Yellow Tulip

My love for flowers probably comes from my late grandfather on my mom’s side of the family. He had a little hothouse where he started geraniums. He worked at the Bay Port Flower House and later, tended the gardens at Hofstra University. His rose garden was beautiful. I loved to tag-a-long with him.
This yellow tulip image is an HDR image. It’s actually two flowers, not ghosting from movement during the tree exposures.

Modern Americana

I made today’s post on Saturday at a playground ribbon cutting. Didn’t know what I had till I turned it into black and white.

Sunny Sunday Morning

It’s a beautiful morning I have back-to-back grip-and-grins today. The bad part is that they are in the middle of the day. As a freelancer you learn to take work when you get it. Some jobs you have no control over time or place. Some PR people even set up backlit outdoor press conferences. You just learn to work with what you get. I hope to get into the garden for a little while today.
Today’s image I made last night. Another private property sign this one next to a catering hall in Patchogue. The property owner probably has a problem with people parking in his ally. The color or the wall and the sign rocking back and forth on the chain caught my eye.

Old Clubs

It’s nice to sit back and relax. This is the first time I’ve hade some time to myself for a while. It’s good to post a photo.
This image I made yesterday morning while waiting for golf four-sums to gather for their photo. It was another pro-bono job for the Tuckahoe Foundation at an exclusive golf club around the corner from where I live. It’s always interesting to see how the other half lives. It’s around a million dollars for membership at Sebonic.
I liked the light.

Hats in the Trees.

I came across this in Coram or Middle Island New York today. I’m not sure where the boundary is and the tow towns are next to each other. I just thought it was interesting that someone dressed up the branches of the tree. Probably kids that raided the hats and gloves box for the poor.
I got caught trespassing to get this shot. It was on a private vacant lot next to a boarded up building. The owner’s dad wanted to know what I was doing. I must have looked odd with a sports jacket, shirt and tie photographing hats in the trees. I’m really not crazy about the photograph and even sending it through tonal mapping hasn’t helped.

Rain Rain Rain

Another day of rain; today makes three day’s in a row. Sometimes rain makes interesting photographs. This tulip is at a Town of Babylon beautification spot. The town has planted tulips, daffodils and other flowers all around the town in an effort to make the town more beautiful. I read a letter from a life-long resident of Lindenhurst who loves the way the town looks. I don’t live in the town, but I do think it looks beautiful. I love flowers.

Dog walking for a cause

Yesterday was the Pups for Parkinson walk, one of the pro-bono events I do. Because of a number of circumstances the event did not have the attendance it usually has.
Today’s image is from the walk, which is held at Belmont Lake State Park in North Babylon. Towards the end of the mile and a half walk, you come around the lake to finish. I love the reflection of the walkers, sorry to say, I make this photo or one similar to it each year. Why change what works?
I met a very nice veterinarian at the walk, Cathy Roncskevitz. She’s from Station Plaza Veterinary Group in Glen Head. Check her out if you’re looking for a real animal lover vet. See her web site for more information. www.stationvet.com

Birds on a Wire

Spring is here. Today is the first day it felt like spring. The sun was hot the sky was blue and the soil was warm. I was able to get some Yard work done between jobs. It’s nice to be busy but everything seems to happen at the same time.
Today’s image of birds on a wire is something I pass almost every day. These electric lines cross a highway I often travel. I thought the wires were a lot closer to an overpass that I photographed from. That and the fact that the day I stopped to make this image, there were few birds. I did like the composition with one bird sitting all alone on the second wire.

Pussy Willows

It morning and I didn’t sleep well. I worked a retirement party last night and it was four hours after a full day. Today I have another full day of work as well as tomorrow.
This is the Pussy Willow plant. I was fooling around with depth of field on this on.

Pink Hydrangea

I got my wife this Hydrangea plant for Easter. Rabbits and other critters, yet to be seen, eat the lilies and tulips we have planted from Easters past. I can’t wait to plant it outside.
This image was exposed through a nude colored lady’s stocking, (without the lady in them).

Light on the wood floor

It’s an overcast day today and a good day to turn over the garden and plant my bean seeds. I always get a good feeling when I work with the soil and today was no different. It felt good to spend the morning digging in the dirt.
Today’s picture was made on Thursday morning. I was killing time at a photo op for a credit union that was donating money to an historical society to restore this old home into a museum. This was one of the empty bedrooms on the second floor. I love the way the light came into the room and I also love the wood floor. Empty rooms hardly ever stay that way.

Remsenburg NY

So, I came across this sign Thursday and thought it was weird. I don’t understand the need for a caution sign before a post office, maybe before a pub or a nightclub, but a post office? There were signs on both the east and west sides of the road. Is the “caution” because of the unfounded reputation of postal workers? Or, are we to be cautious of drivers so emotional over the latest bill, or letter from Aunt Jane or whatever else that they just might pull out of the post office parking lot without looking for on-coming traffic?
I feel bad for our post office. They, like many other businesses are dealing with tough times. I’m sure with e-mail, cell phones and electronic bill paying their business will continue to dwindle.
Maybe then they’ll replace those signs with Caution Historic Site Ahead.
Happy holiday to everyone.

East River, Eastport, NY

As I was driving west on my way to work yesterday the sun had helped make a beautiful reflection on the river. It was like a glass mirror reflecting the warm glow of the rising morning sun. I had a hard time finding a place to park; there were no parking signs everywhere. So I pulled into someone’s driveway and grabbed my gear fast. When I got to the river, two swans started their swim towards me ruining the whole mirror.
I’m not totally unhappy with what I was able to get. Post production in ACR and Photoshop as well as Photomatix Tonal Mapping all were used to get the final results you see here.

Peeling paint

I passed this barn today and needed to turn around. Today’s post is another trespassing photo; I knew I would find something of interest once I got up close. No post production in this image.

Well lit Parking Area

Things can look so different because of light. I pass this sign almost every day on my way home. Today, because of the setting sun and the ominous clouds it was worthy of my attention. I never realized how big the sign was until I was standing right in front of it.

Pell's Pots

It’s nice to have an overcast day; colors look more saturated. Bill Pell is a local baymen and today’s post is a buoy and oyster pot, Colorful buoys are another subject that I have a hard time walking away from without making a photo. No post production, just a straight photograph

Saturday Night Special

This as an image I made yesterday after I took Evan to the village. I fooled around with Adobe Raw Converter to get the high contrast look.. I’m not sure I'm finished with it.

Home Alone

It’s not often I get a quite night alone. My oldest son is up at college. The middle guy and my wife are looking at a school in Vermont, and I just dropped my thirteen year old off at the cinema to see Monsters vs Aliens. Quite.
It’s still raining. The weekend should be clear. It would be nice if I could get some yard work done. I wanted to see that movie too.

Spring rain

On my walk this morning, there was a light rain. It felt good and the paths looked mystical. Buds have started to open. Rain was collecting in the tiny pockets formed by these little leaves. It was refreshing to say the least.