Spring – Page 34 – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Queenstown personal connection

Cobh Heritage Center

April 5, 2021April 2, 2021 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

The Irish Free State was four months old when my then 35 year old Grandfather and Grandmother boarded the S.S. Montnairn out of Belfast. My mother, two months short of three years of age, accompanied them on this voyage to a new life as Canadian citizens. This slideshow is a mix of images from the Cobh Heritage center and my personal genealogy materials.

Call for Irish Emigration, this for Idaho. My grandfather answered a similar call, returning in 1926 for his wife and daughter.

Personable Wildflowers

With wishes for a Blessed Easter 2021

April 4, 2021April 5, 2021 MichaelStephenWills33 Comments

Late one April afternoon these backlit Hepatica on the gorge wall above the South Rim Trail of Treman Gorge posed for their portraits.

Click me for the first post of this series.

Click me for “Finger Lakes Memories”, a gallery of fine art photography.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Father Brown’s Titanic Photographs

Cobh Heritage Center

April 3, 2021April 3, 2021 MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

The Cobh Heritage Center documents the experiences of Irish emigration. Here I share information about the Titanic’s maiden voyage through the photographic work of Father Frank Brown. Cobh, pronounced “cove”, as in “The Cove of Cork.”

Here is an informative and entertaining 5 minute documentary of Father Brown, his trip on the Titanic and subsequent achievements as a photographer.

Hepatica

Early Spring Beauties

April 1, 2021April 5, 2021 MichaelStephenWills33 Comments

Most every year since 2002 I’ve photographed these personable beauties, the first wildflowers to bloom as early as late February through the snows.

Click me for “Finger Lakes Memories”, a fine art photography gallery.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Marantha House Six

near Blarney, County Cork

March 30, 2021March 29, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Continued…..The ground of Marantha House are a well appointed as the home, as you would expect from a luxury bed and breakfast on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.

We say “goodbye” to Marantha House…on to new adventures

Woody Peony Series

Effect of f-stop

March 29, 2021March 28, 2021 MichaelStephenWills23 Comments

May 2019 Pam and I visited the New York State historical site of Olana, the former home of Fredrick Church of the Hudson River School of painting. Off the walk was a small planting of flowers, among them a type of “woody” peony in full bloom on Memorial Day weekend, well before the “herbaceous” type that is setting flower buds at that time. These were a striking reddish hue.

On returning home we were pleased to find our own “woody” peonies of the same hue in full bloom as well. On Memorial Day I used the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USB lens and a tripod to capture the following two macros of the flower center with the lens aperture fully open (f 2.8) and at its smallest (f 32).

Question for readers: Which do you prefer, and why?

Click either photograph for a larger version.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Marantha House Four

near Blarney, County Cork

March 28, 2021March 28, 2021 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Continued…..The view from our room, a fairway down “Hydro” hill. We were surprised to fine “sub-tropical” plants, such as the bamboo next to the recliner, in southern Ireland. Thanks to the Gulf Stream roses flourish and we spied palm trees, believe it or not.

Marantha House Three

near Blarney, County Cork

March 27, 2021March 24, 2021 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Continued…..More of our surroundings, “home” during our explorations of Cork City, Kinsale and Cobh. Marantha House is a luxury bed and breakfast on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.

Hepatica, Fillmore Glen

Hepatica from April 2007

March 26, 2021March 23, 2021 MichaelStephenWills40 Comments

Back in 2007 I used a 100 mm Canon Macro lens on a Kodak slr along with a Sony DSC-F828 variable lens for this mix of macro and habitat captures presented as a gallery so you can flip back and forth among the larger images. Click any image to bring up a larger version.

Click for my “Finger Lakes Memories” Fine Art Photography Gallery.

Marantha House Two

near Blarney, County Cork

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021 MichaelStephenWills

Continued…..yesterday, we saw the second floor bay window of our bedroom of our luxury B&B base for our Cork City, Cobh and Kinsale explorations. Here is a peak into our bedroom and the house furnishings. The last photo is another bedroom. Marantha House is a secluded site on “Hydro Hill” also known as “Saint Ann’s Hill” close to Blarney, County Cork.