• Metro Parks,  Photography

    The Best Zoom Lens

    January 12, 2010
    Leaves in the snow

    I read a quote somewhere by an famous photographer that the best zoom lens we have is our feet. Well he must not live in an area where there is snow, gusting wind and temperatures in the high teens. My wandering in Blendon Woods Park today with only my 35mm lens required me to zoom by using my feet. However, today the snow was deep enough to go over the top of my boots making for cold toes and wet socks. Invigorating to say the least.

    I have been shooting for several months with this nice little fixed focal 35mm lens and enjoying it, leaving my zoom at home. I use it for my travel with work as it is lightweight, small and fast. It works well in low light situations and I love working with the shallow depth of field. I’m getting better at knowing what coverage it gives me on my DX format camera and how it handles contrast and colors. This is espcially true with street and portraiture photography but  when it comes to landscapes in the winter I think I’ll use the 18-200mm. That way my feet stay dry.

    They’re still cold.

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  • Art/Design,  coffee shops

    Let's meet for coffee

    January 11, 2010
    The Mugs

    I met Melissa and Katye for coffee today. Nothing better than sitting with two lovely blonde women. Life is good! We hadn’t seen each other for a couple weeks so there was some catching up to do. Behind the two of them was a rack full of merchandise for sale. Always eye catching. They both know I am passionate about my photography, so they also tolerate me. When I found a break I grabbed my camera and took this image of the mugs for sale. Loved the patterns and colors. I also loved the conversation time with the girls. Maybe next time I’ll post an image of them. 🙂

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  • Candid Portraits,  lifestyles

    The Girls at Sebago

    January 10, 2010
    The Girls

    I enjoy eating out and I’ve done a lot of it since taking this job as a flight attendant, as my increased girth shows it. This image was taken while in Portland, ME at a restaurant called Sabago. Sebago is a brewery and restaurant with 4 locations and have a fifth one coming soon. I went to the one in Scarborough near the Maine Mall where these beautiful young ladies met me at the door with their wonderful smiles. With my camera always around me neck they asked if I was a photographer, I answered yes and of course needed to prove it.  They moved in close together while I shot this at 1/13th second at ISO 3200, handheld.

    And, what was the restaurant experience like? Well, my waiters name was Ben, did a great job and earned a substantial tip from this poor man. The food was awesome. I splurged and ordered the evening special:  shrimp and scallops in a creamy red/white sauce with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots.  I also added a cup of clam chowder. Almost licked the sauce off the plate but kept my cool and didn’t embarrass myself.  Needless to say I had no room for dessert. But, I can go back for that.

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  • Candid Portraits,  coffee shops,  lifestyles

    Making His Move

    January 9, 2010
    Making his move

    Near our hotel in Albany, NY is a small coffee shop called Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary. I’ve made two visits and enjoyed my experience both times. The coffee is good and the sandwiches are top-notch. The ambiance is what I liked the most. They have converted an older home into this sanctuary so we have three separate rooms, each with its own feel. I noticed these two gentlemen ordering their coffees and setting up a table to play their game. This was the image liked best. I had taken a couple of images and then just watched through the view finder in anticipation of one of the men to make his move. When he did I pressed the shutter. This was also taken at ISO 3200.

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  • Photography

    edamame: sushi and grill

    January 8, 2010
    edamame

    I enjoy sushi although I do not eat it very often. So when a friend suggest a sushi bar to me a couple of weeks ago I pretty much shrugged it off. I also felt that with my tight budget I felt I couldn’t afford it. A couple of weeks ago I happen to be driving near the restaurant and remembered her suggestion. It was after the noon rush so I figured it may be a good time to check it out. The name is edamame, which is a large-seeded, green soybean harvested before maturity, and typically prepared by boiling in salted water.  Often served in its pod as a snack with beer or sake, and renowned for its links to health and vitality.

    The decor was very interesting using a green color as the theme which gives it a fresh and bright feel. On the ground floor there are a couple of nooks settled back into the walls for privacy. They have two mezzanines located at both the front and rear of the restaurant. You can see the second floor eating area located in the rear of the restaurant. The second floor located in the front is identical. As thier wesbiste says, “… truly unique experience that is certain to satisfy all your dining needs.”

    I’ve eaten there twice now all within a week. Thanks, Tracy! My first sushi roll was the Edamame which is made with tuna, salmon, whitefish, cucumber, avocado, masago, radish sprout, unagi sauce, spicy mayo, soy wrap. Loved that spicy mayo sauce. My second visit included another sushi roll called Fire Crunch and is a California roll, topped with: spicy tuna,  unagi sauce, tempura crumbs. And for me they are reasonably priced and will not break my bank. Wonder what I’ll have next week?

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  • Cityscapes/Urban

    Empty Swings

    January 7, 2010
    Empty Swings

    The day this was taken it was cold and snowy. The temperatures had stayed below freezing for almost a week and we had not seen much of the sun during those wintery days. However, I did brave the cold to spend some time at Blendon Woods for some shooting. I read where it’s good to shoot every day. I feel I do a pretty good job of this, probably shooting 350 days a year.

    This swing looks a little lonely with all the cold and snow. The silence is so amazing during a winter snowfall. But, when warmer weather comes and the children rush to grab a swing the silence will be broken. Laughter will fill the air.

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  • Cityscapes/Urban,  Metro Parks

    Cold Bench

    January 6, 2010
    A Cold Bench

    A simple project I did a few years ago was to  take and post an image of a bench each day for a complete month. Every since that exercise my eye has been drawn to benches so I keep adding images to the subject (keyword). With the snowfall and cold we’ve had it is more difficult to get out but some days I just have to get out there. This bench is not as inviting as it is in the warmer seasons but it is one of my favorite subjects.

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