Tis the Season

Holiday decorations are going up every where so the season is upon us. Captured this cheery holiday bauble at MacDonald's Gaarden Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. iPhone 5, 1/120 sec @ f/2.4, ISO 100, Camera+ App.

The Thinker

This young man asked me to take his picture at the park the other day and struck this pose. Normally portraits are taken in the vertical portrait orientation but I thought this worked well in horizontal or landscape mode. See more of my black and white work at the World in Black and White Blog.

Canon 5D Mark II, 1/1250 sec @ f/4, ISO 400, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro in Lightroom 4.

DUDE

Enjoyed speeding my day off with Robert. Here he was burning off some energy at Woodstock Park in Virginia Beach. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/40 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, focal length 70mm.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day had its beginnings back in 1919 when President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day marking the one year anniversary of the cessation of hostilities generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” In 1954 President Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" and the date become the Veterans Day holiday. A law was passed in 1968 to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. President Ford signed a new law in 1975 changing Veterans Day back to November 11th. Since 1978 when the new law took effect Veterans Day has been observed on November 11th, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. Canon G10, 1/320 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200.

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.

High Wire

These high-voltage transmission line are cast against a clear blue sky. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/8000 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 1800mm focal length.

EarPods

EarPods, Apple's redesigned in earphones were released with the iPhone 5. The often maligned original Apple ear buds finally got a facelift along with the iPhone. These new buds offer a better fit and much improved acoustic quality not to mention the distinctive "Apple Style." I'm still sticking with my tried and true Shure sound isolating earphones. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/80 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 1600 converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro 2 with Lightroom 4.