SOMETHING NEW

Vero Beach, FL- May, 2010

Who says you can't teach an old blogger or even older photographer new tricks? Wanted to mix up the blog a bit and found out you can do lots of cool things it just takes a little experimentation and a lot of patience. Perhaps you want to add a picture in the middle of your text? It is that easy.

By the same token the photographer with his new digital can take close ups - or closer ups than he could with the Vectis which didn't have a macro lens.

or how about an uber closeup of the same flower?

Something Borrowed

New Windsor, NY- May 2010

Not my picture, although I wish it was. (from left) Tracey, Ryan and Kelsey have been friends since the fourth grade and celebrated their junior prom last Friday. Formerly known as the group called 'monkey friendship' more recently they've cleverly recreated themselves as neopolitan for obvious reasons (hair color in case one's monitor isn't up to par).

The picture was taken by Jody Wenke, Ryan's mom. She is an amazing photographer and when she is on site with a camera I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that all will be in good order. Jody is my blogspiration www.jodywenke.blogspot.com Check her stuff out; she is a scrapper/blogger who has not only maintained her own blog for over a year but 'guest hosts' other scrapbooking sites and has a musical treasure trove in her head that would put the television show 'Name that Tune' out of business.

PARIS BLEU

Paris, France- April, 2010

A little play on words... the blue in these pictures, taken on Easter Sunday in Paris, is so vibrant (well, compared to the pictures taken on Saturday during the rain) that the entry begged to be named Paris Bleu which is coincidentally the name of a perfume manufacturer located in the heart of... well, Paris

http://www.parisbleu.com/#/en/about

Partie deux de Windows 2010

(Windows 2010 part two)

Nice, France- March 2010

Taking over five hundred pictures ( (which doesn't include the ones she deleted), in twelve days of visiting France Kelsey certainly is her father's daughter and has provided us with considerable blog fodder. Vive la France! Vive la digital as well, because 500 pictures translates into 20 rolls of film which would be quite co$tly,

n'cest pa?

Windows 2010

Nice, France- March 2010

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it? This is from Kelsey's first day in France which is just about a month ago. Whoever said digital is more expedient than film never dealt with a sixteen year old who insists on doing things according to her schedule.

(Almost) Right in my backyard

Boscobel Estate- Cold Spring, NY- April, 2010
Main House

Now that s p r i n g has arrived I don't have to go too far to capture some picturesque well... pictures. This weekend Kelsey is a teen leader on a retreat that is taking place at the Capuchin Retreat House and we've logged more trips back and forth to Garrison, just south of Cold Spring, since January.... more than we care to think about.

But with the arrival of s p r i n g (have I mentioned that once or twice?) there is potential around every bend. I've always wanted to go to the Boscobel Estate, they do Christmas in a BIG way, but s p r i n g ain't so shabby either.

Boscobel Estate- Cold Spring, NY- April, 2010
Guest House

Time Flies

Vero Beach, FL- March 2010

Where has the time gone? Did I really blow through March with only two blog entries? I flew in from Florida on Tuesday, March 23 and by Sunday night March 28 I was back in Vero this time with the family except for Kelsey who took my camera to France for twelve days capturing (to date) nearly five hundred pictures! Can't do that with film now can you?

Lauris, France- April 2010

No, Kelsey didn't actually take this shot. This panoramic was taken by the father of her correspondent, Eliza and features Kelsey in three different poses- to the right, on the sill of the left window, and seated with Eliza on a bench. Can't pull this off with film either. This part of France, the Lycée Val de Durance is so-named because it is in the valley of the Durance River which is a major river in this region of Provence. The community is approximately 25 minutes north of the city of Aix-en-Provence and about 1 hour north of Marseilles.

With five hundred pictures under her belt (and those are the ones she kept!) I have a feeling the blog will feature more of France than Vero in the coming entries.

Vero Beach, FL- March, 2010

In the meantime, this snowbird is headed home.

I'm so done with Winter

Vero Beach, FL- February, 2010

Despite the complaints of the residents and snowbirds that Florida is cold this winter, I'll take it over the northeast anytime. I'll also take spring anywhere I can find it, even if it is the emerging of the first crocus stem through the snow...

Cornwall on Hudson, NY- March, 2010

Not much longer I hope....

