River – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Last Bridge

Golden Road

November 12, 2022November 9, 2022 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Good news….Click Me for the link to my latest photographs accepted by Getty, from this series of 2022 Fillmore Glen. You may acquire reasonably priced rights to use these photographs in your work.

My Sony Alpha was in use during our October 16 drive to Fillmore Glen. As we traversed landscapes, autumn glory of Tompkins and Cayuga Counties was captured. Thank You, Pam, for driving.

Heading today’s post is a windshield shot, I’m loving the effect of a golden road.

During our walk, I used the Sony Alpha for a parallel series of shots to compliment the tripod mounted Canon. Here are some of those results.

Step up and over

Enjoy this collection of Fillmore Glen pathways

Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York

Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Waterfall Gallery

” I ventured up the gorge from bottom to this point where, blocked by an enormous shining emerald-colored ice wedge accumulated from the water pouring over the path in warmer months, I turned around”

November 10, 2022November 7, 2022 MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

Good news….Click Me for the link to my latest photographs accepted by Getty, from this series of 2022 Fillmore Glen. You may acquire reasonably priced rights to use these photographs in your work.

Between the metal walkway (see previous post) and the last numbered bridge, eight (8), the gorge narrows with sedimentary rock cliffs on either side, remnants of the forces that formed this rock in the form of water pouring from the porous stone flowing over the trail.

One February morning, equipped with climbing boots, crampons, gaiters, I ventured up the gorge from bottom to this point where, blocked by an enormous shining emerald-colored ice wedge accumulated from the water pouring over the path in warmer months, I turned around.

I call it a Waterfall Gallery for these walls bracing this wonderful collection of cascades in these photographs.

Waterfall gallery between bridges seven (7) and eight (8). Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Moravia, Cayuga County, New York

A warm and cool versions of this spot.

Watch Your Step!!

Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York

Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Climb to Glory

New and Ancient

November 9, 2022November 8, 2022 MichaelStephenWills

Good news….Click Me for the link to my latest photographs accepted by Getty, from this series of 2022 Fillmore Glen. You may acquire reasonably priced rights to use these photographs in your work.

Crossing bridge seven (7), “Lovers’ Bridge, we encounter this passage, from the earliest work of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s. Stairs carved into the Cambrian cliff. These images are a combination of handheld Sony Alpha dslr and tripod mounted Canon captures. Can you tell the difference (please comment on your insights).

View from the new walkway

Looking back to the walkway installed this year. This span does not cross Dry Creek, is not included in the bridge count.

Overhead, the glorious autumn canopy

Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York

Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Bridging the Lethe

notes from November 2231 AD

April 24, 2022April 18, 2022 MichaelStephenWills33 Comments

Hook

Ancient legends speak of the River Lethe, crossed by departing souls. The waters of the Lethe wash away memory, allowing for spiritual rebirth, reincarnation, a return to the world in new form.

This memory implant represents a bridge over the Lethe.

For those chosen to cross over to the new land in return for

their treasure, lives and selves.

Description

This virtual monoculture glade from the long time of forests,

a place of happy gatherings, of families, plentiful food and water.

These sycamores grew over centuries, through thousands of days, wider than 10 people,

white with age as the outer covering, called bark, falls away.

forked, trunks

climbing to the sky.

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Ice Bells

Noticing small miracles, taking the time and effort to capture them…..

December 28, 2021December 14, 2021 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

These icicles were formed along Fall Creek during the coldest months of February in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

The transient nature of these forms is suggested by the thinness of the pedicle joining each bell to the ice lobe of the ledge. Note the golden crystals in the ice lobe.

A visualization of the symbolic power of the numeral three, reflected on itself. Question: what do “threes” mean to you?

Captured with the Sony DSLR-A700, DT 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 lens, hoya circular polarizing filter, mounted on the Manfrotto tripod with ball head.

Click the photograph for my online gallery Ice Bells listing.

Ice Bells -- click for my online gallery

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Fall Creek Winter

The magic of ice, water, light

December 27, 2021December 14, 2021 MichaelStephenWills44 Comments

This January 2005 morning dawned cold, the risen sun low to the south of a forested esker ridge, as I suited up for this long planned for photograph. A Sony DSC-F828, a UV filter and tripod were all I needed to capture this. That camera model has a integrated flex lens. I needed to stabilize the lens to achieve this image clarity, depth and sharpness.

The shimmering gloss was achieved by waiting until the sun was above the ridge, shining light shafts through the trees, lighting the water obliquely.

As late as January the stream carries enough heat to create a fog or mist as the air chills after sunset. This causes twigs to frost up to create those white stick figures on the far bank. Snowfall from the previous day clings to trees.

Fall Creek freezes from the bottom up. First the water smoothed boulders accumulate a glaucous ice coat. Slowly moving water freezes from the edges, in stages, the middle stage an ornate filagree. The stream narrows downstream where the surface ice first joins. As the year progresses through February the creek gradually recedes under the ice, replaced by an ice road.

