Perspicacity: a photography blog

How not to get my business

2010-07-14T11:35:00.001-04:00

I like good customer service. I can tolerate bad customer service to a point. Uneven customer service, though, is the fastest way to lose my custom in the future.

Congratulations, Vistaprint!

I ordered folded note cards through Vistaprint last week. It’s part of an experiment – a dry run – to see how the process works, so that I can consider incorporating them into my Etsy shop, or even selling them at events, in the future. I paid additional money to have them shipped and to my door in a week. I considered the matter in abeyance until yesterday, when I logged onto Vistaprint’s site to check on the status of my order; it was listed as “still printing.”

I beefed on Twitter about it, and voilà! What I thought was merely a kvetch into the ether turned into a chance for Vistaprint to impress me. Somebody from the company monitors twitter, and I received a tweet from them within five minutes asking for my order number, so that they could look into it. I was impressed. I direct-messaged them the number, got a tweet that their customer service team was looking into it, and ….

This morning, I log on to check the order status. The screen shot is above – it’s still listed as “printing in progress.” So why did I pay extra money for fast shipping if it’s not going to be ready to ship on the day I’m supposed to receive it?

As for uneven service, you can find beefs about your company on Twitter, yet your customer service team can’t reply to a simple query? You have my e-mail address. You even have my twitter account. Surely all of your staff can’t be so engrossed in monitoring Twitter that they can’t compose a simple e-mail? They’re certainly not keeping up with all the print jobs.

If Vistaprint has grown so large that they get behind on print jobs, so inefficient that they can’t deliver on time (when you’ve paid additional money for the service, mind you), and so jaded that they think one intern on a twitter account constitutes good customer service, they obviously don’t need my business.

I’m disappointed, Vistaprint. Really, I am. You took a great opportunity to impress me with your responsiveness, and fumbled it.

*After trying fruitlessly to find a customer service telephone number, I contacted Vistaprint customer service via online chat. My representative was – I couldn’t make this up –DAMIAN. They have offered to reprint my order gratis, and I should have it by next Wednesday. Not a perfect response, Vistaprint, but you may yet redeem yourselves.

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T13:06:00.001-04:00

I’m celebrating my Independence Day, and the independence to be able to work for myself at least part of the time, by putting together final proof sets for two photo shoots/events I’ve done recently.

In short, I’m working. (For the record, I will be attending a party and then the famed Boston Pops fireworks show later.)

That’s OK, though. The first deliverable is for a client, Emmy, who hired me to take some portraits. She’s starting a new practice and needs them for her website, brochures, etc. (Emmy is the lady in the photos with Hunter, the boxer, back in April.) I took photos of her for my portfolio a couple of months ago, and ended up getting a paid assignment out of it. She will be getting her proof set on Monday.

The second deliverable is for friends of mine. Amelia and Shirley got married on June 26th, and they wanted me to take the wedding photos. I don’t normally do weddings, but I agreed to do it for them. Their proof set will await them on Tuesday, when they return from their honeymoon.

I’ve been busy and doing a lot of photography work, which is great. Tiring, but still great. That I have the time and the knowledge to do this is pretty darn nifty.

Happy Independence Day!

Busy but not productive

2010-06-29T20:10:00.001-04:00

Despite appearances to the contrary, I have not forgotten this blog. I’ve just had an extraordinarily busy – if not productive – month. Weird, isn’t it, how being busy does not necessarily mean you’ve been productive?

I’ve been working on a freelance graphic design project – laying out a children’s book for its author – that tied up the first three Sundays of this month. Graphic design is not my first love, but it brings in money when I can find the work, and that is a good thing. It’s also not particularly noteworthy work to go into a photography blog.

I’ve also been working hard on putting together a shop on the Etsy website. It would be a way to fund some of my photography by actually selling it to people other than the ones who have me take their pictures. I won’t pretend it’s been successful, but I’m adding to my selection every day and taking notes on what may or may not sell well. Note cards are a potential good seller, for instance, but I have to find the way to produce them that doesn’t cost more than they will sell for. Not spellbinding stuff for a photography blog.

And there was the photo shoot that the client thought he could short-change me on. My photo shoots are charged based on a two-hour minimum. If the shoot is over in one hour, you still pay for two hours of my time. Trying to talk me out of this – especially after you’ve agreed to the terms – is not a good idea. I stood my ground, I got paid, and ultimately, the client is happy with his photos. If there is a lesson there, I guess it is that you should never compromise on the important things. Your time, your effort, and your results are worth a certain negotiated amount, and you shouldn’t settle for less.

Throw in a wedding, making prints as gifts, mailing things, replacing four tires on my car, and the absence of a very important person in my life, and things were just really busy. With all of this going on, I haven’t spent a lot of time shooting for pleasure, which makes me a little sad. I guess all work and no play really makes Travis a dull boy.

From My Perspective

2010-06-08T19:00:00.001-04:00

Perspectives are weird things. Depending on your perspective, things can look very different, be it in unimportant things like religion or politics, or in the really important stuff, like photography. Being in the right place at the right time, being willing to engage your model, and not feeling bound to conventional poses can help you capture truly compelling images of your subject, and in some cases, can even help you to capture the essence of their personality.

Case in point is a photo by my friend Anna of my friend Grace:

Grace is a delightfully quirky young woman with a playful side, and this photo captured that perfectly. My own attempt (below) caught some of that playfulness, though not nearly as dramatically as the image above

By snapping the photo of Grace lurching at the camera, Anna used her perspective to really capture Grace’s playfulness, and made a better image.

Meanwhile, feeling inspired by the interesting perspectives one sees when multiple photographers are hanging out with each other, I tried a couple of experiments myself:

Here Anna takes her leisure on the grass. And here’s Brandon, taking his leisure on a lawn chair.

Portraiture has a lot of good guidelines, but occasionally, stepping out of the lines and trying something new will yield a surprising and fun result. So shake things up occasionally; you never know what you’ll discover.

Data Management: Back it up

2010-05-27T17:37:00.001-04:00

I make between 10,000 – 12,000 images a year. That’s a lot. Most of them can be discarded without worry, but keeping the pictures I want to keep is important to me. There are as many systems to back up images as there are photographers. I’m going to explain my backup regimen here. If you have a different way, I’d love to hear about it.

In the days of film, managing your photos meant keeping track of your prints and negatives. This could mean shoe boxes and photo albums, or for the more fastidious, negative sheets in binders and proof sets, labeled and numbered.

With digital photography, it’s still important to consider how to keep track of your photos. If your computer catastrophically crashes as you’re reading this, would you lose any important images?

Some tips I recommend when backing up your images:

Back up to multiple discs
Back up to multiple locations
Take advantage of online services to back up online
Have at least two copies of everything you want to keep

I say you should back up to multiple discs for a simple reason: Hard dives fail. I back up all of my images to an external hard drive. Then, I back up the “keepers” to either a CD or a DVD-ROM. Thus, if my computer fails, I have two backups. If one of my backups go, I have a second one. And if everything dies simultaneously, I have bigger problems than finding my photos.

Those CDs and DVDs? If I kept them on my desk at home, one house fire could wipe out all of my backups simultaneously. By taking one backup set out of my house, that minimizes the danger.

(not my photo)

My “good” photos are backed up online – either on the photo-sharing service Flickr (public) or on unlisted directories on Picasa (private). Should an asteroid take out Boston, I can still log on from outside the impact zone and get the images back.

And by doing all of this, I have more than two copies of everything I want to keep. Even with the chances of multiple disasters wiping out all of my backups being very slim, media do fail.

