Sunday March 1st, 2015
It was the annual Olcott Polar Bear Swim for Sight event. The whole town gathers on Olcott beach, they cut a huge hole in the ice and they all (and others from other towns) gather around to watch as few of the citizens, in their swimming trunks and what ever, dive into the frozen Lake Ontario water. As that can be dangerous all the Fire Rescue and underwater recovery teams in the area also gather. This really cute couple and their really cute little dog were part of the Fire Rescue group.
To see 150 more photos of the people involved in the Olcott Polar Bear Swim for Sight go to this link. ...
Thursday, October 23rd, 2014
Today I made some decisions that may take me around another bend in the road.
Tuesday, August 26th, 2014
Some days you just hit it right. These ladies were enjoying a pre-Zac Brown Band concert tailgate party at Darien Lake I was covering for Buffalo.Com. Their smiles and the light just turned out as it should have. Love these tailgate covers, so much really honest fun being had by most.
Sunday, February 23rd, 2014
The University at Buffalo Bulls' basketball team had a good week. It is one of the opportunities enjoyed with my freelance position with Buffalo.Com that I get to cover these kinds of events.
Here, in this image, Jarod Oldham goes up for 2 in a 96 - 90 win over Akron. As of now UB is #1 in MAC East.
Sunday, January 26th, 2014
In Buffalo the windchill dipped down way below Zero today. You know what we Buffalonians do when is gets chilly outside? We put an extra layer on and go play in the snow!
Friday, January 3rd, 2014
Grandma and Grandpa D had the privilege of spending some time with youngest grandchild, Philip. He really enjoyed the turkey soup his mom had left for grandma to prepare for his lunch.
Friday, December 21st, 2013
A cold winter rain filled the night around the Gallagher Center at Niagara University as the bi-partisan crowd made its way into the arena to enjoy what turned out to be a barn-burner of a Big 4 basketball game between the Niagara Purple Eagles and the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.
During the first half it appeared the Bonnies were bound to get the best of the Purple Eagles. The St. Bonaventure fan contingent inside the Gallagher Center were much more vociferous than the host crowd; at times, the din of the fan noise would have led you to believe the Bonnies were the home team.
The Purple Eagles, however, showed they were not laying down for the night as they closed an 11-point split, and the game became a seesaw battle until, with five seconds on the clock, after a missed shot by the Eagles’ leading scorer,Antoine Mason, Charlon Kloof a 6-3 senior guard for the Bonnies took the ball down court, busted between three Purple Eagle defenders and laid up the winning basket as the game clock showed 00:00. The Bonnies had won 74 to 72.
Friday, November 29th, 2013
The University of Buffalo Bulls football team played Bowling Green State University in a Division 1 Mid American Conference final game of the season to determine which school would face Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship on Friday, Dec 6th in Detroit. Well, UB lost, it was a beautiful sunny but very crisp late autumn day and the majority of the Bulls fans, about 20,000 of them, sat on the sunny side of Ralph Wilson Stadium (Buffalo Bills home field), however, a few individualists chose the shady side.
Friday, June 21st, 2013
My story behind St Adalbert's Sanctuary
The opportunity to be on the streets of Buffalo in mid afternoon on a Friday, with the sun shinning and enjoying beautiful Buffalo weather was offered and so I simply flat out took it. Much better than sitting in the cubical with my nose pushed against a computer monitor following up on the voluminous list of emails scrolling down the Outlook page in front of me.
The result of seizing that opportunity was I ended up standing outside my car on Stanislaus St on the East Side of Buffalo with my Canon 6D secured tightly to the mount on the top of my Manfrotto tripod directing the camera up towards the the twin spires of St Adalbert's Basilica. I was soaking it all in, the sun, the church, the neighborhood, the being free on a gorgeous Friday afternoon when a big shinny black pickup truck pulled up and blocked my view of the basilica. The passenger side window rolled down, a face on the driver's side of the truck turned toward me and asked, "why are you taking pictures of my church, who are you"?
I was informed the driver of the truck was a caretaker of the church. The church had recently been been deactivated and the "bishop" (said with a snarl) is after our cemetery". "Are you from downtown", he asked? Additional discussion ensued, I handed my card over to him through the rolled down passenger's side window and the driver seemed to relax. As we talked, a black man in muslim dress walked along the sidewalk in front of the basilica.
Jerry, as it turned out, treated me like a welcome guest and asked if I'd like to see the inside. "I have a key", he said with authority. He and his wife have lived on Sobieski Street for many years, they've been married 41 years and this church parish is very important to them. The new bishop is being difficult and doesn't care about the people only the money from the cemetery is what I gathered from our conversation to be the gist of the consternation with the "downtown" people.
What a beautiful sanctuary, with the stations of the cross and a magnificent marble alter. I didn't want to hold him up so I rushed forming the photographs, but I believe I captured some of the color, magnificence and glory of the inside of this basilica.
Jerry is a really good guy. You know, the salt of the earth, the kind of man, you know from the outset that he can be trusted. He wanted to get home, but didn't rush me, however I self imposed the hurriedness and the compositions are evidence. But as we walked out the front door, Jerry took time to shake my hand and mention to me "not to forget the Virgin Mary in the grotto". I got his address and promised to mail him some pictures.
Saturday, April 21st, 2012
Here's the story behind this photograph.
It was Saturday morning in Smethport PA. This Saturday would be the memorial service and internment of Ted's father. I hadn't seen Ted since 1991 and hadn't seen his father since 1966, however both are important to me. Ted, because we were high school buddies and Mr. “Quinten” Johnson because he and Mrs. “Betty” Johnson always made me feel part of the family (that wasn't unique to me, they made everyone feel that way). Mrs. Johnson had passed in December of 2010, two weeks before the 70th anniversary of her marriage to Mr. Johnson.
I had driven the 85 miles from East Aurora, NY the day before in a wonderful bath of bright spring sunshine and warm temperatures. I was anxious to see Ted yet somewhat pensive due to the circumstances that instigated the long overdue visit. Ted, I learned, had often come up to Smethport from his home in Tallahassee FL, but we’d not made a connection on those occasions other than a night at our 25th class reunion in 1991.
Our Friday night reunion at the funeral home in Mt. Jewett was emotional for all the reasons you might imagine, but I was comfortable to be with the Johnsons, again, and to have spent time remembering Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Although the melancholy of the occasion was present, I felt comfortable; as I had always when with the Johnsons.
Our Friday night together ended with Ted, his brother, Roger and I gathered outside Ted’s room at the Smethport Motel smoking cigars and telling stories. We parted at about 10:30 and I went to my room, but couldn’t stay there on such a beautiful star filled warm spring night. I gathered my camera gear and wandered the streets of Smethport until the large digital clock on the main street read 12:32 AM and 62F.
Waking at about a quarter pass six on this particular Saturday morning my objective, before preparing for the 11:00 AM memorial service, was to get a good country breakfast and then experience some of the wonderful high hill landscape of this part of northern Pennsylvania. Mr. Johnson must have loved the countryside that is the foothills of the Alleghany Mountains. Except for his time in the Navy, he spent all his 93 years within about 60 miles of his childhood home in Hazel Hurst.
Upon opening the door of room #3 and stepping into the day that was to be this Saturday, a heavily overcast sky and cool temperatures greeted me. What a change six hours had brought.
I found Myra’s Restaurant and had the special. Myra’s was the typical diner you would anticipate finding in towns like Smethport, unpretentious and friendly; comfortable and serving the “unhealthy” food country folks live on all their lives.
As I left Myra’s and headed up the road toward Port Alleghany the message from the sky said rain any minute. Country music came through the speakers in a response to my request to play “My Country List” on my Droid plugged into the car’s stereo system. Up and down and around the hills was the ride. Up a hill, peek and down then around a tight corner and up another and as you peek a vista appears that opens before you the view of deep cultivated valleys surrounded by heavily wooded high rounded mountain tops. Even in gray skies it is an overwhelming sight. It was time for me to turn back toward Smethport and at the crest of I hill I found a turnaround. I remembered a view I had earlier passed and on this return stopped, pulled over and gathered my camera gear, tripod and all, and hiked over the guardrail down a small embankment into the field that opened to the scene viewed in this photograph. I was setting up the tripod and it began to sprinkle and by the time I had finished the shot and shouldered the tripod for the short walk up the slope to the car the rain began. It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Smethport to be remembering Quinten Carl Johnson and being with his family.
March 19th thru March 25th, 2012
The first week of spring brought summer weather to Western New York. Was up and out of bed Saturday morning about 4:00 AM after some morning chores took a little ride through the neighborhood and found the action around this farm in high gear. Cows were being milked, calves fed, barn cats running and dogs barking. One of the neighbors even approached me and asked if I had permission to take this picture. I said no, I hadn't that I really didn't want to bother the guys while they were working. He seemed still concerned so I gave him my card. While driving off I noticed he tore up the card and littered the road as he walked away. Interesting.
