Mark's Blog

Foam Flower

Published at: 04:05 pm - Sunday May 11 2014

This Foam Flower is only one of the many, many species found throughout the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was a bear to shoot, because these sway with the slightest wisp of wind. I love it’s form and the lovely greenery that surrounded it. I’m not a very good macro shooter. It typically frustrates me …. depth of field is razor thin shooting this close, backgrounds can be distracting, and the wind is never helpful. But when you get a macro “right”, it is truly a treat. Carl is a pro at it, and even manages to incorporate really cool insects.

Incidentally, while shooting this flower I heard something moving within a foot or so to my right. I was totally focused on the flower, looking through the viewfinder. As I pulled away from the camera and glanced camera-right, there was a 5 foot snake slivering past!! He had no interest in me, thank goodness. I think it was a non-poisonous king snake or water snake headed for the nearby stream. In any event, I had no desire study him closer. But, I noticed he had a large bulge from having recently eaten a rodent or an egg.

I love this image not only for the quality of the image, but because the Foam Flower represents the incredible balance of nature in the Smokies. This flower carries with it a certain soft, delicate “feel”, yet it was strong enough to survive the challenging winter and the ruggedness of the mountain forest including winds, storms, wildlife, and park visitors.

Foam Flower at Porters Creek

5D MkII, Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8, 1/80 sec. @ f/4

Posted in: GSMNP (Smokies), Landscapes, Plants by Mark 2 Comments

Spruce Flats Falls

Published at: 09:05 am - Sunday May 11 2014

On our recent Smokies trip, we set out to shoot Spruce Flats Falls in the Tremont area. The hike is a mile or so in, and it’s a moderately difficult hike due to steep climbs on both the approach and return. About halfway in, we reach a mostly dry ravine coming down the face of the hillside. It was large, but there was no more than a trickle of water. Thinking this was Spruce Flats, I was quite disappointed. Carl had been on this trail before, so I was relieved when he said we had not reached to falls yet. So onward we went, only to find the beautiful Spruce Flats Falls at the end of the trail. We spent several hours here, soaking in the beauty, the beautiful sounds of the cascades, and shooting several angles. This was by far my favorite vantage point.

Spruce Flats Falls

5D MkII, 16-35L II f/2.8, 18mm, 2.5 secs. @ f/8, ISO100

Posted in: GSMNP (Smokies), Landscapes, Water by Mark 2 Comments

John Oliver Cabin at Cades Cove

Published at: 01:05 pm - Saturday May 10 2014

Cades Cove is a favorite. It exemplifies the Smokies and earlier pioneer life there, in my opinion. The old home place of John Oliver should be familiar (see this post from the fall of 2011). Photographing it this spring provided a different twist because of the incredible blooming dogwoods and lush spring greenery.

The two room interior us full of wood textures and smells that take one back to a much simpler place and time. It was fun shooting creative macro textures from the interior wood door handles and the like, and I enjoyed dreaming up something different.

John Oliver Cabin, Cades Cove @ GSMNP

5D MkII, 24-70L f/2.8, 25mm, 1/10 sec @ f/8, ISO100

Carl from inside John Oliver Cabin

Posted in: GSMNP (Smokies), Landscapes, People by Mark 2 Comments

Why Are They Called The Smokies?

Published at: 10:05 am - Saturday May 10 2014

Hmmm, go figure. Emily, Evan (Katie’s beau), Carl (my best bud), and I took a trip to Great Smoky Mountain National Park in late April to shoot wildflowers, among other landscapes. The last spring trip to the Smokies did not yield much in the way of flower images. Mother Nature’s timing does not always match up with mine, which was the case the last time around. But all reports this year gave indications of a great year for flora, and that the time frame for our trip would line up very well with blooming season in the Townsend/Gatlinburg areas.

That said, I’m going to begin my series of posts with the end of the trip. Carl and I were driving home, exhausted from a week of sunrise to sunset hiking and shooting. Our photography trips are relaxing in the sense of being away from work and enjoying nature. But, we always keep a long, busy schedule scouting, chasing light, and shooting.

Thirty minutes into our return, as we were making our way up the Gatlinburg side of the 441 parkway headed south, we turned a corner only to find an amazing bank of fog smothering the mountainside. This was an inspiring scene, and it instantly reminded me why these ARE the Smokies! It is hard for me to describe how quickly things were changing. The fog was descending from above and moving in all manner of directions similar to a snow storm. The movement was very visible, and the scene literally changed from shutter click to shutter click (second by second). As beautiful and iconic as it was to the eye, it was extremely hard to capture what I was experiencing. There were also 5-10 minute periods of rain, so in and out of the car I went frequently and often.

Enjoy, and make it a point go spend time in the most visited national park in our beautiful c0untry.

