Pages

Monday, December 31, 2012

All Good Things Come To An End

I've been taking and posting a picture each day to this blog since January 1, 2009. What started out as a 365 Project to improve my photography skills by committing to take a picture each day for a year turned into four years of continuous picture taking. So after 1,461 photos I'm calling an end to my "Extreme 365" project. I want to thank all of the those loyal followers who posted comments and encouragement both on the blog and on Facebook. Sometime soon I'll launch a new blog featuring my photography. Take care and have a great 2013. Collage created using 1461 photos with Shape Collage Pro.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Headed Down

I couldn't end the year without another stairway picture. Don't know what it is that catches my eye about stairs, but I think they make cool photos. iPhone 5, 1/30 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 50.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Barbacue and Fries

Doumar's classic drive-in on a December Saturday night. Yep, pork barbecue sandwiches with cole slaw and an order of fries. It's a Norfolk Virginia legend and a frequent stop for us. iPhone 5, 1/20 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 100, Olloclip fish eye lens.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Doug's Dome

Looking up at the inside of the dome at the Douglas MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk Virginia. Around the dome are inscribed the names of major battles from MacArthur's 50 years of service in the U.S. Army. His career spanned the Mexican Revolution, WWI, WWII and the Koren War. The building and its dome was originally designed as Norfolk's City Hall by Thomas U. Walter architect of the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington D.C. City Hall was completed in 1850. The dome is 32 feet in diameter and 52 feet high. iPhone 5, 1/24 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 50, Olloclip fisheye lens.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Corinthian Console

This pair of Corinthian-styled consoles support a shallow stone balcony above the main entrance to the 1899 Federal Courthouse and Post Office in Norfolk Virginia. The building housed the U.S. Courthouse and Post Office until 1934, it then served as Norfolk's City Hall from 1938 through 1965 and other local government agencies occupied the building until 1977. It now being renovated and will serve as part of the City's new Slover Library scheduled to open in late 2014. The building is a rare example of Neo-Palladian Revival style. Canon G15, 1/1250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Starry Night in Glass

This is the purple swirl hand blown glass ornament my grandson Robert made this past Saturday with a lot of help from Josh and the glass artists at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio in Norfolk Virginia.
Canon 5D Mark II, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, one LED Litepanel used to illuminate from below.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

My Buddy

My buddy is wearing a little evidence of a pre-Christmas dinner cookie. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, bounce flash with a little direct flash from a white reflector.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Train

Robert playing with the LGB "Big Train" on Christmas Eve. He would rather push the train on the tracks than run it with the transformer. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, ceiling bounced flash with a little direct light from a reflector.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

1453

I've been taking and posting daily photos for almost 4 years now. This is number 1453 and I have eight more to go before I call it quits on the daily photos. Some days inspiration comes easy and other days it does not. Today is the later. Canon G15, 1/20 sec @ f/2.5, ISO 800, taken through a blue water bottle.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Serious Business

My grandson Robert pays close attention to instructions for making his own hand blown glass Christmas ornament at the Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Studio. When he finished, he proud;y pronounced his as the best in the class. I have to agree with him. Canon G15, 1/250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Wells Fargo Tower

The Wells Fargo Tower in Norfolk Virginia is sporting it's Christmas colors atop the 23 story office tower. Canon G15, 1/320 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Honeycomb

This honeycomb block wall is located just out the garage entrance to the Showcase Restaurant at Norfolk Virginia's Scope arena. One of my favorite mid-century modern buildings, the Scope has been featured in the blog many times. Canon G15, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, converted to black and white in Lightroom 4.3 using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

World Record Ornament?


Deborah Czeresko and the Chrysler Glass Studio team attempt to break Deborah's current world record for the largest blown-glass ornament. That's Deborah's at the left edge of the frame holding the torch. A rockin crowd of a couple a hundred art glass fans watched as the massive glass ornament grew and took shape. Canon G15, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

It's Oz

Saw this analog soundboard on a tour of the WHRO Public Broadcasting studios in Norfolk Virginia tonight. Two ladies along for tour were peering into the audio control room when one asked "is this radio or TV?" The second replied "it's Oz."
iPhone 5, 1/17 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, Camera+ App.

