The following photorealistic 32-bit HDR image of Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, is a composite of three bracketed exposures, +/- two stops of exposure.

20 FEB 2016 | Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge | Mulligan Pond
Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge is located along Dogue Creek, downstream from the southeastern boundary of Huntley Meadows Park.
The wetland refuge is open to the public, although signs such as the one shown below are a sobering reminder that the property belongs to the U.S. Army. The danger is real, according to John Pilcicki, Natural Resource Specialist, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir, and visitors should stay on the marked trail.

20 FEB 2016 | Jackson Mile Abbott Wetland Refuge | Signage
Tech Tips: I used my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 superzoom camera to shoot three bracketed exposures of the same landscape. The camera was set for manual focus at the hyperfocal distance for an aperture of f/4, based upon the instructions provided in the excellent video tutorial by Graham Houghton, “Panasonic Lumix FZ camera easier manual focus method — super point-and-shoot tip.” I used Adobe Photoshop CC (2015) and Lightroom CC (2015) to create and edit a 32-bit HDR composite image of the three exposures: Photoshop was used to create the HDR image; Lightroom was used to adjust the composite image. The final version was exported from Lightroom as a 16-bit TIFF and imported into Aperture for some finishing touches.
Copyright © 2016 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: hyperfocal distance, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Mulligan Pond, site exploration
February 29, 2016 at 4:38 am |
[…] Showcasing some of my digital photography and videography. « Mulligan Pond […]
May 31, 2016 at 4:00 am |
[…] Baskettail (Epitheca cynosura) was spotted on 24 May 2016 during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
June 16, 2016 at 4:14 am |
[…] Prince Baskettail dragonflies (Epitheca princeps) were spotted on 14 June 2016 at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
June 30, 2016 at 4:07 am |
[…] to my surprise, a Lancet Clubtail dragonfly (Gomphus exilis) was spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a […]
July 2, 2016 at 4:04 am |
[…] male Banded Pennants were spotted on 26 June 2016 at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). One of the two males was unusually cooperative; he […]
July 10, 2016 at 4:02 am |
[…] Setwing dragonfly (Dythemis velox) was discovered recently at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR) — the first official record of Swift […]
July 12, 2016 at 4:06 am |
[…] Common Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) was spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge. This individual is a female, as indicated by her rounded hind […]
September 20, 2016 at 4:02 am |
[…] Blue-faced Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum ambiguum) was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. As far as I know, this is the […]
September 26, 2016 at 4:08 am |
[…] Russet-tipped Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) was spotted near Mulligan Pond during a photowalk at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). Russet-tipped Clubtail is a […]
October 4, 2016 at 4:06 am |
[…] Snowberry Clearwing moth (Hemaris diffinis) was spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Notice the moth has dark or […]
October 14, 2016 at 4:01 am |
[…] dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) after I spotted one on 22 September 2016 during a photowalk at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
October 18, 2016 at 4:08 am |
[…] Shadow Darner dragonfly (Aeshna umbrosa) was spotted during a photowalk at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
October 20, 2016 at 4:09 am |
[…] Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) on 03 October 2016 during a photowalk at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). This one was by far the most challenging to […]
October 22, 2016 at 4:01 am |
[…] to my left as I was looking for Russet-tipped Clubtail dragonflies during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
October 24, 2016 at 4:04 am |
[…] pair of Slender Bluet damselflies (Enallagma traviatum) was spotted during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). This pair is “in heart“: the male is on top; […]
November 3, 2016 at 4:03 am |
[…] Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) was spotted during a photowalk at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland […]
November 15, 2016 at 4:02 am |
[…] Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum ambiguum) at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge was observed at Mulligan Pond on 15 September 2016. 10 days later, another Blue-faced Meadowhawk was spotted near the same […]
November 21, 2016 at 4:01 am |
[…] one of many Blue-fronted Dancer damselflies (Argia apicalis) spotted during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). This individual is a male, as indicated by his […]
November 23, 2016 at 4:02 am |
[…] mating pair of Variable Dancer damselflies (Argia fumipennis violacea) was spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). This pair is “in heart“: the male is on […]
December 2, 2016 at 4:11 am |
[…] Clubtail dragonfly (Stylurus plagiatus) was spotted during a photowalk at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). This individual is a male, as indicated by […]
December 26, 2016 at 4:03 am |
[…] Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR) is a familiar location where several species, previously unknown to occur at the park, were discovered in 2016. […]
January 26, 2017 at 4:01 am |
[…] mating pair of Variegated Fritillary butterflies (Euptoieta claudia) was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
January 28, 2017 at 4:01 am |
[…] mating pair of Pearl Crescent butterflies (Phyciodes tharos) was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
February 1, 2017 at 4:02 am |
[…] mating pair of Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
February 3, 2017 at 4:06 am |
[…] solitary female Monarch was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. JMAWR is located […]
February 13, 2017 at 4:02 am |
[…] Clubtail dragonflies (Stylurus plagiatus) were spotted during photowalks at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR). Both individuals are males, as indicated by […]
March 31, 2017 at 4:04 am |
[…] and Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia) spiders were spotted during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
April 20, 2017 at 4:07 am |
[…] dragonflies were observed near Mulligan Pond during a photowalk at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. I was […]
April 22, 2017 at 4:02 am |
[…] a Common Baskettail dragonfly (Epitheca cynosura) was spotted patrolling part of the shoreline at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a male, in […]
August 8, 2017 at 4:02 am |
[…] mating pair of Banded Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis fasciata) was spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This pair is “in […]
August 10, 2017 at 4:01 am |
[…] Swift Setwing dragonflies (Dythemis velox) were spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. All of the individuals […]
August 12, 2017 at 4:00 am |
[…] Pennant dragonflies (Celithemis fasciata) were spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. All of the individuals […]
September 7, 2017 at 4:00 am |
[…] on the nose of a water turtle, possibly a Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris), at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
September 9, 2017 at 4:03 am |
[…] Swift Setwing dragonflies (Dythemis velox) were spotted during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia […]
September 23, 2017 at 4:03 am |
[…] single Swift Setwing dragonfly (Dythemis velox) was spotted during a photowalk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge (JMAWR), Fairfax County, Virginia USA. This individual is a […]
December 30, 2017 at 4:01 am |
[…] was spotted perching on the nose of a Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris), at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia […]
January 25, 2018 at 4:03 am |
[…] a week later, another Red-spotted Purple was spotted during a walk around Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia […]
February 10, 2018 at 4:04 am |
[…] Orb Weavers (Family Tetragnathidae) are commonly spotted at Mulligan Pond, Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia […]
March 22, 2019 at 4:02 am |
[…] Blue-fronted Dancer damselfly (Argia apicalis) was spotted near Mulligan Pond at Jackson Miles Abbott Wetland Refuge, Fairfax County, Virginia […]