January 16th thru March 18th, 2012
Since mid August of last year I have been so very sporadic in posting to this blog. I think I just haven't had time to simply walk around with a camera and see what I see. Nearly all my photography has been with assignment to Buffalo.Com which takes most of my free photography time. I'm not complaining, mind you; just explaining. I stopped on the way home from work on a Friday night to take this shot. I didn't take the bumper to bumper route home instead went around the back way.
January 9th thru January 15th, 2012
This is not a sports event. It is a concert (I think you call it a concert; maybe a gig) and the guys shove themselves forward ahead of the girls to get the front row to scream and sing (yell) along with the rock band on the stage. Mohawk Place in Buffalo is an experience all should take part in during the next visit to the city. It's like opening up your garage, calling all your friends and saying come on over and we'll bust your ear drums for ya!
For more images from Mohawk Place
December 12th 2011 thru January 8th 2012
My father is 86 years old today, January 8, 2012. He was born in this little house on a farm off Jewitt Holmwood Road in East Aurora, NY. I remember as a young boy, sleeping in the up-stairs bedroom while spending time with my grandfather and grand mother. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. My dad and my uncle Fred slept in a bed upstairs when they were young, and my father tells of waking up in the winter with snow on the blankets; the attic was so drafty (it wasn't yet then really quite a bedroom) . The only really change in the shape of the house, that I can recall, is attached to the woodshed at the back of the house (small roof to the left of this picture) was an outhouse. I remember as a very young boy thinking it a much more convenient location than having to go all the way inside. The story goes that when my grandmother finally managed to afford an indoor bathroom, my grandfather was opposed to the idea as that kind of thing really shouldn't be "inside" your house.
November 14th thru December 11th, 2011
Our first significant snow of the season hit this week. We are way behind in snowfall this year. Experience leads to the anticipation we will catch up. Justine, my oldest granddaughter, who is seven, was a the most beautiful candy cane in the ballet this week.
November 7th thru November 13th, 2011
An eventful week, PennState, Veterans' Day and Elaine and I were both in NY on separate trips. She for a school administrators' conference and I for a Canon Immersion Training Class. She got to stay at the Crown Plaza on Times Square and I got a Marriott Courtyard in Rye NY. Where's the equity in that? Anyway i had a great time in the Canon class. It also gave me an opportunity to shoot some more of the NYC Skyline. This view is from the top of the escarpment on Weehawken, NJ.
October 31st thru November 6th, 2011
This late part of autumn has been pretty nice to us here in Western New York. I call this 3D Leaf.
October 17th thru October 30th, 2011
Autumn is nearing its pre-winter phase. During a walk through Hunters Creek the trees were pretty much leaf-less. Still the beauty of fall is all around.
August 15th thru October 16th, 2011
Wow, it has been two months since my last entry in this best of the week thing. Stuff happens and things get in the way of the best of intentions. Lots of work, photography and a little bit of life has passed by. I had the opportunity to be in the Broadway Market on
assignment yesterday. This man, for twenty years has moved new produce out of the cooler every morning and the unsold items back in every night. I enjoyed the colors of his product, but mostly the dedication it takes to do what he does everyday. It made me think a line from a favorite poem by Robert Service;
"And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race."
August 8th thru August 14th, 2011
It was a week of photography for me. First two days at the office then Wednesday through today it was vacation and spent most of the time on photography. Photographed the Selena Gomez concert Wednesday night, and the Rascal Flatts concert Friday night. Last night after everyone else (Elaine) was in bed, I threw my camera in the car and drove into the city. Tried to photograph Delaware Park, Hoyt Lake and the Delaware Park Casino, but it seems the police frown on folks wandering the park at midnight. Thus, this was my first and last picture from inside the park. I moved to sidewalks and bridges on the outskirts of the park and got the shot I used in the PaD gallery. Check it out . . .
PRESS HERE
August 1st thru August 7th, 2011
This Sunday morning we woke to a humid slightly foggy almost rainy morning. The thought was possibly we could catch the sun coming through the fog in one of those classic images most landscape photographers would really feel fortunate to capture. Well it wasn't to be but the opportunity to traipse over the slippery shale bottom of the Cazenovia Creek under the Willardshire bridge made the venture worth it. This was as close to capturing sun coming through the early morning mist we were able to experience.
July 25th thru July 31st, 2011
It is interesting how people react differently when they're asked to have their picture taken. Most are happy to oblige, efficiently move together in a smile for the camera pose and snap, you take the picture. A few say no thanks and fewer respond especially for the camera. These folks standing in line for a Tragically Hip concert were the later and their spontaneity made me smile. How fun to be in a frame of mind for each of you as a couple to react in a moment so that all is fun and you show some concern for one another. I liked these folks.
For more images from the Tragically Hip Concert
July 18th thru July 24th, 2011
A big week for picture taking. The Motley Crue concert on Friday night, Saturday the Grain Elevators with the NTHP (Nation Trust for Historic Preservation) and again on Sunday the Richardson Complex with NTHP and Buffalo Unscripted. The Richardson building has quite a story as it was the former Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. It is being renovated and will become a "boutique" hotel and retail space. This photograph was taken at the base of the renovated main staircase looking upward toward the second floor. I like how it turned out.
For more images from the Richardson Complex
For some history on the Richardson Complex
July 11th thru July 17th, 2011
Hot, hot, hot as I guess we all are. This image is from the remaining Larkin Building on Seneca Street in Buffalo. A new management group has purchased the building and is beginning a renovation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation arranged a photo shoot as part of a documentary they are making and about 30 photographers were afforded the opportunity to attend. It was interesting for me as 35 years ago I worked in the building in my very first accounting job. My grandmother worked for the Larkin Soap Company in the early '20s.
For a little history on the Larkin Soap Company...
July 4th thru July 10th, 2011
Well, I can't take credit for this photograph. My grandson, Charlie, who is going into 3rd Grade and is 8 years old took this shot of the Lower Falls at Letchworth State Park. While he was visiting these last couple weeks, I put an old 50MM 1.8 lens on my old Canon 30D and let him carry it around on our excursions. He took this while we were on a hike in the lower falls gorge of Letchworth. I helped with the post processing which included absolutely no cropping. I think he has a pretty good eye. A little insight into Charlie; while we were on one of our road trips with the entire family in the car we happened to be going by my old high school. The talk turned to mascots and I commented we were the Griffith Institute "Griffins". Charlie spoke up, "yes, a mythical creature half bird and half animal, eagle and lion, I think". I about drove off the road. Eight years old, this kid is! I dropped them all off at the airport Saturday afternoon. I missed them as soon as I got in the car and started out the airport exit.
June 27th thru July 3rd, 2011
Chris, Erin, Charlie and Justine are here for a few days. This was a great day where we went out to breakfast, had pancakes with real maple syrup and played in the park. Then spent a good portion of the afternoon in the pool.
June 20th thru June 26th, 2011
A couple cowgirls at The Band Perry, Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw concert Saturday night June 25 at Darien Lake. My assignment sheet for these types of events is "70 smile for the camera shots 20 event shots". So, when I arrive at the event venue my first task is to walk around and grab shots of folks enjoying being themselves at the event. I used to struggle with the exposure settings, flash and the whole works. I bought a Gary Fong Lightsphere (collapsable), set the 50D on "P", attached the 580EXII and put on the Lightsphere (with dome) then attach the Canon 16-35 and let her rip. I can concentrate on getting the composition and smiles I want and the exposure and light fill takes care of itself. To do a good job you need the right tools! For the purpose, (and the pay) the results are very acceptable.
A link to more pics of the fans and the bands...
June 13th thru June 19th, 2011
Sunrise over Knox Field on Fathers Day morning.
June 6th thru June 12th, 2011
The Allentown Art Festival. Wow, that's a big dog.
For about 100 more photographs of Faces at the Festival ...
PRESS HERE
May 31st thru June 5th, 2011
Ben and I rode the Tour de Isle de Montreal with 25,000 of our closest cycling friends.
That's Ben right there on the right, the helmet and white T-shirt with his arms folded in front of him.
May 23rd thru May30th, 2011
Memorial Day 2011. I took the time this morning to attend the Memorial Day service at the Oakwood Cemetery in our little village of East Aurora. It is always more personal when we gather around markers of people we have known personally who gave at least a portion of their lives and time in service to maintaining the freedoms we so enjoy today. Of the photographs I took, the one of this young family effected me especially.
For a couple more photographs of memorial Day in East Aurora...
PRESS HERE
May 16th thru May 22nd, 2011
These young woman were at the show. They were fun and loved being in front of the camera. I though it to be a good semi-candid shot. I am starting back to school, well kind'a, anyway. I have, in the last few years been reading a lot of American history; mostly colonial and revolutionary period stuff. I'd like to do something with photography and American history so I'm auditing an American History undergraduate class at the University at Buffalo. Maybe it will help me better understand that which I would be photographing.
