Sony Lens DT 18-200 mm F3.5-6.3 – Page 2 – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Ascent

Andrew Wyeth effect

April 18, 2024April 12, 2024 MichaelStephenWills1 Comment

Here the Rim Trail climbs out of the flats beneath the Cliff Stairs, away from Enfield Creek, onto the upper slopes of the gorge.

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Early spring snow highlights the path, threading between hemlocks. The American realistic painter Andrew Wyeth comes to mind with I see the mottled texture of this light snow. He captured some of this in landscape paintings such as “Snow Flurries.”

Here is more of this effect……

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this Fertile Flats sequence.

Beneath the Cliff Stairs II — Beneath the Cliff Stairs I

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Periwinkle

Source of life-saving drug

April 17, 2024April 12, 2024 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

A broad, fertile flat between gorge walls supports a dense growth of invasive creeping myrtle. Springtime there is a sprinkling of small blue flowers, this may be the source of another name, periwinkle, or lesser periwinkle.

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Periwinkle is an evergreen and in early times vinca vine (another name we call it, from the scientific name Vinca Minor) was planted in graveyards and cemeteries. The isolated growth of vinca vine in this section of the gorge maybe from such a planting on a lost grave.

Today, the park practices leaving fallen trees in place, here they are covered in years of moss, a memory of headstones. Lesser Perriwinkle is significant for the living as the source of vincamine, from the leaves. A synthetic form of this compound is a potent vasodilator, a therapeutic treatment for stroke and other brain disorders.

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Source: Wikipedia, “Vinca Minor.”

Click for a slideshow of this Fertile Flats sequence.

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Ephemeral

Amphibian haven, breeding place

April 16, 2024April 12, 2024 MichaelStephenWills8 Comments

Melting snow, spring rains, gather in hollows of the forest floor to form ephemeral pools important for the development of amphibian life.

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Also named vernal pools, from the Latin word for spring or the time of the equinox. The pools are ephemeral in the sense of being temporary, disappearing in the warmer, dryer late spring and summer months, a characteristic important for amphibian live in being devoid of predatory fish.

Here the pool forms on a flat beneath the walls of Enfield Gorge. Here is another photograph featuring the ephemeral winter theme, “The Cave.”

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Sources: Wikipedia, “Vernal Pool” and Merriam Webster online.

Click for a slideshow of a few photographs published recently.

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Gully vs. Ravine

I love the early spring light filtering through the hemlocks.

April 15, 2024April 12, 2024 MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

Rim trail traverses gullies. These creases in the gorge walls were formed by small streams flowing to Enfield Creek.

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Some passages require a wade, others have elaborate walkways with bridges. I initially wanted to call these ravines. Upon researching the term discovered while ravines are formed by erosion, the scale here is much smaller. I could rename Enfield Gorge, to Enfield Ravine.

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this Waterfall of the Old Mill sequence

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Icicles!!

Key words: steep, icy

April 14, 2024April 12, 2024 MichaelStephenWills11 Comments

Water drips steadily from seeps, places water follows hidden cracks to emerge from the darkness. In warm seasons these may be a patch of moisture enabling the growth of ferns, only becoming evident when air is cold enough to freeze slowly running water.

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These macros capture the Moss, Fern and Lichen. These thrive in this environment.

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this Waterfall of the Old Mill sequence

Place where Fish Kill was harnessed to power the Old Mill — Falls by the Old Mill, early spring

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

The Hidden Songster of Ithaca: My Afternoon with a Gray Catbird

Amidst spruce needles, a Gray Catbird’s mew captivated me; a hidden minstrel whose dulcet mimicry and secretive charm turned my backyard in Ithaca into an amphitheater of nature’s most intricate symphonies.

April 12, 2024April 8, 2024 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

In my backyard, amidst the spruce trees that seem to touch the sky, I had a unique encounter with a little gray bird known as the Dumetella carolinensis, or more commonly, the Gray Catbird. I learned that “Dumetella” comes from the Latin word for “thorny thicket”, hinting at its penchant for skulking in dense underbrush, often hidden from sight. Its species name, “carolinensis”, pays homage to the Carolinas, though this bird has certainly made a comfortable home here too.

