Ascent

This is John Safer's sculpture, Ascent located at the entrance of the the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. It honors the human endeavor of flight. I was lucky enough to catch this dragonfly just as it flew by with the 70 foot tall airfoil shaped sculpture in the background. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/1250 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200.

Night Sleeper

- The leaves of the tree widely known in the U.S.A. as the Mimosa tree but more correct is the name albizia julibrissin or Persian silk flower. Its leaves slowly close during the night and during periods of rain, the leaflets bowing downward: its modern Persian name shabkhosb (شب‌خسب) means "night sleeper". In Japan its common names are nemunoki, nemurinoki and nenenoki which all mean "sleeping tree". Source Wikipedia. Canon Digital Rebel, 1/320 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Who, What and Where

- Can you guess who this is, what the situation was and where the picture was take? I'll give you a big hint - it's a picture of a picture. Good luck. iPhone 4, 1/20 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Summer Sunrise

- The hot temperatures and still air resulted in a thick early morning haze but all of that atmosphere helped to produce a really awesome sunrise. Canon G1X, 1/2000 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

You Like Tomato and I Like Tomahto

- As Louis Armstrong would sing - "You like tomato and I like tomahto." The tomatoes or tomahtos, take your pick, are in season. Nothing like a fresh vine ripe tomato, or tomahto, for a taste of summer. Canon 7D, 1/40 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

Missing Tooth

- Robert lost his first tooth this week. It came loose while he was biting into an apple and then he pulled out himself. He's a tough guy. Of course he got a visit from the Tooth Fairy and got $5.00 for his tooth! Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm.

Analog Bureaucracy

- I guess you can call this my "signature" photo. I sign my name dozens of times everyday day at work - contracts, agreements, HR paperwork and even small dollar amount mileage reimbursements. It's kind of sad that the Director of Technology is stuck in an analog bureaucracy. My only joy is that if I have to do it, I'll do it in style with a fine fountain pen. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 1600, 100mm macro with two LED litepanels.

A Sucker for Flowers

- If you're a regular follower of this blog you know I'm a sucker for any pretty flower. I have photographed dozens of them for my daily blog posts over the last three and half years. This one caught my eye, although I have no idea what it is. Canon G1X, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200 in macro mode.

Potomac

- Looking northwest at the Potomac River from the riverbank at the Red Rock Wilderness Overlook in Leesburg Virginia. The tip of land on the left side of the photo is Harrison Island. Everything you see in the photo is Maryland as the state line runs along the Virginia side of the Potomac. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/320 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 200.

Discovery

- It was with mixed feelings that I saw the Space Shuttle Discovery up close today at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center outside of Dulles in Northern Virginia. It was exciting to be so close to the space craft that has flown more missions, 39, than any other. On the other hand it was sad to realize that our space program is a mere shadow of what it once was. As a kid going up in the 60's and 70's I lived through the glory age of NASA. I wish we could once again put forth the effort that created Apollo and the Space Shuttles. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/320 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600, 70mm focal length.

Dulles Sunset

- The sun sets near Dulles Airport in Chantilly Virginia after a line of thunderstorms had moved through the area. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 105mm focal length.

Busy Bee

- Even on a hot day the bees were busy with their work. Canon G1X, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, in macro mode.

Mr. Celebrity

Mr. Sebastian Miller is now a TV celebrity! He was featured yesterday on the "Does it Work? Sticky Buddy" episode with Sandra Parker of WVEC News. Here he gets in touch with his serious side while he awaits a call from James Lipton. Canon G11, 1/20 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800, macro focus mode.

Scotty, Warp Speed Please!

- I wish I could jump to warp speed when traveling through the Midtown tunnel, the heaviest traveled two-lane road east of the Mississippi. This is the closest I'll get to that experience. Canon G11, 1/3 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400.

There's No Place Like Home

- There's no place like home,
there's no place like home,
there's no place like home,


Canon 7D, 1/80 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600, 100mm macro.

Strawberry Candy

- The strawberry candy daylilies are in full bloom. Winner of the Stout Medal in 1998, the American Hemerocallis Society's most prestigious award. 4-5" strawberry pink with a rose-red eye and golden throat. Starts blooming in June, continues until July and repeats in August - September. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Wing Shadow

- I caught this little green dragonfly taking a break from battling the wind this morning. The bright morning sun behind cast a sharp and defined shadow of the intricate structure of the wings. Canon 7D, 1/2000 sec @ f/11.0, 100mm macro.

