Cold War

- This is a static display of an old Nike Ajax surface to air missile. Developed and deployed in the 1950's these missile systems resulted in my Dad's transfer to Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas where he was assigned to the Air Defense Command. There he became a trainer of National Guard troops operating Nike sites throughout the country. He remained involved with the Nike systems though his retirement from the Army in 1966 and then with the Civil Service maintaining the radar tracking systems until they were deactivated in the mid 1970's as part of the SALT I treaty. This one still points to sky at Air Power Park in Hampton Virginia. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 100.

Little Willie

- Meet Willie - a marble memorial to Willie Stewart who died in 1892 at 16 months old. The small statue was commissioned by Willie's mother and is said to be in his likeness. He's a rather famous occupant of the Victorian era Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk Virginia. His mother must have loved him and missed him very much. A long inscription begins:

I cannot touch thy hand nor see thy face,
never more shall press my lips to thine,
sleep within thy lonely resting place.
Thou will not wake to any words of mine.
Farewell my son I leave you in God's keeping.
His will for thee at rest from all earth's care.
Farewell my Willie, farewell my darling.

iPhone 4, converted to black & white.

Braille

- An close up look at Braille devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing. Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens at 1:1 and luminated from the side by an LED Litepanel.

No Behaving Badly

- The trademark "No Bad Behavior" sign from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. This campaign started way back in 1999 and the signs have been a fixture along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront ever since. Many people believe they refer to a city no cursing law but that's not true. They simply call attention to a voluntary code of ethics for behavior along the popular resort. Some love it, some hate it - but its definitely not a sign you see in other places. Canon G11, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

10:10

- Have you ever noticed when looking at marketing and promotional pictures of clocks that the hands are often positioned at 10:10? It's not just by accident. The hands are positioned that way because just it looks better, aesthetically and practically. Some say the clock has a 'smile' on its face much better than a pouty face at 8:20. Canon G11, 1/50 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

What a View

- This is the view of the Chesapeake Bay from the Coastal Living 2011 Ultimate Beach House in the East Beach neighborhood of Norfolk Virginia. It was a really cool house with lots of interesting features but the best was it's view and location on the beach in East Ocean View. Canon 1/1000 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

Dixieland

- Yep - "The South Starts Here." This sign is at the Dixieland Exxon on US Highway 13 in New Church Virginia just south of the Virginia-Maryland state line on the Eastern Shore. Gas station, convenience store, and souvenir shop of all things tacky. Who knew you could put the Southern Cross on so many things made in Asia and people would actually buy them. As Jeff Foxworthy may say "You might be a REDNECK if any part of your wardrobe came from the Dixieland Exxon." Canon G11, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Lone Flower

- Saw this lone flower today. The bright pink in stark contrast to the colors of fall all around. It's good to know there a few holdouts from summer. iPhone 4, Camera+ App, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Cable Power

- Massive electric motors drive the cable winding machinery for the three San Francisco historic cable car routes. The Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse was built in 1879 and then mostly leveled by the 1906 earthquake. Rebuilt on the same site the powerhouse continues to pull the cable cars up and down the steep streets of the great city. More than 140 years later the cable technology is still fascinating to watch. The Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse also houses the Cable Car Museum where you can watch the system at work. Canon G11, 1/8 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, converted to black and white.

Bay Bridge

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge at night. The bridge was completed in 1936 and at the time was the most expensive bridges ever built. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, iso 1000.

Jumbo

- The Boeing 747, the original "Jumbo Jet" at the Detroit Airport. This blog post is my first from in-flight Internet. We are zipping along in a boring old 737 at 440 mph at an altitude of 36,658 feet somewhere over the midwest in route to San Francisco. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, Camera+ app using the HDR effect.

Don't Mess with the Law

- Robert wanted to be a police officer for Halloween this year, much to the dismay of his firefighter father. He met me at the door when I arrived home tonight and issued me a ticket. I had to pay my fine - one piece of candy. I really wanted to take him up to the Tide light rail for a little fare enforcement. He really got into being Officer Sullivan. Canon 7D, 1/15 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens.

Lazy Day

- Sunday morning is read the paper in bed day. The cats always join us for the lazy morning. Sherlock wasn't ready to get up and stayed in bed under the sheets for about an hour after we got going. Canon 40D, 1/15 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 800, 100mm lens.

The Wells

The ornate decoration of the Wells Theater in Norfolk Virginia is a well preserved example of Beaux-Arts neoclassicism. The grand theater has been home to the Virginia Stage Company since 1980. iPhone 4, Camera+ app.

Hungry Hungry Homer?

- Hungry Hungry Hippos,
"It's a race, it's a chase, hurry up and feed their face!
Who will win? No one knows! Feed the hungry hip-ip-pos!
Hungry hungry hippos! (open up and there it goes!)"
Did you know the hippos have names? Lizzie (pink), Henry (orange), Homer (green), and Harry (yellow). Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 100mm macro, Litepanel LED light.

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

.

- 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.