We Could Be In For A Long Winter

The latter days of October have brought record snowfall to the New York Tri-State area. This calamity comes on the heels of having to deal with an earthquake and a hurricane this year which followed a brutal winter.

I'm really looking forward to an upcoming Florida trip - it'll help me to prepare for the next weather surprise!

The Celebration Before The Storm

A lot of us in New York were happy to get out of the house tonight to see the fireworks show in honor of the 125th anniversary of the famed Statue of Liberty. Saturday our first - and about eight weeks early - snowfall is due. In the city, about one inch of the slushy stuff - but in the outer reaches of the tri-state area up to 10 inches of snow is expected.




The Empire State building displays my favorite shade of blue. This time tomorrow night, there no way I'll be able to even see the landmark because of the expected snowfall which is heading this way and is just hours away.

What Would You Write?

The Pop-Up Art installation craze is sweeping the nation ... or, at least in New York. This chalk board was put up for a few hours on a downtown Brooklyn street corner. And, as you can see, people responded with mostly legit answers to the statement: BEFORE I DIE .... (Click on the picture itself to enlarge it and read what passersby wrote.)

Here's a woman who is looking for a publisher. The entry next to her is a sentiment many of us have: To Die Happy. Time will tell about that :-)

Always Look For Pictures

Even when I have to get dressed up to Emcee a great event like the 20th anniversary of New York's Harlem RBI youth baseball - softball and education organization, I'm still on the look out for pictures. It helps to arrive early before the guests to scout out the scene.

We were located on the upper floors of a building in Tribeca that afforded 360 degree views of lower Manhattan and the Hudson River. I liked the yellowish lights coming from the windows of the nearby buildings. And the water towers are always nice. This is another shot on a 10 second timer with the camera placed on a flat surface.

While at the bar for my ... ginger ale ... I put the camera on the flat surface, put the timer on 10 seconds and got this shot of the array of wine glasses waiting to be used.

And just before we broke up for the evening, this confection was delivered to our tables. I took one bite and one shot!

Guitar Show in Jersey

One of the great guitar players of all time, The King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, visits Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey and the 74-year-old cancer survivor put on a strong and varied show. Being at the front of the stage provided many of us with ample chances to get great shots. The downside is those of us who didn't buy ear plugs are suffering. Thank goodness for the closed-captioning setting on my TV

A slower shutter speed produced this abstract version of the guitar great, Dick Dale.

Here's my favorite of this grouping of Dick Dale photos. Just enough motion blur on this right hand and the rest of him in sharp focus.

Dick Dale has been performing since the late 1950's and he showed he can put down the guitar and entertain his audience with the harmonica here ...

And the drums later in the set. That's his 19-year-old-son, Jimmy, on the kit. Dale's 40-year-old wife, Lana, travels with him and helps coordinate the post-concert meet and greets with fans who line up to get a T-shirt or buy CD's, DVD's and posters.

Lookout!

Earlier this summer on a trip to Coney Island, I got off the subway at the giant end-of-the line train station that accomdates several trains. In the main rotunda various artists were commissioned to make the glass-walled place look ... interesting. Here's the result in one part of the vast area. Interesting? I guess. Odd? No question. But at least the place is safe with all those cops around. And the fact that the policeman and the green thing are gesturing with their right hand could have some deep meaning if you give it a lot of thought.

Ghost In The Window

It was a rainy, muggy night in Brooklyn and as I drove past this clothing store. The mannequin in the moisture-laden window was draped in some unusual light. In fact, this light - and the existing pattern - only existed from a certain angle. The shadow on the right and the actual arm of the mannequin provide an interesting point and counter-point. The flood light is coming from inside the store. Once again, bad weather often leads to good pictures.

Letting Their "Geek" Flags Fly

It's always fun and a photographic festival when the annual New York Comic Con comes to town at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. As I understand - not being a big comic fan (but they DO produce make some nice graphic T-shirts) - that only San Diego's version of Comic Con attracts more fans and vendors.

Comic fans of all ages, gender and color were out in force for the three day event. After taking in the highly entertaining movie REAL STEEL (it's the story of boxing robots) I showed up near closing time for Friday's session and didn't have to pay to roam around the convention floors.

I bought some T-shirts, nearly lost my wallet and was reminded that people need to have some escape from the sometimes mundane everyday lives by dressing-up as their favorite fantasy characters and hanging out with like-minded folks.

Colorful New York City

Another time exposure of about six seconds of the fountain across the street from historic Radio City Music Hall.

I really enjoyed ... taking this picture. I did not order this one. But the one in back ...

I'm always looking to put something in front of the moon.

Here is a 10 second time exposure (at ISO 100 on Aperture Priority) of my fork and knife and wine glass stem. They didn't move but the man preparing my roasted beet salad did at just the right time to give the image some life.

Catching a Taxi can be a source of frustration - especially if the car is still moving.