Posted in animals, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, zoo, tagged Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Castor canadensis, cheetah, elephant, lion, lioness, National Zoo, North American Beaver, Tamron 150-600mm, Washington D.C. on November 9, 2016| 2 Comments »
The National Zoo in Washington D.C. is a wonderful place to explore and has the added bonus of having no admission fee. On Monday I wandered around the zoo for several hours, visiting some of my favorite animals and taking a lot of photos.
Here are some of my initial favorite images: a lioness, a cheetah, a beaver, and an elephant.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Inspiration, Landscape, Nature, Travel, tagged beach, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Maine, Ocean Park Maine, Old Orchard Beach, seascape on November 5, 2016| 28 Comments »
Is it distracting to have a man-made object in an otherwise natural landscape? The ocean really inspired me during my recent short trip to Maine. I am amazed at the number of beautiful images that I was able to capture. I particularly like the colors and simple composition of a shot I took of a small river that rises and falls with the tide.
As I was working on the image, I noticed that there was a solitary warning sign in the upper left-hand corner that alerts folks to the dangers of the tides. I actually like the juxtaposition of this hard vertical line with the gentle curves of the image and the hazy coastline in the background. I began to wonder, however, if others would see the sign as a discordant element in the image, so I created a second version of the image without the sign.
Which image do you prefer, the one with the sign or the one without it?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Architecture, Autumn, Inspiration, Landscape, Photography, Travel, tagged bridge, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, covered bridge, Maine, Ocean Park, Ocean Park Maine on November 4, 2016| 18 Comments »
One of my favorite places in Ocean Park, Maine is a small covered bridge that leads into a grove of beautiful trees. The bride crosses a stream and is barely wide enough for two people to walk through side-by-side. It was dedicated in 1944 as a war memorial.
Ocean Park is a special place for my family. My parents went on their honeymoon there and eventually retired to the small community. Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I was recently in Maine. Unfortunately it was not for pleasure, but was in connection with what proved to be a fatal heart attack for one of my younger brothers.
The final image of these three is my favorite, because it serves as a kind of visual metaphor for me of the passing of my brother Patrick.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, clams, Great Black-backed Gull, gull, Larus marinus, Maine, Old Orchard Beach on November 2, 2016| 5 Comments »
Do you like clams? I don’t care for them much, but this Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) really seemed to be enjoying the one it found when I spotted it this past weekend on the shore at Old Orchard Beach in Maine. As the tide was going out there seemed to be quite a few partially opened clams on which the gulls were feasting.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Inspiration, Landscape, Nature, Photography, tagged Atlantic Oc, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Maine, Old Orchard Beach, seascape on November 1, 2016| 1 Comment »
I don’t often shoot landscapes (or seascapes), but the beauty of the ocean and the waves crashing on the shore inspired me to give it a shot. Normally I take photos with a macro lens or a telephoto zoom, but I was fortunate to have brought along a 24-105mm lens. Here are a few favorite images that I captured yesterday at Old Orchard Beach, Maine.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, tagged Atlantic Ocean, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, dawn, gull, Maine, Old Orchard Beach, shorebirds on November 1, 2016| 5 Comments »
A walk along the beach early Halloween morning in Ocean Park, Maine helped to refresh my mind, my body, and my spirit. I had made a quick trip to Maine for a family emergency and was feeling really stressed. The peace and power of the ocean had an amazing therapeutic effect on me.
The tourists are now almost gone from this vacation area south of Portland and the beach was mostly deserted except for me, some shore birds and an occasional dog walker.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Halloween, Humor, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Halloween, John Deere, Nalls Produce Center, tractor on October 31, 2016| 2 Comments »
I grew up in the suburbs and have never lived in the country, but somehow I love the beauty of old tractors. During my recent visit to a local produce center that I have featured the last few day, my eyes were inexorably drawn to the a green tractor and its ghoulish driver. Oh, Deere. The scene was staged at the edge of the property, so it was hard to get a shot that did not include barbed wire and chain link fence. Here are a few shots from different angles to give you an overall view (yes, the driver is wearing overalls) as well as a wide-angle view.
Happy Halloween!
