Try Again?

In 2019 I walked a few streets in Hanover, PA with my Pentax DSLR KP camera and the HD Pentax DA 20-40mm lens and made the above images.  I sometimes think it would be nice to go back to the streets, but I’m wondering if my back and legs will hold up well enough now, four years later.  I’m also wondering about using my KP camera again for such photography, and if so, with what lens.  

I don’t have that 20-40mm lens anymore but I could use the 18-135mm lens on my next trip to the streets if I decide to go; or, should I get another lens?  The 20-40mm lens had better image quality, but is it worth it?  That is hard to decide when I can’t compare them; but, the 20-40mm lens would be 4 oz. lighter in weight and cost me an additional $400.

Or, should I switch to using my Fujifilm X-T30 II camera on the streets?  It is smaller and lighter, but I would be concerned about falling and breaking it.  I would also need to keep it dry since it isn’t weather resistant.  Another alternative that I am considering is replacing the Pentax with a used Fujifilm X-T3 camera.  While I don’t have anything else to do, I keep juggling these decisions and considering the pros and cons from different perspectives.

I will probably stick with a rational choice and just keep and use the gear I have, at least until I decide what I can and want to do in the future.  Since my going back to the streets is “iffy” and it isn’t rational to invest anymore in an older heavy camera system without a future, I’m not likely to buy any more lenses for the Pentax.

Seeing Double

As I consider and think about what else I can do with photography, I have been exploring other techniques.  In this case I used my Fujifilm camera to make double exposures in the camera.

The only reason that I can think of for making double exposures is to illustrate my inner confusion and uncertainty of what is.

Straight Documentary Photography

I ran out of ideas, long ago, relative to what I could find to photograph that was different.  Other than crafts, electric lines, the departing of the old and replacement with the new, the continuing erosion of the banks of Plum Creek, and the phases of the moon, there isn’t much other than photos of residents which I don’t publish on my blog due to privacy concerns.  Have you gotten the idea that I am tired of the above photography?

I would rather do something different and I’m still considering other things like walking the streets of Hanover and making images in B&W, or color, and making a book of the images.  If I do photograph on the streets of Hanover, and there are several reasons why I shouldn’t, I want to capture details rather than straight-on architectural shots of buildings.

If I stop photographing the same old stuff around Homewood and don’t go to the streets of Hanover, my most likely possibility is stopping with my blog photography.  If it comes to that I might continue with my lifestyle photography in B&W and collect images for a possible private book.

Passing By

The flowers come and go, year by year, just like a lot of us.

My cameras also come and go as my needs age and change.  I just sold all of my micro 4/3 gear since it was marginal for indoor Homewood photography.  I’m now down to just my Pentax KP camera (used to capture the above) for most of my outdoor environmental images and my Fujifilm X-T30 II for my indoor Homewood photography.  I use it with the electronic shutter to capture silent pictures in among the residents at events.

I am considering replacing the Pentax DSLR camera with another Fujifilm camera so that I always have backup cameras that use the same battery and lenses for indoor and outdoors.  I’ll probably need to do that eventually in-order to reduce the weight of my gear and increase the simplicity.

Fire Hydrants at Homewood

The fire hydrants within Homewood at Plum Creek are in need of being painted.  I don’t know who is responsible, Homewood or the Penn Township Fire Department, but I think we have a volunteer resident willing to paint them.  The problems are the authorization, the rules as to the color, and the difficulties of sand blasting them to remove the rust and flaking paint.  The one pictured might be the one in worst shape.  It is near Villa 601 on Morning Glory Drive near intersection with Westminster Road.

Environmental Changes

Those who have been following my blog for some time should have noted that I stopped writing about climate change and global warming.  One reason was that it has been a disruptive subject among some older generations, such as those who live at Homewood at Plum Creek.  Another reason I stopped was that I firmly believe that global heating is happening and we are beyond the point of being able to stop it due to our inability to ever convince populations to make the changes necessary to reverse it.  I believe that we need to change our approaches to dealing with it.

I believe that the results of global heating are going to be major and very disruptive to all aspects of global societies.  Everything will be impacted severely.  Our cultures will change, our economics will change, our food sources will change, migrations will change, our politics will change, and our financial and human support of our senior generations will be impacted negatively; i.e., every manner of our existence will be changing and we need to understand this and act accordingly for our continued existence.  Plan for changes since everything will, to various degrees, be changing.  Our total environment will change.

I am still considering projects and ways to continue with my blog and photography and I have not decided whether to tackle writing about the environmental changes coming, or not.  I know that it wouldn’t be appreciated or change the manners of my local viewers.

The first three images were made along Plum Creek and the last one was made on the edge of the big pond at Homewood.  I used my Pentax KP camera as I walked and considered how, or if, a Pentax DSLR camera will fit into my future photography of the local environment.

With a Long Zoom Lens?

These have been made with the Tamron lens and then cropped and processed.  For a 16+ zoom lens, it is OK; but, I still prefer a better prime lens that is smaller and lighter.  The question for me is, will I carry this Tamron lens with me most of the time just in case I see something or only use it when I know I’ll need it?  I think I know that answer, but I’m still trying to use it most of the time to see if/when I can leave it on my camera.  But, why would I wish to bother carrying it just in case, or to make images like these?

Tamron 18 – 300mm Lens

I used the Tamron lens at 300mm on the Fujifilm X-T30 II camera and then cropped the original image a little to make this view of the Red-Shouldered Hawk.

So far my evaluation of the lens-camera combination is working out OK in good light.  I wish the lens focused a little quicker but it is OK.

I have also been trying the lens indoors at ISO 12800 and 300mm at 6.3 aperture and the images are a little noisy and I will likely be down to 1/60 second shutter speed; but, I think that if I take the extra step in processing the images by running them through ON1 NoNoise AI with Tack Sharp AI that they will clean up sufficiently.

What is It?

I didn’t get a good picture and it was running along the pond after a confrontation with geese.  It looks to me like a member of the weasel family, maybe a large mink.  If anyone has a better idea, for this part of PA, let me know.

I really need a different camera and lens for wildlife “hunting”.  I used the Fuji X-T30 II and the Tamron 18-300mm lens which I was trying out.