Before and After the Storm

“The Calm Before the Storm”

This post is a reminder to me that with the storm of life comes beauty and anticipation of a stunning day at Amelia Island coming soon.  Despite the COVID19 and all that entails, the beach and sunshine have no partnership with it.  Go to the beach and soak in the sunshine!

A respite from the snow and cold of winter, this image inspires us to “think” of warmer days and the delights of the ocean and the opportunities it brings to us to venture into wonderful places to photograph nature. This image along the waterways and salt marshes of Amelia Island was shot just as the clouds were rolling in for a major thunderstorm which created wonderful crisp-clear color and interesting cloud formations. As the threatening lighting and thunder were behind me, I was reminded that with beauty must also come danger and it is especially so in landscape, nature and wildlife photography.

After the Storm:  We return to the beautiful and restful Amelia Island, a place of beauty, refuge and respite, peaceful sunrise and sunsets and blue hour glory.

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Cars, Trucks, Photo Walks & Friends

What better way to enjoy a Saturday than photo walking with friends.  We often participate in photo walks both our own, local and the biggie, Scott Kelby’s WorldWide Photo Walk.  For photographers who love working in HDR-DRI, the endless subjects for creating amazing images are everywhere and photowalks allow friends to get together at various times and places to share together their love of photography.   This image is from our local Winchester Photowalk WWPW led by jArt.  It was a beauty and the Classic Car Show provided more than expected from the walk.

O Beautiful Annapolis

The always stunning waterfront in historic Annapolis, Maryland. Annapolis is one of the most beautiful and historic sites to photograph in America. It was our home for many years and truly a photography powerhouse of great historical and landscape beauty whether the city, historic district, waterfront of county-side. Add Annapolis to your photography portfolio! -JacyJoypals JayJacyPhotography

Annapolis Skyline Sunset

Beautiful Oceans at Sunrise and Sunset

Amelia Island Sunrise-Sunsets

Is there anything better or a more romantic setting than the ocean at sunset [sunrise]?  Artists and photographers have captured the magnificence of this scene since the beginning and who cannot be inspired by such sights?  You can feel the sun and ocean mist upon your skin, walk upon its warm sand, smell and taste the salty ocean and dive into its depths, or, like me,  just drink in its beauty in solitude and photograph away.  Such a place as this beckons us back again and again.    It is no wonder that it is a favorite place for wedding nuptials, couples retreats, family vacations and subject for photographers and artists.  I am a slave to its beauty and spend as much blissful time there as possible.

This image is a compilation (HDR) (DRI) from my most recent visit to the ocean depicting my own version inspired by Dutch marine painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag’s (1831 – 1915)  “Setting Sun” [1887 Musée d’Orsay, Paris].  No photograph can compare to the beauty of the original painting but their work serves as an instrument of inspiration for landscape photographers to encourage them to create works of art.  We learn much by study of the art of the masters and can apply it to our own knowledge and creativity of good art. 

We begin our photography travels again in early spring through the fall 2020 and at the top of our list is to add as many oceans, seas, rivers and lakes we can cover to photograph and enjoy their beauty.   Perhaps we will capture that unique and beautiful image for our “masterpiece” collection too!

Happy Creating!

@jacyjoypals @HDRCHIC