Cattail

After dropping my son, Adam off in Northfield Vermont, I stopped to fill the car and get a much-needed coffee. I noticed a few cattails and decided to make a few photographs before leaving.

This was made with the Canon 5d Mark II and processed with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional and Photomatix Tone Mapping program.

 

Cross Sound Ferry, Orient, NY

I’m sitting in my car at the New London Ferry terminal waiting for a spot on an earlier ferry back home. I’ve been in the car almost all day. Adam and I stopped for breakfast in Massachusetts. That was the only stop on the way back to school, once we got there; I took him grocery shopping and then say my good-bys. Now it’s 7:30 and I’m on stand-by for an earlier boat. My reservation was for the last ferry back to Orient Point at 8:45. I was just too tired to hang around up at Norwich, and I sensed that Adam didn’t really what his father hanging out in his dorm.

Part two.

It’s a lot easier to get a good night sleep knowing the boys are safe and back at school. I got back home around 11:30 and was wiped out.

This image was made yesterday morning when we arrived for the first ferry to New London, Connecticut. Made with the Canon 5d Mark II and processed with Photoshop. 

 

The holiday is over. Tomorrow Adam and I leave at five thirty to catch a ferry. I’ll be driving him back to Vermont. Brian needs to catch a six o’clock train from Speonk to meet his schoolmates in NYC. They are driving from Manhattan to Potsdam. I just hate the thought of someone else driving.

My in-laws were here for diner tonight and to say good-bye to their grandsons. It’s a tradition now for the family to gather here the night before they leave. At least tonight was early and I’ll get a good night sleep before my trip to Vermont and back. It was fun having them home and having the whole family together.

Today’s image is from the dock around the corner. Oyster pots. Photographed with the Canon G10 and processed with ACR.

 

The cold, the wind and the rain.

What a cold and rainy day. I’m glad yesterday was better. We had Thanksgiving at my sister-in-laws yesterday. They made a fire in the outdoor stove; it was a beautiful day.

Today’s photo I made yesterday morning when I ran out to get a couple of things. I used the Canon G10 and processed it with ACR.

 

52 and Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am most grateful that my family is home and safe. This morning or local newspaper has an article about a young man from SUNY Potsdam, Brian’s school, who was killed when coming home for Thanksgiving break. The car he was in flipped over. All three students in the car were from Long Island.

I can’t image the pain that family is feeling today. I try to teach my boys to be independent and to try and find their own way home. I feel blessed that Brian got a ride and made it back safely.

My prayers go out to the Spencer family.

Windows in Babylon

Last night I had some time to kill as I waited for my oldest son’s train to arrive. So I walked around the village of Babylon for the hour. There’s not much happening at ten o’clock except for the taverns.

This barber poll lit up the sidewalk and most of the interior of the small shop. All the stores had this magical feel to them. Possibly the cold air or the anticipated excitement of everyone being home for Thanksgiving, but everything had a magical feel to it.

It’s such a simple thing to be thankful for, I’m thankful we’re all home and we’re all safe.

 

The World Down-Under

Ever since my first trip into Manhattan I’ve had a fascination with subways and the underground world of Penn Station. Sometimes it hard to believe how much activity is happening below Madison Square Garden. Amtrak, Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit and the subway all converge beneath the asphalt and brick of the city. Hundreds, no thousands of people hailing cabs, catching busses or just on the go and below that thousands more on each level below. The crowds are unreal, scary at times.

Today’s post is a grayscale conversion made in the Penn Station terminal of the Long Island Railroad. Made with the Canon G10 and processed with ACR. 

A commercial break

I tried to post the text to this post last night, but something went wrong. Half the text never showed yup on the post, and the other half was a link to no where. The link thing has happened to me before.

I'm a sucker for Christmas. The smell of a burning fireplace, cookies baking and the fresh cut tree that graces out living room. For me,  the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is the start of the whole thing. Yea, I know many people consider Macy's just another big box store. And I know that there's a lot of big box stores that do altruistic things. I know the Parade is really a big advertisement for Macy's. But, they don't have to do it. When times are tough in the retail world, they could of pulled the plug. They could have made room for another retail giant to step up to the plate and foot the bill for the parade.

