I just got an alert from my Flickr mail that the Director of Communications at the Natural Lands Trust, asking for permission to use this image as part of their collection for Stroud Preserve!
Needless to say, I’m very honored by this recognition!
thank you very much for this honor and I look forward to seeing my image on your website!
– Andrew
Update
Since getting this e-mail, I have had the chance to visit both the Binky Lee and ChesLen Preserves with Madison and Logan for our Family Nature Walks! (Unfortunately, Amy can join us because of her allergies!)
Again I am blown away by the fact that I have traveled past both these preserves many a times and never realized they were there, let alone how beautiful they are!
I was lucky enough to have a free day to go out and do some shooting.
The later Summer, early Autumn weather has been relatively warm, and no cold snaps to set the leaves into colors yet, but I was still going to go out.
If anything, just to do some scouting.
So off I went…
I love having a GPS!
After about an hour of just driving around, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Morgantown, Churchtown and Honey Brook areas, I headed toward Hibernia Park to find the spot I had surveyed earlier in the Summer on another GPS drive.
After parking in the small little lot, I equipped myself, crossed the bridge and down the trail to find a way to creek edge.
What had caught my eye about this section before, was the bigger rocks and swifter water flow.
I was hoping for more color in the canopy over the water, but it was not going to be…
Looking up the Brandywine – Hibernia Park
Even without the real reds and oranges of Fall, this part of the Brandywine presented many nice sections of water action, and found myself setting up and capturing several section during my creek walk.
As I crawled across a fallen tree, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, a single small white mushroom, growing in the hollowed out root ball of one of the trees.
Tree Stump with White Mushroom – Hibernia Park
Setting up my tripod for this shot, was very difficult because of the angle I needed to see into the stump, and having a stable platform to do the multiple shoots needed for HDR, but I think it was worth it.
This image is a revisit of one of those captures, where I have incorporated several new software applications (Adobe Camera Raw 6.4.1, Photomatix 4.1 and Adobe Photoshop CS5) and techniques to create this image.
To be honest, I had never heard of this event before and over the next couple of weeks, I tried to help keep the topic alive in my “social” network.
That being said, when Saturday arrived, the kids were very eager to go, and were having a hard time understanding that we were going to be leaving later in the day.
Our plan was to be there for the “Mass Ascension Hot Air Balloon Launch”, which was scheduled to start at 6pm.
Getting there was a breeze, and parking was the typical off-road and on to the grass arrangement.
We got there early enough that the real crows had not gathered, so we were able to leisurely walk around and check up the some of the vendors and get some food.
As we relaxed and ate some dinner, we sat in the field that was allowing folks to walk into semi-inflated interior, and watched as some people climbed into another tethered for a quick ride into the sky..
The starting time for the “Mass Ascension Hot Air Balloon Launch” neared, and we headed toward the viewing area, and managed to squeeze into a small spot.
Both Madison and Logan stretched their necks to see the balloons slowly gaining size as the handlers blew up the balloons with hot air.
Handlers adding hot air to the balloon
We watched as each colorful balloon gained its final shape, and lifted into the air.
Balloons being launched into the air
The last few balloons were taking much longer then the traditional ones to fill with air, and kept may new comers guessing what they were, but it was apparent that they were something complex.
Finally the Clown Head and Haunted Halloween House had taken shape, and in the spirit of the balloon, the crew added a little extra touch to the moment!
Skeleton in the Haunted House balloon
The kids had a great time, and we do plan to go back next year!
When we finally got up to start the new day, we were greeted with a phone message announcing that the Downingtown area Schools were to have a (2) hour Opening Delay, and the local television news reports were showing segments on Road Closures and Flooding Damage in the surrounding areas.
Needless to say, traffic was BAD!
By 11am, I had Madison on the bus and off to school, and Logan dropped off at Day Care.
I was on my own!
Now to my Daily “Online Check-In” to catch-up…
On the “Chester County, PA” Flickr group, I noticed Brian Cox’s photo that he had taken at Hibernia Park, which gave me the idea.
Fungi DOF by Brian Cox
So I fired up Goggle Earth and Maps, and plotted my course into my GPS, and off I went…
I got there and tried to find a Trail Map, but was thwarted because there did not seem to be folks in the Offices, even though there were cars around. (When I got home, I was able to find a PDF Trail map)
Oh well… on with my adventure!
After watching some other cars drive by, I drove down a dirt road toward the “Old Dam” area, parked, and gathered my gear…
Shooting Vest, Lens, extra Memory cards, Tripod, etc…
I was off!
What struck me the moment I turned off the car, was the loud sound of water rushing!
Just by the loud sound, you could tell there had been some rain lately!
I looked around the “Old Dam” ruins, and saw some water, but nothing really worth photographing, and started down the “Forge Trail”, toward that sound.
As I got to the first opening on the trail, this is what I saw:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 038
Notice the the line of leaves on the right side of the image, to get an idea of how far up on land, the flood line is!
Walking a little further down the trail, and turning around, I got this the view, looking back up the creek:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 060
Again, notice how far up the leaves are on the left side!
And from this picture, you can CLEARLY see how high the water is from all the rain!
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 059
I raised the ISO to 1600, and was able to capture these images, trying to illustrate the movement of the water as it barreled down the creek.
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 207Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 146
You have to LOVE the ability to change ISO in mid “film”!
One funny moment during this shoot.
I was setting up my tripod to take a picture, and felt something hit my foot.
When I looked down, I saw several scared fresh water cray fish jumping around, and then they were off into the creek!
“Someone” was not happy I was there!
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 041
This actually happen twice!
On my trip down and then back up!
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 283
I continued my walk down creek, past the little pond in the “Lower Damn” area, following Lions Head Drive.
About midway between “Cottage #3” and “Cottage #2”, there is a little hill, that has a barbecue stand and a picnic table, and from the top of the hill, I was able to get this view point, and take this image:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 067
I then moved to in front of the tree to capture, these:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 086Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 163
My last capture before “Cottage #2”, was this tranquil little image:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 225
Looking at my watch, I started back to the “Old Dam” parking lot, and was able to take a few moments to capture these images:
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 291
and finally…
Hibernia Park (10/1/2010) – 315
As you can see, there was allot of “action” on the river!
When I got to the Parking lot, there was another gentleman just getting ready to begin his adventure in photographing the creek!
I got home with about 15 minutes to spare before Madison got off the bus.
Yeah!
As she did her home work, I was able to begin processing the 318 images that I took.
Again, you have to LOVE the Digital Age!
Update – 4 Oct 10 – Since originally taking these images, I have managed to publish two (2) different galleries of digital pictures related to this adventure, and I invite you to take a take a look!
