273 - Reach for the Sky

From 365 Project

This crane appears to be reaching for the sky. It was actually lifting new roofing materials to the top of Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton Virginia. With the cooler weather this week, we have had deep blue skies and lots of amazing fluffy clouds. Canon G10, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200. Taken through an open sun roof while sitting at the stoplight at Settler's Landing Rd and Bridge St.

272 - Sticker Ball

From 365 Project

This nasty little sticker ball is surrounding those chestnuts that they'll sing about roasting on an open fire in a few months. Do people actually roast chestnuts? Anyway, my next door neighbor has a large old American Chestnut tree in her back yard. The tennis ball sized stickers drop to the ground and open into four wedges releasing the nuts inside. The thorns are very sharp and quite effective at protecting the nuts. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 400, 50mm macro lens with off camera flash at 1/64th power.

271 - Storm Spider

From 365 Project

I've only changed the picture once before after posting it to the blog but I'm going to do it again tonight. A series of thunderstorms just swept through dumping about an inch of rain in a little over an hour. This big spider has been building a web each night just out side my side door. After the storm I stuck my head outside to see if all of the wind and water had messed up the web, but to my surprise she was wet but still hanging in there. Canon G10, 1/250 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, in manual mode with manual macro focus (auto focus doesn't work in the dark). The lighting was provided by a Canon 430EX Speedlite also in manual mode at 1/32 power with a wireless controller.

270 - Float Through

From 365 Project

The clouds appear to be floating right through the SunTrust Building in downtown Norfolk Virginia. The picture was taken from Town Point Park on the Elizabeth River on day with a bright blue sky and big white fluffy clouds. Canon 40D, 1/1000 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200, 31mm focal length.

269 - Onancock

From 365 Project

We paid a visit to Onancock on Virginia's Eastern Shore today. The name, Onancock, is derived from the Indian word "auwannaku" meaning foggy place. The little town near the Chesapeake Bay dates to 1680. We had a nice lunch at Mallard's on the Wharf where this picture of the small harbor was taken. Canon G10, 1/2000 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200.

268 - Jammin'

From 365 Project

Spent almost an hour stuck in this traffic jam on the way home from work tonight. I-264 East in Norfolk Virginia had three lanes blocked due to accident caused by a truck involved in a police pursuit. The police got their man, the rest of us got to waste a lot of time and fuel. Seems to me if you going to try to out run the police, foolish in its own right, you wouldn't try to do at rush hour. But that's just me. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400.

267 - Uassuming Commonplace of Nature

From 365 Project

This is how William Wordsworth referred to the daisy in 1802.
To the Daisy
With little here to do or see
Of things that in the great world be,
Sweet Daisy! oft I talk to thee,
For thou art worthy,
Thou unassuming Common-place
Of Nature, with that homely face,
And yet with something of a grace,
Which Love makes for thee!

Canon Rebel XTi, 1/250 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, Lensbaby Composer with +4 macro adapter.

266 - Shaking Like a Leaf

From 365 Project

I often hear the expression "shaking like a leaf" to describe when someone was nervous or frightened. I was taking a macro photo of this fern tip tonight and put a lot of effort into capturing a tack sharp image. I used my tripod, focusing rail and carefully waited for all of the movement to stop before using a cable release to fire the camera. I got some nice sharp macro images but they just weren't satisfying. So I took another photo just after slightly taping the fern stem to put it in motion and I really liked the effect. I hope you find it pleasing as well. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/3 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 400, 65mm macro lens at 1X magnification. Back lighting from a Micropanel LED.

265 - Gone

From 365 Project

This is all that remains of the old Kempsville Volunteer Fire and Rescue building that was demolished this week. The big yellow excavator made quick work of turning the 53 year old Kempsville landmark into a pile of rubble. This and other buildings are being cleared for the new Princess Anne Road/Kempsville Road intersection improvements. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 400, 28mm focal length.

264 - Double Nickel

From 365 Project

Today is my birthday so I thought I'd try to pay tribute to the occasion. This macro close-up of two nickels, one of the old series and one of the new series, shows the toll that the years take on coins as they bang together in pockets, cash drawers and vending machines. I hope nobody takes a 1X macro photo of me, I suspect I've fared worse than the nickels. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/60 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200, 65mm macro lens. Lighting provided by two manual strobes on either side fired through the white sides of a Light Shed. I used slightly different power levels, one at 1/4 and one at 1/8 to help contrast the coins. Converted to black and white in Photoshop Elements using Silver Efex Pro.

