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.