Steel Curtain

This steel curtain is simply a decorative treatment in the elevator at the Hilton Hotel at Short Pump in Richmond, Virginia. Canon G11, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800

Night Insulator

An electric power line insulator backlit by the full moon. Canon 7D, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 560mm focal length.

Watermelon

As summer winds down the watermelons are still coming in strong. Watermelons are believed to have originated in southern Africa but evidence shows they were cultivated in China as early as the 10th century. Today China is the world's single largest watermelon producer. A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight and is a good source of vitamin C. Canon T2i, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 40mm prime "pancake" lens.

Let the Sleeping Dog Lie

As the old saying goes, it's best to a let a sleeping dog lie. This is my "granddog" Cinder sleeping off the excitement from a visit by Grammy and Grandpa to his house today. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/10 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600.

Paris

The next best thing to being there, a little, made in China, plastic knick-knackery, with an Eiffel Tower of course. iPhone 4, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ app.

Letter Box

This antique mail chute is still in use in the Royster Building. The 13 story "skyscraper" was Norfolk's tallest building when it was completed in 1912. This mail chute was provided by Cutler Mail Chute Company. James Goold Cutler received a patent on September 11, 1883 for the mail chute. The first one was installed in 1884 in the Elwood Building in Rochester, New York. Cutler ultimately received thirty patents for variations of his invention. The original approved patent No. 284,951 design stated that it must "be of metal, distinctly marked U.S. Letter Box. . ." iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1000.

Blue Moon

According to the font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, a blue moon is the appearance of the third full moon in a season with four full moons. The term has also been used to refer to the second full moon in a month. Tonight's blue moon is the first since December 31, 2009 and the next one won't be until July 2015.

Today was Neil Armstrong's memorial service and his family said one way we could remember him was to "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink." So step outside and behold the rare blue moon and give Neil a wink.

Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f8.0, ISO 400, 560mm focal length. Converted to black and white in Lightroom 4 using the Silver Efex Pro 2 plugin and added a little blue tint using Google's Picasa. The real blue moon is not actually blue at all.

Tipsy Repeat

For the next two weeks this picture entitled “Tipsy” will be on display at Richmond Camera's store on 21st Street in Norfolk Virginia. It was made on New Year’s Eve as the last photo for my first 365 project. Glass can be hard to photograph because of the reflections it picks up. I found a how to blog post on the digital-photography-school.com by Ronan Palliser using martini glasses and colored water.

As he said “The secret to lighting glass is to not light the glass.” This photo was setup on an ironing board in my kitchen. A single off-camera flash is placed below the setup and bounced off the background to light the subject indirectly. Two pieces of black cardboard were placed on either side of the glasses just out side of the frame. The black gets reflected by the edges of glasses giving them definition. Executing the tilted colored water gives the photo its “surprise” element. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 50mm prime lens and one off-camera strobe.

Worker Bee

The bees were mighty busy at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center off Diamond Springs Road in Virginia Beach. The demonstration garden here is one of Hampton Roads best kept secrets. Need some tine to think or unwind, stop by for a walk in the gardens. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Canon 7D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 100mm macro lens.

YNot

YNot Pizza has been making great hand-tossed pizzas in Hampton Roads Virginia for 19 years. This is our regular location in the Kempsville area of Virginia Beach. Our favorite pizza - red sauce cheese pizza with tomatos, spinach and feta cheese. The name YNot comes from the reverse spelling of owner Tony DiSilvestro's first name. iPhone 4 using the Camera+ app and the Olloclip fisheye lens.

Quid Pro Quo

The Scope Plaza in Norfolk Virginia leads up to the world's largest concrete dome, which was designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the Norfolk firm of Williams and Tazewell. The venue holds a bit of a political past. According to Wikipedia - After watching the 1960 Rome Olympics on television, Brad Tazewell and Jim Williams, the Norfolk architects who were eventually to partner with Nervi, solicited U.S. Sen. A. Willis Robertson, father of Christian Broadcasting Network founder and former candidate for President Pat Robertson, to build a sports complex in Norfolk. Subsequently, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked Robertson to support federal funding for a multimillion-dollar cultural center in Colorado and Robertson said he would if Johnson would support one in Norfolk. Scope was completed in 1971 at a cost of $35 million dollars with the federal government providing $23 million, almost 66% of the total cost. Canon G11, 1/250sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 and Lightroom 4.

Empty Beach

We headed out to Sandbridge Beach late this afternoon. With stormy weather moving in we found an almost empty beach. It was really relaxing with the wind, surf and rapidly changing sky. We stayed for about 30 minutes before lifeguards closed the beach because of the threat of lightning. iPhone 4 with the Olloclip fisheye lens.

