Wednesday, November 24, 2010

more mpegers


more mpegers
Originally uploaded by Sharon k t
What a great time at the Jasper-Pulaski fish and wildlife reserve in Indiana. Over 10,000 Sand Hill cranes migrate to this field in November. What a sight to see and to photograph.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

more mpegers


more mpegers
Originally uploaded by Sharon k t
Sharon taking our photos at the Sand Hill Crane shoot.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Glendale Cemetery shoot and Chippawa Amusement Park




Last weekend was great! The photo shoot at Glendale Cemetery in Akron, Ohio was so awesome. Who would ever think a cemetery could be so delightful? Well it is worth the drive to just walk around this lovely place. The grounds are so peaceful and so beautiful. I have never seen so many elaborate tombstones, statues and the mausoleums were so ornate and so many of them. I took over 1000 shots. Of course, I did 5 frames for each shot so I could process in HDR. It was a great day for photography!

I met one of  the members at the cemetery and she invited Wendy and myself to meet with her the next day at the Chippawa Amusement park for another day of shooting! Wendy and I were just talking about the amusement park and how I missed the shoot last year. Lo and behold we meet Dee by chance and she invites us to tag along with her and the Cleveland Photography Club. We jumped on it right away. How excited we were for Sunday to come. The amusement park is scheduled for demolition and this may have been our only chance to photograph the ruins.

So up early again and on the road. Wendy and I arrived around 10:30 am. It was a great day again. The sun was bright and it was hot out. Great light for HDR again. And that is what we shot. The park is so overgrown with trees and shrubs. But we got some great shots. I am so glad to have gotten to photograph the park. It would be great if it would not be leveled. I hear that a few of the rides will be moved to a park across the road for display.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Starved Rock State Park

What a beautiful place to visit with great photo opportunities!

There are 10 waterfalls all total. We had time to visit and photograph 4 of them. The weather turned out great even though it was very windy we were protected by the caves.

We had a storm come through on Friday night. Not much rain as we had hoped there would be to add to the water falls. Never the less the falls were stunning.

Much hiking to do. It is a good idea to try to be in some kind of shape before doing this. How were we to know that? My legs I think are back to normal now that a week has past since I hiked the park.

We all had a great time! Look forward to doing this again maybe next fall. The fall colors will give a totally different look to the area.

After the shoot came to an end.. Dawn and myself turned further west toward Iowa to photograph the White Pelicans that migrate to the area of Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi river. We stayed on the Illinois side instead of crossing into Iowa. It was great to see the area where we photographed the Canadian Bald Eagles last Winter and late Spring.. Of course we were on the Iowa side then.

I got some great shots of the White Pelicans.
Here you can see a pelican that caught a large fish. They float in front of the dam where they wait patiently for the fish to jump over the dam into the waiting mouths of 50 or more pelicans. This shot shows the surrounding pelicans hoping to steal away the fish from the lucky one. The eagles do the same thing.. survival of the fittest.

I use my new Canon 7D camera with the 400mm prime lens to capture the pelican shots. I am very happy with the performance of the camera and the lens. The lens is as sharp as a tack!

After we left the Pelicans we found a place for lunch and headed toward Indiana to Michigan city to scope out the lighthouse. I got some great HDR shots of the lighthouse. And am sure Dawn did also.

I believe Sand Hill Ridge is next on the agenda for the MPEG photo shoots. May 16th I believe is the date. So until then..

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Starved Rock State Park

Looking forward to the Starved Rock photo shoot which will be April 30th thru May 2th.  This park is described as Hocking Hills on steroids! Really looking forward to this. Many waterfalls,  caves, wild flowers and I am sure some birds.

I also plan to head back to Iowa to photograph the Northern Pelicans. Oh, Starved Rock is in Illinois. Will be posting photos soon afterward.

As you know I am a Nikon shooter.... and I love my Nikon! However, I became the proud owner of the Canon 7d. Along with the 400mm prime canon L lens.. There is a method to my madness.. This past winter I traveled to lock and dam 14 in Iowa to shoot the Bald eagles that migrate from Canada to the Mississippi river where they have plenty to eat all winter.. I did use my Nikon camera but my shots were not as clear as I wanted. I borrowed a Canon camera which is 18 megapixels and I have much shaper shots. Sometimes you need to crop in to get closer to the eagles... well, the 18mp's allowed me to do just that and keep the quality and the sharpness where my 10.2 mp Nikon could not do that. So I now use Canon for birding. Spending the day to day learning the inns and outs of the 7d... I hope next year or the year after to own the 500mm canon prime lens.. Over $6,000.. so we shall see how things go.

Many photo shoots all summer long.. So stay tuned to this blog.. Dena

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Blown Glass HDR 3


Blown Glass HDR 3
Originally uploaded by denakraft
Another piece of Chihuly's. A large chandelier.

Blown Glass Exhibit by Chihuly


Blown Glass HDR 2
Originally uploaded by denakraft
On March 29th I was invited to an art showing at the Franklin conservatory in Columbus Ohio. The art was a blown glass exhibit by Chihuly. His work is just fabulous. Very large pieces of blown glass. Like nothing I have ever seen before. Great subjects for HDR photography. Here are a few of the shots I took.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

interior church 8


interior church 8
Originally uploaded by denakraft
Processed several more high dynamic range shots of the churches in The Tremont area of Cleveland, Ohio. Here is one of my favorites.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Church interior 5


Church interior 5
Originally uploaded by denakraft
Photo shoot on Saturday was wonderful! The churches are just magnificent. I look forward to doing this again.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Up coming photo shoots for March and April

This Saturday the 20th I am going to Tremont, Ohio to photograph interiors of several old churches. This ought to be really cool. I will be doing HDR photography. Hopefully the weather will be good to take some outside shots also.

