Tag: Kingston Grist Mill

Changing Seasons May 2017

May was mainly wet, and my social calendar was packed. I forgot about the changing seasons challenge. I looked at my Lightroom catalogue for May and realised that I had spent very little time outdoors except for my camping trip. However, May was hectic, and it rained a lot. A lot. I do most of my photography on the weekend when I have time away from the office. In May, it seemed to rain every weekend. And not short drizzly rain. It rained thunderous buckets.

On the way to work this morning, I stopped at the D&R Canal Trail in Kingston. I was determined to get at least one outdoor shot indicative of the May weather. It was raining, and I could hear the rush of water from the Kingston Lock. It has rained so much that the path that my wife and I walked last summer, up past the old mill toward the Carnegie Lake dam, was completely underwater.

I followed the water to the old Route 27 bridge. What was once a small stream now looked like a rushing river.

Even the "beach" under the new Route 27 bridge was overwhelmed. I could not see the pebbles and rocks the turtles lay on to warm their bodies in the sun. It was all underwater.

I attended an engagement ceremony between my wife's little cousin Neha and her fiance, Jeremy. I've known Neha since she was about four years old. Jeremy, I've known for just over a year. I'm pretty excited. Indian weddings are overwhelming with colour and music and full of spectacle. Jeremy is Jewish, and Neha is Hindu. This will be my first time attending a Hinjew wedding. The wedding is next year.

Season
Engagement Neha Jeremy
[exif id="27438"]

So what else did I do in May? I attend my first-ever motorsport event, the World of Outlaws event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Noisy. And dusty. And very fun. Culturally, this was a different experience for me. This was the "other America". The one where almost everyone I saw was overweight, loved t-shirts and baseball caps, hated sleeves and was chain-smoked.

I also had the chance to watch vintage jalopy cars race around a dirt track at 20 mph.

And follow the Memorial Day Parade through the streets and parks of Princeton.

Battle of Princeton Re-enactment | 27 May, 2017 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | © Khürt Williams

The Changing Seasons Monthly Photo Challenge is a blogging challenge by photographer Max a.k.a Cardinal Guzman. Each month I will post a photo that I think represents the month.

Arcanum Level 5 Preparation

I captured 40 images, of which only 14 were presentable (from my perspective). For the Level 5 assignment, I submitted the ten to the Arcanum Cohort to review. I captured elements of the Kingston Village Historic District, Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, and the middle section of Princeton University.

I was sick of complaining about the shitty weather. I may hate winter with the core of my very being, but as my wife said yesterday, "It is what it is." To level up in the Arcanum, I needed ten new images.

So I cleared out my driveway and headed off "somewhere." I planned to visit every place I usually visit in the spring and summer and see what it looked like in the winter. It sucked. I don't often do black and white. I don't think in black and white. I love the colour — lots of it.

I spent two and a half hours walking around my "neighbourhood." These locations are all near my home. It takes about 10 minutes to drive from one place to the other. Tripod, Nikon D5100, and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens. I had my iPhone streaming Spotify music to my Harmon Kardon Bluetooth headset. Trance music helps my creative process. Check out Armin Van Buren and Paul Oakenfold.

I captured 40 images, of which only 14 were presentable (from my perspective). For the Level 5 assignment, I submitted the ten to the Arcanum Cohort to review. I captured elements of the Kingston Village Historic District, Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, and the middle section of Princeton University.

The Mill was built in the 1800s. After combining the images in Photomatix, I cropped the result and added a perspective correction. I then pulled the image into Nik's Viveza and adjusted the saturation on the red parts of the house.

The Kingston Millhose | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

The Millstone River between Kingston and Rocky Hill along River Road divides the KKingston Village Historic District in Princeton Township (Mercer County) from the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park and Historic District.Kingston Greenways

Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

With white and grey everywhere, why not leverage it? Three images HDR (Photomatix). I pulled the HDR into Nik's Silver EFX Pro and applied one of the presets for the final result.

Footbridge over Delaware and Raritan Canal | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100
Footbridge over Delaware and Raritan Canal | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

I drove from Plainsboro back through Kingston and down to Faculty Road near Princeton University. I had not walked this trail before, and I thought perhaps I would find something interesting. I was disappointed. I'm sure it's a beautiful spring, summer, and fall trail. Single image pulled into Nik's Color EFX Pro.