My backup regimen is much more intricate, but explaining the complexities adds nothing to the point: Back it up! One of these days, you’ll be glad you did.

Photographing Anna

2010-05-21T16:55:00.001-04:00

My friend Anna stopped by my workplace freshly coiffed on Wednesday. As I’m wont to do on both special and not-so-special occasions, I brought out my camera to commemorate the event.

I really like this photo. More importantly, Anna likes it. There are a couple of things I wish I’d done differently, but overall, it’s a very nice photograph.

The photo was taken using my 50mm lens opened up to f/2.0, at 1/50th of a second, with my white balance set to around 3200 degrees. The light was provided by incandescent lamps, so it was necessary to really open up the aperture in order to draw in the most light – especially since I was hand holding the camera. The more light you let in, the faster your shutter speed – and vice versa.

A wide open aperture also renders a nice shallow depth of field. This allowed me to get her face – and most importantly, her eyes – in focus, while blurring out the items behind her. This let me minimize distractions, helping the viewer to see Anna and not try to figure out what that is behind her.

Between the ceiling lights and one lamp to the right of the photo, plus the lamp behind her, Anna was lit pretty well. The lamp behind her worked as a good key light to bring out the texture of her hair. By standing and having Anna look up toward me, I accentuated her jaw line. Most importantly, although this is nothing that I did specifically, Anna was feeling relaxed and serene.

If I had the photo to do over again, I would have brought out my external flash to provide just a touch of fill light. That would have helped wash out the shadow her glasses cast on her right cheek.

The most important element in this photograph, it should be said, was the model. She was feeling relaxed and knew her her hairdo was spectacular. If your model is comfortable, you’re guaranteed to get better photos.

Rush jobs

2010-05-10T22:28:00.001-04:00

Last Wednesday, I was approached by a client who requested that I photograph a special event the next afternoon. It turned out to be a lesson in putting together a rush job and in cultural sensitivity.

The special event was her grandson’s B’rit Milah, commonly known as a Bris. (That link isn’t for the squeamish, by the way.) This is the ritual circumcision done to all Jewish boys on the eighth day of their lives, and it’s a very important religious occasion.

I did a little reading to learn about the event, then spoke with the grandmother about what exactly she wanted to have photographed. (Mostly, she wanted photos at the seudat mitzvah – the celebratory dinner – afterward.) As a returning client who has hired me on many previous occasions, I didn’t go over fees and costs; usually, I insist on going over that right away.

24 hours isn’t a lot of time to prepare for a shoot – especially a shoot at an uncertain location. There are things I do before every photo shoot, however, and knowing this helped me to get ready without getting too panicked by the short notice:

Format all memory cards. Simple enough, but very important, because you may need every bit of space available on your memory card. Halfway through an event is not the time to be rushing through your images deleting pictures from the camera menu to make room for new ones.
Grabbing my backup camera. At a photo shoot – particularly a shoot of a religious event fraught with meaning and emotion, and not easily replicated – I try to have a backup camera ready. If my main camera fails to work for some reason, the backup (which uses the same lenses and accessories) is at the ready.
Sorting my camera bag. When you’re busy at an event, you need to know where everything is, and be able to grab it quickly. Going through my bag lets me sort out what I need and what I don’t, lightens my load, and I’m certain I have the important things on hand.
Resetting my camera settings. I always try to set my camera to the same basic setup before I put it away. In my case, it’s set to ISO 100, Program Mode, with white balance set to 5500°. Having my “default” settings always handy is very helpful in taking that first photo.

By always doing the items above prior to an event(for less important events, I omit step 2), getting ready for a rush job is less stressful and more routine.

The photo shoot, by the way, was a success. I always prefer to have more notice before a photo shoot, but it’s comforting to know that I can do a good job with less than 24 hours notice.

Cropping in the Camera

2010-05-03T11:46:00.001-04:00

Behold the Scaleograph. In the days before electronic publishing, layout artists used this device to mark up photo prints for cropping and sizing. If it looks vaguely familiar, it may be because the crop tool icon in many photo editing programs is based on it:

(screenshot from Photoshop CS4)

Many times, people will take a photo that has a distraction in it, and then say, “Oh, I’ll just crop that out.” I say, if it’s distracting and can be cropped out later, why photograph it now?

In high school, college, and during my days as a Navy Journalist and Photojournalist, I was taught to “crop in the camera.” That is to say, I did my best to fill the frame with the point(s) of interest, so that a lot of cropping or other post-processing wasn’t necessary. Back then, post-processing was either done in a wet darkroom or left up to a trusted photofinisher – a difficult, time-consuming, and tedious process, involving devices like that thing at the top of the entry.

It’s much simpler to crop photos today than it was 20 years ago, certainly, but something that isn’t considered is whether it should be done more often, simply because it’s easier. It seems much better to me to take the photo you want to take in the first place than to spend time afterward making a poor photo into the one you want.

This isn’t to say you should never edit your images. That’s ridiculous. Often, a little work in your image editor will make a good image great. One of my favorite shots ever (above) is cropped square, a shape you could never crop in your camera. My point is that you shouldn’t depend on Photoshop, or GIMP, or whatever you use to edit your images, in order to fix something you shouldn’t have done in the first place. Because, given a choice between making photos or Photoshopping them, I’ll take the camera any day.

On resolution

2010-04-23T22:09:00.001-04:00

My friend Dave asked me a question about resolution the other day:

… picked up a little Canon SD1400 IS, which we're going to take on a trip soon. I want the best images possible, which means roughly 2 - 3 MB per image for this camera. I'm going with 2592 X 1944 pixels, which, according to the user manual, is good to print up to 8 X 10 pixels. It also gives me almost 10,000 images on my 16GB SD card. Does this pass the common-sense test?

It got me to thinking about the high resolutions that most modern digital cameras can achieve, and whether or not shooting at the highest resolution is really necessary.

On the one hand, a 2 megapixel camera will yield good 4x6 images and acceptable 5x7 images, and a 4 megapixel camera will give fine 8x10 images. The above image size works out to about 5 megapixels, so in theory, it would be fine for photos up to 8x10.

The sensor on Dave’s camera is a 1/2.3” charged coupled device – about the size of the square on the lower right of the image above. That’s not a lot of space to capture a good image. If Dave saves images at the smaller resolution, he’s giving up about two thirds of that sensor.

Dave’s points about saving space on his memory card were fine, but I had to point out some facts I felt were important:

Saving at the lower resolution saves space, but I don’t think it’s a case where the savings is really necessary. 10,000 photos is a huge amount; between 2006 and 2009, I averaged 12,000 photos a year.
Taking photos at higher resolution means you have more data to work with. Dave can take a full-resolution, 14-megapixel image, crop it extensively, and still come out with a usable image he can print at a decent size. If he limits himself to the smaller resolution, he loses the ability to crop afterward and still get a nice usable image.
SDHC cards are cheap. It makes more sense to purchase a separate memory card or two, simply to have a backup in case of equipment failure, than to rely on one card to hold all of your digital images – especially if you’re backing them up to your computer like you should be.

In general, I always take photos at the highest resolution I can, and shrink them later when I need to. It goes against my instincts to discard useful data when you don’t have to. Case in point:

The top image is a photo of me taken by another friend. I didn’t like the result, but was able to crop it (see second image), yet still print the cropped image large enough to send to my grandmother. My camera is 15 megapixels; if I had set it to lower resolution, an image cropped this severely would have been pixilated at best, completely unusable at worst.

