travel photos

History and Virtual Tour of the Old Town Hall Museum – North Ridgeville, Ohio

 

Old Town Hall Museum, 36119 Center Ridge Rd, North Ridgeville, Ohio
Old Town Hall Museum – North Ridgeville, Ohio

Last year, I volunteered to create a 360° virtual tour of the Old Town Hall Museum for the North Ridgeville Historical Society. I also created a video with a brief history of the museum narrated by North Ridgeville voiceover artist, Doug Mullins. …

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My Visit to Udvar-Hazy Center – Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum ✈️

 

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I've always loved anything dealing with outer space going all the way back to my childhood. I was thrilled to watch the Gemini missions 🚀 in the 1960s when teachers brought TVs into the classroom so we could see lift-offs and splashdowns as they happened!

I always wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up – 👨‍🚀. My dad used to call me an astro-NUT because I was such a space geek. I am still fascinated by the U.S. space program and recently watched the NASA “Perseverance” rover land on Mars via live TV. It was exciting to see the mission unfold and I actually got emotional seeing the amazing technicians and scientists at mission control high-fiving each other and whooping it up when they got word that the spacecraft had landed safely. …

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Kayaking with My Brother George at Resthaven Wildlife Area – Castalia, OH

 

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In October 2018, my Christian Brother, George Mason, and I enjoyed a kayak adventure at Pond #7 at the Resthaven Wildlife Area in Castalia, OH – not far from the famous “Blue Hole.”

It was a warm, sunny day (got pretty sunburned as you'll see in the video) and had a great time relaxing on the water on a Monday when everyone else was grinding away at their day jobs. …

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How to Photograph the Total Solar Eclipse on 8/21/17

 

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Total Solar Eclipse 2017: A Guide to Viewing and Photographing it — Hudson Henry Photography

Here's a great video with tips and tricks to view the August 21st, 2017 total solar eclipse. The sun will cross the U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. This rare event is a great opportunity for photographers – both amateur and professional.

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Amazing software makes Winter in Northeast Ohio come to LIFE

Original photo before Topaz Adjust filter (Photo by SpectraLight.com)
Original photo before a Topaz Labs “Studio” filter was applied. [Photo: Mark Madere | SpectraLight.com]
Winter in Northeast Ohio can be pretty dull – white and gray everywhere. Almost makes you want to hibernate (let alone take outdoor photos) until the weather gets nice.

However, a cool and affordable software program I discovered has changed all that! It can take ANY drab photo and make it a work of art.

What is so amazing about the software is that once you load a photo into the program – you can make dramatic changes to it with a couple simple clicks! Yeah, I was skeptical about that until I tried it. Two of the three photos in this story were instantly created with this software. The original, black-and-white photo was taken in Wakeman, Ohio in Lorain County. …

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CLEveland ROCKS! And we have the building to prove it

 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, Ohio (Photo: Mark Madere | SpectraLight Photography)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Cleveland, Ohio (Photo: Mark Madere | SpectraLight Photography)

Probably the most iconic building in Cleveland, Ohio is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

As a photographer, I just love the distinct design created by world renowned architect, I. M. Pei. Almost every view of the building offers a unique view of Lake Erie or the downtown skyline.

See more views of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and order art prints here.

Have you visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? What exhibit did you like best? Please share your experience in the comment section, below.

 

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A commemorative photo of the Statue of Liberty remembering 9/11

 

Image of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in New York Harbor – New York City – Thanksgiving Weekend – 2001 – Just weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks (September 11, 2001). See this artwork larger or order a limited edition commemorative print here.
I added a glow effect to the Statue of Liberty with Topaz Studio 2 software to symbolize that our freedom still shined through the darkness of that very solemn day. See this artwork larger or order a limited edition commemorative print here.
This is the original image taken in 2001 from a moving tour boat. Because of the camera’s low resolution, I had to increase the photo file size with Topaz Gigapixel AI and then sharpen it with Topaz Sharpen AI. I then adjusted the color and contrast with Topaz Studio 2 to create the first image at the top of this page.

“Cancel the trip – terrorists have attacked New York!” Those were the words I heard my wife utter over the telephone from work the morning of September 11, 2001.

There weren't any more attacks on the U.S. after that, so just 10 weeks later,  my wife, two young daughters and I spent Thanksgiving weekend in New York City. There was a somber mood cast over the city with the huge loss of life when the Twin Towers fell. …

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Amazing Green Screen trick – place people anywhere in the world without leaving the studio

Green Screen technique lets photographers place their subject anywhere they choose without having to leave the studio!
Green Screen technique lets photographers place their subject anywhere they choose without having to leave the studio!

