Photography | Frank's Photography Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Photography

Aug

Goschenhoppen Folk Festival

Categories: Photography
Tags: Dutch, Festival, Folk, Folk Festival, Goschenhoppen, Historic, History, Olympus, OM-D E-M1 MkII, PA, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvania German, Photo, Photograph, Photography, Preservation, Preserve, reenactments, Summer, Vintage

A little over a week ago I was introduced to this amazing festival. This is their 52nd one. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was totally delighted with the overall friendly nature of all of the volunteers. The people are more than glad to chat with you and explain the specifics of their reenactments. Goschenhoppen is one of the oldest continuously existing Pennsylvania German communities in America. This geographic region occupies a small corner of southeastern Pennsylvania in Montgomery County. The event is put on by The Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. which is organized to identify, preserve and disseminate the Pennsylvania German (Pennsylvania Dutch) folk culture and history of the Goschenhoppen region. The Folk Festival is designed as an educational family event to demonstrate various home skills and trades of the Goschenhoppen area from about 1750-1880. I will definitely be putting this on my calendar for next year.

Architects of Air (Albesila)

By Frank T. Smith 2 Comments

Categories: Photography
Tags: Abstract, Architects of Air, Architectural, architecture, ArtsQuest, Bethlehem, Luminarium, MusikFest, Olympus, OM-D E-M1 MkII, PA, Photo, photo workshop, Photograph, Photography, Summer, Workshop

Musikfest may be over. But, the memories from the Architects of Air experience located at Experienceplatz are still very vivid in my mind. I had the opportunity to lead a couple of exclusive workshops for ArtsQuest. The attendees were fantastic and the visuals in this place are off the chart. All images are hand held using the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II paired with the M.Zuiko ED 7-14mm f2.8 PRO and the ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO.

This year’s structure was completely different from last year and was only the second time at Musikfest. This was the Architects of Air’s new 25th Anniversary Structure, a monumental inflatable structure designed to generate a sense of awe at the beauty of light and color. This latest luminarium uses a rectilinear grid of quadraxial pods, each approaching 17 feet high. Four of these colorful eggs provide the base for an imposing tree structure, while ten more eggs are opaque silver where, looking upward, you saw an inlaid geometric pattern of illuminated lines.

Jul

Lemon Drinka

By Frank T. Smith 4 Comments

Categories: Photography
Tags: Black & White, Black and White, Dutch, Festival, Folk, Historic, Kutztown, Kutztown Folk Festival, Olympus, PEN, PEN-F, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Dutch, Photo, Photograph, Photography, Summer

Every year I try to make the pilgrimage to the annual Kutztown Folk Festival. It is the oldest continuously operated folklife festival in America. This nine-day event draws visitors from all over the world. The festival provides insight into the traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch and their fascinating way of life. I try to keep a low profile and thought the small but mighty Olympus PEN-F would be my camera of choice for this visit. It clearly did not disappoint. I used the prime M.Zuiko 17mm f1.8 lens for all of the images.

Jun

The High Line with Bergen County Camera

By Frank T. Smith 4 Comments

Categories: Photography
Tags: Architectural, architecture, Bergen County Camera, Big Apple, Black & White, Black and White, Dramatic, Dramatic Tone, High Line, Historic, Industrial, Landscape, New York, NY, Olympus, OM-D E-M1 MkII, Photo, Photo Walk, photo workshop, Photograph, Photography, spring, Urban Decay, Workshop

I had the honer and pleasure to lead a photowalk at one of my favorite places in the Big Apple, the High Line. The photowalk was arranged by Bergen County Camera and sponsored by Olympus. The day was slightly overcast which, for me, means Black & White. All of the images were shot using the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII. A favorite style I like to employ on an overcast day is using “Dramatic Tone”. This is a mode option built into the camera (most of these shots used this mode).

Jun

The Beauties of Gurney Street

By Frank T. Smith Closed

Categories: Photography
Tags: Architectural, architecture, Cape May, Gurney Street, Historic, New Jersey, NJ, Olympus, Photo, photo workshop, Photograph, Photography, Presentation, spring, Stockton, TG-5, Tough, Victorian, Vintage, Workshop

I was in Cape May, NJ last week for a presentation to the Photography Club of Cape May. Cape May is one of my very favorite places. For me I find it very relaxing and filled with all types of photographic opportunities. If I don’t have my Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII with me, I always carry the ever trusty and versatile TG-5. The morning before my presentation, I had an hour or two to grab a couple of shots from Gurney Street. The handful of homes on this street are the famous Victorian Stockton Row (circa 1869). Since I was doing a presentation on Architectural photography, I thought is was quite appropriate to grab some shots here. All of the images were shot with the TG-5 and I must admit I am always blown away with the results of this little powerhouse.

May

Ellis Island – The Unseen

By Frank T. Smith 12 Comments

Categories: Photography
Tags: Architectural, architecture, Ellis Island, Historic, Immigration, Lehigh Valley Photography Club, New Jersey, New York, NY, Olympus, OM-D E-M1 MkII, Patterns, Photo, Photograph, Photography, Rust, spring, Statue of Liberty, Textures, Urban Decay, Vintage

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to participate with the Lehigh Valley Photography Club, by visiting a “hard hat only” area of Ellis Island. We were given access to the immigrant hospital buildings, which included the infectious and contagious disease wards, kitchen and the mortuary and autopsy room. We also visited the Laundry Building, with much of its original equipment still in place, where over 3000 pieces of laundry were washed and sanitized daily. To say the experience was incredible would be an understatement. The texture and patterns are amazing. My only challenge, was not being able to utilize a tripod. However, because I shoot with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII, I can handhold the camera for long exposures with the built-in 5 axis image stabilization. My two main lenses for this shoot were the M.Zuiko ED 7-14mm f2.8 PRO and M.Zuiko ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO.

May

Hickory Run State Park

By Frank T. Smith 2 Comments

Categories: Photography
Tags: Hickory Run, Hickory Run State Park, Hike, Hiking, Landscape, Long Exposure, Olympus, OM-D E-M1 MkII, Photo, Photograph, Photography, spring, State Park, Waterfall, Waterfalls

Recently I ventured up to Hickory Run State Park. I have not been there in many years and was pleasantly surprised to see that has not changed much. I hiked along the Shades of Death Trail to see several amazing waterfalls. It was a beautiful spring morning which one enhanced my photographic opportunity. All images were taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII and paired with the M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO. The first two images were shot utilizing the Olympus High Resolution mode which creates an 80 megapixel picture.