This week, beside work, there was time spent on yard work and attempting to get the pool ready for the summer. Rain, rain go away.
May 9th thru May 15th, 2011
These lilacs are drenched. Rain rain, go away, come again another day... This bush is right outside our front door, and other than church this morning, that is about as far as I have ventured from shelter today. The greens are beautiful, though and I have always believed more rain is better than less rain. However, I'm sure the folks along the Mississippi River would hold a different opinion currently. Our concerns do go out to those folks. They are strong folks, and will weather this too, they will still need all the help those of us not so affected can provide.
May 2nd thru May 8th, 2011
Finally Spring is seriously here. Happy Mothers Day to all you wonderful women who have given, protected and nurtured life to all of us. The most important job in all the world is motherhood.
Took this picture a couple weeks ago and keep coming back to it. I really like it.
April 25th thru May 1st, 2011
April 11th thru April 17th, 2011
Tough week, but ended nicely. I spent a few years on the top floor of this building (Ellicott Square) with my business, Buffalo Legal Software Systems.
April 4th thru April 10th, 2011
Spring is here. The perennials are popping up, the temperature is in the high 70ºs this weekend. The government isn't shutting down ( as if it ever really would, what a game) and military action in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lybia continues. However, here it is sunny and peaceful. You can hear the birds, the croaking frogs and the voices of the kids playing outdoors. And, this little creek quietly pushes it spring level flow through the pasture. In the summer this will be barely a trickle.
March 14th thru March 26th, 2011
Oops, I missed a week in there. The image was taken this morning. It was forecast to be a sunny day so I was up at 4:30 and out by 6:00 and down by the Buffalo River early enough to catch this early morning view of the General Mills plant from across the Buffalo River under the Skyway. If you have spent any time in downtown Buffalo you have experienced the warm sweet aroma of Cherrios roasting at the General Mills plant. At certain times the aroma permeates the city. Visitors often ask, "what's that sweet smell?". Well, now you know.
It was really cold for late March, and has been for days. Six to eight inches of snow on Wednesday of this past week. Standing on the Riverfront this morning it was 19 degrees (F), no wind but it felt really cold for some reason. I bet in a week we'll be seeing 60 degree weather.
March 7th thru March 13th, 2011
It was Phil's 30th birthday party. Phil is Callie's husband ( Callie is in the middle ) and I was trying to take some photographs at this party. I don't usually take a lot of pictures at family events as it is so hard to get good photographs in those kinds of venues. Flash is really just so hard to get really nice results. This image was so full of shadows as I bounced light when I probably, with these women (Erin , my other step-daughter on the left and Elaine, my wife on the right) should not have bounced. I was shooting AUTO with 580EX II and realized I thus was shooting JPG rather than RAW so DPP and Elements couldn't help my lack of technique as much as I needed. I played with this a tad and came up with this. The whole point is, flash shooting is something on which I need to spend way more time. I bought a book Mastering Canon EOS Photography by NK Guy. It looked informative and seemed to be Canon specific. I'll see if I can improve my technique at all here in the next few weeks.
February 28th thru March 6th, 2011
Covering events for a buffalo.com always presents a challenge. They vary in venue from the summer fund raiser for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mothers' March Of Dime Walk, a Phil Vassar Concert to the Queen City Roller Girls bout and all in between. What I try to do before each is determine what my objective is. What do I want to accomplish with my photography for the occasion. Last night I had the opportunity to cover the Buffalo Bandits, our professional lacrosse team, in the sold out HSBC Arena. I don't know the game of lacrosse well and so I set my objective to capture some of the emotion shown by the players as they compete. This was one photograph that I believe was successful in at least capturing some of the intensity of the game for these players.
February 21st thru February 27th, 2011
Last weekend I showed you a picture of the big thaw. This week we had more snow. I think it has been a beautiful winter. It has been long, but white. I'd rather have the white than the winter alternative. I took a ride in the southern part of our county. Well more southern than where I currently live in Erie County. This ride took me back to the area in which I grew up (check out the map). During the ride while on Irish Road I found this wagon that was set about 150 yards back from the road with a big snow field in front of it an a row of tall pines behind it. The pines were shielding a very large home sitting further up a slope behind the trees. There was a waterwheel next to it (see south towns gallery). This was hand held with my new lens on my old 30D. They seemed to work together ok.
February 14th thru February 20th, 2011
Last weekend this creek (Cayuga Creek), seen here as it runs through Como Park, was solid full of ice, completely frozen over. This weekend after the unseasonably warm weather we had the creek has broken up and huge chunks of ice line the banks. Tonight we are to get 7 inches more of new snow. It appears the thaw has not lasted too long.
I shot the Queen City Roller Girls for Buffalo.com Saturday night.
February 6th thru February 13th, 2011
This weekend was the weekend of winter festivals in Buffalo including the Labatt Pond Hockey Tournament. The city plows the snow off the ice on the Erie Basin Marina and forms 8 hockey rinks. 700 players on 124 teams then spend the weekend determining which team is the best pond hockey team. Basically it is a time for men and women who like to play hockey to get together, compete and drink Labatt's Beer. A great way to spend a weekend in Buffalo. I covered Saturday of the event for Buffalo.Com and this shot was one of a team getting ready to play in the early morning start on Saturday. It was a little cold and blustery in the early morning. The ice was in good shape and the weather got better as the day moved on. It was fun.
January 31st thru February 6th, 2011
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful! That has been our theme song here in Buffalo. This weekend I was back at freelance work with Buffalo.Com and had the opportunity to see the Harlem Globetrotters perform. A great group of guys who put on a super show. The Green Bay Packers have just won the Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers 25-31. It was a good game with two deserving teams. Aaron Rodgers is a good quarterback, I don't think that will be the last we see of Aaron.
January 24th thru January 30th, 2011
A big weekend for our family, my step daughter, Callie, the one in the middle in the white dress holding her niece and my new granddaughter, was married to Phil, not pictured. (The guys weren't important in this shot.) It was a beautiful wedding and Callie and Phil (new step son-in-law) leave for Aruba tomorrow (Monday, Jan 31st). These beautiful girls are, left to right, my wife Elaine, my daughter (step) Callie, her sister and my other step daughter Erin and the bright eyed little girl in the middle is Erin's new baby, and my newest granddaughter, Elise.
January 17th thru January 23rd, 2011
It has been winter around here and thus all the snow scenes. I'm kind of liking it as it is a good winter, one with snow all the time and cold temperatures. None of this snow, melting snow, slush, freezing slush, ice, snow, and then melting, dirty snow as many winters provide. Like winter should be, white and cold. Folks who handle winter are tough and determined and, well, maybe not necessarily inhibited by the challenges winter brings. Or, we could be just a tad ignorant of how nice the alternatives really are. Nah, anybody would like winter days like we've been having.
January 10th thru January 16th, 2011
There have been lots of opportunities for winter snow pictures lately in the Western New York region of the country. I keep wanting to show how white it is outside, but by the time I get out with my camera ( either very early morning or early evening) the major tint I get is BLUE. Never before did I quite realize how blue an early evening is in the winter.
January 3rd thru January 9th, 2011
The first full week of the new year was wintery in Buffalo, but not so that we couldn't handle it. Last night was the celebration of my father's 85th birthday. We had 30 family members snuggled into our house for dinner and fun to wish Happy Birthday to Dad. I have not been out with the camera much but snuck away for an hour today and visited the "Sinking Ponds" which is a little wildlife refuge and nature trail on the edge of the Village of East Aurora, NY. This stubby, crumbling, old tree trunk sticking out of the snow covered ice on the pond caught my attention. Maybe it was the way the little tad bit of light was hitting it.
December 6th 2010 thru January 2nd 2011
It was a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Holiday for our family. Lots of family time with good food and fellowship. The weather has been winter like in Buffalo up until New Year's Eve when all the snow began to melt and by the end of the day January 1st, there was green, well greenish, grass with little water ponds throughout the yard. However today it got cold and has been snowing most of the day. This shot was taken in Emery Park just outside the Village of East Aurora. I liked the mix of autumn and winter this scene provided as well as the tad bit of melancholy looking at a snow covered picnic shelter always seems to bring to me.
Best wishes for this new year of 2011 to all.
November 29th thru December 5th, 2010
It seems summer and fall are over. Winter has arrived in Western New York. This shot taken from the sliding glass doors off our kitchen. The picnic table, garden and swimming pool are pretty securely blanketed with the white stuff. On the ride home of December 2nd it took me two and a half hours for a trip that usually takes 40 minutes. I was lucky, some of the folks were stuck on the NYS ThruWay for nearly two days.
