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Mohegan Sun - Walking into a Picture...
While on a photo shoot for the Chicago Tribute Band "Beginnings" (an awesome band by the way), I managed to shoot this image of the main lobby.
The drummer Adam Colombo and I were walking around trying to get to the concierge desk so Adam could get some large format printouts.
We stopped at the desk, and while the attendant was trying to make some calls I turned to my left and viola, the shot was just there! I rarely walk around with my primary camera, but on this instance since we just finished sound-check I happened to have it with me.
This shot was taken in extrememely low light, and I did my usual Photoshop-ing. Shot with Nikon D3x with the 14-24 Lens.
Disney Dream and Fantasy Meet Up!
2012
- Disney Cruise - Something very cool happened on this particular
cruise! We had an extremely rare and good fortune to see the brand new
Disney Fantasy on 3 occasions.
The Disney Fantasy was just delivered a few weeks ago, and was a on a test run with a passenger list of travel agents, select groups and industry professionals.
On this occasion, we got see her docked at Castaway Cay. Unlike other ship captains on other cruise lines, our captain maneuvered our ship (Disney Dream), safely for a single pass, then turned around and headed out to sea.
It was very cool to see her, as she is pretty much identical to the Dream, but 1 foot longer.
This shot was a taken as we were turning around, so I was able to capture a cool shot of the deck on the Dream and the Fantasy in dock.
The atmosphere on the Dream was quite electric as this chance meeting may never happen again.
The Disney Fantasy was just delivered a few weeks ago, and was a on a test run with a passenger list of travel agents, select groups and industry professionals.
On this occasion, we got see her docked at Castaway Cay. Unlike other ship captains on other cruise lines, our captain maneuvered our ship (Disney Dream), safely for a single pass, then turned around and headed out to sea.
It was very cool to see her, as she is pretty much identical to the Dream, but 1 foot longer.
This shot was a taken as we were turning around, so I was able to capture a cool shot of the deck on the Dream and the Fantasy in dock.
The atmosphere on the Dream was quite electric as this chance meeting may never happen again.
You know something special was going on, because much of the crew came out on deck just to see her.
For those that have Facebook, you can see some of my shots of the new Disney dream here:
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"Imagine" Piano in NYC
In January of 2011, a close knit group Beatle-maniacs and I happened across this display at Steinway and Sons Piano Store in NYC. We were all heading to Carnegie Hall for yet another epic concert of "1964"...The Tribute (Beatles Tribute Band), so the mood was quite right.
I had my little Canon G12 with me, and I could not resist the urge to stop and take this picture.
I remember helping my friend out with a few photography pointers, and told her in order to make some shots more interesting, "try framing the picture at an angle". We both took our pictures and moved on.
I clearly remembering telling her that I would one day do something with the pic to illustrate my point, but of course things (life) got in the way. I never really had the chance to do something with it....until now.
So here is the picture in its finished form. I used several plugins (NIK, TOPAZ, AutoFX) to achieve this artsy look.
A different version of this pic can be seen on the Digital Leaf Photographics Face Book Site.
Its also a good example of what the Canon G12 is capable of.
Why "Process" Your Pictures?
I am often asked, why I "process" my photos. Well to begin with, I love to experiment with the boundaries of this digital world we have constructed. Also, it allows me to show the viewer how I view the world. Both those points notwithstanding, it also helps me establish a signature style that is all my own.When I used to develop my photos (in a dark room), I found that many of the techniques that I enjoyed doing could not easily be done on computer. I was one of those who always viewed that merely taking the picture was only half of the process. The post work was just as important to me, as taking the picture correctly. In fact, much of the time, I enjoyed the post work more. Photo-finishing is one the skills that I truly enjoy.
So basically to answer the question, I enjoy it. It makes what would otherwise be boring simple pictures and makes them more interesting. For instance, the accompanying photo was taking in New Mexico. The regular picture was really quite boring to the average on-looker. So I decided to spice it up a bit, and draw your eyes to points of BEAUTY in what many would consider to be a boring picture.
It may be a bit philosophical of me, but I am trying to bring out the beauty of something in an instant that would normally take someone more than a few minutes to see, if at all. The longer one examines the picture, the more beauty can be found. Perhaps we should all take more than a few moments to see the beauty in things.
"1964"...The Tribute at Red Rocks!
Recent photo shoot of "1964"...The Tribute the "Best Beatles Tribute on Earth" Rolling Stone Magazine... at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.
This will eventually be moved to a proper online photo-book, but for now it can be found on my FACEBOOK site. Please stop by and comment. Also if you haven't done already, please "LIKE" Digital Leaf Photographics.
I am utilizing a different technique in the processing of these photos. I am endeavoring to accomplish two things. 1) Make the pictures look "old". and 2) Make the pictures look modern. I know, I know, they are almost diametrically opposed. But If you look carefully, I think I achieved this.
This will eventually be moved to a proper online photo-book, but for now it can be found on my FACEBOOK site. Please stop by and comment. Also if you haven't done already, please "LIKE" Digital Leaf Photographics.
