The B-Day Boy

- Another picture of Robert on his birthday. He's Grandpa's favorite model. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Renaissance Lion

- This lion is one of eight that are part of the Renaissance Court and Garden at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. They guard the reflecting pool and fountain. Modeled along the classic lines of the Italian Renaissance of the late 16th century, this area features all of the trademarks of that period. Canon 7D, 1/5 sec @ f/32.0, ISO 100 mounted on a tripod.

Cool

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- The massive CPU cooling tower hides the brains of my PC from the camera but it does do a nice job of keeping the Intel Core-i7-940 processor nice and cool. Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens

Point & Shoot

- There's no shortage of cameras in the Sullivan house. This Canon SD870 IS has been Cindy's camera since 2008. It's a great little point & shoot camera. It has contributed six pictures to my photo of the day blog over the past three years. Check out what the SD870 can do. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens, converted to black & white in Lightroom 3 using Silver Efex Pro 2..

Laid Back

- My grandson Robert was laid back before his birthday party today. Canon 7D, 1/25 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Kitty Pop, Pop-Pop

- Sasha and Sherlock were fascinated by the popcorn popper. They didn't move the entire time it was popping. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 320. Camera+ app using 4×3, crop, depth of field - SFX and thin white border.

Monticello Station

- The Tide light rail pulls out headed west from the Monticello Station. When the Tide started running in Norfolk Virginia on August 19 of this year, the audio announcement for the Monticello Station created some concerns. Voice artist Karen Hutton who speaks for the Tide used the correct pronunciation of "Monti-CHEL-o," like the musical instrument for the original recording. However many locals have always used the Americanized mispronunciation of "Monti-SEL-o." So a few weeks later Hampton Roads Transit had Karen re-record the announcement using the locally preferred, although incorrect, pronunciation of Monticello. Listen for it next time you ride the Tide. In addition to being a voice artist, Karen Hutton is an amazing photographer, check out her work here. Canon G11, 1/200 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Tough Shot

- There are few more cheerful sights, when the evenings are long, and the weather dull, than a handsome, well-lighted billiard room, with the smooth, green surface of the billiard table; the ivory balls flying noiselessly here and there, or clicking musically together. — Charles Dickens Jr., (1889) - iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 640, Camera+ app following adjustments: darken scene, square crop, XPRO C-41 FX, thin white frame.

RED

- DISCLAIMER - I did not make this photo but I liked it so much that I wanted to share it on the blog. This is a photo of me taken this past Saturday at the Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk Virginia by Paint the Town Red - Norfolk. Paint the town Red - Norfolk is a promotion of the Virginia Stage Company's production of the play RED about Russian born American painter Mark Rothko and the Chrysler's Museum's exhibit "Mark Rothko: Perceptions of Being".

The Obvious

- You wouldn't think the plainly obvious would have to be said over and over again. But such is the case with safety messages. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

Vanishing Point

- No it's not the 1971 movie staring Barry Newman and a white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum. A vanishing point is a point in a perspective drawing or photograph to which parallel lines not parallel to the image plane appear to converge. This row of lights gets smaller and smaller as it approaches the vanishing point in the lower left corner. I often use this technique with parallel lines in photos but it also works on a line of circular shapes. Now its time to put the 1971 cult classic Vanishing Point into my Netflix queue. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100.

Shore Shadow

- The late afternoon photographer casts a long shadow at the shore. Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 100, converted to Black & White using Silver Efex Pro 2 and Lightroom 3.

Life & Death

- Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 100 in macro mode.

Big Balls

- Dem some big beach balls. Taken along Shore Drive on Willoughby Spit in Norfolk Virginia. Canon G11, 1/2500 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

Seeing Double

- Saw a double rainbow earlier this evening. The inside rainbow was a complete rainbow from one end to the other. Two rare sights at once. Unfortunately didn't have a wide enough angle to capture the full rainbow and the double in a single photo. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100, Camera+, Clarity, Square Crop, Vibrant, Thin White Frame.

Classics

This classic old phone booth sits just outside the Classics Department at Rutgers University. I understand few use the pay phone but that it is a very popular place to have a private conversation on one's cellphone. May be there's a new life born for phone booths without phones. Canon G11, 1/6 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Knock - Knock

Who's There? Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400 converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 in Lightroom 3.