I'm so outta here

Vero Beach, FL- February, 2010

Really, can you blame me? Even though Vero Beach and the rest of the state of Florida have contended with the lowest temperatures in twenty years things were bearable. A friend of ours from Florida Institute of Technology likes to quip "We may be shivering but we ain't shoveling"

Cornwall on Hudson, NY- March, 2010

Meanwhile back at the ranch or actually the former dairy barn, Orange County was the recipient of 34" of snow late last week, breaking records that dated as far back as the late nineteenth century. At the height of the storm 150,000 homes were without electric. The residents of Storm King Mountain went without power one day (Wednesday - Thursday morning) and then almost four days (Thursday night - Monday afternoon). By the way, that is the top of the gate of our split rail fence that is peeking out of the snow in the foreground.

Vero Beach, FL- February, 2010

Headed back to paradise on Monday and not a moment too soon!

WHO YOU CALLIN' SNOWBIRD?

Vero Beach, FL- February, 2010

I guess it is an occupational hazzard of being a new retiree and spending some (alright well ALOT) of time in the sunshine state (aka 'paradise' or as I like to call it Happyland) people are starting to refer to me as a snowbird. Here is some proof that I do occasionally make it back to New York.

Cold Spring, NY- February, 2010

Poor guy didn't quite make it as far south as his seagull cousins. As for myself I'm back in the Empire State for a good two weeks and entirely, it's official, ALL DIGITAL BABY (and lovin' it).

He's a convert!

Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach, FL - February, 2010

Now the photographer can actually publish his work to the blog within hours of taking the pictures. No reason to even come back to New York although he met a portable Canon printer at the Cortlandt Towne Center Best Buy that he has fallen in love with and love makes you do some funny things.

He's morphed into Digimon, what's next?

FILM'S SWAN SONG

Vero Beach, FL- January, 2010

Yeah, yeah it's a pelican, not a swan but the way the photographer is feeling about film.. well let's just say elegant swan doesn't come to mind. More like pidgeon... droppings that is.

Let's recap... when we last blogged the photographer had NO IDEA what was going on with the brand new Vectis which was also producing washed out prints (the above pelican was one of maybe two or three clear prints on a roll of film and a throwaway camera). Clearly (oops a pun!) the processing is to blame. Without many processing options out there left him with little choice but to go digital.

The man vowed never to go digital. Just look at the response from Facebook at the mere mention he was considering converting.

Cynthia Dehnert Cervini Brian going digital? No more film? Mark the date, raise the flags, close the schools (oh yes Mary Albarino likes that one)
January 21 at 6:20pm

Beth Lubrano Dwyer
wow!!!!
January 21 at 6:59pm ·

Bede Camera
I can't believe it!
January 21 at 8:28pm ·

Roseann Vinciguerra
Has he really been using film all this time? I didn't know they even sold it anymore.
January 21 at 8:48pm ·

Maria Felten
Wow! But I'll bet he won't be happy. My bet is he'll go back to film.
January 21 at 9:13pm ·

Meaghan Cervini
i dont believe it. no way. " i will NEVER go digital,never meaghan!" -dad
January 21 at 9:56pm ·

Never say never right?

As much as well meaning family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, friends of friends, well you get the picture? (that's two bad puns) tried in vain to convince him it took one Robert G. Neaman (and you want to see some great pictures? http://robertgneaman.blogspot.com/ ) someone who has known him longer than all of us combined did the trick in a single afternoon.

He's back and he's all digital- stay tuned for the results.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Jensen Beach, FL- January, 2010

Oh yeah, there is trouble on many levels.

First of all the photographer STILL hasn't figured out what is wrong with his latest round of prints. Precision Camera wasn't all that precise with a diagnosis but our boy wasn't fazed; he just found and ordered another Mineolta Vectis off Ebay. Despite some communication and shipping snafus he was able to receive the camera and take a couple of rolls of film before coming back to New York, only to run into the same washed out unfocused prints as last month. Maybe the lab, maybe the lenses, definitely a mystery.

Second, there seems to be a whiff of jealousy in the air. The photographer was somewhat miffed that with a digital, the amatuer here was able to take some pretty awesome snow pictures. This one, a shack on the intercoastal looks a lot like a picture he took back in August....

Third, why was I in Jensen Beach when I was spending the weekend in Vero Beach? Simple- he has taken all possible pictures of Vero Beach leaving me no other option but to head south to Fort Pierce...

