Arrivedeci Estate
(goodbye summer)

Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY- August, 2009

Yup, that's all folks. Here you have the last sunset of summer before return to work tomorrow. My brother who works 50 weeks a year will remind me not to complain as "the rest of us only get two weeks vacation" so I'm not at liberty to moan. The photoblogger is still on island time in Florida and since there was a deadline to meet- the last day of vacation- digital was the answer this time in order to get the shot posted oh... sometime before mid October.

That's right digital and if he has something to say let him come home and blog for himself!

Here's Joan Rivers!!!

Tropic Groves, Vero Beach- July 2009

Remember when talk show host Johnny Carson would go on vacation? They'd always bring in a series of guest hosts most notably Joan Rivers. Joan substituted for Johnny a total of 93 times until she went and got her own show which aggrieved Johnny so much he banned her from his show for life. (Does that mean if I get my own blog?)

Anyhow with the photoblogger on vacation his producers have resorted to bringing in some guest photographers.

This picture breaks the most important of the photographer's rules "never shoot into the sun". I don't know any other way to get a sunset so I took a chance with this shot - it was the only one of five that wasn't too dark but hey it's digital- yes digital so I can delete the other four.

Don't tell the photoblogger or I won't be asked back. I read that Carson never watched the show when there was a guest host, so maybe I'm in the clear.

Never digital - always film (I'll say it just to play it safe)

The apple doesn't fall far from the photographer

Shenandoah Valley, VA- August 2009

Now my daughter has gotten in on the act. Not bad considering she was shooting from the window of a car going about 60 mph. Both my girls have inherited a knack for photography; Meaghan was a student at Maine College of Art for a couple of years and Kelsey is patiently awaiting senior year when she can take a photography course at her high school. I'd like to ease her into film photography but in an age where she can take a picture using her phone and post the results to the internet before I have a chance to set up my next shot, she might be tough to convince.

Never digital- always film- except in the case of guest appearances by budding photographers who happen to be related to me.

PIECE OF C*#P

Epcot, Disneyland- Orlando, FL- July 2009

Forget health care reform for just a minute... do you know that it is near impossible to buy print film at DisneyWorld of all places? I searched in vain amidst the gift shop of the "moderately" priced Wilderness Lodge, which had all manner of t shirts, candy, coffee mugs, and a full complement of liquors available for consumption in one's room only to be told that they 'might' sell film in the theme parks. After sacrificing an arm and a leg for admission to Epcot ($75. x 3) I could barely afford the throw away camera I was "coerced" to buy as I was 'discouraged' to bring my camera into the park in case there was no overpriced film available to purchase.

Although I don't remember, it was reported to me that I said derogatory things about the throw away Kodak as I photographed the theme park. I wasn't too far off- out of the twenty seven shots I took this is the only one I was reasonably excited about.

Never digital - (I'm insistent and consistent) always film- even if it means scouring the World of Disney only to wind up with mediocrity.

PARADISE BECKONS

Sexton Plaza- Vero Beach, FL- July 2009

These photos were shot during my recent six day (short, but who is counting?) summer vacation stint in Vero Beach. What?!?! Summer vacation?? Nonsense, I'm retired so now I can revist Paradise in precisely twelve days and twenty two hours (but who is counting?) I'm planning to venture out; up the coast aways in a little piece of paradise called Sebastian Inlet. Now remember, I deal in FILM, so the results won't be posted twelve seconds after I capture the shot.

Sexton Plaza-Vero Beach, FL- July 2009

It's worth getting up early for these sunrises. Early, schmurly- heck I was getting up at 5 am just to be on time for work. Sunrise in Vero these days is approximately 6:47 am (again, who is counting?)

Never digital- always film and patience is a virtue because film takes longer sometimes resulting in greater intervals between blog postings.

LIFE IS A BIRCH

Southern Vermont- summer 2004

With the arrival of fall I turn into somewhat of a tree stalker in stark comparison to the other three seasons when they are just part of the scenery as far as I am concerned. I did run into these two bare trees mid summer a few years back. I thought they made a terrific natural 'frame' for the shot of the tractor and the barn. I waited with baited breath after sending the roll of film in for processesing; it is that delayed gratification that I enjoy so much about film photography, the anticipation of how the pictures will turn out never grows old.