They always hung in there, even when battling bankruptcy.

I have childhood memories of sitting in front of the TV waiting for the end of the parade just to see the real Santa. I know he's the real Santa, I've seen Miracle on 34th Street enough to know Macy's has the real Santa.

So, call me what you may, this is my soft spot. Shopping at Macy's Herald Square the week between Christmas and New Years has become a tradition for the family. We love riding the wooden  escalators and getting snacks in The Cellar. If the boys get any cash of Christmas, the look at the after holiday mark downs to find bargains. Cel and I always look for half off Christmas cards and wrapping paper of the following year.

Maybe we'll be lucky enough  to get snow again for the train ride home.

Picking up Adam

We just returned from New York City to pick up Adam from the Amtrak station. We got in a little early, so we walked around Macy's, Herald Square. More about that tomorrow. It's great to have Adam home. We went for some New York Pizza, something Adam misses up in Vermont, before taking the train home. The city is all decorated for Christmas, and preparations were well underway for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Today's image is from the last Sunday's walk outside our church. I originally was focusing on the water drops, but then I saw that focus looked better on the grass blades. The one aspect of the Canon G10, or any rangefinder type camera for that matter, I'm not happy with, is not being able to watch focus change through the lens.

Other than that, it's still very convenient. This was processed with ACR.

 

Walking in the rain

Rain has made the news both here on the east coast and in Great Britain where flooding has caused great losses and the life of a policeman across the pond. We had a heavy down pour early this morning accompanied by thunder and lightening. As usual, Isabel, our dog, went through her routine of looking for safety. We have a room upstairs that only has a skylight, no other windows, this is her place in the storm.

After the rain, I noticed my little red maple and all the raindrops on her branches. I made this photo with the Canon 5d and processed it with ACR.

 

One leaf left

Today was the first day this fall that really looked like winter. Many of the trees are bare, the sky was gray and dark. Clouds were laden with rain but they didn't spill till mid afternoon. I even heard two ladies talking on the way out of a building about how it looked like snow.

There's a couple of homes in my neighborhood that burn wood in the winter. I just love the smell of a fireplace. My parents had a fireplace. I have some warm memories in front that fireplace, no pun intended. It's one thing I wish my home had that it doesn't.

Today's photo is the little red maple out in the back yard. There's only a few leaves left. I was originally drawn to the drops of water on the bare branches, but the leaf made a better image. I used the Canon 5d and ACR.

 

Leaves in the forest

I had a nice assignment today. The owner of this private auto repair garage wants to give back to the community and has set-up a not-for-profit to work on the cars of the needy. We made some photos of the owner with the first recipient and an elected official that helped bring the whole thing together. Some things restore my faith in my fellow man.

Today's photo was found on a walk in the woods. These yellow leaves stuck out in the dark forest. They looked like they were floating in the woods.

I used the Canon G10 and photoshop to make this image.

Queen Ann's Lace in fall.

I had a very busy day today. And sometime early afternoon the auto focus in mt canon d5 body. I was covering the general meeting for the Suffolk Count Legislature and a press conference following the morning session. At the press conference I noticed focus wasn't changing so I switched to manual focus for the rest of the day. I'm glad this didn't happen when I was busy.

Today's photo was made Sunday after the red mailbox photo. It was made with the Canon G10 and processed with Photoshop.

 

A year and six days

Well, I missed my blogging anniversary. Sometime back in October I looked to see when I started blogging. I wanted to post a new version of the bike rack that graced my first page in cyberspace.

It was an attempt at high dynamic range photograph, until the figure stepped into the frame. Today's post is also a straight photo, this one made with the G10 and processed with ACR.

I'm always drawn to colorful objects. The rack looks better than the original post mostly because of the open overcast lighting and the sky. The first time I photographed it I was more concerned with cropping out the distracting signs and maybe making it look a little abstract. This time I just wanted to record the whole scene.