November 15th thru November 21st, 2010
Went over to Julie's and Ben's tonight to catch up on chores procedures as I'm watching the ranch when they go out of town. Julie was skinning rabbits while Ben and I did other little chores around the ranch. It has been a pretty nice November so far, when is this all going to catch up with us. Bills 49 Bengals 31, way to go Buffalo.
November 8th thru November 14th, 2010
The first two days of this week were spent in Portland OR and returning to Buffalo from Portland. This photograph was taken from the Burnside Bridge looking toward the east side of the Willamette River which runs through the heart of Portland. My daughter and her family live on the east side. Actually the north east side in the Alberta Arts District. I enjoyed breakfast at Helsers. Wednesday was back to work, with Veterans' Day thrown in there on Thursday. It remains very much fall here in Buffalo. The Bills may win a football game today. How about that? Callie got her second deer with her bow and Ben got his first, buck. Never, when they were children, I would have figured either Ben or Callie as hunters.
November 1st thru November 7th, 2010
I am tardy in making this entry as I was away from my computer from November 4th through the 9th while visiting Chris and Erin (son in law and daughter) and Charlie and Justine ( grandchildren) in Portland, Oregon. It was a wonderful time and was very hard for me to leave. I only get to see them in person about twice a year. Elaine had to teach school so did not have the opportunity to join me on this trip. Additionally, as I have an interest in Early American History, it was an opportunity to visit some of the Lewis and Clark Expedition sights. Astoria, OR is very interesting and the opportunity to visit Fort Clatsop with the grandchildren was a real treat. Believe it or not it rained almost every day however there was probably more time without rain than with. Actually good weather for the trip. It was a wonderful few days. Thanks Erin and Chris
This shot was taken from N Willamette Blvd ( It is pronounced "Willamette", damn it!)
October 25th thru October 31st, 2010
This week the whole world has been kind a topsy turvy. It's a long story. All is eventually well. I'm a tad tired. This shot was taken near the end of a University At Buffalo football game with University of Miami (Ohio). The UB Bulls lost 21-9.
October 18th thru October 24th, 2010
Fall is winding down yet there are almost two months until winter officially begins. The Blue Screen of Death hit my computer last weekend. I have been a PC guy since, I guess, around 1983 when I picked up a Compact Computer for work using Lotus 123 for spreadsheets. I bought an IMAC 27" to replace my dead Toshiba and have been dealing with the transition all this week. Finally got out for a walk in Emery Park this morning. Not a particularly nice day other than the relatively mild temperatures for late October, however the park was peaceful, colorful and smelled of autumn. This scene caught my attention due to the open floor of the forest blanketed with leaves, however when looking closer the old dead tree in the center of the image appeared to have been the home for numerous woodpeckers. Then in the background faintly visible is the profile of a house on the edge of the park. There was way more to this scene than what originally caught my attention. The Bills lost again today. 0-6 for the season. Oh well, next year. All you folks in Portland OR, be on the look out. I plan to be there weekend after next, for five days, visiting my daughter, son in law and grandchildren. If you Portlanders see a strange guy walking around with a Canon 50D on a tripod, say hi, it's only me.
October 4th thru October 10th, 2010
Today is 10/10/10...only happens once every 100 years (same as 01/01/01, 02/02/02, 03/03/03 and etc. up to 12/12/12). And, at that, it only happens one every year of the first twelve years of those 100 years. Kind of interesting when you think about it.
There is an interesting story behind this photograph of the Fisher Price headquarters building here in East Aurora, NY. Yes, East Aurora is the home of Fisher Price Toys. Nearly all of anyone who is "from" here has some connection to Fisher Price. Well, I stopped on the street to capture a shot of the headquarters building on this beautiful Fall morning. I parked my car on the street and had my camera and tripod set up on the sidewalk next to the street (Girard Ave) that runs by the facility. The guard in the shack next to the gate stepped into the doorway of the shack, raised a megaphone to his lips and projected something loud and, from where I was standing, undiscernable. But, I could guess, so this being East Aurora I felt comfortable in leaving my camera and walking toward the guard station. He explained I couldn't take pictures of the building. We discussed the hundreds of folks we have all seen sitting by the foutain taking pictures or positioned on the huge wooden models of toys that are often displayed on the lawn in front of the building. The guard stated that was different in that they were taking pictures of the fountain and of the toys and not the building. So I asked " then, may I move my camera down closer to the fountain to get a better shot of the fountain?" to which he replied,"sure." So here's my shot of the fountain in front of the Fisher Price building on Girard Ave in East Aurora, NY.
September 27th thru October 3rd, 2010
Wow, what a week! A new grandchild entered the world. Elise Marie Jarnot was born on September 28th at 1:54 in the PM weighing in at 7 lbs 15 oz and standing (well not quite standing yet but give her a couple weeks) 21 inches tall. Then on the next day September 29th the first granddaughter, Justine, turned 6 years old.
For pictures of Justine (and Charlie (the first grandchild) and Chris and Erin)...
PRESS HERE
September 20th thru September 26th, 2010
The beginning of Fall, 2010 has arrived. Where or where did the summer go? It has been extremely busy at work, it's a long story into which it is not worth venturing. Suffice it to say, life at Citi is always challenging.
We're waiting for the notice of the arrival of a new grandchild. It was forecast for Friday September 24th, but it proved to be just another forecast missed.
I went to the pond at Knox Field this morning hoping to catch some fog lifting of the water with some good morning sun. Not until I was packed up and leaving did the sun peak out.
Happy Autumn to all.
September 13th thru September 19th, 2010
This was a week where more folks we have worked with for a long time were let go due to the General Electric purchase of Citi's leasing business. The citi divestiture to GE happened actually more than two years ago and we have been working this entire time "transitioning" the systems and ledgers from Citi to GE. This Friday some of the second last group of the Citi folks to be involved were separated. I'm due to be out the door in the last group at the end of October. It is the end of an era at Citi. I believe we will all land on our feet. We've all known about it for two years and have had plenty of time to make plans. Just, for many, it is a tough time to be looking for a new career path.
Step daughter, Erin, had her 30th birthday on the 18th and is due to provide a new grandchild by the 24th of this month (Friday). It is the first for Erin and Andy and they are truely excited. Will keep all informed.
Autumn is near here. No more swimming in the pool, time to close it. Soon snow will be flying.
September 6th thru September 12th, 2010
A good week it was. A four day work week, lots of photography on the off time and time spent with family. This shot was taken at the Buffalo Zoo on a shoot for buffalo.com. I really like the young boy's expression while greeting the bird.
August 30th thru September 5th, 2010
Turned 62 this week, now into the 63rd rotation. Hopefully will begin to get some things right after having so many turns at the wheel. Oh well.
My brother (
http://www.pbase.com/dwnieman ) and I spent the last half of the week at the Canon EXPO 2010 in the Javits Center in NYC. In my opinion, Canon outdid themselves! Be on the lookout for the new 70-300 2.8 L IS lens soon to be released by Canon. I think it will be a must have lens. They were really tooting the horn of the new 60D and the 7D got lots of press, too. Video was the big thing at the show. The more I look at the 7D the more interest I develop, but I'm holding out for a next generation full frame 5D (or whatever they name it) before investing in a new body.
This shot was taken from the Brooklyn Bridge park on the Brooklyn side of the river. That was a great place to stand for the classic shots of the NYC skyline.
August 23rd thru August 29th, 2010
Just finished a beautiful weekend here in Buffalo, NY. Sunshine, in the 80's and the Bills won their preseason game.
This church has been our family church for many years. Elaine and I were married in this church, three daughters were married in this church. Many friends have been memorialized in services performed in this church. It's a big part of the community.
Tomorrow I turn the page on 62 years. Man, I thought I'd be independently wealthy by now! Oh well! It’s been a great ride so far anyway, without the wealth.
August 16th thru August 22nd, 2010
This picture was taken way back on July 1st, but is here for this week because Charlie, Justine and I got to talk this week; only in a slightly different venue, it was through Readeo. Cool website where you can read books to your grandchildren (or anyone you'd like) and you and they can see each other (like Skype) while both parties are looking at and reading the book. Neat and it was fun.
Started gathering wood for the winter...Phil (soon to be a step-son in law) and I cut down some trees off his property. I spent some time today splitting them and stacking.
This picture was so much fun for me. Do you see how effectively I teased my daughter? Yet I still got to give her a kiss, anyway. We all were having fun taking this photograph of 4 generations!My Dad, me, my daughter Erin and her children Charlie and Justine. Chris (my son in law and Erin's husband) was already back in Portland.
If anyone out there in the Buffalo area has a really good job for a really good Doctor of Internal Medicine would you let my son-in law know so he can apply and move his family out of that rainy old Portland OR back here to Buffalo, NY so his children can be closer to their grand parents?
