Pic a Straw

Captiva, Florida - July 2011 - Other shots

2011-10-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

This first shot was taken as we awaited the fireworks on July 4th. We had gone to a golf course on Sanibel Island to watch the fireworks and have dinner.

The South Seas Resort had a parade float on one of the lawns. This is a close-up shot, taken one morning, shortly after the sunrise.

The remaining pictures are from the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter estates. These are located side-by-side in Fort Myers, Florida.

Thomas Edison's workshop on the grounds of the estate.

I can imagine relaxing on this porch, sitting in a rocker, with a cool drink in my hand.

Captiva, Florida - July 2011 - Sunsets & Sunrises

2011-10-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Some of the various sunsets and sunrises over the course of the week we were there.

Captiva, Florida - July 2011 - Fireworks

2011-10-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

We were in Florida for July 4th, and this time managed to see the fireworks setoff by Sanibel Island.

Hong Kong - day scenes

2011-07-10T17:33:00.001-07:00

I recently travelled to Hong Kong and had the opportunity to take some shots on the weekends, and on various nights. The image directly below shows one of the subway signs, which are all in english and chinese.

The subways are not always this full, but on this day I was travelling during rush hour.

There is a Disneyland in Hong Kong, and transportation is provided via a link with the subway system. The subway cars travel only between Disney and the direct subway stop link, so these cars are customized by Disney. Note the plush seats, mouse ears as holders for standing passengers, and hands as the linkage to the center rail. The windows are also shaped like mouse ears.

IFC Tower #2. This is actually the 2nd tallest building in Hong Kong.

Various sky bridges connect many of the downtown buildings to one another.

Inside a temple located along Hollywood Road.

Various street scenes.

The ice cream creations made by Haagen-Dazs, were amazing works of art, and also delicious.

Inside the Hong Kong JW Marriott.

In my second week there, a minor cyclone passed by Hong Kong.

Hong Kong - night scenes

2011-07-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong - Skyline by day

2011-07-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong - Skyline at night

2011-07-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

Various skyline shots taken around Hong Kong. The building owners really put a focus on the lighting schemes for their buildings, which creates one of the most colorful cities to shoot.

St Lucia - Around the resort (Sandals Grande)

2011-04-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

We spent the 2nd to the last week of April in St. Lucia at the Sandals Grande Resort. The following couple of posts are from the trip. It was a very relaxing stay as well as a great photography experience. The resort and sunsets were amazing, with the weather absolutely perfect for the whole stay.

The focal point of the resort is the Sandals Tower, which has a swim up bar along the base.

The resort hosts a large number of weddings and honeymoons. One of the extras they offer is a sunset dinner on the beach. Each night, up and down the beach, the staff would setup these tables, chairs, and place settings. At the head of each table were two tiki torches that were decorated by fresh flowers from the resort.

The main lobby of the resort.

Another extra offered were seaside cabanas which featured a bed to lay on.

The main restaurant was located just to one side of the main pool, with included a view of the beach and Rodney Bay as well.

St Lucia - Outside of the resort

2011-04-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

We took two trips off the resort on two different days. The first trip was to the local Pigeon Island National Park, which could be seen from the resort, and the other was the Simon Says speedboat tour down the southern coast of the island.

The first few shots below are from the speedboat tour, which included a stop at a somewhat less populated beach, as well as a stop at the Grand Tetons.

The following shots below are from the Pigeon Island National Park, which was located just down the road from the Sandals Grande.

Pigeon Island is comprised of two mountains, the smaller southern peak is shown below. This housed an observation fort that had been used in colonial days and as recently as WWII.

The three photos directly below are the view from the resort.

The remaining shots below are from the observation point. You can see this point in the photo above, it is located on the left side of the peak, just before the walkway heads on a diagonal to the top right.

A series of closer and closer photos of the Sandals Grande resort that we stayed in.

St Lucia - Sunset & Night

2011-04-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

The following shots were taken on our recent trip to St Lucia. The sunsets and overall atmosphere was amazing for this week in paradise.

The shot below was taken on an almost full moon night, it really helped to illuminate the beach.

Town of Rodney Bay, St Lucia.

The moon setting over the ocean early one morning.

Sandals Grande Tower - This subject was the focal point of the resort. The tower is located at the base of the main pool, and features a swim up bar along the entire edge of the tower. With the pool undisturbed at night, it made for some great reflection shots, such as the one below.

One of the most colorful sunsets during our stay.

Last of 2010 and Christmas

2010-12-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots from this holiday season. Most of these were taken around my house before and during the recent blizzard.

Rancho Palos Verdes - Is this LA?

2010-12-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Some family had recently relocated to Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles. I had never been to this part of LA, and it is very different than any other part of LA. The first few shots below are of a fountain found in one of the shopping centers at the base of the hill.

The sunset that first night and the sunrise that next morning, were the most vivid of the trip. It is not often you have that deep of a red in the sky.

The Point Vicente Lighthouse, was just 10 minutes from the house, so this was a favorite subject to shoot. The first shot below, was taken on our first night. The sun made the cliff glow in this amazing golden light, as shown below.

Wayfarers Chapel is located on one of the hillsides in Rancho Palos Verdes. It is used often in movie shoots, and commercials. The church has massive glass windows, and a mostly glass roof. It is a very intimate setting, as the pews can really only accomodate 72 people, with some standing room available at the back.

Los Angeles - Around the town

2010-12-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

The following photos were taken around the coast of Los Angeles, mostly in Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach.

The shot directly below, was taken in Santa Monica, where a memorial is setup each weekend to show the human cost of war. The red crosses represent 10 soldiers each.

On our last night in LA, we went to Manhattan Beach, where the Pier makes for an amazing subject. We arrived shortly before sunset, and stayed well past the point when the sun had fallen beyond the horizon. Everyone always asks, "How do you get those vivid sunset images?", well the secret is, "Stay past the actual sun setting - the bending of the sun's rays over the horizon is what makes the vivid colors in the sky." There were many people along the beach and the pier when I started this evening, but by the time I had shot the last image below, there were less than five of us still on the beach.

