Odd

From 2010 Blog

- In thinking about this photograph and what to write about on the blog, the only thing I could come up with was "Odd". It is an odd picture both in appearance and how it was captured. Photographers will usually always claim that they planned or envision the photo. But this was just a mistake. It's a macro photograph of the pollen on the hood of my black car. The little streaks resulted from slight camera movement during the 1/13 sec exposure and the blue flecks are an unexpected reflection from the metal flake in the car paint. It's odd but I hope you like it.

Valve

From 2010 Blog

- Fire system values. Almost every commercial building has them. They are usually tucked away in corner and most people never notice them. This is just one small valve of several that feed the sprinkler system at work. Canon G11, 1/25 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200.

Achoo!

From 2010 Blog

- Pine Pollen is everywhere! After a couple of 80 degree days the pine pollen is so thick it even looks like a light fog in the early mornings. This pollen was layered on our recycle bin lid. The 5X macro shows the individual grains pretty well even though there is only a narrow band in sharp focus. The macro lens at this magnification with a relatively wide aperture has a depth of field of only a couple of millimeters. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800, Canon 65mm MP-E macro lens.

Mum Dust?

From 2010 Blog

- This 1:1 macro photograph of the center of a mum show tiny specs of what I assume is pollen. They look like tiny crystals sparkling under the LED light. Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800, 50mm macro with life size adapter.

Start 'em Young

From 2010 Blog

- My grandson Robert got his every own "real" camera for Easter. He has been shooting with one of my point and shoot's but was very happy to get his own camera. He's taking a picture of me laying on the grass taking a picture of him. He came back today armed with his camera so I'm thinking there needs to be a new 365 photo blog in the works. I just love looking at his images and his perspective on the world. Now to just get him to use two hands. Canon 7D, 1/1000 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 200.

Basket and Egg Theory

From 2010 Blog

- Don't put all your eggs in one basket, also known as the basket and egg theory, is a idiomatic phrase meaning that one should not focus all one's resources on one hope, possibility, or avenue of success. (Wikipedia) Robert embraced this theory when he promptly emptied his basket of plastic eggs on me. Canon 7D, 1/640 sec @ f/6.2, ISO 200, 17mm focal length.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

From 2010 Blog

"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is a psychedelic rock epic by Iron Butterfly, released in 1968. The 17 minute song occupies the entire second side of the In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida album. The photo is of colored refection cast by a butterfly balloon against the ceiling. Thanks to Susan and Duane for the balloon in honor of Cindy's birthday and the idea for this blog post. Canon 40D, 1/50 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 30mm prime lens.

Entrance Lion

From 2010 Blog

- Guarding the main entrance at Biltmore House near Ashville North Carolina are two massive carved stone lions that survey visitors with magnificently serene countenances. Carved of Rosso di Verona marble that is from near San Ambrogio Valpolicello in Italy, these lions are believed to date to the late nineteenth century and were not put in place until late 1899 or early 1900. Canon G10, 1/1000 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 80, converted to black and white.

The Cutting Edge

From 2010 Blog

- This is the real "cutting edge". A 5X super macro photo of the edge of a carving knife. I was inspired to break out the 65 mm MPE macro lens after viewing the awesome macro work of Cait Wade. I kind of cheated using a dedicated macro lens as compared to her DIY "semi-ghetto" technique using stacked and reversed standard lenses. Canon 7D, 1/10 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

Harbor Sunset

From 2010 Blog

- The sun sets over the Elizabeth River and the Portsmouth Virginia waterfront. The container cranes to the right are at Portsmouth International Terminals and APM Terminals Virginia. The Portsmouth Naval Hospital is the large silhouette on the left. Canon 40D, 1/50 sec @ f/14.0, ISO 200, 17mm focal length.

Magic Lamp

From 2010 Blog

- Proteus is a legendary narrow-gauge tank engine with a magic lamp hung upon his funnel. Legend has it that should someone finds the lamp, their wishes will be granted. Proteus is the newest addition to our Thomas and Friends railroad and made the trip out for dinner one night with his chief engineer. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, in macro mode.

Maple Leaf

From 2010 Blog

- The Japanese maples are starting to leaf out. This dwarf maple has a really nice red outline on the bright green leafs. So glad that spring is finally here. Canon 7D, 1/50 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens with extension tube and Litepanel micro LED lighting.