The month of April is full of get photo opps. April 10th is hocking hills in the Spring. April 17th is the Gorge Metro Park of Cuyahoga Falls.  Sunday April 18th is Back to the Wilds Rehab Center in Castalia, Ohio. Really looking forward to that shoot. Saw the many photos of the eagles and raptors that were taken last year. Saturday April 24th CVNP Beaver Marsh/ Bath Road GBHeron Rookery.

The whole year will be full of great photo shoots. What fun! The MPEG group coordinators have done a great job organizing the photo shoots. Should have may great photos to post on my website in the weeks coming up. Check back on my website for new additions.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Immature looking


Immature looking
Originally uploaded by denakraft

The Gathering Place


The Gathering Place
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Eagle's on the Mississippi River

What an awesome experience to say the least! If you ever get the chance or I should say, if you love the eagles, make a point to go to Iowa next Jan. thru Feb. What a treat! Talk about an air show! There must of been over 50 eagles at one time in the air doing their thing. Diving for fish, fighting over the fish. You name it..and it was all happening at once for up to 20 minutes at a time or more.

I had so much fun watching these magnificent birds. I am heading back out this weekend for another shot at it.

Here are a few shots that I took. You will see a couple above this post and a couple under it.



Up and Away


Up and Away
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Eagle on a Mission


Eagle on a Mission
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Mallard Mayhem


Mallard Mayhem
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Ain't she sweet!


Ain't she sweet!
Originally uploaded by denakraft
Here is one of my granddaughters. I think you can see why I love to shoot portrait also.

Winter Mallard Scene


Winter Mallard Scene
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Male Mallard


Male Mallard
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Castalia Ohio Duck Pond

Yesterday was the MPEG photo shoot at Castalia Duck pond. I had a great time. It was so much fun. I love photography. Nature and wildlife I think has become my favorite subjects. Although portraits are so much fun to do also. Especially when you have beautiful grandchildren.

The duck pond is so neat. It is like right in the center of town. I am definitely going back again. Yesterday the pond was over flowing with geese. There were Northern Shovelers and Mallards but not in big numbers. I have never heard of Northern Shovelers until yesterday. I hope to add a photo of one to this blog when I get it ready. I do however have some very nice shots of Mallards to show off.

Friday I leave for Iowa to shoot the bald eagle's on the Mississippi River. Mark has been there at least 3 or 4 times. So now he is heading up a group shoot for this weekend. It is going to be a cold one!! Right now it  is 14 degrees in Le Claire. Make sure you check back to see if I was successful with this photo shoot. Remember to visit my website also.

Female Mallard


Female Mallard
Originally uploaded by denakraft

Monday, February 1, 2010

Big Island and Kill Deer Plains photo shoot.

What an exciting day! We saw Eagles, Owls, Kestrels, Tundra Swans and also Northern Harriers.
It was so very cold but we all dressed for the occasion. Wow, nothing like following these raptors through the sky and as they go skimming over the grasses. I had a great time. Mark, as always is the greatest guide. I met several new MPEG Members. They are all great people.

It was not an easy photo shoot. It was hard to nail the birds. We were shooting from inside a moving car and also hand held out in the field. These birds move so very fast, that there is no time to prepare yourself for the shot. We all did the best we could do. Here is what I got.










Thursday, January 28, 2010

New Look

I spent the whole day today working on my website and redoing my blog.  I am very pleased with the new look.

I added a couple of new galleries to my website. One is Portrait and Candid shots and the other is Sports. I hope you will take a look at my website to see the new additions. And please sign my guest book.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Avatar

Avatar was really a great movie. If you get to see it make sure you see it in 3D.

I found that the movie taught the viewers about the connection between all of nature and humanity. If one will just see and hear with your most inner self, or what is called your divinity. All will learn to live in harmony with each other and with all of nature.

There is such a delicate balance within all of nature. To destroy one is to destroy all.
This movie was sending us a message...That we are all one. To hurt another, we are hurting ourselves.

I hope the audiences woke up out of their dreams and realized what is real here.
I hope everyone gets a chance to see Avatar. I would like to hear what you have to say about this movie.

Monday, January 18, 2010

First day as a blogger

Well, my blog site is up and running today and my new website should be up and running tonight or tomorrow. I will be adding more photos to my website each day. I am very excited about all of the products that will be offered for sale on my site. www.kraftphotocreations.com

I plan on seeing Avatar 3D today.

I hope to be in Iowa next month photographing the eagles on the Mississippi river. My fellow photographer is there right now and is getting many fantastic shots of the eagles diving into the Mississippi river for their fish dinners.

I have two photo shoots coming up one at the end of January and the other the first week of February. Raptors and other winged birds.

About Me

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Oregon, Ohio, United States
Dena K. Kraft owner of Kraft Photography. Located in Oregon, Ohio. I photograph on location and serve Northwest Ohio along with Southeast Michigan. I am a portrait photographer, wedding along with landscapes, nature, wildlife and sports. Special interests in lighthouse photography along with HDR photography. In my photo bag you will find : Canon 7D,Lenses: 500mm f/4.5L, 400mm 5.6L, 70-200 f/2.8L, 50mm f/1.4, 1.4Teleconverter

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