The stark white of the leafless trees provides an awesome contrast to the green mountain background and the azure sky.

Central Vermont - fall 2004

I was pretty surprised then to see a birch tree show up in this shot. I forgot that birch trees tend to be real 'show offs'. They seem to shed their leaves sooner than their neighbors the Sugar Maples and while I thought I was taking a picture of a Vermont covered bridge this birch inserted himself to the left of the subject. He sticks out like only a leafless birch can providing the only white among the plethora of fall colors.

Never digital - always film and is it just me or do leafless birches tend to jump further than those bogged down with leaves?

EASY TZ

Tappan Zee Bridge, Tarrytown, NY- 1990

When we lived in our first apartment in South Nyack we were blessed with spectacular views of the Hudson on an almost daily basis. I became quite spoiled because getting the perfect shot only involved walking the ten feet from my couch to the balcony at just the right time of day. This photo took a little more effort; to shoot a sunset I needed to drive the three miles across the span and park my car. I like how the shadows obliterate the traffic and construction which were and still are a constant on the span.

The bridge opened for traffic on December 15, 1955 and I remember my mom taking me and my two sisters for a ride across which was free that day.

A short blog entry for an easy picture.

Never digital - always film and (sigh) there were a lot more film options back in the '90s.

You CAN take it with you...

Highland Falls, summer 2001

I loved our first house. I would have married this house except for the fact that I was already married. We landscaped this house within an inch of its life. We painted it, added on to it and yes, named it (Whispering Waters for the stream - Buttermilk Falls actually, that ran just behind the 1,000 square foot deck and patio). We even went as far as having a playhouse replica made for our daughter.

I found a company ( http://www.exposuresonline.com/ ) that will take any photograph and recreate it in pen and ink so back in the early years (before the addition of our son resulting in the addition to the house) I paid thirty bucks even though I never dreamed we would ever leave our little corner of heaven....

but alas, my wife was unhappy with the school system and while the house was adequate for two small children we had an inkling they wouldn't always stay that small. So we moved to Cornwall on Hudson, seven miles up the line and over Storm King Mountain where we lose electricity at least once a month and have given up landscaping which we found is just a really expensive way to feed the deer. Our Highland Falls neighbors warned us in a variety of ways that we would miss this house; one thought the new property would be too overwhelming (it has been), another cautioned us about winter travel over Storm King Mountain (horrendous) but the most poignant going away sentiment came from our neighbor Nancy who built a birdhouse rendition of our house and better than a photo it's a 3D reminder of the good ol' days.


Never digital - always film and a story for each and every photo.

It's not all fun & games

Cornwall on Hudson- October, 2003

Sometimes composition, lighting and f stops don't mean a thing. Although I am loathe to admit it there are occasions when traditional processing proves to be too lengthy and a digital camera might be just the ticket when say .... homeowners coverage is the issue. Suppose out of nowhere (oh okay, after three days of rain followed by heavy winds) a forty foot oak was to fall on your house.... admittedly you'd want the expediency of digital vs the art of film.

One day, out of the blue (oh okay, after three days of rain followed by heavy winds) my wife received a call from our neighbor, who in the understated manner only the very British can pull off reported... "I was walking your dog Winter (in case we'd forgotten our dog's name) when I noticed a rather large tree was resting on your house."

This was not an entirely accurate description. The 'rather large tree' was a live oak, which defying all odds grew EXACTLY on the property line fell first on our neighbor's house and somehow found itself... (if a tree falls in the neighborhood and no one is there to see it does it roll or bounce? Your guess is as good as mine...) on ours. Our house looked worse but supposedly

theirs sustained more structural damage. One worker from the local gas company, dispatched to ensure we were not at risk for blowing up the neighborhood, in an attempt at gallows humor, told me we needn't worry about a Christmas tree that season; we could simply add lights to the intruder tree.

Yes, you had to see it to believe it. Unfortunately the turnaround time on these prints was upwards of five days and about a year and a half before my wife got her digital for Mother's Day.

Oh well, as I've been known to say

Never digital - always film- but in the end neither can argue with a forty foot oak.