Keyhole

From 2010 Blog

- A well worn keyhole on the deadbolt lock to my garden shed. A keyhole is where a key is inserted to open a lock. It is more properly known as a keyway. Canon 40D, 1/1000 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800, 50mm macro with life size converter.

Bond, James Bond

From 2010 Blog

- Aston Martin the car of choice for Agent 007 - Bond, James Bond. While walking one day I spotted an Aston Martin parked along the street. Couldn't resist taking a picture of the car that I will always associate with England's most famous fictional secret agent. Canon 40D, 1/160 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 200.

Asia Royalty

From 2010 Blog

- The chrysanthemum was cultivated in China as far back as the 15 century BC. In Europe it is often associated with death and funerals but in Asia it is a symbol of royalty. The Chrysanthemum Throne is the name given to the position of Japanese emperor and it is depicted on the Imperial Seal of Japan. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 50mm macro.

Little Hand

From 2010 Blog

- This little hand belongs to my 3 year old grandson Robert. As you can tell they are busy little hands. He was playing with a small patch of sunlight that was landing on the dinner table. In the evening the sun sets fast and the patch of light was there one minute and gone the next. In a few years when I look back at this picture it will seem that he grew up just as fast. Canon Powershot SD1100 IS, 1/250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 40mm equivalent focal length in digital macro mode.

Go Fly a Kite

From 2010 Blog

- Took the day off from work to spend some time with my grandson Robert. We headed out to Virginia Beach's Mt. Trashmore Park to fly our kite. There was a good breeze and not a cloud in the sky so the 9 foot wing span delta kite flew way high. Robert really likes letting the line out, bringing it back in - not so much. While spending what seemed like forever to reel it back in, I took a few pictures of the brightly colored kite backlit by the morning sun. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/25.0, ISO 200.

Planetary Sharpener

From 2010 Blog

- While I make my living managing high tech and I'm a certified gadget loving geek, there are a few old fashion things I just love. Fountain pens, mechanical watches and the good ole graphite pencil are some of my favorites. If you use pencils - then you must have a sharpener. Like those found in school classrooms, these are the cylindrical cutters of my sharpener. They are also called "planetary sharpeners", in reference to their use of planetary gears. Canon 40D, 1/40 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800, 50mm macro.

Deathstar Dimples

From 2010 Blog

- I got several suggestions for naming this post and I decided to use "Deathstar Dimples" as suggested by Bill Greeves. This is a crystal golf ball that was given to me years ago by my friend Sandy. It is illuminated from beneath with a Sylvania DOT-it LED light. Thanks for all of the suggestion on the blog and FB. Canon 40D, 1/8000 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 50mm macro.

Blue Eyes

From 2010 Blog

- Don't you just love those blue eyes! They belong to our cat Sasha. She sits on the computer table each day as I check my email and at night when I'm updating the blog, so I'd thought I'd let her see herself today. Canon 40D, 1/30 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800, 50mm macro lens.

First Day of Spring

From 2010 Blog

- It was just a beautiful first day of spring here in Virginia Beach, 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. So I walked down to the end of our block to take some pictures of a long line of blooming Forsythia. The flowers are produced in the early spring before the leaves, bright yellow with a deeply four-lobed corolla. The followers are short lived but a welcomed sign that spring is here. Canon 40D, 1/400 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 200, 50mm macro.

Behind Door #1

From 2010 Blog

- No it's not the "Price is Right" but this crumbling brick warehouse has great old green doors all around, each numbered in sequence. Empty now, most recently it housed "Used Auto Parts" a.k.a a junk yard but I'm sure way back in it's history it was used to make a great "Made in the USA" product. Canon 40D, 1/100 @ f/18.0, ISO 100, 70mm focal length.

Signs of Spring

From 2010 Blog

- The daffodil is one of those signs of spring that everyone loves to see. This is just one of hundreds blooming in my neighbor's yard. I like taking flower pictures at night using a single controlled light source. In this case is the Litepanel micro LED held above and slightly behind. This effect at night isolates the flower against a natural back back ground and reveals a lot of texture. Canon 40D, 1/320 @ f/4.5, ISO 800, 50mm macro lens.

Iris

From 2010 Blog

- The Iris takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species. This lovely flower was part of an arrangement Cindy received today. I took several pictures of interesting spring flowers in this great arrangement from Patrice and Bloom, the Art of Flowers in Norfolk. Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 50mm macro lens.

