BAD WEATHER = GOOD PICTURES

THIS IS THE BEST SHOT I've ever taken of a lightning strike.

I WAS standing inside the glass walls of the new waterside carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park after the skies opened up and started pouring heavy, blinding rain - (other parts of the city were pelted by small hail stones). The span in the photo is the Manhattan Bridge. I lucked out because I just happen to press the shutter button a moment before this bolt flashed behind the bridge.

ABOUT 20 MINUTES after I took the lightning shot, things had calmed down quite a bit. But it was still very overcast so I wanted to find some color to put in the shot with the bridge. That's the famous Empire State Building in between the branches of the flowers.

THIS FLOWER was heavy with water and just after I took this image, that fat drop fell off.

I'M ALWAYS looking to make a artistic statement and this is my latest attempt. I saw this wire with the water drop on it and combined with the structure of the bridge in the background, I thought it would make an interesting picture.

THIS WATER TOWER (New York has hundreds of them - still very much in use) is reflected in a puddle of water after the heavy rain. The green staircase adds a nice touch.

THIS IS IMAGE was made shortly BEFORE the heavy rain hit the area. I saw these workmen on the upper part of the Manhattan Bridge. They probably just got the heads-up to come down before things got crazy with the approaching rain and lightning.

MAKE MUSIC NEW YORK 2012

It was Make Music Day throughout New York City. From 9am to 10pm, musicians of all ages and abilities performed in over 400 public spaces in the five boroughs. It was a hot day with temps in the 90's. I was playing guitar in Union Square - my first outdoor performance - along with several others.

They gave us chord sheets for six songs and after a brief rehearsal, we were led from the stage with a chord card as well. In this case, the America song, Horse With No Name. Just two chords for the solo acoustic version. I think there were actually three guitars in the original song - each playing a different part.

As always, I look to make an artistic statement. That sun was really cooking - 90 plus degrees - when I shot this. It was probably even hotter since we were on a concrete path leading to the grassy, shaded area of the park.

Guitar players always seem to wear cool sunglasses.

This guy is showing perfect form with his fretting hand on the strings. We all strive to be so precise with our hands.

Here are the chords for the classic Jimi Hendrix song, Hey Joe. Most of us can play these basic chords - we just needed a little time to get the melody down so we could follow along.

And here I am with my fellow players. They told us it was the largest outdoor gathering of guitar players in New York City history.

NEW YORK AT NIGHT

Here's a 20-second time exposure of the Brooklyn Bridge looking back into Manhattan. To the right, one of the iconic towers of the Bridge itself. To the left, the still-under-construction Freedom Tower - now known as One World Trade Center. It's officially the tallest building in the city. Click on the photos for larger views.

Meanwhile, after I shot the image of the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center, I turned around to shoot the Manhattan Bridge and the Empire State Building. This is a five-second time exposure. I wanted to play up the reflected light from all the buildings on the low-hanging clouds.

Scenes From New York City

Heading to lunch in Brooklyn I saw this dog with that pose. Great pics almost take themselves.

The blue M&M seems mildly amused with the box-head guy. The things people do to get attention in busy Times Square.

I like to layers within pictures to create interest in more than one part of the scene. The glass of water with the hand and the tattoo on the guy's arm give a sense of depth. And that bottle at the lower left adds to the image.

Some people can sleep anywhere. And this lady was napping - apparently was tired after a long day at work. Or ... maybe she was an extra for the Ben Stiller movie and was awaiting her scene call.

Actor Ben Stiller is doing a remake of the movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - the 1939 James Thurber short story. The first movie came in 1947 with Danny Kaye playing the lead. It's also been a stage play.

People still like to smoke in New York. But there are fewer and fewer places where one can light - up outdoors here. Times Square - however - is still smoker-friendly.