This video features a drive through 4 of the active tunnels of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike: Allegheny Mountain Tunnel, Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel, Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel, Blue Mountain Tunnel.

Who doesn’t like a good tunnel… unless you’re claustrophobic? I’ll share my personal reflections in a moment.

But first, a little history… (continues below this video)

The Pennsylvania Turnpike was designed to improve automobile transportation across the mountains of Pennsylvania during the 1930s. It was built along the path of an unfinished railroad project from the 1880s and used six of the railroad’s tunnels.

The turnpike opened on October 1, 1940. The turnpike was touted as “America’s First Superhighway” and was the national standard for superhighway design and engineering.

Currently, the turnpike has four active tunnels that you’ll see in this video. They are the Allegheny, Tuscarora, Kittatinny, and Blue Mountain Tunnels.

The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel is the longest in active use at 1.16 miles or 1.85 kilometers in length.

One experience I had at the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel was a severe weather change from the east side of the tunnel to the west side. It was mid-May and the weather was beautiful with sunny skies. Temperatures were probably in the fifties or sixties. We entered the east side of the tunnel and finally came out on the west side. What was amazing is that we entered a snowstorm as we came out of the tunnel! There were cars spun-out all over the road. It was like playing dodge-cars as I exited the tunnel and proceeded to slide along the highway, narrowly missing several of the cars that were spun-out around me. But for some miracle, I managed not to hit anything and continued on my way.

The Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel measures 1.01 miles or 1.62 kilometers and is the second-longest active tunnel on the turnpike.

Now I want to share some thoughts about some other tunnels in Pennsylvania… specifically in the Pittsburgh area.

As a child, going through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel on the way to Kennywood Park was pretty exciting… almost as fun as the amusement park. I’ll never forget the continuous flash of brake lights as we entered and proceeded through the tunnel.

In college, I remember emerging from the Fort Pitt Tunnel and being greeted with an amazing view of downtown Pittsburgh from the high vantage point overlooking the city below. Seeing the convergence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers to form the Ohio River is always breathtaking. As a side note, I met my amazing wife while attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. As of 2025, we’ve been married for 45 years with two daughters, and three grandchildren!

The Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel is approximately 0.89 miles or 1.43 kilometers long.

The Blue Mountain Tunnel is the shortest tunnel in active use at 0.82 miles or 1.32 kilometers in length.

What has been your experience driving through the tunnels of the Pennsylvania Turnpike or those in Pittsburgh?

Have you experienced other tunnels in the U.S. or other countries?

Do you get claustrophobic driving through tunnels?

Please like share your experiences with a comment here.

Contact us, today, to chat about YOUR photography needs and discover how surprisingly affordable our services are: Call 440.748.6300 (NOTE: This is a landline so text messages won’t come through) or email: https://spectralight.com/Contact

The post Driving Through the 4 Active Tunnels of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

As the Founding Sponsor of the “Olmsted Spirit 5K Race/Walk” since 1998, SpectraLight Photography is honored to be a part of an event that has awarded over $260,000.00 in college scholarships to Olmsted Falls graduating seniors.

These students have demonstrated selflessness by serving and/or giving back to their community throughout their young lives.

In 2022, race director Jeff Swislocki also blessed the Olmsted Community Center with a $2000.00 donation.

The event is a “community treasure” – with thousands of Olmsted Falls and Township walkers and runners participating over the years.

Have you or a family member ever participated in an Olmsted Spirit 5K run or walk? Please share your favorite memory of that day with a comment here.

More information: Olmsted Spirit 5K Race.

See ALL the Olmsted Spirit 5K Race videos below. Click the video to start play. It will be immediately followed by videos from previous years. If you hover over any video – you'll see three small horizontal bars on the upper right corner. Click those bars to see all the videos in the playlist and scroll down to the one you wish to view and then click it. Pretty simple, yes?