GSMNP – Smoky overlook between Sugarlands and Newfound Gap

5D MkII, 70-200L f/.2.8, 70mm, 1/4 sec. @ f/13, ISO100

Posted in: GSMNP (Smokies), Landscapes by Mark 2 Comments

Fuji X100s

Published at: 10:03 pm - Sunday March 16 2014

I rarely blog about equipment. As I’ve grown older, both chronologically and as a photographer, having “better” gear has become less important. Digital camera gear is so incredibly good these days that there’s no practical reason to continuously upgrade or debate the nuances. The best gear is the gear you already have …. get out and shoot! I’ve grown to love the challenges of the creative process and improving my craft much more than coveting additional pixels and newer technology.

That said, I’ve struggled for a long time with two aspects of my expansive DSLR kit: Size and weight. My 5D Mark II and lens line-up serve me extremely well for the critical stuff – portrait work, and my love for artistic landscape and nature photography. When I’m shooting very intentionally and for a specific purpose, I’m happy to carry all of the gear required for the job at hand. However, the size and weight becomes a huge barrier when I want to be at the ready while traveling for fun or business, or when I want to simply shoot for fun in a spontaneous, creative way without lugging 10-20 pounds of equipment along.

Enter the Fuji X100s. I had tried a couple of smaller cameras on for size, but just could not connect with them. They were either sluggish or had too many compromises vs. my DSLR. After reading so much about the X100s and its virtues, I decided to give it a try. It took a while to become accustomed to it. The controls and ergonomics are so different compared to my Canon, and the electronic viewfinder is both a stroke of genius and a new-fangled approach that has caused this old dog to open his mind to learning new tricks. In the end, I’ve come to love the camera. Image quality is superior, it is quick and has many fantastic features. Dynamic range is incredible, and being a diehard raw file guy, I can tell you the in-camera JPEGs from Fuji’s film emulation modes blow me away. I’ve finally found a professional grade camera I can carry under most any circumstances and have fun shooting “on the fly”. It weighs virtually nothing, but it is built like a tank.

There are many, many reviews on the internet. Among others, the info available from Zach Arias and David Hobby led me to seriously trying this little gem. So I’m not here to write another review, but only to give it a big thumbs up and share a few recently images. These were captured while test driving it under circumstances in which I would have normally left my DSLR behind due to the hassle factor. Most are JPEGs with little or no adjustments.

Enjoy.

Posted in: Fuji, Landscapes, People by Mark 2 Comments

Buffalo River Visit

Published at: 11:12 pm - Tuesday December 31 2013

My brother Mike, my daughter’s beau Evan, and I met up with Uncle Bobby the 2nd morning after Christmas at Mike’s cabin. “Camp Liberty” is located on the Buffalo River near our home town of Hohenwald, TN. I spent many a day in my youth along the river. Daddy and I would occasionally float it and fish. Friends and I would visit various “holes” along the river for a swim. Mom and dad also had a cabin on the river, at which they loved to spend summer afternoons, evenings, and weekends. Their place is up the river no more than a mile from here, so this was like stepping back in time. There are a small number of cabins and homes along this 4-5 mile stretch of the river … just enough to have a neighborly feel, yet very quiet, lazy, and relaxing. It would not be uncommon to spend the entire day here and only see 3-4 folks during the span of 24 hours.

Needless to say, our visit brought back lots of fond memories and familiarities. The sounds of the slow moving river and the small stream feeding it near Mike’s cabin are oh so peaceful. Wandering around in the woods along the stream were like returning to my childhood. We even crossed the path of 2 deer hunters and had a short chat about their morning kill and the goings on in this neck of the woods. Which brings me back to one of the reasons for our trip to “Camp Liberty”, which was to shoot a few of my dad’s old pistols and his 22 rifle. We carefully and systematically took care of a milk jug and 3 coffee cups, being the avid marksmen we all are. It was a fun morning that perhaps only small town country boys can appreciate.

Uncle Bobby, Mike, and Evan on the Buffalo

View of the Buffalo River from Camp Liberty

Posted in: Buffalo River, Landscapes, People, TN, Water by Mark 2 Comments

Columbia, TN

Published at: 10:12 am - Monday December 30 2013

Each year we make the 4 hour trek to middle Tennessee (Columbia) to visit my brother Mike and his family during the holiday season. We’ve been doing this for about 10 years, and it has become a treasured tradition at Christmastime. We share gifts, eat tons, watch movies, eat more, visit the nearby home town where my brothers and I grew up, see friends from our childhood years, and much more. It never fails to be a wonderful, carefree, lazy time to get caught up with each other and to cherish family.

Needless to say, I always carry my camera gear even though I don’t necessarily take time to shoot each visit. Evan and I went out for some night shooting this time around. It was cold, but still lots of fun and creatively challenging. The only thing that would have made it better is if Emily could have been with us. But, she was enjoying a much needed evening getaway to the Opryland Hotel with her husband Dale (their first since having the baby!).

