Drubrovnik, Croatia at the Magic Hour

Dubrovnik, Croatia at the Magic Hour

This is an evening scene taken just as we were leaving Dubrovnik, Croatia to reboard our Windstar ship, the WindSurf, the largest sailing yacht in the world, carrying only 308 “pampered guests.”  I love this time of the evening–about an hour after sunset–when the sky is a deep azure blue, just before it turns an inky black.  We visited three cities in beautiful Croatia, Rovinj, Split, and Dubrovnik, called by Lord Byron ”the Pearl of the Adriatic.”    I’ll try to post one or two more from Dubrovnik, and then later, I’ll add one from each of the other two towns. 

Note:  I love the way my D90 deftly handles noise in low-light photos, even at an ISO of 3200.

Nikon D90, 18 mm, ISO 3200 (handheld!), f 3.5, 1/25 with 18-200 VR stabilized lens

Tall Ship and Boston Skyline

A View of the Tall Ships Against the Boston Skyline

On July 10 this past summer, my photography club (North Quabbin Viewfinders—www.nqviewfinder.org—) visited Boston to see the tall ships.  The fact that it was also my birthday made it doubly enjoyable as my wife and son accompanied us, and we met my daughter later near Boston.  It was a perfectly glorious New England summer day—sunny, dry, temps around 82-85 degrees.  The sky was a deep blue, and Boston was alive with excitement!   This was one of my favorite shots from that day.

Settings:  Nikon D90, 18-200 Nikkor VR lens, 27mm, ISO 500, f9.5, 1/350, 1/2 stop underexposed.

Sunset in Venice

Santa Maria Della Salute in Venice

This is a view of the Santa Maria della Salute Church in Venice.  It is a great example of Venetian Byzantine Architecture.  According to Wikipedia, “Starting in the Summer of 1629, a wave of the plague assaulted Venice, and over the next two years killed nearly a third of the population.”   By October of 1630, almost 50,000 citizens had been killed by plague, and the Venetian Senate made a plea to God—that if  God would end the plague, they would build a Basilica in honor of the Virgin Mary.  The plague did end soon afterwards, and the church was built  at the intersecton of the Grand Canal and St. Mark’s Basin.

Settings:  Nikon D90, ISO 640, Nikon 18-200 VR, 105 mm, f4.0, 1/50 sec (handheld), -1.00 exposure) 

 Note:  I love the lack of noise in low light images with both by D90 and (to an even greater extent) by my D700.

Venice

Grand Canal in Venice

In most of my blog  entries to this point, I have been displaying many of my New England and United States photos.  Those who know me best, however, know that my wife and I love cruising, in the Caribbean and throughout the world.   After an absence from my blog, due to traveling, family illness, and just being really busy, I am ready to blog again—-and for a while, I’ll be showing photos from around the world.

In August, my wife and I went on a cruise from Venice to Slovenia and Croatia.  In Slovenia, we visited Koper, and in Croatia, we traveled to Rovinj, Split, and Dubrovnik.  I took my Nikon D90 with me and my Nikkor 18-200 VR lens, along with a polarizing filter and a mini-tripod.

This photo was taken on the Grand Canal as we slowly cruised down it on a vaparetto. As the sun was setting, it cast a golden glow on the colorful buildings, though it left the gondoliers in the shade.

Settings:   Nikon D90, ISO 400, f6.3, 1/160, 78 mm, 1/3 stop underexposed

Keystone Bridge in Central Massachusetts

Keystone Bridge in New Salem, Massachusetts

This is the Keystone Bridge in New Salem, a small town in the North Quabbin Region of Central Massachusetts.   Our camera club, the North Quabbin Viewfinders (in Athol, MA) went here as part of one of our bi-monthly field trips.

I shot the bridge with my Nikon D700, ISO 200, f 22, 85 mm, with a shutter speed of three seconds to blur the water.  I then processed it in Dynamic Photo HDR.

Nantucket’s Brant Point Lighthouse

The Gulls invaded the Brant Point well after day broke, and I was still there to catch the view.  Even clouds could not spoil the view.  Nantucket has so much to offer.  If you’ve never been there, I strongly recommend a mini-vacation, or a longer one, if you have the time and capital. 

Nikon D80,  40mm,  f 10.0,  1/640, ISO 400, WB cloudy

Nantucket Lighthouse

Brant Point Lighthouse

Looking back, I realized that it was just two years ago that my wife and I took a  mini-vacation at Nantucket Island, off the coast of Massachusetts.  It was a wonderfully romantic three days, filled with  sightseeing, shopping, and photography (also some real relaxation).  This is the Brant Point Lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in America (1746).  It is also the lowest lighthouse in New England, only 26 feet above sea level.  This shot was taken at 6:26 p.m., and it was pretty chilly out there for mid-April.  I shot this lighthouse for more than two hours as the light kept changing.

Nikon D80, 40mm, f4.5, 1/80, -1/3

Zion’s Court of the Patriarchs

Welcome to my photography Photo Blog site.   If you would like information about my WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY, BAR/BAT MITZVAH PHOTOS, or SENIOR PORTRAITS, please visit my MAIN Photography Website at http://mitchellrgrosky.wordpress.com . Thank you.

Court of the Patriarchs in Utah’s Zion National Park 

 

 

Those of you who have followed this photoblog know how impressed I was when I visited Utah during my 28-day cross-country trip in September.  This photo is from Zion National Park.  The Court of the Patriarchs is very easy to reach—maybe a 1-2 minutes very easy hike from the road.  

Nikon D200, 18 mm (27 equiv), f 8, 1/250,  1/3 stop overexposed, ISO 400

Moonrise Over Arches

Moonrise at Arches

 

I arrived at Utah’s Arches National Park later than I planned on September 14 this past year.  Still, I was fortunate to get a lovely moonrise and some gorgeous colors (deepened a bit on Picassa).  I hope to show some daytime shots of Arches, Bryce, and Zion soon.  Utah was fantastic.  I had no idea!

Panasonic Lumix TZ5   f3.4   focal length 30 mm

Name That Flower!

Name That Flower!

 

O.K……..so I’m not a botanist…….but I do love flowers.  I captured this image at the Worcester, MA Flower and Patio Show at the end of February.  Most of my shots were roses, but I got this one, as well, and I didn’t note its name.  Maybe one of our photographers or readers can help me out.  I loved the vibrant colors, and the unusual form.  Most of all, I loved the image of springtime (summer?) that it conjures up for me.

Nikon D200, 93mm, 1/60, Flash, ISO100, f5.0