Don't Mess with the Law

- Robert wanted to be a police officer for Halloween this year, much to the dismay of his firefighter father. He met me at the door when I arrived home tonight and issued me a ticket. I had to pay my fine - one piece of candy. I really wanted to take him up to the Tide light rail for a little fare enforcement. He really got into being Officer Sullivan. Canon 7D, 1/15 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 50mm prime lens.

Lazy Day

- Sunday morning is read the paper in bed day. The cats always join us for the lazy morning. Sherlock wasn't ready to get up and stayed in bed under the sheets for about an hour after we got going. Canon 40D, 1/15 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 800, 100mm lens.

The Wells

The ornate decoration of the Wells Theater in Norfolk Virginia is a well preserved example of Beaux-Arts neoclassicism. The grand theater has been home to the Virginia Stage Company since 1980. iPhone 4, Camera+ app.

Hungry Hungry Homer?

- Hungry Hungry Hippos,
"It's a race, it's a chase, hurry up and feed their face!
Who will win? No one knows! Feed the hungry hip-ip-pos!
Hungry hungry hippos! (open up and there it goes!)"
Did you know the hippos have names? Lizzie (pink), Henry (orange), Homer (green), and Harry (yellow). Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 100mm macro, Litepanel LED light.

The B-Day Boy

- Another picture of Robert on his birthday. He's Grandpa's favorite model. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Renaissance Lion

- This lion is one of eight that are part of the Renaissance Court and Garden at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. They guard the reflecting pool and fountain. Modeled along the classic lines of the Italian Renaissance of the late 16th century, this area features all of the trademarks of that period. Canon 7D, 1/5 sec @ f/32.0, ISO 100 mounted on a tripod.

Cool

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- The massive CPU cooling tower hides the brains of my PC from the camera but it does do a nice job of keeping the Intel Core-i7-940 processor nice and cool. Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens

Point & Shoot

- There's no shortage of cameras in the Sullivan house. This Canon SD870 IS has been Cindy's camera since 2008. It's a great little point & shoot camera. It has contributed six pictures to my photo of the day blog over the past three years. Check out what the SD870 can do. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens, converted to black & white in Lightroom 3 using Silver Efex Pro 2..

Laid Back

- My grandson Robert was laid back before his birthday party today. Canon 7D, 1/25 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Kitty Pop, Pop-Pop

- Sasha and Sherlock were fascinated by the popcorn popper. They didn't move the entire time it was popping. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 320. Camera+ app using 4×3, crop, depth of field - SFX and thin white border.

Monticello Station

- The Tide light rail pulls out headed west from the Monticello Station. When the Tide started running in Norfolk Virginia on August 19 of this year, the audio announcement for the Monticello Station created some concerns. Voice artist Karen Hutton who speaks for the Tide used the correct pronunciation of "Monti-CHEL-o," like the musical instrument for the original recording. However many locals have always used the Americanized mispronunciation of "Monti-SEL-o." So a few weeks later Hampton Roads Transit had Karen re-record the announcement using the locally preferred, although incorrect, pronunciation of Monticello. Listen for it next time you ride the Tide. In addition to being a voice artist, Karen Hutton is an amazing photographer, check out her work here. Canon G11, 1/200 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Tough Shot

- There are few more cheerful sights, when the evenings are long, and the weather dull, than a handsome, well-lighted billiard room, with the smooth, green surface of the billiard table; the ivory balls flying noiselessly here and there, or clicking musically together. — Charles Dickens Jr., (1889) - iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 640, Camera+ app following adjustments: darken scene, square crop, XPRO C-41 FX, thin white frame.

RED

- DISCLAIMER - I did not make this photo but I liked it so much that I wanted to share it on the blog. This is a photo of me taken this past Saturday at the Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk Virginia by Paint the Town Red - Norfolk. Paint the town Red - Norfolk is a promotion of the Virginia Stage Company's production of the play RED about Russian born American painter Mark Rothko and the Chrysler's Museum's exhibit "Mark Rothko: Perceptions of Being".