The image below is a much longer exposure than the one above, notice how the reflection of the lamp posts changes as the exposure time increases.

Sedona, AZ - Mornings

2010-11-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Usually on vacation, I try to catch the sunrise and sunset each day. The advantage of traveling to the west coast is that I have the time difference to my advantage. The unfortunate side to that, is that I end up waking up so early. On this vacation, that was usually 4:30am, even though the sun didn't rise until 6:45am.

Because there is not a natural horizon in the valleys, the sunsets and sunrises were not as grand as you get on the coasts. Nevertheless, the sun at a low angle, is always good light to shoot in, as can be seen in the shots below.

Sedona, AZ - Pink Jeep Tour

2010-11-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

On our first full day in Sedona, we went on a Pink Jeep tour. The tour consisted of the Broken Arrow jeep trail, and a ride up Schnebly Hill Road.

Along the ride, the driver points out some of the recognizeable rock formations, directly below is Snoopy Rock and the one below that is the Indian Head on the rock. Further down below is Barney rock.

The view below is called "four points", see if you can make them all out.

Not sure what the real name of the formation below, but I'm going to call it pipe organ rock, as all of those individual tall formations remind me of a pipe organ.

The tree below is growing out of solid rock. One of the strangest sights I've ever seen.

The shot below is purposely dark, so that you can make out Barney Rock, the rocks make it look like Barney from the Flintstones.

Sedona, AZ - Red Rock State Park

2010-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

The following images were taken inside Red Rock State Park, where we walked a trail along the water's edge.

Sedona, AZ - Around town

2010-11-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Various shots taken around Sedona, when not on a tour or a trail.

The road leading to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, which is built upon one of the red rock formations.

Sedona, AZ - Out of Africa

2010-11-07T13:07:00.001-08:00

On our last day in Sedona, we visited a wildlife park called Out of Africa. It consists of exotic animals that normally make their home outside the U.S.

The park is broken down into a hands-on area wher they showcase lizards and snakes, as well as some smaller animals. The snake below is an Anaconda, and unlike the movie, it's top speed is about 3-mph, so you don't need to run too fast if you ever encounter one in the wild.

I can't recall what type of Lizard this was, I think it may be a type of iguana.

They have a safari park, where you tour in an open bus through the park, with various animals coming up along side the bus. The girafe here was one of two at the park, and he prefers carrots over any other type of food.

There was also a family of zebras at the park.

The more wild animals are kept on the upper part of the park. These consist of lions, tigers, pumas, leopards, white tigers, as well as a host of other exotic animals. We stayed for the feeding time, and that is why in some of the pics below, the animals were so welcome to have their photos taken.

Before feeding time, the park puts on a show called Tiger Splash. The show features four trainers and two tigers. The trainers entice the tigers to run around the arena chasing toys made out of rubber pool toys filled with balloons. As part of the enticement, they trainers will have the tigers chase after the toys and then dive into the pool, with the tiger following straight behind them.

A little gentle playing before the fun begins.

During the show, some of these tigers were leaping 5 - 6 feet in the air after the toys.

Ogunquit, Maine - Something I saw

2010-08-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

I'll start off this series of posts with the following pictures, which didn't seem to fit any of the categories that follow, but were interesting shots I found on this trip.

Ogunquit, Maine - Along the Marginal Way

2010-08-29T03:38:00.000-07:00

One thing that makes the Ogunquit area special, is the walking path called the "Marginal Way". It is a 1.25-mile long path that borders the ocean, starting about a 1/4 mile from the beach, and ends at a place called Perkins Cove. It was created over 100 years ago, with the help of all of the property owners along the coast, giving up the first so many feet of their property. Can you imagine that happening in today's time? The walking path is bordered by both hotels, private residences, and of course Maine's famous rocky coast.

In the background of the photo below, you can see the main beach area. This shot was taken close to high tide, so there is very little beach area.

As you walk along the path, you are free to venture off and climb the rocks at many points. You may be able to notice the man standing on the outcropping of rocks, about the middle of the picture.

In the background of the shot below, is a good idea of what the main beach looks like at low tide, and in this case, about 5:30am.

All along the path, there are resting points with benches, usually located at some of the best viewing spots, such as this one.

Ogunquit, Maine - Sunrises & Sunsets

2010-08-27T17:12:00.001-07:00

The trip provided some amazing picture opportunities. Being on the Atlantic, I had a great view of the sunrise each morning, however, it required that I get up at 5am each morning. As much as I wanted to sleep, these shots below just can not be taken at any other time in the day.

The shot below was a 30second exposure, which creates an almost fog like look to the water.

The sky on our first night there was an amazing pink color, as seen below.

The best sunrise of the trip, with just that perfect amount of clouds in the sky.

Ogunquit, Maine - Perkins Cove part1

2010-08-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Perkins Cove is at the southern end of the Town of Ogunquit. The cove has places to eat, stroll, and shop, as well as amazing photo ops. Chrissy wanted a shot of the bird house below. I love how the bird has to enter the house through Sylvester's mouth.

Ogunquit, Maine - Perkins Cove part2

2010-08-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some additional shots of the Perkins Cove area. The cove is an active Lobster fishing port and also a tourist stop. Almost all of the small buildings in the port have been turned into mom & pop like art galleries, pottery, jewelry, and souvenir shops.

Ogunquit, Maine - Gardens and landscapes

2010-08-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief selection of a few of the gardens and flowers I shot while in Ogunquit, ME.

Miami Beach 2010 - The Beach

2010-05-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

This was the view from our hotel room at the Winterhaven. The hotel is one of the art deco hotels that line Ocean Drive in South Beach.

Walking along the beach one morning, these two bottles showed that someone had a rough night last night.

The lifeguard shacks that line the beach are great photo ops. Here is a different take on the one I dubbed the flying saucer.

A much different angle, as I liked how the railing leads your eye into the photo.

The accessories for each shack are locked up at night in the storage units under the decks. The green paint color, combined with the rust on this one, really caught my eye in the early morning light.

Miami Beach 2010 - Transport

2010-05-02T16:12:00.001-07:00

I can't do a post on Miami Beach without a focus on the transporatation, which comes in all forms. The jet ski's below were parked along the beach and available for rental.