IT'S A KEEPER

"The Baths" Little Dix Bay

British Virgin Islands- May, 1984

This print and I recently celebrated our silver anniversary (it was a private affair and please, no gifts). It has occurred to me that this shot, taken on my honeymoon, far outlasted my first marriage and is older than my three children. I've had it blown up to 2 feet x 3 feet, entered it in contests (the print, not the blow up), made it into notecards and most recently laminated it onto wood using an amazing company out of Maine www.artiplaq.com

Over the years the 2 x 3 blowup has graced the walls of five offices at three colleges and two high schools. "We" retired yesterday. Last week, cleaning out my office I brought "The Baths" to my sister Kathleen's house for an undermined stay but I have a feeling it will be coming home just as soon as I can clear out some wall space.

Never digital - always film - protected from moisture, dust and harmful UV rays courtesy of Artiplaque.

Tree of Life

(or Art imitates Disney)

Storm King Mountain
Stillman Estate
summer 2004

The photographer really ought to be more careful about disclosing his password. He's in a temporary photography lull while awaiting retirement. Actual retirement promises to be a whole different animal; he's already talking photography trips to back country Florida, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada, and his beloved fall foliage in Vermont.

In the meantime out of the archives we present to you the Tree of Life. Though technically not on our property it is within walking distance to admire the view of the Hudson and distant Newburgh-Beacon Bridge by day and spectacular sunsets by eve. We've also enjoyed box seats to the fourth of July fireworks courtesy of the Village of Cornwall and the City of Newburgh from the privacy of our lawn chairs with a glass of wine in hand.

We call this the Tree of Life because it reminds us of the Disney creation of the same name.

Animal Kingdom, Disney World- Orlando Florida

As talented as the Disney folks may be nothing compares to the hand of God in creating the beautiful sunset seen here. Digital or film it doesn't matter.

Storm King Mountain
Stillman Estate
summer 2009

Occasionally digital- mostly film - always God- with help from Mother Nature

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

The Dairy Barn, Stillman Estate
Cornwall on Hudson, NY- circa 1970

Our home has an interesting history (which goes a long way in explaining the 'interesting' people that surround us)... we live on what used to be a working farm owned by the locally famous Stillman family. Back in the 1950s our house, a former dairy barn, was converted into the cape cod style house pictured above. Our house is flanked by a former pony barn (now an art studio) as well as a pig barn, carriage, caretaker and nanny's home all updated to house their twentyfirst century occupants. Most of the time the beautiful ambiance and serene setting makes up for the harsh mountain winters and the eccentric neighbors...

After this old snapshot made its way to us we filed it away for a year or two until my wife decided to have our (Pig Barn) neighbor who moonlights as a painter capture the scene in oils...

painting- January 2009

which prompted me to search for a photo I shot of the house in 2004. I was fortunate enough to meet up with one Dennis Harrington who took a bunch of prints of our home and its surroundings and compiled a book for us called Whispering Winds (God's Little Acre).

Whispering Winds- summer 2004

Never digital- always film, although I must say Dennis did us fine taking those prints and making them into notecards and address labels and meanwhile I do have my eye on a Kodak C 750 which has a digital preview but uses print film.

WAITING FOR THE ARK

Vero Beach, FL- May 2009

Noah and his family and the animals entered the Ark, and "on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights".

I don't know about you, but between ten days of rain I had in Vero Beach and all the precip we've had in the northeast this June, an ark might just be the way to get around these days (not to mention the fuel efficiency).

There is a clause about renting the condo but apparently Mother Mourning Dove has elected to disregard the Board as she and her crew have taken up residence in our hanging spider plant. Her babies were born just prior to my arrival and from the looks of it they were just as forlorn about the constant rain as I was.

Never digital- always film and thank God for Fuji since Kodak has discontinued processing APS film.

THE LOOK OF LOVE

Morganton, North Carolina- summer 2000

Oh no, it appears that someone (any guess as to who) has hacked into the photographer's blog and is posting unbeknownst to him. Any purist could find a number of flaws in this shot. The older gentleman's right arm is cut off and there is zero contrast making it difficult to distinguish the facial features or even the clothes on the part of our little swordfighter. Even digital correcting can't save this one. Yet it is a family favorite and our son who was only three when his Grandpa died 'remembers' the events surrounding this picture- a game of pirates in which whoever 'fell off the ship' (in this case the area rug) was the loser.