263 - Back Bay Sunset

From 365 Project

Sunset over Back Bay in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We spent the afternoon and evening with a drive in the country ending up at Sandbridge. Along the way we visited two wineries in Knotts Island North Carolina. All in all, a very nice day and evening. Canon 40D, 1/20 sec @ F/5.0, ISO 200.

262 - Mirrored Marquee

From 365 Project

While waiting in line to buy tickets to see (500) Days of Summer tonight, I noticed this mirror like reflection of the Naro's marquee reflected in a parked car's side windows. Canon G10, 1/30 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400. BTW, the movie was great!

261 - Reel Time

From 365 Project

I am sucker for neon, it makes for pictures that pop. This is on the top of the roadside sign for the Columbus Theaters in Virginia Beach Virginia. We still associate movies with reels of motion picture film even though many theaters are shifting to digital cinema projectors. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 115mm focal length. The photo is under exposed by a full 2 stops from the meter reading which helps isolate the sign against a the black night. Thanks to my wife Cindy who spotted the sign and suggested the pithy title for today's blog post.

260 - Step Up

From 365 Project

There's nothing like a dark, cinder block walled, metal staircase, illuminated by a single bare bulb florescent fixture, with a card security door awaiting to give that step up to the challenge feeling. This is the back stairway at my office that greets me every day as I arrive to make a difference. Canon G10, 1/10 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200.

259 - Knock Out!

From 365 Project

This is a rosebud on a red Knock Out® rose. Introduced just 10 years ago these hybrid rose bushes are seen everywhere. Disease and drought resistant and loaded with blooms they have become a favorite of both commercial landscapers and home gardeners. The bright fire engine red of this bud caught my eye. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/2.5, ISO 100, 50mm compact macro lens.

258 - Cobblestone

From 365 Project

This patch of old cobblestone pavers on Armistead Avenue in Norfolk Virginia were revealed recently when a gas line construction project peeled back the modern asphalt overlay. Cobblestones, or more correctly quarried granite setts, lie under the surface of many streets in cities across America. Norfolk has restored them in the historic Freemason neighborhood near downtown. These will most likely get another coat of asphalt soon and be lost again. Canon G10, 1/400 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200.

257 - Barbaresco

From 365 Project

This is the Produtorri Barbaresco (2005), produced using the Nebbiolo grape from Italy, being poured for about 20 lucky people. This wine was served with the fourth course of Petite Filet of an exquisite wine diner we attended at the Green Onion restaurant on Colley Avenue in Norfolk Virginia tonight. The entire dinner featured a variety of Italian wines perfectly paired with each course. Canon G10, 1/6 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

256 - Hot Tubbing Under the Stars

From 365 Project

This is the view looking straight up from the center the spa in our backyard. The arbor was designed and built by my brother in 2002. After a tough weekend of yard work, replacing the spa's circulation pump and painting the guest room, an evening in the spa was just what we needed. I wasn't even nervous about taking the camera into the spa, - well I was a little. Canon Rebel XTi, 0.6 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800, 8mm fish eye lens.

255 - "Do or do not...."

From 365 Project

“Do or do not...there is no try.” My favorite Yoda quote and a photo of one of my favorite PEZ, the 2003 Limited Edition Green Crystal Yoda. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/1250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 85mm prime lens on a tripod. Lighting Yoda for his portrait was fun. He is standing on a Micro LED LightPanel, providing up light, there is a three LED stick-on light position behind to help separate from the background and a green laser pointer positioned above and behind to light up the crystal head.

254 - Sprocket

From 365 Project

The afternoon sun cast an interesting light on this old and rusty bicycle sprocket. Canon PowerShot SD1100, 1/50 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200, 40mm equivalent focal length in macro mode. Image converted to black & while using Silver Efex Pro in Photoshop Elements 6. Small point and shot cameras do a remarkably fine job with macro photos. The macro mode on the camera just tells the auto focus to look for the focus point much closer than in normal mode. Give yours a try, get close and I think you will be surprised by the results.

253 - Play-Doh!

From 365 Project

Play-Doh is so much fun, especially when the colors are all mixed together. Canon PowerShot SD1100, 1/50 sec @ f2.8, ISO 400 in digital macro mode. This is my first blog photo from my ultra small Canon SD1100 in "Bohemian Brown". So far five Canon cameras and one Blackberry have been used to take the 253 pictures posted to this blog.