What is an esker ridge? As the last glaciers melted 10,000+ years ago, the channels carrying meltwater and sediment, under the glaciers, deposited these winding ridged hills. One of the outcomes was the channel of Fall Creek was altered to flow through the field of eskers among which, in the 19th century, a dam and water mill were created. It made barrels and furniture. My former home, in this photograph, was converted from the workshop of that mill.

Click this link to learn MORE about my Award-Winning photograph and misadventures of that day.

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

A Visit with Tom and Hen Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving

November 20, 2021November 8, 2021 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

The Catskill Mountains are not mountains. The Catskills started as a high plateau. Over eons, before the first humans, water, the sun, and wind carved high steep peaks: rounded, forested and teeming with life.

October 2008, on a return trip from family on Long Island, we traveled the winding road called “Route 17”, through the high autumn hillsides.

Click me for more Autumn Magic from my Online Gallery

Fishs Eddy

As the sun passed over the western hills we stopped to explore a place called “Fishs Eddy”, a town on the banks of the Delaware River.

On the east side, facing sunset is a formation that would be a cliff if it was not for the hardwood trees growing from every available nook, crevice. Everywhere a root could be sunk, roots fed trees that, one late October afternoon, made a hill bright with autumn.

Turkey Habitat

Turkeys live in this type of habitat. We took a trail, barely a road that climbed past failed farms and hunting shacks.

Click me for more Autumn Magic from my Online Gallery

The Hens Flee

On a level place, in front of a ruined home, we came upon a Tom (male) turkey and his four hens. The hens fled at the sight of us.

With barely time to raise the camera I caught Tom and the last hen as she fled into the bushes.

Tom Turkey Defiant

I say she, because Tom stayed behind. He stood erect, all three feet of him, defiant and strutting in a direction opposite from the hens.

This is the bird Benjamin Franklin proposed as the national emblem of the new United State of America (the bald eagle won that competition).

Hunted into almost oblivion, across the United States the wild turkey is making a dramatic come back in many places, including the forests and farmland of rural New York State.

This fellow made no noise. His strutting posture and head bobbing said it all.

We left Tom Turkey in peace to his domain and hens.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, my friends.

June Nature Walk

A perfect afternoon, June 16, 2021

June 26, 2021June 25, 2021 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

Here is a repost for those who missed the video. Please click on video, below and share your responses via comments. Thank You

The Finger Lakes Trail joins Robert H. Treman New York State Park, running along the south rim along the park border.

Today, I started from the stairs next to the Mill of the upper park, walking along Fish Kill Creek, a brief visit to the CCC plaque, over the new footbridge and a steep climb up to the ridge to a marvelous view over the way we just walked. That is a millipede resting on a wooden trail stake.

A word on the creek name. The Dutch word for creek is “Kill”, the anglicisation of the original name retained the Dutch making it, in effect, “Fish Creek Creek,” not a memorization of fish massacre.

There’s one shot of the damage done to tree leaves by hoards of caterpillars…I found chewed-up leaves at my feet throughout the hike.

Then, I re-join the State Park South Rim trail, down the Cliff Staircase to wander the gorge floor below Lucifer Falls.

Up the Gorge Trail with many shots of these wonders including Lucifer Falls, Devil’s Kitchen Waterfall, and the Gallery.

Close with a shot of early Tiger Lily blooms on the south facing bank of Enfield Creek.

I used a new format with this post, with all media in one You Tube video. Enjoy!!

Finger Lakes Trail and Treman Park June 16 2021 – YouTube

May Nature Walk

Our first post COVID outing

May 24, 2021May 21, 2021 MichaelStephenWills11 Comments

Pam and I headed out to Treman Park for a walk to the Lucifer Falls overlook. The Gorge Trail is not yet open due to the danger of rock falling from the gorge walls — the park maintenance staff needs to survey winter damage and knock down material in danger of falling.

Our first stop was the mill waterfall. This was was directed to the mill stream to power the mill where grain was ground to order.

Here is an overview of the Mill, now a museum not yet opened post-Covid. The millstone stands at the start of the foot trails. All media on this post is from my IPhone 7, lightweight equipment for this hike. The automatic upload to ICloud is convenient.

Round trip is four-plus miles, with several hundred feet elevation change. Pam and I discussed a car caravan for our next visit, to support a one-way downhill hike (still plenty of uphill hiking). We need to work up to the round trip after our winter inactivity.

Trillium are in bloom!!

Multiple overlooks into the gorge grace this trail.

More trillium before we reached the overlook. Lucifer falls and the incredible path etched into the cliff by the Civilian Conservation Corps (Roosevelt’s Tree Army during the Depression).

After the Lucifer Falls overlook is this stupendous view from the top of the Cliff Stairs, 224 steps continue to link to the Gorge and South Rim trails.

As we lingered on the top steps the flowering plants slowly revealed themselves.

I captured this tragic image on the return trip….a trillium discarded on the trail. Stiff fines await anyone caught doing this.

Last Sunlight

A Waterfall in November

April 25, 2021April 20, 2021 MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

Summertime, reckless souls jump from the stone stairway into a cool water carved pool at the foot of these falls, one of my memories of the Treman Gorge Trail.

Click the link to learn more about this photograph’s story.