This Bel Air classic car was parked outside the Royal Palm hotel one evening.

The owner was nice enough to allow me to take some interior shots as well.

On this day when we walked by, there was a line of yellow Corvettes parked in a row, ready for renting.

The ride below was like a hybrid motorcycle, with one wheel in the rear and two in the front. It sat two people side by side at the front.

Miami Beach 2010 - Architecture & Neon

2010-05-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

A nice neon sign framed within the window reflections of this taxi.

I liked the colors of this surfing theme sign.

This was the bar at the Clevelander Hotel. The bar is never this empty, as this was shot early in the morning, just before sunrise.

We passed the Royal Palm hotel each evening when we walked to Lincoln Road for dinner.

A detail of the architecture of one of the condo buildings that line the northern area of the beach.

Straight up showcase of the art deco features on the Mc Alpin building.

The Hotel Ocean taken on an early morning just before sunrise.

The reflection off this building was great in the morning, with the palm trees and that orange sky.

Miami Beach 2010 - Sunrise / Moonrise

2010-05-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on the beach one morning, as taken in from the deck of one of the lifeguard shacks.

One of the more colorful sunrises while we were there.

We happened to be there while there was a full moon. This shot below, was a long exposure, and the only light was that from the moon.

Miami Beach 2010 - Night Lights

2010-05-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Miami Beach is well known for its neon lighting, and the shots below help showcase this. Some of the best neon lights can be seen along Ocean Drive.

The Lincoln Theatre is located along Lincoln Road, which has been turned into an outdoor pedestrian mall.

The shot below was taken at twilight, which results in the deep blue sky.

We were staying at the Winterhaven Hotel, which was very close to the buildings in the shot above, and the Victor Hotel, which is shown below.

I really liked the lighting on the store below, which was located on Lincoln Road.

This bowling sign below, was off a side street along Lincoln Road. The light reflecting off the building gives it that abstract look.

The Victor Hotel, as seen from the beach on a moon lit night.

The famous Colony Hotel neon sign. My second time shooting this, and both times one of the letters was out.

The neon lights as seen from the Lummus Park alongside Ocean Drive.

NYC Photo Walk - 04/02/2010

2010-04-10T05:10:00.001-07:00

On this photo walk, I headed down to lower Manhattan, spending time around the Financial District and the Staten Island Ferry terminal. This shot was inspired by my previous "up architecture" shots. The lighting on Federal Hall was a great contrast to the black night sky.

The Empire State Building was lit in a special yellow/pink/green theme for Easter.

This was taken from the upper steps of Federal Hall.

NYC Photo Walk - 04/01/2010

2010-04-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

On this photowalk, I started in front of Grand Central Terminal. I thought the sculpture and clock on the front of the terminal would make a nice composition. However, I wanted to avoid any of the other surrounding buildings from showing up. To do so, I had to shoot it at a low angle, this helped create the black sky behind it.

If you've ever been to the Grand Central area, across from the south entrance is the Pershing Square Central Cafe. The green neon sign is featured in a lot of advertising for the area, and I had wanted to grab some shots of it. I took this low angle picture from curbside.

The famous four sided clock in Grand Cenral is a well known meeting point for people. The light in here was very difficult to meter for, so I ended up adjusting the "k" setting to get this to look the way it does.

Ever since my last shot of the Bryant Park fountain, I had wanted to get a closer look. Here it is framed with the American Radiator building in the background. I used a longer exposure to get the water to look the way it does below.

The blue and purple lighting in this building really caught my eye. I framed this with the steel pillar to the right, as it was reflecting the ongoing street scene. This added just the perfect hint of other colors.

The Empire State Building was lit all in blue on this night for Autism Speaks. This was shot from the concrete railing that encircles Bryant Park.

NYC Photo Walk - 03/21/2010

2010-04-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

This photowalk actually started in Queens at Calvery Cemetary. If you've ever driven south on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), and looked toward the city from the bridge, you've seen this cemetary. You can actually see the city skyline form the cemetary grounds. Most of the graves and crypts are from the late 1800's to early 1940's & 50's.

The shot below is of a set of crypt doors. You can just make out the stained glass window within the crypt.

This grave marker below was the most distinctive one we saw at the cemetary.

The shot below was taken through the bars on the door of a crypt. The detail in the stained glass is amazing. Please click on the pic to see a larger version, the detail on the face, neck, and heart are amazing.

When we finally did make it into the city, it was almost noon. I grabbed some candid shots while there. The shot below was off a side street near Washington Square Park.

NYC Photo Walk - 03/19/2010

2010-03-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

I started this photo walk around the Radio City Music Hall area on my way to Penn Station. Across the street from 30 Rock, there is a large fountain. This made a great foreground subject, so that it looks like Radio City is floating on water.

I was checking out different vantage points when I noticed the reflections coming off the Time Life building's sculpture. I liked how it distorted the letters to "Radio City", instead of just a normal reflection.

I've found a new vantage point for the Empire State Building. The only problem is that it's in a very busy area. It must have taken me about 15 mins before I was able to get a clear shot, but I like this closeup view, so it was worth it.

Looking for those street level reflections took some time. This night proved very difficult, as it hadn't rained here in over a week. I managed to find this one, just off Broadway, near Times Square. I like how the theatre marque looks with the white limo off in the distance.

NYC Photo Walk - 03/17/2010

2010-03-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

Wednesday the 19th of March was St. Patty's day. On occasion of the event, the Empire State Building was lit fully in green. Knowing this beforehand, I decided to bring my camera in for a photo walk. What also helped was that it was about 65 out that day as well.

The photo below is of the fountain in Bryant Park. The area was roped off, as they were in the process of disassembling the ice rink that is there in the winter. I like the glow that comes from the fountain, it's almost as if I used flashes to capture this.

If you've never been to NYC before, there are hundered year old steam pipes that run underneath the streets of Manhattan. Well, these sometimes suffer cracks, which then allows steam to exit from the street. Anytime that happens, the city puts in place these temporary steam venting pipes, and block off the area. For that "only in NYC" feel for the photo, I captured a speeding taxi going by as well.

