Capturing Spectrum

Capturing Spectrum
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

There are some things about photogrpahy that we never notice until we view an image large in post processing. Something we weren't expecting to capture that makes the photo more appealling. This is one of the fountains found at the St. Louis Zoo. What I noticed when I went to process it, was that I captured the spectrum from the sun on the mist in front of the fountain. It was a nice addition to the shot and ultimately made me enjoy the shot even more. Hope you all enjoy it too! :)

Winter Waterfall

Winter Waterfall
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Another shot from the frozen waterfall at Creve Coeur Park. I was able to get down in it a bit without slipping and killing myself. LoL. I'm really going to love this UWA lens. Hopefully going to get out today to do some more test shooting. Weather permitting of course. :) Enjoy!

Abrams Falls Flare

Abrams Falls Flare
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

So I've always wanted to share this shot because I really like it, but at the same time I kind of don't. I wish the color was perfect and the sun flare wasn't changing the tones in the shot. But at the same time, as I've spent time debating whether or not to post this one, I've grown to kind of like it. It's just a spur of the moment shot and I just happened to capture the flare that way. It ended turning out ok I suppose. Let me know what you all think about it. Extreme Sun Flare over Abrams Falls bad? or good? Enjoy!

Frozen Wide Angle Waterfall

Frozen Wide Angle Waterfall
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

So here is the same waterfall from Creve Coeur Park that I shared with you guys earlier in the summer. Christmas eve we got a good four inches of snow and then among our running around on Christmas day, we stopped by to shoot it. Jenea with her new Nikon D3100 I got her for Christmas, and my new Sigma 10-20mm UWA. I can already tell that I am going to love this lens and the angles it gets when I get down low. It's wonderfully sharp and I have absolutely no complaints so far. :) Enjoy!

Sigma UWA

Sigma UWA
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is my Christmas present that I got this year. A Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 ultra wide angle lens. I've had a bit of a chance to get some test shots with it, but have to finish up processing them so I will probably have one up tomorrow hopefully. Can't wait to use this one in WDW in Febuary. Enjoy! :)

An Appropriate Shot

An Appropriate Shot
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Another Merry Christmas Greeting from your bud Dishippy! I thought this shot would be very appropriate for Christmas day for a couple of reasons. One, it's an ornament, duh. Obvious I know. :) Two, it's an ornament my mom got at the Christmas store in Downtown Disney on our last trip in 2008. And three, and this is the best one, on Christmas day it will be exactly two months until we leave for our next trip to the World on Febuary 25! Finally! I cannot wait to unleash my camera and sharpen my skills at WDW! Again, I hope all of you and your families have a great and safe holiday. Merry Christmas!

Wishing A Merry Christmas

Wishing A Merry Christmas
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

My girlfriend and I were at my mom and dad's house for a family Christmas party over this past weekend. Amidts the chaos of 30 or 40 of our closest relatives I was able to get a couple shots of my mom's beautiful Christmas tree and some of her Disney ornaments. She always gets a few from the Christmas stores in WDW when we are down. And it seems that every time I post a shot that I took with my 50mm, I end up saying how much I love my 50mm. :) And I love that 50mm! LoL But I do want to extend a thanks to all of you that I've become friends with over the past year. I've really grown as a photographer from watching and talking with a lot of you. Thanks again and I hope you and yours all have a wonderful Christmas! Enjoy!

I See You Too

I See You Too
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

For whatever reason, whenever I go shooting at the zoo, I always seem to have some of my best luck inside the Reptile House. Which is weird because I am slightly affraid of snakes, but love the photograph them. This guy was moving around his enclosure when he saw me trying to get a shot of him and he turned almost all the way around almost to say, "yeah, I see you too!" Enjoy!

Arch Against the Clouds

Arch Against the Clouds
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

When I was shooting the arch from this spot, I really couldn't help but get excited about being able to sick that UWA lens on the arch after Christmas. I really enjoyed how the clouds created some different contrast. Enjoy!

Downtown STL

Downtown STL
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

A shot of downtown St. Louis taken from udnerneath the St. Louis Gateway Arch. It was a chilly day that day and it was quite windy on the Arch grounds so the shooting was breath. Even though it was cloudy that day, it seemed to add good contrast to the shots. Enjoy!