The post 2022 Olmsted Spirit 5K was Fun for Everyone! appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

Get ready for some “big” hair styles and clothing rarely seen in over a quarter of a century!

In this video, we travel back to 1996 to experience a promotional video for our portrait studio located in our home on the corner of Bagley and Fitch Roads in Olmsted Falls.

We've been based in Northeast Ohio since 1980 with our first location in the Kamm's Corners area of Cleveland, then Olmsted Falls and now in North Ridgeville.

We truly appreciate the nearly 3000 clients that have trusted us to capture special moments in their lives through photography. Many have returned multiple times – beginning with their wedding photography, then family portraits – and years later – their children's senior portraits.

If you're a past client, please share in the comments which photography service we provided and when. We would also love to hear what you and your family are up to now!

The post “Blast-from-the-Past” – SpectraLight Photography’s 1996 Promotional Video appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

Scrapbooking takes a TON of time… if you want to do it right. And then only a few people can enjoy it. Well, not anymore!

It starts with a lot of research, gathering of photos, newspaper and magazine articles, and so much more. Then there's the design aspect… how to put it all together creatively with special adornments to make each page “pop”!

I've watched in amazement as my wife, Doreen, has taken on the responsibility of family historian – lovingly creating beautiful scrapbooks of our two daughters from birth to high school graduation. And now she's doing it for our three grandchildren – currently six, eight and ten years old.

After observing the number of hours (days, weeks, months, YEARS) that she invests in these scrapbooks; I decided to make a video of each one to be shared on our family's private YouTube channel. Now only those with the URL (web address) to that channel can enjoy those videos from anywhere in the world. What I really like about copying the scrapbooks to videos is they can not be lost in a fire, flood, earth quake, tornado or other disaster since they're hosted on YouTube's redundant servers.

Also, with our grandchildren being so young; it's impossible to monitor their handling of these large, heavy volumes. I'd hate to see Doreen's labor of love being dropped, torn, spilled on or lost. These videos are the perfect answer.

I wanted to demonstrate what a “video scrapbook” can look like but I also want to respect the privacy of my grandchildren. So I created a video of the scrapbook my wife created for the company she worked at as her final project before retiring – Christian Educators.

After she manually assembled the scrapbook, I copied each page with a digital camera attached to a copy stand with color-balanced LED lights and then added motion graphics and a music track to create the video. Watch it below.

Are you into scrapbooking? Have you ever lost a scrapbook to a man-made or natural disaster? Have you considered making and/or sharing your scrapbook in video format? Share your experiences, questions or comments here.

The post Video Scrapbooking – A Great Way to Save and Show-Off a Hard Cover Scrapbook appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

For years I've been bored with photographing fireworks. Fighting the crowds to get a good spot, dealing with hot and humid July weather, bugs, crying children… the list goes on. I'd rather stay home and chill-out with the Mrs. – UNTIL NOW!

A few years ago, I read an article by a photographer who captured some amazing fireworks photos. He gave the technical settings that he used for beautiful shots over a scenic lake. He inspired me to see if I could create images unlike any I've made before.

So I set out for the annual fireworks display in my town – North Ridgeville, Ohio. The weather was cool and comfortable for a July evening. I was able to stake out a spot by the lake where the fireworks would be launched. The bugs weren't annoying either (I think they preferred the taste of those around me.) And the crying children? It's amazing what ear plugs can mask out!

For 20+ minutes I shot photos with my Nikon camera mounted on a tripod with exposures ranging from one to four seconds at f/11 at ISO 100. If you don't have a clue about those settings – have no fear! It seems that anyone can get decent photos with just about any camera – even with smart phones. Even if you have firework photos from previous years that you wish to add some excitement to – read on!

Upon returning home, I loaded the photos onto my computer. Sadly, I was UNDERwhelmed by what I had captured. They looked similar to the old, boring fireworks photos I'd taken in the past.

