Smicksburg Bokeh

These photographs were taken at the McAninch residence in Smicksburg, a small rural town in the heart of Pennsylvania. Several years ago, the McAninch family lost a beloved husband and father. Behind their home, the family created a memorial garden in his honor. The space is filled with trees, flowers, and benches for loved ones to sit and remember him.

In the following two photographs, I wanted to capture the serenity and ethereal beauty of the memorial garden. Focusing on minute details also made it easy to achieve the bokeh effect. 

Below is my attempt at photographing sparklers at the annual McAninch bonfire. There wasn't enough contrast between the foreground and background for a shallow depth of field so I switched my f-stop up to attempt an airy disk. It worked in this photograph on the lower right sparkler, although it isn't as vivid as I would have liked it to be.

Downtown Color

Sometimes if I have the time, I'll go out an shoot during my lunch break. I work downtown near Market Square and there's also a small park nearby. These photos were taken the week of the Pittsburgh Arts Fest. It was a beautiful day in late spring when these were taken and I was trying to capture the freshness of the season in my photography. I am also drawn to cool tones, particularly greens and purples.

Flowers are an obvious sign of spring. These small clusters can be seen in a variety of colors all over the downtown area. I first saw flowers like this on Hilton Head Island several years ago and I'm very happy to see them now on a regular basis in the 'burgh. This particular bunch was planted in Market Square.

This was one of the projects from Art Fest:  "Pop-up Patios." There was a patch of lawn near my building that had been filled with a collection of patio furniture sets in neon greens, oranges, and reds. The project created outdoor spaces to encourage social interaction. I didn't notice anyone using the spaces, but I found this bright trio to be quite inviting. If I hadn't already finished my lunch, I might have enjoyed it here.

This is a fountain at the park near my workplace. The central feature had a beautiful glass surface in greens that reflected the blue of the water. The way the water fell from the fountain gave a sense of energy and the surrounding pool looks lush and refreshing. The whole scene just made me feel alive.