Digital for the time being until we find out what's going on with film.

LET'S GET REAL

Cornwall on Hudson, December, 2009

Hey, it's Cindy and it's digital. Precision Camera did not come through as expected. We never really did find out what the problem entailed just that the prognosis was grim. Never fear, within hours of the fatal diagnosis of his current Minolta Vectis- the photographer scored another on Ebay. So allowing for the turnaround on the camera purchase in addition to the expanse of time it takes to shoot and blog film as well as the reality that no one wants to see pictures of Florida sunsets when we're all digging out of record snow; my digital and I took matters into our own hands. We've taken back the blog - temporarily at least until the photographer and his camera are back on their feet.

Digital- at least until film is back in the picture

FOG ON THE BLOG

Cornwall on Hudson- December, 2009

No surprise, with the camera in the shop (no verdict from Precision Camera, but any day now) this is a shot by Cindy from Cindy's phone via Photo Bucket. It's the same golf course as my header picture which less than two months ago was sun bathed in glorious fall colors best captured with FILM!

Go digital if you want speed, ease and you aren't terribly particular about your colors otherwise always film

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

Vero Beach, FL- August, 2009

Pickings are slim, but my camera has returned from Florida and is currently en route to Precision Camera in Enfield, CT for a comprehensive physical. I've hit the archives and found this gem, overlooked from my August trip. Just a few paces to the south from "Here's to you John" http://icreateimages.blogspot.com/2009/09/heres-to-you-john-ocean-grill-vero.html

Vero Beach, FL- August, 2009

from the August collection this print is proof (yet another pun) that back in the day I was batting close to .500, well photographically anyway.

Never digital- always film and awaiting the verdict from the good folks at Precision Camera Repair.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

Vero Beach, FL- November 2009

I wish I had good news. I wish I had better pictures. Three weeks and three rolls of film including a trip to Pelican Island, and this one shot is all I have to show from my recent trip. I've narrowed it down to the following:

1. Fuji: I used a three pack of Fuji film...could it have been bad? Unlikely, the film was years away from the expiration date.
2. Processing? Since Kodak discontinued processing I've been happy with the results from Fuji (well, the prints anyway- their CD roms on the other hand are less than desirable).
3. Camera? Auto focus and/or Auto Exposure.... the likely culprit. That means the camera needs to be brought back from Florida (Cindy has graciously agreed to fly down to Florida next weekend to escort the camera home) and shipped over to Precision Camera Repair in Connecticut. These guys are the best. If it's the camera they'll get the job done.

In the meantime for your viewing pleasure Ceslovas Vaicys, MD, PhD., FACS my physician/saviour who performed an emergency laminectomy/discectomy on my L4-5 herniated disc last summer at Indian River Medical Center. Long on skill but a little short on bedside manner, Dr. Vaicys takes a good picture.

In fact, the only good picture.

Never digital- always film- it might be a while before I come up with some new shots, so be patient (no pun).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

________________

------------------------

Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY - October, 2007

Hoping a plane this afternoon leaving paradise and headed for what is left of fall. Bringing a couple of rolls of film with me and looking forward to seeing these recent fall photos in the flesh (well, sort of) instead of on the internet.

Never digital, always film and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSICoacOT60

CORNWALL-on-the Hudson

or

the walls of fall

Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY - October, 2009

Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY- October, 2009

Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY- October, 2009

The opening line from Robert Frost's poem Mending Walls reads "Something there is that doesn't love a wall". Perhaps he never traveled in Cornwall on Hudson or the Hudson Valley for that matter because we all love our walls.

Never digital- always film and tomorrow I'll be 'on the road' so stay tuned.

Colors

of

The Fall

Vero Beach, FL- September 2009

I must admit, I've rather enjoyed photographing the fall. I took two days in Vermont, did much better running around Cornwall (more sunshine and a lot cheaper) and a couple of weeks later flew down to Florida where the extent of my leaf peeping has been gazing at the palm trees as the sun dips over the horizon. Just last night I took a sunset cruise to Pelican Island on the intercoastal and took an entire roll of film. Hopefully I'll get some nice results.

Vero Beach, September, 2009

Cornwall on Hudson, NY - November 2009

This is the closest thing I have to a palm tree at home. It is one of my favorite trees because it is entirely low maintainance.

What I have to look forward to ...

