B&H

B&H Panorama - New York  2018

Olympus - New York  2018

Our hotel in New York was just a few blocks from B&H, the camera megastore. Yes, very large!

The upper floor had kiosks dedicated to all the camera manufacturers, with samples available to pick up and fiddle with.

I was interested to see my camera, an Olympus EM1II, outfitted with the professional 12-100mm zoom lens. I haven't been particularly tempted by this particular lens, since the range on my go-to zoom lens is 14-150mm. Not quite as much on the wide end, but it has quite a bit more reach. Of course, the professional lens supposedly has much higher optical quality . . .

New York Rain

Meat Market - New York  2018

Rain, Self Portrait - New York  2018

Wandering around the Hell's Kitchen area in the rain with a Canon G5X and an iPhone.

Some NYC People

Grey Dog - New York  2018

Demonstrators (Brooklyn) - New York  2018

I'm posting most of my NYC people shots in black and white, as a kind of homage to Max Yavno.

Mr Yavno has been mentioned on the blog before. In point of fact, I have a framed, signed Max Yavno print . . . purchased from the G. Ray Hawkings gallery in Los Angeles quite a few years ago.

In reference to the second photo it seems that, fortunately, there's a solution to this issue on the horizon.

Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty - New York  2018

Brooklyn Bridge - New York  2018

One of our NYC goals was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. We took the ferry to Greenpoint, walked around, then caught another ferry to DUMBO, passing underneath the bridge. Nice view as we approached, with the Statue of Liberty punctuating the horizon. A quick stop in an Italian restaurant for coffee and bathroom break, then we looped underneath and up to the bridge.

Very crowded! But we made it across!

Photo by Jose: Hali & Mike, Brooklyn Bridge - New York  2018

Monday Sparrow Blogging

Sparrows - New York  2018

. . . in Central Park, near the Alice in Wonderland statue.

Central Park

Boats, Central Park - New York  2018

Bethesda Terrace Tableau - New York  2018

We wandered through Central Park as part of our Hell's Kitchen food tour. Nice weather!

In Bethesda Terrace there was a photo shoot going on, plus a performance artist holding forth (on the left.)

Bethesda Terrace Gown - New York  2018

NYC Tab Ads - 1

Tab Ad (Chappy) - New York  2018

Tab Ad (Ballet) - New York  2018

I'm not sure what to call them . . . ads taped up all over the place, with tabs carefully cut so one could pull one of them off for future reference.

One could possibly pull off a "fool-the-eye" (trompe l'oeil) effect if printed.

Taking Photos (New York)

Taking Photos (Brooklyn Bridge) - New York  2018

Taking Photo - New York  2018

Lady in the top shot was using a Canon DSLR. Top and bottom photos taken with an Olympus EM1II. I used an iPhone for the middle photo.

Skyline, People - New York  2018

Polish Neighborhood

Kent Street (Brooklyn) - New York  2018

Polish Food (Brooklyn) - New York  2018

. . . in Brooklyn. For lunch we ended up in a Polish restaurant (Krolewskie Jadlo) and ordered way too much food.

"The name translates as King’s Feast, and the menu is suitably regal."

(I'll be posting some NYC photos in a basically random order 'cause it would be too tedious to try and stick to an exact chronology. Then, photos from upstate NY, then Pennsylvania and lastly New Jersey.)

"Loud"

Favela Cubana Exterior - New York  2018

Favela Cubana Interior, Self Portrait - New York  2018

Wow, this place was loud!

How can one describe loudness? I guess, just "loud", or "uncomfortable", or, in some cases, "painful" shading off into "damaging". This restaurant fell into the last category . . . at times I could feel my eardrums vibrate due to the noise. That was interesting: one doesn't feel pain, as such, but intuitively you know that prolonged exposure would be damaging.

I don't know . . . do young people have a special auditory filtering system that allows them to block out the noise and have conversations?

As to the food . . . nope, can't remember. Don't think that it was anything special.

Mirrors

Mirror, Self Portrait - New York  2006

Mirror, Self Portrait - New York  2018

Ubiquitous circular mirrors, then and now.