In short: Save large, save often, and back up everything. You can discard data after you’ve taken your shot, but you can never recover data your camera doesn’t record.

Portraiture – Engaging your Models

2010-04-22T21:50:00.001-04:00

When making photos of people, photographers should strive to connect with their models. That is to say, your interaction with the person you’re photographing should consist of more than instructions to smile and how to pose.

For this photo shoot, the first interactions began two weeks prior, when I asked Emmy if I could photograph her with Hunter. I explained that I would like to do this in order to expand my portfolio (thus, this was an unpaid assignment), and offered to share the photos with her on CD. The low-key, friendly conversation set the tone for the shoot. We worked out a mutually-convenient time, set a rain date, and it was done.

The day of the shoot, Emmy e-mailed me to ask what she should wear. By setting the initial tone, she felt comfortable asking that question. I explained to her that she should dress comfortably, because she would be on the ground with the dog. Fortunately, that was all the direction she needed; Emmy is an elegant woman with a great fashion sense.

During the shoot, I had to engage both Emmy and Hunter. When photographing people, I try to make them laugh and keep it deliberately casual. People who are at ease look better in photographs. There is a fine line you walk between keeping your banter light and remaining in control of the situation.

Two-way communication is very important. While you are the photographer and you need to remain in overall control, a model to whom you don’t pay attention quickly becomes frustrated. Frustrated people do not look good in pictures. Models often have good ideas that can improve a photo. Listen to the person you’re photographing; it can make quite a difference in the final product.

Ultimately, keeping the people you photograph happy will help them, help you, and result in more opportunities to practice your craft. Remember, practice makes perfect.

More photos from this shoot can be seen here.

Portraiture – Using Sunlight

2010-04-21T12:14:00.001-04:00

Recently, I had a photo shoot with a lovely young lady named Emmy and her boxer, Hunter. Taking a portrait is easy; taking a good portrait is difficult.

Lighting is important in all photography. I like doing informal portraits outdoors when possible. With luck and a little time spent scouting locations, you can usually find a pretty background and take advantage of the sun, one of the best light sources around.

I found a comfortable spot for my models to sit, then set up my equipment.

I turned Emmy and Hunter toward me, positioned so the sun was behind them and slightly off to one side. I used the sun as a key light; it provided most of my light. By putting Emmy where the sun was over her head, it lit her pretty hair and added dimension to her face.

With the sun behind Emmy, however, her face was in shadow. I used my external flash as a fill light; it filled in the shadows and lit her face without overpowering the nice sunlight lighting the background.

Alas, sunlight isn’t always available for your key light. You can buy lighting kits that start in the low hundreds of dollars, or you can buy more complex studio lighting kits that can run thousands of dollars. However, it’s still nice to know that you can take a flash, a pretty location, and a fortuitously sunny day, and make a little magic.

More photos from this shoot can be seen here.

On printing

2010-04-16T13:58:00.001-04:00

What do you do with your photos after you take them?

Digital photography is wonderful, in that you can share photos online with many people simultaneously. You can post your photos to Facebook or Twitter, or perhaps you have a Flickr or Photobucket account. E-mailing attachments may seem quaintly old-fashioned, but it also does the job.

There is something magical, though, to the printed photo. Looking at a print, be it in an album or a frame, is a tactile experience that can’t be reproduced online. Printing is also a good way – and perhaps the only way – to share photos with people who aren’t computer-literate. (My grandmother falls into that category).

Printing your photo at home

Photo printers are cheap and plentiful, and most will do a good job printing a basic 4x6 photo for your album. When printing on your home printer, here are some items you should pay special attention to:

The paper you choose. A quick trip to an office supply store will reveal many different types and sizes of inkjet photo paper you can choose. It usually comes in packs of 4x6 or letter size. Choose dedicated inkjet photo paper; the store brand will likely be fine and you can save some coin on the purchase. I choose letter size and trim my photos to fit; this gives me more flexibility in printing my images. If you only want 4x6, buy the smaller paper and save both money and resources.
Printer settings – your paper. Your printer settings will have options such as “glossy photo paper,” “matte photo paper,” and “plain paper.” Your printer lays down ink differently on glossy than on matte or plain paper; selecting the correct paper will deliver a better final result.
Your print settings. You should see options to print as draft, good quality, and high quality (sometimes more) when you set up your print job. I always print at the highest quality; why bother making excellent photos if you’re not going to show them off at their best?

Printing your photos at a store

Unless it’s a one-off job, I prefer to print my photos at an online store. It saves me time and money, in that printer ink is expensive and printing at home can be time-consuming. You can upload photos to several services and have them mailed to you at home; alternatively, many places will let you upload photos, then you can go to a nearby store to pick up the images.

Snapfish – online service. Mail to home.
Ritz Camera – camera store chain. Can pick up at local store or have mailed to you at home.
CVS/Walgreens/Wal Mart – Pharmacy and big box store chains. Can pick up at local store or have mailed to you at home.

My strong personal preference is for Ritz Camera. Their printing is uniformly good and I enjoy the convenience of picking up prints an hour after they’re uploaded.

Photo albums and photo books

Once you have your prints, you can put them in a photo album to keep them clean and safe. This is the time-honored way of keeping most photos. If you pick an album, try to purchase one with acid-free paper; it will last longer and won’t discolor your prints. Albums sometimes have pockets to slip your photos into; these are fine. Scrapbooks are an artsy way to display your work, and give you another creative outlet.

The printing services above also let you make photo books. These are bound prints with your photos printed on the paper directly. They’re durable, and when you take care to select your photos and layouts carefully, are attractive and unique.

Framing and displaying

You can also frame your prints and display them in your home. My personal preference is to have a frame with a matte; this keeps your photo from touching the glass and protects it from damage. The matte also sets off your photo, giving the resulting presentation a more finished look. If framing and displaying several photos together, matching frames and mattes make for a nicely coordinated look – a decorator’s touch.

I choose plain frames and light-colored mattes for most of my photos. Simpler frames are attractive, less expensive, and less distracting to the eye. IKEA is a wonderful source for inexpensive frames and mattes. Your local art store will likely have a wide and varied collection to choose from as well.

A carefully-selected, matted and framed photo also makes a lovely gift to a special person. If you’re sharing your photo and want to add an artistic touch, you can sign the matte with a light pencil or pen for a “signature” piece of work.

The photo at the start of the entry cost less than $20 to print, matte, and frame. It was a unique and wonderful keepsake for a good friend, and a memento of a fun afternoon in the sun.

Conclusion

Even though your photos may be digital, don’t overlook the satisfaction that can come from seeing your photos printed. It’s the ultimate in portability and, when printed professionally, should stand the test of time.

When less is more

2010-04-13T19:59:00.001-04:00

I went to New York this past weekend. In addition to selling some old gear at Adorama, I was able to spend most of Sunday walking the streets of the city, visiting the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, and shooting photos all along the way. Selected photos are posted on my Flickr page.

When I select which photos I’m going to share, I use a short list of criteria to winnow the selection down to a workable number:

Identify obvious quality issues. Anything that is out of focus, has incorrect focus, or is too under- or overexposed gets tossed.
Eliminate obvious duplicates. Most of the time, your viewers only need to see one shot of a particular item. Six photos of your dog peeing on a fire hydrant, from three angles, is overkill.
Identify problems in your remaining photos. If it’s something you can correct, do so. If you can’t fix it, discard the image.
Tell a story. I then go through the remaining photos and put them in an order that helps to tell a story. If you find your “story” dragging at points, you have too many similar photos and need to cull some more.