From my favorite vantage point, here is the ESB lit in green. The green reminded me of Slimer from Ghostbusters.

I was inspired to take the photo below after following maybemaq's photostream on flickr for sometime. His reflection shots are the best, my attempt at one is below. The hardest part of doing these is finding the puddles in an area that has plenty of light and a worthwhile subject, as well as nothing upsetting the water (causing ripples).

Welcome to Vegas

2010-03-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it wouldn't be a proper Vegas post if I didn't start off with the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. I like this angle compared to the standard straight-on shot.

A few of the hotels we went into had displays setup for Chinese New Year, which if you can't tell from the display below, is the year of the tiger.

This is my one and only casino shot, as you're always watched when you bring a camera into a casino. I was hoping to get a shot across one of the roulette tables, but the opportunity did not present itself.

Vegas Nights - Part 1

2010-03-13T14:10:00.001-08:00

One of the best things about Vegas is the amount of light there is at night. This and Miami Beach, rank as my top two night shot destinations.

I had seen a pic like the one below in a magazine some time ago. So, on this trip I wanted to do my take on it. In this version, I left the shutter open for a longer period to try to capture as much of the blue light beam as possible.

The shot below is from inside the Caesars Palace Forum Shops.

The famous Caesars fountains that line the entrance way to Caesars Palace. I'm not sure if these are the same ones that Evel Knievel tried to jump before.

Nowadays, whenever anyone thinks of fountains in Vegas, they are thinking of the world famous Bellagio Fountains. I like the composition of the shot below, as it includes Caesars in the background, as well as one of the ways in which the Bellagio fountains "dance."

Vegas Nights - Part 2

2010-03-13T14:02:00.000-08:00

The next two pics were taken on my first night in Vegas. Both were shot near the Bellagio Hotel.

The picture below took a little bit more time to compose, as it could not all fit in the frame when standing on the sidewalk. So, I went behind the bushes and shot this from the grass along Las Vegas Blvd.

Vegas Nights - Part 3

2010-03-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

The pics below are from my first night in Vegas. For this shoot I stayed mostly around the Bellagio hotel. The fountains were a very popular destination with crowds gathered around the perimeter of the lak, eagar to watch the fountain show.

In the garden area off the main lobby, they had a large display setup for Chinese New Year. The background lighting changed over time. I happened to like the contrast that the deep blue light presented.

The picture below was taken from one of the footbridges that cross Las Vegas Boulevard. I really like how the cars' headlights created the white streaks of light you see in the bottom of the photo.

This shot was taken along the walkway that curves around the lake in front of the Bellagio. I really liked how the lights from the various video screens created colorful reflections off the water.

The Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas

2010-03-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

The first stop once we arrived in Vegas, was The Venetian Hotel.

Below is a replica of St. Mark's Square.

The second floor of the hotel has a canal where you can ride on a Gondola. I framed the two gondoliers below, using the fence that rings the canal.

The balloons below were hanging from a three story atrium, which was part of a new section of The Venetian.

It's off to Vegas, Baby!

2010-03-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

Well, we're off to our first vacation of the year, which is Vegas! Needless to say being in the new environs means I have plenty of photo ops, so be on the lookout for lots of new pics coming soon.

The first pic below, is from the cabin of the Virgin America flight we took from JFK to Vegas. Walking onto this plane was an awakening compared to any other plane. I really liked the lighting, and before it got too crowded, I managed to shoot off a few frames.

It was cloudy for most of the flight, which I feel is a waste of a window seat. But, over the Rockies, the sky cleared and I took the shot below. Those mountains don't look so big from this height.

The last thing you see before landing in Vegas is usually Lake Mead.

New Year's Eve

2010-01-31T05:57:00.000-08:00

For New Year's Eve, we stopped by a friend's house. They had a great Christmas display up, so I took the following shots. I really like how the bulb reflection turned out.

Christmas Time Snow 12/20/09

2010-01-09T06:05:00.001-08:00

Here are a few shots of our house after the snowfall of 12/19 & 12/20/09. We received almost 18" of snow from this storm. This was a wind-blown snow, so some areas were higher.

The picture below is of some bells that we have hanging off our front porch railing. I liked the little bit of snow collected on the outside and inside of the bell.

This is what our front porch looked like that morning after it finally stopped snowing.

I had taken a shot of these wreaths last year, so when I saw this scene, I knew I had to take another shot, with this different view.

I really liked how the reflection off this Christmas bulb showed the surrounding landscaping.

NYC Photo Walk - 12/20 - 12/22/2009

2010-01-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots from my recent NYC photo walks that took place between 12/20 and 12/22/09. We had some family visiting us, so I ventured into the city each day to travel around with them. It was a great time for all.

The building below is the former ING Building, I'm not sure what firm is located there now. The building has a large circular structure in front, and I thought it made a great frame for the top of the building.

The christmas bulbs are located in the fountain in front of the Chase building at 1251 6th Avenue.

I liked the colors reflecting off of this building, which is located near Herald Square.

The UBS building on 6th Ave had these 10' to 12' high toy soldiers in front of their building.

Rex Corp Plaza (aka EAB Plaza, Citibank Plaza) - 12/12/09

2009-12-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

After taking in the sights at Santacon last Saturday, that eveing, I went out with friends and family to visit the Christmas Tree at Rex Corp Plaza, located in Uniondale, NY. They put up a Christmas Tree every year, and it is the largest on Long Island, outside of NYC. There is even an ice skating rink to one side, just like at Rockefeller Center in NYC.

Santacon NYC 2009 - Part 1

2009-12-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, Dec. 12th, I attended the Santacon NYC 2009 event. There were five gathering points for the Santas, with Queens being the most convenient one for me. So, another photographer and I headed out to Queens early Satuday. It was a nice 31 degrees out this morning, which we hoped woud not dampen the attendance factor.

Well, when we first arrived, there were only a handful of Santas, maybe 10- 15. Within about 15 minutes, there had to have been over 300. The shot below, is a good overview shot, but it does not even begin to show how many Santas there really where. There were even more Santas to the left and right of the frame.

