Chasing Autumn

After three weekends that featured trips to Storm King, Trenton and a few others. We finally hit our stride when visiting Woodstock for the very first time. For this trip I followed a friends advice, ditching  the filters and allowing  the areas true colors do the work for me.

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Using the Tools at your Disposal

Last week as we travelled the winding roads and peeks that  the colorful canvas of New York’s upstate beautiful landscape. Stopping often to enjoy the orchards and farms that served as the areas fuel for our bellies as well as a chance to stop to stretch our legs and breathe the mountain air.                 Though Autumn’s colors were still in their infancy. The browns, oranges and greens were more than us city dwellers had seen in a long time. As my wife loaded up on fresh veggies, fruit, apple cider and those delicious donuts. I took my lens to the skies and shot what I could while battling the harsh mid day sun. As we settled in at home that night and looked through the images I shot.

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My better half seemed unimpressed with the skies lack of pop. “Plenty of blue, but where’s the contrast? Where’s the pop?” “Where’s the Drama?”While I agreed, I felt the need to defend myself, noting. “There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.” While my defense was just enough to keep me from having my came confiscated. It made me think aloud, “Why am I not using my filters?” Soon after, I dug feverishly through the containers of photo gear I rarely use and found a small assortment of filters that have gone unused for over a decade. Amongst them I found a polarizer I purchased at University Place while living in NYC in 1994. The next day, like magic, the clouds came out and danced with delight. Not having the time to drive upstate. I headed downstairs and took what you see below. Not bad, considering I hadn’t used a filter since I was a young sex machine in the 1990’s. Perhaps it’s time to start using them more often while attempting a return to my old (yet younger) self.

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A Day on the Farm.

This Saturday Kayuri and I took a trip up RT. 80 to Chester, New Jerssey to go apple picking at Alstede Farms. I’m really a city boy at heart but I always wanted to try things like apple picking, and camping for instance. I just never imagined myself doing it in ninety degree heat.  The day was really hot and the sun was pretty intense, but we had a great time and got more than we expected. Not only did we pick a couple of dozen apples of different variety. We also found peppers, zucchini, pumpkins and tons of other veggies and fruits. There’s really something special about seeing it on the vine and picking it yourself. It really makes you appreciate the food on a whole new level. After a long and fun day of walking, picking and enjoying the beauty of nature we headed over to town and had a delicious dinner at Publick House Tavern. Thanks to my friend Mandy for the recommendation.