Temples of Finance

- Early in the Twentieth Century banks were designed as imposing structures to instill confidence with depositors. This is the Virginia Club (formerly Virginia Bank and Trust) Building located at the corner of Granby and Main streets in Norfolk Virginia. Today it is home to Trilogy Bistro, one of our favorite downtown restaurants, and the Virginia Club one of Norfolk's oldest private social clubs. Completed in 1909 the building is excellent example of Beaux-Arts neo-classicism; an eclectic mix of classical Greek and Roman forms. Here you can see one of the engaged Ionic columns and Doric pilasters on the east facing facade. Next time you are walking down Granby Street look closely at the architectural details of the remaining classic downtown buildings. Too many have been lost recently but this restoration is worth a dinner at Trilogy just to see the inside and have a great meal. Canon G11, 1/1600 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100.

Pacific & 32nd

- The new Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach pays tribute to it's original location on Pacific Ave. iPhone 4, Camera +, fill flash.

Heavy Weights

- The big dumbbells at Fitness Together in Norfolk VA. There's a lot of weight on this rack. Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Lavender Mum

This lavender mum came back from last year. It's a different color for fall. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Taillights & Tailpipes

- My grandson Robert was staying with us tonight and we picked up a a new 1/24 scale 2005 Corvette C6 die-cast for the toy box at Grammy's house. We always have to race with a new car and this is Robert's Vette pulling away from my Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. In Robert's race he always wins so I'm usually looking at nothing but taillights and tailpipes. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens.

Dark Rose

A Knockout rose bud just starting to open up. Photographed at night with a single LED Litepanel providing side illumination. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Break of Dawn

The break of a new day from 37,000 feet. There are benefits to an o-dark thirty departure. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @f/5.6, ISO 800.

Broken Wing

- Even with a broken wing this angle continues to maintain watch over a tomb in the historic Lafayette Cemetery #1 in the Garden District, New Orleans. Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

NOLA

Bourbon Street in New Orleans is like no other place in America. The neon says it all. The old American Bank & Trust Company and the former Hibernia National Bank are illuminated in the background sky. Canon G11, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800.

Redundant

This seems to be just a wee bit redundant to me. Canon G11, 1/13 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800.

Ghostly Greeter

- We added some Halloween "greeters" to foyer for my grandson Robert. This is the ghostly greeter. This might end up being my Facebook profile photo later in October. Canon 40D, 1/30 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm.

The Jester

- The Court Jester leads a small army of Lego mini-figures. These plastic articulated figurines by Danish toy manufacturer the Lego Group were first produced in 1978. Since then over 3.7 billion have been produced. Canon 7D, 1/1000 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Shredded

Yep, its the paper shredder bin. Canon 40D, 1/50 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 plug-in from Lightroom.

1000 Posts

- Today marks my 1000 straight days of posting a photo on the CIOPhoto.com blog. I began a 365 project on January 1, 2009 taking and posting a new picture every day for a year. At the end of the 2009 I decided to try and continue for another year which I completed on December 31, 2010. After two years, I was so into the daily routine that I figured what the heck, let's try for 365 x 3. In year three I coasted a bit and some days posted pictures that I had taken earlier and never used on the blog. I still take a picture of some sorts every day but I had many good photos I wanted to share from the first two years so I have have used them. I figured its my blog, I can do what I want. Today's photo is a bare bulb florescent light fixture in the stairwell at work. I had my camera out and was looking at the light when one of my coworkers came through and said there's no picture in this place. I said don't be so sure of that. It's plain and simple, I hope you like it. There are 95 days left to complete 365 x 3, stay turned and I'll try to not disappoint. Canon G11, 1/2000 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200, post processed using Lightroom preset "Color Creative - Color CP 1" with a few tweaks to white balance and the tone curve.

Starry Night

- Out in the country in Southwest Wisconsin the nights are dark and the sky is full of stars. This is a long exposure of 78 seconds so there's a little blur with each star caused by the earth's rotation. Canon 7D, 78 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 100, mounted on a tripod.

Sadie

- This little girl is the new "grandcat" of our friends the Philips. Her name is Sadie and she's a nine year old recent adoptee. She has settled in nicely claiming the leopard spot bed of Zoe her new pitbull sister. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1000, Camera + app using clarity and stabilizer options.

Light Shower

- This light fixture at the Mall of America appears like flowing water. It actually just a series of mirrors and crystals on this line. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100, Camera + app.

Tracking

Parallel light rail tracks viewed from the inside of a train car looking through the "ad wrap". iPhone 4, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100, Camera + app.

