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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Last weekend, I visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to see the Synchronous Fireflies event in Elkmont. Luckily we arrived at the peak time for the fireflies after weeks of thunderstorms passing through the southeast. It was tough finding the proper camera settings for the firefly show on the first night. However, by the second night, I had the settings adequately set, and my Canon camera performed optimally. We also saw some incredible sights, including owlets that lived in the Elkmont campground. We couldn’t have been more fortunate to have clear skies and mild weather during our stay. Looking forward to visiting again next year!

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Carolina Mantis

Sunday meditation with sesni. Over the last couple of years we’ve placed Praying Mantis eggs around the yard. This looks like one Carolina Mantis that has really prospered since then. Looking at my Bell Pepper plant, I notice this beautiful specimen sitting on the leaf. I quickly grabbed my Canon camera for some quick shots. Usually mantises are quite active and move around a lot, but this one seemed to be very comfortable on the plant. Noticing this behavior, I setup my tripod to spend the evening capturing close up macro shots of this magnificient Praying Mantis.

Carolina Mantis
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Moog Subharmonicon Patch

Writing a new song using the Moog Subharmonicon and Grandmother. I watched a video from the Moog Demo Library yesterday and learned a simple patch. It allows Sequencer 2 to control Voltage Oscillator 1 in addition to Sequencer 1. This patch expands the Subharmonicon’s functionality by combing the two sequencers to control the instruments pitch. I modified it a little though by not using the eighth-note equal-tempered scale so I could pick the exact pitches I want. Also I turned both of my Sub-Oscillators to fifty percent. A patch like this is great for extending the sequencers length on the Subharmonicon, and I really enjoy what it has added to the song! If you like this video check out some of my other ones here.

Moog playlist

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Imperial moth

Today, I was visited by this beautiful male Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis ). They are one of the largest and most prolific moth species in the United States. We see them quite often in North Georgia, and their calm behavior make this particular species of moth perfect for photography.

I was able to relocate him from under our outdoor spotlight to a leaf. This allowed me to use my handy Manfrotto tripod, and a Canon 35mm macro lens, to capture the close-up shot. It’s difficult to get well lit macro shots, but the built-in light on the Canon lens takes care of this. If you enjoy macro photography, and are in the market for a lens, I would definitely check out this one. I have come across two of these moths this year, along with some Luna moths, hopefully I will be fortunate and see a few more before the season is over!

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Red-shouldered hawk

Red-shouldered hawk

I spotted this magnificent Red-shouldered hawk yesterday sitting on a tree branch in the summer rain. We have a few that live in this area, but it’s difficult to tell whether or not you’re seeing the same one. The coloring on their feathers helps them blend flawlessly into the foliage, and if you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s rare to notice any unique features that distinguish it from another.

Usually it’s the size of the bird that stands out the most, we do have some considerably larger females that frequent this area. They’re easier to see through the forest than the males and tend to be hunting small rodents or snake which we have plenty of here. Watching these incredible creatures soar through the air and swooping down to the forest floor is such a treat and I feel very lucky to have been able to capture a few Red-shouldered hawk close-ups on camera over the last few years.

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July photography

July was quite a month, like an emotional roller coaster tossing you side to side, but we made it through and I am ready for August now. Down here in Georgia, we had incredible thunderstorms, temperatures in the high 90s, and humidity above 50%. This proved extremely difficult when trying to take some photographs. Luckily we had a few perfect days in between which allowed me to venture out and capture all the beauty around us. All of these photographs were taken on my Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR camera; I couldn’t say enough good things about it. If you’re in the market for a camera, I would definitely check one out. I used a combination of Canon lenses including a 24, 35, 55, and a 70-300mm for the telephoto shots. I did most of my editing on a iPhone 11, which with the new iOS 13, has been a real game changer for me in processing photos. I hope you enjoy this collection of moments from July and will come back to see what August has in store.

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Moog Sirin solo

I’ve been working on a new song using the Moog Sirin and wanted to share how much I enjoy this analog synthesizer. It is truly an Analog Messenger Of Joy that produces a rich, bold sound, while still being compact and portable. The Sirin’s unique voice sings over other tracks, making it a great choice for that ripping solo! There’s a common misconception that expensive hardware is better, but we shouldn’t forget about finding that sweet spot, where price and quality meet. The Moog Sirin is a great example of when a high quality analog synthesizer becomes more accessible to the average musician. I’m also thankful for the great customer support I received from Moog when I needed to install wood panels. This synth is everything I’d hoped for, and I couldn’t be happier.