This particular visitor had a call reminiscent of a cat’s mew, a curious sound that first drew my attention. As I peeked through the window, I noticed it wasn’t just imitating felines; it was a veritable mimic, echoing the songs of other birds, even copying the croaks of tree frogs, and sometimes the mechanical noises of our own making. Its syrinx, a true marvel of nature, allows it to produce two sounds simultaneously – an impressive feat for such a small creature.

Unlike the showy northern mockingbird or the brown thrasher, which repeat their musical phrases several times, this Gray Catbird preferred to sing each of its phrases just once. Its song was a bit raspier, less melodic but still captivating in its own right.

It’s interesting that the Gray Catbird often chooses to remain hidden when it sings, favoring the inner sanctuary of bushes or trees like the spruce in my yard, a natural stage set by verdant leaves and branches. And while I watched, it seemed content in its concealment, a master of melody cloaked in foliage.

As I observed it, I recalled reading that the Gray Catbird’s diet is as varied as its repertoire of sounds. Fruits and berries make up about half of its diet. This little bird has quite the palate, enjoying a smorgasbord that includes mealworms, earthworms, beetles, and other insects, not to mention the bounty of summer offerings such as ants, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, moths, and a selection of berries from holly, cherry, elderberry, poison ivy, bay, and blackberries.

I made a mental note of the date, captured in the metadata of the photograph I snapped: 2021, from my home in Ithaca. A simple image, yet it encapsulated a serene moment of connection with a creature so adept at concealment and mimicry, a moment I would treasure. The Gray Catbird, with its unique song and dietary habits, has become a beloved part of my backyard symphony.

Reference: wikipedia, Gray Catbird.

Copyright 2024 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

Of Rocks and Seeps

Step into an early spring morning where sudden frosts adorn the Waterfall by the Old Mill with fleeting icicles, capturing nature’s delicate balance between freeze and thaw.

April 8, 2024April 4, 2024 MichaelStephenWills7 Comments

New icicles formed overnight from seeps through the sedimentary walls around the Waterfall by the Old Mill. On an early spring day, after a sudden frost, we walked the Rim Trail to capture the moment.

Here icicles formed during the quick April freeze hand above Fish Kill. Kill is an old Dutch word for creek.

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Here a mix of frost and lichen mottle the rock layers.

These shots were hand held. I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this Waterfall of the Old Mill sequence

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Three Views, Falls of the Old Mill

Join me on a frost-kissed journey along the Rim Trail, capturing the transient beauty of falls freed from winter’s grip, where nature’s power remains untamed and vividly alive.

April 7, 2024April 4, 2024 MichaelStephenWills19 Comments

A day the falls run free of ice. On an early spring day, after a sudden frost, we walked the Rim Trail to capture the moment. Here are three captures of the same waterfall, the first visitors to the upper park encounter and the most visited and photographed right off the parking area.

Fish Kill was captured at this point to provide power to grind grain. Today neither nature nor man control the flow. Kill is the old Dutch word for creek.

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I have never counted the waterfalls from this one to the grand sweep of lower falls. The falls are uncountable because no two people could agree on how small a fall to credit.

Of these three versions, i prefer this one for the foreground inclusion of the enormous limestone blocks set to protect visitors from the drop. This scene is challenging photographically, bifurcated as it is by the bright sun over the fall brink. I prefer to shoot these falls early morning, for this reason, before the sun illuminates the area at all. Long exposures required demand a rock solid tripod, as it is just off the parking lot I use my studio Manfrotto for the work. Here all shots were handheld.

I used a Sony Alpha 700 dslr with a variable “zoom” lens, great for framing compositions.

Robert H. Treman New York State Park.