 

$$ Go Green! $$ – A Green Screen Presentation by Bill Morley of Bill Morley Photography based in Independence, Ohio.

The program will cover:

● How to incorporate green screen into engagement sessions, senior sessions, families and kids – in rain or shine!

● Event photography: offer green screen as an alternative to cheesy photo booths 

● Where to get free backgrounds on the internet and with your own camera

● Foolproof lighting techniques: blend your subjects seamlessly into exciting backgrounds!

● Comparisons of green screen software

● And much more! 

See how your studio can have fun and save money!

Join us for this fun and informative program that will change the way you look at green screen!

This program is offered by the Society of Northern Ohio Professional Photographers on Tuesday, March 25th at the North Olmsted Public Library at 7 p.m.

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Avon Lake Public Library to host my AlumaGraph exhibit

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I've loaned 17 limited edition AlumaGraphsTM for exhibition at the Avon Lake Public library. The artwork includes a fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge taken from Alcatraz, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island appearing as if it were taken in a by-gone era and a unique rendering of a horseless buggy at Grand Pacific Junction in Olmsted Falls.

AlumaGraph(TM) Logo - photographs embedded on aluminum panels by Northeast Ohio photographer and North Ridgeville resident Mark Madere of SpectraLight Photography. Madere does portraits in Cleveland and surrounding areas including Olmsted Falls, Westlake, Rocky River, Avon Lake and more.
AlumaGraphsTM are photographs that are embedded on aluminum panels by Northeast Ohio photographer and North Ridgeville resident Mark Madere of SpectraLight Photography.

I discovered a unique way to “print” my art that sets it apart from all other medium. Instead of using traditional photographic paper, the images are rendered as AlumaGraphsTM – a proprietary process that transforms photographs into faux paintings and then melds them into aluminum. There’s nothing as captivating as a photo that shines on aluminum with a bright, clear, glossy base and brilliant color that pops.

I've always wanted to create stunning images of landscapes and unusual architecture. Unfortunately, I never did well in art class as a child. I knew what good composition was but just couldn't draw a stick figure to save my life! I then fell in love with photography and was finally able to capture amazing scenes with a camera where an artist brush failed me. Nevertheless, my images still looked like pictures. The digital process I now use has elevated my photographs to look like the paintings I wanted to create since I was a little boy.

Some of my work may be viewed at www.mark-madere.artistwebsites.com.

The library is at 32649 Electric Blvd in Avon Lake. The exhibit runs from March 1st – 31st , 2014

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Blown away by snow rollers

Snow rollers - a rare phenomena occurring once every couple years around the world hit parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio
Snow rollers – a rare phenomena occurring once every couple years around the world hit parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio recently. (Photo: Marianne Atkinson)

A rare phenomena occurring once every couple years around the world has hit parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio this week.

While driving along I-80 in western Pennsylvania on Monday, a huge cluster of what appeared to be rolls of toilet paper invaded the median of the highway. At first I thought they were stacks of snow covered hay. Later that day I discovered they were “snow rollers” and were so unusual that they became an online sensation on social media sites and regional TV stations.

Snow rollers are most common in mountainous or hilly terrain. Basically, strong winds pick up moist snow and blow it along the ground, eventually building a cylinder of snow, which is often hollow in the middle. When the snow roller grows too large for the wind to propel it farther, it stops.

Here are the optimal conditions for snow roller generation, according to the National Weather Service:

  • Existing icy or crusty snow cover, so additional snow will not stick to it
  • Additional wet, loose snow on top of the icy, crusty snow cover
  • Wind strong enough to scoop out balls of snow and propel snow roller forward
  • At least some slope to the ground

A quick search of the Internet found photos and video at WPXI Pittsburgh, PA, Newsnet5 in Cleveland, OH, and NBC4 Columbus, OH.

Snow rollers can be as large as barrels, as you can see in this photo from Du Bois, Pennsylvania captured by nature lover (and my sister) – Marianne Atkinson.

Needless to say, I wish I would have taken some of my own photos along I-80; but stopping for non-emergency reasons on interstates is illegal. In this case I'll just have to adopt a phrase used by Cleveland sports fans regarding their losing teams – “there's always next year.”

Have you ever seen a snow roller in person? Please share your experience with my readers!

Please share this article with you friends on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twiiter or via e-mail.

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