Posts for: stavros
Jul 25, 2023 17:28:21 #
Jul 25, 2023 17:16:00 #
Annette and I stop by The Chicago Botanic Garden whenever we visit family and friends in Northern Illinois which is where I grew up. Recently we took advantage of our vacation to that area in May to do just that.
The Chicago Botanic Garden is located in Glencoe, Illinois just north of Chicago. The garden is open daily; an admission fee is charged, although Annette and I get free entrance through our affiliation with the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program.
Each year, nearly one million people visit the Garden's 28 gardens and four natural areas, uniquely situated on 385 acres of land on and around nine islands. Six miles of shoreline extend along 81 acres of water, including the Great Basin, North Lake, and Skokie River Corridor. The Garden also has a renowned Bonsai Collection. The Chicago Botanic Garden has 50,000 members—the largest membership of any U.S. botanic garden. People of all ages, interests, and abilities participate in programs, take classes, and stroll the grounds year-round. Within the nine laboratories of the Garden's Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, scientists and graduate students conduct a wide array of plant research. The Garden is one of only 17 public gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums. Its Lenhardt Library contains 110,000 volumes — including one of the nation's best collections of rare botanical books.
A must-visit for nature lovers, this sprawling compound of foliage comprises 28 different gardens ranging from formal British rose gardens to tranquil Japanese islands. A series of waterways connect the lushly landscaped hills and acres together. The scenic vistas here rival those of the older, European gardens.
These photos with Topaz and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro effects were taken in May. I shot in RAW with my Nikon D750 camera and used Corel AfterShot Pro to convert the files. Then I used Topaz Denoise, Corel PaintShop Pro, Luminar AI, and Exposure 6 to further adjust and enhance the files in post processing. I hope you enjoy!
The Chicago Botanic Garden is located in Glencoe, Illinois just north of Chicago. The garden is open daily; an admission fee is charged, although Annette and I get free entrance through our affiliation with the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program.
Each year, nearly one million people visit the Garden's 28 gardens and four natural areas, uniquely situated on 385 acres of land on and around nine islands. Six miles of shoreline extend along 81 acres of water, including the Great Basin, North Lake, and Skokie River Corridor. The Garden also has a renowned Bonsai Collection. The Chicago Botanic Garden has 50,000 members—the largest membership of any U.S. botanic garden. People of all ages, interests, and abilities participate in programs, take classes, and stroll the grounds year-round. Within the nine laboratories of the Garden's Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, scientists and graduate students conduct a wide array of plant research. The Garden is one of only 17 public gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums. Its Lenhardt Library contains 110,000 volumes — including one of the nation's best collections of rare botanical books.
A must-visit for nature lovers, this sprawling compound of foliage comprises 28 different gardens ranging from formal British rose gardens to tranquil Japanese islands. A series of waterways connect the lushly landscaped hills and acres together. The scenic vistas here rival those of the older, European gardens.
These photos with Topaz and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro effects were taken in May. I shot in RAW with my Nikon D750 camera and used Corel AfterShot Pro to convert the files. Then I used Topaz Denoise, Corel PaintShop Pro, Luminar AI, and Exposure 6 to further adjust and enhance the files in post processing. I hope you enjoy!
Jul 1, 2023 08:33:15 #
Jun 29, 2023 18:12:02 #
Jun 29, 2023 18:11:50 #
Jun 29, 2023 16:06:58 #
Flyerace wrote:
Nice walking tour. Good to have something to capture. Well done.
Thanks!
Jun 29, 2023 09:36:48 #
Jun 28, 2023 19:17:39 #
Jun 28, 2023 18:51:08 #
black mamba wrote:
That's some really good shooting and processing. I'll have to remember this place. My wife and I are in the process of buying property over in Elizabethton, TN. We've had two mountain homes in north western N.C. for years. But we want to get to TN on a permanent basis.
We have family that lives in Elizabethton. It's about 15 minutes away from us. A very nice little town!
Jun 28, 2023 18:48:55 #
Jun 28, 2023 17:22:03 #
Jun 28, 2023 17:21:27 #
Jun 28, 2023 17:02:33 #
Annette and I enjoy walking the 1.6 mile lightly trafficked Osceola Island loop trail which is part of the TVA South Holston dam system located near Bristol, Tennessee about 20 minutes from our home. When we want to get some easy steps in and take advantage of photo opportunities, it’s our go to place since it’s so close to home. In fact, we take advantage of the venue several times a month. It features a river and is good for all skill levels. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 29 min to complete. This trail is great for birding, fishing, and hiking, and we seldom encounter many other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
One of the really cool features of the island are the weir dams. Most of the photos I am presenting here include various shots and perspectives of these unique engineering feats which are part of the South Holston dam system.
It wasn’t until 1991 that the South Holston dam received what would become its most distinctive feature. That year, as part of TVA’s Lake Improvement Plan, an aerating labyrinth weir was constructed about a mile-and-a-half below the dam on the South Fork Holston River on Oceola Island. The aim of the Lake Improvement Plan was to improve dissolved oxygen concentrations in the downstream tailwater, and to increase minimum flow in the tailwater between periods of generation. Both goals would benefit aquatic life, as post-generation tailwaters tend to be cold, dense and oxygen depleted. In addition to lake improvement initiatives, the South Holston weir also was designed to provide less backwater on upstream turbines at the dam’s generating unit, and to minimize the intensity of downstream water recirculation such that it would be safe for recreational river users, including boaters and fishermen.
These photos with Topaz and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro effects were taken in March. I shot in RAW with my Nikon D750 camera and used Corel AfterShot Pro to convert the files. Then I used Topaz Denoise, Corel PaintShop Pro, Luminar AI, and Exposure 6 to further adjust and enhance the files in post processing. Finally, I used the Topaz legacy plugin, Simplify, and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro to add the softening and painterly effects. I hope you enjoy!
One of the really cool features of the island are the weir dams. Most of the photos I am presenting here include various shots and perspectives of these unique engineering feats which are part of the South Holston dam system.
It wasn’t until 1991 that the South Holston dam received what would become its most distinctive feature. That year, as part of TVA’s Lake Improvement Plan, an aerating labyrinth weir was constructed about a mile-and-a-half below the dam on the South Fork Holston River on Oceola Island. The aim of the Lake Improvement Plan was to improve dissolved oxygen concentrations in the downstream tailwater, and to increase minimum flow in the tailwater between periods of generation. Both goals would benefit aquatic life, as post-generation tailwaters tend to be cold, dense and oxygen depleted. In addition to lake improvement initiatives, the South Holston weir also was designed to provide less backwater on upstream turbines at the dam’s generating unit, and to minimize the intensity of downstream water recirculation such that it would be safe for recreational river users, including boaters and fishermen.
These photos with Topaz and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro effects were taken in March. I shot in RAW with my Nikon D750 camera and used Corel AfterShot Pro to convert the files. Then I used Topaz Denoise, Corel PaintShop Pro, Luminar AI, and Exposure 6 to further adjust and enhance the files in post processing. Finally, I used the Topaz legacy plugin, Simplify, and Dynamic Auto Painter Pro to add the softening and painterly effects. I hope you enjoy!
May 13, 2023 06:18:39 #
Bubalola wrote:
Very interesting rendition, Stavros!
Thanks!
May 11, 2023 15:36:48 #