Blue Ridge Parkway - Linville Falls & Grandfather Mountain

This year our family vacation took us to the Blue Ridge Parkway which has to be a favorite for anyone wanting to shoot landscape photography.  There are miles of trails that lead to some beautiful photo opportunities.  My pictures from the trip will be spread out over time since there are so many to choose from.  These are from day one of the trip, near the Linville Falls, NC and Grandfather Mountain area.

All photos were taken with my Canon Rebel T4i and my Tamron 18-270 lens.  Cropping and minor lighting edits were done using Google's Picasa (free!!!).

1/25, f/4, ISO 800, 30mm

1/125, f/5, ISO 6400, 70mm

1/40, f/4, ISO 640, 30mm

1/6, f/22, ISO 100, 27mm

1/200, f/9, ISO 100, 18mm

1/125, f/5.6, ISO 100, 77mm

1/160, f/8, ISO 100, 30mm

1/125, f/7.1, ISO 100, 23mm

1/250, f/10, ISO 100, 25mm

1/500, f/14, ISO 100, 18mm

1/50, f/4, ISO 100, 20mm

Big Bird

My plan this week was to share some of the photos from our trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway but a big bird came calling today and it was just too cool so I have to share.

As I was headed to get cleaned up after mowing the lawn today, my wife yelled for me to come look at a big bird that had landed about 100 yards away from our house in an empty field.  I got my camera and stepped out onto the porch hoping that between the reach of the lens and a little cropping I could see what it was.  To my surprise it took off and flew right toward me turning at about 10 to 15 feet away.

I had the camera running with multi-point auto focus at first and then switch to a center point only.  (This is one of the great, easy to use features I love with my Canon.)  I can't even tell you if I was on single shot or multi-shot for the shutter because for some reason I never tried continuous shooting.

Enjoy a little bit of nature from my front yard!!

All shots taken with a Canon Rebel T4i and a Tamron 18-270 lens

1/400, f/7.1, ISO 200, 270mm

1/400, f/7.1, ISO 200, 270mm
This is the below picture cropped a little tighter

1/400, f/7.1, ISO 200, 270mm

1/250, f/7.1, ISO 100, 91mm

1/320, f/8, ISO 100, 91mm

1/320, f/8, ISO 100, 91mm

1/320, f/6.3, ISO 200, 218mm

1/320, f/6.3, ISO 200, 218mm

1/320, f/6.3, ISO 250, 218mm
This shot edited using Picasa's Lomo-ish tool

1/400, f/6.3, ISO 320, 270mm

Missouri

For the past 10 years our family of 40 or so including grandparents, parents, kids, and grand-kids has gathered at various locations to spend a few days together, tell stories, celebrate the blessings we've received and see the sights.  The last few years we've made the trip to Missouri as it's only about a four hour drive and there are lots of things to do and see.  Below are some of my favorites from the past three years.  Enjoy!

Lake of the Ozarks

Near Osage Beach, Missouri

Canon T1i, Tamron 18-270, f/11, ISO 100, 1/125, 30mm

Canon T1i, Tamron 18-270, f/11, ISO 100, 1/125, 30mm

Canon T1i, Tamron 18-270, f/13, ISO 200, 1/500, 18mm

 Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Near Camdenton, Missouri

Canon T1i, Tamron 18-270, f/10, ISO 200, 1/250, 30mm

Table Rock Lake

Near Branson West, Missouri

Canon T4i, Tamron 18-270, f/4.5, ISO 160, 1/80, 42mm

Canon T4i, Tamron 18-270, f/4.5, ISO 100, 1/60, 51mm

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

Near Lampe, Missouri

Canon T4i, Tamron 18-270, f/7.1, ISO 100, 1/160, 29mm

Canon T4i, Tamron 18-270, f/5, ISO 100, 1/100, 32mm

Canon T4i, Tamron 18-270, f/6.3, ISO 800, 1/200, 238mm

House on the Rock

On our way to Niagara Falls in 2008 we took a little side step and stopped at the House on the Rock about 45 miles west of Madison, WI.  The house is actually a collection of buildings which hold a very eclectic collection of what I refer to as "stuff".  From carousels to gun collections, dolls to model planes, electric organs to electrical generation, this place has it all including a fully operational, full sized, mechanical band.

If you're ever in the neighborhood, this is a must see!!

I should warn you that there are times when I use a flash and wish I hadn't and times when I don't and wish I would have.  Flash photography is my Achilles heal.

Canon Rebel XT, 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 100, 18mm

Canon Rebel XT, 1/250, f/10, ISO 400, 18mm

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/400, f/4, ISO 400, 18mm

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/4, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60, f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm, Flash Used