Hello Hikers!
Wed May 16
Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve
This was Tiger’s second hike as the official photographer — I tore my rotator cuff in a fall last weekend and I stayed home to take it easy.
I always like to start a hike with a candid action shot of the hikers as they stampede in unison for the trail on the “Go” signal, ideally looking energized and cheerful and generally like they’re having fun. But you need to be out in front of them before they start, and then to scramble and take multiple shots as the group moves ahead. This is often one of the few times when everyone is together, so it’s a good moment.
Unfortunately someone was talking to Tiger and the group suddenly started, leaving her behind. In that case you tend to get trapped in the rear in a single line of people, and all you can photograph is their backs, an extremely uninteresting shot. In the photo above, Tiger had finally managed to work her way up the line and she managed to make it into an action shot — it has an element of “You are there” feeling to it — it’s not just a dull plodding line
She finally got into decent position for some different action shots …. took her a long time
Time for a group shot (though not everyone was present). You can see Jim’s shot immediately below — Jack V’s version is in his album here
Official head count: 21H, three D
More photos:
Sat May 19
Rained out
Sun May 20
Malloryville countryside northeast of Freeville — with Bob B
All the photos were taken by Tiger
Fantastic atmospherics — it was sprinkling on the way to the trail head and when we stepped off — but it soon stopped, and the air, which was blowing up from the south, had a wonderful Gulf Coast quality to it, mild and sweet
150-year-old RR trestle over Fall Creek, which you can see in the lower right corner
Giant beaver dam — always an adventure to cross
Entering the distinctive Malloryville bog …. the wooden walkways can be treacherously slippery
Official head count: 14H, one D