August 9th thru August 15th, 2010
This past week included a couple days at the office, a trip to Washington DC and Gettysburg Pennsylvania. It was all good. Our nation's capital looks good; at least in the areas we most visited. I would recommend the Renassiance Hotel at Dupont Circle. Actually it is a ways down New Hampshire Ave from the circle, but none the less a good choice. We spent most of our time in the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. We had missed those in previous trips. The Audio/Auto Tour through the Gettysburg Battlefields is well worth the $21 for the CD and the two to three hours you spend on the tour.
The photo above is of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo. A photograph taken this evening.
August 2nd thru August 8th, 2010
I was driving to breakfast. It was early Saturday morning, near 6:30 AM, the sky was powdery with a morning sun just filtering through as I noticed this path off the road leading into the village. I stopped and pulled out my camera, mounted it to the tripod and guided the 70-300mm IS into the ring with a slight click. I use Live View in situations like this and as I peeked over the camer body after composing the image I anticipated to capture movement was noticed in the grass about 30 yards out to my left. It was a doe leading her two fawn. I didn't get the two little deer, but mother stood still long enough for me to recompose and click the shutter release. It was a beautiful morning. I was tickled pink to be a photographer on the way to breakfast!
July 26th thru August 1st, 2010
This is Buffalo's backyard. I had ideas for a great shot, but things didn't work out. Oh well,... Now too late for further selections and review. Have a good week.
July 19th thru July 25th, 2010
This is a picture of the salt mine to which I carry my pick and shovel each day. It actualy is a nice facility, not really a salt mine at all. I was trying to be funny. Summer weather has been great, other than yesterday's tornadoes... we don't usually get them around here, but there were three of them yesterday; not right here in Buffalo, but in the southern tier counties of Cattaraugus and Chautauqua. Still, close enough to be interesting for us. Actually, I was cooking on the grill when the worst part of the weather hit our neighborhood. I kept going, just held on to the umbrella awning I was standing under with one hand and the grill tongs in the other. Honestly, my brother was helping me. My sister turned 60. She's pretty old now! She's my baby sister!
July 12th thru July 18th, 2010
We continue to experience beautiful weather in Buffalo. Gorgeous summer so far; a tad warm, but beautiful skies. These men were jousting in their armor in about 85 degrees temperature. It was interesting to watch and try to return to that period in history to imagine life then. The Hawk Creek Renaissance Festival was going on this weekend (and next) and I had the opportunity to attend for Buffalo.com. See some more photographs here…
July 5th thru July 11th, 2010
This weekend was the Geneseo Warbirds Airshow. As the sky was perfectly blue and the temperature a comfortable 80 degrees, I selected to attend. This is a shot of the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team in action. There were really only three (3) planes there, but with little effort from Photshop Elements we filled the sky. It was a fun day. Beautiful weather this week.
June 28th thru July 4th, 2010
Well, Erin, Charlie and Justine are back in Portland, OR. I took this on our front lawn the night before they left. It was a great two weeks. We'll miss them. What amazing weather we had here in Buffalo for their last week of visit. Beautiful sunshine with the week starting cold and finishing hot. The morning sun has been spectacular against a clear morning blue sky. This week was spent almost entirely with family, what a great vacation! My cup runneth over!
Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans. Last night were fireworks in our little village; as I write this I can hear them going off in the distance in communities all around us tonight. Back in July 1776 after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams predicted we would mark this occasion with fireworks and celebrations. I am very proud of my country. I know we do not do it right each and every time, but deep down inside our American hearts we care for individuals and sincerely do want justice and freedom for all. We seem to have been given big responsibilities in this world and I believe we do our very best to fulfill them.
God, keep the United States of America on the right path.
June 21st thru June 27th, 2010
This is the first week of a two week respite from the corporate world. Chris, Erin, Charlie and Justine (Son-in-law, daughter and grandchildren) visiting from Portland, OR.. It was a great visit. Chris had to return but Erin and the kids are here another week. Justine is my favorite little girl in the whole wide world and you can see by this photo it is in her eyes, just who she is. We did Genesee Country Village, the Naval Park, Old Fort Niagara, spent hours upon hours in the pool, Charlie played Wii, Justine played "Mr. Potato head" on my computer and we all did "smores" over the back yard fire at night.
June 14th thru June 20th, 2010
Fathers Day today. We had a great day here in Buffalo, not without some trouble; Julie rolled her car over on the Thruway, but is safe and not injured, now the car, that's another story. Family together with a great picnic. Callie and Phil stopped over after dinner. I was leading Phil 15-3 in a game of horseshoes and he came backe to lead me 20-19, I eventually finished it, but comeback of the year by Phil. Erin and Chris with Charlie and Justine are getting on a plane in Portland OR as I type this for a couple weeks here in Buffalo. We're all so excited. Thus the bright red barn in lots of sunshine! I'm, on vacation for the next two weeks!! Life is good!.
June 7th thru June 13th, 2010
The Botanical Gardens grounds in Lackawanna are certainly under appreciated by me. It was a rainy, drizzly, foggy day in Buffalo this Sunday and while driving around looking for something interesting I happened to meander over to Lackawanna. The small lake by the Botanical Gardens is covered, simply covered, by water lilies. I have never really seen a collection of water lilies like that before. These were beautiful and fragrant. There were birds and frogs sitting on top of them, ducks swimming around them and fish jumping up and eating off of them. What a really beautiful experience for me this morning.
This is a shot of one corner of the little lake. The entire lake was covered in these water lilies.
May 31st thru June 6th, 2010
May 24th thru May 30th, 2010
The Central Park United Methodist Church, from the back side on Wesley Place.
A pretty nice week in Buffalo. We had plenty of sunshine and unseasonally warm temperatures. Sunday, Elaine and I hosted a little picnic for selected old friends with whom we had lost touch with our move to Buffalo. Now that we're back in the East Aurora area we got together again, and it was super fun! What very nice folks they are indeed. The kids we knew as little are now much more grown, beautiful, in high school, with boy friends. And they are still very nice kids. Folks, we lost touch with were fun to see again. A great day, indeed, with swimming in the pool, badminton, Kan-Jam, lots of food and a backyard fire at night. It really couldn't get any better.
May all have a memorable Memorial Day, and remember what it has taken to get us were we are.
May 17th thru May 23rd, 2010
This was the week we opened the pool. Not swimming yet, but the cover is off, the shock and algecide have been applied. So, summer can't be too far off. This picture of the Hamlin Park Pavillion was taken with my new 16-35mm L USM II lens. This is three images combined to create one HDR image. HDR has a tendancy to be less sharp. This turned out ok, though. I attribute that to the lens. Had a good week, relatively.
May 10th thru May 16th, 2010
The week finished out beautifully here in Buffalo. President Obama visited on Thursday. Seems like a nice enough fellow. This photo was taken on a Friday lunch time walk I took. I hardly ever leave the building for lunch, but Friday was too nice not too wander off for a moment or two. This little path is not far from our office. A nice respite this was. Saturday and Sunday were lawn days here in the neighborhood. I spent Sunday AM photographing a walk for MS in Fredonia, NY. Very nice folks down there in Fredonia, NY.
May 3rd thru May 9th, 2010
A building left of many that were once the Larkin Soap Company complex here on Seneca and Exchange Streets in Buffalo, NY. My grandmother worked at the Larkin Co as a very young woman before she was married to my grandfather in 1925.
To learn more about the Larkin Soap Company
We had a happy Mother's Day here in our neck of the woods, even if we did awaken to snow this morning.
April 26th thru May 2nd, 2010
As I have mentioned previously, probably more often than was required, we've moved back into the suburbs from the city. I guess, actually, East Aurora and Elma are a tad more out than the suburbs. Neighbors in Buffalo asked, "Why would you want to move way back out there, again?" I think the real reason was to be back closer to children who have chosen to remain out here "in the suburbs". It makes babysitting opportunities much more convenient.
I liked the city, actually. The architecture of Buffalo is really amazing, you are close to everything. There is nothing you would need to buy, nothing that you would want to do (other than skiing) that you are not minutes away from. The food is great and the restaurant selection seemed limitless. Truly, though, the neighborhoods are very fragile. It seemed as if our neighborhood could breakdown to be less than comfortable at any moment. And, there really isn't a neighborhood in the whole city that isn't in the same situation. Additionally, nearing senior citizen age, having everything on one floor seems beneficial and not too many city homes are a single floor, ranch style house.
None the less, I miss it a bit; the city I mean. But sitting out in the back yard this evening watching the fire in the pit in the yard, I heard birds and wind in the trees and every once in a while some distant automobile traffic from the RT400. But not one siren, and no constant traffic noise and no wondering who that was walking down the sidewalk in front of the house. I don’t even have a sidewalk in front of my house.
This flower shot taken Friday night of a tree in the front yard. Spring is here.
April 19th thru April 25th, 2010
Early Saturday morning I woke to a day that I knew was going to come out of the night with great morning sunshine. I threw my camera in the car and while driving around was struck by the morning light on this old farm on Seneca Street down a ways from Moog and before Springbrook. It was a mixed week for weather in Buffalo. cold and rain and sunshine. Variety is the spice of life.