Columbia, TN – corner of Garden St. and West 7th

5D MkII, 35L mm, 15 secs @ f/16, ISO 100

Maury County Courthouse, Columbia, TN

5D MkII, 16-35L @ 22mm, 15 secs @ f/14, ISO 100

Posted in: Cityscapes, Columbia, Family, TN by Mark 2 Comments

Merry Christmas from The Sisco Family

Published at: 09:12 pm - Sunday December 22 2013

Posted in: Family, People by Mark 1 Comment

Watchful Eye

Published at: 10:11 pm - Sunday November 03 2013

I am a great admirer of street photography, but I have never considered myself very good at it. Street photography requires a completely different approach and artistic eye than that of a more thought out, carefully composed landscape image. One must be able to react quickly to capture the right moment or expression, or to frame a key subject and wait until the exact second for something interesting to happen or someone to enter the scene in a way that captures the viewer’s attention. It is my opinion that street photography, like most other genres of photography, requires a lot of repetition to truly find engaging, everyday situations with a “twist” and capture them properly.

This vantage point of the London Eye was interesting to me, especially because of the leading tree lines and the contrast of the bright sky and Eye against the dark treeline. But, this alone was a little too static. While framing it and considering alternatives, I was fortunate that a couple came strolling down the walkway. I took several images, and this one was the best because of their position and the emotion of this particular moment … both had a pleasant smile, and the young lady’s timely leaning of her head on his shoulder spoke volumes of their apparent love for each other. So I chalk this one up as bringing me a tiny step closer to being a street photographer, and as is always the case, patience pays off.

Couple – London Eye

5D MkII, 16-35L @ 16mm, f/4 @ 1/80 sec

Posted in: Cityscapes, London, People by Mark 2 Comments

London Eye

Published at: 10:10 pm - Wednesday October 30 2013

This trip to London provided my first opportunity to grab a few daytime photos of the London Eye. The main purpose of the first image is to show it’s scale next to the 6-story County Hall. The Eye is a massive structure.

From the London Eye website: Since opening in March 2000 the EDF Energy London Eye has become an iconic landmark and a symbol of modern Britain. The London Eye is the UK’s most popular paid for visitor attraction. A breathtaking feat of design and engineering, passengers in the London Eye’s capsules can see up to 40 kilometres in all directions. The London Eye is the vision of David Marks and Julia Barfield, a husband and wife architect team. The wheel design was used as a metaphor for the end of the 20th century, and time turning into the new millennium. Back in 2000, the London Eye was known as the Millennium Wheel. At that time, British Airways was the main sponsor, and up until November 2005 they were joint shareholders with Marks Barfield Architects and The Tussauds Group. British Airways also privately funded the London Eye project from the early stages of conception. Today, the London Eye is operated by the London Eye Company Limited, a Merlin Entertainments Group Company.

London Eye and County Hall

Reflecting on the London Eye

London Eye

Posted in: Cityscapes, London by Mark 2 Comments

Big Ben

Published at: 10:10 pm - Saturday October 26 2013

I returned yesterday from an October business trip to London. True to form, I could not resist taking a small(ish) camera kit. Given it was a short trip – depart Monday, return Friday – I was tempted to leave the gear behind. The extra bag and weight are terribly inconvenient at times, but I knew I would regret not having it with me. I was in London almost exactly two years ago, and I had a lot of fun shooting the London Eye at night. There are so many things to explore and photograph in London, but I rarely have time to touch the hem of the garment.

This trip was no different, except my main obstacle with available shooting time was sickness. It’s not clear what caused me to get sick, but I think I may have had a latte with bad milk upon arrival. I remembering it tasting “funny”, but I assumed this was because it was whole milk which I am not accustomed to. Whatever it was, it put me in bed for 2 days.

I did, however, find time to go for a short walk Tuesday to get fresh air and take a few “snaps” before the illness hit me. I started feeling normal mid-day Thursday, and after a full afternoon of work and a great dinner with a small group of customers and colleagues, I could not fall asleep. Since my camera had mostly been dormant, I took it for a about an hour and a half venture. The evening stroll did not disappoint. It was a crisp, cool evening. Big Ben had alluded me on my previous trip, so it became my primary target for the evening.

This is my favorite Big Ben image from the evening walk. Lens flare from all the street lights was not only very difficult to control, but was impossible to completely eliminate. It actually adds a bit of character in this photo, in my honest opinon. I decided to process it in both color and B&W. Let me know which you like best. I see merits in both. It’s not clear why, but I am drawn to B&W photography more and more these days. I’ve always loved it, but for some reason it energizes and intrigues me even more than ever. One of the many benefits of digital imaging is that I have the luxury of processing both.

Thanks for looking, and enjoy.

Big Ben – London, England

Big Ben – London, England

5D MkII, 50mm f/1.4, 8 secs @ f/11, ISO 100

Posted in: Cityscapes, London, Night by Mark 4 Comments

Dragoncon Parade 2013

Published at: 06:09 pm - Sunday September 01 2013

Evan and I went downtown to the ATL for a little Dragoncon parade action. It was packed … matter of fact, we could barely see the parade itself. But there were lots of sights “behind the scenes”.