More Miami Neon

- Some more of the neon at South Beach in Miami. Canon G11, 1/13 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

Port Blvd. Bridge

- The Port Boulevard bridge from downtown Miami to Dodge Island and the Port of Miami. This is home to the world's cruise terminal. Fisher Island can be seen in the distant background. Canon G11, 8 seconds @ f/8.0, ISO 100 mounted on a tripod.

Art Deco

- Had dinner tonight with a great group from the American Public Transportation Association TransITech Conference at Quinn's in the Central Park Hotel on Miami Beach. It was my first visit to Miami Beach and I must say I was impressed by the great Art Deco Style. Canon G11, 1/8 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 400 camera braced against a palm tree. Sometimes you have to improvise camera support.

Daisy

- Saw this daisy while walking through Home Depot. Canon G11, 1/100 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800 in macro mode.

Left Behind

- This lone shopping cart was left behind all by itself in the parking lot. After taking the picture, I returned it to the safety of the cart rack. Hopefully the guy with the "cart pusher" will retrieve it before closing tonight. Being the guy who gets to operate the remote control cart pusher is my long term career goal. . . ah someday. Canon G11, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Chips

- A microprocessor, a.k.a - computer chip, up close and personal. Each of these squares are separate microprocessors on a single silicon wafer. Each square is about 1/8 inch in size. It kind of looks like a city seen from high in the sky. Well I guess it is a city of sorts - one with millions of miniature transistor residents. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

The Red Tip

The red tip Photinia earns its name in the spring when the new growth appears as bright red leaves against the deep green of the older growth. This is from the one red tip left in my yard. For years we had a red tip hedge down one side of the yard which has now been replaced by the daylily bed. I don't miss that hedge which required a lot of work. The plant is better suited for larger open areas. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 800, 100mm lens.

High Contrast Sconce

- All photography is technically the capture of light. I often photograph light fixtures and the shadows and shapes they produce. This high contrast black and white wall sconce displays a wide tonal range from pure white through shades of gray to pure black. Canon G11, 1/50sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800.

Psychedelic

- Tonight I changed my Facebook profile picture to a photo of me taken in 1973, so I thought it only appropriate to make the photo of the day a reflective of those times. In the 60's and early 70's psychedelic usually referred to drug-induced hallucinations today it is widely used to describe anything with abstract decoration of multiple bright colors. I think that pretty much describes this photo of an LED pinwheel photographed through 3D glasses. Canon G11, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

You like tomato . . .

- You like tomato and I like tomahto
Tomato, tomahto, Let's call the whole thing off.
How about a little Louis Armstrong to go with todays photo. Canon 40D, 1/50 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro, two LED litepanels one on each side.

Looking Pretty

- Miss Sasha was looking mighty pretty starring out the window so I just had to take a picture of her. She's quite the little diva at our house and wins the hearts of everyone she meets. My wife says I do too many cat pictures for the blog but I just can't resist. I hope you don't mind indulging my pet photography. Canon 40D, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 100mm.

Ground Level

- The lowly and often despised dandelion is really a beautiful and amazing plant. Earlier I posted a photo of a seed parachute ball which follows the blooming phase. This close-up photo shows the beauty of the flower bloom. It was nice day to lay on the ground in the sun and take macro photos. I always find something new when I take the time to look close enough. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro with the lifesize adapter.

Supermoon

- Tonight was the perigee or "supermoon"--the biggest in 18 years. I went to Sandbridge in Virginia Beach to capture the moon rising in the east over the Atlantic Ocean. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/16, ISO 100, mounted on a tripod.

On the Grid

- The power grid is something most of us rarely give much thought to. Right now it is a major topic in Japan following the 9.0 earthquake. It was the failure of the electric power grid coupled with flooding of backup generators by the devastating tsunami that resulted in loss of cooling for the Fukushima nuclear plant. Once the second failsafe - backup batteries were drained there was no way to power the pumps that deliver cooling to the reactors. The gird powers almost everything and while it has been very reliable this complex creation can fail on a very large scale. Next time you look up at those lines and transformers give some thought to modern world they enable. Canon G11, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200 converted to black and white in Silver Efex Pro.

PEZ Patrick's Day

- I got together with some of my Pez pals to celebrate PEZ Patrick's Day. We all got greened up and broke out the Guinness and Harp. These guys really know how to party. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, zoom at 44mm, on camera flash with two LED litepanels for fill.

Late Bloomer

- This pink camellia is blooming much later than usual because of the cold winter. I normally have blooms beginning in December through February but this year the blooms began opening fully in late February. When its done blooming the bush will require some major pruning as the heavy snow in December and January broke it down badly. But even with all of that abuse, it still manages these beautiful blooms by the dozens. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, LED litepanel.