Never digital- always film and you'll find me back in New York raking by week's end

Hello again, I'm back

Cornwall on Hudson, NY- October, 2009

When we couldn't open the internet on our desktop, nearly two weeks ago I was convinced our computer caught the H1N1 virus. I carted it off to the local geeks who decided it was some sort of computer auto immune disorder; the antivirus/spyware turned on itself somehow and told the pc it had a virus when in the end it just required new security software and a much needed disk defragmentation.

Sounds like I know what I'm talking about, huh?

Couldn't post without my trusty scanner which is installed on this desktop but after sixteen days and a trip to Rite Aid to get my latest prints from Fuji I bring you this gazebo.

After considerable discussion and introspection I've changed my banner from I create images to I capture images. An acquaintance who is totally into digital photography photoshops pictures for days trying to get each little pixel picture perfect. And he does, and they are beautiful images that adorn his home and office. Truly, he creates images, and I hoping for the best each time I shoot, knowing I will never near absolute perfection, capture images.

Never digital- always film and I can't change the name of the blog only the banner.

To everything there is a season

Jenne Farm, Reading, VT - October, 2009

My wife tells me that there is a movement among foodies and health enthusiasts driving home the importance of eating local and in season. She finds it difficult to post pictures of paradise (aka Vero Beach), palm trees swaying in balmy breezes in the middle of fall which has surprised us all with winter like temperatures and conditions (hey, it SNOWED on the mountain last Thursday, October 15).

So I acquiesced posting a recent picture shot a few weeks ago in Vermont. I can't say I was happy with the photo ops during my two day trip to the central part of the state. It was cloudier than I would have liked, the contrast was nil and the colors weren't up to my standards.

Jenne Farm is said to be New England's most photographed farm. It has appeared in numerous magazines, the movie Forrest Gump, a Budweiser commercial and now on my blog.

Never digital- always film and all foliage is not created equal.

Do you wish to delete this photo?

Highland Falls, New York - August, 1997

If I didn't use print film, I'd have a lot more room in my closets ( my drawers, my desk). I have a hard time throwing out prints, even those that don't make the grade.

This shot was most definitely a 'do over'. It was my annual Christmas shot (yes, yes, taken in September, working under variable conditions such as weather and children plus allowing for the turn around time of print film it is most advisable to start the process early) and I had my three posed on the deck hoping for happy grins to adorn our holiday greeting card.

Check out the look on Meaghan's face, really check it out. Somehow she wasn't coming up with that natural spontaneous smile I'd hoped for. Perhaps it was due to the fact that baby Kerry picked that moment to pee through his diaper all over her lap.

Had it been digital that shot would have ended up in the recycle bin and that family story wouldn't hold any water.

Never digital- always film along with an occasional really bad pun.

Sweet Sixteen

Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY- October, 1993

Back before Kodak decided they would no longer process film and Fugi became my savior, back before the advent of digital, I used a mail order photo company "Seattle Filmworks" In 2000 Seattle Filmworks changed their company name to Photoworks. I'd given up using them by that point opting instead to work with Kodak. When I pulled out this print I decided to do some internet research on the artist formerly known as Seattle Filmworks now Photoworks only to find....

PhotoWorks is no longer accepting or processing rolls of film

Gee now there's a shock... however, according to their website "With PhotoWorks, you can still capture your memories digitally and showcase, preserve, and tell your stories"

Ahh, who needs them? I've got my print film, an occasional CD rom (but only if the color is right) and my trusty Cannon scanner.

I call this sweet sixteen because it's been sixteen years this week since Cindy and I hiked up Mohonk mountain to get this shot. The mountain resort is part of the Shawangunk region which was awarded the distinction of being named "one of Earth's "Last Great Places" by the Nature Conservancy. Better yet, Cindy was two weeks from her due date when we made this hike.

Mohonk Mountain house is celebrating its 140th birthday this year and Kelsey will be sweet sixteen in sixteen days.

Never digital- always film - 2,200 scenic acres

He ain't heavy...he's my brother

Highland Falls, NY- September, 1997

Although she complains about him we know our Kelsey loves her younger brother. Somehow as she's gotten older she has lost some patience with him but it is evident from the look on her face that she adored her baby brother back then. For his part, then baby Kerry didn't even mind having the squeeze put on him. His expression in this picture reminds me of a Cabbage Patch Kid.

Never digital- always film- cherished memories