Big Christmas Wreath

Every year at Union Station in Washington D.C. you can find the annual hanging of the holiday wreath, actually there are three of them hung at the front entrance. Pictures like this are very easy, use a tripod determine how much depth of field you want by using aperture priority and compose your best shot...

Camera Nikon D-300/ Lens Tamron 18-270mm / F-stop 11 / Shutter Speed 1/1.3 ISO 250

tis the season

Happy Holidays 

Gary and His little Buddy

Pictures by Brian Gillis

Sea Anemone

Here are some more pictures from the National Aquirium in Washington D.C. These sea anemone and soft/hard coral creatures live underwater in oceans worldwide. I used 2 flashes holding one in my hand usually underneath the subject. Shooting into glass is a bit tricky, to avoid flashback shoot on an angle and it really helps if the room is dark so you don't pick up reflections. The camera setting were all the same as follows Camera Nikon D-300, Lens 18-270mm Tamron, Iso 250, shutter speed 1/60sec at F-14....Gary

Orchid

These will brighten a gray day. Valerie

National Aqurium Washington D.C.

In the Bottom of the Commerce Building in Washington D.C. you can enter the National Aquirium. Many odd fishes and reptiles can be found their. On display untill Feburary is an albino alligator. I understand their are less than 100 in captivity world wide. She is 5 feet long and growing fast. I used 2 flashes Iso 250 and F-16 in ap priorty....Gary

The garden I wish I had

This was taken at Longwood Gardens early this summer, I put the camera ledge and used my arm to keep it still. Not the best way to get the shot but it worked that day..................Brian Gillis

A Beautiful Bird

My favorite flower, so exotic, I love the color, Nikon D90, Nikon 18-200 Lens. Valerie

Brookside Gardens

A beautiful fall shot, full of fall foilage. Brian and I spent the afternoon here.Valerie

The State Arboretum of Virginia

Valerie and I traveled to Virginia to see the Annul Balloon Festival but due to high winds no balloon's were allowed to go up. We did find the State Arboretum of Virginia right down the street. Time did not allow us to investigate properly due to the fact that it is 400 acre's. Truly a beautiful place to visit and I think we will return in the spring. Here is a sample of what we saw....Gary

All of these we shot with a Nikon D-300,ISO 200,Aperture priority f-16 with polarizing filter....Gary

Moving Waterfalls in Maryland

Most of the time when I shoot moving water I use manual or aperture prioity. Keeping a low ISO and a  high F-stop above f-16 which most of the time will yeild a slow shutterspeed and give you the ghosting effect on the water. The addition of a polarizing filter will reduce or completely eliminate glare on the water. If you try to take a picture under full sunlight it's going to cause massive problems of  to much light in white area's, the solution is get up early and take the picture before the sun becomes to bright or shoot on an overcast day...Gary

Little Patuxent River in Savage Mill Maryland

9040 Gorman Rd. on the Savage Mill Trail, 100 yards

from the street.

Can you spot the Great Heron in this pic...

Cascade Falls

This waterfall is found in Patapsco State Park, Maryland.....Gary

Another Sky View

Another view from skyline  drive, shot with a Nikon D90, 18-200 Nikon Lens, 1/60 shutter F5/6 . It was a beautiful morning glad to be there, sky was amazing. Valerie

Shenandoah National Park

Golden days!

SkyLine Drive

Spent the weekend in VA, it was breathtaking, more pics to come from Gary and I

Last of the Summer Roses

Brookside Gardens watching the last of the Roses, Nikon D90, with 85mm F 3/5 G macro Lens. ISO 200 250 shutter F13. These are Mardi Gras roses. They were beautiful . Valerie

and the koi go crazy

So today we took a trip down to D.C to visit the national arboretum which was hosting an orchid flower show and they have a huge koi pond. For 50 cent you can feed the koi and they go crazy. Here are some of the shots from the day enjoy.................. Brian Gillis

All shot with a Nikon D-200, 18-35mm and 50mm lens

 Tips & Tricks- The koi shots- Flash held over the koi and fast shutter speed

Falls Glory

 Morning trip to the National Arboretum,  don't know the species, just that they are pretty, thats enough for me.1/100 F/5 ISO 200 back light. love the color. Nikon D90, Nikon 18-200mm lens. Valerie

A day at the skatepark with mom

So yesterday mom and I went to check out the skatepark and had a great time. For mom's first sport, fast moving action photography she was on point with the camera. If you have taken pictures of something moving fast then u know its not an easy shot to get also im almost 30 so doing high risk trick over and over is not as easy as it was when I was 14. All in all we had a great no broken bones and some really cool pictures.enjoy................................ Pictures by Val

Waterfalls on the Savage Mill Trail in Maryland

My wife and son seem to be very good at finding new places to take pictures. In Savage Mill Maryland at 9040 Gorman Road you will find the Bollman Iron Truss Bridge (constructed in 1869). It spans the Little Patuxent River. Right next to the bridge and river you will find the Savage Mill Trail and the waterfalls are only a short walk up the path ( about 400 yards). If you are planning to do photography either go very early in the morning or try an overcast day as direct sunlight on the waterfalls will most likely ruin your pictures.....Gary

Camera Nikon D-300/Lens Tamron 18-270mm/Aperture f-32/Shutter speed 1/1.6 sec./Iso 200
All of the next pictures were around the same camera settings...

Camera set to program priority.... think fast sometimes pictures just present themselves at a moments notice...

Aperture priority f-16....

Not having a Good Morning

Washington Zoo, Nikon D90, 18-200 Nikon Lens, Valerie

Cascade Falls Two Views

 Cascade Falls  off of Route 1 in Maryland ,spent the afternoon here yesterday, humid, but lovely, Nikon D90, Nikon 18-200 lens, 1/2.5 seconds at F20. I like them both. Valerie

Deep Down

Today mom and I decided to take a trip over to Luray Cavern in Virginia and it was well worth the drive. The cave goes deep into the earth and the rock and salt formations are very cool to see. Here are some of my top pictures of the day..enjoy................... Brian Gillis 

 This is Dream Lake and the water is only 18in deep and provides one cool reflection