Click for a slideshow of this sequence of the Waterfall of the Old Mill

Behind the Scenes of the Final Frontier: Our Tour with NASA’s “Launch Director” – 6

Step behind the scenes of space exploration with this dive into the awe-inspiring details of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, its thermal-protected wings to the onboard engines.

March 31, 2024March 25, 2024 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

Imagine, if you will, stepping onto the grounds of NASA, where the air buzzes with the legacy of space exploration and the spirit of human achievement. It’s a place where dreams of the cosmos turn into reality. Our 2017 Launch Director tour not only brought us face-to-face with the marvels of space travel but allowed me to delve into the intricate details of one of NASA’s most iconic spacecraft: the Space Shuttle Atlantis. In this episode 6 of our adventure, we continue exploring the engineering marvel that is Atlantis, focusing on its wings, rear stabilizer, and onboard engines—elements critical to its legendary missions.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis, a name synonymous with discovery and exploration, represents a pinnacle of human ingenuity. As you walk around the Atlantis exhibit, you can’t help but be awed by the shuttle’s design, particularly its wings. The wings of Atlantis, with a wingspan of about 78 feet, are not just structures of metal and composite materials; they are the shuttle’s lifeline during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. These delta-shaped wings are designed to withstand the scorching temperatures of re-entry, allowing Atlantis to glide back to Earth with grace and precision. The material covering the wings, known as the Thermal Protection System (TPS), consists of thousands of heat-resistant tiles and reinforced carbon-carbon panels, safeguarding the shuttle and its crew from temperatures exceeding 1,650 degrees Celsius.

As your gaze shifts towards the rear of Atlantis, the vertical tail fin, or the rear stabilizer, commands attention. Standing about 17 feet tall, this stabilizer is more than just a rudder; it’s a critical component for maintaining the shuttle’s stability during the different phases of its mission. During the launch, it helps keep the shuttle on course as it ascends through the atmosphere. In space, it plays a minimal role, but upon re-entry, it becomes vital again, ensuring the shuttle remains stable and oriented correctly as it descends through the atmosphere, allowing for a safe landing.

In this exploration of Atlantis, after the wings and stabilizer, we encounter the heart of the shuttle’s propulsion system: its onboard engines. The Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs), three in total, are marvels of engineering, capable of producing a combined thrust of over 1.2 million pounds. These liquid-fueled engines play a crucial role in propelling the shuttle from the launch pad into orbit. What’s fascinating is their ability to throttle up or down depending on the phase of the launch, providing the precise amount of power needed at any given moment. The engines are fed by the External Tank, the only part of the shuttle not reused, which carries the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen needed for combustion. Upon reaching orbit, the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines take over, allowing Atlantis to navigate the vacuum of space with finesse, adjusting its orbit and facilitating the meticulous maneuvers required for satellite deployment or docking with the International Space Station.

Walking away from the Atlantis exhibit, what stays with you is not just the sight of this magnificent spacecraft but an appreciation for the ingenuity and dedication that went into its design. Every wing, every tile on the stabilizer, and every roar from the engines tell a story of human curiosity, the drive to explore beyond our confines, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is more than a machine; it’s a symbol of what humanity can achieve when we dare to dream big and work tirelessly towards those dreams. So, as you look up at the night sky, remember the wings that carried our dreams, the stabilizer that kept us on course, and the engines that propelled us into the unknown, reminding us that the final frontier is not so final after all.

Passing…..

…remembering our time on the cusp of the pandemic

March 25, 2024March 21, 2024 MichaelStephenWills23 Comments

After 2 pm check in we interrupted unpacking for a sundown beach walk, IPhones and Sony Alpha 700 camera in hand on the last evening of 2019. There is a business on A1A, the main road through town, advertising “beach weddings” and “elopements.” Here, using the 18 – 200 mm f3.5-6.2 lens, I spied this grouping of a mature couple holding hands, minister in attendance, for a wedding ceremony witnessed by young adult children on the right, parents (?) left. The groom’s shorts contrast with the bride’s white gown.