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July 2020 archive

Personal, Photography, Travel | 0 comment

2017 McKee-Beshers WMA

Sunflower at sunset at McKee-Beshers in Maryland ©TimeLine Media

Sunflower Fields

It was 2017 since we have visited the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. Although we have this on the calendar every year, there are some obstacles to going every year. Firstly, the sunflowers are planted so that they bloom around the hottest time of the year. Additionally, the middle of summer has been busy with other photography projects. This year, however, I am much slower on photography project. So maybe this will be the time to go back.

2017 McKee-Beshers sunflower blooms in Maryland ©TimeLine Media

Thinking of visiting the fields, this would be a great way to social distance! Surely the weather will not be forgiving. It is already hazy, hot, and humid as per usual in this area.

2017 McKee-Beshers sunflower blooms in Maryland ©TimeLine Media
2017 McKee-Beshers sunflower blooms in Maryland ©TimeLine Media

Also looking at these photos, we were very lucky with the day we visited. At this time, I only had my phone with me. Given that this was a spontaneous decision to visit, I will plan better if we got this year. Undoubtedly I’ll bring one of my proper cameras and experiment with some ideas I am previsualizing. To be sure I’ll have the website on a shortlist to visit daily until the flowers are ready. If anyone would like to collaborate on some photos, let’s plan to meet out there!

2017 McKee-Beshers sunflower blooms in Maryland ©TimeLine Media

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Commercial, Event, Photography, Travel | 0 comment

Freedom Boat Club

Sunset boat ride hosting by George on Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media
Sunset boat ride hosting by George on Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media

Woodbridge, Virginia

Being that we are in the middle of summer fun, I wanted to look back to a pre – quarantine event with Freedom Boat Club. On this occasion, George from my business networking group invited us on an evening cruise on the Occoquan River. I was very familiar with these waters since my mom has a house right on these shores.

George McIntosh of Freedom Boat Club hosting an event on Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media
George of Freedom Boat Club hosting an event on Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media

Since George works for Freedom Boat Club, we were taken for an evening cruise just out of their marina. Having a membership in his company gives you access to their fleet of boats. What a great way to entertain clients, or treat friends to a unique experience!

Boating on the Potomac River with guests of Freedom Boat Club in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media
Boating on the Occoquan with guests for a boat club in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media

If George wanted to pick a perfect day for a demonstration, this was it. Not only did the summer heat go away as we were speeding out on the waters, but the sunset was amazing. I took some time from networking to get lots of photos of the sunset. It doesn’t look like Woodbridge from out here!

Sunset over Belmont Bay in Woodbridge, VA ©TimeLine Media
Clouds lit by the setting sun over Belmont Bay ©TimeLine Media
Clouds lit by the setting sun over Belmont Bay ©TimeLine Media

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Event, Personal, Photography, Technology | 0 comment

Fireworks Photo Tips

Fireworks show in Falls Church, Virginia ©TimeLine Media
Fireworks show in Falls Church, Virginia ©TimeLine Media

Falls Church, Virginia

If you follow any photography blogs, they probably have a post of ‘Fireworks Photo Tips’ this week. Obviously, this site is focused on photos, so here is my take! Firstly, I enjoy watching fireworks shows. Since it is both an audio, and visual experience, I do not want to spend the entire night concentrating on photos. Thus, I make my setup flexible for me to both capture images while enjoying the show live. As can be seen in the following photo, this is my setup:

DSLR set up for a fireworks show ©TimeLine Media
DSLR set up for a fireworks show ©TimeLine Media

At this time, I mounted the camera on a tripod with a 24mm wide-angle lens. Additionally, I installed a remote release so that I could open the shutter without having my hand on the camera. This is the small cord coming out of the left of the camera body. For camera settings, I have the shutter speed set on ‘bulb’. When you have the camera in this mode, you can control when the shutter opens and closes by pressing on the remote release.

With this in mind, I point the camera in the direction of where I think the fireworks will be exploding overhead. With the wide angle lens, there is a good chance that I will get the fireworks in the frame. Moreover, in your post-processing application, you can crop to a nice composition later. Since the backgrounds are dark and the subjects are just streaks of light, these files can handle a lot of cropping.

When I see the firework shot into the sky, I press the remote to open the shutter. Soon after the brightest flash, I close the shutter again to capture the full explosion. You will likely have to spot check during the show to see a result. However, don’t take too long! Adjust your timing quickly so you can go back to watching the show at the same time. Happy 4th!

Fireworks photo tips from a previous year's July 4 show ©TimeLine Media
Fireworks photo tips from a previous year's July 4 show ©TimeLine Media
Fireworks photo tips from a previous year’s July 4 show ©TimeLine Media

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