The Serene Abrams Falls

The Serene Abrams Falls
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Here's another shot from Abrams Falls which is in the Cades Cove area of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This was definitely the most serene part of our trip. It didn't even feel that we had hiked 2.5 miles to get there. The amount of water coming over the falls every second was really pumping out some negative ions making for very good feelings in the waterfalls basin. Enjoy!

Mosaic Bokeh

Mosaic Bokeh
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is from a small mosaic table and bench set that can be found at Laumeier Sculpture Park. I spent quite a bit of time enjoying these pieces because of all the different colors that can be found. This of course is one of the benches taken with my 50mm f/1.8. Enjoy!

Wide Open Integra

Wide Open Integra
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Here's a little fun that I was having shooting with my 50mm 1.8 a while back. This is a shot of the back end of my 1999 Acura Integra. I was going for as much bokeh as I could accomplish. Enjoy!

Clingman's Dome Panoramic

Clingman's Dome Panoramic
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

I know that this isn't the best pano I've done, but I wanted to share the view with you all anyway. This is from the lookout tower atop Clingman's Dome in Smoky Mountain National Park. It is the highest point in the smokies and was a great view. The half mile incredibly steep trail up the hill to the lookout was easily the hardest walk we did all trip long. But this view was amazing and worth it. I took four shots facing away from the sun to see as far as possible. We were at just over 6,600 feet and it was awesome! I made HDR's of each single RAW file then put together my panoramic to try and bring out the details and a bit more distance. Enjoy!

Please View Large Size

Movement in the River

Movement in the River
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Yet another shot from in the river at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Something about the movement of water always interested me and then I got my SLR and I can't stay away from it. Those negative ions must attract me and my camera. :) Enjoy!

Fountain and Flowers

Fountain and Flowers
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is the small fountain inside the temperate house at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I actually just held my camera down at an angle to get this shot as I couldn't be standing in a flower bed. :) Enjoy!

Flowers and Bokeh

Flowers and Bokeh
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

So switching gears out of the Cheekwood series, but not too fast. There is still some Chihuly in this shot, this was from a day towards the end of the summer where we went out shooting at Missouri Botanical Gardens. I really liked these white flowers and the Chihuly arch was in the distance and I was able to line this up and widen my f/stop. Enjoy!

Persian Atrium

Persian Atrium
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

A view of one of the entire atrium windows with the persian lilies. This was the side in the shade, while the window which was behind me while shooting this had sun shining through. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Sun on the Hill

Sun on the Hill
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is a bit of a wider angle on the sun sculpture. I wanted to include the mansion at the top of the hill as well. The vibrant colors in the pieces really contrast the landscape and background. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Colorful Cattails

Colorful Cattails
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Another shot of the red cattails, but a little closer to a group of them. I really enjoyed the colors that were in these pieces. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Detail in Fiori

Detail in Fiori
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is the next group of pieces in the same reflection pool. I wanted to get tighter on these pieces to capture the detail and variation in the individual pieces. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Fiori Reflection

Fiori Reflection
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is a close up of some of the fiori pieces in the reflection pool at Cheekwood. It's my girlfriends favorite shot out of the bunch because it's hard to tell where the piece stops and the reflections begin. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Float and Shadows

Float and Shadows
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

The shadows the were cast by the trees and the early sun really did wonders on the japanese garden and the glass floats that could be found there. Enjoy!

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Sweeping View of the Japanese Garden

Sweeping View of the Japanese Garden
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Here's another shot of the japanese garden at Cheekwood with the Chihuly moon sculpture and the floats in the zen garden. I wanted to get another angle that was a bit wider and that showed the contrast these pieces created against the surrounding landscape. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/10
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Wide Open Macchia

Wide Open Macchia
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

A shot of the Macchia in the lobby of Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. These Chihuly pieces were so great and color variation from piece to piece really caught my eye. With this one, I wanted to play with some wide open stuff. Let me know what you think! :) Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/8
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Pink Fiori

