In Memory Of Snows Past

No meaningful snows this year in Northeast... here are a couple of shots from the past.  2011 Above 1990s below.  Top is digital image. Bottom is 4x5 black and white film scanned on an Epson 3200. 

Going For Sharp

Decided to head to the river to use every technique I've learned to get sharp images.  Not that I don't normally.  Used focus stacking, polarizer, best aperture, tripod, etc. etc.  All ISO 64.  Boat just happened to come along in the above shot which was 14-24mm lens at F8.

Used focus stacking for the first time ever in this one... five shots with the point of focus moving into the image for each one.  Camera did that work, then the five were imported on layers into Photoshop and aligned and merged.  You can accomplish something similar by using F16 or higher... but you start getting image distortion...

The Halls Are Decked - The Stevens Home

 The 1902 home of Edward A. Stevens is all aglow for the holiday season thanks to its current owners Jeff Zumsteg and Jeffrey Linville.  The annual decorating takes 10 full 8 hour days, although they spread it out a little more than that.   There are 19 Christmas trees in the house this year.  The home is listed on the National and Local Registers of Historic Places.  It has over 8,000 square feet of living space.

After living in the home for only six months, Mr. Stevens passed away.  His wife, Ellen Stuart Moores White Stevens, son and daughter continued living in the house after his death.  His Daughter Aileen married Herbert James, grandson of T.M. James, and after her mothers passing lived in the home until 1925. 

 The front entryway. 

 Stairs leading to the second floor with original stained glass window. 

 Above, side hallway to the kitchen.  Below, stairs to the second floor. 

 Above, dining room.  Below, Gentlemen's Parlor.  

 Above, third floor ballroom.  Below, Jeff Z's English Village. 

 Above, a Mizzou Tree. :)

 Above, Ellen Stevens' portrait painted in 1865.  The Christmas Cactus was a gift to Jeff Z's Grandfather on his wedding day in 1921.  Still going strong after 96 years.   Below, Mrs. Stevens' first husband, William White's portrait, also 1865, he died at the age of 25.  Mrs. Stevens' was a Mayflower descendent. 

Northeast/Southwest, The City

 The skyline from two perspectives...  the Summit Street Bridge and Paseo and Lexington Avenue..  
                                                                                  roughly.

Kansas City Museum In Spring Finery

A few images of the Magnolias on the grounds of the Kansas City Museum 

Colonnade

                Top, Historic Northeast's Colonnade at night.  Below, same in infrared, daytime.