Rail Shadow

- Late afternoon sun casts a sharp shadow of this hand rail onto the concrete ramp. iPhone 4 , 1/1000 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ app, Pinhole camera effect applied.

Madison Lion

- This lion overlooks the main entrance of the former James Madison Hotel in the 300 block of Norfolk Virginia's Granby Street. The building was recently converted to office space. Originally built as the Lynnhaven Hotel to accommodate visitors to the 1907 Jamestown Exposition it was renamed the Southland in the 1940's and then the Commodore Maury Hotel in the 1950's. It was one of Norfolk's premier luxury hotels when it opened. Renown American author and humorist Mark Twain stayed there on visits to Norfolk in 1907 and 1909. Canon 7D, 1/80 sec @ f/18.0, ISO 200, 350mm focal length.

Katydid

- Caught this little katydid hanging out on one of the spider daylily blooms this evening. Don't you just love mother nature's color palette? Canon 7D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

What?

- Sebastian giving me the "what, not another picture" look. Nothing worse than being hounded by the cat paparazzi. Canon G11, 1/15 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

Cuauhtémoc

- Cuauhtémoc was the last Aztec Emperor who was captured and executed by the Spanish in 1525. His name means "One That Has Descended Like an Eagle." Cuauhtémoc and the eagle are reflected in this figurehead on the Mexican Navy tall ship which bears his name. Illuminated by facing west into the setting sun, the gold plated figure glows with determination. Canon 7D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400.

The Nose Pinch

Robert holding his nose and going under. I didn't think he was ever going to get out of the water. The boy just loves to play in or with water. The squirt guns were a mistake. Canon G10, 1/160 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400, Canon underwater housing.

Loving It

- Sunset over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. One of the many reasons I love living in Hampton Roads Virginia. Canon G1X, 1/500 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400,

OpSail 2012 Virginia

- Cisne Branco("White Swan") a tall ship of the Brazilian Navy arrives in Norfolk Virginia during the parade of sail to start OpSail 2012 Virginia. Dozens of tall ships made their way from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay into Hampton Roads and down the Elizabeth River before docking at Norfolk's downtown waterfront. This picture was taken from Fort Norfolk. Canon 7D, 1/320 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200, 100mm focal length.

Echinacea Purpurea

- Echinacea purpurea a.k.a the Eastern purple coneflower or just Purple coneflower. Echinacea is believed by many people, including me, to stimulate the immune system. A 2007 study by the University of Connecticut combined findings from 14 previously reported trials examining Echinacea and concluded that Echinacea can cut the chances of catching a cold by more than half, and shorten the duration of a cold by an average of 1.4 days. Case closed. Canon 7D, 1/4000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200, zoom at 300mm.

Flip Flop

- Cute shoe, cute toes. Canon G1X, 1/400 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 100.

Pink

- This little pink flower was in a bouquet that Cindy picked up at Trader Joe's yesterday. It's only about a half an inch across but up close it puts on quite a show. Canon 7D, 1/640 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 80, 100mm macro lens.

Spoons

- The Annapolis Ice Cream Company encourages customers to decorate plastic spoons using a bucket of Sharpie markers. Thew result are thousand of spoons with all kinds of designs. We decorated spoons while we enjoyed their amazing ice cream. Mine - a Canon Camera complete with image on the LCD display. This is photo of just a few of the spoons on display in the store. I used a "pencil sketch" technique to give it a newspaper comic book effect. Canon G1X, 1/125 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, post process done in Lightroom 4.1 with the pencil sketch effect applied in Picasa 3.9.

Full Sail Ahead

- Took my first trip on a sailboat while we were in Annapolis this weekend. Had a spectacular day, good wind and beautiful skies. This is looking up at the mainsail as we sailed towards the Chesapeake Bay from the mouth of the Severn River on the Schooner Woodwind. If you're ever in Annapolis, I'd highly recommend you checkout a trip on the Woodwind. The crew was great and we had a wonderful time. Canon G1X, 1/400 sec @ F/11.0, ISO 100.

