Focus Stacking

I’ve been playing with my macro lens recently in my yard.  I haven’t used this lens much over the years and I sort of forgot how narrow the depth of field is with it.  Which means that you can’t get the entire flower in focus, unless you use the magic of focus stacking.  So that’s what I did.  This photo is made from 7 photos focused at different spots and then I blended them together for this complete in focus photo of these flower buds.  This Focus Stacking technique creates some amazing detail.  Take a look at all the detail on the buds and the plant

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Malta Alley

I found this cool little alley while walking around the city of Valletta, Malta.  Unfortunately, MJ wasn’t with me on this city exploration.  I wanted to open all these doors and see what was inside, but I restrained myself.  I didn’t think the owners would appreciate it. 

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Another NYC Pic

I realize the last photo I posted was from NYC as well.  Sorry if that is disappointing to you.  I took this photo from up on the Manhattan Bridge looking back towards Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset.  What a great night and cityscape!  I’ve enjoyed every trip we’ve taken to NYC. 

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Abandoned China

Here is another photo from the Shenango China factory in Pennsylvania.  I’ve had a couple visits to this site and it has some great spots to explore.  The molds and china (in various stages of completion) left behind make it interesting.

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Dominican Republic Flower

This is a holiday weekend in the United States.  So regardless of whether you're in the USA or not, I hope you have a great weekend.  Today’s post is of a natural flower that I found in the DR.  By the way, the white structure in the background is an observation tower.

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Leaping Jesse

I took this photo last season when the Cowboys were in town.  Honestly, I got a ton of great action photos that game.  This is just an example of what I captured during this epic battle between two good teams.

Jesse James (#81) is a 3rd year TE player from Penn State, who grew up in Pittsburgh (Mckeesports PA).  So he’s a hometown kid, who has made good so far.  Let’s hope he continues to do well.

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Jesse James leaping over a Dallas defender

Jesse James leaping over a Dallas defender

2nd Yard Flower

Here is another photo from our yard.  I posted a flower photo from the yard a couple days ago.  We have a few rose bushes in our yard and therefore we have some great roses (this year) to go along with all the other flowers.   Last year (our first in this house), I trimmed them too short in the spring, thus we didn’t get any roses.  This spring, I left them alone (lesson learned).

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Manhattan Bridge

I like NYC a lot.  Do I love it???  Maybe.  But I think I’d need a few more visits on top of the past visits, before I could claim to love it.  Regardless, I enjoyed by time in the Big Apple and would like to go back.

During my last visit, I spent some time alone at night photographing the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline.  This was one of the first photos I took that evening as I walked across the bridge to Brooklyn. 

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Yard Flower

We did some work in our yard the last few weekends, including yesterday.  So today of course, we didn’t work in the yard…. We cleaned the screen porch instead.  After cleaning that area and the deck, Blair and I took some macro flower photos around the yard.  This was one of the first ones I captured.  I have no idea what type of flower this is….. so we’ll just call it Yard Flower

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Capital Reflecting Pool

I hope everyone is having a great Saturday.  I’m sharing this photo I recently took of the Capital Building in Washington DC.  I’m struggling with what else to say on the blog, so I’ll just stop here.

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Dubrovnik

This is a beautiful city on the Adriatic Sea.  Admittedly, I didn’t see much of the country, but what I saw was great.  I took this photo from atop of ancient wall of the walled city looking out at the newer portion of the city.  I’d love to get back to Croatia.  Maybe some day!!

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Pittsburgh Church

Over a year ago, a few of us went to this abandoned church in Pittsburgh to photograph it like we photograph everything.  Within minutes, we were surrounded by 10 to 15 police officers.  You would have thought we attempted to enter the White House, the way they acted.  Most of the officers were very nice, but a few where total jerks (but doing their difficult job).  They held us for about 15 minutes while they ran our identification and then gave us a lecture, threatened us, etc….  Before the police arrived, I only had about 5 minutes to take any photos.  So I honestly, only captured a few images.  The photo below is one of them.  I don’t know why I waited so long to post it.  Maybe I was putting some distance between the event.  I don’t know…… Anyway, here is one of the few photos I captured during this unfortunate event.  

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Arizona Wilderness

What to share with you tonight?????  I like to mix it up, but admittedly sometimes I get stuck in a rut.  So I scanned through some of the pictures I had ready to post and selected this one.  I took this photo during our trip to Arizona.  This was taken in northern Arizona near Sedona.

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Anyone want to go for a hike?

Anyone want to go for a hike?

Tribal Mask

This fake tribal mask was hanging on a post in Dominican Republic at the Amber Cove cruise terminal.  This is a re-creation….who knows if it based on a real version or not.  Regardless, I liked it and captured this photo.

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Capilla del Cementerio Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis

I took this photo during our last trip to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  I’ve been to Old San Juan numerous times, but I never explored the cemetery until this visit.  I got lots of great photos of this spot.  

Here is information on this location that I found on Puerto Rico Historic Building Drawings Society FB page.  Their FB page states that this is a colonial-era cemetery that is the final resting place of many prominent residents.  They started construction in 1863 outside of the walls of Fort Felipe del Morro fortress over looking the Atlantic Ocean.  I found the place very interesting and beautiful in its own way.

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FTI Berlin Cruise Ship

This is the FTI cruise ship Berlin in the Dominican Republic.  We were on the Carnival Glory docked at Amber Cove right next to it and as you can tell, looking down onto it.  I merged two photos together to create this panorama with the entire ship and island into the frame.

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FTI Berlin ship in the DR

FTI Berlin ship in the DR

Palermo Cathedral

This wonderful church is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo Sicily in southern Italy.  They dedicated it to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.  The last restoration took place in the 18th century.  It was built in 1185 and was founded by Pope Gregory I.  Later, the Saracens turned it into a mosque after their conquest of the city in the 9th century.  There are a few sarcophagi inside the cathedral’s crypt.  If you ever make it to Sicily, this would be a great stop as part of a walking tour around the city.

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