Pink Fiori
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Here are those pink fiori pieces from yesterdays shot. I really enjoyed how the sky reflected off of them. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/20
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Sunlit Blues

Sunlit Blues
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

These blue spear reed looking things were sticking in a fountain just next to the purple herons and some other pink pieces which you can see in the background. The sunlight was coming through the trees and exploding these pieces with color and really changing their look with the changing light. These glass pieces in this installation and at all the other outdoor Chihuly exhibition I've seen belong outside where they can let the sun do it's magic. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/5.3
Shutter Speed: 1/125
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Shaded Purple Herons

Shaded Purple Herons
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is a group of purple herons under a tree in the shade. They were almost metallic looking but the variety of the color scheme is what I really enjoyed about these pieces. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/20
Shutter Speed: 0.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Cobalt Blue on the Hillside

Cobalt Blue on the Hillside
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Just outside the atrium with the persian lilies, we find some cobalt blue reeds perched on a hillside. The sun was cutting through the trees and lighting up the pieces very nicely. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/13
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Persian Lilies in the Windows

Persian Lilies in the Windows
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Passing through a building onto some more of the gardens and more Chihuly installations, we find these persian lilies in the atrium windows. They were just glowing in the sunlight and very enjoyable to take in. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/16
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Staring into the Sun

Staring into the Sun
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

This is Dale Chihuly's Sun sculpture! This is the first time that I've ever seen this sculpture in person. I really enjoy how there is a variety of color that is in this piece. Not to mention the amount of individual pieces it takes to make this one sculpture. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/16
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Yellow Herons in Fountain

Yellow Herons in Fountain
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

At the top of the stone staircase, we find another small fountain with some yellow heron pieces in it. This whole area was very quiet and peaceful which made this particular installation quite enjoyable. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/16
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Blue Marlins Enjoying the Water

Blue Marlins Enjoying the Water
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

These pieces are called blue marlins. They were sitting in a small pond that was adjacent a stone stair case that went up to the next installation. They almost seem as though the are there to bath in the water on a great day. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 0.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Mille Fiori Reflections Panoramic

Mille Fiori Reflections Panoramic
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

And finally we have a panoramic of all three installations. It actually took about ten minutes of waiting for others to move in order to get all the shots. This is a 3 HDR pano (9 shots). Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/15
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Blue and Purple Reflections

Blue and Purple Reflections
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Finally, on the left side of the reflection pool, we find these beautiful pieces. I was really upset that there was that light on the right side. I mean, who has a light on during the day! Really? :) Other than that it seemed to turn out pretty well. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/40
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Exploding Reflection

Exploding Reflection
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

The next set of pieces in the pool are here in the center and I was really taken by the selection and color combination. There were the creamy oranges mixed with the yellows and greens. It's almost as though these pieces exploded out of the water to bloom in the sun. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/25
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Glassy Water Reflection

Glassy Water Reflection
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

The next stop on the photo walk takes us to another set of Mille Fiori pieces inside a very glassy reflection pool. The first set of pieces are these purple reeds with the yellow and green sea forms. We spent a lot of time in this area since there were three different installations in this water. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/15
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Select Pieces

Select Pieces
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Just a couple of select pieces from the boat installation at Chihuly at Cheekwood. It really highlights the variety of pieces found here in this boat. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/18
Shutter Speed: 1/25
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Contrasting Installation

Contrasting Installation
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

My favorite part about this boat installation was the turquoise color of the boat itself. It really contrasted the warm colors of the glass very well. The lighting and weather that day were absolutely perfect so that definitely helped. So now I'll put it up to you guys. Do you want to see another shot of the boat? Or do you want to move to the next spot? Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/18
Shutter Speed: 1/8
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Red Boat Reflection

Red Boat Reflection
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

And here we are at the top pool with this wonderful boat installation. These have to be my favorite installations that Chihuly does. He just has different wooden boats, then he fills then with random varieties of pieces in a certain color scheme. I took many shots of detail here that I will share in the next couple days and over a bit of time. I really enjoyed how this particular boat contrasted the surrounding landscape so nicely. And again, we will be getting closer to this one too. :) Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/25
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Warm Walla Walla Onions