252 - Reflective

From 365 Project

School is back in session and the yellow buses have returned to the streets in force. I have noticed how my car headlights illuminate the reflective tape long before you can see the actual bus. In this night photo of a line of school buses parked near the Kempsville intersection in Virginia Beach illuminate nicely with a little help from an off-camera strobe. Canon 40D, 1 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 200, 28mm focal length, Vivitar 285HV strobe on quarter power trigger by wireless remote. Camera mounted on a tripod. My thanks to Cindy for the subject suggestion.

251 - Drive In Lunch

From 365 Project

I've posted two pictures taken at Doumar's Diner & Curb Service on the blog so far this year. I eat lunch there about once a week; so often that they know me and just bring my regular order when they see me pull in. So today's picture is my regular order, barbecue sandwich with slaw (of course) and an order of fries delivered to the car. Canon G10, 1/250 sec @ F/3.5, ISO 100.

250 - A Naro Marquee

From 365 Project

The Naro Expanded Cinema is Hampton Roads Virginia's art house and revival theater, catering to local audiences interested in independent, foreign and limited release features since 1977. The Art Deco style theater was built in 1936 and originally opened as the Colley Theater. Located on Colley Avenue in Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood, the theater has been home to the area's regular screenings of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show for 30+ years. Canon G10, 1/50 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400.

249 - Seven Things MeMe

Last week I was tagged with a MeMe by Janet – The Queen of Seaford. So now I have to tell you seven things about me you didn’t know.

1 – I married my high school sweetheart. Cindy and I met at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach. She was sixteen and I was seventeen when she asked me to the annual Sadie Hawkins Day dance. We have been married 34 years.
2 – Before moving into my current field of technology management, I worked as a City Planner. I was once in charge of naming streets in Virginia Beach.
3 – My father was a carpenter as was his father. From him I learned skills of woodworking and home improvement and do most of my own repairs. Coworkers have teased me about having renovated the entire house.
4 – As a collector I have over 500 different PEZ candy dispensers as well as numerous antique watches and lots of fountain pens.
5 – I can decipher binary and hexadecimal numbers. The clock on my desk at home is a binary display.
6 – A trivia buff, I know a little about a lot.
7 – My 15 minutes of fame came in 1993 when my son and I were at a local Subway restaurant and a pickup truck crashed into the store. No one was hurt, but the security camera caught the entire "made for TV" incident. We were startled to see ourselves jumping out of way on CNN the next morning. I was interviewed for an episode of a show called “Caught on Tape”. The episode still runs on cable TV now and then.

Now for today's photo - Sand dunes in the late afternoon sun. Canon G10, 1/2000 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 200.

From 365 Project

248 - Eye Contact

From Heart Concert

Made eye contact with this concert photo of Nancy Wilson of Heart as they headlined the American Music Festival at the 5th Street Stage in Virginia Beach. See more of my Heart concert photos in this Picasa web album. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/600 sec @ f/2.2, ISO 1600, 85mm f/1.8 prime lens.

247 - Buttons

From 365 Project

~BUTTONS~

In a bag full of buttons
I'm that tiny unique one.....

Odd in size and color
Holes as round as the sun.....

I may not shine or sparkle
Or even catch most eyes.....

I may not match one's attire
Nor compare to all those flies.....

Though, I may not have a matching set
I've learned to stand alone.....

When it comes to wearing the britches
I surely can hold my own.

A poem with meaning by 4 Sugar Bear

Canon G10, 1/4 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400, 50mm equivalent focal length in macro mode.

246 - Aliens?

From 365 Project

This small flower has an almost alien feel to it. It comes from a stringy vine that appears in August on a number of my bushes. It is very small and delicate. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/250 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800, 65mm macro at approximately 2.5/1, lighting with off camera strobe at 1/64 power.

245 - Surf's Up

From 365 Project

This surfer caught a good wave at Cape May beach this morning. Good surfing pictures are hard to capture. The action is fast, usually pretty far away and its hard to get the light just right. I was able to capture this image because of the way the jetties are at Cape May. I was standing on the jetty while the surfers were catching the waves in deep section just on the other side. The sunlight was coming over my left shoulder and I had the big zoom. I think it's my best surfing picture yet. Canon 40D, 1/640 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 400, 320mm focal length.

244 - Crystal Vision

From 365 Project

A close look at a crystal wall sconce light at the Virginia Hotel a restored 1879 landmark building on Jackson Street in the heart of the historic district of Cape May New Jersey. Canon G10, 1/400sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400, in macro mode.