Van Horne Park, Rocky Hill

It was a cold day, but after the weekend of winter hell we experienced during our trip to Champaign, Illinois, I wanted to get outside for a bike ride. The air was cold this morning; I expected to warm up once I got going. I put on some layers, stuck the Minolta XD-11 camera in the basket of the e-bike, donned my helmet and started for Van Horne Park.

Van Horne Park, Black and White, Winter
Monday26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 at 1/1000 sec, ISO 400 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 at f/16

Van Horne Park is a recreational park located in Rocky Hill Borough and an independent municipality within the borders of Montgomery Township. The Montgomery Township Parks and Recreation Department maintain the park. It offers a variety of recreational activities. Spread across sprawling green lawns, Van Horner Park features well-maintained playing fields, tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, and walking paths.

Van Horne Park, Black and White, Winter
Monday26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 at 1250 sec, ISO 400 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 at f/8.0

In 2020, the Montgomery Township Parks and Recreation Department planned to host a “Movies in the Park” event. I assumed they had not completed the event. The wall serving as the outdoor movie screen is now full of graffiti. Perhaps this is another opportunity for community building lost to the pandemic.

Van Horne Park, Black and White, Winter
Monday26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 at 1/1000 sec, ISO 400 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 at f/11

During the warmer months of the year, area residents can enjoy a game of catch with friends or family, go for a leisurely walk or jog, or play a game of tennis. Children play on the swings, slides and other play structures in the playground area while adults relax on the benches and enjoy the scenery. When our children were younger, we often took them to Van Horne Park to fly kites.

Van Horne Park, Black and White, Winter
Monday26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 at 1/1000 sec, ISO 400 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 at f/8.0

The park is a popular destination for picnics in the summer, with several covered picnic shelters available for rent.

All of these were absent during my bicycle ride. It was cold. I quickly made my way through the park, stopping briefly to expose a few frames of Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow.

Van Horne Park, Black and White, Winter
Monday26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 at 160 sec, ISO 400 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2 at f/8.0

Late Autumn Bike Ride in Van Horne Park

I enjoy the rapidly changing colours of the leaves in early Autumn. Late autumn has a more melancholy feeling. This particular day was cool and dry with no sign of the sun; it was 100% overcast. I didn’t know how many more good days I would have for a bicycle ride. I packed up my camera and headed out to Van Horne Park. I love the late fall colours of the wild native meadow plants.

Van Horne Park Bike Ride
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Lectric eBikes XPremium
Lectric eBikes XPremium · Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Lectric eBikes XPremium
Lectric eBikes XPremium · Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Lectric eBikes XPremium
Lectric eBikes XPremium · Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR
Sunday 6 November 2022 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Chasing Dragons

For John's Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #155 – On the Water I had initially planned to go whale watching in Cape May with Bhavna. I rented a Fujinon XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR in anticipation of excitement. But as the long weekend neared, Bhavna had heard on the local news that the shore towns were expecting large crowds for the 4th of July weekend. I reluctantly agreed to set my focus (pun intended) closer to home when the lens arrived. Bhavna even suggested a few places nearby; Carnegie Lake, and the D&R Canal State Park Trail. Since they brought up the topic of the canal, I suggested we try canoeing or kayaking. Bhavna was hesitant. She remembered that our last attempt at canoeing was frustrating. We could not coordinate our paddling and got stuck going in circles on Lake George. If I remember correctly I paddled out and in. Despite that experience being over twenty years ago Bhavna could not be convinced to try canoeing on Carnegie Lake.

Honestly, I think I have some sort of PTSD. I am reluctant to visit many of the places I visited heavily pre-pandemic but avoided them during the pandemic. I also didn't want to see either of those places with a super-telephoto.

Inspired by Stephen Gingold and local photography David Mathre I decided I would photograph dragonflies.

On my way out to the Montgomery Farmers Market, I almost tripped the box at the front door. I guess correctly that it was the Fujinon XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR that I rented. It arrived a day late. It was supposed to come Friday evening.

In the afternoon, Shaan suggested that I visit the tiny bit of wetland near the outer edge of Van Horne Park. She knew that I had rented the XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR to photograph dragonflies and had remembered that we had previously seen dragonflies and butterflies in that location.

I parked on Princeton Avenue and crossed onto the trailhead. I immediately found several dragonflies. Several prominent black and silver specimens were darting among the cattails.

At first, I struggled with the lens. It's been over almost two years since my last birding field trip. I needed some practice. The dragonflies did not cooperate, choosing to land on the concrete wall of the man-made wetlands. The butterflies were more cooperative.

Saturday 3 July, 2021 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR @ 400 mm | 1640 sec at f/8.0 | ISO 1600

I was ready to leave when this blue and green dragonfly darted overhead and then landed on a branch of a nearby plant. He sat still long enough for me to capture him in two different poses. Then he was gone.

Dragonfly, Van Horne Park, Montgomery Township
Dragonfly, Van Horne Park, Montgomery Township | Saturday 3 July, 2021 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR @ 400 mm | 1640 sec at f/8.0 | ISO 640
Dragonfly, Van Horne Park, Montgomery Township
Dragonfly, Van Horne Park, Montgomery Township | Saturday 3 July, 2021 | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR @ 400 mm | 1640 sec at f/8.0 | ISO 640