My reasoning is pretty simple: If people only see your best work, they won’t know you take bad photos. Nobody has to know how often your photos are blurry. Nobody has to see your finger in front of the lens.

Which brings me to the point of this blog entry. Repeat after me: You should only show your best work.

This seems like a simple idea, but too many photographers dump all of their photos – either onto their computer, a USB drive, or directly to the Internet – without taking the time to really look at them and make decisions. This is the digital equivalent of having to look at somebody’s vacation slides. Usually there are too many of them, too much repetition, and the truly exceptional photos in the bunch are drowned in an ocean of mediocrity.

I took more than 160 photos when I was in New York on Sunday. My online album contains the best 16 of those photos. In choosing which photos to share, I ended up picking about one out of every 10 shots. That’s a pretty good ratio.

In general, the better your photographs, the more people want to see, and it’s always better to keep your fans wanting more than to give them more than they want.

Simplifying

2010-04-09T21:21:00.001-04:00

I learned photography using a 1970’s vintage Canon SLR. When the Base Newspaper Office where I worked upgraded to new Canon EOS bodies, it was like a quantum leap in photography for me.

Even though most of my photography these days is done digitally with my DSLR, I’ve been keeping film cameras around. I enjoy shooting a roll of film now and again; it teaches me to slow down, to concentrate on the process, and makes me think very hard how to capture the moment I want to capture – film definitely does not offer the instant gratification of digital, nor the chance to shoot several hundred images and cherry pick the best right away.

That having been said, I’ve collected a few vintage cameras over the years. They’re gathering dust for the most part, stored in a bin, not being used. And that’s a shame.

My partner and I are going to New York this weekend, and I’m taking advantage of the opportunity to visit Adorama and divest myself of some of the little-used cameras. I’ll keep a couple that I really like – my very nice Canonet GIII QL17 and my banged-up, well-used Nikomat FTN spring to mind – and see if I can recoup some money from the others that aren’t being used.

I still intend to shoot a roll of film now and again, as the experience helps me remember that making a good photograph isn’t always so simple. A little history lesson now and again can only benefit my work.

Back to Basics!

2010-04-01T19:40:00.004-04:00

I’ve been shooting digital images for a while now, and I’m beginning to see how they make me a lazy photographer. When you have instant feedback, can correct your stuff immediately, or even post-process it extensively, it’s difficult to really get into the process, using the craft, and taking the time to make every shot count.

Additionally, every professional photographer in the city uses digital, and people are learning to expect instant results. Impatient people get inferior products. With that in mind, I’ve decided that my niche needs to be a more sedate, studied process.

That’s why I’m returning to the basics: I’m going to do daguerreotypes.

The business model is sound. There is not a single working daguerreotypist in New England, so there’s no competition. People must be aching for a return to simpler times. Imagine, if you will, the fascination in little children’s faces as you set up your large daguerreotype camera at their kid’s party. The anticipation of waiting hours for the results, and only having the one chance to get it right, will undoubtedly add a new and exciting facet to the typical dog-and-pony show that young rich children call a birthday party.

Or theme weddings. The thrill of being captured in your finery, being held stock-still by special neck clamps as you wait for the 45-second exposure to complete. This is perfect for those special occasions when only a finely-crafted image on glass will do.

Daguerreotypes are permanent in a way that no film-based photography can be. Film degrades, but daguerreotypes are glass; unless you break them, they will last for centuries.

I really think I’ve come up with a unique business idea that will make me rich!

Oh, and HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

Pots and Pans

2010-03-26T14:01:00.001-04:00

One thing I’ve discovered among people is that they believe that a more expensive camera must take better photos. It’s like eating a truly excellent dinner and telling the cook, “you must have great pots and pans.” The very idea is absurd.

I always take pains to point out that it’s not the camera, the lens, the light, or the subject that makes a photograph great. The single most important element in making a good photograph is the photographer. Surprised?

All things being equal, a good photographer will make good photos with poor equipment more often than a poor photographer will make good photos, whatever he’s using.

Case in point #1:

This photo, of a bracelet by jeweler Keith Monsour, was taken at the spur of the moment, on an overcast day, with an iPhone. Keith arranged the bracelet on a stone he’d found on the beach, set onto a field of clover, and I composed the shot in the viewfinder and snapped it.

Case in point #2:

This photo was taken by a friend of mine, using my digital SLR and a very good zoom lens. Note that the background is in perfect focus, but the subject is not. If the expensive camera were better, this photo should have been better.

So how does a poor photographer become good, and a good photographer get better? Practice. So go make a great photo today!

About Perspicacity

2010-03-23T23:06:00.001-04:00

Since I’m not posting a Photo of the Day every day, I decided a name change was in order. Since the URL uses the word perspicax, the Latin root of the word perspicacious, it seemed a good place to start.

To be perspicacious is to be discerning. Literally, it means to be “clear-sighted,” which has an extra meaning when applied to the practice of photography. A photographer who intends to make good photographs needs to be clear sighted, to have goals, and to know what differentiates a good photo from a mere snapshot.

I’ve been thinking hard about how to proceed with this blog. My Photo of the Day project was fascinating, but it was mostly successful because it relied on regular – indeed, very regular – posting behavior – on my part. I have to decide how this will carry over with the name change.

My current goal is to use this blog to talk about photography. It won’t give photography lessons, per se, but instead will go into the whys and wherefores of how I come to make an image. Obviously, I’ll be relying on my own experiences, and perhaps the experiences of my photographically-inclined friends, to decide what to blog about.

I’m open to suggestions as well. If you have questions, please post them in the comments, or e-mail me with them. If I can answer them intelligently, I will.

Meanwhile, I’m going to get to work on my first “new” blog post. Wish me luck!

Returning to the blogosphere

2010-03-15T22:00:00.002-04:00

I'm back.

I did pretty well keeping up with my Photo of the Day project for most of last year. The onset of multiple stressful situations did that project in late in October, two months shy of its completion, but it accomplished a lot of goals. It made me more aware of my surroundings, and though the pursuit of the daily photo led to some questionable choices, it did keep me thinking.

I have to retitle this blog in the near future. I'm going to work on posting more interesting photos as they happen. I won't be posting every day, but I hope I can put something up once a week or so.

I may also wax on about the philosophy of photography from time to time. Not often, I promise; I don't do philosophical well.

Meanwhile, here's to blogging again on a regular basis.

October 22

2009-10-23T17:51:00.001-04:00

As fall approaches and the birds have had all summer to fatten up, these fat little birds -- house sparrows, perhaps? -- are all over Boston. They're a little comical to watch, as they hop around the ground looking for bits and bobs to snack on. They look so rotund that they shouldn't be able to get airborne. It makes sense that they fatten up for their journey south, I suppose. It's a long flight and they burn a lot of calories.

Last summer, a family of house sparrows took up residence in our front porch light. I was a little concerned that the eggs might be hard boiled, but the light acted more like an incubator than oven coil. My landladies moved them, nest and all, to a purpose-built little box high up on the corner of the porch, as they worried that the naked bulb might set the nest on fire.

I know, intellectually, that house sparrows are an invasive species in North America, and that they smash eggs and steal nests from other birds. Still, after the little family shared our home last summer, I feel some affection for the little pests.

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October 21

2009-10-21T23:40:00.001-04:00

Surprisingly, it wasn't the foliage that caught my eye when I decided to take this photo; it was all the birds on the surface of Jamaica Pond. Alas, little birds on the big pond from a car hundreds of feet from said waterfowl doesn't lend itself to brilliant shooting, so this is the best of the bunch.