Monday, December 17, 2012

o-dark-thirty

This is how I start my Monday, Wednesday and Friday at o-dark-thirty each week. I've been at it for two years years now and it has changed my life. Thanks to Daniel, Mark and everyone at Fitness Together Norfolk, my cousin Lin who recommended FT Norfolk and to my dear friend Reza who got me out of the computer chair and off the couch. Canon G15, 1/20 sec @ f/2.2, ISO 800.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

American Pastime

It has been said that baseball is the all-American pastime. While the sport has been adopted around the world, Americans still hold it close from sandlot to little league, from to high school to college and from the minors to the big leagues. The Red Robin baseball flag reminds us of the sport's American heritage. Canon G15, 1/100 @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

This Year's Memory

The mouse is everywhere even on our Christmas Tree. This was a souvenir from our first ever trip to Disney World back in October. Our Christmas Tree has unique ornaments from the places we've visited over the years. Putting up the tree brings back all of those great memories from past vacations. Canon 7D, 1/13 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Fire Escape

The fire escape became a necessary addition to multi-story buildings particularly residential buildings in the first half of the twentieth century. An unintended consequence was that people began to use them as additional space. They became patios and even sleeping areas during hot urban summers. This example is on the York Center building, a 9 story office building in downtown Norfolk Virginia built around 1950. Canon G15, 1/400 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Holiday Arcade


The Monticello Arcade in Norfolk Virginia decked out and celebrating its 105th Christmas holiday season. That a pretty good run. iPhone 5, 1/15 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 800, Camera+ App.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Delaware Dome


This is the Norfolk Southern Railroad's Delaware Dome car # NS 24 at the new station platform in Norfolk Virginia. I had the opportunity to ride in this car during a trip from Washington D.C.'s Union Station to Norfolk's Harbor Park Station. This stainless steel streamliner car was built in 1954, the year I was born, by the Budd Company for the Santa Fe Railroad's San Francisco Chief service. It has been restored by Norfolk Southern and now sports the Tuscan Red & Black paint scheme from the old N&W passenger lines, the Powhatan Arrow and Pocahontas. If you like trains, you've got to love this classic. Canon G15, 1/160 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 800.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Long Awaited Return


After 36 years passenger rail service returns to Norfolk Virginia. The Governor's "Whistle Stop" train arrived in Norfolk this afternoon. Regular daily rail service provided by Amtrak Virginia from Norfolk to Washington D.C., New York and Boston starts tomorrow morning. This locomotive #156 carries the Amtrak 40th Anniversary "Phase I" paint scheme known as the "Bloody Nose." This was the first paint scheme widely used by Amtrak when it began service in 1971. Canon G15, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Morning Skyline


The Norfolk Virginia eastern skyline shortly after sunrise on a cloudy but unseasonably warm Monday morning. Freemason Street Baptist Church in the center foreground, the Basilica of Saint Mary just to the right, the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River with the railroad bridges raised to the far right, and Virginia Beach's Westin Town Center in the distant left background seen between the two NSU dormitory towers. Canon G15, 1 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 100.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Holiday Trappings


Holiday trappings everywhere you look. I love the colors and sights of the season. iPhone 5, Camera+ app.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Two Crows


"One crow means sorrow,
two crows mean joy,
three crows a wedding,
four crows a boy,
five crows mean silver,
six crows mean gold,
seven crows a secret that's never been told."

Canon G15, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Schlumbergera


Schlumbergera, a.k.a. the Christmas Cactus. These cacti are species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats which are generally shady with high humidity and can be quite different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins. Hybrids like this one are popular house plants.Canon 7D, 1/80 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens, two LED Litepanels used for illumination.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Too Much Email


Opened my Gmail account today and what do you know, my unopened email counter was sitting at exactly 10,000. Many of these are email lists, ads, automatic notifications and such. I had this down to zero this past summer. So if I took 5 seconds each to delete these emails it would take 14 hours of continuos deleting to get rid of them all. If I actually took a minute to look at each one, that would take 21 - 8 hour work days or a little more than one man month. And this is just my personal email account, my work account has much more volume. Canon 7D, 1/40 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro, photographed directly off my computer screen.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Twilight Steeple


Yesterday's photo featured the morning sky and the shiloutte of Norfolk's First Baptist Church. Tonight it's the nearby Freemason Street Baptist Church against a twilight sky. Grabriel's Horn is the weather vane at the top the steeple. Thomas U. Walter, the architect for the U.S. Capital dome designed the Gothic Revival building, which is now on the National Historical Register. Canon G15, 1/5 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Morning Contrails


A beautiful Norfolk Virginia morning with contrails from the east coast air corridor high above the shiloutte of First Baptist Church. This church is one of my all time favorite Norfolk buildings with its highly ornamented Romanesque Revival style. While you can't tell from this picture the pink granite ashlar and limestone trim are spectacular. This 1906 architectural masterpiece is the work of Chattanooga architect Rueben Harrison Hunt. iPhone 5, Camera+ App.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Frosty the Sandman


Of course any self respecting snowman in Virginia Beach Virginia is going to the beach. Canon 7D, 1/8 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Core Sound Christmas Trees


Crab Pot Christmas Trees, the latest addition to our holiday decorations. Created by Nicky Harvey founder of Harvey & Sons Net & Twine a Davis North Carolina commercial fishing industry supplier as way to expand his family owned business. Using triangles of the same coated wire mesh used in crab pots, he created a tree strung with lights that could be stored flat and then opened for display with the light strings remaining in place. As a result the Core Sound Christmas Tree was born and today is manufactured and distributed by Fisherman Creations, Inc. in Smyrna, NC.

