Putto

A putto is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually nude and sometimes winged. Putti are often confused with cherubs. While cherubs represent the second order of angels, putti are secular and non-religious. This one was found on top of a garden fountain. iPhone 5, Camera+ App, 1/20sec f/2.4, ISO 64 converted to black and white.

Descending

- Descending - not much to say about this picture so I'll just let it speak for itself. Canon G11, 1/200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200 converted to black and white.

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.

Pixel Play

- We went to Daniel Rozin's Contrast exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk Virginia today. This is my wife's image reflected in the piece entitled Brushed Steel Mirror. There are 721 steel discs each sanded to create a directional pattern on the surface. As you approach the art work a video camera captures your image, digitizes it, and then each disc is rotated to achieve the proper brightness to reproduce a likeness in the brushed steel. This is one of several "mirrors" in the exhibit that runs through July in the Frank Photography Galleries. As geek photographer and lover of modern art, this exhibit pushed all of my buttons. Canon G11, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 1600.

Valve

From 2010 Blog

- Fire system values. Almost every commercial building has them. They are usually tucked away in corner and most people never notice them. This is just one small valve of several that feed the sprinkler system at work. Canon G11, 1/25 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200.

Deathstar Dimples

From 2010 Blog

- I got several suggestions for naming this post and I decided to use "Deathstar Dimples" as suggested by Bill Greeves. This is a crystal golf ball that was given to me years ago by my friend Sandy. It is illuminated from beneath with a Sylvania DOT-it LED light. Thanks for all of the suggestion on the blog and FB. Canon 40D, 1/8000 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 50mm macro.

400!

From Snow Day

Today's blog post is my 400th since starting on January 1, 2009. I can't believe how this has become part of my daily routine. Thanks to all of my faithful followers and commentators for helping me achieve another milestone. This photo comes from the recent snow fall. A lone gumball sits in the snow at the edge of the street. Hundreds more hang 20 feet overhead. The gumball tree is native to the American south and is officially called the American Sweetgum. Canon 40D, 1/400 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100.

Nickel Curves

From 2010 Blog

This is a nickel lamp we have in our den. I've always liked the swirls and curves of the design with the satin nickle finish. I thought it would make a good subject for a black white photo with a full tonal range from pure blacks to pure whites. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 50mm prime lens, converted to high contrast black and white in Adobe Lightroom 2.6.

362 - Cloud Bands

From 365 Project

A cold front moved into the area around sunrise today. With it came these bands of clouds making for an interesting winter sky. The picture is taken looking east into the rising sun silhouetting the bare tress in the foreground. Canon 7D, 1/6400 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 640.

286 - Retreads

From 365 Project

Used bus tires await their fate at Hampton Roads Transit's maintenance facility. Most are destined for retreads and reuse. HRT buses travel over 12 million miles a year, so we use a lot of tires. Like many transit operators across the country, HRT saves money by leasing its tires. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 200 converted to black and white in Adobe Lightroom 2.5.

239 - Down the Drain

From 365 Project

This is a storm drain grate in a Salisbury Maryland parking lot. The parking lot lights cast nice hard shadows creating a scene that caught our eye as we walked by. Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, 1.0 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200, handheld with a deep breath and good image stabilization.

225 - More Zero's than Bill

From 365 Project

Wow, that's a lot of zero's, more than even Bill or Warren have . . . together! Canon G10, 1/8 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

135 - Ice, Ice Baby!

From 365 Project

No it's not diamonds, it's really ice, you know the cold stuff. We were visiting a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian home recently and they had an 1940's refrigerator with the old aluminum style ice trays. The docent told us kids have no concept of making ice in ice trays. One even asked what the recipe for ice was. So the ice machines have it. Canon G10, 1/60 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400, contrast highly exaggerated.

103 - Folds

From 365 Project

These sharp folds of light come from a glass lamp shade. The picture is significantly underexposed in order to overcome the harshness of the light bulb and bring out the details of the glass folds. Canon G10 ISO 100, 1/400 sec at f/8.0, 19mm equivalent focal length.

101 - Strange New Worlds

From 365 Project

To boldly go where no man has gone before - well not quite. This is the light over our table at the Red Robin Restaurant, Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake, Virginia. Canon G10, 1/125 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, 11,, effective focal length.

100 - Electroluminescence

From 365 Project

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are based on the semiconductor diode. When the diode is forward biased (switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes and energy is released in the form of light. This effect is called electroluminescence. These blue LED's are from my binary clock, yes I know I'm a geek. Get your own binary clock at Think Geek. Canon 40D, 1/80 sec at f/5.0, ISO 100, Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens.