March 30th thru April 5th, 2009
Big week for my photography habit with the opening of my first gallery showing. I was totally blown away with the support from my family and friends that attended. The night was cold windy with rain blowing horizontally all night. The parking at the gallery was non existant and yet friends and family braved it all to attend the show. Thank you!
The photograph on this PBlog is of the entrance to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Resource Center on Forest Ave. I have never noticed this building before. I have ridden my bicycle by it and must have driven by it numerous times, yet this is the first time I have "seen it".
March 23rd thru March 29th, 2009
I feel like a lucky man. The Creator has been very good to me and mine and I am very thankful. For some reason, lately, I have felt just really safe, and that no matter which way the path goes, I'll be on the right one!
Elaine's sister and niece (Yvonne and Maggie) are visiting and today I took them to the Buffalo Erie County Historical Society Museum. The museum building was built in 1901-1902 for the 1902 Pan-American Exhbition that was held here in Buffalo. President McKinley was assasinated while attending and Teddie Roosevelt took the oath in the Wilson Mansion on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
The museum building is beautiful and the photograph I took for this PBlog was taken at the foot of the staircase leading from the main reception hall up to the second floor. I used exisiting light, took 5 exposures each exposure seperated by one (1) EV. I then combined the exposures in Photomatix. The results are ok and much better than I could have done with one single exposure.
March 16th thru March 22, 2009
Tuesday night of this week ( March 17th St Patrick's Day) I took my camera down to the Marina. I don't recall what the motivation was then to do that as I normally stay pretty close to home on a work night. I am glade I did, though, as it turned out that night was as calm an evening as I have ever experienced on the waterfront. On the city side of the breakwall a good portion of the ice had melted and the water was like a mirror. This shot I selected for the Best of the Week PLOG is from infront of the Marina Tower facing toward Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada and the source of the Niagara River. The dark trees on the right and the big building of the Water Treatment Plant are on the Buffalo side and the lights and water tower to the left of the image are Fort Erie. In between the Buffalo and Ft Erie sides are Lake Erie and the mighty Niagara River. Looking pretty peaceful on this almost spring night in 2009. It is so uplifting for me to stand in places like this and to have a camera and make the feeble effort to suck in the light and dark and reflections into that little black box of electronics so that I could bring the scene home again to enjoy it even longer. I am so fortunate to have been given the perspective to appreciate that this is a beautiful world in which we live. Nights like Tuesday help make all the breathing in and out everyday so very much worth it.
March 9th thru March 15, 2009
I spent most of my photography time this week preparing for my gallery showing that opens April 3rd at Buffalo Big Prints Gallery on Allen Stret. Never realized how much attention one of those required!
Today, Sunday March 15, was the first weekend day of Spring like weather we've had in Buffalo this year. It was sunny with a bright blue sky and temperatures in the 50's. I got my bike out and rode to the office (about 10 miles each way) for my first bike ride of the year. I spent 3 1/2 hours at the office but meandered home enjoying the day we were given. I got home and Elaine mentioned she was concerned as I had called from the office and (she said) told her I would be an hour (it usually takes about 45 minutes for the 10 miles on my bike). Well 2 hours later I arrived. Just diddly pooping in the Spring sun. I actually saw flowers sprouting in a neighbor’s yard!
This photo I took yesterday of this old Laub building on Clinton Street in Buffalo. It is a warehousing distribution facility that appears as if most of it warehousing and distributing has long ago been warehoused and distributed. Impressive mammoth cement letters spelling out the company's name is what drew my attention to the place.
March 2nd thru March 8th, 2009
For more pictures of the fire go to
FIRE
I was out Saturday morning shooting what ever came up as I drove around the city (still too cold for the bike) and after a stint in Delaware Park I went down to the South Park Michigan Street area, just because. While shooting a building on South Park I heard sirens and lights flashing going by me. I really didn't pay attention; it is the city you know. But after a few minute I turned and looked down the road and noticed the fire trucks and police cars were stopped about a mile down and then saw the smoke billowing from a building, so I threw my stuff in the car and headed on down there. This was one of the shots I took. You know these firemen and women (the station Captain was a woman) really do dangerous stuff and work like crazy at these fires. I was impressed. It was interesting how at the start of the fire they were all engaged and serious and very directed, but as the fire came under control, the smiles and laughter and comradery grew and it was obviously a release for them to have completed this task successfully and safely. Great job BFD (Buffalo Fire Department)!
