lights, mickey, minnie, mouse, new york, orlando, ornament, Osborne family, treat, walt disney world | 13 Comments

View 209: Believe

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Scott Thomas Photography

To Ally, From Santa

Santa visited our house for Christmas. Even Twenty-something daughters believe. Hope your Christmas was grand.

Posted in Weekly View | Tagged baldwinsville, christmas, color, disney, gifts, name, new york, paper, presents, tags, wrapping | 5 Comments

A Really Big Gift for You

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Scott Thomas Photography

All you have to do is cover shipping and handling. I already took care of the wrapping. 😀

One of the special holiday projections added to the "The Magic, The Memories, and You!" show on Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/4, ISO 6400, EV 0, 42mm focal length, tripod.

Wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas!

And I hope you are all having yourselves a Merry Little Christmas, too.

Posted in Travel | Tagged christmas, cinderella castle, holiday, magic kingdom, new york, orlando, projection, show, The Magic The Memories and You, walt disney world | 21 Comments

Four Seasons of Taughannock Falls

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Scott Thomas Photography

Four seasons collage of Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York.

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about this assignment. I am not good at finding interesting subjects for long term photography projects. After spending a day at Taughannock Falls last January, I knew this impressive waterfall was going to be my Four Seasons project for 2011. It did not hurt the Glenwood Pines restaurant is nearby either. 🙂

The location I photographed the waterfall from takes a bit of effort to get to. While most people stop at the Overlook, take a few photos and leave. I hiked up the North Rim trail from the Overlook parking lot about a quarter mile for a more natural portrait of Taughannock Falls. The natural framing of the forest trees and the flow of water over the falls are the keys to the passage of the seasons.

It is easy to be accustomed to the marvels of Nature through familiarity. Watching water drop the 215 feet (65.5 meters) over Taughannock Falls on each visit this year, I found it as impressive as the first time I saw it two years ago. Each season showed a different face of the falls. Ice and quiet in Winter, overflowing and loud in Spring, slight and whispering in Summer and complimentary and musical to the Autumn colors.

The water ever flows over the Great Fall in the Woods as the Lenni Lenape (Delaware) Indians called Taughannock Falls. The friction of the water and the force of gravity continues to slowly change the gorge. During my time there this year, I saw and heard rocks, both large and small, fall from the falls and cascade off the gorge walls. I may never notice much change over the rest of my lifetime. Those visiting in the decades to come will see a different Taughannock Falls State Park. Change is Nature’s way of evolving the world around us. Change both creates and destroys. Those who embrace change, will be successful and survive.

I will recap everyone’s submissions to the assignment next week. Congrats to those who stuck with it!