Catch a Falling Star

Catch a Falling Star ©2015 - The camera is an amazing tool, but it can be magical when the unexpected happens. I was in Stanhope, NJ just around sunset one evening  photographing a flock of 13 vultures (6 of which are included in this piece). They were gathering in a cluster of bare limbed trees to roost for the night. When I downloaded the images, I noticed a streak of light in one just above the trees. Thinking it must be the trailing of a jet plane, I was surprised and thrilled when I enlarged it to see it was a round, glowing object with a faint, textured center. I had inadvertently captured a meteoroid entering the earth's atmosphere! Knowing I had to use it in a piece, I chose a background image of a sloping field with a wooden rail fence and lovely evening light from Stockton, NJ. I removed the tall, wooded area that was beyond the fence and replaced it with a sky of rolling clouds to showcase the star. I came across the little red tricycle at an antique shop in Red Bank, NJ. It was a little impractical to purchase as a prop, but I did sneak a couple of shots that turned out to be usable. I placed it, along with the young gentleman (from my vintage photo collection), and the landing vulture in the field. I then added color inspired by one of William Heath Robinson's watery, pastel paintings to try to attain the soft, golden glow that evenings have at the end of summer along with some texture from a daguerreotype. One legend has it that seeing a shooting star can mean bad luck or even death. Another says good luck and a wish made upon it will come true. I prefer to believe the latter and feel lucky that I was able to "Catch a Falling Star".

Lady of the Lake

Lady of the Lake ©2015 - According to legend, the Lady of the Lake lived beneath the waters surrounding the mystical island of Avalon. This "Lady of the Lake" is comprised of 10 different images. The base image is from a trip to The Great Swamp in New Jersey in 2011. It's not Avalon, but quite beautiful in it's own right. I've tried using it in 2 other compositions before but nothing really came together until now. The lovely lady is from my vintage photo collection and fit in perfectly. I added a different sky with more interesting clouds and a full moon along with several crows flying into the distance. Instead of Merlin, my Lady of the Lake has enchanted a vulture to do her bidding and tethered him with a leash of pale blue ribbon. Numerous filters were added in the appropriate places for colors and tones along with texture from an old daguerreotype bringing all the elements together for the final piece.

All the Pretty Little Horses

All the Pretty Little Horses ©2014 - This montage started with the vintage photo of the little boy circa 1900s that I picked up at an antique show.  He had a rather odd ethereal quality about him, blond, rather pale and dressed all in white.  He brought to mind a white horse I had captured in 2008 prancing and frolicking in a field as other horses stood by watching.  The two fit together perfectly.  I then added a stately, white columned abandoned mansion I photographed in the village of Port Colden, NJ located in Washington Township along the Morris canal.  Built in the 1840's, it served as a finishing school for girls, a private home, and a hotel called the "Port Colden Manor" among other things over the years.  At a dark point in it's early history, it was said to be active during the underground railroad as a stopover for slaves being returned to the south.  Supposedly, some of the shackles and chains remain in the building.  Not surprisingly, It is also said to be haunted.  The vulture flying gracefully off into the distance, I photographed in Millford, NJ.  I placed them all in a field from a recent road trip to Pennsylvania, added a cloudy horizon and some texture from an old daguerreotype.  The title came from a haunting lullaby from the 1800's,  "All the Pretty Little Horses."

Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill ©2014 - This montage was inspired by a field of buffalo I happened across in the area of Milford, a borough dating to the mid-18th century located along the Delaware River in western New Jersey.  When I saw the field, I remembered it from several years ago but at that time, the buffalo were at the far end and I wasn't able to get any usable images.  This time, they were wandering much closer so I got quite a few good shots (although I had to shoot through the openings of an electric fence)!  The field itself was rather boring except for a lone, stark tree with bare limbs reaching in all directions, reminding me of lightning bolts across the sky.  When putting together the composition, I kept the tree but layered 2 other images with more interesting grasses and contrasting trees in the distance.  The gentleman is a vintage photo I've been wanting to use for awhile that seemed to fit what I had in mind perfectly.  I added in the buffalo along with a vulture I captured the same day just as he was taking flight.  Some crows from Greenwood Lake, New York were added to the tree along with a texture, color and filters.  After a bit of trial and error, everything finally came together for "Buffalo Bill".