Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday
Photograph by Tom Atwood

This rose reminds me of Kathryn Stulken, a member of the Flower Guild at St. Andrew's in Edwardsville, Illinois. Each week guild members create beautiful floral arrangements for Sunday services, and on Easter Sunday, the display is absolutely righteous.

Shutter: 1/2 second; Aperture: f/22; ISO: 200; Focal Length: 55 mm

St. Andrew's - landscape photography

Easter Day
Photograph by Tom Atwood

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Edwardsville, Illinois. 

Shutter: 1/15; Aperture: f/3.5; ISO: 200; Focal Length: 18 mm

Beneath - landscape photography

Under the Clark Bridge
Photograph by Tom Atwood

What I remember about taking this photograph beneath the Clark Bridge is flying carp leaping out of the Mississippi River near West Alton, Missouri. It was spooky enough without that.

Shutter: 30 seconds; Aperture: f/7.1; ISP: 400; Focal Length: 85 mm

River Sunset - landscape photography

Sunset on the Mississippi
Photograph by Tom Atwood

There is a wide blue stretch of the Mississippi River (yes, blue!) north of Alton, Illinois. Known as the Alton Pool, the river here almost looks like a lake. A lovely blue lake lined by white bluffs.

Shutter: 1/1250; Aperture: f/22; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 120 mm

Big Thompson - landscape photography

The Big Thompson River
Photograph by Tom Atwood

Depending on snow melt, the Big Thompson flows gently or rushes through Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. It is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, in my opinion.

Shutter: 6 seconds; Aperture: f/25; ISO: 100; Focal length: 20 mm

Accidental Art - Edwardsville Senior Pictures

Sarah Smith
Photograph by Tom Atwood

Sometimes a senior picture become something else. In this case, a dreamy monochromatic meditation on serenity in tall grass. Or else, Sarah blinking during the photo shoot in Forest Park.

Shutter: 1/160; Aperture: f/3.5; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 18 mm

Beware of Dogs - landscape photography

Green Hedge Road
Photograph by Tom Atwood

What you can't see in this photograph are the dogs. It was actually very dark on Green Hedge Road, and late at night, when I took this picture. While I was waiting for this 56-second time exposure, the dogs on the farm began barking, not happy. The baying in the dark kept getting closer, so I packed up my tripod and left this peaceful scene.

Shutter: 56 seconds; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 100 mm

Damselflies - nature photography

Damselflies
Photograph by Tom Atwood

Never take pictures at noon on a sunny day. Except sometimes. This photo of lovely blue damselflies was taken outside at the Missouri Botanical Garden around noon on a sunny day. For some reason, the photo looks like it was taken in a studio with elaborate lighting. But there was only one light. A big one.

Shutter: 1/250; Aperture: f/8. ISO: 100; Focal Length: 145 mm

Fruit Road - Midwest Landscape Photography

Fruit Road
Photograph by Tom Atwood

The horses stood facing into a strong wind on this cold, snowy morning along Fruit Road where it crosses Illinois Highway 4, not far from Alhambra, not far from Marine, and not really close to anything.

Shutter: 1/200; Aperture: f/7.1; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 18 mm

Focus

Laila Jason
Photograph by Tom Atwood

The moments just before a big race can be the most dramatic. In this photo, Laila Jason is waiting to run the first leg of the 1600 meter relay at the state high school track finals in Charleston, Illinois. She appears extremely calm, extremely focused. Almost in another world.

Shutter: 1/500; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 400; Focal Length: 190 mm

Chain of Rocks Canal - landscape photography

Chain of Rocks Canal
Photograph by Tom Atwood

The Chain of Rocks Canal was built in the 1950s so traffic on the Mississippi River could bypass the dangerous "chain of rocks" north of St. Louis. It helped create a lovely, strange island near Granite City known as Choteau Island, a winter home for Bald Eagles, farms and a landfill. I think.

Shutter: 1/20; Aperture: f/22 (don't ask me why); ISO: 200; Focal Length: 18 mm