View from Lady Bird Johnson Park, GW Parkway

Earlier this summer, I as testing my Toyo 500mm lens, happened to stop by at the Lady Bird Johnson Park off GW Parkway. The Navy memorial is located at one end of the park. Park affords a great view of the Washington Memorial and the Jefferson Memorials across the Potomac river. The other lenses I had that day were the Zuiko 200mm f/4 and the Zuiko 35-70mm f/4 and the reliable old Olympus OM-2. I figured it would be a great to be able to compare the lenses, so busily switched lenses for these shots – the early summer evening ensured that there was lots of light on the Memorial buildlngs, but most of the Potomac river was in shadow. It was a challenge to handhold the Toyo Fivestar 500mm lens for the shot of the Washington Memorial. Next time I’ll remember to lug a tripod along.

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Zuiko 35-70mm f/4 at 35mm

Zuiko 35-70mm f/4 at 70mm

Zuiko 200mm f/4

Zuiko 200mm f/4

Toyo 500mm f/8 at f/11

Toyo 500mm f/8 at f/11

Zuiko 35-70mm f/4 at 70mm

Zuiko 200mm f/4

Toyo 500mm f/8 at f/11

Photographed with an OM-2, Zuiko 35-70mm f/4, Zuiko 200mm f/4, Toyo Five Star 500mm f/8. Film was Fuji Superia 400, and exposure was calculated with the Sunny 16 rule. Exposure for all 3 lenses was 1/500 at f/11, using a Polarizer.

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.

 

Sauter’s Delight

Sauter’s Delight is a farm located just outside of Westminster, MD on Old Bachman’s Valley Road. It’s very picturesque, and I have photographed it several times. Also, since it’s easily accessible, because it’s easy to park by the roadside without having traffic whizzing past all the time. These were taken over the course of the year, from Late Winter through Early Summer to Late Summer with different cameras, lenses and film using the Sunny 16 rule.

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Late Winter, OM-1, Zuiko 50mm f/1.8

Late Winter, OM-1, Zuiko 50mm f/1.8

Early Summer, OM-2, Vivitar 24mm f/2.8

Early Summer, OM-2, Sigma 35-105 (60mm)

Late Summer, OM-2, Zuiko 200 f/4

Late Summer, OM-2, Zuiko 200 f/4

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Photographed with an OM-1 and OM-2 Camera, Zuiko 50mm f/1.8, Sigma 35-105mm, Zuiko 200mm f/4 and Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 lenses on Fuji 200 and Fuji 400 film. Exposures ranged from 1/500 at f/16 to 1/250 at f/8

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.

 

Old Farmhouse on Sullivan Road

This old farmhouse and barn sits just outside of Westminster, a couple of miles north of the town. I usually drive that route when I want to take a more scenic way into the town, instead of taking MD Rte 97 south from work. This is a very accessible site, just off the road, with easy parking… there aren’t many vehicles around that road (except on Mondays, when a nearby auction house is holding their occasional outdoor and barn auction). I’ve photographed this barn many times over the past year. The pond, well and barn always stop me dead in my tracks., and I pull over for a couple of minutes just savoring the view.

OM-2, Vivitar 24mm 1/500 at f/16, Fuji 400

OM-2, Vivitar 24mm, 1/500 at f/16, Fuji 400

OM-2, Sigma 35-105mm f/1.8, 35mm 1/500 at f/16, Fuji 400

OM-2, Zuiko 50mm, 1/500 at f/16, Fuji 400

OM-1, 50mm f/1.8, Fuji 200

Ricoh 500G, 1/250 at f/16 Fuji 200

Ricoh 500G, 1/250 at f/16, Fuji 200

Photographed with an OM-2, (Vivitar 24mm, Sigma 35-105mm, Zuiko 50mm f/1.8) OM-1 (50mm f/1.8) and Ricoh 500G

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.

 

Close-up photography with a Soligor C/D 500mm Mirror lens

I always appreciate an opportunity to use my Soligor 500mm f/8 Mirror lens, and like most other mirrors, it has a “close focusing” ability that’s often marketed as “Macro”. The fixed aperture setting (f/8) imposes a few limitations, of course, but the ability to handhold a 500mm lens outweighs the disadvantages any day. I didn’t even have to go far… this beautiful Yoshino Cherry tree was in full bloom right outside my brother-in-law’s home in Gaithersburg MD. I walked around taking a few photographs, trying very hard to relax and keep my hands steady. I used my Olympus OM-2 camera, with 400 ASA film.

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Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Yoshino Cherry -500mm Soligor

Photographed with an Olympus OM-2, with a Soligor 500mm f/8 mirror lens and Fuji Superia 400 film. 1/250 second at f/8.

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.

 

Skyscape near Damascus, MD

I spotted this striking skyscape on my way home from work.. It must have been about 6.30 PM as I was driving south on Rte 27 near Damascus, MD. I looked for a good spot where I could get a clear view and pulled over to take the photographs. The lighting on the underside of the clouds was actually much softer and seemed to make the clouds glow with an inner radiance. The relative brightness of the scene (I was shooting into the sun) underexposed the lower part of the scene a little, and I lost some of the subtle details. I had my OM-2 and a Sigma 35-105mm zoom and was loaded with 400 ASA film, although a slower film would have been better for such a bright scene. I had to use a polarizer and protect my eyes while taking the shot – the Sigma is a beautiful lens, very sharp and ideal when one needs a “all-round” lens for a day trip, It’s surprisingly small and light, and very well constructed. I tend to have this lens in my camera bag a lot, and it has never failed to surprise me with its versatility.

Skyscape 1

Skyscape 2

Skyscape 3

Photographed with an OM-2, Sigma 35-105mm f/3.5-f/4.6 lens and Polarizer, Fuji Superia 400 film, 1/250 second at f/16

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.

 

Warming up Winter Scenes

Here are some more snow scenes from the recent snowstorm in Maryland. These were taken just after the series with the 80B filter, but by this time, the snow had stopped falling. I was able to go out with the OM-2 again, but this time with a Zuiko 28mm. I used a 81A filter on the wide-angle lens, and the effect of the 81A filter really shows up in the photographs. When photographing subjects in sunlight, the 81A filter’s brown doesnt show up that much — it gives a nice tanned look to pale subjects, and makes reds and yellows a little richer – but in overcast snow conditions, it gives the whole picture a old-timey, sepia tone look. I must say that this was unexpected, and I was pleased with the results.

81A Snowscape #1

81A Snowscape #2

81A Snowscape #3

81A Snowscape #4

Photographed with an OM-2 and Zuiko 28mm f/3.5 lens with an 81A filter, 1/250 sec at f/11 on Fuji Super HQ 200 film.

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text and images © 2007 ajoy muralidhar. all names, websites, brands and technical data referenced are the copyright or trademark of their respective owners.