Graffiti Alley

During our road trip to Baltimore, we made a stop at Graffiti Alley in West Baltimore….let me say that it was just amazing.  Of course, I love and appreciate nicely done graffiti.  This spot is basically, an “L” shaped alley that is painted with hundreds (maybe over a thousand) murals and graffiti (street art). 

The city (or someone) allows people to do make it sort of an outside permanent, but always changing, art exhibit.  This spot is consistently being used for photo shoots, videos, etc…  We did our own little photo shoot using steel wool (and Jake got sucked into photographing some local rappers).  I’ve done this in the past at various locations.  Normally, I’m the person spinning the steel wool.  This time @jasonpohuski did the spinning, while @jakemysliwczykphoto and I captured it via photos and video using five devices.

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Christmas Lights

Last weekend, I captured this photo in Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh.  Brad Truxell spotted this composition.  I just copied his idea and captured the scene with my camera.  So, I want to give him credit for the idea.

Happy Holidays

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Szechenyi Chain Bridge

We had a great river cruise down the Danube River to Budapest.  There are so many wonderful spots.  I captured this photo with my drone of the 19th-century suspension bridge connecting Buda to Pest with the Buda Castle and Palace complex in the background.  The castle housed the Hungarian Kings of Budapest.  It was completed in 1265 and was expanded/renovated in 1749 and 1769.  In the past it was referred to by Royal Palace or Royal Castle.  Today Hungary uses it for their National Gallery and History Museum.

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Hotel Pool

Keeping my streak alive for 5th post….another “water” photo.  This one is from our hotel pool in Long Beach California.  It wasn’t a very pretty location during the day, but it beautiful at night.

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Lighted Flower

I processed this photo last night.  I forgot I even took this photo from my San Francisco trip.  So, when I found the raw images on my hard drive, I went right to work editing this photo.  I liked how it turned out. 

This is from a courtyard between a complex of buildings in the Financial District.  This lighted flower structure is the decorative top of an elevator within the courtyard. 

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Grand Palladium

We stayed at this resort north of Cancun recently.  The resort is new, it just opened last October.  That meant that they were still working on some final touches and punch list items.  They also have big plans to expand the complex to a maximum of over 3,000 guest rooms.  It has a great beach unlike most of the resorts in this part of Mexico.  Anyway, we enjoyed it and had a great time with our group (some family and friends). 

I took this photo one evening after dinner just outside the main lobby.  There are three of these weird sculptures in a row with small ponds surrounding them. 

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Long Beach

We took a cruise out of Long Beach California in 2018.  Like all of our cruises in the past, that was a great trip.  This was our first time leaving out of Long Beach.  As we were leaving, I captured this panorama with my iPhone.  I take a ton of iPhone photos and almost never show them to anyone.  I don’ t know why….the phone takes some great photos.  I just don’t.  So, this might be a first for me.  Anyway, enjoy this view of Long Beach CA.

 To view a larger version, click HERE

Carson

Last spring, we left on a cruise out of Long Beach California.  MJ and I arrived a little ahead of time and spent some time around that area exploring the city and visiting with friends.  During that time, I took this photo of our hotel pool at night.  It was the most interesting thing in the area (we stayed in Carson), since the hotel was surrounded by industrial sites.

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Downtown's Backside

Happy Sunday, where ever you are today.  I’m going to be lazy.  I planned on doing a bunch of yard work, except its been raining at my house.  So I’ll pivot to a more relaxing agenda.  Today’s photo is one I took on a past photo walk with Dave, and Brad from the back side of downtown Pittsburgh.  Most view and photograph Pittsburgh from the river side, which is the iconic view you always see.  This is why I think this perspective is so unique.

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Don’t forget to check out my photo galleries.  I update and add to them often. 

Calzone's

On my first night in San Francisco, I ate dinner outside at this restaurant.  It was such a cool experience just watching the people and traffic pass by my seat.  And the food was great as well.  I liked this spot so much, that a couple of days later I went back to photograph the building after sunset. 

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Don’t forget to check out my photo galleries.  I update and add to them often. 

Smithfield Bridge

Last night Blair, Dave and I ran into Pittsburgh to capture some photos.  Normally I would get out a couple of times per month.  But lately, I haven’t been able to get away…plus the weather has been terrible.  So we finally got out and I captured this beauty at the legendary Smithfield Bridge in downtown.

To view a larger version, click HERE

Don’t forget to check out my photo galleries.  I update and add to them often.  PLUS….don’t forget you can get a free gift and 10% off great Think Tank camera gear by using this link: http://bit.ly/2FVW0eg

Pepsi

First, let me say that I am truly sorry.  I disappeared from my website and all my social media sites since September 20th.  As you’ve probably guessed, I’ve been extremely busy with my work and my volunteer activities.   Many of you came back day after day, looking to see if I posted a new update.  I appreciate all your help and I’m sorry I made you wait. 

Second, today’s post is from NYC.  This huge sign (look at the people walking below it) is positions on the East River facing back towards Manhattan (across from the United Nations Building).  I used to drink a ton of Pepsi, so this sign caught my eye. 

To view a larger version, click HERE

Don’t forget to check out my photo galleries.  I update and add to them often.

Fair Fun

Okay, tonight’s post is from the county fair.  I haven’t been to a fair in over ten years.  Heck, maybe 15 years ago…. I’m not really sure.  Blair and I went only to photograph some of the rides at night.  Here is one from the ferris wheel.

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Don’t forget to check out my photo galleries.  I update and add to them often.

Carnival Valor By Moon Light

As you may have noticed, MJ and I have been away.  We were on a cruise to celebrate our 26th Anniversary.  They’ve been wonderful years covering the range of emotions, experiences and activities.  I’m an extremely lucky guy.

Anyway, let’s talk about this photo and how I captured it.  It is my habit when cruising to get up at least one morning at around 5am to walk around the cruise ship and photograph it.  I like that time for a few reasons:

1.     All the other tourist are sleeping off the previous night’s party, which means I have the ship to myself.  And you know I don’t take many people pictures.  If it weren’t for the few Carnival employees that are working, it would really look like a ghost ship.

2.     Once I get done photographing the ship, it is usually time to capture the sunrise.  So I get a two for one arrangement.

There is only one negative of my approach, the ship’s security team never know what to make of me.  On this last trip, I counted no less then 6-security people following me around.  A few of them talked to me, but the rest just watch from a distance.  Normally you’ll never see a security person on a cruise except when you leave and enter the ship.  But when I am out photographing the ship in the middle of the night, it must raise a red flag in the security department. 

So this photo was captured at around 6am and you can see the moon is still high in the sky.  And of course, it looks like I have the ship to myself.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

Special note:  If you’ve ever been on a cruise before, you know they try to take your photo all the time (because they want to sell you a print later).  They’ll photograph you at dinner, boarding the ship, leaving the ship, on excursions, around the pool, etc….  One of their big things are to setup mini photo stations around dinner time so you can stop by and get your photo taken while you’re all cleaned up.  Anyway, MJ and I were on our way to dinner one night and we saw this photography backdrop at one of the photography stations.  What caught our attention is that this backdrop is of Pittsburgh.  So all these people from around the United States, who are on the high seas in the Caribbean, were stopping to get their photograph taken in front of the Pittsburgh skyline.  I thought that was interesting.