Putto

A putto is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually nude and sometimes winged. Putti are often confused with cherubs. While cherubs represent the second order of angels, putti are secular and non-religious. This one was found on top of a garden fountain. iPhone 5, Camera+ App, 1/20sec f/2.4, ISO 64 converted to black and white.

No Horseplay

I was always intrigued when Hampton Roads Transit, a.k.a HRT, decided to ban "Horseplay" from The Tide light rail platforms. I was never sure why they choose the word horseplay. I would have preferred any of the following more creative synonyms: buffoonery, capers, hijinks, rough-housing, rowdiness, shenanigans, or my all time favorite - tomfoolery.

iPhone 5, 1/390 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, Camera+ App

Veggie VA

Creative use of the veggie display at the new Whole Foods Market in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
iPhone 5, 1/24 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, Camera+ App.

Gummy

A giant gummy bear night light on display in the Calendar and Toy Store at MacArthur Mall in Norfolk, Virginia. iPhone 5, 1/40 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 64.

Anchor Star

Star-shaped anchor plates were used for structural reinforcement on buildings in the 18th and 19th centuries. These were made of cast iron and were used as tie plates serving as the washers for tie rods on brick or other masonry-based buildings. The tie-rod-and-plate assembly serves to brace the masonry wall against lateral bowing. Source - Wikipedia.
iPhone 5, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, converted to black & white using Silver Efex Pro 2.

The Clawwwwwwwww!

Who's in charge here?

The clawwwwwwwww!
The claw is our master.
The claw chooses who will go and who will stay.

iPhone 5, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 500, Camera+ App.

EOC

Got back from my trip in Florida just in time for an activation of the City of Norfolk's Emergency Operations Center. This was my first tour of duty with Norfolk during an emergency and I was very impressed by the way my coworkers pulled together. Many of my team at the City's Information Technology Department served a 24 hour shift at the Compostella Elementary School on shelter duty while others worked shifts at the EOC supporting technology and vital communications. Here Jim Redick the City's Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response conducts the 6:00pm briefing. iPhone 5, 1/24 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, Camera+ app.

Fire!

We were greeted by two fire performers on the way to the "Fire and Ice" evening event at the Gartner Symposium and IT/XPO in Orlando Florida. iPhone 5, 1/15 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 800.

Here Lyeth

This 17th century grave marker bears the skull and crossbones and is located at St. Pauls Church in Norfolk Virginia. On July 1, 1875 the stone was brought to Norfolk from Weyanoke on the James River. It was found amid the ruins of an old colonia church. Today the stone is attached to the south wall of the old church.

Did you notice the year of William Harris' death is noted as 1687/8? So what's up with that? Were they not sure what year he actually died in? No, according the the USGen Web project "the practice of double dating resulted from the switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Not all countries and people accepted the new calendar at the same time. England and the American colonies didn't officially accept it until 1752. Before that date, the government observed March 25 as the first of the year, but most of the population observed January 1 as the start of the year. For this reason, many people wrote dates falling between January 1 and March 25 with both years." Now you know.

iPhone 5, 1/144 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 50, Camera+ app using the Clarity adjustment and Pinhole FX Effect.

Hallowskull

Captured this skull at Target's Halloween display. There must have been a dozen different skulls to choose from, light up skulls, screaming skulls and plain creepy skulls. iPhone 5, 1/20 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 125, Camera+ app.

Death's Head

This creepy skull is on an old garvestome at St. Paul's Church in Norfolk Virginia. The inscriptions are long since worn away but the skull remains. The marker most likely dates from the late 1600's to the early 1700's. The death's head, often with wings and/or crossed bones, was a stylized skull. Some have speculated that winged skulls were intended to symbolize a combination of physical death and spiritual regeneration. iPhone 5, 1/20 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 50, Camera+ app.