For readers not sure what Santacon is, just google it, but the resulting link is NSFW (language wise).

At one point, the Santas took to the swings, but they quickly realized that these were no replacement for a proper sleigh.

The pic below is of all the Santas trying to make their way into a "refreshment" venue. The venue probably held a 100 or so, because there were approximately 200+ Santas left out in the cold.

By this time, the curiosity factor had brought a lot of onlookers and with them, the NYPD. The NYPD was great, they did not try to disperse the crowd, as the crowd was very well behaved (Santas gotta be nice!). They were there mainly for directing traffic, and making sure the Santas didn't spill out into the streets.

Santas celebrating their Christmas cheer at the Bohemian Beer Garden!

This officer was having a great day, as he was one of the youngest in attendance, so all the girls posed with him, I'm sure the other officers felt neglected.

The NYPD was also on hand, to make sure this guy below didn't try to steal Christmas.

Some Santas had themes going on, below is Mr. T santa.

Some happy elves.

Santacon NYC 2009 - Part 2

2009-12-14T18:03:00.000-08:00

These next set of pics are random people we met during the event. Everyone was great and friendly, with most people happily posing for shots.

The woman below was dressed as a Christmas Tree.

For all of the vertical pics, only a low resolution version posts to blogspot, you can check out a higher quality version on my flickr site, just right-click on the pic and open in a new window.

Pimp Santa or Flavor-Flav Santa. He was one of the first "theme" Santas I met that morning.

There were a few presents along the way, here is one of them.

Where would Santa be without his elves of course.

This Mrs. Santa was a little cold.

A small group of Santas walking down the street.

NYC Photo Walk - 11/29/2009

2009-12-05T05:02:00.001-08:00

Knowing that the Empire State Building was lit up with a special Red, Orange & Yellow color scheme for Thanksgiving, I planned on taking some shots that Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans as it rained insted. I finally ended up going in on Sunday, as we had high winds on Friday & Saturday. The following are shots taken that night.

The shot below, is of the tower on the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company tower located not too far from the Flat Iron building.

The Shake Shack is located in Madison Square park. I liked how the combination of the chrome lettering and the vine covered roof.

Below is a shot of the Empire State building on the left, and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building on the right. Sandwiched betwen the two, is the recently completed One Madison. I wish I had a shot without the One Madison building, but I can see getting some great reflection shots off that building in the future.

The shot below, and the setup, with the deep blue sky, will never get old for me. There is just something about the way the colors of the Empire State Building look against a deep blue sky. This is my favorite shot of the night.

Blast from the past - Jamaican Sunset

2009-12-05T04:56:00.000-08:00

Every so often, I post a photo I took back before I started using the Nikon D80. This shot was taken with my old Sony Cybershot (3.2 megapixels, circa 2001). This just goes to show you that you can get amazing photos from any camera.

Taken on the resort of Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Thanksgiving pictures 2009

2009-12-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots from our Thanksgiving holiday. We visited some family, and they had setup their Christmas Tree, so I took a few shots, I really liked the reflection off the piano.

NYC Photo Walk - 10/21/2009

2009-11-26T16:15:00.000-08:00

I had taken my camera in this day to take some shots around Herald Square, however, I had forgotten about these pics after taking them. Blame the trip to Mexico for that. Well, here are two of the best shots of that night.

On the first one below, I really liked the contrast of the bright red lights of the ESB against the deep blue sky of dusk.

Eisenhower Park - Sunset 11/15/2009

2009-11-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

After taking a look at the sky, and the weather forecast, and following the rainy Saturday; I decided to head out on Sunday to capture some sunset shots. The shoot turned out really well, as evidenced by the shots below. The sky reminded me of some of the sunsets I witnessed in Florida this past summer.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Around Cabo

2009-11-03T14:33:00.001-08:00

The famous "arch" at lands end in Cabo San Lucas.

Taken along the marina, at one of the bars that are all over the place.

Taken from a side street, as we were walking to grab lunch.

Lands end framed by two palm trees, taken on the grounds of the Villa del Palmar.

Taken one morning as I walked along the beach. This is the detail of one of the other hotels that line the main beach.

There were a ton of water activities, including Para-sailing, as a single rider and as doubles.

Taken on a side street not far from the restaurant "Casanova."

Boats in the marina. As you walk along the marina edge, people ask if you want "glass bottom boat, lover's beach, water taxi, fishing trips, etc."

This was the view "down the beach" from our resort.

Another Cabo landmark, the "fake" lighthouse in the Marina area.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Villa del Palmar, Villa La Estancia, & Villa del Arco

2009-11-03T14:18:00.001-08:00

A morning shot of the main tower at the Villa del Palmar. Our building was on the right hand side, but is not seen in this picture. The main pool has a slide in the shape of a whale.

Interior lobby of the Villa del Palmar.

Fire pit and left hand side building of the Villa del Palmar.

Main building at night. I really liked how the pool looked in this shot. The area in the middle of this shot, with the cave like structure, held a hot tub.

Villa del Arco - Main building on left, with the secondary building on the right. This was the pool closest to the lobby.

The Villa del Arco had a Pirate ship as it's main pool item. There was a ledge that went around the pool, so you could sit in the water while having your drink close at hand.

The aft of the pirate ship. I really like how the windows are lit up in this shot.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Villa del Palmar, Villa La Estancia, & Villa del Arco

2009-11-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

We stayed at the Villa del Palmar on this trip. It is part of a complex of three timeshare resorts located just on the outside of Cabo San Lucas.

This is the ceiling over the entrance way to the Villa del Arco.

Architecture detail of the Villa La Estancia.

Outside of the spa at the Villa del Arco is a great view. This trellis was a great way to frame the view.

There were lots of cacti on the grounds of the resorts.

The entrance sign for Villa La Estancia was the most eye-catching of the three.

Night shot of one of the seating areas along the main pool at the Villa del Palmar.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Activities

2009-11-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Each night, the resort put on a different theme night or festival. We attended the Mexican Fiesta one night. Here are a few pics from that night.

The pic below shows the setup for the Beach Party theme night.

