same old walk, same old snaps, same old song. Saunter down to Fells Point and hike back up. Always seems to be the same stuff that attracts. This time with the A7r and the FE 55 on the way down, the FE 35 on the way back. A polarizer on the 35. I guess the A7r has found a home — right at 10,000 clicks in a week less than three months.
Click here on the snap below to see the gallery.
Modernism along alley street
At the Air & Space Museum (Udvary Hazy at IAD) at 10AM for the opening and a pile of snaps then:
North to Waterford, VA (no snaps today) then;
North to Point of Rocks, MD then;
North to Thurmont, MD (no snaps today or ever) then;
North to Emmitsburg, MD (a few snaps in town) then;
East to Taneytown, MD (back to the cars again) then;
East to Winchester, MD (a few snaps on the weay and in town) then;
East to Reistertown, MD (no snaps today or ever) then;
Northish to Glyndon, MD (no snaps today) then;
East to i83 then;
South to Birroteca for a combined lunch and dinner then
Home
Three Smugmug galleries; Air and Space Museum, Taneytown Cars and Along the Road. Click the preceeding names or the snaps below to see the galleries. Fair warning, there are a lot of snaps from the Air and Space Museum.
First time at Air and Space Museum since 2004 and a Canon 10D. Today was the A7r with the FE 55 and the Canon 14, 24 TS-E, and 100 Macro. Taneytown is a revisit from a couple of years ago.
No sam I am not, 'cause this is about something green and something ham — but green hair and prosciutto at Birroteca. The end of todays line, after a visit to the Rawlings Conservatory and spin thru Druid Hill Park. Abstracts from the Conservatory and structures from the park. Structures in color, vivid Fuji Fortia color, delivered via Sony and the A7r VSCO and. Some in the conservatory with the Canon 100L macro but most with the killer FE 55 f/1.8. Plenty of snow from the other day but a very comfortable sunny and windless 28 outside. Hot and miserably humid in the Mediterranean (Green) House, couldn't wait to get back outside to my New England-like prefered temperature.
Two galleries on smugmug. The abstracts can be seen by clicking here and the park structures by clicking here. And, oh, check out the green hair below.
A combo plan — so I don't set any expectations by having three blog posts in a day. So if you are looking at this becuase you got a blog update notice, check out the next item down as well.
So after the last post, Loch Raven, &c. it started snowing, so back out with the A7r and the Canon 135 f/2.0 on the Metabones. Shot wide open on the way out, at f/8.0 on the way back. A twenty-five minute walk to the park and back. Can't resist playing in the snow. Things haven't changed much since the six slid over a digit to the left. The gallery is shown by clicking here or on the christmas tree lights below.
The other gallery is one of those expiramental things — created in lieu of making new snaps yesterday. Saw a blog that had lots of these, by a local who supposedly has some chops, so... despite KHH's dis of the same on Insta, I gave it a shot anyway. For sure will be the subject of considerable dissin' myself. Hah! So for the seudeo artsy gallery click here or on Domino all the way at the bottom.
Tis the season
Fake real art
Yesterday found me incapable of plotting even the most pedestrain location. Some searches for today led to Loch Raven, where I had never been and Susquehanna State Park, where I had but was not too thrilled. Both are near enough to Wawa country to at least provide an alternative agenda — so after making a major big pharma contribuion at CVS, Charlotte was pointed north.
Was looking for ice and ice there was plenty of — unfortunately mostly underfoot and not so marvy for snaps. In the end was able to squeeze out a few despite the genre mostly missing my sweetspot. A nature guy I am not! The best of the lot are likely the ice on the mill wheel as below. Per now nomal practice the rest are on SmugMug and viewable by a click here or on the item snap.
All with the A7r, some with the FE 55, others with the Canon 70-300 adapted via a Metabones III.
Wainting for the game to start. A walk up the street and around the park. Click here or on the snap below for the rest on smugmug.
Ruski ducks?