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Autumn, Cat, Halloween, Humor, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, autumn, autumn still life, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Halloween, Nalls Produce Center on October 30, 2016| 1 Comment »
Some very creative people must work at the local pumpkin patch at Nalls Produce Center in Alexandria, Virginia. As I wandered about, I encountered numerous mini-scenes celebrating farm life and/or Halloween.
One of my favorites featured a crazed–looking cat in overalls conversing with a cow. I also really liked the jack-o-lantern made with all natural materials. I can’t recall ever before seeing a jack-o-lantern with hair.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Gardening, Halloween, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Cucurbita maxima, Mexican Hat pumpkin, Nalls Produce Center, pumpkin, pumpkin patch, Turk's Turban on October 27, 2016| 1 Comment »
Nothing quite says autumn like a visit to a pumpkin patch. In this case it was a brief excursion to Nalls Produce Center, a nearby establishment that has an amazing assortment of produce and plants. Normally I think of pumpkins as being orange and there are plenty of orange pumpkins there of all shapes and sizes. They also have an incredible variety of pumpkins of different colors, including the multi-colored ones in the final photo. They are known by a number of different names including Turk’s Turban and Mexican Hat.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Autumn, Birds, Nature, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, chicken, funky chicken, Nalls Produce Center on October 25, 2016| 3 Comments »
I grew up in the suburbs and don’t know much about domestic fowl, but it seems to me that this colorful bird must be some kind of funky chicken. I love the colors and the patterns in the feathers of this chicken.
I spotted this chicken during a visit to Nalls Produce Center, a wonderful location in our area to see all kinds of colorful produce and plant. While there, I also took some shots of pumpkins that I will probably feature in a posting later this week.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in people, Photography, Wedding, tagged Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, family, Wedding, Woburn MA on July 31, 2016| 5 Comments »
Have you ever tried to photograph a wedding reception? I now have a greater appreciation for those photographers who do this for a living.
Yesterday I was blessed to be able to attend the joining in marriage of my 57 year old brother and his new bride. They met as teenagers at a summer camp more than 40 years ago and now their lives are joined together forever. The wedding was a joyous celebration of family and friends. The food was great and there was live music too.
However, the ceremony and the reception took place in a private club that appears to be used most often for live music. It was crowed and cluttered and it is an understatement to say that the lighting was variable. The bride, who is a big fan of my wildlife photography, asked me to take some photos of the wedding. I agreed, but only after ascertaining that there would be an “official photographer.”
The relatively dim lighting in the club meant that flash would be required for virtually all shots, and I did have an external flash with me, but I was using it for the first time. Throughout the reception, I ended up doing a lot of experimentation as I twisted and pointed the head in different directions to bounce the light.
As I was getting seated at my table, I decided to take some test shots of the little white bucket that served as my seating card. I was initially confused when I saw that all of my shots had a purple tinge to them. What was I doing wrong? One of my brothers helpfully pointed out that there was a purple light shining down on us from right behind where I was sitting.
I quickly learned that uncluttered backgrounds were almost impossible to get and that composing shots of moving people in confined spaces is near impossible (and it’s even harder to get shots with decent expressions on their faces). There was a live band and I managed to get some decent shots of some of the band members, who were relatively stationary, though the constantly changing lighting made it a challenge.
The groom has more than forty tattoos, including many of the characters of the Wizard of Oz, and the wedding cake featured numerous scenes from that wonderful movie.
I did eventually manage to get some candid shots of people during the reception, but I haven’t yet decided if I will share them on this blog—I’ll probably check with the bride and groom to see what they think.
What did I learn? Most of the “official” wedding shots probably need to be staged, preferably in an outdoor setting or a place where you can control lighting and background. The candid shots from the reception that look spontaneous and fun are really, really difficult to get and there are no guarantees that you will get good ones—you really do need a second shooter to increase the odds. Finally, it takes a lot of energy and stamina to take photos at a reception—I got a good workout doing all kinds of stretches and deep knee bends trying to get shots.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Macro Photography, Nature, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Cindy Dyer, daylily, Runnymeade on July 17, 2016| 3 Comments »
I absolutely love the vibrant colors of the daylilies in the garden of my neighbor, Cindy Dyer. Cindy is best known for her photos of flowers that have appeared multiple times on U.S. postage stamps, but she photographs a wide variety of subjects. On a more personal level, she has served as my photography mentor over the past four years and has been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for me.