February 23rd thru March 1st, 2009
This was a week that went by quickly. Saturday night I spent on Main Street bundled in my snow pants and heaviest winter coat with my camera mounted on the tripod. Buffalo is pretty at night, but it seemed quiet on Main Street. I really enjoy being in the place to take a good picture. I enjoy getting myself into that place and I enjoy the fact that I am there. There is excitement in that for me. I love taking pictures.
February 16th thru February 22nd, 2009
Almost all my spare time spent on photography this week.
February 9th thru February 15th, 2009
I spent a good deal of time this week working on photographs for clients. One needed morning shots of the Buffalo skyline and today, Sunday, was beautiful so I took an early morning ride downtown to catch the morning sun. I parked on Oak Street and took some shots from the Kensington ramp then moved down to Lafayette Square and took this of Main Street. It was crispy cool, but sunny and I enjoyed having Main Street Buffalo pretty much to myself.
Not much snow for February in Buffalo, is there? See, Buffalo's weather reputation is unduly earned. You know it is one of the sunniest cities in the state!
Ben returned from France, safely. He had a successful trip and said the French eat wonderfully. The food was amazing!
Work is...well work is Citi, what can I say!
February 2nd thru February 8th, 2009
I have been working with a client that was looking for morning photos of Buffalo. I thought this to be a fairly good shot off of the Buffalo River (after I Photomatix'ed it). My brother and I on his boat in September a year ago took off from Smith Boys' on a trip up the Niagara River out to Lake Erie then up the Buffalo River around the grain elevators. It was a great ride and produced at least 4 good shots of Buffalo that have been popular enough for folks to purchase. Beauty really does depend on your perspective. You could be on the Buffalo River and hang your head with the aged and decaying structures from businesses strong in the last century but dead or dieing in the 21st century. However you could also lift your head and see the beauty of the land and the new buildings of Buffalo. You could even see the awesomeness of these aged structures along the river that meant so much to the growth of the city and respect them for what it took to create them and the contribution they made.
I guess it is up to each one of as to the perspective we choose.
January 26th thru February 1st, 2009
Well, the Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in an exciting game with lots of offense.
They began the demolition of the Memorial Auditorium this week.
Dad and I took a ride around Colden and Boston. Lots of snow (for contemporary times that is). I remember as a kid on Knapp Road in West Falls, NY, standing on the snow banks and my mother being concerned that I did not touch the electrical wires on the poles running from the street to our house.
The government told Citi they couldn't buy their 50MM jet while the president and whole country is pissed that 18 billion in bonuses were paid out by "Wall Street firms".
Ben is in Toulouse, France for 10 days visiting AirBus.
Interesting week.
See the Demolition Gallery gallery here
Demolition
January 19th thru January 25th, 2009
I tried this week to get some good shooting in, but was less than successful. The weather was cold, windy and not amenable. The week at work was less than a positive one. But it seems no matter what, strapping my camera bag over my shoulder, picking up the tripod and heading out makes any day better than it would have been without at least trying. This shot was taken on the Erie Basin Marina on this Sunday morning in the mid winter cold, wind and overcast. The ice fishermen were hearty soles. My wife thinks they bare the elements because they can still be by themselves away from their wives and families. May be true, but what about the husbands, wives and kids that enjoy this pastime together. I wonder why she first assumed the former was the norm?
January 12th thru January 18th, 2009
This week I was way more involved in work and left little time for photography, additionally, I have had this cold that just keeps hanging on. However, this weekend I did have the opportunity to take a ride out toward my old stomping grounds in the Boston, Colden, Collins, Springville area of the "Southtowns". They have had a tad bit of snow out there lately. When I drive out there I start turning over thoughts like, "I wonder why folks would ever choose to live in the city?" Then it hits me..."hey, I live in the city"! Living so close together seems to create so many issues and so much drama (a city word). There seems to be a much greater sense of independence and self sufficiency in the rural country settings. I don't know I necessarily felt that way as a boy growing up in the country. Maybe it seems more peaceful because now I am simply a visitor.