Back after quite some time to Marietta, PA. On the Susquhanna River in Lancaster County. This was a backup location to the Ephrata Cloister, deeper into Lancaster County, which was not appealing given the weather. This was last visted a number of cameras ago with the Canon 10D in Septmeber of 2005. Was probably time to go back if for technical improvement reasons only. A few more pixels with the A7r at 36MP vs the 10D's 6MP. The place hasn't changed much, still rather strange, caught between restoration aspirations and just plain rundown. Proximity to Three Mile Island might be part of the reason.
A favorite snap from 2005 redone below. Click it or here to see the rest on smugmug.
subsided enough to brave the sidewalks. Quick trip up Jones Falls, then the sculpture garden at the BMA (which was closed), back to east pratt. Just enough to possibly quell cabin fever — then again maybe not. All with the now almost ubiquitous A7r — this time with the Canon 135 f/2.0 via the Metabones. As usual click here or on the snap below to see the rest.
Watched a tutorial last night by a frenchman named Jean Michel Berts. Loved his B&W approach. Tried it on some back catalog items and then ran out just before the Denver Vs. New England game. Here, next door, across the street, back in.
Click here or on the 2223 sanp below for all five.
Here at Club 2223
Quick drive to Patapsco Stae Park, just downstream from Ellicott City. Was super day, felt like I was a lot younger, maybe six. Roads are very twisty, combined with the low winter sun surefire recipe for car sickness —amazingly while I was driving. Avoided rowlf but still... Grrrrr.
Not sure what is up with this place, people live in or right along the edges of what I presume is the park. They all live behind clusters of keep out signs. Place is also very desolate and looks like it might flood really badly in hurricanes and Nor'easters. Feels like Tabacco Road just five miles from the B'more Stadia. Strange.
Several abaonded houses like the one in the snap below. After I took a few snaps in what feels like a river gorge, I skipped the Ellicot City tourist strip and headed back to town. Mostly to deal with the motion sickness. On to 95 and a stop in at the Museum of Industry parking lot on the south side of the harbor, then a different approach to a favorite venue at the Canco garage in Canton. The showable snaps in a smugmug gallery. Click here or on the snap below to check them out.
All with the A7r, most with the FE 55, the last three Canco garage and the backyard shots with the Canon 70-300L via a Metabones III adapter.
A convenient use of the Fiddler on the Roof/Sinatra lyrics to fit the circumstances. The first was taken yesterday morning, the second tonite. There was some notion of a stitching up a pano for tonite's snaps but no such synapse yesterday. Yesterday's were actually stitched after todays worked out ok. The sunrise pano is only two shots, that is why it is taller, I took a third snap but there is a gap between it and what would be the middle snap, so drat — only two images for the sunrise. The wider, sunset shot, is made up of three images. I had a notion of maybe getting a bonus pano but there wasn't much time as these sun up/down events come and go in a hurry. Certainly no time to grab a tripod, so I used the EVF grid lines to get the horizon more or less in the same place and moved fast and hoped I got the same exposure in AP mode. Worked out pretty well. Both panos with the A7r with the FE 55mm f/1.8 @ f/5.6. All were the first images shot out of a three shot bracket exposed at -2EV, horizontally for convenience. Stitched in Photoshop not in the A7r.
In keeping with my mantra, F the process, it is the outcome that counts. I think the outcome is just fine.
BTW, "contact" printed these things would be pretty big; 42x15 for Sunrise, 64x15 for Sunset. Next time I have a printing party, I think I will do Sunset. A new container of yellow ink just arrived from B&H last week.
Yesterday my AA asked if I had any extra prints laying around the house. Boy do I, finally an opportunity to get rid of some of this stuff, wait until she gets a framing estimate! Hah!
it has been a while. More than a while, months. Lots of new snaps, a new camera with a couple of new lenses too. Todays snaps all done with the new camera, a Sony A7r, and it seems somewhat unusally the FE 55mm f/1.8. Lots of A7r owners seem to be heading toward vintage lens adaption. I am doing some adaption, but generally only where it leverages the strength of the camera, which for me is mostly with the Canon 24mm TS-E II f/3.5 and the TS-E 45 f/2.8. The Sony articulated LCD and focus aids make it a hellofalot easier to focus than the 5D Mk III.
So this morning it was foggy, really foggy and a fog warning in effect until 11AM. Figured I head to Fells Point. But, in an contuation of the car follies that began last Saturday, Charlotte wouldn't start. Another call to Mercedes Roadside Service — at least I am home this time.