The Obvious

- You wouldn't think the plainly obvious would have to be said over and over again. But such is the case with safety messages. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400.

Vanishing Point

- No it's not the 1971 movie staring Barry Newman and a white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum. A vanishing point is a point in a perspective drawing or photograph to which parallel lines not parallel to the image plane appear to converge. This row of lights gets smaller and smaller as it approaches the vanishing point in the lower left corner. I often use this technique with parallel lines in photos but it also works on a line of circular shapes. Now its time to put the 1971 cult classic Vanishing Point into my Netflix queue. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100.

Shore Shadow

- The late afternoon photographer casts a long shadow at the shore. Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 100, converted to Black & White using Silver Efex Pro 2 and Lightroom 3.

Life & Death

- Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 100 in macro mode.

Big Balls

- Dem some big beach balls. Taken along Shore Drive on Willoughby Spit in Norfolk Virginia. Canon G11, 1/2500 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

Seeing Double

- Saw a double rainbow earlier this evening. The inside rainbow was a complete rainbow from one end to the other. Two rare sights at once. Unfortunately didn't have a wide enough angle to capture the full rainbow and the double in a single photo. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100, Camera+, Clarity, Square Crop, Vibrant, Thin White Frame.

Classics

This classic old phone booth sits just outside the Classics Department at Rutgers University. I understand few use the pay phone but that it is a very popular place to have a private conversation on one's cellphone. May be there's a new life born for phone booths without phones. Canon G11, 1/6 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400.

Knock - Knock

Who's There? Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400 converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 in Lightroom 3.

Temples of Finance

- Early in the Twentieth Century banks were designed as imposing structures to instill confidence with depositors. This is the Virginia Club (formerly Virginia Bank and Trust) Building located at the corner of Granby and Main streets in Norfolk Virginia. Today it is home to Trilogy Bistro, one of our favorite downtown restaurants, and the Virginia Club one of Norfolk's oldest private social clubs. Completed in 1909 the building is excellent example of Beaux-Arts neo-classicism; an eclectic mix of classical Greek and Roman forms. Here you can see one of the engaged Ionic columns and Doric pilasters on the east facing facade. Next time you are walking down Granby Street look closely at the architectural details of the remaining classic downtown buildings. Too many have been lost recently but this restoration is worth a dinner at Trilogy just to see the inside and have a great meal. Canon G11, 1/1600 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100.

Pacific & 32nd

- The new Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach pays tribute to it's original location on Pacific Ave. iPhone 4, Camera +, fill flash.

Heavy Weights

- The big dumbbells at Fitness Together in Norfolk VA. There's a lot of weight on this rack. Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Lavender Mum

This lavender mum came back from last year. It's a different color for fall. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Taillights & Tailpipes

- My grandson Robert was staying with us tonight and we picked up a a new 1/24 scale 2005 Corvette C6 die-cast for the toy box at Grammy's house. We always have to race with a new car and this is Robert's Vette pulling away from my Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. In Robert's race he always wins so I'm usually looking at nothing but taillights and tailpipes. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens.

Dark Rose

A Knockout rose bud just starting to open up. Photographed at night with a single LED Litepanel providing side illumination. Canon 40D, 1/25 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

Break of Dawn

The break of a new day from 37,000 feet. There are benefits to an o-dark thirty departure. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @f/5.6, ISO 800.

Broken Wing

- Even with a broken wing this angle continues to maintain watch over a tomb in the historic Lafayette Cemetery #1 in the Garden District, New Orleans. Canon G11, 1/500 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

NOLA

Bourbon Street in New Orleans is like no other place in America. The neon says it all. The old American Bank & Trust Company and the former Hibernia National Bank are illuminated in the background sky. Canon G11, 1/40 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800.

Redundant

This seems to be just a wee bit redundant to me. Canon G11, 1/13 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800.