I am utilizing a different technique in the processing of these photos. I am endeavoring to accomplish two things. 1) Make the pictures look "old". and 2) Make the pictures look modern. I know, I know, they are almost diametrically opposed. But If you look carefully, I think I achieved this.
The Desert of Maine
Yes folks, that's a desert and it's in Freeport, ME.
"In 1797 the Tuttle family moved to the 300 acre farm that once covered
the Desert of Maine where they successfully raised crops of potatoes and
hay for several years. Failure to rotate crops thereafter, combined with
massive land - clearing and overgrazing resulted in severe soil erosion
that exposed this hidden Desert. As the spreading sand grew uncontrollable,
the Tuttles surrendered, leaving the Desert to it's destiny."
www.DesertofMaine.com
www.DesertofMaine.com
This photo was taken "Somewhere in Time".
This picture is my attempt to convey the "Somewhere in Time" concept. Although it might have worked better with a better shot of the hotel, I wanted to keep the identity of the location hidden to all but those few who know the movie real well. Therefore the impact to them would hopefully be more emotional.
During our recent trip to Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw, its actually the french spelling), we stayed at the "Grand Hotel". This hotel in its own rights has a huge history dating back to 1887.
However it is known to many as the "Somewhere in Time" hotel; A movie released in 1980, starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. In this movie, Christopher Reeve travels back in time to 1912, falls in love with Jane Seymour and at the absolute height of their love affair is suddenly ripped from her only to return to 1980 alone.
The State of Michigan still does not allow motor vehicles on the island, so your only mode of transportation on the island is still horses, bicycles and I dare say "walking".
Because of this the history of the hotel, and the movie, naturally makes for some great photo/art possibilities.
I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful it was waking up in the cool morning with the window open and hearing the clip-clop sounds of the horses and carriages.
Grand Hotel has always embraced its rich history, but kept up well with the times. Today, guests enjoy modern amenities while the hotel’s original architecture, charm and relaxing ambiance have been tastefully preserved. Contributing greatly to the hotel’s ambiance is the relaxed atmosphere of Mackinac Island, where cars are not allowed and the horse and carriage and bicycle are favored modes of transportation.
During our stay at the Grand Hotel, we were fortunate enough to catch a showing of "Somewhere in Time" in one of their makeshift little theaters.
In the movie Christopher Reeve is attempting to travel back in time to 1912. He keeps repeating the date June 27, 1912 over and over again in order to convince himself and make the travel back in time possible.
Much to the surprise of EVERYONE in the theater, it was June 27th! Just 99 years later.
Needless to say, that made our stay a little more special.
I am also sure, they are totally booked for next year, being the 100 year mark for all those "Somewhere in Time" fans!
For those who are my FACEBOOK friends, I will posting more from this trip just as soon as I can.
During our recent trip to Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw, its actually the french spelling), we stayed at the "Grand Hotel". This hotel in its own rights has a huge history dating back to 1887.
However it is known to many as the "Somewhere in Time" hotel; A movie released in 1980, starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. In this movie, Christopher Reeve travels back in time to 1912, falls in love with Jane Seymour and at the absolute height of their love affair is suddenly ripped from her only to return to 1980 alone.
The State of Michigan still does not allow motor vehicles on the island, so your only mode of transportation on the island is still horses, bicycles and I dare say "walking".
Because of this the history of the hotel, and the movie, naturally makes for some great photo/art possibilities.
I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful it was waking up in the cool morning with the window open and hearing the clip-clop sounds of the horses and carriages.
This pic was aged using multiple photoshop plugins. Although the hotel has changed since 1887, it still has the refined look of its time. A testament to the designers of the improvements. I did the very best I could to imitate the style of photography of the time. Not just in processing, but in context to the 1800s.
Grand Hotel has always embraced its rich history, but kept up well with the times. Today, guests enjoy modern amenities while the hotel’s original architecture, charm and relaxing ambiance have been tastefully preserved. Contributing greatly to the hotel’s ambiance is the relaxed atmosphere of Mackinac Island, where cars are not allowed and the horse and carriage and bicycle are favored modes of transportation.
During our stay at the Grand Hotel, we were fortunate enough to catch a showing of "Somewhere in Time" in one of their makeshift little theaters.
In the movie Christopher Reeve is attempting to travel back in time to 1912. He keeps repeating the date June 27, 1912 over and over again in order to convince himself and make the travel back in time possible.
Much to the surprise of EVERYONE in the theater, it was June 27th! Just 99 years later.
Needless to say, that made our stay a little more special.
I am also sure, they are totally booked for next year, being the 100 year mark for all those "Somewhere in Time" fans!
For those who are my FACEBOOK friends, I will posting more from this trip just as soon as I can.
NYC - 2008 Evening Dinner Cruise.
Taken in 2008 on a NYC Dinner Cruise that circled The Statue of Liberty
During the summer months,my wife Lisa and I often load up our calendar with lots of things to do locally. One thing that we like to do with our neighbors is go out to "on the water" restaurants and dinner cruises around Long Island. I tend to prefer the dinner cruises when they offer a good photo op. Its not like the food is good or anything, just a crazy high price for average diner type of fare.