One year. As I've stated before blogging has helped me return to the kind of subject matter that first go me interested in photography. As a teen I would have never believed I would be working s a political photographer. But as a teen, I do think you could have told me that you couldn't make a living making images of autumn leaves or blades of grass or most of the other things you'll find on this blog. I was no different that most teens and just didn't listen. I had to do it my way.

Thank you to all who visit, and all of you who comment. You have all become a part of my life.

 

Four

This mailbox is across the street from the church we attend. I've wanted to photograph it before, I've even gone there for the sole purpose of making a photo. But today, the light and atmospheric conditions were perfect today. It was a great morning for making pictures.

I made this photo with the Canon G10 and processed it with Photoshop.

 

Reflection at Bay Shore Marina

The nor'easter caused some high tides and flooding along our south shore these past two days. Everything is a little calmer this evening. It got me thinking of our harbors. This image was made in September in Bay Shore. There's not many boats left there this late in the season. I just never finished working on it.

This image was made with the Canon 5d and processed in Photoshop.

Blowin in the wind.

This is another image of the Red Maple tree in my backyard also made on Thursday. I love photographing on overcast days, add a little wind and a slow shutter speed. A tripod and magic happens.

 

Hanging on

The little red maple tree in our back yard took a beating today with the high winds. Its leaves were hanging on even as oak leaves were blowing all around the yard. The oaks are usually the last trees to lose their leaves.

The weatherman is calling for even more wind tomorrow. If that's true, I won't have to rake, the leaves will all blow away.

I made this image with the Canon 5d and processed it with ARC.

Mailboxes

 

I guess one day these things will be something of the past. E-mail, bill-pay and all the other electronic means of communications are taking a toll on the United States Postal Service. Not too long ago I read that the USPS is considering a five day delivery week instead of the six we have now and a rate increase. These say there's a drop in the need for their services.

For the most part I have always liked the USPS. When we lived in Shirley, we had the greatest mailman, Joe. He always went over and above the call of duty. Whenever I had those little orange Kodak boxes of slides delivered, Joe would walk them up the 200 foot driveway. He didn't want to leave them in the mailbox. I was privileged to photograph his second marriage, his sister's marriage and is daughter's marriage. And I was very sorry when Joe decided to leave the route and take a counter job at a different post office. He's a town away now, and I see him whenever I need stamps.

All the years of mail service and I never lost anything in the mail, coming or going. I still look forward to receiving a letter from an old friend. It's not the same when a past acquaintance friends me on Facebook. I still enjoy walking down to the mailbox and finding a letter from a friend.

So I for one will be upset if I live to see the day everything is electronic. Yea, I know it's probably greener to go electronic, it just doesn't seem the same to me.

Today's photo was made yesterday in Rocky Point while I was looking for Rick and Georgiannne house.

I used the Canon 5d and processed it with ACR.

 

A great cup of coffee.

I made a surprise visit to my friends Rick and Georgianne of the Homegrown String Band. Rick had invited me for a cup of fresh ground, organically grown, free trade, rattle snake gutter brew in the comment section of my Coffee and a photo to go post. So, I stopped in unannounced to collect and catch-up on old times.

What a great cup of coffee. They buy their coffee from Dean's Beans. Rick made me a cup of Beach Bean, one of the monthly specials, it was delicious. I could easily fall in love with the taste of this coffee. Read Rick's post here.

Today's photo was made while I was waiting for an elected official to arrive at an elementary school veterans day assembly. He was in committee meetings and his staff scheduled me, needless to say we never connected and I had some time to drop-in on my old friends.

Today's post is in honor of all our veterans. My heartfelt thanks for your service.

Sunlight through the pines

We had a beautiful day here on Long Island and it all started this morning. I love seeing the morning mist as it burns off the foliage. Besides, all my Garzania's are still blooming and it's November!

This was made with the Canon G10 and processed with Photoshop.