By necessity then, todays snaps were from around the 'hood. I'm happy with the outcome. Click here or on the snap below to wing over to smugmug for the gallery.
Yep, looking for some of that. Hoping it can be sourced and doesn't have to be innate. So the first shot is with a pair of dubs. No not the kinda bling you put on an Escalade, but the kinda of dubs that go on your feet — Double Monk Straps. Now maybe for a Manhattan resident this could be a relatively easy thing but for someone who lives somewhere else in the US this is not straight foreword at all. First off the only US manufacturer of Double Monk Straps is Allen Edmonds in Wisconsin and their version reflects their location. About as much style as a Harley, just plain clunky. The rest of the choices are from Europe, mostly England, Northampton England; John Lobb (JL), Edward Green (EJ), Crocket and Jones (CJ), Alfred Sargeant (AS) and Graziano and Girling (GG). Carmina in Spain pretty much rounds out the list except unless one is going to consider the Italian brands, which are a different look all around. Oh, then there is Brooks Brothers who sells Edward Greens (but not the double monks) and OEMs its Peal brand from Crocket and Jones and Alfred Sargeant and Ralph Lauren Purple Label who OEMs from Italy and Northampton. The RLPL's are probably harder to get than any others, except when their Mansion strategy doesn't work and they get dumped on Gilt. Double Monks can be so hard to source that a major player in the US market place is the Armory, based in Honk Kong.
Anyway, i decided to get me some Edward Greens. The only place that had a size that purported to fit (there is at least a UK to US size conversion going on here) was Axel's in Vail, CO. After waiting for the Amex billing cutoff (so as to have American Express provide the bridge financing of this adventure) a pair of EG Westminsters were headed to Club 2223. Unfortunately all the research was for naught and despite the awesome fitted shoe tress about the only thing my feet were going to fit in were the boxes — so back to Vail for the very, very beautiful Westminsters.
So next Brooks Brothers sends me a notice of their friends and family sale — 25% off on everything. Well I wondered if they have Peal Double Monks. Well they do, in calf and suede. So... at that price why not try both. Web scuttlebutt is it that they are made by CJ. These, CJs or not, are clearly not up to the standard of the EJs and in fact the calf version looks rather pedestrian. But they fit, at least the suede version does, so we have one potential keeper and another trip to the UPS store.
Along the way I had discovered a review article on 25 pairs of Double Monks, of those only the ones above and a pair of handmade calf CJs from Ben Silver and a pair of the made in Spain Carminas appealed. Others, like all of the Paul Stuart and Graziano and Girling options were way too aggressively styled to have any chance off getting on my feet. As usual Ben Silver pricing reflected their usual hefty premium so I decided to pass on those for a while, especially since the Carminas were in a very rare saddle shade of Horween Shell Cordovan for about the same price. Even better the Carminas were at a place in NYC called Epaulet, had the additional benefit of free overnight delivery via UPS ground and no sales tax — something the Brooks Brothers invoice had in spades.
I was really psyched when I get an email from UPS, telling me the Carminas are in the front vestibule. I do a fair amount of trade with UPS, not much liking that sales tax stuff, I would rather pay an express company than feed the inefficient maw of state government — they clearly make better use of the funds and definitely communicate better. Ok, returning now to footwear... Not yet having had a pair of Carminas my only thought of seeing a square shoe box inside the shipping box was that was strange. But, I guess they are into packaging differentiation. Well that was a silly conclusion, it turns out that their shoe boxes are oblong just like everyone else's. But their boot boxes are square. Inside were pair of pretty damn ugly, size eight boots for some welterweight in Indiana. Grrrrr — another visit to the UPS store. Epaulet was not being very responsive to email and it is a business day so I give them a call, alas Epaulet follows hair salon practice and is closed on Monday and I have jury duty the following day so this is clearly not going to get resolved quickly. I managed to not get selected for a jury (being politically located somewhere between a libertarian and an anarchist tends to cause that outcome) so I had some time to straighten out this Carmina snafu before jetting off to Houston for a day. Once I got them on the horn, Epaulet quickly got to the bottom of the mix-up and got the right pair to UPS that same day to be awaiting me on my return from Houston on the next — the shoes took the rapid travelling in better shape than me.