April 12th thru April 18th, 2010
Ben's and my visit to see the V-22 Osprey was the big event of this week. The Marines fly the V22 Osprey, a Tilt-Rotor aircraft. It is replacing the old CH46 helicopters in the US Marine Corps squadrons. Many years ago, I was a young Marine pilot flying CH46's when we learned of the potential program to develop the V22. That was in 1970-1975. The Osprey finally got to an operational squadron, I believe in about 2005. It was exciting for Ben and me as he designs hydraulic valves for aircraft controls and his company did a lot of work on the Osprey. It was nostalgic for me as the pilots on this plane were from VMM 365 and told me my old squadron HMM 264 was also getting the new V-22's and becoming VMM 264 rather than HMM 264.
April 5th thru April 11th, 2010
This is the old Kalla farm on Ostrander Road, not far from where Kalla Lane intersects Ostrander. Joe and Ginny Kalla used to own the farm and both I and my father before me worked on the farm at one time in our lives; my father when he was first married and I during the summer between my Junior and Senior years in high school. When I worked there the main field was down off of Blood Road and was a "muck field". The Kalla’s grew lettuce, radishes, onions and the like. I was the worst farm field hand ever, I was 16 years old (wow, that was 45 years ago). I had just gotten my driver’s license and I had this summer job living on the farm and working in the fields. It was hot, and did I mention I was the worst lettuce/radish picker ever? Well Joe drove down in the field one hot afternoon and asked if anyone knew how to drive a truck? My hand shot up faster than a Baptist at an alter call! Joe didn't seem to be more discerning other than mine was the first hand up. So he pointed in my direction and said, “Hop in and drive us back to the barn.” (this picture) I slid into the driver’s seat and prayed for the best. It was about three quarters of a mile to the barn from the field and when we had nearly reached our destination Joe looked over from the passenger seat and questioned..."I thought you said you knew how to drive a truck?" None the matter, I got the truck driving job. So all summer long I drove this big box truck, with the windows rolled down and the radio blasting delivering lettuce, radishes, onions and assorted vegetables to markets and supermarkets all over Western NY and Buffalo. It was a lot more fun than picking radishes in the muck fields all day, I can tell you that!
March 29th thru April 4th, 2010
It was a beautiful week in Buffalo; sunshine and temperatures in the 80's. On Easter Sunday it was a tad cooler, but none the less a bright sunny Easter Sunday. We enjoyed it with family and friends. A new lawn tractor was purchased this week (pictures to follow, I'm sure). We rolled the lawn. Spring is fun and the "things to do list" bulges. These tulips were the center piece for Easter dinner.
March 22nd thru March 28th, 2010
Sitting in a Mexican restaurant, the food at which, by the way, was very authentic and very good, when the colors of the multi-flavored pop bottles against the green walls caught my eye. I asked if I could take a picture and they said yes. At least I think that is what they said; they acted as if that is what they said anyway. I don't speak Spanish. I would recommend this place on the corner of Eggert and Niagara Falls Blvd...it used to be a Denny's.
Well, my daughter was graduated from Michigan State and my son in law from Duke. They both made it to the Final Four today and now my grandson is caught in a moral dilemma of whom to rout for if they should both make it to the Championship game.
March 15th thru March 21st, 2010
Spring sprung this weekend in Western New York. A very welcome collection of nice days all this past week. I got my bike out and rode Saturday and Sunday. Short distances,( 8 miles Sat and 12 mile Sun) it's been way too long since I've ridden and there have been way too many cookies, candy bars, fish fries, french fries, eggs and bacon gone down into the old digestive system in the last months and years. I believe 2003 through 2006 I was in my best bike riding form. And it was hard then. Oh well, I'm getting back on the bike. I really like riding the bike. There will be more pictures from my bike rides this year. Spent time taking pictures Friday night in East Aurora. I like them but they are different than I normally do. East Aurora doesn't photograph like Buffalo.
March 8th thru March 14th, 2010
The annual St Patrick's Day Parade took place in downtown Buffalo today. This character was having fun. All the snow has melted. It has been raining, but warm. Spring is coming.
Go here to see more of the Buffalo St Pat's Parade...
http://www.mybuffalo.com/_St-Patricks-Day-Delaware-Parade/set/55145/85283.html
March 1st, 2010 thru March 7th, 2010
The snow has fallen all winter. Really for the last two months there has been consistant accumulation of new snow. This weekend it has just begun to warm up enough to cause some thaw. The sun was glorious and the early morning sun shinning through the icicles in this photograph is what caught my attention. Although the weekend was realtively warm this picture taken Saturday AM was taken with the thermometer at about 10 degrees F. It warmed up quickly. However, have still had a fire buring in the wood stove all weekend. My daughter, Erin, son in law and two grandchildren just returned to Portland (OR)from a week in Hawaii. Callie's birthday is Monday, Ben is skiing in Vermont and my other step daughter, Erin, remains pregnant.
February 15th thru February 21st, 2010
It has been white for weeks now. Although Buffalo has a reputation for snow, it is not always white from December to March, but for this year January and February have been relatively white. I like it. The sky was beautiful today, Sunday. First bright, sunny, non-office day I've experienced in a while. This photograph was taken yesterday, Saturday when the sky was just beginning to make way for the sunny day that was to become today. This photograph was taken along Lake Shore Road not far from Evangola State Park. I saw this scene while driving home from shooting, for Buffalo.com, a Winter Fest gathering at Evangola. The scene impressed me enough to cause me to pull off and into a little road side park, walk up a snow covered hill to a walk bridge over a little creek that feeds out into Lake Erie to shoot this. Fun. The results of photography are so rewarding in so many ways.
February 8th thru February 14th, 2010
This has been what I would call, a good winter. Not too much snow, but snow all the time, just enough to keep it white. They opened the toboggan runs at Chestnut Ridge Park this year after, I guess, insurance considerations had kept them closed for years. Anyone who has grown up in Western New York has memories of the times you , friends and family enjoyed the thrill of shooting down the toboggan chutes at Chestnut Ride. To see some pictures I took there Sunday, go to this link.
http://www.pbase.com/dhnieman/chestnut
It should be fun!
February 1st thru February 7th, 2010
A little hike down into Hunters Creek this afternoon before returning home to watch the New Orleans Saints win their first Superbowl. I was rooting for the Colts as I'm an AFC guy and I really like Payton Manning, but who could not be somewhat pleased to see New Orleans do so well.
January 25th thru January 31st, 2010
Within 30 minutes of arriving at Knox Farm State Park this morning, Sunday, January 25th, the crisp bright morning sunshine transformed into clouds with millions of soft white flakes of snow fluttering down. With the air at about 10 degrees (F), the snow lighted on my camera and remained on the cold black metal body so I could appreciate the crystalline structure of each flake.
January 18th thru January 24th, 2010
There is a little story on how I got this wind turbine shot, but I was someplace the signs said I should not have been, so I'll keep quiet for the time being. I took a series of them and when I got home noticed, as I was so concerned about getting to the turbine field, I left my camera on ISO 1600. With the lens I had with me and the light of the day , it was certainly the incorrect ISO setting for this (and the other shots) I took while sneaking around these huge turbines. They are close to 300 feet tall, cost 2.5 million a piece. They dwarf the forest trees behind them. They make a solid whoof, whoof, whoofing noise as they turn through the wind.
January 4th thru January 17th, 2010
The previous week's freezing cold and tons of fluffy snow melted away this week.
December 28th, 2009 thru January 3rd, 2010
It is a new year. The transition is complete. The snow continues.
December 7th thru December 27th 2009
What a wonderful Christmas we had; family and friends.
This shot was taken today, Sunday Dec 27th, the morning after an evening of slight freezing rain/wet snow. I am on Willardshire Road looking across the field to the barns on the Knox State Park in East Aurora. A beautiful winter morning.
With moving and Christmas and work,photography has just slowed down the last month or two. We'll pick it up here, now.
06-DEC-2009
November 30th thru December 6th, 2009
This is the main entrance to the East Aurora Union Free School District's Administrative Offices. My father went to high school in this building in 1941 through 1945 (68 - 64 years ago). This building is right on Main Street and North Grove Street in East Aurora, NY. I really like this town/village; it is my home. I am really pleased that I left my home for the adventures and experiences that I've had away from here, but it is so really good to feel like this is home. It's truly much more important than I ever realized.
November 2nd thru November 29th, 2009
East Aurora is a quaint little village. It works extremely hard at being quaint. The businesses of the Main Street are barber shops, hair salons, restaurants, banks, drug stores, gas stations (mini marts), dress shops, a tack shop, local insurance agencies, lawyers and the like. The big Main Street retailer is Vidler's 5 and Dime. The claim to fame is it is the headquarters for Fisher Price Toys Division of Mattel, and the home of Elbert Hubbard’s Roycroft artisans.
