by Bunnie Pasternak | Feb 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
I recently was on a Photo Adventure through the Hunt’s Photo Education group with Don Toothaker for a “Winter in Vermont.” I found myself once again out and about with a group of eight intrepid Hunt’s Adventure attendees with the weather down to minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit or less and at times with a wind chill factor that lowered the temperature even more. But because we prepared ourselves like “Ralphie” from Jean Shepard’s movie the “Christmas Story,” the photography flowed and we shared a lot of fun together in the field, at dinner each night, and during our image reviews.
These images are part of my “assignment” given to me to make sure that Don and everyone else knew that I was in Woodstock and Vermont. As a result, I got a lot of walking around town for a couple of hours, as well as I enjoyed the views and the people of the area. Woodstock to me is a wonderful New England town with just about everything people need in the way of living all year round. This past week on Boston’s “Chronicle” show (WCVB Channel 5), the show stopped in for a piece on Woodstock, including a short discussion about its local paper — the “Vermont Standard” — and its owner, which has been published regularly since 1898. It’s one of Woodstock’s major ways of keeping up with the local news.
One of the major stopping places is a local, large General Store, owned and operated by members of the F.H. Gillingham & Sons family, which has been opened since 1886 and has just about all you need. There are also shops of all sorts, including a great bookstore and galleries, along with hidden restaurants for the locals and tourists. Woodstock has three covered bridges in its area alone including the Middle Bridge downtown, and there are many more throughout Vermont to explore. Pretty amazing.
Hope you enjoy a visit one day — it’s only about 2 ½ hrs from the Boston area and even shorter depending on where you live in New England. Have fun and get out to preserve your own memories, wherever you go!
by Bunnie Pasternak | May 4, 2022 | Uncategorized
One of my earliest blogs on this site talked about connections through the eyes, whether human or animal, and how immediate and emotional a connection can be. Photography is a tremendous conveyor of emotion, attitude, wonderment, and even love, depending on how you see someone or something through your own eyes. It doesn’t matter what equipment you use — your most important phone, your point and shoot, or a mirrorless camera. The connection you make with your subject that draws you in to capture its essence is oftentimes best reflected in the popular quote/verse and its derivatives – “The Eyes are the Windows to Your Soul.”
Recently, I reconnected with those windows by capturing a variety of eyes at an Equestrian Center in Maine. The opportunity arose as a result of another Hunt’s Photo & Video educational photography walk with Don Toothaker and some fellow photographer friends. We spent the afternoon with quite a few special horses that included an Andalusian, three Gyspy horses, a Palomino, a Pinto as well as a Leucistic one, a Quarter horse, and one Thoroughbred/Stallion that just knew he was the most beautiful one in the paddock.
So from my eyes to yours — enjoy some of the memories I preserved at the event and please share them with your friends.
by Bunnie Pasternak | Aug 8, 2021 | Uncategorized
Every year, there are thousands of returning Atlantic Puffins from the sea that roost on a variety of islands off the Atlantic Coast of Maine and nearby Canada. This year was no different and a Hunt’s Photo and Video, week-long Photo Adventure with Don Toothaker and Mark Buckler to the “Bold Coast,” allowed my second, successful visit to watch them up close on Machias Seal Island. What an opportunity to listen to them talk to each other, to hear them pitter-patter across the top of the blind that I and others shared for what felt like only a nano second from the time entering the building. It also was fun watching them doing all kinds of acrobatics – both in the air and on their chosen landing locations amongst the cliffs and rocks of the island. But the best of all was watching the Puffins preening, they were hilarious and true contortionists at their best. Hope you enjoy the images and at some point in the future — I wish you well in being able to see the Puffins yourself and preserving memories of your own. [Be sure to remember to double click on images to enlarge them.]
by Bunnie Pasternak | Mar 31, 2021 | Uncategorized
When New Englanders see temperatures starting to break the 30s and 40s with the sun out, they think it’s time to get out and enjoy the weather. So that is what I did recently at Horn Pond, in Woburn, MA. The last time I was at Horn Pond, I was on a photo walk with a Hunt’s Photo Education group in February. It was chilly with icy trails every where, but absolutely fabulous for the song birds, ducks and swans which were taking advantage of some open water running out of the Pond into a brook. More recently, Horn Pond is a different place altogether. It’s more Spring-like, people are everywhere getting out and enjoying the day early, walking the now muddy trails with their families and friends, and exchanging pleasantries with one another for probably the first time in months of being cooped up inside for not only the weather, but also the affects of the pandemic.
In my case, a new lens has brought new excitement to practice some new techniques and work toward getting birds in flight by using my camera’s capabilities I haven’t used that much in the past. So this visit, I practiced capturing birds in flight using Olympus’s “Pro-Capture” settings, along with my usual multiple exposure settings. The ones I am most happy with on this trip are the Bluejay in the tree, readying to take flight and in flight. In addition, I found a brook running into the Pond, where there were some Cardinals and Robins swimming in the water giving their feathers a well-needed, Spring bath.
By taking some time to slow down, dressing for the day’s temperatures, and getting out on some local trails, I was able to capture some unexpected images this trip. So I recommend taking the the time to get out to some new place, look up, look down, and see what you can find. There’s really a lot going on before your eyes to enjoy and there are certainly plenty of locations to visit and enjoy right near you.
by Bunnie Pasternak | Feb 22, 2021 | Uncategorized
I recently came across a short article by Asher Elbein from Audubon’s Spring 2020 magazine (page 53, “Catch a Floof if You Can”) talking about lingo that has been popping up on the Internet for “cute bird photos.” After all, having cute bird photos should also be out there with all those “cute puppies,” “cute cats,” etc., etc. Interestingly, the new lingo making the rounds according to Elbein includes ” ‘birb’ for small, round, cute birds; ‘borb’ for those especially round; and ‘floof’ for a bird that is fluffed up.” Amazingly, you probably can find all forms right in your own backyard. Who knew there was such lingo to express what you were seeing all these years???
For instance, do you have a birdbath for the birds in your yard? I know it’s winter right now in New England, but birds still need fresh water, just like you and I do. The next time you see them trying to take a bath, splashing water everywhere — what do they look like after they’re done? A “birb,” a “borb”, or a “floof”? Some of them are definitely poofing or floofing up to dry out afterwards or even to stay warm. I saw a local Northern Cardinal all poofed up on a walk in Woburn a couple of weeks ago that caught me by surprise. Wow — my first recognized “borb” perhaps or was it really “floofing”? I’ll let you decide.
But, preening and poofing or even “floofing” happens for birds of all sizes. I recently was able to capture a Snowy Owl floofing, unknowingly, until I read the article. I just thought she was relaxing after preening and seemed pretty comfortable sitting on a sign post. While letting everyone know that where she was, no one should get any closer. And, if anyone moved, she gave them the evil, yellow eye that would stare the person down and they’d stopped moving. Afterward, her preening and “floofing” just went right on. What an opportunity to see this Arctic visitor right here in our own backyards. Let’s keep her and all her brethren safe, by giving all birds the needed space to protect them from harm and harassment of humans. And above all, given the opportunity, preserve those memories you create and share them. Enjoy!
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