The three shots below, were taken in the daytime, when there was a pupkin carving contest.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Sunsets and sunrises

2009-11-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here are the sunrise and sunset shots of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

For most days, there was only a thin cloud layer at the horizon, so the sunrises were not as grand as I expected.

The sun set behind the mountains, so I was only able to take sunset shots over the city for the most part.

This was the resort (Riu Palace) further down the beach, and further from the city. There were some great clouds over in the direction of the resort one morning, so the sunrise created some great colors, and also lit the front of the buildings.

On the last day there, a cruise ship was coming into port, at the same time that the sun was rising, which made for an amazing shot.

Maggie's first outing

2009-11-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots of a family friend's new baby. The visit to the Long Island Fair was her first real outdoor visit.

Long Island Fair

2009-11-03T07:05:00.000-08:00

I had shot these photos in the time between the two NYC Photo walks below. I had forgotten to post them, so without further delay, here are the pics from the Long Island Fair held at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration

NYC Photo Walk - 10/08/2009

2009-10-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots from my photowalk of 10/8/09. For this walk, I headed down Madison Ave. I spotted this composition near 43rd Street, with the Grand Central lit up in orange, and the Chrysler building looming overhead.

I noticed that 41st Street was up a slight hill, so it would give me a good vantage point to shoot the traffic with the buildings along Madison as the backdrop. I also like that the sky came out that deep blue that you only get at dusk. Believe it or not, I had to wait through a few light changes to get a shot with mostly taxis in it.

I'd call this one: "Out with the old, and in with the New York Times." The old brick building and the NY Times' new building, presented a sharp contrast of the old and new, that you see all over NYC.

I stopped by Bryant Park again on this walk, capturing the American Standard building and the Empire State Building. I can't say I'm a big fan of the orange lighting scheme on the ESB.

NYC Photo Walk - 10/02/2009

2009-10-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

These photos are from my NYC photo walk of 10/2/09. This first shot is of a flower box and ornamental lamp post outside the NY Palace Hotel.

The building below caught my eye as I was walking down 5th Ave. I really like the distorted reflection on the building. The light streaks from passing taxis and a bus just add some motion to the shot.

This shot wast taken from the patio behind the NY Public Library. When I stopped by this night, there was a free concert being performed by Carnegie Hall's Ensemble ACJW.

As I was walking away from where I had taken the above shot, I noticed that the entire lawn was covered by other listners. This made for a great shot, as they were pretty well lit from a spot light shining down from one of the buildings across the street. The sky also had this erie look to it, as a storm was starting to roll in.

I caught this glimpse of the Empire State Building as I made my way down Broadway. If you walk 15 feet backward or forward, the building disappears behind the other buildings on the street.

For these next two shots, my inspiration was a shot from Thomas Hawk (a well known San Francisco photographer) titled "2nd Street." It was tough finding an area where the street lights weren't shining directly into the camera.

I think the one below is the best of the two, as the sky came out really nice, given how fast the clouds were moving.

Classic Cars - Lido Beach, NY 09/26/09

2009-10-03T07:32:00.001-07:00

These classic car photos were taken at the Seaside Spectacular Car Show held on 9/26/09 at the Point Lookout Town Park on Long Island, NY.

What would classic car photos be without including at least one BelAir.

I chatted with the nice owner of this '57 Ford. He was curious why everyone who was taking photos, always took a shot from the corner. I explained to him that from this angle, you can get the entire car in the shot (assuming you're using a wide angle lens), as I showed him the LCD panel of my camera to demonstrate.

1946 Dodge WC pickup truck

Here are some shots of a Kaiser car. This was the first time I had seen one of these. According to the info sheet on this car, there are only 13 of this kind left.

Dylan's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-10-01T16:56:00.001-07:00

These are some photos taken at the White Post Farm in Melville, NY. Dylan had his 2nd birthday party there. The party included access to the family fair they had going on at the same time.

Here's Dylan after the pony ride, I think the pony was a momento they give out after your ride.

Here's Dylan wondering where all these goats came from.

Dylan's birthday cake. You can see a few little fingers have already tasted the frosting - quality control of course.

Near one end of the farm, there was a pumpkin patch setup for pumpkin picking. This made for some nice shots.

Classic Cars - Bellmore, NY 09/25/09

2009-09-29T11:14:00.001-07:00

The following shots were taken on 9/25/09 at the Bellmore Classic Car meet. The paint job on this car really caught my eye.

You can see the rear portion of this car in the pic above. This car was called "The Atomic Bomb".

The shot below is a cropped version. I liked how these three cars all lined up together could remind someone of a scene from the 50's or 60's. This was a 10-second exposure, and it must have taken me over 20-minutes to take this shot without any people walking by.

Kings Park, NY

2009-09-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

The following shots are from a visit to Kings Park, NY. The town has a small beach area and boat launch along the north shore of Long Island. It also has a decomissioned psych center that has now been made into a park.

The shot below, was taken as we were leaving. The fire & ice reminds me of the restaurant in Boston, MA, which I would highly recommend. (http://www.fire-ice.com/)

The following shots below, were all taken in an abandoned workshop on the park grounds.

As we entered the park, we came across this neon green head, which we posed for a few shots. I like this one because it includes the abandoned building in the background.

When we were at the shore, we met Steve, who was also an amatuer photographer, in addition to a weekend fisherman.

This is a shot of the Thomas Butler Memorial at King's Park Bluff.

Sunrise / Sunset on the North Fork of Long Island

2009-09-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

This was the sunrise over Greenport Harbor on our last morning there. The colors this morning were amazing, and the wind was very calm, so I was able to get some nice colors off the calm water.

Again, taken our last morning. I really liked how the dock lights looked, as well as the faint green light on the building to the far left.

Each night we went to the north shore (Long Island Sound) for the sunset. Unfortunately, each night there were to many clouds on the horizon for a proper sunset. None the less, we got these shots. The shot directly below is a 30-second exposure, so the water turns into an almost foggy or misty look.

I noticed the two fisherman when I had zoomed in to take a shot with the rocks in the distance, so I hurried down toward them. As I was coming, one of the fishermen started to pull his rod in, therefore we only have one of the men actually fishing.