Night Chapel

- The US Naval Academy Chapel dome at night from acros the Severn River. The Naval Academy Chapel was designed by Ernest Flagg. The cornerstone was laid in 1904 by Admiral George Dewey and the dedication of the Chapel was on May 28, 1908. Following a 1940 renovation the chapel can seat 2,500 people. The remains of John Paul Jones are interred in a crypt beneath the Chapel. Canon 5D Mark II, 13 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200. The camera was braced on a pilling and the photography was ankle deep in the Severn River for this shot.

Make Me An Offer

- Say it isn't so, the Maryland Republican Party is for sale or lease. I bet you thought they sold-out years ago didn't you? Canon G1X, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400.

Strawberry To Be

- The patio strawberries are just starting their second round of blooms. In a few weeks this will be a tasty red berry. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/200 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

Watching

- Robert watching for the next set of waves. Canon G1X, 1/250 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 100, 115mm equivalent focal length.

Guiding Angel

- Victorian Funerary Arts produced interesting and beautiful cemeteries during the 19th Century. Many of the customs of the day carried forward into the first half of the 20th century and some still influence how funerals are carried out today. The Victorian cemeteries of the 19th century were treated as parks are today with family outings and picnics often held on their carefully landscaped and maintained grounds. Norfolk has several historic cemeteries from this time period including Magnolia Cemetery in the Berkley neighborhood where this guiding angle can be found. The guiding angel points a finger heavenward to direct the deceased's soul. Canon G1x, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, converted to black and white in Lightroom 4 using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Remembering

- Since it was Memorial Day I thought I'd share some memories from Cindy's family during WW II. Cindy's great grandmother Della Bray recieved these two War Department telegrams about her youngest child, SSgt. Vernon C. Bray who was serving in the US Army Air Corps, 93rd Bombardment Group, 330th Squadron.

On December 7, 1942 his squadron along with the 328th and 409th squadrons left their base at Alconbury, England on a long flight that would end at Tafarouri Aerodrome, a former French airfield outside Oran in Algeria. The 93rd was sent for temporay duty to supplement the newly formed Twelfth Air Force, which had been recently activated in North Africa under the command of General James "Jimmy" Doolittle. Vernon's crew flying a B-24D Liberator named the Blastin' Bastard was lost when their airplane crashed into a mountain while attempting to land at Tafaroui. Personnel at the base had not been alerted that the B-24s were coming in and no plans had been made to light up the runway. Gasoline flares were then lit and the rest of the group landed safely on the muddy airfield.

Lost with Vernon were 2Lt. Iceal W. Alford, Jr. (IN), TSgt. James E. Davis (TN), 1Lt. Leo A. Donze (MO), MSgt. Harold J. Hanna (IL), 1Lt. Robert A. (Ox) Johnson (KS), 2Lt. Robert L. Lynch (ND), TSgt. Samuel McNeeley (TN), SSgt. William J. Nagle (NJ), MSgt. Oscar S. Olsen (IL), Sgt. Kenneth R. Pastrof (NJ), SSgt. Jack E. Pinion (TN), SSgt. Samuel F. Powell (UT), and Capt. Richard S. Scott (NY). The crew is buried at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage Tunis, Tunisia. Names and stories are important, let's remember all who serve and especially those who gave their lives.

Self Portrait

- Thought I'd try a self portrait for today's photo. It was a nice evening to be riding around in the convertible so I took my photo at a stoplight. Canon G1X, 1/500 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

Pretty Kitty

- Miss Sasha looking pretty with my messy desk reflected in her eyes. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/40 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600, 50mm prime lens.

Then & Now

- THEN - May 1940, 401 Monticello Avenue in Norfolk Virginia was home to Sears, Roebuck & Co. Sears occupied 110-112 Freemason Street around 1930 and in 1939 acquired the corner lot and built an expansion designed by noted Richmond architect Marcellus Wright. Sears remained in the buildings until they moved to 21st Street in the 1950's. The building was then home to the Nelco Department Store. Historic photo courtesy of Sargeant Memorial Collection – Norfolk Public Library.

- NOW - In the mid 1990's the City of Norfolk acquired the old Sears store and the adjoining former Rices Department Store at Freemason and Granby all which had been vacant for some years following the flight of retail from downtown to the suburbs. The City renovated all three buildings to create the Granby Municipal Building now home to the Bureau of Neighborhood Quality and Building Safety, and the Departments of Public Utilities and Information Technology. My office is the third floor corner office directly behind the street lamp globe in the center of the photo. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/500 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200.