Instead of using an expensive software program called Adobe Photoshop; I opened the photo, above, in an affordable program called “Studio“ by Topaz Labs. I've used this software to spice up photos from my previous travels with amazing results. The three variations of the original photo in this article were created with just a couple mouse clicks using Studio!

Pro tip: To achieve similar results in Topaz Studio, choose “Add Filter” > click the “STYLISTIC” tab > choose “Flare”. Then you can experiment with the various adjustments to make each star unique.

Topaz Labs is a company that has created several easy-to-use photo enhancement programs that can be used without even reading the instructions. It has a simple user interface that will have you creating photo masterpieces in minutes.

I found myself immersed in the software for hours as I created countless variations of each image.

See the rest of Topaz Labs photo enhancing software here: www.SpectraLight.com/TopazSoftware (NOTE: You won't see Topaz Studio on this page.)

Have fun!

NOTE: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, you'll help support this blog at no cost to you – allowing us to continue sharing information like this for your education and enjoyment. Win/Win! Thanks!

The post Fireworks photos with a unique twist… these aren’t your mamma’s snapshots! appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

“I have two portraits that are stuck together AND to the glass inside a picture frame. Can you help?”

Those were the words of Lakewood resident, Gayle Ahlers, when she called about my photo restoration services. And that became one of my greatest restoration challenges!

Through the years, I've dealt with photographs that were stuck to glass with water stains and mildew covering the image. As time passes, those images eventually decompose to where the subject becomes unrecognizable. The best solution is to make a high resolution scan of the photograph – through the glass – and then retouch the digital copy and make new prints.

Unfortunately, Gayle had a smaller photograph that was stuck to a larger photograph – and both of those were stuck to the glass inside a picture frame. Although I was able to scan the whole ensemble as a backup in case what I would do next failed; I did not know how much detail I needed to restore on the larger photograph because it was partially covered by the smaller one!

Fortunately, I was able to separate the two photographs from each other and the picture frame glass by warming them with a blow dryer at a low heat setting. I warmed them for 4-5 minutes at a time and gently pulled on the corner of each photo to slowly separate them. The whole process took several hours. CAUTION: I do NOT recommend that anyone unskilled in this procedure attempt this technique. You are better off having an experienced photo restoration specialist do this.

In the video, below, you'll see the before-and-after restoration photographs while Gayle gives a brief history of both portraits.

As a photo restoration specialist, I combine today's digital technology with old-fashioned artistry to repair worn, stained, spotted, torn, cracked, bleached and faded photographs to their original luster. Digital restoration costs have been reduced to at least half of what they used to be and the quality has improved substantially!

See samples of badly faded or damaged photos and how they look after restoration here. You will be amazed with the results.

Learn about our photo restoration services here. Get our FREE guide with tips for saving water or flood-damaged photos here. See a photo restored in a high-speed video here. Read our photo restoration FAQs that may answer questions pertaining to your faded or damaged photograph here.

Do you have damaged, faded or crumbling photos representing an important part of your family history? Don't give up on them just yet – they may be recoverable! For a no-cost, no-obligation appointment to examine your photographs and receive a quote – contact us TODAY through this link or call 440.748.6300… BEFORE  it's too late. (NOTE: This is a landline so text messages won't come through.)

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: https://spectralight.com/YouTubeSubscribe

Have you had a damaged or faded photograph restored? Why did you have it restored? To preserve a special memory? To remember a special family member? Please share your story with a comment, here.

The post Photos Stuck Together – How We Saved the Day for Gayle Ahlers appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

On December 7, 2019, North Olmsted Evangelical Friends Church (NOEFC) members did and outdoor presentation – “A Night in Bethlehem” – recreating a market place setting in Bethlehem with live animals. The highlight of the evening was a dramatization of the birth of Jesus.

It is one of the best Christmas presentations I've ever seen that was not performed by professional actors. Here's a video I created of the evening's events…

I hope you enjoy it and have a better understanding of the “Reason for the Season.”