This shot was also taken along the northern shore, on our first night there. The clouds were a little different, but the horizon was still overcast.

This was the sunrise on our first morning in Greenport. The red sky at the horizon was so bright. I really like how it reflected off the water. This was taken at the Norman E. Klipp Marine Park in Greenport, NY.

You can't drink and drive

2009-09-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

The post title is a play on the fact that most of this post is devoted to pics, taken in and around Greenport, NY, but dealing with classic cars and other vehicles as well as some winery related scenes.

This classic 1960 Thunderbird was for sale along the Main Rd. in Greenport, NY.

This Ford Classic Truck was parked in the lot for Bedell Cellars winery.

I came across this BelAir on my way back from the lighthouse. It was for sale, and parked in the lot for Wheeler's Garage on the Main Rd. near Greenport, NY.

The following three shots were taken at an old farm along the road to the lighthouse. The farmer had them parked along the side of the road.

The Dodge Power Wagon was parked along a side street in Orient, NY.

The "Morning Call" is a sculpture of an Osprey alighting upon a perch made of twisted beams from the World Trade Center. It was made by Roberto Julio Bessin and sits in the entrance of Greenport Harbor, in Greenport, NY.

These chairs are alligned outside the Scrimshaw Restaurant in Greenport, NY.

The Scrimshaw Restaurant located in Greenport Harbor, Greenport, NY.

We had seen some paintings in a Greenport gallery like this, and this is my take on recreating the same for a photo.

This gazeebo was located at the Dilberto winery on the Northfork of Long Island, NY.

A cluster of grapes hanging from the vines at the Bedell Cellars winery on Long Island, NY.

Rows of vines for as far as the eye can see, located at the Bedell Cellars winery on Long Island, NY.

My wife's tasting glass with her last pick from the Duck Walk vineyard located on the Northfork of Long Island, NY.

Scenes around Greenport, NY

2009-09-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

This next set of pics are from around Greenport, NY, and include also Orient, Southold and other areas.

This anchor belonged to the Commodore, which sank in Long Island Sound on Dec. 27, 1866. It is now on display outside the Horton Point Lighthouse, located in Southhold, NY.

The Margaret Rose I think is a fishing boat. It was tied up at the dock in Greenport, NY.

This shot was taken early one morning with the light from the sunrise illuminating the horses.

A new condo development in Greenport, NY gets bathed in light early one morning.

Adirondak chairs are lined up overlooking a quiet harbor in Greenport, NY.

This was part of a set of custom made driveway entry lights, located along a quiet street in Greenport, NY.

One rule of photography is to always look behind you. I had been shooting a sunrise shot, and while waiting for the light to change a little, I turned around and saw how great this looked glowing with the early morning light. Needless to say, this turned out better than the sunrise shots I had first been focusing on.

This was hung on the front door of the Orient Congregational church in Orient, NY. I loved how it was hung using only a paperclip.

Not sure why the diner located on the corner in Greenport is called the Coronet, but has only this sign hanging outside.

I liked how this black light fixture contrasted with the colorful house in the background.

This totaly reminded me of a scene that one would see in the midwest or maybe somewhere in New England. The rockers, the hanging plant, the ornamental posts to the porch, it all made such a perfect scene - and how can I leave out the wooden screen door.

This shot is actually not a black and white photo. It just happened that the house was only painted in white, with all of the hardware in black. George Washington stopped at this house (Webb House) in 1757.

A low angle shot of the Orient Congregational church located in Orient, NY on Long Island's Northfork. I realy like the perspective and how the sky looked in this shot.

Here is another instance of what americana means for me. The flag hanging off the porch with the old chair and a basket of flowers by the front door.

Coney Island Photowalk 8/14/09

2009-08-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

On 8/14, I took a subway ride down to Coney Island to shoot the fireworks they have every Friday night in the summer. I was able to check out the area and take some other shots as well.

This first shot below shows that these were taken from the beach, as the light from the fireworks lit up the audience watching this display.

For all of the firework shots, just click on the pic to check out a higher resolution on Flickr.

I was there as it started to get dark, so I was able to get some great motion shots with the rides that are at the small amusement park along the boardwalk.

Classic Cars - Bellmore, NY 08/07/09

2009-08-08T14:11:00.001-07:00

I made it out to the Bellmore Classic Car meet this past Friday night. I arrived a little late, so I only have night shots from this evening. The crowds this time were enormous, so because my shots are an average of 8 - 10 seconds, I had to take many of them from the rear point of view.

I really liked the sharp contrast of the red and white of this BelAir.

I hadn't even realized that I had shot two BelAir's last night, until I was reviewing the photos this morning. I'll have to keep an eye out for this sharp yellow one next time, so I can get some shots at dusk with the deep blue sky.

This Olds 88 looked really cool under the train station lights.

This yellow car was at this meet again, so of course I had to grab a shot of it. It was one of the first shots of the night.

T & T's Place

2009-08-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends back we went to some friend's place for a BBQ. Here are a few pics that I took of their pets and their yard, from that Saturday.

Civil War Battle Reenactment - Old Bethpage Village Restoration

2009-07-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

These photographs were taken at a Civil War reenactment that was held at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration (located in Old Bethpage, NY) on July 18/19th. Iv'e adjusted the colors to make it look more like photos of that era.

Machinery of the Civil War

1853 Enfield Rifle

Confederate troops

Confederate soldier

Heading into camp

The first shot is fired!

An Officer oversees the battle.

Redeployed Union soldiers join the battle.

Union Army moves forward.

Confederate soldiers mount a last stand.

One who didn't make it.

South Street Seaport

2009-07-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

I took a trip down to the South Street Seaport one day after work recently. This group of images were taken that night.

The first image below is just to the left of where the South Street Seaport shopping area begins.

When I first turned the corner and saw this scene, it reminded me of what someone in the late 1800's probably saw, with the red brick buildings, and the ships' masts towering over the roofline of the building. This is an HDR photo.

The Heartland Brewery had a great carved wood sign, with gold leaf and deep red colors.

The full name of this tug boat is the "Helen McAllister". It used to be called the W.O. Decker, and was built just up river in Long Island City, Queens, back in 1930.