Canon G15, 1/6 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Got a Green Light


Norfolk's new Consolidated Courthouse goes up against the evening twilight sky. Phase one is estimated to be completed by this time next year with the entire project to be completed by the end of 2015. Canon G15, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Downtown Font of Knowledge


The Virginian-Pilot Building at 150 Bramleton Avenue in Norfolk Virginia home to the paper's editorial team, a.k.a "the downtown font of knowledge." The 1937 building designed by Finlay F. Ferguson, Sr. is an excellant example of Art Deco stripped classical mode made popular nationwide by Philadelphia architect Paul P. Cret. It radiates the strength and power of the press. Canon G15, 1/800 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200 converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 Lightroom plugin.

SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012. Online. http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-NK32. Accessed 2012-11-29.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

So Happy


Sherlock is one happy cat. We set up this tree in the living room, put a bunch of shinny balls on it and then to top it off placed this nice soft red blanket underneath just for him.

Canon G15, 1/20 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Holiday Express


The Hampton Roads Transit Holiday Express zips by on Monticello Avenue in Norfolk Virginia tonight. This is one cool full train wrap!

Canon G15, 1/10 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800 with the little help from the miracle of digital image stabilization.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Winter Carnival


The Winter Carnival at Norfolk Virginia's MacArthur Center is a new addition this year along with the popular MacArthur on Ice public ice skating rink. It sure makes for a nice scene during the deep purple sky of twilight.

Canon G15, 0.6 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

I.T. - Trying To Fix What We Mess Up


Each member of the family has an ornament on our Christmas Tree representing their occupation. This is mine. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100 macro lens.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Serious Business


Unpacking and setting up Cindy's Santa's collection is serious business requiring much concentration. Canon 7D, 1/40 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Fork & Knife


Fork & Knife, Knife & Fork - the universal symbol for food? These hang over the entrance to the snack bar at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Canon G15, 1/200 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Santa's Catapult Launch


Santa launches off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman at the Norfolk Botanical Garden's Garden of Lights display. Cindy and I took Robert through the garden's tonight after Thanksgiving dinner. The light display is special but even better when enjoyed with a six year old. Canon 7D, 1/50 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 55mm focal length.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Hot Glass


Attended the "Third Wednesday" program at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio tonight. The theme was "Cooking With Glass" where two teams from the studio used hot glass to cook with during an Iron Chef style competition. It was great fun. Prior to the competition the team was busy making glass in a tag team fasion. Here Josh finishes up a piece of stemware that a few minutes before was just molten glass. Canon G15, 1/250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Encore


This a close up of a portion of the new sculpture entitled "Encore" by world famous sculptor Rodney Carroll. The art work was dedicated last month at the Main Street entrance to the Selden Arcade home to Norfolk Virginia's d'Art Center. Canon G15, 1/60 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 125.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Taking Shape


Norfolk's new Slover Memorial Library is taking shape. These concrete columns are part of the new entrance area. The completed library will include the historic Renaissance Revival style Seaboard Building located at the corner of Plume and Atlantic Streets, a six story new construction featured here, and a portion of the Art Deco Selden Arcade. The completed project designed by Newman Architects will provide Norfolk with a new high tech library featuring significant architecture from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Canon G15, 1/125sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro in Lightroom 4.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Mr. Submarine


Zero's Subs was founded in 1967 as the original sub sandwich shop in Hampton Roads Virginia. They are still "Hot and on a Roll!" Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Last Mum


An up close picture of the last of the fall mums. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro with LED Litepnael.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Fall in the City


The yellow and gold colors of fall grace the east end of Freemason Street in downtown Norfolk Virginia. Canon G11, 1/30 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Shadow Link


A chain link fence casts a sharp shadow on this concrete column. Canon G11, 1/25sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400. Converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Tis the Season


Holiday decorations are going up every where so the season is upon us. Captured this cheery holiday bauble at MacDonald's Gaarden Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. iPhone 5, 1/120 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 100, Camera+ App.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Thinker


This young man asked me to take his picture at the park the other day and struck this pose. Normally portraits are taken in the vertical portrait orientation but I thought this worked well in horizontal or landscape mode. See more of my black and white work at the World in Black and White Blog.

Canon 5D Mark II, 1/1250 sec @ f/4, ISO 400, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro in Lightroom 4.

Monday, November 12, 2012

DUDE


Enjoyed speeding my day off with Robert. Here he was burning off some energy at Woodstock Park in Virginia Beach. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/40 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, focal length 70mm.