scintillating skies

Last year, I was fortunate enough to make it a few fireworks events here in Ohio–Toledo and Groveport. This was my first year actually shooting these magnificent displays of color and light successfully, even though I have been to many fireworks events throughout my life. Owning a decent digital camera and tripod helped tremendously while understanding the proper exposure time and aperture settings.

This is my first installment of these grandios events that take place every summer around the 4th of July. Groveport's fireworks always prove to be great just about every year I have gone, displaying a good variety of color and intensity. But I have to say Toledo's downtown pyrotechnic display over the Maumee waterfront was undeniably one of the best I have ever been to within the past decade! Toledo's Red White Kaboom event proved not only to be one of the best in varieties of effects and color, but the duration of the display alone was amazing and well worth the travel from Columbus. Below is a glimpse of some of those magical moments from those spectacular evenings last summer.

scintillating skies

geckos . tails to toepads

This past month I was fortunate enough to get out to a very excellent Gecko exhibition that is currently on until May 8th at COSI. This very educational installation hosts up to 17 unique and stunning species from around the globe in beautiful glass aquariums very natural to their native environment.

Providing detailed facts of the species on display, secrets behind their toepads, a video on leopard gecko morphs, and several other interactive kiosks for all to enjoy. This has been my second favorite exhibition COSI has brought to Columbus since the Frogs : a chorus of colors in spring 2009.

Geckos

wonderland of lights III

This is the third installment of luminary displays taken during the 2010 Holiday season. These photos where taken at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Columbus Zoo, Dawes Arboretum and various other places throughout Columbus and Cincinnati.

Enjoy the charms of the Winter Solstice!

WONDERLAND OF LIGHTS III

accents of autumn II

The warm colors of decay and cool evenings are upon us once again. Last year, I took these photos in the lush season of wonder and bliss at various metroparks and arboretums in Ohio every weekend I could manage. Here are some those best moments captured from Dawes Arboretum, Slate Run Metropark, and Woodland Cemetary & Arboretum in 2009.

Enjoy the charming colors of the Autumnal Equinox!

accents of autumn II

chariots of the summer skies

This past summer, I have been fortunate enough to witness some of best Balloon Launches and Glows, Ohio has to offer. Every year, several different counties throughout the state put together their annual weekend Balloon festivals for native Ohioans to enjoy. Even people and Balloonists from nearby states participate in these activities to see these beautiful chariots ascend to the skies and illuminate their brilliant colors at dusk.

So this year, I made it a goal to finally capture these massive sky ornaments of color throughout this beautiful state. I started and ended with smaller festivals such as Ashland’s Balloon Fest in July and ended with Grove City’s final sunday morning launch in late August. In between, I witnessed Urbana’s Balloon glow, Middletown’s MidFirst Ohio Challenge & Glow, and Canton’s spectacular Balloon Classic invitational.

I may have missed a few other ones in between, but there is always next year! In the meantime, here are some moments captured of these stellar launches and glows!

chariots of the summer skies

related links:

Ashland Balloon Fest

Urbana Balloon Fest

MidFirst Ohio Challenge

Balloon Classic invitational

Grove City’s Balloons & Tunes

Central Ohio Balloon Club

of a star • finding gaia

One of my favorite netlabels, Archaic Horizon has released a premier album by a very promising new musician known as Of a Star. John Glaunert opens his heart for us to take a glimpse of his enchanting summertime atmospheres that reminisence of blissful moments of the past, what is to come, and what cannot be explained. Finding Gaia is a refreshing mixture of idm, ambient and experimental using both acoustic and analog electronic elements that are truly inspired by Mother Nature. You can download this beloved release directly at Archaic Horizon or a very limited free copy from the musician himself! Special thanks to Harry Warren at Breauhare for creating a beautifully nostalgic font.

archaic horizon

of a star

botanical harmonies • white

This is the closing series of my botanical harmonies collection. The perfect summer color of white can represent a variety of meanings depending upon its shade and tonality. It can represent such meanings as: light, purity, clarity, neutrality, virginity, sterility, innocence, truth, honor, helpfulness, remembrance, reverence, spirituality, and transcendence.

Because of its pure and neutral properties, white is one of the most commonly used colors in the design and decoration. It can accent other colors while making other colors more lively and prominent in just about any case. Knowing that white flowers can produce a vast spectrum of color combinations, we can assume that they can take on even more additional meanings combined. White is a key basis of all color and considered the color of perfection by many cultures throughout the world.

botanical harmonies • white