Early this morning I grabbed the camera gear and made the drive over to Ohiopyle state park for another of my half day hikes. I was packing the E-M5 with a 12-50mm, 45-200m, 14mm, 20mm and 45mm. For some extra light I brought along my newly acquired FL-300R and to block light I had an ND filter and a circular polarizer. All of this went into the Domke F-5XB. My Benro Travel Angel tripod went into it’s own bag slung over my shoulder. Why am I telling you all about the gear I packed you ask? Simply because I only used a single lens, the 12-50mm kit zoom. Put the pitchforks away, I wanted to put it through its paces and see what it was capable of. The primes were for backup and the long telephoto was in case I saw some animals. I learned a bit about this setup and definitely will make some changes next time I head out. For now though, here are some pictures!
All day the snow has been falling off and on. I’ve had to shovel the walk 3 times, but it felt good to get out and do it. The morning was spent with Brooke and Dayna, but once Brooke went down for a nap, I drove the short way to Laurelville to do some light hiking and picture taking in the snow.
I packed my Benro Travel Angel tripod and put an ND filter on the front of the 14-42mm. This exposure was 1/10 second and f/11.
The hike was great, if a bit chilly. There was no one around and was great to clear my head. Shortly after I got home, Brooke stirred from her nap and as we were playing in the living room, she snatched up my Canon underwater camera. Thankfully, it’s shock and drool proof. I wonder how long until she starts taking better pictures than me?
What better time to take a trip to a warm Caribbean climate than the dead of winter? My wife and I both thought the same thing and booked a trip to the Dreams Resort in Puertos Aventura’s in Mexico. We spent 4 nights relaxing and getting away from it all. We snorkeled in the ocean, in a cenote and in a cave. Dayna swam with Dolphins, Sea Lions and Manatee’s. The resort threw a huge Super Bowl party complete with fake stadium displays, workers dressed as Cheerleaders, Security guards, players and referee’s. Plenty of food as well. There were beautiful sights, quiet nights and no work at all. A fantastic trip.
On this fairly warm Sunday, I was once again able to get some free time to go for a hike through Ohiopyle. The sky was clear, the sun was bright and the trails were mostly empty, which made it all the more peaceful. We’ve had a good amount of rain in the past week, so the river and falls were flowing more than usual. The roar of the water could be heard all along the trails.
Yough river right above the main falls. G3 + 14-42mm
I started from the visitor’s center and made my way over to Great Gorge Trail. This would take me along the river and put me right above Cucumber Fall’s. It is basically a loop around the Ferncliff Peninsula. Then I could just pick up 381 and walk back to the main Falls before heading to my car. Not a very long hike, but one full of good views. The rocky outcroppings are full of interesting detail and textures, if you look carefully.
Rock wall. G3 + 14-42mm
With all the leaves down and the sun high in the sky, it was tough to find anything very scenic or expansive to photograph. The lighting was awful and the color wasn’t much better. This harsh lighting did give me a change to really push a raw file and “HDR” it to see what I could get out of it. I am pleasantly surprised with this.
Cliff side. G3 + 14-42mm
Of course, a trip to Ohiopyle isn’t complete without at least one picture of Cucumber Falls. I love this waterfall because every time I’ve been there, it’s been different.
Cucumber Falls. G3 + 14-42mm
Further on down the trail in the shade, some puddles were still iced over. The ice was closer to melting, which gave it a nice sheen and texture.
G3 + 14-42mmG3 + 14-42mm
After this, it was time to walk back to the car. The hike only lasted for an hour and half, but it was a perfect time to reflect on things and forget about all the struggles we face daily. I need to do it more often.