Merry Christmas!

Mark Madere

The post Story of Jesus Birth – A Night in Bethlehem | North Olmsted Evangelical Friends Church (NOEFC) appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

I created the video, below, in 2020 during the COVID pandemic to show how EASY and FUN it is to track Santa Claus delivering gifts around the world with the NORAD Santa Tracker app. FIRST, watch the video for tips to get more out of the tracker app. The NORAD Santa Tracking Center is fully operational beginning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 24th.

FROM NORAD’S WEBSITE:
It all starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system has 47 installations strung across Canada's North and Alaska. Each year on December 24th, Santa and his reindeer launch from the North Pole very early in the morning for their famous trip around the world. The minute they launch, NORAD starts to track him! Come back to our website on December 24th and you can track Santa along with NORAD!

Have you ever tracked Santa with your children or grandchildren with the NORAD Santa Tracker app? What was their reaction? Please share your favorite Christmas memories with a comment here: Comments

#SantaTracker #Santa #SantaClaus #NorthPole #Christmas #ChristmasMemories #NORAD #SpectraLightPhoto

The post How to use the NORAD Santa Tracker | Track Santa Claus Around the World on Christmas Eve! appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

The COVID-19 pandemic just couldn’t keep the loyal runners, walkers and fans of the 2021 Olmsted Spirit 5K Race away for the second year in-a-row.

See a video from the 2021 race further down this page.

The event is a “community treasure” – with thousands of Olmsted Falls and Township walkers and runners participating over the years.

As the Founding Sponsor of this community-oriented race since 1998, SpectraLight Photography is honored to be a part of an event that has awarded $262,500.00 in college scholarships to deserving Olmsted Falls graduating seniors.

These students have demonstrated selflessness by serving and/or giving back to their community throughout their young lives.

This year, race director Jeff Swislocki also blessed three local businesses with $500 each as a thank you for their continuing support of the Olmsted community. They are the Olmsted Community Center, Dolls and Minis and Roasted Coffee Shop.

More information: Olmsted Spirit 5K Race.

See ALL the Olmsted Spirit 5K Race videos below. Click the video to start play. It will be immediately followed by videos from previous years. If you hover over any video – you'll see three small horizontal bars on the upper right corner. Click those bars to see all the videos in the playlist and scroll down to the one you wish to view and then click it. Pretty simple, yes?

Have you or a family member ever participated in an Olmsted Spirit 5K run, walk or a kids fun run? Please share your favorite memory of that day with a comment here.

The post 2021 Olmsted Spirit 5K Race Leaves COVID-19 in the DUST! appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

April 1st marks the 44th anniversary of the day I captured a “flying cup-and-saucer” hovering over a local fast-food restaurant in the sleepy town of Du Bois, PA.

Although I've lived in Cleveland since 1980, I was born and raised in Du Bois. During my senior year in high school, there were several reported UFO sightings in the area. On the evening of April 1st, 1977 – I was cruising down “The Boulevard” when the flying cup-and-saucer caught my eye as it swooped in from the east. I and the four teenagers in this photo were the only eye-witnesses of this amazing event. Fortunately I had my camera loaded with high speed film – ready to document this once-in-a-lifetime moment

Later that night, I captured a photo of four “Martians” checking out some electronic gadgets at a local RadioShack. They appeared to take on the bodies of the four teenagers who witnessed the flying cup-and-saucer earlier that evening! Check out that photo and the article that appeared in the Du Bois Courier Express on April 1, 1977.

The next day, I sent the newspaper article to Corning – the company that makes dishes that look eerily similar to the flying cup-and-saucer. Check out the reply I received from the president of Corning Incorporated.

Happy April Fools Day!

Have you ever seen a UFO or other unexplained event? Please leave a comment on this post.

The post 👽 44th anniversary of incredible flying saucer sighting appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.