But they often afford you the ability to take some great pictures. So in the summer of 2008, we went on a dinner cruise with LadyLibertyCruises. This cruises left out of Port Washington, circled the Statue of Liberty and then returned. You get to see a nice sunset, the NYC skyline, and Lady Liberty herself. All this while listening to some pretty good dance music (DJ provided), drinks, and a meal.
Seeing the UN from the other side automatically lends itself for a much more interesting shot. Especially from the water, somewhat up close. What is also nice about this cruise is that you travel to the Statue of Liberty while it is still daylight, and return while its night. So basically you get two wonderful views of the city.
One of the more fascinating aspects of the cruise is that you get go under several major bridges that connect Long Island to Manhattan Island. The views (on a good night) are spectacular. When seeing these massive bridges from water level. Going under them, I often reflect on the power of engineering. I wouldn't even know where to start in erecting these things.
Of course, this is a real good time to work on your sunset and sailboat shots. Needless to say, we will probably be doing this cruise again soon.
I very rarely make political statements in my work, but this one of them. Taken 2008 .
Liberty Cruises "Sterling". She was small but tidy and got us to and from safely.
But they often afford you the ability to take some great pictures. So in the summer of 2008, we went on a dinner cruise with LadyLibertyCruises. This cruises left out of Port Washington, circled the Statue of Liberty and then returned. You get to see a nice sunset, the NYC skyline, and Lady Liberty herself. All this while listening to some pretty good dance music (DJ provided), drinks, and a meal.
Although I try not to get political on my blog, I think the dilapidated condition of the UN artistically speaks volumes here.
Seeing the UN from the other side automatically lends itself for a much more interesting shot. Especially from the water, somewhat up close. What is also nice about this cruise is that you travel to the Statue of Liberty while it is still daylight, and return while its night. So basically you get two wonderful views of the city.
One of the more fascinating aspects of the cruise is that you get go under several major bridges that connect Long Island to Manhattan Island. The views (on a good night) are spectacular. When seeing these massive bridges from water level. Going under them, I often reflect on the power of engineering. I wouldn't even know where to start in erecting these things.
Of course, this is a real good time to work on your sunset and sailboat shots. Needless to say, we will probably be doing this cruise again soon.
I very rarely make political statements in my work, but this one of them. Taken 2008 .
Soda Machines for the 21st Century.
In the summer of 2010 while on a photo shoot in Georgia, Lisa and I had the pleasure of stopping by the headquarters of the Coca-Cola company.Its was actually quite a cool experience and we got to tour the factory and see how they make their famous soda. For those of you from almost anywhere else in the country, please feel free to substitute POP for soda at anytime.
One of the most interesting things that we observed and were actually able to "try out" were the new soda machines. They were sleek and very futuristic in their design.
The new machines work on an internal cartridge system that mixes the various syrups with the carbonated water to produce almost whatever flavor soda you want that they make.
I must admit I like the concept, however I feel that there is one major stumbling block. It does not produce a can or bottle. It does produce a portion, however you must already have a cup. In that, it will be great for cafeterias. But I do see an issue for those that want to take their drink with them and possibily "open" it at a later time.
One other cool thing, they had a "tasting room" of soft drinks that they make and distribute to other places all over the world. So in essence you can taste what Coca-Cola makes in Japan or Chile, or Germany.
Some of these flavors are specifically designed for the palattes of the people in those regions, so I am sure that some of you will go screaming into the night when you taste some of them.
The Original Buffalo Wings!
Many years ago, a close friend attended college at State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo. My friends and I visited him there several times during his stay there. Each and every time we went to UB, we also had to pay pilgrimage to The Anchor Bar home of the ORIGINAL Buffalo Wings.I did and still do find that they have the superior wings. Every now and again I have wings that are very very good. In some cases, I might even say they are on par with the Anchor Bar. Then I go up to Buffalo again, and my belief in the superiority of Anchor Bar's wings are re-affirmed.
For many years I have been telling my wife Lisa, that the BEST wings can be found at the Anchor Bar, and that she would have to try them some day. I am sure she felt that I had hyped the story so much that it could not possible live up to expectations, and was sure to fall short of the mark.
Much to her surprise, on a recent trip to Niagara Falls we stopped by the Anchor Bar and she finally had the opportunity to try their wings. She loved them as much as I, and agrees that they are THE BEST wings.
The Story:
On a Friday night in 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Late that evening, a group of Dominic's friends arrived at the bar with ravenous appetites. Dominic asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat.
They looked like chicken wings, a part of the chicken that usually went into the stock pot for soup.
Teressa had deep fried the wings and flavored them with a secret sauce. The wings were an instant hit and it didn't take long for people to flock to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. From that evening on, Buffalo Wings became a regular part of the menu at the Anchor Bar.
The phenomenon created in 1964 by Teressa Bellissimo has spread across the globe. Although many have tried to duplicate Buffalo Wings, the closely guarded secret recipe is what makes Frank & Teressa's the proclaimed "Best Wings in the World."
