White Trillium from different aspects.
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above 
same level 
below
Early Spring VI
Aspect Continuum
Category: Nature Themed
Early Spring III
Circinate
A thumb’s width span for each unfurling stalk of this unidentified colony. Fern? Flowering plant?
Each image is from a Canon 100 mm macro lens, camera mounted on a sturdy studio tripod I carried a few hundred feet to this bank within Fillmore Glen New York State park.
Here is another assignment from the “Fundamentals of Photography” course, to capture a scene at different f-stops, the degree to which the diaphragm is open, to control the width of the lens aperture. Increasing f-stop narrows lens aperture.
For this f32 image, the least possible apeture for this lens, resulting in maximum depth of field. Everything in view is in focus, increasing the visual elements competing for the viewer’s attention. On the other hand, a distracting element is more information about where the plant is thriving.
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At 8 f-stop aperture is at a midpoint, elements of the background are out of focus, though still recognizable. The sturdy tripod, well situated, enables me to take the exact same view, changing only the f-stop (and associated shutter speed, the higher the f-stop the slower the shutter speed. As the aperture decreases, less light enters the camera and more time is required to collect enough light to expose the digital media. Slower shutter speed means more time for spring breezes to move the delicately balanced plant stalk, resulting a blur for a subject otherwise in focus.
In this image I removed all but the immediate surroundings of the red stalks.
At f2.8 the diaphram is wide open, a maximum amount of light enters the camera and shutter speed is higher as well. Less of the image is in focus, a single subject is in sharp relief. Prior to cropping more than one stalk is in focus, competing for attention.
After cropping a single stalk is the image subject, reminding me of swirling galaxies. The drawback is reduction in image size: 30 reduced to 1.3 (6,744 to 1,371). I needed to reposition the tripod and camera for a closer shot of the circinate scene elements and a image with a higher resolution of this fascinating episode in the life of a plant. I am tempted to visit Malloryville where large ferns unfurl.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Early Spring II
Hepatica from April 2007
Yesterday you saw a grouping of Hepatica flowers and seed heads. (Click me for another Hepatica posting from this season).
Here you see two seed heads in selective focus, one still has flower petals attached.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
American Spirit
during New York PAUSE for COVID-19
I spotted this sign May 5, 2020 on the way to Fillmore Glen New York State Park.
Stopped on the way home to document this message.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Dunseverick Castle Ruin, roadside info
Pride of History on display
On Causeway Road there is a turnoff an information placard for Dunseverick Castle near a cottage. This is the left side of the placard with the historical context. The right side is natural history of the area.
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This is the right side of the placard.
Click me for the first post of this series.
Reference: Wikipedia “Dunseverick Castle.”
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
First Water Trailhead, repost
A desert garden with plans
….Click me to visit this post of the Sonora Desert in bloom.
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Dunseverick Castle Ruin, closer
Recollections of Saint Patrick
Slight pangs of regret recalled in my first Dunseverick Castle post are recalled this morning on remembering the long Slige Midluachra (aka “High King’s Road”) of which Dunseverick Castle was the terminus, beginning from the Hill of Tara. Walk the High King’s Road, “why not?.”
Here we can see the two partial wall, remains of a gate house, destroyed in the 17th century. I can imagine making the climb up the foot path, examine the earthworks from before the Viking invasions, middle of the first millennium A.D. Recall a visit by Saint Patrick, trodding the path from his Easter fire on the Hill of Slane.
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Reference: Wikipedia “Dunseverick Castle.”
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Bullet Dodge Finale
EPCOT Forever(?)
Our last “FastPass” was for the EPCOT Forever fireworks and special effects spectacular. COVID-19 rendered the “forever” to be futile pretension, though during our wait Pam struck up a conversation with a couple who returned year after years to EPCOT, people who miss it and look forward to reopening.
We found the “FastPass” venue lacking, as there were many structures in the line of sight, as you can see from the IPhone 7 videos in this post. In retrospect, the area in front of the Canada Pavilion was open and might be a better location — when Epcot reopens, you’d need to get their early to grab a space.
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“Dodge the bullet” is rather too active for our EPCOT experience as we did nothing to social distance, cover our faces and, even, attended a sit down restaurant. “Dumb luck” is a better characterization, but it makes a poor chapter heading.
As our time in Florida passed more information leaked from China, posted by their citizens on-line. I recalled the chaotic scenes from the hospital, frightened people screaming in packing halls. Seeking to protect ourselves during the flight home, we sought out N95 masks and all medical masks were sold out. We found packs of N95 masks marketed for auto body work, in Walmart. Wore them on the 2 hour flight home as the only “wierdos” wearing masks as several fellow passengers coughed uncontrollably.
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Torr Head Photos
My latest photos accepted into Getty IStock
Click me to view the latest batch of photos accepted into Getty….these are from Torr Head..
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Bullet Dodge Series 8
Japan Pavilion
Epcot is a different experience at night, in many ways an enhancement, a gathering of glamour, smoothing of edges.
These few photographs and one video of the Japan Pavilion exemplify this effect. We were blessed with a full moon.
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Tokyo Dining is a traditional sushi restaurant featuring served by native Japanese. Our service was efficient and attentive from a premium seat acquired through our on-line reservation through a smart phone Disney app. Traffic is immense. I can only think of the research from China that demonstrated transmission of COVID-19 to nine diners by one infected person. We learned in April 2020 a high percentage of infections are non-symptomatic.
After dinner Pam and I enjoyed views from the spacious terrace. All photos for this post are from that time. Many of our family gifts from the trip were from the large and well stocked Mitsukoshi Department Store. It is the only remaining branch of the company in North America.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 