As I was capturing some images of the daylilies, I thought back to one of my earliest lessons with Cindy in which she reassured me that I didn’t have to capture the entire flower when I photographed it. That simple insight helped me realize that I was doing something more than simply documenting reality—I was creating my own version of reality through a series of artistic and technical choices.
I learned a powerful and liberating lesson that day that has continued to shape the way I approach most of my photography.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Inspiration, Nature, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Cindy Dyer, daisy, Runnymeade, Shasta daisy, young love on July 17, 2016| 2 Comments »
Do your remember what it was like to be young and in love? You and your beloved couldn’t beat to be separated—you were always together, always close, always touching, like these two Shasta Daisies growing in the garden of my neighbor and fellow photographer Cindy Dyer.
As I was looking for information about the Shasta Daisy, I came across this fascinating information on the history on the flower at lutherburbank.org:
“2001 marked the 100th anniversary of Luther Burbank’s introduction of the Shasta daisy, one of America’s most beloved garden flowers. Burbank spent 17 years developing this quadruple hybrid which he named after Mt. Shasta. Others have continued Burbank’s work and many new varieties of the Shasta daisy have been introduced since Burbank completed his work more than 100 years ago.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Nature, Photography, Water Lilies, tagged Anacostia, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, Monet, Nymphaea, Washington D.C., water lilies on July 14, 2016| 12 Comments »
There is something really special about water lilies (g. Nymphaea)—it’s easy for me to understand why impressionist painter Claude Monet was obsessed with them. During my recent visit to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Washington D.C. many of the water lilies were closed up, probably because of the extreme heat of the midday sun, but I did manage to get some shots.
The traditional white water lilies tend to have a calming effect on me. For those folks looking for a bit more passion, there were also some fiery red water lilies.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Landscape, Summer, tagged Anacostia, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, lotus, lotus flower, Nelumbo nucifera, Sacred lotus, Washington D.C. on July 12, 2016| 10 Comments »
Normally I try to move in really close to my subjects using a telephoto or macro lens. Yesterday, however, I decided to try to “see” the world differently by using a wider lens (24-105mm) during a quick trip with my photography mentor Cindy Dyer to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in the Anacostia area of Washington D.C. to check out the water lilies and lotus flowers.
The trip was a spur-of-the-moment decision while we were eating lunch, so we knew that we would miss out on the soft early morning light that we both prefer. However, the weather was beautiful, with the temperatures and humidity less oppressive than in recent weeks, so we decided to brave the Washington D.C. area traffic to check out the park.
Cindy is no stranger to the park. Last year four of her images of water lilies from the park appeared on US postage stamps, which were so popular that half a billion were printed. Check out this link to see information about these stamps. Earlier this year, one of Cindy’s images of Sacred Lotuses at the park was on one of the 16 postage stamps issued to commemorate the centennial of the National Park Service. Check out this link for more information about that stamp.
Here are some of my images of Sacred Lotuses (Nelumbo nucifera) from yesterday as I tried to step back a bit and see the flowers as part of a larger landscape. Initially I struggled a bit as I kept focusing on details, but my mind and my eye grew accustomed to the idea that the lens was not going to let me get in close. Gradually I started to see things differently and to frame my photos accordingly.
Acres and acres of lotuses
Lotuses fading into the distance
Lotus and seed pod
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Dog, Photography, Portraits, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Cocker Spaniel, Freckles, howl, Runnymeade on May 31, 2016| 12 Comments »
When Freckles heard the sound of a fire engine in the distance, she stopped playing and listened intently for a moment. She then leaned back her head and began to howl along with the sound of the siren. Who knew that Cocker Spaniels like to howl?