On the plus side, it was a great day to go for a ride with the windows down, even if I was rushing madly to get everywhere I needed to get and do everything I needed to do. I managed to travel distances in the city that I wouldn't have believed possible in an hour, and still made it to work on time despite having to make a detour to West Roxbury -- the precise opposite direction from work.

Yesterday was busy but felt unproductive. Today was busy but very productive -- I got a lot done -- and it feels really good!

294/365 -

October 20

2009-10-20T22:08:00.002-04:00

Today was inexplicably frustrating for me. I was working on stuff all day, I got stuff done, and I was on schedule, more or less, but I'm still behind and it feels like I haven't accomplished jack-@*$!.

(I noticed that my speech today has become approximately five times more scatological than usual as well.)

I felt a little better after accomplishing something concrete. We're giving away NaNoBoston 2009 stickers in goody bags this year, but we had to create them ourselves. This involved cutting them out of the label paper. It was laborious, but it felt good to just slice the crap out of these things -- and was productive as well.

I have about two dozen more things to accomplish before we assemble the goody bags on Friday -- not least of which is designing the ML nametags -- so I will be plenty busy. I'm living by the calendar, and it's working (more or less), but I don't have to like it!

293/365 -

October 19

2009-10-19T22:18:00.002-04:00

This little urban oasis is located near the Longwood Medical Area on my route to work. It's a little amazing to me that I have lived as long as I have and never realized that vines turned colors like other deciduous broadleaf plants.

It was such a beautiful day today; it's hard to believe that 24 hours before this photo was taken, Boston was getting a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. With the temperatures tomorrow getting into the high 50s/low 60s, it should be another lovely autumn day. Which is both pleasant and welcome -- I'll take all the respites I can get before winter sets in.

292/365 -

October 18

2009-10-18T21:07:00.002-04:00

My friend Keith and I had our dinner at New York System in Providence tonight. Even if we had only gone for this, it probably would have been worth the drive in the rain, and the drive back in the snow. I don't recall snow in October before. Once in May, sure, but never in October.

But I digress.

Keith needed the lift to visit a unique craft store in Warwick, and his lure was to offer me dinner for driving him. He introduced me to Coneys in Fall River earlier this summer, and New York System weinies -- don't call them hot dogs! -- are similar. They come topped with meat sauce, mustard, onions, and celery salt -- and I think the toppings outweigh the pork in the hot dogs.

Still, they're delicious, and there is a tradition -- a mythos, even -- around their consumption. Since they're small, they're often consumed in multiple units; six is not unheard of, though that's usually a weinie-only meal. As I only had two weinies, I also got a small order of truly outstanding french fries. (Note: a small order of french fries at New York System is a dinner plate full).

And then there was Norman, the loquacious and colorful weenie cook. He was entertainment all on his own, telling stories of his 20-plus years there.

All in all, it was a great day, despite the weather. I'm going to have to haul my photo walk cronies down there some weekend next spring.

291/365 -

October 17

2009-10-17T22:23:00.001-04:00

It was a brisk but pretty day in Roslindale today. I took a little walk, camera in hand, to run a few errands. I had the idea of getting photos of the foliage -- it's becoming a hobby of mine -- though this photo of the flag hanging from the pole caught my eye. (American Flags have been another thing I've been noticing of late.)

I managed to get a couple of frames from the Treasure Chest for a song today -- I guess I'm going to do some printing soon to find something to go into them. It's something to keep me busy on these cold autumn days.

290/365 -

October 16

2009-10-16T23:22:00.001-04:00

It's gotten chilly in Boston recently, with lows in the 30s and highs barely getting into the high 40s. I'm doing my level best not to complain about the weather -- really, I am -- but when it's this cold and this wet, it's difficult.

That's why this one lone rose hanging on to a scrawny rose bush made me smile. I was putting away the garbage can and spotted it there -- that bright color really stand out. It's kind of inspiring to see a little bit of summer hanging on.

If this little flower can tough it out, so can I. I think that's a good enough life lesson for today.

289/365 -

October 15

2009-10-15T21:50:00.001-04:00

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals runs the Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain.

I drive by this sign almost every day. The iconography is great on it, and was what originally caught my eye. I found it surprising that an animal hospital rates the "hospital" sign (H in square), but when I thought about it, realized it made sense. It's easily the largest animal hospital in Massachusetts, as well as the best emergency medical option for a sick pet.

At work, I've referred residents with sick pets here often. When Pogo, our dog, became very ill at the end of his life, we brought him here, where the vet on call was thoughtful and treated us with great sensitivity, helping us to make the difficult choice to have him put to sleep.

Dealing with a sick pet is very difficult. They can't tell you what hurts or what's wrong, yet you want to help them and make them better. The folks at Angell are wonderful at guiding pet owners through very difficult procedures and options, and helping you to make the right decision. That is invaluable.

288/365 -

October 14

2009-10-14T22:56:00.002-04:00

Cumberland Street in Boston's Back Bay is a tony little side street of single-family homes near the Christian Science Center. Being a dead-end street means that there isn't much traffic either.

I drive down Cumberland between Huntington Ave. and St. Botolph St. almost every weekday en route to work. With the foliage really coming into its own in the cooler weather, the scene is very picturesque. Since tomorrow there will likely be an overcast sky, I thought this might be my best chance to capture a pretty scene before the leaves turn brown and get blown away.

I'm usually not fond of autumn, as it heralds the end of summer and the inevitable winter storms that befall New England. This year, though, I have to admit that the beautiful foliage (following a sopping wet spring) has been remarkable.

287/365 -

October 13

2009-10-13T22:27:00.002-04:00

Lt. Charles M. Toole once lived at 68 Weld Hill Street in Jamaica Plain. He died October 1, 1918, 42 days before the Armistice. I can't find a lot more information about him, but knowing that explains why he has this nice memorial marker near Forest Hills Station.

This marker is right on the main drag. I can't find information on when the marker was placed, though the geographic proximity to his home makes sense. I suspect -- but can't confirm -- that the marker was placed by the local American Legion Post 76, which is about 50 yards away.

Lt. Toole must have been quite a remarkable person to have somebody go to the expense of raising this monument. I hope that the remarkable young men fighting today are remembered equally respectfully when they give their lives.

286/365 -

October 12

2009-10-12T22:10:00.002-04:00

So the sumptuous scene above was shot at the site of one of NaNoBoston09's write-ins next month.

Juiceboxartists is a writing group in Somerville. The founder, Deborah, has kindly agreed to let us use their studio as a write-in location. The studio, in a former industrial building, is richly decorated; I could only think to describe it as a salon, and honestly, what better place to foster creativity?

The space is both beautiful and functional. Plugs are abundant and easily accessible, for instance, and there's wireless access available for the wrimos so inclined. I'm very excited that we're getting to use such a beautiful -- and unique -- location for a write-in. It's certainly very different from a library or a fast food shop!

285/365 -

October 11

2009-10-11T21:57:00.002-04:00

With National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) coming up soon, and our participation (our region is called NaNoBoston), and since we were shopping for door prizes for our events, finding "Nano Glue" just seemed kind of prophetic. After all, when things are falling apart, you can use glue to hold it all together.

We have managed -- finally! -- to get everything we need to host write-ins, along with most of our door prizes.

Alas, venues aren't coming along as smoothly. We have one pesky write-in night that is proving tough to fill. Today's trip to Cambridge was unproductive -- our hoped-for location at B.Good near Harvard is just too small. Tomorrow we visit a dedicated writing studio in Somerville; this location is practically scheduled already, so the visit is mostly a formality. We have until Friday, when we announce our schedule. We have a plan ... it's just a case of that plan working out.

