243 - Sunset Beach

From 365 Project

It's rare to see a sunset over water on the East Coast but you can at Sunset Beach near Cape May, New Jersey. I took this photo about 5 minutes before the sun dipped into the bay. You can see the wreck of the concrete ship Atlantus just offshore. Canon 40D, 1/125sec @ f/11.3, ISO 100, 17mm focal with a 1 stop polarizing filter.

242 - Victorian Twilight

From 365 Project

This children's store is on the Washington Street Mall in Cape May, New Jersey. This is our first visit to Cape May and the great old Victorian architecture still dominates. So far we are loving our stay. Canon40D, 1/13sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 28mm focal length. Taken from our sidewalk dinner table at the Jackson Mountain Cafe.

241 - The Fruit of the Gods

From 365 Project

This apple is part of a larger work of art entitled the The Garden of the Hesperides by J. Kenneth Leap. It is located in the lobby of the Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick New Jersey and comprises enameled float glass and glass mosaic tessera. The hand belongs to one of the Greek nymphs tending to the fruit of the gods in the garden which was the mythical venue for the eleventh labor of Hercules. Canon 40D, 1/40sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 144mm focal length.

240 - Two for one day

From 365 Project

Two photos today. The first is my photograph of the fresh vegetables on display at the Highland Park, New Jersey Farmers Market. There was lots of great stuff and we loaded up. Canon G10, 1/320 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 400.

From 365 Project

This second photo Cindy took as we were driving up US13 in Delaware this morning. This little dog was riding on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle with his goggles on. You just don't see this everyday.

239 - Down the Drain

From 365 Project

This is a storm drain grate in a Salisbury Maryland parking lot. The parking lot lights cast nice hard shadows creating a scene that caught our eye as we walked by. Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, 1.0 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200, handheld with a deep breath and good image stabilization.

238 - Mountain Mint

From 365 Project

This small patch of Mountain Mint was attracting a lot of activity. There were at least 20 bees, wasps and moths working on the newly opening blooms. You could smell the mint in the air. Got to get some of these for my garden. Canon 40D, 1/250sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, 200mm focal length (I wasn't getting too close to all of those stingers).

237 - Orb-weaver Spider

From 365 Project

I think this is a Garden Orb-weaver Spider. The main body is more than an inch long. She has been building this spectacular web each evening in my backyard and then takes it all down and retreats to a safe spot under a garden lantern until the next night. @Pleyades - I think this looks closer to your spider from last week rather than the wolf spider. Canon G10, 1/60sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

236 - Cooper Jack

From 365 Project

Parked next to this Mini Cooper with the these Union Jack covers on the side and rear view mirrors. I think Coopers now have the most after market accessories of any car. It seems that everyone who has one has tricked it up. In the old days the original VW Beetle was king of the accessories, I should know. Wish I still had that 1970 Bug. Canon G10, 1/800 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 100, 150mm equivalent focal length.

235 - Butterfly to Be?

From 365 Project

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. ~Richard Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller Shooting macro photos has opened my eyes to so much. I was getting ready to pull this stringy vine that had grown up through my camellia bush, when I noticed it had these delicate blossoms. As I was photographing those I saw this little caterpillar on on the leaves. He turns out to be the photo of the day. Canon Rebel XTi (400D), 1/250 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800, 2X macro, manual off-camera flash at 1/64 power.

234 - Make him stop - please!

From 365 Project

Max the cat looks back towards Susan. his rescuer, to save him again. This time from the photo a day blogger who keeps trying to take his picture without a model release. Susan rescued Max earlier this year and now the big Red Mackerel Tabby enjoys a charmed life, except when CIOPhoto is around. Canon G10, 1/8 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

233 - Scared Lotus

From 365 Project

Last month I posted a photo of an American Lotus with its butter cream yellow color. This time it's the Asian Scared Lotus in wonderful pale pink. Buddhist symbolism suggests, because they emerge from slime and corruption, then grow up through the purifying water to emerge into the sunlight, they are seen as metaphors for the development of the individual being towards enlightenment.* This one is at Pagoda & Oriental Garden in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Canon 40D, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 100mm focal length.