The Great Bridge

From 2010 Blog

- 127 years later the Brooklyn Bridge is still an amazing feat of engineering and construction. I had the opportunity to walk across the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan last fall and took this picture of the east tower using my Lensbaby. I highly recommend walking the great bridge on any trip to NYC and for history and engineering buffs, David McCullough's 1972 book "The Great Bridge" is a must read. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100, Lensbaby Composer.

The Green Green Glass

From 2010 Blog

- The Norfolk Southern Corporation has its corporate headquarters in Norfolk Virginia. The railway giant has a long history in the port city. After the creation of Norfolk Southern through the merger of the Norfolk & Western RR and the Southern RR, the company built a new office tower downtown. Some describe the tower as the building of "money colored glass" in reference to the green glass clad exterior and the company's very profitable earning history. In this photo the early morning sky reflects off the east facing side of the building. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/7.0, ISO 200.

Meerkat Mob

From 2010 Blog

Slate, Rosie and Pat are the meerkat mob at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk Virginia. Their amazing personalities, just like on the popular TV show, entertain visitors daily. Canon 40D, 1/50s @ f/18.0, ISO 400, 200mm focal length.

Depression Glass

From Mar13

We have a couple of pieces of "Depression Glass" that once belonged to Cindy's grandmother. This is a large green serving bowl which has been lit from above producing the sunburst effect around the base. Depression glass is clear or colored translucent glassware that was distributed free, or at low cost, around the time of the Great Depression. Canon 40D, 1/1250 sec @ f/2.5, ISO 400, 50mm macro lens lit by the Litepanel Micro LED.

"A rose is a rose is a rose"

From 2010 Blog

"Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." was written by Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem Sacred Emily, which appeared in the 1922 book Geography and Plays. "A rose is a rose is a rose" is probably her most famous quote, often interpreted as meaning "things are what they are," a statement of the law of identity. Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 1/400 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, 50mm macro lens.

Arched Colonnade

From 2010 Blog

This arched colonnade is at the old Trinity Episcopal Church at the corner of High and Court Streets in Portsmouth Virginia. Founded in 1752 the church was part of the original plan of the city drawn up by founder William Crawford. The colonnade looks out on the church's graveyard. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 160 converted to black and white

High Alter

From P-Town

This is the alter area inside St. Paul's Catholic Church located at the corner of High and Washington Streets in downtown Portsmouth Virginia. The fifth church structure was completed in 1905 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Over the past several years the church has been going through a series of major restoration projects including replacement of the copper steeple and restoration of the 28 large stained glass windows. Canon 40D, 1/6 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 100, 24mm focal length imaged stabilized lens.

Exotic

From 2010 Blog

I saw this exotic bloom at Butterfly World in Florida but failed to note what it was. Usually I take a picture of the plant description plate right after taking the my photo but somehow I miss that step this time. The long white filaments with the yellow tips remind me of fiber optic cables. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200, 200mm focal length.

The French Bakery

From 2010 Blog

The French Bakery & Deli! is a Norfolk institution located on Granby Street just before the Lafayette River bridge in the Riverfront neighborhood commercial district. I visit every year for a small, yet very expensive holiday fruit cake that's the best in town. Famous for their hot pastrami sandwich and notorious for their pricing, there seems to be no middle ground among online reviewers - you either love it or hate it. I certainly love the fruit cake and the classic signage out front. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

The Blimp - the Blimp!

From 2010 Blog

I went to take a picture of the Hillsboro Inlet lighthouse while we were Florida. Unfortunately you can't get to close to it since it's surrounded by a private club. So I set up across the inlet to take some shots when the Goodyear Blimp Spirit of America came cruising by. The blimps are based in nearby Pompano Beach. The gull and I enjoyed the show. Canon 7D, 1/320 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200.

More JAX

From 2010 Blog

Some of the architectural details of the curved concourse at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 70-200 zoom at 89mm focal length.

Beach Bridge

From 2010 Blog

This is the pedestrian bridge crossing Route A1A, aka "the Beach Road". The bridge connects the oceanfront beach with the pool deck at the Westin Beach Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Canon G10, 1/1250 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 80.

Impatiens

From 2010 Blog

New Guinea impatiens were introduced in the U.S. in the 1970's and are a popular annual. They are often seen in planters and beds at many commercial establishments. These were in planters around the pool deck at the Westin Beach Resort in Ft. Lauderdale. I liked the color and slight luminescence of these blooms in the morning light. Canon G10, 1/2000 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200 in macro mode.