284/365 -

October 10

2009-10-10T23:57:00.001-04:00

A resident where I work moved out at the end of September, leaving what can only be described as a monumental desk in our loading dock.

Technically, they gave it to one of my colleagues. She accepted it, with the intention of giving it to a charity or other good cause. It was a laudable goal, though it didn't pan out. So when the boss threatened to bust it into pieces and toss it in the dumpster, I asked for the chance to find somebody to take it.

This desk is big; L-shaped, six feet wide by seven feet long, it would take 42 ft. sq. of floor space. I thought about taking it home myself, but there was no way I could shoehorn the damn thing in. I put it together in the loading dock, photographed it carefully, and set about posting the photos online, planning to advertise the thing on Craigslist and Freecycle. My friend Scott messaged me while I was doing this, so I asked him if he wanted a ginormous desk.

He did.

This is the way the desk looked once we loaded the heavy desk into his father's enormous SUV. I'm sure that we were quite the sight as we drove up I-93. Regardless, we got the desk to Scott's home, unloaded it, and managed to get it inside. I'll be sore tomorrow, but it'll be worth it.

283/365 -

October 09

2009-10-09T20:52:00.002-04:00

It seems a little ironic to me that my two recent "cheats" have both involved jewelry. Since I'm dealing with images that I've taken recently, and this was the most pressing item I had to tackle, I'm using it. (Dreary autumn days are also sucky for photography, for what it's worth.)

Keith (my jeweler friend) needed some edits to designs we did for promotional purposes. We needed to change some information on his business cards and postcards. With my schedule ramping up for National Novel Writing Month, we managed to shoehorn the appointment in today. And -- surprisingly -- the work went very quickly.

So even without a photo of the day, I still feel I've accomplished quite a bit.

282/365 -

October 08

2009-10-08T21:23:00.001-04:00

Here's a photo to warm the hearts of patriots.

Today was an absolutely breathtaking autumn day -- the sun shone, it was cool but not too cold, and the skies were blue with white fluffy clouds. It was also quite windy, which worked to my advantage as I turned left onto Main Street in Watertown near the public library. The bank building across the street has two flagpoles -- one was directly in front of me -- and while I waited for the light to change, I stuck my head out the window and got this shot of the flag, waving proudly, unfurled in the wind.

Pretty nifty.

281/365 -

October 07

2009-10-07T21:05:00.004-04:00

The winds were very brisk in Boston today. While the foliage is looking particularly pretty this year, the wind is threatening to strip the branches bare before the best colors come to the fore.

I caught sight of this pretty little tree near Jamaica Pond today on the way to work. The top leaves have succumbed to the wind, but the bottom leaves are still a pretty (and striking) orange color.

I have the feeling that foliage photos may be to my autumn what flower photos were to my spring and summer. And you know what? I'm OK with that.

280/365 -

October 06

2009-10-06T20:27:00.001-04:00

Mosby, pictured here, is a 12-week-old Wheaten Terrier who lives near the building where I work.

Folks who know me, and probably any regular readers, know that I am a dog person. I like dogs, I like petting them and talking to them and interacting with them, and I photograph them whenever the opportunity presents itself. (Today I got photos of two dogs in my building, Pepe and Jake, having a confab in the lobby, for instance.) So when I met Mosby three weeks ago, he was about half this size though just as sweet.

Mosby's human was kind enough to let me photograph him today. It was a great opportunity; how can you go wrong with a photo of somebody so darn cute?

279/365 -

October 05

2009-10-05T21:11:00.001-04:00

I've always thought that the leaves on a tree changed colors in the fall pretty much simultaneously. When I saw this one branch of yellow leaves on the tree in my front yard, it made me wonder why only one little branch of leaves was colored. (Not enough to actually look it up, mind you. Just enough to wonder.)

Today was a rare day when everything went as planned. I got out, got a photo of the day early on, visited the Dudley Branch Library to pick up a check for my recent workshop, made it to the bank in time to deposit it (mainly because an on-street parking space was open on the right block at the right time), got a couple of chicken turnovers from a street vendor (delicious!), and still got to work on time. So ... well, go me!

278/365 -

October 04

2009-10-04T23:37:00.002-04:00

I had to do a little shopping today, and since it was such a pretty day I grabbed my camera to make the walk to the store a photo walk. It was my only opportunity, since I completely forgot that today was the Roslindale Day Parade, and thus, while the fabulous parade in the beautiful weather went by the Square, mere blocks from my house, I was sitting in my living room watching television.

Wow. That was an unexpected stream of consciousness.

This photo caught my attention because of the textures. The bricks look like they haven't been repointed since the building was built in 1926, though the sign has to be somewhat newer. Still, a very pretty example of textures.

277/365 -

October 03

2009-10-03T23:22:00.001-04:00

True confession time: This photo was not taken today, but yesterday. The resulting image was created today, however, so I'm using it as my photo of the day. (The nice thing about making the rules -- you know just how far they will bend.)

The necklace and earring set here were created by Roslindale jeweler Keith Monsour, and were recently featured in the Parkway Fall Fashion Fiesta. I photograph all of Keith's work, so I got the chance to shoot this on Friday.

It was tough to light this image; when the necklace and all of its beads were properly illuminated, the earrings in the center shone too brightly, completely washing out all of the detail on the long beads. When the earrings were lit properly, the pendant on the necklace was in deep shadow. Rather than continue trying futilely to find the perfect lighting solution with my limited tools, I decided -- reluctantly, as this is always my last resort -- to fix it in post-production. Essentially, that means I photoshopped it to within an inch of its very existence, all in the quest to make the end photograph look like the original items.

Ideally, you get the shot right in the camera. In most situations, you might make a few small changes or enhancements in Photoshop. Resorting to out-and-out photo manipulation to get a good image chafes a bit. In the end, though, it's a good looking photo, and Keith is happy with it.

276/365 -

October 02

2009-10-02T23:06:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I choose photos for this blog that are interesting. Other times I go for humor, and occasionally, I go for the sheer beauty of an image. Today, I chose an image remarkable for the content.

Imagine, if you will, I'm driving to work and am waiting at a light by Jamaica Pond. I looked over to find this jogger stretching before taking her afternoon exercise around the local landmark -- showing off flexibility that is frankly remarkable. I mean, look at her. I know yoga teachers who work years to get that kind of flexibility!

With advancing age and infirmity I know I couldn't do that, even if I did somehow take leave of my senses and decide to go sweat just for the sake of sweating. Still, I'm not so jaded as to be unimpressed by this virtuoso display of dexterity.

275/365 -

October 01

2009-10-01T20:55:00.006-04:00

Today was the first really cool day of the fall -- the high temperature didn't even touch 60 in Boston. I went over to my neighbor D'Anna's house to photograph some of her flowers that bloom late when I noticed this single red maple leaf on her lawn. It was perfect; it's a wonderful visual representation of the arrival of autumn. The photo itself didn't do the original sight justice, so I did a little photoshopping to help make the leaf pop on its drab background.

One of these days, I'm going to make prints of all this stuff and hang it in my front hall, which will then be christened "The Gallery of Pointless Art."

274/365 -

September 30

2009-09-30T22:35:00.002-04:00

Jake here is one happy puppy dog.

He lives in the building where I work, along with his human. Jake is blessed with one of the most pleasant and easygoing personalities I've ever encountered in a dog.