232 - Smart!

From 365 Project

This is simple shot of the Smart car logo from a cool looking black model displayed in the MacArthur Center mall in Norfolk Virginia. The camera was pulled slightly downward during the exposure to create the three dimensional effect. Canon 40D. 1/4 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 200. Converted to black and white in Photoshop Elements using the Hidden Power Infrared and Custom B&W plugin.

231 - World Photography Day!

From 365 Project

Today is World Photography Day, yea! Thanks to @Pleyades for the heads-up tweet this morning. Photographer's love their gear and I'm a real gear geek. So I took this photo of my favorite rig, the Canon 40D with an 85mm, F1.8 prime lens. Even though we love our gear, a photographer's #1 pet peeve is when someone looks at one of their pictures and says, "wow that's a great photo, you must have a really nice camera." While gear is important, a good photographer can make a great picture with a cell phone camera. Canon Rebel XTi (400D) 1/250 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200, 50mm macro lens. The subject was in a light tent and illuminated with two strobes.

230 - Fisheye Myrtle

From 365 Project

I know some photographers don't like those "silly circular" fisheye lenses. I don't use mine every much but it can produce some unusual results. This is the old crepe myrtle in my side yard at dusk. I used the camera's pop-up flash to light the tree and of course it falls off rapidly towards the edges of the extreme wide angle producing an even more pronounced circular framing. Canon Rebel XTi (400D), 1/60 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, 8mm focal length.

229 - Beetle

From 365 Project

Back in June I chased a little beetle around with the macro lens for about an hour and never got a tack sharp image. This little guy didn't move at all so it was pretty easy to get a nice clear macro shot. The macro lens has an extremely short depth of field so capturing the sharpness at the point of interest can be challenging. Canon 40D, 1/400 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, 50mm macro lens.

228 - Casa del Gato

From 365 Project

Casa del Gato is home to the Lambert's Point feral cat colony. One cat seems to be checking the mailbox. The cat house is located on Orapax Street adjacent to the Lambert's Point docks and cargo terminal in Norfolk Virginia. Directly across the street is Tortilla West who's staff feed and keep an eye on the colony. The cats were spayed in 2008 in an effort to help control the colony's growth. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200, 54mm equivalent focal length.

227 - Buckeye Butterfly

From 365 Project

Caught this Buckeye Butterfly in the butterfly garden at Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, a.k.a. HRAREC, in Virginia Beach. The Center has some amazing gardens, thanks to Duane and Les for suggesting this as a place for photos. Canon 40D, 1/1600 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, 200mm focal length.

226 - Flame Out

From 365 Project

I was trying to get a macro photograph of a match at the instant of ignition. I got a few nice shots, but it is really hard to get the exposure just right because the match burns so intensely during that first brief moment and each match lights a little bit differently. After looking at the photos, I actually liked this shot best, just after the flame was blown out. What do you think? Canon Rebel XTi, 1/160 sec @ f/5.6. ISO 200, 50mm macro lens.

225 - More Zero's than Bill

From 365 Project

Wow, that's a lot of zero's, more than even Bill or Warren have . . . together! Canon G10, 1/8 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

224 - Black Eyed Susan

From 365 Project

A large bunch of Black Eyed Susan's have been beckoning me to take their picture. I pass these every morning on my drive to work. Today's the day with the image captured using my latest favorite photographic gadget, the Lensbaby. Canon 40D, 1/640 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200.

223 - Buddleja davidii

From 365 Project

The Buddleja davidii is a variety of the plant commonly called a butterfly bush. This one has been moved around my yard over the years and now occupies a backyard corner. As it's common name implies, it does indeed attract the butterflies. In many areas this plant has become quite invasive and is even considered as a weed. The blooms are tightly bunched and very small but reveal their individual beauty under the macro lens. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/20, ISO 400. 50mm macro, with lighting provided by the Lightpanel Micro.

