Night Photo Shoot

Last week our photography group did a night time photo shoot at the South Charleston Fire Department. We used external hand held flash units to "paint" the building and firetruck with light. We set our cameras on a 20 second exposure at F8.

Several members took positions around the truck and building and when the word was given, they began to fire the flashes until the 20 seconds was up.

A fireman was inside the truck and turned on the lights for a few seconds at the beginning of the exposure.

Here are a few of my images and a shot of the group.

Art from Photos

As I mentioned in my first post, my Mom paints my photographs. Here are a few of her newest works.

Blackwater River at Blackwater Falls State Park

Sail Boat at Pass-A-Grille Beach; St. Pete Beach, FL

Walkersville Covered Bridge, Lewis County, WV

Not a Food Blog

I am not going to start a Food Blog, there are too many excellent food blogs published. Dave and I do like to cook though, so I thought why not start taking photos of our creations.


Last summer we tried Alton Brown's fried chicken recipe. As with all of Alton's dishes, it's quite a process. We went out and bought all the required ingredients, cookware and utensils; like oil thermometer, holding racks, cast iron skillet, buttermilk and the herbs and spices for Alton's special seasoning shake (including a shaker to store it in!) We laid things out all over the kitchen counters but before we began the process... We went to the video tape. Yes, we taped the episode and studied it!! Losers, yes, but it was fun.

We managed all the dips and drops in and out of the buttermilk and seasonings. When the oil was at the required temperature we laid the chicken in just as instructed on the video.

Dave insisted the chicken stay in the hot oil for every second that Alton recommended and when we turned it, here was the result!

I took over at that point and took the chicken out after only a few more minutes on the other side. The final presentation wasn't too bad and the chicken was delicious!!

Long Time Gone

Well it's been several months since I've posted. I spent 3 months in Florida, but I've been back in WV since July. July through Christmas is a very busy time in South Charleston where I live and do photography for the City.


As soon as I returned, we hosted the Cincinnati Belle Riverboat for two days. I spent a lot of time out on the Kanawha River just enjoying the Mountains, since I'd been at sea level for 3 months.




Soon after that, Summerfest rolled around. That's our 5 day festival with music, food and a Car Show. My favorite night is always Rick K and the All Nighters.

September was totally different for me this year, usually I do the South Charleston Arts and crafts Fair around the Indian Mound, Shoney's Car Show and Octoberfest... however this year I took time for me. I attended two photo workshops and took a trip to the Mountains for some Fall Foliage photography.

The first workshop was at Cass Railroad. On Sunday morning they brought out the engine and ran it down the tracks a few times for us. This was one of my favorite captures.

Canaan Valley was perfect. I went a week later then usual this year and hit it just right. This image was taken behind the lodge at Blackwater Falls State Park.

Wildlife Day

Thursday was Wildlife Day at the West Virginia Legislature. Biologists from the Department of Natural Resources and representatives from other ecologically friendly groups brought information and animals native to West Virginia to Charleston to further educate the public on animal life in the Mountain State.


This is Thunder, a bald Eagle from the West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center. She was injured in Jackson County, WV and is now a permanent resident of the Raptor Center.


Children were able to get up close and personal with the animals, handled by trained DNR people. This is an Eastern Corn Snake which can grow up to six feet in length and is native to the Eastern Panhandle, where they are often found in farmlands and feed on small rodents.




Ron and Wendy from Three Rivers Avian Center were there too with Spirit the Eagle and three other Birds of Prey who call the Center near Brooks, WV home. Ron and Wendy host events at the Avian Center year round. Check their website for dates and times.

The Sunrise Carriage Trail

Today we took a winter walk on the Sunrise Carriage Trail in Charleston.

Here you can see 4 levels of the trail. It's .65 miles one way and runs from Sunrise Mansion in South Hills to the Amtrak station on MacCorkle Ave. The Mansion was built in 1905 by former West Virginia governor William A MacCorkle. The Trail was used to haul massive building stones up the hill. It's a gently-sloping trail, downhill one way and slightly uphill on the return trip.

For over 40 years beginning in 1961 The non-profit Sunrise Museum called the mansion home. When the Clay Center for the Arts was opened, the museum moved across the river and a private law firm bought the building and renovated the mansion.

The trail is now owned by the City of Charleston and is maintained as a Natural Haven. Today the public can enjoy a little bit of nature in the midst of downtown Charleston.

I'll definitely go back often... soon the birds will return and the leaves will come out on the trees. Then, the City skyline and South Hills traffic sounds will disappear and the sounds of the birds and wind in the trees will be all we'll hear.

Nikon Digital Tutoring

If you use a Nikon digital camera, check out Nikon digital Tutor . Click into your camera model and check out the text and video tutorials. I spent at least half an hour with the D80 yesterday and learned a few things!!

PhotoWalk

Last Saturday I took part in a virtual photowalk. We all went out at 9am and shot for 10 minutes.

I went to a local City Park where I often go to walk.

We only had 10 minutes, so I headed for the part of the trail that I wanted to photograph. I got quite a few images that I liked. It's amazing what you can find to shoot, even when you really don't know what you are looking for.

I shot in manual, which I'm trying to do more of. I really like it, and I think my images are much better exposed that way. I've never really shot in Auto, always used at least Program mode.

I use Shutter or Aperture priority at times, but I like this manual shooting! I don't use the scene modes very much at all. I shot with a Nikon D80 and my 18-200vr lens.

I love the 18-200 lens, it's been on the camera 99% of the time since I got it last May.

The LinMar name

This is my first post under the LinMar Photography name. I've had a blog at this site since 2005, but never updated it.

You might wonder where I got the name LinMar. It goes way back to when I was a little girl. We had boats and my Father named each boat after me and my Mom. Lin is for Linda and Mar is for Marjorie.

I worked for years to come up with a name for my photography, then last year my Mom started painting my photos. It just came to me.. LinMar! Everything old is new again!

This first posting is a photo I took of one of Mom's paintings. This is the old Jackson's Mill bridge in Lewis County, right outside the State 4H Camp. It stood for 100 years and at the time I took the photo, it was being torn down for a new super duper bridge over the West Fork River.

Stonewall Jackson lived here as a child with his Uncle. He took the exam for the military academy about 5 miles from here. As Stonewall was dying, it is thought that friends heard him saying, "Let us Cross Over the River...and Rest Under the Shade of the Trees."

Right behind the Old Mill is the spot it is believed that Stonewall would cross over the river and rest as a child.