The Leaf | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

I drove from Faculty Road and parked on William St. on the northwestern end of the Princeton University campus. Why not get some architectural images? I have lived in the area for fourteen years. Nothing changes. Even the new buildings are built to match the architecture and feel of the old buildings. Unless you see it being made, it's hard to tell what is new and what is old. This is a three-image HDR (Photomatix). I pulled the result into Nik's Silver EFX Pro and adjusted the perspective in Adobe Lightroom.

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

The image HDR, treated in Nik's Silver EFX Pro, then cropped to focus on the door itself. Many of the older Princeton University campus buildings have these doors, seemingly placed randomly on the perimeter. I have no idea where they lead.

Door along Streicker Walk | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

I walked up Streicker Walk to McCosh Walk toward McCosh Hall. Three images HDR, Silver EFX Pro, cropping.? There was a metal post near the doorway just as you entered the arch. I spent some time with Photoshop's content aware-fill and clone stamp tool to remove the post. I think I did a decent job there.

Archway at McCosh Hall at the end of McCosh Walk | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/8.0 | ISO 100

Three images HDR (Photomatix) pulled into Nik's Silver EFX Pro. Lot of cropping and straightening. This is an image taken from inside the courtyard of East Pyne Hall facing toward the church.

Three image HDR (Photomatix) pulled into Nik's Silver EFX Pro. Lots of cropping and straigtening.8BIM

It took me over two hours to complete my "walk" about. I returned to Washington Road and stopped for a "quick" photo. I photographed this door in the summer. The stone is usually covered with ivy.

Door on the side of the Firestone Library | Saturday 24 January, 2015 | Nikon D5100 | 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 | f/5.3 | ISO 100

I don't like the Nikon Df

No, no, no! What is Nikon thinking? How could they?

Last autumn, Nikon unveiled the retro-inspired Nikon Df. It promptly sparked controversy. Some enthusiasts appreciated the retro design that harked back to the 35mm film cameras of the late 1970s. It stirred nostalgia for an era when each shot required careful consideration. In those days, 35mm film was a precious commodity, demanding photographers to meticulously adjust exposure, shutter speed, ISO, and more before clicking the shutter.

Conversely, some detractors loathed the new design and found the camera's specifications lacking. The Df housed the same ageing full-frame sensor as the Nikon D4, limited to 16MP. In contrast, most contemporary professional DSLRs, even consumer-focused offerings, boast 24MP or more. With the Df's price tag, some argued that the Nikon D610 was a smarter choice. Critics accused Nikon of creating a retro camera merely for nostalgia.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

I was intrigued by the camera's retro aesthetics and wanted to experience it firsthand. I pondered,This could be my ideal full-frame camera. 16MP suffices for my needs, and with my existing Nikon lenses, I wouldn't need to overhaul my kit. I registered for an upcoming photo meetup1 in a nearby town, envisioning it as a perfect opportunity to rent and test the Nikon Df.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

The camera arrived from Lensrentals via FedEx. I unboxed it, revealing the Nikon Df, the camera manual, and the battery charger packaged in a camera bag. However, my excitement faded after I saw and held the Nikon Df. Compared to the full-frame Sony α72 and Fuji X-E23, the Nikon Df felt colossal. It even exceeded the size of my Nikon D5100. Connecting my AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 to the Df, I instantly realised that this camera wouldn't meet my expectations. This body and lens combination was larger and heavier than I had expected.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

If I wanted a bulky, heavy, professional Nikon, I would get a D800. If I wanted a Nikon within the Df's price range with comparable technical specs, I would choose the smaller and lighter Nikon D610. The Nikon Df doesn't fit the bill. Its distinctive trait is the 1979-inspired design. For the price and weight, I expect more.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Undoubtedly, I enjoyed tinkering with the knobs and dials on the Df. I have cherished memories of day-long beach outings and late afternoon countryside adventures in Bequia with my Dad. The controls on the Nikon Df evoked nostalgia, reminding me of my Dad's old Asahi Optical Co. Pentax Spotmatic II clicking away on those family outings. However, as I held the camera and lens, I questioned how long that sentiment would last while lugging this camera around.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Competent retro-styled interchangeable lens cameras from Fuji and Olympus are available4, benefiting from modern technology to reduce bulk. Nikon and Canon, the stalwarts of the camera market, appear to be stuck in a technology dead end.

The Nikon Df isn't the camera I dream of.

Saturday 25 January 2014 · Nikon Df · AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
  1. The Lambertville/New Hope Winter Festival, which, ironically, was cancelled due to bad winter weather. ↩
  2. I played around with one last year at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York. ↩
  3. I tested the X-E2 at the New York PhotoPlus Expo. ↩
  4. The rumoured Fuji X-T1 may be the one. ↩