At 6:30 on this Sunday morning there was more traffic than I anticipated on the quaint newly bricked Main Street. It was hard to get a 30 second exposure off without some vehicular interference.
Although I was a West Falls boy and went to Springville Griffith Institute High School, I still consider East Aurora home. There have been Niemans in this area for about 150 years. So I guess calling it home is ok.
October 26th thru November 1st, 2009
Well, we closed on the house in East Aurora. Lots and lots of work needs to be done. It is November 1st and the pool hasn't been closed, the yard hasn't been mowed nor the leaves raked. The whole house needs to be painted inside. Carpeting requires replacement in a couple rooms, and, in general, just all over the place the house needs to be cleaned and cared for. Drains drain slowly, the outside trim on the house needs painting and those shutters, well, that color needs to be modified. I'm sure Elaine and I will make it our own in no time. It is four bedrooms, two and a half baths, very large living room, dining room, and kitchen, family room with fireplace and, my very favorite room, the "four season room". I'm calling it the "Alaskan room" as the walls and the wood burning stove remind me of a cabin in Alaska. All on .7 of an acre in a nice little neighborhood just off the village of East Aurora, NY. Elaine says we're going to die here, I say I'm going to die drinking my first cup of coffee of the morning, on the porch, in a little cabin on the side of a forested mountain overlooking a glacier lake. She's probably right.
None the less it is a great deal different than the neighborhood in Buffalo.
October 19th thru October 25th, 2009
These are some of the homes on the souteast side of Colonial Circle in Buffalo. It was an autumn morning meant to be experienced.
Everything is hecktic; work, home, hobbie all providing some stress. Work because it is work, home because we're moving and hobbie because I'm not getting the time to enjoy it as I would like.
I have got to tell you a story. You see, we're selling our house, actually we sold it and the appraisal for the buyer's bank was accomplished a few weeks ago. We get this notice, they want me to paint the front steps and touch up the garage door. I have never heard of such a request. Put gutters on , maybe; Install a sump pump, could be; New furnace that is up to code ok; but paint the front steps. They weren't that bad, what do you think this dim witted appraiser woman was thinking?
Oh well, they're painted. Beautiful fall day I could have been walking out in the woods, but I was painting a garage door and front steps.
Oct ober 12th thru October 18th, 2009
A beautiful autumn Sunday in Buffalo. Sunshine and cool autumn winds lighted up and caused the turning leaves to dance.
I went to a gallery showing of some fellow Buffalo photogtaphers Friday night and on the way home stopped by the Albright Knox and Buff State. This shot was taken from Albright Knox looking over across Elmwood to Rockwell Hall.
Buffalo's beauty is not hard to notice.
October 5th thru October 11th, 2009
Sage College in Albany,NY just off of New Scottland Road heading downtown. While Erin and Chris (daughter and son-in-law)lived in Albany, they lived not far from here and Chris attended Albany Medical College just down the road. It was a beautiful Autumn day in Albany, Sunday.
September 28th thru October 4th, 2009
I've missed a couple weeks of Plogs as I have been busier than a bear in a honeycomb working on shooting pictures in Albany and Syracuse. Additionally, work at my day job has been it's typical fun and games place. And, Elaine and I are moving soon so are packing up the house. Plus, PBase was down for days. I can't imagine the issues those guys must be experiencing to have a site like PBase down for days. Not good, guys. PBase must really be like a mom and pop shop. Oh well, I have too many photos on here to move so I'm going down with the ship. I got up early Saturday morning to catch this shot of the back side of the University at Buffalo's North Campus.
September 7th thru September 13th, 2009
This week I had the opportunity to reacquaint myself with some of the architecture on the West Side of Buffalo. The old First Presbyterian Church and Kleinhans Music Hall on Symphony Circle are two that were a part of my visits this week. I, for some reason am drawn to the curves of the portico on the entrance to Kleinhans. It's an amazing structure, but I'm not quite sure why the bell tower required such height on the church (see my Buffalo galleries). It seems a bit disproportional.
First Presbyterian Church.
Click here from more photos of
CHURCH
August 31st thru September 6th, 2009
We had a great family get together Sunday. Erin, Andy, Chase, Julie, Ben, Dad, Chris, Elaine and me. Hot dogs, tuna macaroni salad, and corn on the cob. How much more American can you get? After we the food we sat around the fire. Also Saturday, Elaine and I met some visitors from Germany and spent the afternoon and evening showing them Buffalo before they continued on the rest of thier 6 week tour of America. Johann and Irene...great people and we had lots of laughs.
August 17th thru August 23rd, 2009
We were sitting in my fathers front yard. There were six of us in chairs on the stone patio under the shade of huge towering Maple trees. This deer moved out from the edge of the wooded area on the west side of my fathers property and stood not more than 25 yards away from us. She stood right under a relatively tall apple tree and helped herself to apples off the ground. She stood there until Andre, Dad and Chris's Standard French Poodle, left his place next to my father and chased the intruding deer as far as his respect for the invisible fence around the yard would allow. The doe liked those apples so much that in the short time we sat there she returned four times; all to end in the same style chase.
August 3rd thru August 10th, 2009
This was the second week of a two week vacation. I had planned, in the two weeks, to spend a couple days on a bike ride out toward Batavia and Rochester, then Elaine and I were going to take a trip to NYC and Washington, DC. Well...I did neither of those. Instead, we bought a house. Yep, we're moving back to East Aurora/Elma. Actually the house is in Elma with an East Aurora mailing address.
We are not buying on contingency of selling our current house, but as I really don't think paying two mortgages is best for us right now, we spent all this second week of my vacation getting the current house ready to sell. Our plan is to stay in the current house and spend a little time tweaking the new house before we move in.
I did spend a lot of time on photography though, and it was profitable.
This shot from below the Oak Street off ramp downtown was shot early on Friday morning. I was right next to the City Mission and under the ramp overpass I found a couple sleeping on cardboard boxes sharing an old dirty blanket with Old Milwaukee Beer cans scattered all around. One of the other guys on the street said those two were going to sleep through the breakfast at the City Mission if they didn't get up soon. Not only are they homeless and jobless, but can't get up in time for a free breakfast at the City Mission. I sometimes find it hard to sympathize.
Still, I consider myself very lucky and know, but by the grace of God, that could be me, and I do owe something toward the assistance of these folks.
July 20th thru July 26th, 2009
This week at work was productive. We have good folks who want to work diligently. They are in tough positions, too, with the divestiture and all the uncertainty that situation fosters. Oh well, it's just business.
Elaine and I toured the USS Little Rock, a ship in the Buffalo Harbor that has become a permanent fixture in the Naval Park here. When I was in the Marine Corps, as a young CH-46 Helicopter pilot, in 1973 our squadron (HMM 264 The Black Knights, Call Sign "Leroy" (pronounced "Lee Roy")) was on a Mediterranean Tour. I was on the USS Guadalcanal and remember flying some CINCLANT Leaders to the USS Little Rock for a meeting. That was 36 years ago, now. Then I was a young 24 years old Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant, aircraft commander, cocky and self assured. It was strange to walk the flight deck and tour the ship with my wife after so many years. It was emotional for me. There were young kids with their parents escorting them through the check in process to a US Naval Sea Cadet Corps camp to be held onboard the ship for the next week. I remembered when this ship was really alive. The diesel smells are gone, the activity much more subdued, the ladders steeper and the passageways much narrower than I remember them.
This is a view of City Hall from the restored Commercial Slip of the Erie Canal on the waterfront near the Naval Park.
July 13th thru July 19th, 2009
This shot is from my neighbor's sidewalk about three houses down. It was a beautiful Saturday morning for July; sunny yet cool. I carried my camera and tripod to Amy's Place (really greasy spoon)up on Main Street where I enjoyed a comfortable breakfast. You have to be able to ignore a lot when you eat at Amy's. Our section of Buffalo is called the "University Heights" neighborhood. Really eclectic. Professors, judges, politicians, doctors, lawyers, bankers, students, unemployed, under privileged, thieves, sex offenders and criminals live in University Heights. The Buffalo Garden Walk tours our neighborhood; just weeks after the police picked a recent college graduate's body off the center of Main Street after being shot in the back over an argument concerning a girl. You need to lock your doors and some folks have alarm systems. We have a dog that barks but would lick you to death before biting you. The city has been a real learning situation for me..
Peace Bridge in Color
I ordered a bunch of new photography stuff this week. It included an RS-80N Remote Shutter Release, a 580EX-II Flash unit, and an Omni Bounce for the flash. I received the Remote Release and put it to work right away. This shot of the Peace Bridge is one example of an image created with the help of the shutter release.
