April Fools

Imagine a news report that the United States is now under the control of a fascist regime with an out of control executive branch with no one willing or able to defend the Constitution. That the nation that has stood since the adoption of that Constitution in 1789 no longer exists. Wouldn't that be a great April Fools joke. Except it's not.

But, people need to live their lives, even in a fascist dictatorship. Physical activity needs to happen and artistic expression needs to occur. Karma will deal with the nazi frat boys and their toadies.

My activity today was a walk around Shaver Pond at Grafton Lakes State Park with quick shoreline visits to Second Pond and Long Pond. Today is opening day of trout season. Shaver Pond used to be a trophy location with bait and size restrictions but apparently it no longer is and statewide regulations apply. In any case, I encountered no fishers. The ice is gone, though,

Shaver Pond, South End
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 31mm, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 400

Shaver Pond Trail
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/60 sec., ISO 800

Shaver Pond Trail
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 28mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

Shaver Pond
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 35mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

Shaver Pond
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/750 sec., ISO 200

Second Pond
EOS R6II, RF24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

Cohoes Scenes

The B&W Sprouts project tends to be skewed a bit towards Waterford as I spend more time there. Today was warm but overcast with rain in the forecast and I stopped at the Cohoes Falls viewing park on School Street while out running errands. 

Here are some shots I added to the project.

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 65mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 56mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 32mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 35mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

Peebles Island with the R6 Mark II

The EOS R6 Mark II feels really nice and balanced with the RF 24-105mm f/4L lens. Although the body has a little less height than the R8 with the extension grip, the R6II's grip is thicker which helps support the heavier lens and it's high enough to fit all fingers. 

I had a short walk around Peebles Island after setting up the camera as close to the way I have the R8 set up as I can. Some controls and settings are different so I'll stumble a bit for a while. As I'll be using the R6II much more frequently than the R6, before long it will be the "normal" body and I'll fumble a bit when I use the R8.

The sensors on the two cameras are pretty much identical so there shouldn't be any difference between images from the two bodies.

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 85mm, f/4, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 98mm, f/11, 1/125 sec., ISO 100

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 40mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 70mm, f/11, 1/60 sec., ISO 100

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6II, RF 24-105mm f/4L at 85mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

Rabbit Holes

A while ago, I sold one of my R8 bodies and a telephoto zoom. Then I traded in the 28-70mm and 85mm lenses for a 24-105mm f/4L zoom, leaving me with that lens and the 35mm f/1.8. The plan was that the R8 would suffice with both of these lenses for different purposes.

The R8, though, needs the extension grip to make using the heavier zoom lens comfortable. This combination also fits in bags better with the grip. 

The R8 pairs with the 35mm lens better without the grip. This combination also fits in bags better without the grip.

Late last fall I was deciding between the EOS R6 Mark II and a second R8. I decided on a second R8. In retrospect, that was not the right choice. At the time, though, my main lens was the smaller, lighter RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM and that influenced the decision. 

With the 24-105mm f/4L lens, though, the R6 Mark II, though more expensive, is a better choice. While the lens alone has 5 stops of image stabilization, with the R6 Mark II's in-body stabilization added, that stabilization increases to 8 stops. A significant difference, particularly with the longer focal lengths and slower maximum aperture of the L lens.

I should have the R6 Mark II in hand tomorrow and, after an hour or two getting the settings the way I want them, it will stay attached to the 24-105mm lens, as will the R8 (without grip) to the 35mm lens.

Here are some shots made this morning with the latter combination at Oakwood Cemetery. I guess I'll have to start captioning photos with the camera body again.

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8, f/11, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

Magnolia Buds
EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8, f/11, 1/750 sec., ISO 200

Saratoga NHP

So far, everything has been stable at Saratoga National Historical Park although firings, etc. are certainly possible if not exactly expected. I'm continuing as a volunteer as long as things don't get out of hand. If they do, I'll still visit the park often, like anyone can, but without any official capacity. Kind of like Elon Musk.

This is the time of year when you are tempted to go out in the middle of the afternoon when temperatures are nice and warm. The trails are more navigable, though, before the ground heats up from over night below freezing temperatures and you're walking through several inches of mud.

Here are some shots from this morning's WilkinsonTrail walk.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 58mm, f/11, 1/1500 sec., ISO 400

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 70mm, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4.5, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 35mm, f/11, 1/750 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 25mm, f/11, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 27mm, f/16, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

Peebles Island

I skipped posting any photos from Schodack Island the other day but here are some from this morning at Peebles Island. Interestingly, both state parks are islands that were inhabited by indigenous peoples after the last ice age up until the 17th century when Dutch settlers displaced those peoples. Both islands saw farming activity with Peebles Island seeing more industrial activity than Schodack Island. Today, Schodack Island is more publicly commercial with a campground, boat launch and docks.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 95mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 27mm, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 28mm, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 43mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 37mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

Website Reorganization

I spent some time the other day reorganizing the website so that is divided into two sections, black & white and color. The folder and gallery structure will be similar in both and follow the design prior to the reorganization. Old links in blog posts will not work any longer, as the old galleries are now in folders.

I've spent the past two and a half months focusing on black and white and I think I have a better handle on the differences when shooting for monochrome and what works best for each. Going forward, it will greatly expand the subjects and conditions where I can expect to get good results.

Here are some scenes from this morning's walk around Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 85mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 101mm, f/11, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 85mm, f/11, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 35mm, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 72mm, f/8, 1/750 sec., ISO 200

Another Warm Day

After Tuesday's record warm temperatures, today was also significantly warmer than normal. Wind and some high clouds kept it from feeling that way, though. I was out early[ish] for a moonset and then had a 5.8 mile hike around the Saratoga Battlefield.

Here are some of the photos.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 800

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 25mm, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 25mm, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 40mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 42mm, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

Frozen Grafton Ponds

I'm not sure why the New York State Park in Grafton is named Grafton Lakes since the major bodies of water within the park boundaries are Long Pond, Shaver Pond, Second Pond and Mill Pond. I haven't been to the park since November, before I started my black and white processing phase. It was one of the last local locations that didn't have monochrome photos in its gallery.

Despite recent warm temperatures, in the 60s the past couple of days, the ponds remain frozen. This, of course, is to be expected. When I was a kid, I used to fish at Shaver Pond with my father in early April when trout season opened. There was open water from shore out to about 20 yards all around the pond. When the wind shifted, the ice could move toward the leeward shore leaving little room for casting.

Long Pond
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 35mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

Long Pond Trail
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 42mm, f/8, 1/60 sec., ISO 100

Long Pond Trail
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/11, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

Long Pond Trail
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 27mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

Second Pond
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

Second Pond
RF 24-105mm f/4L at 28mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 200