He likes to play ball, but unlike other dogs, who run and leap and chase a thrown ball down, Jake just sort of ambles off in the ball's general direction, knowing it'll stop eventually and he can just pick it up without going to all the trouble to run. And once he has the ball, he's content to chew on it for a minute or two before giving it back to be thrown once more.

I've always said that dogs are some of my favorite people, and Jake is one of my favorite dogs.

273/365 -

September 29

2009-09-29T22:16:00.002-04:00

Here's a bumper sticker of a hat.

Yeah, that's it. It's been a slow day for photography. At least there's a pretty star-shaped highlight in the photo.

I caught this on Huntington Avenue in the Longwood Medical Area while on the way to work this afternoon. I have no idea of the significance of the hat as bumper sticker. Were it a red hat, I could guess the driver was a member of the Red Hat Society.

Only it isn't. (Insert shrug here.)

Once upon a time, I took on a project where I was photographing interesting bumper stickers -- and occasionally, I still do. If only this had been interesting instead of picturesque.

That's it. Here's the Suzanne Somers of bumper stickers.

272/365 -

September 28

2009-09-28T20:35:00.002-04:00

With the imminent arrival of October, it's time to take the sailboats off the water at Jamaica Pond. It's fortunate that they had nice weather to do this in; being on the water, even a pond, in cold weather is unforgiving.

It was a nice day today, though the weather is trending cooler, the leaves are beginning to change, and the official arrival of winter -- and with it snow -- is less than three months distant. I'm doing my damnedest to savor the nice weather, since I plan to bitch, piss, and moan about snow from the first flake falling to the muddy puddled melting of the last shaded snowbank in the spring.

This is one of those photos I'll look at and smile when I see, because it will remind me that no matter how bad the weather gets, the spring and summer will return.

271/365 -

September 27

2009-09-27T21:57:00.003-04:00

National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November, and it's probably going to play a bigger part in this blog simply because I'm spending a lot of time working up to it.

My friend Anna and I are municipal liaisons for NaNoWriMo, and we put a lot of work into making it a memorable experience for our participants. We received lapel pins this year as recognition for having done this for the past three years.

This year, we're working to improve the experience; we've expanded our CafePress store, have a Twitter account and a Facebook group to get the word out. It's going to be an awesome year.

270/365 -

September 26

2009-09-26T23:11:00.002-04:00

I made deviled eggs again today, and this time I was completely unsupervised. One dozen eggs, two dozen deviled eggs, sixteen of which went onto the egg plate purchased for the occasion (Boyfriend and I were going to a potluck party). The other eight "deformed" eggs went on a separate plate to be devoured at our leisure.

Speaking of deformed eggs, I have no idea how Boyfriend can hard boil six eggs and have them all come out perfect. When I boil eggs the yolks are anywhere from the narrow end of the egg to practically coming out the side. Is there some trick to it? I mean, really?

But I digress. The eggs tasted OK, except for having used more mustard than I should have. That was my fault entirely; I scaled up the amount I put in the last batch without bothering to taste it, but with the salt added this time, the mustard was a bit overwhelming. Adding a little butter to the mix only added to the creaminess of the filling, though my arteries are probably hardening as I type.

Still, they were good eggs. Really good eggs.

Next time, with luck, I'll get the salt and the mustard proportions correct and have enough mayonnaise to avoid having to resort to butter. My goal is to get the original recipe down pat, so I can begin to experiment with it.

269/365 -

September 25

2009-09-25T21:46:00.002-04:00

At my day (well, night) job, I deal with the public eight hours a day, 40 hours a week. I'm really not sure what other companies with employees on the front lines are doing to combat the spread of the flu -- especially the H1N1 "swine flu" -- this small notice on our bulletin board seems like a pretty tepid response.

This has been on my mind of late. I plan to get a flu shot, and if possible, the second shot for the H1N1 strain, this year. I get the flu remarkably easily, and even with flu shots I'm susceptible to winter illnesses. Sinus infections are the bane of my life from October to May. Piling influenza on top of the other problems I experience in the winter just seems foolhardy.

Having apparently incubated a cold recently, I'm in the right frame of mind for getting a flu shot this year. Now it's just a question of scheduling the thing!

268/365 -

September 24

2009-09-24T22:29:00.002-04:00

I'm pooped.

Today was the "Capturing the Moment" photo workshop at Dudley Branch Library. This was my second scheduled workshop -- the last one, on June 24th, was a bust with nobody attending -- so tonight was the acid test.

Of course, having a completed workshop on hand wasn't good enough for me. I talked myself into reworking my lecture notes after going through the old ones and finding lots of room for improvement. Had I done this weeks in advance, it would have been the logical thing to do. Deciding this three days prior was not the brightest thing I've done.

With a revised lecture, of course, I needed a revised handout. No problem, I thought, until it took two days to get them right. The handout was easier to finish -- only a few hours -- which left me with no slideshow to illustrate all the wonderful concepts I was presenting. That was only completed about two hours before the workshop began -- just enough time to shower off the flop sweat, pack up, and get to the library.

The workshop itself was a qualified success. Six people ended up showing, though three of them were 90 minutes late because the Bay State Banner posted the wrong time in their notice.

Nonetheless, it was still pretty good, though I'm glad it's over!

267/365 -

September 23

2009-09-23T21:29:00.005-04:00

As it's the first full day of fall, it only seems appropriate that I take a photo of some of New England's famed foliage turning. That it still seems to be too early to be seeing reds and yellows and oranges in the trees is beside the point; further north and west of Boston, the colors are more distinct and the change is very much more evident.

This was almost the summer that wasn't. The spring and the first part of the summer was cool and rainy, and we managed to survive the entire season without putting in the air conditioners this year. One result of the cool wet spring is that the colors are supposed to be particularly vivid this year.

From my point of view, there's a dark cloud inside this silver lining: The changing of the seasons brings us ever closer to winter and the accompanying snows and winds and unpleasant weather. My plans to deal with that weather is to complain a lot.

266/365 -

September 22

2009-09-22T22:05:00.002-04:00

Jake (the blond) is one of the many dogs that live in the building where I work. He's also one of my favorite dogs ever.

When he goes for his evening walks, he always comes over to say hello to me. This is very nice. Jake is blessed with one of the most pleasant personalities I've ever seen in a dog. He's just a sweetheart. Even by Golden Retriever standards he's pleasant.

It really is one of the highlights of my evening when Jake comes around to see me. I've always said that if a dog likes you, you have to have goodness in you somewhere. So Jake being my buddy is good for my self-esteem.

265/365 -

September 21

2009-09-21T22:32:00.003-04:00

I tell a wonderful story at National Novel Writing Month events in Boston. It's a ghost story called, "Merlene, the one-heeled drag queen of Waxacatchie County." The story is in the best oral tradition and really doesn't translate well to written form, so I'm not going to try to force it on you here.

Paradoxically, the story has become popular at our events, which means I get to tell it several times over the month of November. I can make longtime NaNoBoston participants laugh by merely going, "whump WHUMP!" So this year, Anna and I decided that Merlene should make appearances at various NaNoBoston events. As her only remaining corporeal remains of Merlene are one high-heeled shoe, this necessitated a visit to a shoe store.

The story itself is entertaining, and it lends itself well to small-scale merchandising aimed at our local participants. Thus, I took this photograph, possibly to be billed as Merlene at the site of her biggest hit.

264/365 -

September 19 - 20

2009-09-21T13:43:00.003-04:00

A unique set of circumstances kept me from posting my photos this weekend. I was on a trip and didn't have reliable Internet access for most of it. I'm combining these posts in order to play catch up.