Warm Walla Walla Onions
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Look what they have! It's a Walla Walla Onion pool kind of like the one that's at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The difference with this particular pool is that all of the colors are warm tones. This is because of the Chihuly boat installation in the pool at the top of the waterfall in the background. Don't worry, we'll get to that soon. :) Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/13
Shutter Speed: 1/40
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Red Reed Bamboo Forest

Red Reed Bamboo Forest
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Down a walled in path leading to the next part of the garden, we walk through the bamboo forest. Mixed in with the bamboo are these Chihuly red bamboo reeds. The filter the little bit of light that got through quite nicely. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/13
Shutter Speed: 1/13
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

The Rising Moon

The Rising Moon
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Sitting on the far side of the niijima float garden up on a hill, is a sculpture called the moon. It's a collection of disc shaped pieces organized in a sphere making the moon. This particular shot makes it look like the moon was rising over the hill. I have a couple different shots with this in it that I of course will share. :) Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Niijima Floats in the Japanese Garden

Niijima Floats in the Japanese Garden
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Moving on to the Japanese garden at Cheekwood, we see the combed gravel garden graced by this large and beautiful Niijima Floats. These things range in size a get very large very quickly. The varying colors make it so you can stare at these for a long time. Such is why I took so many shots here. :) Enjoy!

I've never done anything like the Floats. They are probably the most monumental-looking, since there's no reminiscence of a container shape. Just because they are so big, the Floats are technically, or let's say physically, the most difficult things that we have ever done. Even though a sphere or a ball is about the easiest form you can make in glass, when you get to this scale, up to forty inches in diameter, it becomes extremely difficult.
— Dale Chihuly

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/22
Shutter Speed: 1/13
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Green & Purple Fiori

Green & Purple Fiori
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

A bit of a smaller installation that's called "Fiori" was off the path right in front of the sun when we were there. Of course I couldn't help laying down on the ground and getting some close shots of this one. One of my favorite things about the Chihuly glass sculptures in the gardens is that they can look different at different points during the day. Just the direction of the sun or lack of sun really changes the look and feel of these pieces. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/25
Shutter Speed: 1/15
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Dancing Cattails

Dancing Cattails
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Turning directly around from yesterday's shot, I got this one of some other cattails in the sunlight. They almost seemed like they were dancing in the sun. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/100
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Dancing Cattails

Dancing Cattails
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

You know I couldn't go any further without getting some close ups of the red cattails. The great thing about these pieces is that they are all a bit different. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/125
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

A Towering Saffron Tower

A Towering Saffron Tower
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Everyone knows I had to get closer to the Saffron Tower to shoot it from down low. The sky had a perfect blue for the warm colors of many of the installations. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/100
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Saffron Tower and Cattails

Saffron Tower and Cattails
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

Cheekwood Botanical Garden is set up to lead you from garden to garden via a paved path which transitions quite nicely. At the entrance to the first garden, we see these beautiful Chihuly pieces. We have the Saffron Tower in the center, comprised of yellow and white neon. On each side and around the surrounding path, are the red cattails. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/20
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly

Macchia Forrest Greeting at Cheekwood

Macchia Forrest Greeting at Cheekwood
Originally uploaded by DisHippy

As we first enter the lobby of the Cheekwood Botanical Garden we are greeted by what is called a Macchia Forrest. These large bowl liken Chihuly pieces are called Macchia. It seems that they are always arranged in a group or "forrest." I really enjoy that the lips on each one are a different color than the rest of the piece. Enjoy!

Lens: 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Exposure: f/5
Shutter Speed: 1/8
ISO: 100
Auto Bracket: +2 0 –2

About the series
This series of shots were taken on 10-22-2010 at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. Dale Chihuly, world renowned glass artist, was having a garden exhibition where he installs pieces into the gardens to enhance the appeal of both the gardens and his work. This is the fifth Chihuly exhibition that I've gone to and the fourth that I've been able to shoot. I really enjoy the mixture of the glass and the gardens, and it makes for great photo opportunities.

"I love to juxtapose the manmade and the natural to sort of make people wonder, is it manmade or did it come from nature? That's a very important part of my work."
Dale Chihuly