LUV

- LUV is the New York Stock Exchange symbol for Southwest Airlines. The airline once used the tag line "The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You." I love flying Southwest and apparently many others do Southwest is the largest airline in the United States based on passengers carried in 2010. Canon G11, 1/125 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, converted to Black & White in Lightroom 3 using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Rhombicuboctahedron

- The Moravian star is generally a 26-point form, composed of eighteen square and eight triangular cone shaped points. This shape is technically known as a Great Stellated Rhombicuboctahedron. Each face of the geometric solid in the middle, the Rhombicuboctahedron, serves as the base for the "stellations" or starburst points. The Moravian star is a popular illuminated piece of Advent or Christmas decoration but was most likely first developed as a geometry lesson at a Moravian Boy's School in Germany. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 200mm focal length.

Sleigh Bell

- Added a few gold and silver jingle bells to the garland surrounding the front door. Not only goes it give it a cool look but the doorway now has that sleigh bell sound as you come and go. Canon 40D, 1/80 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 100mm macro.

Nimmo

- Nimmo United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia was built in 1791. The original structure still stands as the sanctuary, although it has undergone many changes over the years. It is the oldest surviving Methodist Church in continuous use in Virginia. Around 1840, the balcony was added as a slave gallery. It survives today as the only remaining structure directly related to the period of slavery in Princess Anne County, now part of modern day Virginia Beach. Records show that in 1846 Nimmo had 170 white members and 42 "colored members." During the civil war Nimmo used to house Union troops and as a hospital. Some of these troops left initials and names of their sweethearts carved into the posts supporting the balcony. Information from the church website. Canon G11, 1/250 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 100

Lighted Deer

- The lighted deer have arrived for another season at Grammy and Grandpa's house. Robert and Sherlock are delighted. Canon G11, 1/3 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 100, camera on a railing with 2 sec delay timer on the shutter.

Man

- Man - an eight and half foot tall bronze sculpture by Gaston Lachaise an American sculptor is part of the permanent collection at the Chysler Museum in Norfolk Virginia. It was originally commissioned but never realized in 1935 by the City of Philadelphia for Fairmount Park. Walter P. Chysler, Jr. independently commission the casting of Man in 1938. Canon G11, 1/20 sec @ f/3.2, ISO 800, converted to black and white in Lightroom 3 using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Le Chat Noir

- Sherlock in his favorite morning spot on the window sill. His silhouette reminded my of the famous poster from the Parisian night club "Le Chat Noir." iPhone 4, 1/170 sec @ f/2.9, ISO 80, Camera+ App.

Looking Down on Sunrise

- There is one good thing about an o-dark-thirty flight, you get to look down on sunrise from 35,000 feet. Canon G11, 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800.

Twilight Signage

- There are always amazing colors at twilight. This is why photographers call this the golden hour. This is actually civil twilight, that time after the sun has completely set but the sky still has a little illumination. The signs are lit by the street light and car headlights. Canon G11, 1/20 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800.

Gibson "Bona-Bird"

- Another photo and another guitar from Joe Bonamassa's concert in Richmond Virginia. Commissioned by Joe this unusual guitar combines a reverse Firebird neck with a Les Paul body and a single humbucker. Here Joe's shredding on "Slow Train." Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 85mm lens.

Instant Sun

- Don't ask. iPhone 4, 1/545 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, olloclip fisheye lens.

Blue Mystique

- This is a Blue Mystique orchid that I saw today at Lowes and had to have. It is a really striking and unusual color. Mine has two stems with a total of 15 blooms. Canon40D, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens, micro Litepanel LED for illumination.

Paradise Gardens

- I received some advice a while back that a photographer should look up, down and all around. I stopped one evening at the intersection of Princess Anne Road and Church Street in Norfolk Virginia and looked up to see this tree illuminated by the street lights. The tree stands next to McCullough Paradise Gardens an apartment complex owned by the United House of Prayer for All People which is located directly across Church Street. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

Grace

- Looking across the labyrinth just inside the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Stained glass windows pour brightly colored light across the naive and north aisle. To left is a sculpture of St. Francis by Beniamino Bufano. Canon G11, 1/8 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

Not an Egg

- Tis is not an egg. It's the domed ceiling at the Landmark Theater in Richmond Virginia. " Formerly known as "The Mosque," the Landmark was constructed in 1926 by the Shriners as the ACCA Temple Shrine. The theater was designed in Moorish Revival style by Marcellus Wright, Sr. in association with Charles M. Robinson and Charles Custer Robinson. Canon 7D, 1/10sec @ f/3.5, ISO 800, 8mm fisheye lens.

Simple

- A simple photo of some decorative colored glass bottles taken at the Hobby Lobby. iPhone 4, 1/17sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ App, Scene=Clarity, Crop=Square, Effects=Vibrant, Border=Vignette.

