On the morning of the 4th of July, we decided to brave the elements (pouring rain) and do a hike at the Trexler Nature Preserve in Schnecksville, PA. It consists of over 1,100 acres and was originally funded by General Harry Trexler. The area we hiked reminded me of Jurassic Park, hence the name of this post. I kept waiting for a Pterodactyl to come swooping down. Fortunately there were none.
Earlier this week I did a private workshop for about 3 dozen participants at the Glasbern Inn located in Fogelsville, PA. The place is gorgeous and they raise, grow and prepare most of their food on-site. I had been here in the past. But never took the time to meander around the grounds. They have ponds, pools, green houses, walking trails and beautiful architectural structures. I look forward to revisiting this place.
Tuesday evening, a couple of Olympus shooters (Mike Boening & Victoria Diaz) invited me to join them for another Philly shoot. However, in comparison to the shoot a few weeks ago, this one took place well after sunset. Of course we picked a time where the temperatures approached the teens again. Not withstanding the temperature, we had a great time and got some fun shots. My images were taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and in most cases I used “Live Composite” or “Live View” modes. You will notice in the one image looking down the river, there were helicopters circling behind the Cira Center. This was a 20+ minute exposure and made for some interesting light effects.
I was in Las Vegas the better part of this week for a business conference. Of course I took my gear with me. I wanted to try a different point of view and decided I would try for higher ground. The following images were shot from the Eiffel Tower and the High Roller (the world’s tallest observation wheel). All were handheld and shot with the Olympus OM-D E-M1.
A couple of weeks ago, I lead a workshop for Berger Brothers in Long Island, New York with Olympus at the Old Westbury Gardens on the North Shore. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. The facility is on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the former home of John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps and their four children. Completed in 1906 by the English designer, George A. Crawley, the magnificent Charles II-style mansion is nestled amid 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes. We had a wonderful day, the colors were at their peak and the group was great! If you are ever in this area, it is a “must see”.
This Sunday there will be an opportunity to photograph in one of the most amazing facilities I have seen. Several weeks ago I photographed some advance promotional shots for ArtsQuest for the upcoming workshop titled “Out of This World – Photograph the Works of Steve Tobin”. This is part of the Olympus InVision Photo Festival. There are indoor and outdoor opportunities. If you are interested in more details click HERE. This will be an amazing experience and one you won’t want to miss.
Two weekends ago I had the honor of leading a workshop in Jim Thorpe, PA for Dan’s Camera that was sponsored by Olympus. The event was sold out, the group was fantastic and we were able to experience some amazing photographic opportunities. We had private access to the “Old Jail”, our own private rail car and mother nature treated us to some of the best fall colors I have ever seen.
Last week I photographed the historic Haines Mill in South Whitehall Township, PA. The original mill was built around 1760 and reconstructed in 1909 after a fire gutted the interior. The mill was operated until 1956. Today it is operated by the Lehigh County Historical Society. The day we photographed the mill we were treated with a bonus. A fellow by the name of Ken Haines introduced himself and explained he was the great grandson of the original Haines operator. He was kind enough to show us around the mill and some of the ajoining property.
Last weekend I traveled to place called Carousel Lavender Farm. During the course of the shoot, you couldn’t help but be hypnotized by the aroma and the sights. For the macro shots, I used the Olympus micro fourthirds 60mm f2.8 lens. It is a brilliant piece of equipment. All images were taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1.
I debated with my self this morning. It was raining – stay inside or brave the elements. I made the decision to grab the Olympus TG-850 and head outside. I wasn’t disapointed.
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