The winner here is the look on Grandpa's face. Every now and then the photographer can be persuaded to take pictures of people; usually posed shots for Christmas cards (he starts in October) but give me, the Blog Hacker, a flawed candid anytime.

畫意能達萬言 Chinese proverb- a picture's meaning can express ten thousand words and oh yes...

Never digital- always film

ART IMITATES PHOTOGRAPHY

Vero Beach, FL - June, 2006

Yes, occasionally I do take pictures of people. When my children were little by the time I adjusted the lens, f- stop and other settings on my camera, they'd moved on to more important things. I can't imagine how many photo opportunities passed me by while I was busy lining up the shot. Mountains, trees and oceans are very forgiving; they more or less stay where they are supposed to so a photographer can position himself and his camera. The animal kingdom will work with me on occasion- birds and butterflies seem to have more of an attention span and can hold a pose longer than your average two year old.

I didn't even notice that mother and daughter were positioned exactly the same as they gazed out over the ocean that summer evening. When we got the print back my wife brought it to my attention. We both liked the picture so much that we requested our painter friend Rebecca Darlington to paint a mural inspired by the shot. The mural takes up a wall in my daughter's bedroom.

Now everytime my daughter gets mad at her mother, she doesn't need to look any further than her bedroom wall to realize they aren't so different after all.

Never digital- always film (except in the case of the mural which was shot using a Kodak Easy Share)

It's a Wrap!

Manchester Centre, New Hampshire- Fall, 2000

It was a new place. I had been photographing New England in the fall for decades and had my favorite haunts (one example- an obscure hill Vermont where I stood for hours with a Japanese film crew waiting for the sunrise. When they send people all the way from Japan you know you've picked the right location!). We'd blown into Manchester Centre late the evening before in the rain so I didn't get the opportunity to scout the area and found myself working under extreme time constraints. We were there after all to visit my daughter at prep school not to spend the day wandering around like a camera happy tourist (or so I was told).

I love this shot. It is one of those once in a lifetime pictures. Try as I did in subsequent visits, I was never able to recapture the leaves wrapping around the steeple creating a natural frame for God's house.

Never digital - always film

Dare to be Different

Manchester, Vermont- fall 2005

My annual trip to Southern Vermont to photograph the foliage- It helped that my brother bought a house seven years before (actually by this time he was on his second house in the area but that is a story for another time) saving me the big $$$ on hotel accomodations.

Route 7A is always picturesque at this time of year. While it seemed that the foliage had come and gone (despite extensive research on the part of the photographer) there was one holdout. Surrounded by bare birch trees, this sugar maple stood proud in all his glory. It was late afternoon, the Indian summer sun was angled just so and once again yours truly was in the right place at the right time.

Never digital- always film.

Breakfast on the Beach

Vero Beach, FL - date unknown

Okay, I admit it! You've got me on this one. I've photographed in Vero for over fifteen years so now and then one will slip by without me remembering the date. I can't even look for contextual clues since the sandpipers have zero fashion sense and have been sporting the same look since the beginning of time.

In any case I wouldn't have considered this an ideal day for photography. There was considerable cloud cover so a sunrise shot was out of the question. No one was enjoying the beach that early in the morning except for these three who didn't give me a second glance as they persevered to find whatever it is sandpipers like for breakfast.

Never digital- always film

Garden of the Gods

Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 2005

Sometimes, you just can't go wrong.... We visited my brother in law during a heat wave in Colorado 104 degrees plus. Under normal (aka east coast conditions) the humidity would be so thick that I wouldn't even bother to take my camera out. God has blessed Colorado with low humidity (and no bugs, no screens required) so even on the hottest days each and every shot in this extemely picturesque setting comes out looking fantastic. The most difficult part was picking out my favorite.

Thank God for APS film. They still make it. I use it. I love the panoramic options APS affords me.