So, the Carminas arrived, and I think they look pretty damn stunning. They also fit, perhaps the prescience to order a larger than recommended size helping the cause. Well, if the truth be known they only had two pair, one a dainty pair of 8 somethings and the UK 11.5s, which I took, so they are 1/2 size bigger than my normal size and they are reputed to be slightly wider than most especially on the last these things were formed on.
The observant amongst you will notice that these things are named after the guy who invented Holden Caulfield. I wonder if Holden drifted into in Manhattan sporting a pair of Double Monks?
So all is returning to normal at Club 2223, maybe not yet at Amex billing central but I expect that to be under control before the 26th when the dough is due, Some credits to be pursued — actually a couple of pretty decent sized credits, especially regarding the Edward Greens. At least until I make the final decision to wear them or not the suede Peals will be staying in addition to the Carminas — Brook's 90 day return policy allowing for a elongated evaluation.
In the mean time I decided to add yet some additional sprezz with a couple of new shirts with spread collars. It turns out size here is not a problem, the guys who make shirts with radically spread collars assume their customers have the upper body of a twelve year old and certainly not a 6'5" twelve year old either. So forget the RTW option. One of the shoe blogs mentioned a place called ProperCloth, also an NYC operation, that had some very nice fabrics and a highly computerized web to doorstep process at very reasonable pricing. So why not, particularly since they know you are going to bungle the measurements and will redo the first one to get it right at their cost. They tell you exactly what is going on when and commit the delivery date two weeks out, despite that the last leg originates in Malaysia. So this shirt needs to be adjusted somewhat, well maybe a bit more than somewhat but it looks and feels so damn good I am reluctant to give it up. Well that is next weeks problem. The biggest issue with these guys is Federal Express Signature Required delivery.
Back again to the secret spot. Not so nice light at midday but nevertheless. All there except for the now defunct Port Truck Stop, the subject of a lot of snaps in the past. Click on the snap below to check out the rest.
July 4th images are in the item below. These are from quick stop at Under Armor in Locust point on the way back from getting a haircut on July 5th. All the shots are from the UA HQ, including the new, at least to me, Maryland State Flag turf field on the deck overlooking the harbor. Well all but the snap below, it is from a secret location closer to home.
Secret location nasp
Two sessions today. The first, the annual parade in Glyndon, MD, a small named place in Baltimore County. The parade had a few fire trucks, a Model A, a 911T and couple of golf carts. The rest of the parade was the locals who decided to walk instead of watch. The watchers and marchers being interchangeable. Started at 10AM — was over by 10:10AM. Anyway Glyndon apparently like flag displays so a good chunck of the shots are of the flags on houses (sorry KHH).
The second session was the usual Baltimore fireworks from the fourth floor porch.
In either case click on the snaps below to be taken to the smugmug galleries. About 45 Glyndon snaps about 35 for the fireworks.
2013 Glyndon Fourth of July Parade
2013 Baltimore Fourth of July Fireworks
Finished early in NYC this week, so I was able to jet south first thing Friday AM. The rain was holding off, so I decided to make a stop at Ocean Grove, NJ. An old beachfront religious summer camp with, hopefully, some interesting victorian buildings. Turns out not only victorain buildings but the last of a tented village. Click on the image below to head off to the gallery on smugmug.
The Edison Labs, West Orange, NJ — hard by the Star Tavern, viewable from my 8th grade classroom. Close by to Nash domicles of 20+ years.
Mostly of the main building and really just two floors of that as the top floor is mostly museum-like and glass enclosed. But the lower floors and the light! I am guessing it it the windows, embedded wire, and frosted that creates the spectacular light. Handheld only but the NPS has "fences" that are about 3 feet high and have a square tube as the top member, perfect for a tripod substitute. I had the NEX-7 and the flat top surface of the "fence" worked really well with the flip-out LCD on the NEX. I made two passes, the first from bottom to top with the Ziess 24mm f/1.8 (35mm equivelent) mounted with the Carl Ziess Sioftar II filter in front. Then I back-tracked from top to bottom after changing to the Sony 35mm f/1.8 (50mm equivelent). I left the filter off for the second pass.