Wisconsin Fog

- The early morning fog burns off a valley near Spring Green Wisconsin. This fog went from completely dense to gone in about 20 minutes as the morning sun rose above the hills and burned off the fog. Thanks to Cindy for dragging my butt out of bed to capture this image. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 100.

View to Infinity

This bridge leads to the Highway 23 Scenic Overlook which allows for a great view of the Infinity Room jutting out into the Wisconsin sky from the House on the Rock. Canon 7D, 1/1600 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Shining Brow

"Shining Brow" is the literal translation of "Taliesin" the Welsh name Frank Lloyd Wright gave to his 1911 country home and studio in Southwest Wisconsin near Spring Green. Wright positioned the home on the "brow" of a hill, a favorite of his from childhood, rather than on the peak so that Taliesin would appear as though it arose naturally from the landscape. Canon 7D, 1/60 @ f/16, ISO 200.

House on the Rock Resort

- We are staying at the House on the Rock Resort in Spring Green Wisconsin for a few days. The resort is is a very cool building built on a hill side over looking the golf course. This view is from across the 1st fairway lit by the late afternoon sun. Beautiful blue sky day in Southwest Wisconsin. Canon 7D, 1/15 sec @ f/22, ISO 100.

West Wing

No it's not "that" West Wing, this is the West Wing of the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. Each of the four compass point corridors at the MOA have different architectural stylings. I like this one the best because of the way the ceiling and structure is exposed. It reminds me of an old style warehouse or arena. Canon G11, 1/25 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400 converted to B&W using Silver Efex Pro 2 plugin with Lightroom 3.0.

Ground Out

- Minnesota Twins third baseman Luke Hughes grounds out to end the third inning just as he did to end the second inning. He didn't have a good day going 0 for 5 against the Indians. The Twins woes continued as they dropped their seventh straight game at the end of a season that leaves them with the worst record in the American League. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200, 220mm focal length.

Minnehaha Falls

- Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis Minnesota. The falls are located near the Minnehaha Creek's confluence with the Mississippi River. The name comes from the Dakota language elements mni, meaning water, and ȟaȟa, meaning waterfall. Thus the expression "Minnehaha Falls" translates as "Waterfall Falls". Canon 7D, 0.8 sec @ f/22, ISO 100, mounted on a tripod.

MoA Skylight

One of many skylights at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. The mall is really big. It has a Microsoft Store located right across from the Apple Store. The two stores have different personalities like Jobs and Gates, need I say more? Canon G11, 1/640 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200.

Grasses

- Tall grasses add elegance and beauty to the perennial garden at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Canon 7D, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro

Watching & Waiting

- This skimboarder was patiently watching and waiting for a few more waves before darkness fell at Sandbridge Beach. Canon 7D, 1/100 @ f/8, ISO 400, 70mm focal length.

Harvest Moon

- Tonight's harvest moon rises from the southeast over Virginia Beach, Virginia. The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. Since there is no long period of darkness between sunset and moonrise, the harvest moons is said to help farmers working to bring in their crops. Canon 7D, 1/8 sec @ f/32, ISO 100, focal length 540mm (400mm zoom with 1.4x teleconverter, all mounted on a tripod.

Sandpipers on the Move

These sandpipers were moving quickly along the shoreline at Sandbridge Beach, Virginia this evening. Canon 7D, 1/4000 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400, zoom at 200mm focal length.

Wide Open

- The 17th Street surf shop in Virginia Beach isn't just open its WIDE OPEN. iPhone 4 using Camera+ 2.3.1.

SOM Handywork

This photo was taken inside the Virginia Beach Convention Center designed by the renown architectural design firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago. You know their work, the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Tower in Chicago, the Air Force Academy Chapel, and the new Liberty Tower, aka World Trade Center One in New York City. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Daniel Fire-Cloud

- I have long had an interest in old cemeteries and for the past five years I've been fulfilling photo requests for the Find a Grave website. Today I had occasion to stop by the small cemetery on the campus of Hampton University for a photo request but I was unable to locate the grave I was looking for. I did however spend some time walking among the graves of Native Americans who were students at what was then Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. The "Indian School" existed from1878 through 1923 and many young Native American men and women from western tribes attended the school. Some like Daniel Fire-Cloud a Sioux from South Dakota died while attending school. His grave is marked by a traditional stone and a more fitting massive cedar tree. Canon G11, 1/125 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200, converted to black and white in Lightroom 3 using the Silver Efex Pro 2 plugin.