Never digital- always film (now you see why)

Basking in the sun

McKee Botanical Garden, Vero Beach, FL - April 2008

Sometimes I wonder (or actually my wife wonders) how much film I go through before I get my shot (aka "the shot or the perfect shot") I prefer not to think about such things. Here is an example of the price one pays in terms of film and time to "get the shot"

Last year I spent a day at McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach where we had recently purchased a townhouse (the week that the mortgage crisis started, but that is another story). I'd always wanted to photograph the gardens, which are quite extensive. When I got the prints back this was the only one that did anything for me. This photo was taken with my minolta telephoto lens at 200mm using Kodak APS color film. I also laid on my stomach and shot through a fence in case anyone is interested....

Never digital - always film

Here's looking at you kid

Sea World, San Antonio, TX- July 1996

On a trip to visit my brother we encountered one of the two seasons in Texas. For the uninformed, the two seasons are summer and HELL!!! We experienced the latter. My brother suggested we visit Fiesta, Texas and Seaworld. While visiting Seaworld, I walked up to the dolphin tank and met up with the CEO of the Dolphins. I was so close I didn't even need my telephoto. I shot this picture with my 50 mm lens. Those Texas dolphins are COOL, both literally and figuratively.

Never digital - always film.

Early Morning Light

"Portland Head Light"

Cape Elizabeth, Maine, August 2006

If you are going to title a shot "Early Morning Light" it involves much more than setting your alarm clock to go off early. First you'll need to research the exact time for sunrise. You'll need to get up and out without disturbing the other occupants of your hotel room. Next, jump into your rented car and drive to the park surrounding the lighthouse in hopes that the gates will be open before sunrise. One condition you might not have accounted for...... bugs ..... thousands of them with nothing better to do than feed on your exposed flesh while you await the light to hit the Atlantic just right to bathe the lighthouse in an early morning glow.

Never digital- always film

Crimson & Gold

Seven Lakes Drive, Rockland County, NY- October, 2008

Once again the photographer lucked out. The weather was sunny and crisp, the leaves were at their peak but best of all it was a Saturday and I could devote the entire day to capture that perfect fall photo. Although there were some promising prospects along the way it wasn't til late in the afternoon that the sun perfectly reflected the leaves onto the water. As soon as I saw the shot I knew I had to have it. There was only one thing standing between me and the perfect shot; specifically there was no place to pull aside and it was illegal to stop. What kind of photographer hating sadist concocted that traffic law? No matter, I pulled over as far as I could, threw the car into park and jumped out for my shot.

Even if I had gotten arrested the shot would have been well worth it (assuming they wouldn't take my camera into evidence).

Never digital- always film

Awaiting Summer

Squam Lake, NH- May, 2004

It was the weekend of my daughter's graduation from prep school. It was Memorial Day, you know- the "official" start of summer. Call it what you want, it was COLD!! The graduation held outdoors was long, very long, and we were woefully underdressed. We brought our dogs, left them in the van where they snacked on the post graduation fruit salad (who knew dogs liked fruit?) and later developed kennel cough, which would have been understandable had they been in.. oh I don't know.. a kennel? Someway, somehow, without anybody saying a word it seemed to be a given that I was blamed for the entire folderol.

The next morning I awoke early to escape the contemptous looks of the dogs and the rest of the family. I drove in search of the Sunday Times and a hot cup of tea. I wasn't five minutes from our lodgings and this shot literally landed in my lap. The adirondack chairs seemed confused. Wasn't it summer after all? Did someone get the date wrong?

This shot was taken using a Minolta Vectis S-1 camera ASA 400 APS film

Never digital- always film

Ice Spectacle

Storm King Mountain, December 2008

December brought us some interesting weather up here on the mountain. We were hit with an early season ice storm that caused hundreds of trees to snap and fall, electric was out for nearly twenty four hours and roads were impassable. Despite all that misery there was but one goal in the mind of the photographer; that was to capture the beauty of ice against the cobalt blue sky.

Cost of the storm:

tree and limb clean-up $300.00

repair to electric dog fence $264.00

one night at hotel $79.99

pictures from ice storm.........priceless

I can't estimate the cost of trying to keep my fingers warm while attempting to photograph in subzero windchill temperatures. My photos are taken with my trusty Minolta Vectis S-1 camera using ASA 400 APS film.

Never digital- always film