For the last two and a half weeks I have been taking care of Freckles while her owners have been on their honeymoon. It’s been a joy (and occasionally a challenge) having a dog in my life again. During this short time we have developed our own little routines and, among other things, I’ll miss her curling up around my feet as I use my laptop.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Photography, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, Cindy Dyer, iris, purple iris, Runnymeade on May 10, 2016| 8 Comments »
The past two weeks have been filled with intermittent rain and constant clouds, so I have not been able to chase dragonflies as I like to do at this time of year. The rain has been good for the flowers, however, and the garden of my photography mentor and neighbor Cindy Dyer is now full of beautiful bearded irises. Yesterday I attempted to capture some of the beauty of the purple ones in different stages of development. I particularly like the way the first image turned out, where the blurry image in the background gives a foretaste of the beauty that is to come when the bud opens up.
Speaking of Cindy Dyer, I was thrilled recently when I learned that another of her images will appear as a United States Postal Service (USPS) stamp. Her image of Sacred Lotuses at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens will be part of a 16-stamp series celebrating the centennial of the National Park Service. The series will be officially unveiled in New York City on June 2. Check out this announcement from the USPS for more information and to see her beautiful image.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Photography, tagged Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, German Shepherd, Katie, PR, Prime Rib, rabbit on April 10, 2016| 5 Comments »
This weekend I have been hosting the odd couple. Katie, a young female German Shepherd, has been visiting me and Prime Rib (aka PR), my little gray male rabbit. It is an understatement to say that Katie is utterly fascinated by PR—she just can’t take her eyes off of him.
Sometimes she will put her nose right up against the cage and sometimes she will watch him from a short distance away, but she is always watching him. She particularly seems to like to follow him as he moves about in the cage.
PR pretty much ignores Katie and doesn’t seem to be bothered at all by her presence, even when she is only inches away from him. I have tried to keep an eye on the two of them to see if Katie displays any aggression or if PR shows an signs of fear or anxiety, but so far things seem to be working out ok—I think I am the only one showing signs of being a little anxious.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in animals, Nature, Photography, wildlife, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 24-105mm lens, Canon 50D, Huntley Meadows Park, Procyon lotor, raccoon, raccoon skull, skull on February 28, 2016| 12 Comments »
As I was walking through the woods on Friday at Huntley Meadows Park, I noticed something white among the leaves on the ground. At first I thought it was just a mushroom, but upon closer examination it turned out to be the upper portion of the skull of what I am pretty sure is a raccoon (Procyon lotor). There were no other bones in the area, nor was the lower jaw anywhere to be seen.
I don’t know much about animal anatomy, but I was fascinated by the shapes and contours of the skull, a kind of natural and organic sculpture. It was intriguing as well to examine the sizes and shapes of all of the different teeth.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Cat, Photography, Portraits, tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, cat, Cindy Dyer, Pixel, Runnymeade on February 21, 2016| 11 Comments »
I am catsitting for the weekend, which means that I have three new subjects to photograph. The cats all have distinctive personalities, so I decided to post photos of them separately.
Only a photographer and graphic designer like my dear friend and mentor Cindy Dyer would name a cat “Pixel.” Of the three cats, Pixel is generally the most sedentary. He loves to sprawl out on the carpet when he is not eating. He loves to ear and was starting to turn into a Mega-Pixel before he was put on a diet.
Here are a few shots of Pixel from yesterday that capture some of his different moods. I took them indoors using available light with my Canon 24-105mm lens, a lens that I rarely use when photographing wildlife.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, Travel, tagged birds in flight, brown pelican, Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, dawn, Norfolk, Norfolk Virginia, Pelecanus occidentalis on January 19, 2015| 1 Comment »
Walking along the waterfront of Norfolk, Virginia as the sun was beginning to rise, I noticed a pair of larger birds approaching that were definitely not gulls. I am not sure what kind of birds they are, but the shape of the bill suggests to me that they might be Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis).
There was just enough light to partially illuminate the underside of the wings and the sky was divided into areas of pastel blue and pink. The flyover of these two birds was a great way to start the day.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
So you think you can dance
Posted in commentary, people, Photography, Wedding, tagged Canon 24-105mm, Canon 50D, dancing, spontaneity, Wedding, Woburn MA on August 4, 2016| 3 Comments »
So you think you can dance? You might have trouble keeping up with my great nephew, who showed off some of his amazing moves at this past weekend’s wedding. It was such a joy to watch the uninhibited movements of this two year old in action.
Most adults, including me, have lost that innocent sense of spontaneity, which is a little sad.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
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