Poor, poor, neglected blog! The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and they are pervious. Anyhow, Landscape Architecture studies at Temple Ambler has been consuming the majority of my time, however that has not precluded photography. I've actually been taking quite a few photos in conjunction with my program: a recent field trip to NYC to High Line and Bryant Parks, and Paley and Seagram Plazas; a site visit to Green Lane Park up in Perkiomen for our studio class; and taking photos of trees for Native Woody Plant ID around town and also up in Howard, NY. The last is the origination of this post.
As I was sorting through photos to id trees for class, I tweaked this one a little bit. It was already way over-exposed so it was mostly highlights of the Beech (Fagus grandifolia) leaves over head, then I drained the color out of it in iPhoto. I like the result. It's abstract and elemental though still recognizable as leaves on a tree. I like being able to mix so many of my interests in one field with one course of study. Who knows, maybe I'll get my act together and share some of my designs on the blog. If so, keep in mind that this is the first semester of my first year in the program.

It's been so long since I've posted to this poor neglected blog. Last year the plan was to revamp and change the focus beyond photography to something more comprehensive and more representative of my interests. So let's do it! It's never to late to be what you want to become, somebody once said.

So now in addition to photography, this blog will also be concerned with:
A. Landscape Architecture, (I'm starting my Master's Program at Temple Ambler this fall)
B. Hiking, of course!
C. Not to be cliched and band wagoney, but sustainable practices (i.e. my wife and I want to go into part time organic farming, and raise chickens and bees and goats and rabbits!)
D. Whatever else comes to mind!

As I embark upon Landscape Architecture, (I started taking classes this Spring - one online about the history of landscape architecture, a directed studies in horticulture about woody plant propagation, and one seminar last January about trees in the urban landscape, which totally turned me onto tree identification, so much so, that now I carry not one but three identification books with me when I hike: Peterson's Guide to Eastern Trees, Peterson's Guide to Eastern Forests, and The Urban Tree Book by Arthur Plotnik, all great guide books to have around.) I'm becoming more and more aware of the disconnect between us and the land around us. It's what I noticed when I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2005-6. It was so refreshing to feel that connection, that I've been seeking a way to do so in everyday life ever since. I believe that landscape architecture will let me do that. I'll be able to design landscapes that reconnect us to the land and allow us to feel that sense of place that has been lost in our technological world. Maybe some of the sense of community and spirituality that I see missing too.

The funny thing is, a lot of people have realized this and written great books about it. I suggest Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which I just started reading and my wife's been telling me to read for at least the last year; also Theory in Landscape Architecture has some great pieces by leaders in the field from the last 50 years for those whole really want an in depth perspective; and Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal by Joel Salatin which I also just started leafing through yesterday, about the challenges of small farming.

On my hike yesterday, I took my two year old black Lab, Lily, up to the AT at the PA 325 crossing and hiked 2.8 miles up to the junction with the western terminus of the Horseshoe Trail. Along the way I broke out the field guides and identified Chestnut Oak and Striped Maple and I think some Elm, although I'm not sure because the leaves are still coming in. I took pictures and collected specimens to use in the plant propagation program at Temple. It was a great day and a great feeling combining so many of my passions into one 5 hour hike.

Last winter, my fiance and I spent the weekend after Christmas at her parent's house in Upstate NY. There's limited development and much of the landscape is still pastoral farmland which means very little light pollution. So on clear nights, the galaxy spreads out in every direction like a bejeweled dome glistening in candle light.

I wanted to bring three elements into this photo: the contrast of the lighted house against the darkness of the forest behind and the starry sky above. My intent is to convey the feeling of warmth and safety from the house, while the forest looms ominously in the background bridged by the eerie glow from the sky. While inside you may be safe, one step beyond and you may not.

I setup my D70 on a tripod to prevent image blur, set the ISO to 1600 and the exposure to manual holding it open for five minutes. The extended exposure made the light from the house appear to glow in the windows in addition to capturing the stars. I set the aperture to f4 to let the maximum amount of light in. I took several exposures, experimenting with the aperture and the amount of time I kept the shutter open and found this combination to be the best.