Spoon

- The spoon as wall art? This is a big spoon, about 4 foot long. They are used in the Skinny Dip frozen yogurt stores usually hanging on a bright green or purple wall. iPhone 4,1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200, Camera+ app.

Play Ball

- This is part of a mural being painted by Artist John Hickey on a wall at the Norfolk Baseball Academy in the 700 block of 22nd Street in Norfolk, Virginia. It was featured in an article in today's Virginia Pilot so I drove by to take a look and of course a picture during lunch. The mural is based on a photograph from an exhibition game between the New York Yankees and the Norfolk Tars on June 29, 1934, at Bain Field. Bain Field was located not too far from this site just off Monticello Avenue between 18th and 20th Streets. When completed the mural will also feature Babe Ruth who played in the game. iPhone 4, 1/1027 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ app.

Future Heat

- First blooms on this year's Jalpaneo pepper crop. Last year's crop produced peppers all the way into December. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, 100mm macro, LED Litepanel.

Blues Armory

- The Blues Armory is a large brick armory in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Housing the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, the castle-like structure originally served multiple purposes, with a food market on the ground floor and a drill hall for the National Guard on the top floor. Completed in 1910, it was designed by the Washington, D.C. firm of Averill and Hall. The castellated design was not entirely whimsical, as the structure was designed to withstand attack during riots. The University of Richmond Spiders basketball team played home games in the Blues Armory from 1947 to 1950. The Nation Guard moved out in the 1960's and the building is mostly empty today. iPhone 4, 1/125 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Cross-eyed

- My little buddy Sherlock has a slight cross-eyed trait that is sometimes found in oriental cats. It doesn't seem to bother him at all and his eyes are a striking shade of blue. He's a Tonkinese, Tonk for short, a cross between Siamese and Burmese breeds. Tonks are lively, friendly, often talkative cats, with gregarious personalities. While Sherlock doesn't talk much, he does love to play fetch and will retrieve a toy as long as you're willing to toss it. Canon 40D, 1/10 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 100mm focal length.

Details

This architectural detail is a terra cotta rosette located within a deep reveal at the central entrance to 130 W. 57th Street in New York City. Built in 1907-08 to provide living and working facilities for artists, the studio building at 130 West 57th Street is a rare surviving example of this unusual building type, and a reminder of the early twentieth century period when West 57th Street was a center of artistic activities. The Art Nouveau structure was designed by architects Pollard & Steinam and was home to American impressionist painter Childe Hassam and painter Irving Wiles. For over ten years the first floor retail space was home to New York's Planet Hollywood restaurant before it moved to the current Times Square location. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400.

Grate

- Close-up of the grate over an underground electric utility vault in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/3200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, converted to black and white in Lightroom 4 with Silver Efex Pro 2.

Anchors Aweigh

The massive port side anchor of the battleship USS Wisconsin. The ship's two anchors, port and starboard bow, each weigh 30,000 pounds. Canon G1X, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, converted to black & white in Lightroom 4 with Silver Efex Pro 2 plug-in.

More Wright Stuff

- Spent this evening building building Lincoln Logs with my grandson. Lincoln Logs were invented in 1916, by John Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. The toy was based on the architecture of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by the inventor's father. The foundation of the hotel was designed with interlocking beams, which made the structure "earthquake proof". This feature assisted in the design of the toy logs, ensuring stability of the miniature buildings created with the toy set. John Lloyd Wright was issued US Patent 1,351,086 on August 31, 1920, for a "Toy-Cabin Construction." Today Lincoln Logs are distributed by K'nex. Canon G11, 1/80 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400 in macro mode.

BCR 2014

- Switcher 2014 leased by the Bay Coast Railroad from Locomotive Leasing Partners (LLPX) is used at the southern yard for the Bay Coast Railroad at Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Virgina. The Bay Coast took over operations of the Eastern Shore Railroad in 2006 operating a 90 mile connection on the DelMarVa peninsula from Pocomoke City, Maryland to Little Creek, Virginia via 64 miles of rail and a 26 miles Chesapeake Bay crossing using one of only two remaining "carfloats" left in operation in the U.S. BCR 2014 is an EMD GP38, a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in July 1970 and was once owned by Conrail and operated as CSXT 1946. Here's a short video of BCR 2014 pulling mixed freight including two massive 16 inch gun barrels from the Battleship Missouri earlier this year. iPhone 4, 1/385 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ app.