 

greyscale leaf

I just returned from the class B championship soccer game Southampton vs. Center Moriches, we lost again. This is the second year the boys soccer team has made it this far. This year we held the loss to one point. That's great, considering that they beet us six zip earlier this year.

We have a young team and they played very hard. I know it's coming boys, keep playing hard and you'll get there.

I didn't take my camera to the game, I just wanted to go and cheer. I wish I had brought my gear because no one was there for the yearbook or local papers.

Today's photo is of a leaf at the bottom of Lower New Milpond which I made on Wednesday.

Lower New Milpond

This photo is also from yesterday's walk at Bill Richards Memorial Park in Hauppauge. I'm not sure what the name of this body of water is. It's connected to New Milpond by a small stream. So, for lack of a better name, I'm calling it Lower New Milpond.

About ten years ago I found a heart carved into a tree right by this body of water. I went back with a young couple for a stock shoot. Yesterday, I couldn't find the tree or even a stump where a tree used to be. How fast things can change.

Lower New Milpond was made with the Canon d5 and processed with ACR.

Before my assignment this morning, I went for a small walk in a county park. I was looking for the last colors of autumn. The pickings were slim at best. I did manage to make a couple of keepers and the walk was refreshing.

Today's photo was made with the Canon 5d and processed with ACR.

The morning after.

Election night is over, a new dawn brings a new day. The election I covered was a landslide victory for those up for re-election except for one race which was less than landslide but still a victory. It wasn't good news for everyone I've worked with this past cycle.

So, like Isabel, my retired Greyhound, maybe they'll find a nice spot in the sun and relax. I know that's what I'd do.

Today I have a budget meeting for the County Legislature to cover. I'm glad I'm not one having to make decisions in that arena today.

Isabel on her favorite pillow was made with the Canon G10, and processed with ACR.

Mums

I don't have an election day assignment till tonight, so I'm catching-up on things around the house. I wan for a walk around the yard and I can't believe that the Gazania's are still blooming. The Mums also look great but the Montauk Daisy's are coming to an end. We've never had much success with Mums, but this the the season and the second transplanting that they have bloomed. Must be the soil.

So in honor of the Chrysanthemums I'm posting a photo of one I made today with the Canon G10. Processed in Photoshop.

One more day till Election

Well it just about over. Things will start to settle down and get back to normal. Tomorrow night at the catering hall will wrap-up this years local elections, hopefully I 'll be home early. I'm covering the Babylon Town results instead of the County wide, so I might actually have an easy night.

Today's photo is from a sunrise on the ocean. It was made a couple of Saturday's ago after dropping Evan off for football practice. I'd go to the beach for a walk and take the Canon G10 with me. This image was processed with Photomatix Tone mapping program. I cropped the final image to straighten the horizon.

November Sky

In nineteen days this blog will be a year old. I was unsure about investing the time in something that I would not see a financial return in. Not too far into the year I was hooked. Mostly because it gave me a reason the make the images that first got me excited about photography. I couldn't support my family, have a mortgage, and have a new car with just the income generated by photographing leaves and grass and sunsets.

I make my living photographing politics, political people and government. Not very exciting as far as blog material. It's not the kind of subject matter that you'd use experimental processes or extreme angles to photograph. Yes, I sneak something more artistic in every once and a while, but it's rare that it gets used.

So blogging gives me the reason to photograph more personal things, it gives me reason to take a camera on walks or places I normally wouldn't take a camera.

After almost a year, I find myself looking forward to reading posts by some of my blogging friends. If fact most mornings it the thing I do after I pour my first cup of coffee. I've learned a lot about the web from fellow bloggers, and I've seen some very creative sites with very talented artists.

I'd like to thank every visitor and everyone that follows and comments on my blog. You are my motivation.

Today's pictures were made on the drive home from a Veterans Awareness Week Kick-Off event the sky was full of beautiful color. To the east was the moon surrounded by shades of pink and purple. Behind me was fire orange and blue. The November sky is special.

Both images were made with the Canon 5d and processed with ACR.