Pool Ball

From 2010 Blog

This beach ball was pushed across the pool by the breeze. I thought it would bring a nice warm feeling to a cold and wet March day. Canon G10, 1/2000 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

At the Gate

From 2010 Blog

Waiting at the gate at the Jacksonville airport as reflected in the front element of the 70-200 zoom lens on my DSLR. JAX is a pretty cool airport, well as much as an airport can be cool. I'll probably share a few more shots I took using the gear combination captured in this photo in future posts. Canon G10, 1/80 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400 in macro mode.

Vacation Sunset

From 2010 Blog

This is the companion sunset picture to the sunrise picture on the February 28th post. I took this one on the same day as the beach sunrise picture. However this was near the end of our trip as our return Southwest flight was beginning to make its descent into Norfolk. I always take pictures from the airplane and they rarely meet my expectations because shooting through the multilayer Plexiglas windows with lots of vibrations make a sharp picture almost impossible. Even though its not super sharp and underexposed, I still liked this image. Canon G10, 1/40 sec @ F/6.3, ISO 400.

Lauderdale Sunrise

From 2010 Blog

Got up early to catch the sunrise on my last day in Ft. Lauderdale and was not disappointed. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200, 70mm focal length, mounted on a tripod.

Pool Colors

From 2010 Blog

The South Florida sun and wind combined to create some interesting light patterns in the swimming pool. Of course this meant taking the risk of carrying the camera into the pool to get the picture. Picture captured, camera made it out high and dry. Canon G10, 1/1250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Butterfly World

From 2010 Blog

We visited "Butterfly World" in Coconut Creek, Florida today. It was pretty amazing to walk among so many beautiful butterflies, birds and plants. I took a lot of pictures including this one when I first entered the butterfly zone. I've posted a few more shots to this Picasa Web Album. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 200mm focal length.

Beau Geste?

From 2010 Blog

This sandcastle on the beach reminded me of those old French Foreign Legion films. The story Beau Geste has been made into five films staring the likes of Gary Cooper and Guy Stockwell. Ironically the 1977 parody The Last Remake of Beau Geste staring Marty Feldman was not the last remake as it was followed by the BBC's mini series in 1982. According to Wikipedia, the undisputed authority on all things trivial, the French Foreign Legion has been featured in at least 55 different films. Canon 7D, 1/1600 sec @ f/7.0, ISO 100.

Jellies

From 2010 Blog

Tonight we had dinner at Steak 954 in the W hotel. They have a long aquarium wall with nothing but jelly fish swimming in it separating the dining area from the lobby. Watching the jellies during dinner was mesmerizing and relaxing. I'm afraid I let my followers down by not having a decent camera with me to capture this interesting scene. So out comes the camera phone because any picture is better than no picture, right? Blackberry 9530 (Storm 1) with no flash. The image needed a little help in post production from Noise Ninja 2 and Picasa.

Breaking Rules

From 2010 Blog

This photo breaks a number of photography composition rules. It is a portrait oriented landscape photo and the horizon line is almost in the direct center of the image. But I like the image and the constraints of the scene and where it was taken from required "breaking" some rules. This is the morning sun after burning through the fog on a cloudy day. Canon Powershot SD870 IS, 1/125 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 80, 48mm equivalent focal length.

Double Knock-Out

From Austin

The red double Knock-Out rose is indeed a knock-out. Great color, lots of blooms and easy care have made this a popular home and commercial landscape item. Every time I see one, I catch myself photographing them. I must have hundreds of pictures of knock-out roses. I hope you enjoy as much as I do. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 125 in macro mode.

737 Luv

From 2010 Blog

Southwest Airlines only flies one type of aircraft, the Boeing 737. These are lights illuminating the recessed troffer ceiling panels looking towards the front of the plane. Southwest achieves great cost efficiencies by flying on one type of aircraft, one of many reasons they have been a consistently profitable airline. Canon G10, 1/640 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 2 stops under exposed..

Ouch?

From 2010 Blog

At first glance these appear to be sharp prick-lies. Actually it is an extreme close-up of the fine soft surface of an African violet leaf. I took this photo last night after the bloom picture that was featured on yesterday's post. Canon 7D, 1/50 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 65mm MP-E macro lens.

Close Up

From 2010 Blog

Flowers have amazing details when you look really close. This African violet bloom was photographed with a super macro lens at about 2X magnification. African violets get their common name from the place of origin, Tanzania in east Africa and their resemblance to true violets. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 65mm MP-E macro lens and light from a micro LED Litepanel.