My first experience at Inniswood was shortly after I bought my new Nikon D3100 camera.  I wanted to find a park where I could photograph nature, scenery and interesting creatures to broaden my portfolio.  Looking for the chance to shoot macro, wide angle and experiment creatively, I could not believe all of the fabulous photo opportunities at this park.

Practicing some of the tips I had read in my camera’s manual, I was ready to explore the aperture and shutter priority settings.  I came upon a bee flying around the flowers as I walked the tour.  I waited for the right moment to frame the insect between the flowers and was eager to experiment with creating blurred images, focusing on the bee and the flower.  Set on aperture, I adjusted the F-stop to f/5.6 and the exposure time to 1/40 sec.  There was plenty of sunlight, so my ISO speed was perfectly set at 100 and my lens’ focal length was 55mm.  It took me several shots, but in the end I was very pleased with the outcome.

I was so excited to see the waterfall because I could practice using the shutter priority setting, allowing me the chance to practice another photography skill.   It took me several attempts before I found a shot that satisfied me, but I enjoyed the challenge and the result of freezing the waterfall perfectly.

I left the F-stop at f/5.6 and the exposure time was changed to 1/20 sec.  There was plenty of sunlight, so my ISO speed was perfectly set at 100 and my lens’ focal length was 55mm.  My exposure bias was +0.7 step.   I was pleasantly surprised with how well this photo turned out.

For my first shots, I have to say that they came out fairly well.  The image viewer on the back of the camera was not large enough to give me an accurate assessment of each photo.  For example, I really thought I had captured the circular tips on the stigma of my flower, but in the end, they were still a little blurry.  I hope that as I practice, I will become accustomed to improving the clarity of my shots and will learn to make the proper adjustments for shooting better photos.

Towards the end of my walk, I started to take some photos without setting up the shots.  Surprisingly, I had a couple that turned out to be some of my most interesting and favorite shots.   I shot this photo in aperture priority, with an F-stop of f/5.6, exposure time:  1/60 sec., an ISO speed of 200 using the 55mm focal length.  There was an exposure bias set at +0.3 step.  It seemed to one of those photos that I would never be able to recreate.

My favorite photo of the whole afternoon was taken at dusk when this tiny little raccoon peeked out from the brush as I was exiting the park.  The park ranger noticed him as well and was trying to encourage him back into the woods.  He allowed me a quick opportunity to photograph him, but of course, the grass was in the way of the shot.  I hope that someday in the future I will be able to learn how to modify photos with software to preserve some of the great moments that did not turn out so well. And until then, I will continue to photograph all manners of landscape, animals, and architecture just for the joy of photography.

Are you a photographer or just have a love for documenting your adventures?  Whether I am out traveling the world or in my own backyard, the digital camera has allowed me to capture some of the best moments in my life!  I would love to hear any photo tips or to learn of some your most memorable photographic experiences!  Please share your stories and tips on the comments section below!  Many Thanks and Happy Travels!

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What to See and What to Do:

Inniswood Metro Gardens
1069 West Main Street
Westerville, OH  43081
Telephone;  614 891 0700

• Admission Fee:   Free
• Hours:  Open daily from 7AM to dark.
• Amenities:   Family programs, hiking/trails, gardens, restrooms, Innis House, Wedding venue, tours and entertainment

Where to Stay:

Aloft Columbus Westerville
32 Heatherdown Drive
Westerville, OH  43081
Telephone:  614 899 6560

Where to Eat:

Northstar Cafe
109 S. State Street
Westerville, OH  43081
Telephone:  614 394 8992

One of my favorite menu items at Northstar is the Thai Burrito with roasted chicken, peanut sauce, crunchy slaw and brown rice served with a Thai dipping sauce and tortilla chips.  When dining with a larger group, I prefer the Margherita Pizza with organic tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and shaved Grana Padano.

Here are more of my favorite Columbus Classics:

• Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream:  Known for her unique flavor combinations, Jeni Britton Bauer has made ice cream famous in C-Bus!
• North Market:  A one-stop shop for universal cuisine, Columbus’ North Market is worth a stop in the Short North District of the city.
• The Thurman Cafe:  The Thurmanator is the burger of all burgers at this longtime local cafe in German Village.  There may be a wait all burgers are made to order.
• Schmidt’s Sausage Haus and Restaurant:  While the sausage at Schmidt’s is the official food of Columbus, it’s the amazing Cream Puffs that have the locals lining up at the door.

What to Read: 

• Columbus: The Story of a City, by Ed Lentz
• Columbus, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait, by Randall L Schieber and Robin Smith
• Ohio in Photographs: A Portrait of the Buckeye State, by Ian Adams
• Secret Columbus, by Anietra Hamper

Photo Guide for Columbus: 

• Coffman Park: small ponds, bridges, white barn, pavilion, landscaping, public art
• Columbus Museum of Art:  the grounds, inside artwork and special exhibits
• Everal Barn and Homestead:  landscaping, white barn, beautiful lake
• Frank Fetch Park:  gardens, brick paths, beautiful trees and landscaping
• Franklin Park Conservatory:  beautiful gardens, artwork, flowers and special exhibits
• Gantz Park:  barn, beautiful trees,
• German Village:  brick streets, landscaping, parks, charming architecture, Old World charm, historical buildings
• Grove City:  brick roads, small town, shopping area
• Hayden Falls – wooden walking path, waterfall
• Historical Village of Hilliard:  a small village to include a schoolhouse, train car, chapel, log cabin, covered bridge, gazebo and granary
• Homestead Park in Hilliard: walking path, covered bridge, barns, trains, tractor, pond and pet park
• Inniswood Metro Gardens:  gardens, lily pond, herb garden, play area for children, secret garden
• Ohio State House: rotunda and landscaping (photo permit required)
• Ohio State University:  campus, landscaping, Mirror Lake, Ohio Stadium (you can pay a small fee to take photos inside)
• Park of Roses in Clintonville:  various types of rose gardens
• Riverfront Park:  city view, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
• Schiller Park:  gardens, walking paths, stone columns, wooden bridge, small lake
• Scioto Mile:  city views, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
• Scioto Park in Dublin:  statue of Chief Leatherlips, river views, landscaping, and paths
• Short North:  restaurants, italian village, shops, city views, murals
• Topiary Park:  depiction of George Seurat’s 1884 painting, landscape, fountains, small pond, gazebo

NOTE:   The following photographs were also taken on the same night as I “hiked” the 1.4 mile loop at Inniswood:

The Secret Garden at Inniswood

The Secret Garden at Inniswood

Exploring the Secret Garden at Inniswood

Peeking through the circular brick feature of the Secret Garden

The Secret Garden

Beautiful flower at Inniswood

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Inniswood Metro Gardens