Amherst: Pet Turtles 4/18/15

Map of location:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zTkabQQyno5A.kaSJiFwhM2S4

     I went to visit my "pet" turtles that live in the swamp next to the bike path in Amherst. These guys can usually be seen sunning themselves on the logs on sunny, warm days. They tend to spook easily so move slowly if you want to get closer. (You can't really get very close without jumping in the water anyway.)

Hadley: Fields and Bike Path 6/22/14

Map of location:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zvKtk7uXBcCM.kea1zOx1wWo8

    This is a part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Hadley, right near the Connecticut River. In the second photo I am standing on the levy that runs along Cross Path Road, and on the 4th of July the Amherst fireworks are perfectly visible from here, though a bit small.

West Springfield: Bear Hole 6/23/14

Map of Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zvKtk7uXBcCM.kHo6X8k7yrSE

     On this day some friends showed me around the Bear Hole Reservoir area in West Springfield. We parked at a cell phone tower at the end of a trail, right near the 1 on the map. (We got to the trail at the end of Morgan Road, in West Springfield.) This is a picture of the tower, followed by a really goofy looking one I tried to take using the panorama feature on the iPhone to go vertical and get the entire tower in one shot.

     Then we walked a bit to location 3 where the trail goes under the pike and took a look at all the graffiti that is there. (Side note, since our trip there, one of my friends told me he got chased out by cops on ATVs. I don't remember seeing any "no trespassing" signs, but if you plan to come here be aware that it may not be legal.)

Palmer: Lilly Pond 11/27/14

Map of Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zvKtk7uXBcCM.kVSKvwfCFPp8

     These were taken on Thanksgiving after the snow. It is pretty lucky timing to get a shot of snow around an unfrozen pond!

Photos From Thanksgiving Snow

These were all taken on 11/28/14 except for the FitzWilly's one; that was from a failed attempt at protecting while shooting in the cold wet snow. (I need an assistant to hold the umbrella in times like that. Accepting applications, I'll pay you in Junior Mints.)

All were taken with the Canon Rebel T4i.

Friend Challenge 001/Black Friday

I made this for an art prompt some friends of mine came up with. The original theme was Statue of Liberty , but then it switched to "rage." I was thinking of something like this for Lady Liberty anyway, so when the topic changed I just rolled with it. It's relevant enough for posting on Black Friday, too!

Drawn first with pencil, then most of the color was blocked in with watercolor (Prang), then I inked it with a brush tip pen (Prismacolor) and then I did a bit of shading and texture with color pencils (Prismacolor). Then I took a photo of it and adjusted colors a bit in Photoshop.

Fall 2014, 2 of 2

These were taken on a walk around the North Street neighborhood and bike path area in Northampton, MA. All were taken with the Canon Rebel T4i.