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.