Yankee Clipper

Neil Armstrong the first man to step on the moon died today. We boomers grew up during the "space race" and his passing brings back many memories. I took this photo of the Apollo 12 space capsule, nicknamed the "Yankee Clipper" at the Virginia Air & Space Museum a while back. Armstrong's first assignment in the Apollo program came as the commander of the back-up crew of the Apollo 8 mission, though he had been originally scheduled to back-up the Apollo 9 mission. Had he remained as the Apollo 9 back-up commander he would have been slated to Command Apollo 12, not Apollo 11. Thanks for taking that one giant leap for mankind. Canon 40D, 1/40 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400, 17mm focal length.

Decaf

An evening cup of decaf coffee. Canon 5D MarkII, 1/60 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens, converted to black and white in Google Picasa using the Holga-ish special effect.

Going Down

Heading down the escalator at MacArthur Mall in downtown Norfolk Virginia. iPhone 4, 1/24 sec @ f/2.8. ISO 100, Camera + App.

Light Painting

Normally light painting involves mounting the camera on a tripod, setting a long exposure and then moving a light in front of the camera to create shapes and patterns. For this picture I did just the opposite, the five green LED lights are stationary and I moved the camera during the exposure to create the looping effect. Canon G10, 2 seconds @ f/8.0, ISO 80.

HOH

The Harrison Opera House in Norfolk Virginia. Often just reffered to as the "HOH". Canon 40D, 1/100sec @ f/13.0, ISO 200 converted to black and white.

Mauies

I love my Maui Jim sunglasses so couldn't help but taking a picture of these on display. Canon G10, 1/125 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Say Hello to Mr. Chakra

The concept of chakra features in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Chakra are believed to be centers of the body from which a person can collect energy. They are connected to major organs or glands that govern other body parts. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning". Mr. Chakra is a wooden sculpture found in Aveda stores. iPhone 4, Camera+ App.

Happy Birthday to The Tide

On year ago today The Tide light rail opened to the public. It's been a great first year and I'm looking forward to voting in November to bring The Tide to Virginia Beach. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/250 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200.

Rising Steel

The steel framework for the new Norfolk Virginia Courthouse is rising quickly. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/250 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200.

Playing to an Empty Theatre

Like the talented trumpeter who toots his own horn, I wound up playing to an empty theatre. Norfolk's Chrysler Hall and it's fairly rare "Continental" seating layout with isles only on the sides. Canon ELPH 110 HS, 1/13 sec @ f/2.7, ISO 160.

Wisconsin Sunset

The battleship Wisconsin silhouetted by the setting sun. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/250 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 400, 100mm focal length.

Like Links

Wore my new "Like" links to work today. A few people noticed and commented. I got snickers and smirks around the dinner table at home tonight. Not everyone appreciates geek humor. They are very versatile, if your feeling good - wear them in the thumbs up position, if the day is not going well or you're stuck in a boring meeting, just twist around to the thumbs down position. Simple binary messaging. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens and little extra light from an LED Litepanel.

Sleepy Buddy

One nice thing about having a pet is that they are always happy to see you. After a stressful day Sherlock was napping on my lap. He was just what the doctor ordered, bringing my blood pressure down nicely. You can catch his sister Sasha napping on the chair in the background. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1000.

Sunset

A family fishing and crabbing at suset in the Chesapeake Bay near the Lynnhaven inlet. iPhone 4, 1/100 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Sunrise

Always love catching the sunrise even when the setting is just a parking lot. That bird like shape in the lower center is actually a reflection from a car windshield and hood. iPhone 4, 1/1000 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Lincoln Logs

Lighting up the Lincoln Logs with Robert. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Parachute Ball

The dandelion in its parachute ball stage. Remember as a kid the pastime of blowing the parachutes off the stalk? Canon 7D, 1/20 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Brief Appearance

The sun makes a brief appearance at sunrise before hiding behind a cieling of clouds. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Back Seat Photographer

The view from the back seat of a new 2013 Ford Explorer Limited and its Microsoft Sync system. I must admit I was pretty impressed with the design, fit and finish and the technology in this Ford. Canon G11, 1/6sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Reach for the Sky!

The Well Fargo building in downtown Norfolk seems to reach for the sky in this morning photograph. iPhone 4, 1/382 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Mille Colori

Mille Colori is an art glass chandelier by famed artist Dale Chihuly. It is a permanent installation at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, located in Virginia Beach. Mille Colori is Italian and means "one thousand colors” and is estimated to weigh 2,200 to 2,500 pounds. This piece was originally entitled Isola di San Giacomo in Palude Chandelier and was installed on the beach of a small Venetian island involved in the 1996 Chihuly Over Venice project. The Rodriguez Pavilion at the MOCA was built specifically to house the renamed Mille Colori. Canon G11, 1/250 sec @ f4.0, ISO 800

Fashion Scene

Is it a crime scene? No, it's a fashion scene. This old body outline can be found on the third floor of the new Urban Outfitters store in Norfolk, Virginia. Left over from a previous music store tenant it was retained with many other unquie features in the old Adams Building on Granby Street. iPhone 4, 1/17 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 125, Camera+ app.

Got My Ducks In A Row

As you can clearly see, I certainly have my ducks in row. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

The Back

This is the back of the Christie Microtile display wall featured in yesterday's blog post. Here you can clearly see the the 32 different display units that make up the wall. This was truly a "geek" moment for me. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600, converted to Black & White.

5120 by 1920

Talk about your big screen. This Christie Microtile wall is a prototype for the new Hunt Library under construction on the South Campus at NC State in Raleigh, North Carolina. The screen is ten and half feet wide and fout feet tall. It is made up of 32 individual DLP based microtile displays yielding an effective resolution of 5120 by 1920. The typical HD television is 1920 by 1080 with a little over a million pixels. This display has almost 10 million pixels. It was certainly the bigest and highest resolution screen I've ever seen up close. Tomorrow - the back. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800.

The Moon Is Quite Nice Tonight

Thanks to seeing Courtney Boyd's Facebook post "The moon is quite nice tonight :)", I was able to capture a nice photo for the last day of July, day 212 of 366. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, zoom at 400mm with 1.4X teleconverter equaling a total focal length of 560mm. Converted to black in white using Lightroom 4 with the Silver Efex Pro 2 plug-in.

Sun Loving

Nothing says summer like bright and beautiful flowers. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 200, 100mm macro.

Lipstick Day

Guess what; today is National Lipstick Day. Who would have thought? To celebrate I decided to do a lipstick photo for the blog. While taking the pictures Miss Sasha decided to come investigate. Being the diva she is, the lipstick looked intriguing and thus here's today's photo of the day. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/5 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

Swallowtail

This swallowtail butterfly was photographed at Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center off Diamond Springs Road in Virginia Beach. This garden is one of the area's best kept secrets. Home to acres of plantings the garden was a buzz with, butterfies, bees and dragonflies. It's well worth a trip. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 100mm macro.

LLoyds Register

Dozens of old copies of the Lloyds Register Register of Ships line the shelves at the Norfolk Public Library's Service Center. The Register, published annually since 1764, lists information on all sea-going, self-propelled merchant ships of 100 gross tons or greater. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600, 85mm prime lens.

Oak Crossings

This crossing pattern in on one of the massive solid oak doors removed from the Seaboard Building in Norfolk Virginia. The building was originally built in 1899 as a U.S Post Office and Federal Courthouse. In 1938 it became Norfolk City Hall and is currently being renovated to become a key part of the new Samuel Slover Memorial Library. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600, 85mm prime lens, converted to black and white.

Genuine Microsoft

I had some other choice words to describe Microsoft over the past few days as I battled an uncooperative Windows 7 operating system on my main photo editing computer. I am finely giving in to a reinstall of the OS and all of the work that goes with getting the applications back. Luckily all of my photos and other data are backed up so the only loss was lots of my time. This is my original Windows 7 DVD with all of its Microsoft holographic logos. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 100mm macro with one LED Litepanel.

Arachnid

This was one big arachnid. The body was about an inch and half long. Beautiful but scary at the same time. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 400mm focal length with image stablization.

Dragon Fly Bokeh

This slightly backlit dragon fly's wings sparkle against the water drops on the lilly pads in the background. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 100-400mm zoom at 400mm.

American Lotus

- The American Lotus blooming at Lotus Gardens in Virginia Beach on the way to Sandbridge Beach. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 100-400mm zoom at 250mm.

Headed to the Bottom

The Downtown Tunnel links Norfolk and Portsmouth Virginia. This is the westbound tunnel, the first of two two-lane tunnels, it opened in 1952. The two-lane Downtown Tunnel replaced an automobile ferry system and in conjunction with the Berkley Bridge, was the first fixed crossing directly between Portsmouth and Norfolk across the Elizabeth River. Today's bridge and two tunnel system carries more than three million vehicles a month. Nowhere else in Virginia can you cross a drawbridge and then directly enter a tunnel. This tunnel had it's ceiling removed last year, revealing the full curved height of the tube. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 1600, 85mm prime lens.

Blue Flame

- The blue flame of butane torch lighter. A butane torch can reach temperatures of up to 2000 °F (1100 °C). Canon 7D, 1/40 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600, 100mm macro, lighter in my left hand, camera in the right.

Dark Knight Rises as a PEZ

I figured tonight was the appropriate time for a Batman and Catwoman PEZ dispenser photo. Not heading out for a midnight showing of the Dark Night Rises but I can't wait to see the third film in the current millenium series. Canon 7D, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens, two LED Litepanels.