This summer/spring they outfitted the Peace Bridge with this new LED lighting system and it is a wonderful addition. I had a great time Saturday night until almost midnight shooting off the Nowak Pier (Bird Island Pier as many know it).
June 29th thru July 5th, 2009
Way back at the original signing of the Declaration of Independence the Fourth of July was predicted by John Adams (actually he was, I believe, referring to July 2nd, at the time) to be the occasion for future celebrations and fireworks. It proved to be this year, again. At Fort Niagara, there was a wonderful 250th re-enactment of a battle for Ft Niagara that took place July 1759 during the French and Indian War.
...to see more photos of the Ft Niagara 1759 Battle click here
Seven Years War
June 22nd thru June 28th, 2009
You know how you drive or walk or ride by scene that catches your eye but you continue on without stopping. It could be it is not quite convenient or you are in a hurry or you second guess it and rationalize "it wasn't that good". Well, I think I'm going to try and stop more often.
This was a scene off the Col Patrick O'Rorke Bridge in Ontario Beach, Rochester, NY early on a Saturday morning.
June 8th thru June 14th, 2009
My task was to capture representative shots of the community, mostly architecture in neighborhoods. As driving down Lake Shore Drive along the Lake Ontario shore north of Rochester, NY I rounded a corner, started a decent down a slight grade and this walkway bridge over a wet area caught my attention. I believe it is the Ontario Lakewalk Trail and is a very beautiful suburban trail following the southern shore of Lake Ontario. The curves really seemed to fit the venue.
June 1st thru June 7th, 2009
The opportunity to photograph central city Rochester was presented to me this week so I jumped on my horse (in my car) and rode (drove) east on the Thruway about 70 miles to Rochester. I found it quite enjoyable. The Genesee River runs right through the heart of the city and the geological events of past years deposited an eighty foot falls and surrounding gorge right in center city. Folks from Rochester call it the "High Falls Historical Area". Anyway, Saturday night they held this laser light show on the walls of the gorge. The blue light on the falls is resultant of this light show. Check out my "Rochester Gallery" in PBase.
...to see photos of Rochester click here
ROCHESTER
May 25th thru May 31, 2009
I am going to be taking pictures of Rochester, NY for the next few weeks. This was taken this evening, Sunday, May 31. I'm looking forward to spending some time in Rochester.
May 18th thru May 24th, 2009
What a beautiful week in Buffalo, lots of spring sunshine. That soft sweet fragrance from the last of the Lilacs touches the air. Baseball games, bicycle events for charity and marathon runs seem to be in season, and tomorrow is Memorial Day remembrance. I'm going to take time to remember and be especially thankful tomorrow.
...to see photos of the baseball game click here
BISONS
...to see photos of the run click here
MARATHON
May 11th thru May 17th, 2009
Great week for photography, but no time to write. Elaine kicked me out of the house...yep, we're getting our hardwood floors refinished so furniture from half the house is piled in the rooms of the other half of the house. We have to move out for 3 nights 4 days. Then we get to do it all over again next week with the other half of the house. So this is it for this week and maybe next!
May 4th thru May 11th, 2009
I covered a run/walk event for buffalo.com (to see event photos click here
BOTANICAL
)and the venue was the Buffalo Botanical Gardens. This shot is from the south lawn of the facility looking north. It was an enjoyable assignment. That style of photography is a challenge for me as you need to accept the fact activities and action at such events just happen way too fast and require way too much candidness in the photography for the amature to really get consistantly good shots. However it is fun to practice and a good learning expereince for any photographer. If you want to realize how much you have yet to learn about your equipment, composition and use of light attend sporting events, concerts, weddings and etc. and attempt taking good photographs. Buffalo.com really is not so much concerned about the event as it is for getting photos of the attendees. You need to get those attendees to then visit their photographs on line at buffalo.com and then buy some of the stuff the advertizers are selling. You really need to know what you're doing. None of this setting it up on a tripod, pondering the best perspective and evaluating the compositon for what the best light might be. You need to be aware of that and know how you are going to handle it before you even start to shoot the event. Really fun. Check out some of the photos and let me know what you think...(to see event photos click here
BOTANICAL
It was a great monther's day today.
April 27th thru May 3rd, 2009
If you live in or around Buffalo and you have not walked out the Nowak Pier to it's end at the breakwall, you really need to do it. You get a whole different perspective of the city and you'll see interesting things on your walk. This view of the Peace Bridge as seen from the pier at 8:30 PM on a spring time night, is worth the walk, alone.
Life is good but I miss Charlie, Justine and their parents.
They did not accept our offer on the land and we did not respond to their counter offer.
Am reading Viktor Frankl Man's Search For Meaning. Everyone should read it. It should be required reading in high school.
April 20th thru April 26th, 2009
This week, Wednesday, it was "Bring Your Child To Work Day". This boy sat in the boss's chair and when asked to go to work, he picked up the telephone!
We have been house hunting for 2 years, finally decided the only way to get what we want is to build (we're more discerning now as we are older). This weekend we were looking for property and found a corn field on a hill for which they are asking way too much.
April 13th thru April 19th, 2009
What a great week we had with Erin, Charlie and Justine visiting from Portland, OR.. Thanks to Chris for sharing his family with us. One of our stops was at Old Fort Niagara where we visited the original French fort built in the mid 1700’s prior to the French and Indian War 1753-1760 (Seven Years War). We had quite a surprise as we were told there would be a musket firing on the hour and waiting for the demonstration to begin, who should come out in his British Red Coat uniform but an old friend of the family's. Allan is a retired history teacher and is now a docent and re-enactor at the fort. He gave us a great demonstration and we learned where colloquialisms such as "quit dragging your butt", "a flash in the pan", "a hot shot", "lock, stock and barrel" and others originated.
We also got to visit the Buffalo Zoo and the Buffalo Science Museum while the kids visited this week. It was a good week and Erin, Charlie and Justine are safely back in Portland.
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.
January 4th thru January 11th, 2009
Vickie is, at least, in her late 80's (some rumor early 90's). She plays the role of "neighborhood mayor", everyone knows of her and she knows everyone. She's snowblowing her driveway and does this consistently as needed. A couple weeks ago, when returning home from work, I could not have gotten into my drive had she not blown out the threshold. She gardens with the best of them and her home yard is often on the Buffalo Garden Walk Tour. Quite an amazing woman; has outlived husbands and does her son's yard work ("because she likes to and has the time").
January 3rd, 2009 University at Buffalo in International Bowl
I had a really exciting opportunity to photograph the International Bowl in Toronto Ontario on Jan 3, 2009. UCONN defeated UB 38 to 20 (it was closer than the score) in an exciting game. Shooting with the "Professionals" (there were a number of Pro Photographers) was a learning experience. I did ok, but I am learning you can't do everything well. If you are going to contribute in photography, I believe you need to find specificity in your work. Specialize. Give all your best to a specific approach.
December 29th thru December 31st, 2008
My vacation from work has been wonderful. I haven't thought about work at all and I have had a chance to work with my photography. I am looking forward with anticipation to the UB Bulls International Bowl in Toronto. I have press credentials and will be shooting on the field. Additionally, Ben and his friends are going and seeing them should be fun! The shot I picked for this PLOG was taken at the old Central Terminal freight building. I enjoyed walking around this disserted and decaying building with all the memories it provides. I can almost hear the noise of freight being loaded and trains pulling out. Plus it is a tad adventuresome in that you can tell gangs and vagrants inhabit the place and you never know who you may encounter.
October 8th thru 14th
Erin told me of this house and it was a nice photo op, but the enire North Pearl Street was a real surprize. Beautiful renovated mid 19th century houses. Nice week for photographs.
October 1st thru 7th, 2007
The shed at Barb's property. We took a trip to pick up Barb. All Elaine could think about was getting there and getting back.
September 24th thru 30th, 2007
This was a big work week with the CIT divestiture conversion. Looked at HDR software again this week. I like the intensity of the colors and images, but the "unrealness" you can create is something that does not interest me, really.
24-SEP-2007
September 17th thru 23rd, 2007
This week was a busy photography week. I had the Worldlink shoot (which was less than satisfactory, poor exposures), I shot some candids of the construction people around Citi and the Saturday evening walk downtown to shoot some night shots (which produced this image). It appears a bit underexposed, but I like the detail and exposure when viewed on my Toshiba.
Worked some hours on my Grain Elevator book for Dad.
January 24th thru January 30th, 2011
A big weekend for our family, my step daughter, Callie, the one in the middle in the white dress holding her niece and my new granddaughter, was married to Phil, not pictured. (The guys weren't important in this shot.) It was a beautiful wedding and Callie and Phil (new step son-in-law) leave for Aruba tomorrow (Monday, Jan 31st). These beautiful girls are, left to right, my wife Elaine, my daughter (step) Callie, her sister and my other step daughter Erin and the bright eyed little girl in the middle is Erin's new baby, and my newest granddaughter, Elise.