It was pretty dark so I had to settle for shallower DOFs than I might have prefered to get non-shaky shots even with the image stabilzed 35mm.
Here is one of the snaps, there is a pretty large number, especially since each is in color and B&W (faux platinum), so they are on SmugMug. Click here or on the snap below to check out the SmugMug gallery.
Heavy Machine Shop
On Saturday a crew of Nashettes and the Atkins hung the show at Salt. All the extra help was much apprreciated after an unplanned visit to a local cath lab and couple of hospital night sleep overs during the week. Only one missfire, because of its size we wern't able to hang the five+ foot wide Pancake Breakfast, the catalog cover shot. It was replaced with ZCBJ Lodge #298 — Box Butte County, NE (2006) — see the bottom of the post.
The opening was fabulous with Salt doing the wine and cheese and maybe as many as 100 attendees — it was pretty steady from 3:30 up until about 6:00PM. Many thanks to Jane, Jason, Paco and the entire Salt staff. Eric Zygmont covered the event for the Baltimore Guide.
Here are couple of shots by KHH and her always present iPhone. The ugly one, the last one is of course mine.
A loose artists proof — KHH
TRN from behind - KHHThe show catalog. It is gorgeous, we are selling copies of it for $50. Slideshow version here at Vimeo.
The Show Catalog - JEN
We sold a bunch of stuff. Here is the deal:
All sales of photographs are transacted with Friends of Patterson Park (FOPP) and may be eligible for a tax deduction. Salt will accept payment and and ensure 100% of the funds get to FOPP.
The photographs are part of a “Salt Tavern Limited Edition” which is limited to three prints of each photograph at each offered size. All photographs are signed and numbered by the artist “au verso” on the rear of the print. At the buyers discretion unframed prints may also be signed in the lower right front below the print itself.
All photographs are printed, using an Epson 4900 Printer and Ultrachrome HDR Ink on Epson “Signature Worthy” Hot Press Natural Fine Art Paper. The artist personally printed each print. When displayed using conservation materials, prints made with this ink and paper combination can be expected to not noticeably fade or change color balance for approximately 100 years. A certificate of authenticity will be provided with each print.
The prints on display are each numbered #1 and were framed by the artist using Nielsen Bainbridge Profile 97 Aluminum moldings. Each frame contains a back mat of 4 ply museum board; the front mat is either 4 or 8 ply museum board depending on the size of the print. The frame also contains a conservation-grade backing sheet. The backing sheet is foam core in the 16 in x 20 in frames and museum board in the 24 in x 32 in frames. The 16 in x 20 in frames are glazed with Tru Vue® Conservation Reflection Control Glass (Conservation), the 24 in x 32 in frames are glazed with Tru Vue® Anti-Reflection Glass (AR). Regardless of size the all frames have a Tyvek dust cover installed.
Prints numbered #2 and #3 will be delivered unmated and unframed in a clear conservation bag.
10 in x 14 in framed (#1) are $275, unframed (#s 2 and 3) are $200
16.25 in x 24.25 in framed (#1) are $475, unframed (#s 2 and 3) are $400. The large images are also avaiable unframed in 10 in x 14 in (#s 1, 2 and 3).
Unframed prints maybe signed on the front in the border by the artist at the buyers request. This signature can be revealed or hidden at the buyers discretion when they have the print framed.
Unframed prints can be delivered within one week of purchase. We ask that the buyers of the framed prints allow them to stay on display until the end of the show to encourage sale of the unframed prints and the creation of larger benefit stream to FOPP.
ZCBJ Lodge #298 — Box Butte County, NE (2006)
Well a year along now and zooming up upon the the exhibition in March at Salt. The almost final choices have been made, as the video and floor plan get socialized I might tune it a bit more but production will start on February 2nd. There will be 20 prints on display 17 @ 10x14, 2 @20x30 and 1 @ 23x55. ALL proceeds (yes that means gross revenues) will find thier way to Friends of Patterson Park.
Slideshow of the current portfolio on Vimeo or click the Salt snap below.