Parachutes

- This dandelion parachute ball has opened into a full sphere. The parachutes will soon carry the seeds on the wind. Those that land on disturbed soil will take hold continuing the cycle. Early European settlers brought the dandelion to the new world as a food plant and its prolific nature has spread the plant throughout North America. Canon 40D, 1/60 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro, LED litepanel and converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro.

East Bound Tracks

- The east bound tracks of the new Norfolk Virginia Light Rail near Curlew Drive and Military Highway. Canon G11, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, converted to black and white.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

- I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Daffodils;
Along the Lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.
. . . .
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.
From "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" a poem by William Wordsworth often considered his most famous work.
Canon 40D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro with LED Litepanel for illumination.

High in the Sky

- The contrail from this airliner is illuminated bright orange by the setting sun. Canon 7D, 1/80 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200, zoom at 400mm mounted on a tripod.

Playmobil Penguins

- My grandson Robert knows that I like penguins so when he went to Toysrus today with Cindy he didn't just think of himself, he had her buy this Playmobil Penguin set just for me. So I thought I'd set it up with some crushed ice and take a picture of the penguin family just for Robert. Hey little Buddy, thanks for thinking of me today. Canon 40D, 1/80 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro with two LED light panels.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

- My grandson Robert is deep in thought as he enjoys his iced tea and the great view at Bubba's Seafood Restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virgina. It was his first trip with us to Bubba's and he thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, handheld with no flash.

Scarcity and Demand

- This is the detail of a green depression glass bowl that beloged to Cindy's grandmother. We have several interesting pieces of collectible depression glass. Originally these items were given away or sold very inexpensively during the Great Depression by manufacturers promoting other products. Interesting that this once almost worthless product is now a prized collectible. Ah, the wonder of scarcity and demand to create value. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/11, ISO 200, 100mm macro lens. Back lit with an off camera flash at 1/16th power.

Inside the "Double D"

- The Do-Nut Dinette on Colley Avenue in Norfolk Virginia is one of those local landmark establishments dating to 1947. The interior with bright red chairs and counter stools definitely brings back the old diner car feel. Canon G11, 1/400 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, exposed at -2/3.

The Birds

- I still remember seeing Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror film The Birds at a drive-in theater in El Paso Texas when I was kid. It was the stuff of nightmares. I often think of that movie when I see the thousands of black birds that converge on the area near the Newtown Road exit on I-264 to roost each night. The birds fill the tops of all the trees, and line the power lines, traffic signals and rooftops all around. Hoepefully this pictures brings back your memories of that movie and if you haven't seen it, put in your Netflix queue and of course sleep well. ;) Canon G11, 1/15 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400.

Quince

- The flowers of a white quince shrub in today's light rain. Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400 in macro mode.

New Sheriff in Town

- There's a new Sheriff in town and is name is Sebastian. He's my cousin's new blue mink Tonkinese kitten and he is so cute! He joins his sister Sophia and cousins Sasha and Sherlock to be a part of our family Tonk mob. He was born on December 5th and while small, he arrived at Lin's house and made himself right at home. Welcome to the family little bud. Canon 7D, 1/10 sec @ f/2.0, ISO 1600, 50mm prime lens.

Parcel Post

- I like getting snail mail. There's something about the letter carrier bringing a package to your door that began its journey halfway around the world. The Internet has certainly helped make the world smaller and even facilitated the transaction that brought these cool stamps from Hong Kong to my house. Look closely at these stamps with their beautiful artwork and I really like the dots that surround the denomination amounts on bottom row of stamps. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Forsythia

- Time for another early sign of Spring from a walk around the neighborhood. The Forsythia is a shrub that blooms out in early spring with yellow flowers which soon become the green leave. The long flowing branches of bright yellow are a beacon for Spring. This bud has yet to open and the last few days have seen a return to winter-like temperatures. Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 100mm macro LED Litepanel.

Night Landing

- Had an a unique opportunity tonight to photograph U.S. Navy F18 fighter jets practicing night carrier landings at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress in Chesapeake Virginia. While the pictures of streaking jets at night are cool, it was the experience that was amazing. Standing just yards away you could really feel the power of these jets. The roar of the engines, rushing air, and the smell of jet fuel and burnt rubber from the landing gear making contact with the runway can never be captured by a still photograph. Thanks to Matt for taking me out there and to Amber for hooking me up with Matt. I'm still pumped. Canon 7D, 4 seconds @ f/2.8, ISO 1600, 50mm focal length mounted on a tripod. Check out a few more pictures on my Picasa web album.

Night Crocus

- Yesterday I posted a picture of these violet crocuses opened up late in the day. I went back tonight to capture this image of these early spring beauties all closed up for night. I think they are pretty special in both the daylight and at night. Canon 40D, 1 sec @ f/11, ISO 200, mounted on a tripod with two LED Litepanels for illumination.