Day 59 - Winter Walk-Off 2016

Today I accepted the Winter Walk-Off 2016 Challenge from fellow blogger Les Parks and his A Tidewater Gardener blog. I decided to head to one of my favorite places in the neighborhood, Turtle Lake located in the Carolanne Farms Neighborhood Park in Virginia Beach. This area is part of the Elizabeth River Nature and Canoe Trail on the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River.

I start my late winter journey with a crocus along the way.

Enter the park where Challedon Drive and Gainsbourgh Road meet.

One of the lake's namesake turtles catching some late afternoon sun.

A pair of mallards swam over to greet me.

The Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River at low tide.

Marsh grass along the shore.

A gum ball caught on its way to the ground and now serving as a cobweb anchor.

Day 42 - Picture of a Picture

I had the opportunity to see Edward Burtynsky's exhibition "Water" and hear him talk about creating the work now on display at the The Chrysler Museum of Art. The large prints are a must see and the experience simply ca not be duplicated in a book or on a screen. This image is "Greenhouses, Almira Peninsula, Spain 2010". Seeing this amazing image was a humbling experience for this photographer.

April Showers - Day 114 #CY365

Nothing but sunshine in Norfolk Virginia today. This was a close as I could get to an April shower today, washing the pine pollen off my car at the automated carwash. iPhone 5s with the Camera+ app.

Seize the Moment - Day 58 #CY365

This is "Team Norfolk" following today's Resilient Cities Workshop at Norfolk's Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center. The team which includes many of my coworkers from the City of Norfolk government and dedicated partners from community groups, non-profits, businesses and other agencies. We are proud to be included as one of the first 33 cities in the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge. We are creating a strategy to make Norfolk more resilient in the way it faces socks and stresses including flooding, sea level rise, poverty and others.

Canon G15, 1/1250 sec @ f/28, ISO 160.

In The Dark - Day 32 #CY365

Today was a self portrait challenge. Like most photographers I'm much more comfortable behind the camera rather than in front of it. With the daily inspiration as "In The Dark", I opted for a selfie of my hand holding a glass as it fills with water. The camera's self timer was set on 10 seconds. Canon 7D,1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 1600 in manual exposure and focus mode.

Fetch

Dogs love the beach and will fetch the ball from the water tirelessly. I never get tired of watching them. Canon G15, 1/2000 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

Triple Rainbow

A passing rain shower just before sunset resulted in these three rainbows. I took the photo on the deck at Bubba's Seafood Restaurant and Crabhouse in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The seafood is good at Bubba's but the view is outstanding, a must see place for dinner in Virginia Beach. Canon G15, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

1/4 Life Crisis

My trainer Daniel Vazquez,a.k.a Quez, celebrated his 25th birthday today. For a couple of weeks he has talked about getting old. So his mom surprised him by setting up Fitness Together Ghent with custom water bottles warning all of his clients of the impending crisis. She had healthy snacks for all of us at FT each with a customized "Quez Quip" about Daniel. All in all it was great fun. You should join the party at FT, get fit and meet some great people. Canon G15, 1/80 sec @ f/2.5, ISO 400 in macro mode.

Night Fountain

Norfolk's Chrysler Hall viewed from across the fountains in Scope Plaza. We attended the Tedeschi Trucks Band concert there tonight. Chrysler Hall was opened in 1972 and named as part of an agreement with Walter P. Chrysler Jr. to bring his art collection to the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences which now also bears the Chrysler name. Chrysler, whose father, Walter Sr., founded the Chrysler Corporation, devoted much of his life to building a multimillion-dollar collection of paintings and art glass. Canon ELPH 110.

Commercial Park

The flowing fountains at Commercial Park in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Canon G11, 1/3 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 80, Neutral Density filter, camera sitting on the edge of the fountain and shutter released with the 2 second delay timer to blur the water falls.

Swimming on Glass

The water in the Hague in Norfolk Virginia was smooth as glass until a small group of Canada geese swam by. Canon 7D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 200mm focal length.

Watermelon

As summer winds down the watermelons are still coming in strong. Watermelons are believed to have originated in southern Africa but evidence shows they were cultivated in China as early as the 10th century. Today China is the world's single largest watermelon producer. A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight and is a good source of vitamin C. Canon T2i, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 40mm prime "pancake" lens.

Got My Ducks In A Row

As you can clearly see, I certainly have my ducks in row. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

The Nose Pinch

Robert holding his nose and going under. I didn't think he was ever going to get out of the water. The boy just loves to play in or with water. The squirt guns were a mistake. Canon G10, 1/160 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400, Canon underwater housing.

Night Chapel

- The US Naval Academy Chapel dome at night from acros the Severn River. The Naval Academy Chapel was designed by Ernest Flagg. The cornerstone was laid in 1904 by Admiral George Dewey and the dedication of the Chapel was on May 28, 1908. Following a 1940 renovation the chapel can seat 2,500 people. The remains of John Paul Jones are interred in a crypt beneath the Chapel. Canon 5D Mark II, 13 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200. The camera was braced on a pilling and the photography was ankle deep in the Severn River for this shot.

Morning Dew

- This morning's heavy dew left little droplets of water on each of the points of these brand new Knockout Rose leaves. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/15 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens.

Llamella® Plate Settlers

- Got to take a tour of the Moores Bridges Water Treatment plant in Norfolk Virginia after visiting with Scott Howerin the rest of IT staff. These Llamella® plate settlers help with the sedimentation part of the water treatment process. The Moores Bridges water treatment plant was constructed in 1873 with a 1 million gallon a day capacity. Some of the original buildings are still located on the site which now has a capacity of 108 million gallons per day and supplies water to Norfolk, Virginia Beach, part of Chesapeake and most of the area's military bases. Canon G11, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100.

Ink Drop

- I got this photo idea today while I was cleaning up from a leaky fountain pen. The ink makes interesting shapes as it mixes with the water. So tonight I just placed a drop of ink in a clear glass of water and took some pictures. Canon 7D, 1/320 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Floaters

- The recent hot and dry weather is taking its toll on the trees. These brown leaves were floating in the fountain at Town Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Canon G11, 1/320 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Water Lights

Town Point Park in Norfolk Virginia has a cool new sidewalk fountain with various colored lights. Makes for a nice image 30 minutes after sunset during the civil twilight. Canon G11, 2.5 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100, camera sitting on the sidewalk with a 2 second shutter delay used.