222 - Uncanny Resemblance

From 365 Project

I just received my latest issue of PEZ Collectors News in which an article pointed out the uncanny resemblance between PEZ Boy and Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former governor of Illinois. You know what that means, a picture of the day highlighting the still much admired PEZ Boy, a star in his own right. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/200 sec @ ~f/4.0, ISO 200 using the Lensbaby Composer with +4 macro lens and the star shaped creative aperture.

221 - Skimming

From Skimming

The tide was way out and the waves small, smooth and breaking close to shore, not too good for surfers, but perfect for skimmers. Unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach, with the skimboarder running and dropping their board onto the thin wash of waves. They use their momentum to 'skim' out to breaking waves, which they then catch back into shore in a manner similar to surfing. Several skimboarders were having a great time in the early evening surf as this photo demonstrates. Check out more of the fun from today's trip to Sandbridge Beach. Canon 40D, 1/800 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 100-400 zoom at 235mm focal length.

220 - Busy Bee

From 365 Project

The bumble bees were very busy working these blooms. I'm not sure what type of plant this is, but I've seen them around a lot this year. Canon G10, 1/200 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400, 28mm equivalent focal length in macro mode. Update 8-13-09: Janet, the Queen of Seaford, pointed out the plant the bees are so busy with is Lantana. Thanks Janet!

219 - Flying Buttresses

From Aug7

These massive flying buttresses support the the world's largest reinforced concrete dome at the Norfolk Scope. Designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi and completed in 1971, the Scope is a 12,600 seat arena which was the first professional home of basketball legend Julius Irving "Dr. J" as member of the ABA's Virginia Squires and the site of the first NCAA Division 1 Women's Basket Final Four in 1982. Today the arena is home to the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL. Canon 40D, 1/200msec @ f/18.0, ISO 100, 17mm focal length.

218 - Burger Beacon

From 365 Project

The Statue of Liberty is often used as a symbol for commerce, from tax services to chain restaurant burgers. This burger torch stands watch before a poster of the Sopranos at the Red Robin restaurant in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake Virginia. I am certain this is not what Frédéric Bartholdi. the original sculptor of Lady Liberty. had in mind for his creation. Canon G10, 1/25 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

217 - Legacy

From 365 Project

My grandson Robert has recently acquired his first camera, gently used - of course, and loves to take pictures with it. We were dueling it out with our cameras during a family night out for pizza. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, flash set at -1 stop.

216 - Elvis Sighting

From 365 Project

I was taking a few night photos of the First Lutheran Church of Norfolk located on Colley Avenue in the historic Ghent neighborhood. The church is a beautiful Gothic Revival structure dedicated in 1930. While I was taking pictures, someone said, "Come stand here and you can see Elvis." Sure enough, illuminated in the a small section of the front stained glass window is a image of what looks to be Elvis. Certainly not what I expected to photograph on a walk after dinner. Canon G10, 1/15 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 1600 54mm equivalent focal length - hand held.

215 - Before Shopping Malls

From Monticello Arcade

At turn of the 20th century shopping arcades were commonplace in cities. These enclosed buildings housed shops on the first floor and offices above. Only two remain in Virginia including this one, the Monticello Arcade in Norfolk. Built in 1907 the three-story, Beaux-Arts style arcade forms a protected pedestrian passageway between City Hall Avenue and Plume Street in the middle of a long block in downtown Norfolk. It and its sister, the Art Deco Selden Arcade in the next block, once formed the preferred path from downtown to the ferry slips to Portsmouth. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

214 - Wave Break

From 365 Project

The waves were breaking from right to left today after some late afternoon showers. We weren't sure if we we were going to get our Sunday evening trip to the beach in, but the rain stopped and we had the beach almost to ourselves. I was experimenting with the selective focus of the Lensbaby Composer. Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f2.8, ISO 200.

213 - Cool Ride

From 365 Project

Saw this cool ride when we stopped by Palace Shops on 21st Street in Norfolk earlier today. Check out the seat back and the size of that chain holding it to the bike rack. With a ride this cool, you just can't be too careful. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 100, 30mm f1.4 prime lens.