Tim Abbott Photography

Blending Engineering and Artistry

Author: Tim

  • Jam session at Killing Tree

    On the rare chance I get to listen to live music, it is often that I go to a venue with good food and great artists. I’m not against concerts, but I much prefer the intimacy of acoustic sessions.

    Evan Abood

    @evan_abood

    The Killing Tree Winery has been around for a little while and has grown since I first visited years ago. They now have a full kitchen with some fantastic menu items whether you are looking for something to snack on or all out dinner. The special last night was Ribeye steak! While the food is good and the atmosphere and people are very pleasant, it was my long-time high school friend Evan Abood who was doing an acoustic session that made me want to get out for a bit. I don’t go to all his sessions but decided it had been way too long since I saw him and wanted to say hello.

    So I have to pause to give a little background here. Evan and I played rock music back in the mid 90’s (Yes, I’m old. Get off my lawn). We were listening to some fantastic music that was coming out at the time: Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Weezer, Metallica, Primus and Temple of the Dog. These were some of the bands that mentored us into the musicians we are today. We also learned from the greats before us: Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan. There was another little known, yet high-powered, band that we also loved called Mad Season. One song in particular by Mad Season has always been a favorite of Evan and I’s called River of Deceit. Long story short, every time I show up to one of Evan’s shows, he calls me on stage to play this song with him.

    It had been a while since I’d seen him in person and because I haven’t picked up any of my guitars lately, I was hoping I could sneak in and not be noticed. As you can see from the pictures, I failed. Once he got to River of Deceit in his set list, I get the call to come up on stage with him. Again, the last time I played that song was on stage, with him, a WHILE ago. I’m thinking, “Come on Tim, You’ve played this song hundreds of times!” Funny thing is, when I pick up a guitar for the first time to play, I always use the same song: Nutshell by Alice in Chains. For some reason, that song just flips my musical switch. So I started to play it. Funny enough, Evan had that in his set list as well.

    I capped the night by playing Nutshell on stage with Evan to a very awesome crowd. If you haven’t seen or heard of him, check him out. You can see him live in the eastern area of Ohio and stream his music as well.

    -Tim

  • Cold Day at Beaver Marsh

    *Short post alert*

    What ended up being a cloudy day trip to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park turned out bright in the end. We stopped by Beaver Marsh in hopes of seeing some of the furry flat tails but found feathered locals instead. Hopefully, I will be able to get back again soon when it isn’t freezing and snowing (as some of the images show).

    -Tim

  • The Eagles of Wills Creek

    The Eagles of Wills Creek

    Bald Eagle at Wills Creek

    I’m confident enough to say that many of us take for granted the unique places that are close to us, and I am no different. I’ve lived in cities large and small. Both settings have their benefits and drawbacks, so you have to focus on the positive things about your environment. Just a short drive away is the Wills Creek Spillway, which is maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers.

    wills creek spillway area the bald eagle was spotted
    Wills Creek Spillway
    Wills Creek Fishermen and area the bald eagle was spotted
    Dedicated Fishermen

    We had a cold but sunny day over the weekend and wanted to get out of the house. I have a drone and hadn’t flown it in a while, so the Wills Creek spillway is ideal for some flight time. We weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the sunny day, as there were some dedicated fishermen trying their luck. Of course, I had to forget something, and this time it was a bigger jacket than the one I selected before leaving the house, so we didn’t stay long. Luck was with me that day since I was able to spot our national bird along the creek.

    bald eagle
    Bald Eagle
    bald eagle
    Bald Eagle

    The funny thing is you won’t find them close to the spillway, and in no way do I want to disturb wildlife. It wasn’t until the drive back did we spot these guys in the trees along the creek. We even took a short trip the following day (although not as sunny) and found another. I’m looking forward to the next trip out. Since I also like to fish, I might have to try my luck.

    -Tim

  • Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    Urn Plant
    Heavenly Bamboo

    This time of year in the northern part of the United States is typically cold and gray. During a long weekend recently, I was able to visit the Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus, OH on a day where rain wouldn’t let me do much outside. The vibrant colors were a welcome sight!

    Florist’s Cyclamen
    Blue Ginger

    I don’t get a chance to use my macro lens very often and I came really close to not taking it with me and I’m happy I did. I ended up taking way more pictures than I thought I was going to and quickly ran the camera battery down. Of course I remember to bring everything else with me except for extra batteries!

    Phalaenopsis schilleriana
    Moth orchids

    I was also lucky enough to see the butterfly exhibit. Now, I’m not a big fan of butterflies but there were some rather neat looking ones. It was surprising how close you could get to them and how some would even crawl on you! Before you leave the enclosure, the conservatory has full-length mirrors so you can check to see if you have any hitchhikers.

    Heliconius melpomene
    Papilio memnon

    I took over 1,500 photos that day but wanted to post a couple quickly. If you ever have the chance to visit the Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus, I suggest you stop by and walk through the many gardens they have even if it is on a rainy day.

    -Tim

  • My still frame photography go to: The Fujifilm X-T50

    My still frame photography go to: The Fujifilm X-T50

    The Fujifilm X-T50 is my first serious camera and is the one piece of equipment that launched me head-on into photography as a serious endeavor. I’m a tech geek, so I follow that news often. In 2024, Fujifilm started to make some waves about a new camera they were releasing. Curiously, I looked it up but couldn’t find it in stock. Why was what I would call a traditional camera unavailable since most modern smartphones have very capable cameras, with onboard software editing capabilities, not enough to make people want this new camera? Moreover, why were sellers listing it higher than MSRP? It wasn’t long before I realized why.

    Shot with Fujifilm X-T50 and 16-50mm kit lens

    What drew me to this camera is the built-in film simulations that Fujifilm included to replicate the various analog films they have produced for years. Twisting the dial on the top of the camera gives you access to several film presets that look fantastic right out of the camera with zero editing. Most, if not all, of the photos you see from me come from the X-T50. New photographers don’t know much about lenses, bokeh, aperture and all the other wonderfully awesome technical aspects of photography. A lot of the articles and tutorials I’ve read during my journey lament the mediocre quality of “kit” lenses, but honestly, the 16-50mm that came with the X-T50 did very well.

    I think the X-T50 is a great camera out of the box but have added some accessories to fit my needs. The first image above is of my camera with the kit lens and the SmallRig Handgrip so I have better control when using heavier lenses. There are additional accessories I use with it and will write about those as well at some point. It is a fantastic camera and travels with me to new places and those I’m lucky enough to revisit. If you decide on the X-T50, you will love it as well.


    Fujifilm X-T50 on Amazon
    SmallRig Handgrip on Amazon

  • Hi there!

    Hi there!

    Welcome to Tim Abbott Photography. Please excuse the construction mess. If you want to see some of my work, look me up on instagram @timabbottphotography. Thanks for stopping by!

    -Tim

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