5/4/2024 - Chimney Bluffs State Park

The final stop of the day with Dave.  This was the place I thought he originally wanted to go.  Since we had time and found the first bluffs to be so fascinating, we decided to go here as well.  Worth the $5 for parking in my opinion!  The fact that these stay standing with the wind, rain, and snow while being less than a foot (a few inches at the peaks!) in width is extremely impressive.

Parking Location: https://w3w.co/courtrooms.delightful.managerial
Site Notes: Not really accessible unless your scooter can handle some rough terrain.

Time: 12:48; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/10 sec
Note: I was slipping on the edge so jumped down thinking we were going to walk along the beach.

Time: 12:52; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/10 sec
Note: This one shows why we weren't going to be walking the beach!

Time: 13:03; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length:70 mm; Shutter: 1/30 sec
Note: Before we started shooting, a lady told us these were rare but they were all over...

Time: 13:05; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/40 sec

Time: 13:24; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/160 sec

Time: 13:24; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 55 mm; Shutter: 1/160 sec

Time: 13:40; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 62 mm; Shutter: 1/100 sec

Time: 13:41; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec

Time: 13:43; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/400 sec
Note: You can start to see how thin these columns are!

Time: 13:44; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec

Time: 13:45; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/640 sec

Time: 13:46; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 56 mm; Shutter: 1/400 sec

Time: 13:51; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24.5 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec
Note: I actually took 6 photos for this panorama but only needed the first and last.  Odd how that works out sometimes...

5/4/2024 - Wolcott Falls

Stop number 2 with my friend Dave was another place on my list for this summer.  It wasn't too far from Sterling so we decided it was next on our list.  Considering this is a village owned park, it was very impressive.  Well maintained and something the village should be very proud of.

Parking Location: https://w3w.co/boot.vowels.chucks
Site Notes: There is an overlook that is easily accessible.  To get the views in these photos is accessible if you can either handle a fairly steep incline or you have something that can.  Certainly not ADA compliant but the path is smooth.

Time: 11:45; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/5 sec

Time: 11:46; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 20 sec
Note: Because I stacked my ND filter on the polarizing filter, the frame of the ND filter was included.  I thought adding a vignette to this rather than cropping was a really nice effect.

Time: 11:48; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 56 mm; Shutter: 25 sec

Time: 11:52; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 37 mm; Shutter: 8 sec
Note: I thought this was great framing, the light breeze didn't think so and kept moving the branches in front of me...

Time: 11:54; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 55 mm; Shutter: 3 sec

Time: 11:57; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 60 mm; Shutter: 1/250 sec

Time: 12:03; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 45 mm; Shutter: 15 sec
Note: My first picture using extended ISO, this is an ISO of 64.

Time: 12:07; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 33.5 mm; Shutter: 1/10s
Note: My second with extended ISO, this one is an ISO of 31.  I wasn't going to include it because it was supposed to be a fast exposure that didn't work because I didn't realize the ISO setting.  When preparing for this post though, I really liked how it came out.

5/4/2024 - Sterling Nature Center Bluffs

I'd never been to "the bluffs" though I've heard of so many talking about it since my college days (early to mid-1990s).  After seeing some posts in a Facebook group, it was in the plans to do this year.  My oldest friend was in the area and suggested we do a photoshoot there so I was onboard.  I have to say that I was very impressed with what I found to be incredible structures that seemed to defy gravity and logic.  We were lucky that there wasn't much of a wind at all so it was incredibly peaceful though I could say that if there was a light wind, it would be nice to listen the waves as well.

Parking Location: https://w3w.co/hazy.centrally.personality
Site Notes: No accessibility to this location at all.  Not a horrible walk down to the shoreline though.

Time: 09:35; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 36 mm; Shutter: 1/40 sec

Time: 09:36; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 53 mm; Shutter: 1/50 sec

Time: 09:36; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/50 sec

Time: 09:40; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/25 sec

Time: 09:40; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/25 sec
Note: I loved the detail brought out by the black and white version of this.

Time: 09:42; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/30 sec

Time: 09:42; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 62 mm; Shutter: 1/30 sec

Time: 09:42; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 62 mm; Shutter: 1/30 sec
Notes: Another where the grain in the wood just popped out without the color.

Time: 09:43; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 63 mm; Shutter: 1/10 sec

Time: 09:44; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 63 mm; Shutter: 1/10 sec

Time: 09:48; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/25 sec

Time: 09:52; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/80 sec
Note: A really liked the lines on the rock, just looked nice in contrast to the black rock.

Time: 09:52; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/80 sec
Note: Dave thought this would make a good black and white, tend to agree.

Time: 09:54; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 32.5 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec

Time: 09:55; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 25 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec

Time: 09:56; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 59 mm; Shutter: 1/400 sec

Time: 09:58; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/160 sec

Time: 10:01; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/640 sec
Note: Panorama of 6 photos.

Time: 10:02; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 34.5 mm; Shutter: 1/640 sec

Time: 10:04; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24.5 mm; Shutter: 1/400 sec

Time: 10:12; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/640 sec
Note: Panorama of 5 pictures.

Time: 10:13; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/125 sec

Time: 10:14; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/125 sec

Time: 10:16; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/125 sec

Time: 10:22; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/250 sec

Time: 10:28; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/640 sec

Time: 10:33; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec
Note: For some reason, the root ball on this tree fascinated me from a distance.

Time: 10:34; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec

Time: 10:35; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 43 mm; Shutter: 1/320 sec

Time: 10:38; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 24 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec
Note: A panorama of 5 photos.

Time: 10:43; Camera: Nikon Z7 II; Lens: Nikon NIKOR Z 24-70mm f4 S;
Focal Length: 70 mm; Shutter: 1/500 sec