I had seen this sail boat in the distance coming up river, and hoped it would pass along the Brooklyn Bridge, so with some patience, I was able to get this shot.

I stayed past sunset to get some more shots of the Brooklyn Bridge and the surrounding skyline.

I really like how the reflection in the water turned out on these two photos below.

As I was leaving for the night, I was walking back toward the subway and stopped for this shot below. This is the eastern side of the lower Manhattan skyline.

Emma & Bella

2009-07-18T07:16:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics of Gerry's dogs; Bella (Goldendoodle) and Emma (Golden Retriever). As you'll see, they love the pool.

Captiva - South Seas Resort

2009-07-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

We stayed at the South Seas Resort in Captiva, FL. This is a timeshare resort, that my mother-in-law lets us use each July. The resort has been beautifully redone since Hurricane Charley came through in 2004.

The two shots directly below are from the entrance area of the resort.

This is the "Lands End" part of the resort, so named, because you can't go any further than this without a boat.

Here is the inside of "Scoops" a casual dining place on the resort. The inside is made to look like a 50's diner.

Here's the morning view from the T-dock, looking back toward land.

This is the new pool and slides that were just built last year.

Below is the main pool area, that has two pools, one geared toward kids, and one more for adults.

We spent some time rocking on this hammock in the afternoons.

Sunsets & Sunrises

2009-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

These are some of the best shots from the sunsets and sun rises I was able to photograph. Because of the angle of the sunrise, there was really only one prime spot for the sunrise pics - the T-dock, so you'll see a few variations on this setting. There was also this crooked tree that captured my attention for two nights, so that is also featured below. As you can see in this first pic, the sunsets were watched by many people.

For a few of the nights, the sky turned a pinkish color, as below. This really made for some great shots.

We arrived on July 4th. Although Captiva did not have any official fireworks, many people brought their own. Here is a shot taken from the golf course toward the beach - where this firework was launched from.

The shot below was taken after the sunset, but while there was still a dim light in the sky. This was a 10 second exposure, which results in the waves turning into just what appears to be a fog over the rocks. I really like this effect, and can't wait to try it in Maine next year.

The image below is an HDR image, which is created by combining three exposures into one image.

This was also taken one morning. The bird had at first been behind me, then jumped over the water to the other side of me. This left him in direct view of the sun. In first seeing this shot, I thought it was going to be too bright, but instead, it came out great. I like the glow off the bird's back, and the reflection of the sun in the water below.

Sanibel Lighthouse

2009-07-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night we traveled to the Sanibel Lighthouse following dinner. Per the sign below, the land was first settled by New Yorkers in the 1830's. The lighthouse was not built and operating until 1884.

I really like the angle of this shot, with the palm fronds in the lower foreground.

The lighthouse framed by a decaying tree along the shore. Probably a remnant of when Hurricane Charley (Category 4) came through here back on August 13, 2004. It really devastated the Sanibel/Captiva/Ft. Myers area.

We stayed to try to capture a sunset picture, but the cloudy skies were not about to let that happen. I did manage to get this shot though, with the timing just right to get the beam of light in the tower. We really got bit up this night by the no-see-ums, which are these tiny (about the size of a comma on your keyboard) biting flys. We both had sprayed ourselves with Off, but they managed to find all the little spots we missed.

Captiva Wildlife

2009-07-13T18:21:00.001-07:00

This bird was hanging out by the T-dock one morning, just picking up the bait scraps that a father and son were leaving behind. I guess he's not one to pass up free food when he sees it.

This bird was wandering the beach one morning following the people around who were picking up shells.

We can't realy call this dog "wildlife", but we can call him "Kona". He was hanging out in the Sanybel's Finest gift shop located in the Jerry's Foods plaza.

I believe the bird below is a hawk. We found him the night we were out shooting the lighthouse. He took a look down at me, then his head moved side to side.

The parrot below is a Military Macaw named Mia. She had a thing for my wife, as everytime my wife walked near, the bird would get very close to the cage edge. Anytime anyone else walked near, off to the far corner she was.

Around Captiva - Part I

2009-07-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some various pics that I also wanted to post, but they really didn't fit with any one theme. Well, I guess in this set there may be a "chair" theme, as I had seen a great photo on flickr with this set of chairs.

Nobody heeded this sign, as every night people climbed the rocks for their sunset pics.

I also had a"thing" for crooked trees. This set here were some of the best, I loved how one went left, one went right, and the center one just went straight.

I was walking back to our cottage one morning, and the reflection off the back of this truck caught my eye.

Around Captiva - Part II

2009-07-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

This next set of pics continues the "around Captiva" theme and includes some that were taken at South Seas and some off the resort.

The Sanibel / Captiva area is one of the best places to find shells. The beach is littered with shells like the ones below. You do have to hunt for the more colorful ones, but they are not hard to find.

The Bubble Room is famous for their deserts. The food is ok, but you must stop here to get desert to go.

The Mucky Duck is a great restaurant for a lunch stop. It overlooks a small beach at the end of a road.

Rockville Centre Photo Walk - 6/27/2009

2009-06-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I took a drive over to Rockville Centre for a photo walk. There were a few buildings I wanted to shoot, after seeing them from the train going back and forth.

I liked the bright blue and yellow on the sign below. Although the main purpose for this shot was so that I could actually name the church I was shooting, upon review, this pic really pops, so it made it to the blog.

Below is my main reason for traveling out to Rockville Centre; the Saint Agnes church. I have seen this church so many times on my daily commute into the city, and have been wanting to photograph it for some time. So one last check of the weather, and I was good to go.

I was walking along the back of the church and came across the parish center, with this great big window facing west. Well, the sun was in the right direction, and the clouds were reflecting perfectly in the windows. I really like how this shot turned out.

The light was really good that night, it reminded me of Sedona, AZ, with the bright blue sky and the red rock cliffs.

I had taken a series of shots similar to the one below, and when I was reviewing them the next day, I noticed that the lights on the to had just come on as I ws shooting. So, the pic below is the last from this series.

This diner is on Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre, I thought it would make a good night shot with the red, blue, & green neon lights.