Monday Pigeon Blogging

Pigeons, Boats, Smoke (Sausalito) - Marin County  2018

Pigeons, Parking Lot (San Rafael) - Marin County  2018

Smoke in Marin County coming from the Camp Fire in Butte County. Top photo was taken on Wednesday of last week. Next one was taken Friday, when air quality had gotten much worse. Jeez.

Pigeons didn't seem to be too bothered by the air. But some crows on our street appeared to be slightly lethargic . . .

iPhone photos, BTW.

Parks

Park, Rain - New York  2006

Park - New York  2018

In 2006 I was fortunate enough to get a park-in-rain photo, complete with umbrella and dog!

2018: No such luck . . . although I did enjoy using the iPhone to tweak the vertical perspective of the trees in this urban Soho park.

Store Windows

Store Window, Self Portrait - New York  2006

Store Window, Self Portrait, Columbus Circle - New York  2018

Note the self portrait in the 2006 photo: I was using an Olympus C-8080 which had a "flip-up" screen, allowing me to hold the camera at my waist. Unfortunately, none of the cameras I was using this year have that feature. They have "flip-out" screens, maximized for video. Too bad.

Store Window, Garment District - New York  2018

Union Square & Columbus Circle

Union Square - New York  2006

Shops at Columbus Circle - New York  2018

The top photo was taken from an upper floor at Filene's Department Store with an Olympus C-8080; the bottom photo is an iPhone panorama shot (bottom to top).

At the time of the 2006 photo we were three months away from Steve Jobs announcing the first iPhone in January, 2007. Cell phones existed, of course . . . I quite liked my flip phone, but I can't remember having it with me. Needless to say, I'm sure I had my Palm Pilot close by.

We stopped off at "The Shops at Columbus Circle" this year to use the restrooms before crossing over to Central Park.

Fire Escapes

Fire Escape - New York  2006

Fire Escapes - New York  2018

Fire escapes often create intriguing shadows.

Food Carts

Food Cart - New York  2006

Food Cart - New York  2018

I've been calling them food trucks, but they aren't trucks. So, "carts" seems better. Alas, we didn't get anything this year from a food cart.

Highrise in the background of this year's photo is part of the enormous Hudson Yards development.

Hudson Yards Ad - New York  2018

Alexis Bittar

Alexis Bittar - New York  2006

Alexis Bittar - New York  2018

Jewelry items and accessories. Or so I believe, after a totally cursory internet search.

As I said, we took a trip last month to a few East Coast states. My last trip there took place in 2006, so I've gone back to see if there's anything from the earlier trip that might be of interest. Earlier photo at top from 2006 was taken with an Olympus C-8080. Next, a photo taken last month using a Canon G5X.

Monday Pigeon Blogging

Pigeons - San Francisco  2018

Pigeons - Marin County  2018

Some pigeon photos taken last August.

Newark Airport Rain

Airport Window, Rain - New Jersey  2018

Train Tracks, Rain - New Jersey  2018

We flew into Newark last month for a long-planned trip to the East Coast. Rain, heavy at times, greeted us upon our arrival, causing us to break out our parkas. We took the train to Penn Station.

Train Station - New Jersey  2018

Photos at MCF

Three Photos (MCF Exhibit) - Marin County  2018

Two Photos (MCF Exhibit) - Marin County  2018

Nicely displayed! Kudos to Micah LeBrun, who curated the show. To get an idea of the size of the artwork, the vertical frames measure 20x24 inches. All photos were taken using Olympus digital cameras.

Some of the images have been seen before on the blog, for example, Ranch Buildings, Limantour Beach, Sunrise - Owens Valley.

The pictures are being shown in a large conference room (below) along with landscapes by the well-known Marin artist, Kathleen Lipinski. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Location of the show:

5 Hamilton Landing, Suite 200
Novato CA 94949

Conference Room / Exhibit Space (MCF) - Marin County  2018

Hangar No 5

Hanger No 5 - Marin County  2018

View from Hanger No 5 (MCF) - Marin County  2018

Top: Photo of Hanger No 5 (reflecting Hanger No 7) at the old Hamilton Army Airfield in Marin County. This is where five of Mike's photos are being shown! Next: Nice view from the second floor, where MCF (Marin Community Foundation) is located.

Alas, exhibit is only open during business hours, 8-5, M-F.