Double Neck

- Joe Bonamassa playing the white Gibson Don Felder EDS-1275 #075 Double-Neck during "Young Man Blues" at Richmond Virginia's Landmark Theater last night. You can see Joe's Marshall stack complete with Bonamassa bobble heads just to the right. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/2.0, ISO 400, 85mm lens.

Mountain Time

- Blues guitarist extraordinaire Joe Bonamassa plays "Mountain Time" at the Landmark Theater in Richmond Virginia. Tonight was the sixth time we've seen Joe play live. He never ceases to amaze and delight and tonight was no exception. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/2.0, ISO 400, 85mm prime lens.

Tabacco Company

- The atrium in the Tabacco Company restaurant in the Shockoe Slip area of Richmond Virginia. The old tabacco warehouse was converted into a fine restaurant and club over 30 years ago. The large brass chandelier came from the Federal Reserve Bank in Cincinnati while the antique Otis brass elevator on the right edge of the photo was made for the Con Edison building in New York. Canon G11, 1.0 sec @ f.3.2, ISO 100.

Cold War

- This is a static display of an old Nike Ajax surface to air missile. Developed and deployed in the 1950's these missile systems resulted in my Dad's transfer to Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas where he was assigned to the Air Defense Command. There he became a trainer of National Guard troops operating Nike sites throughout the country. He remained involved with the Nike systems though his retirement from the Army in 1966 and then with the Civil Service maintaining the radar tracking systems until they were deactivated in the mid 1970's as part of the SALT I treaty. This one still points to sky at Air Power Park in Hampton Virginia. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 100.

Little Willie

- Meet Willie - a marble memorial to Willie Stewart who died in 1892 at 16 months old. The small statue was commissioned by Willie's mother and is said to be in his likeness. He's a rather famous occupant of the Victorian era Elmwood Cemetery in Norfolk Virginia. His mother must have loved him and missed him very much. A long inscription begins:

I cannot touch thy hand nor see thy face,
never more shall press my lips to thine,
sleep within thy lonely resting place.
Thou will not wake to any words of mine.
Farewell my son I leave you in God's keeping.
His will for thee at rest from all earth's care.
Farewell my Willie, farewell my darling.

iPhone 4, converted to black & white.

Braille

- An close up look at Braille devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing. Canon 40D, 1/500 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens at 1:1 and luminated from the side by an LED Litepanel.

No Behaving Badly

- The trademark "No Bad Behavior" sign from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. This campaign started way back in 1999 and the signs have been a fixture along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront ever since. Many people believe they refer to a city no cursing law but that's not true. They simply call attention to a voluntary code of ethics for behavior along the popular resort. Some love it, some hate it - but its definitely not a sign you see in other places. Canon G11, 1/320 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

10:10

- Have you ever noticed when looking at marketing and promotional pictures of clocks that the hands are often positioned at 10:10? It's not just by accident. The hands are positioned that way because just it looks better, aesthetically and practically. Some say the clock has a 'smile' on its face much better than a pouty face at 8:20. Canon G11, 1/50 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

What a View

- This is the view of the Chesapeake Bay from the Coastal Living 2011 Ultimate Beach House in the East Beach neighborhood of Norfolk Virginia. It was a really cool house with lots of interesting features but the best was it's view and location on the beach in East Ocean View. Canon 1/1000 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 400.

Dixieland

- Yep - "The South Starts Here." This sign is at the Dixieland Exxon on US Highway 13 in New Church Virginia just south of the Virginia-Maryland state line on the Eastern Shore. Gas station, convenience store, and souvenir shop of all things tacky. Who knew you could put the Southern Cross on so many things made in Asia and people would actually buy them. As Jeff Foxworthy may say "You might be a REDNECK if any part of your wardrobe came from the Dixieland Exxon." Canon G11, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Lone Flower

- Saw this lone flower today. The bright pink in stark contrast to the colors of fall all around. It's good to know there a few holdouts from summer. iPhone 4, Camera+ App, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80.

Cable Power

- Massive electric motors drive the cable winding machinery for the three San Francisco historic cable car routes. The Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse was built in 1879 and then mostly leveled by the 1906 earthquake. Rebuilt on the same site the powerhouse continues to pull the cable cars up and down the steep streets of the great city. More than 140 years later the cable technology is still fascinating to watch. The Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse also houses the Cable Car Museum where you can watch the system at work. Canon G11, 1/8 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, converted to black and white.

Bay Bridge

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge at night. The bridge was completed in 1936 and at the time was the most expensive bridges ever built. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, iso 1000.

Jumbo

- The Boeing 747, the original "Jumbo Jet" at the Detroit Airport. This blog post is my first from in-flight Internet. We are zipping along in a boring old 737 at 440 mph at an altitude of 36,658 feet somewhere over the midwest in route to San Francisco. iPhone 4, 1/15 sec @ f/2.8, Camera+ app using the HDR effect.