September 19

My friend Anna and I took a whirlwind trip to Upstate New York this weekend. Anna's family lives there, and happen to be only a few minutes from Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, one of the premier museums of early aviation, and one that puts on airshows in their vintage aircraft. It was the perfect opportunity for me to go visit the Aerodrome, which has fascinated me since I first heard of the place, and for Anna to get a free ride home to visit her folks one weekend. (More on this later.) It was also the chance to visit my friend Mark, who moved from Boston years ago and lives just down the road from Rhinebeck.

With National Novel Writing Month coming up, it also gave us a chance to sit and begin planning our schedule and events, since its a four-hour drive out there and back. It also gave us the chance to pick up the only remains of Merlene, who will be attending our events as well as featuring on NaNoBoston merchandise in our CafePress store.

I got the above picture of the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie while returning from the mall with Anna, where we had picked up Merlene. It's beautifully lit at night, and the lights change colors in an intricately-synchronized routine.

262/365 -

September 20

Sunday, Anna and I, along with her father, headed over to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for the airshow. It was remarkable, and less airshow in the traditional sense than pure showmanship and old-fashioned entertainment. Old Rhinebeck has a large collection of flyable vintage and reproduction aircraft, and they put on a fine program.

This is the business end of their Albatros D.Va, a reproduction built in 1975 by the museum's founder, Cole Palen, and his associates. It's simply beautiful, and watching it in flight was a delight. It was also nearly impossible to photograph clearly because of my lack of a fast lens with a long-enough focal length. When the airshow was over I hied it to the display to get some shots, including this one, which is my favorite.

It was a long short weekend, if that makes any sense to you. I was gone about 37 hours, and spent 12 of those hours in the driver's seat. Still, it was absolutely worth the trip, and with the most perfect weather imaginable, a great way to spend the last weekend of the summer.

263/365 -

September 18

2009-09-18T23:05:00.001-04:00

One of the highlights of Pretty Boy's summers is getting to sit in the window looking at the outside. With autumn quickly approaching, and with already-cool nights, the chances to sit and enjoy an open window are becoming fewer and farther between.

This morning, it was actually cooler inside the house than out, so I opened up the front window to warm things up a smidgen. As I was getting ready to leave for work, I caught sight of Pretty Boy. The curtains gave the scene a slightly dreamy feel, so I aimed, framed, and shot the image as quietly as I could, in order to not disturb the mood.

261/365 -

September 17

2009-09-17T21:32:00.002-04:00

My friend Brandon is fond of saying, "boys shouldn't shop in the girl's department." He would have needed a megaphone had he come across this young fellow in his travels.

Apologies for the quality of the photo, but I had to make sure the car was safely stopped before I reached for my camera, and it was shot through the front windshield without flash as dusk was falling. It's something of a testament to the sheer fluorescence of the fabric that it stood out like a beacon in the fading light. This guy could go stand on the end of a quay and guide ships through the fog with those pants.

260/365 -

September 16

2009-09-16T22:34:00.003-04:00

I have a perverse sense of humor sometimes. (OK, all of the time.) When I saw the giant "SAVE" sign over the Madonna, it made me laugh. If Jesus saves, what does his mother do? The "hot" colors of the SAVE sign also caught my eye. The fires of savings over the Blessed Mother. It was just too funny to ignore.

Juxtapositions are inherently funny, I think. As are double-entendres, although photographic double-entendres are rare in my experience. Perhaps that will be a new photography project for 2010: photographic double-entendres. Whatever else could be said about it, it would definitely be challenging.

259/365 -

September 15

2009-09-15T21:06:00.002-04:00

The words being bandied about by just about everybody are that this is "the last nice day of summer." It's a perfectly ridiculous sentiment, if you ask me. Cooler weather with a tiny chance of rain is forecast for the next couple of days does not make for the end of good weather. It was a delightful summer, I have to admit, with very few hot days and, once the rainy season passed, a lot of blue skies and nice weather. I'm proud that we made it through the summer without having to install the air conditioners.

Still, I'm not looking forward to the onset of winter. I loathe snow (as longtime readers will remember). Wind and rain are only slightly more palatable. I'll survive, of course, but I won't enjoy it.

258/365 -

September 14

2009-09-14T21:44:00.002-04:00

In my photography workshops, I discuss composition at length, and usually start off by talking about the importance of seeing what you're photographing. In other words, you should be able to look through the viewfinder (or at your screen) and take note of everything in your image -- both the good and the bad.

I snapped this photo on one of my breaks from work, and I thought (scoping out the shot beforehand) that it was a pretty scene, one that looked almost European. I moved a bit, found the right framing devices to give the shot some depth (trees and the picturesque lamppost), then got the shot, all the while completely ignoring the glaring distraction smack in the middle of the photo -- that cinder block wall. It's decidedly unromantic.

While not an epic fail by any means, today's photo still reminds me of the importance of seeing -- and of paying attention. I think I'll add it to my presentation.

257/365 -

September 13

2009-09-13T23:33:00.001-04:00

My boyfriend's parents (the "out-laws," since they're not in-laws, really) view their house and yard as a kind of playground. They're fortunate enough to have the wherewithal to play with things, to move them around, to change what they want to, just to see how it turns out.

There's been a fish pond in the front yard for as long as I can remember, and it's been pretty much unmolested for that time. It's not really a useful place to hang out in good weather because of the bugs, so the pretty retaining wall with the painted fish on it often went unappreciated.

This summer, though, the out-laws have been busy. The macadam terrace has been replaced by flagstones, an umbrella added, and some landscaping done to make the area look prettier. It really is lovely to look at, though ironically enough, the bugs still swarm you as you approach, making quiet enjoyment of the pretty little alcove impossible in the summer months.

256/365 -

September 12

2009-09-12T22:51:00.002-04:00

It's a good thing I only have one birthday a year. If all birthdays were like this last one, I'd be as fat as Baby Huey.

Boyfriend and I realized this week that we hadn't visited his parents since late June. In a quick comparison of our respective schedules, it became apparent that if we didn't make the trip down this weekend -- it's only about a two hour drive -- we probably wouldn't get to see them until Thanksgiving. And really, that's not acceptable.

The out-laws remembered my birthday, and in lieu of the traditional birthday cake, I was given a very rich, probably about 30-proof birthday tiramisu. And it was yummy!

255/365 -

September 11

2009-09-11T22:07:00.002-04:00

Julia is love.

My boyfriend was cooking breakfast this morning and made himself an omelet. Then he was kind enough to make me one. This is no ordinary omelet; it is a very special omelet, one cooked according to the method taught by Julia Child on The French Chef, circa some time in the mid-1970s. And it's good -- really, really good.

If you have never tried an omelet a la Julia, I recommend you give it a try. You can see the portion of the original episode on Youtube (click here). Like deviled eggs, it's deceptively simple to make, but incredibly delicious to eat.

254/365 -

September 10

2009-09-10T21:38:00.003-04:00

One of the nice things about commuting in summer is that I can get to work about 15 minutes faster than during the school year.

In theory, I understand why everybody on the road needs to stop when a school bus stops to discharge children. Safety first, after all. When you live near a school, though, drive by a couple of others, and head to work around the time that schools are letting out, you spend a lot of time waiting for the kids to leave the bus.

Today, this bus disgorged teenagers from both the main and emergency exits at Forest Hills Station. I had plenty of time to grab my camera to document it -- it took almost two minutes. At least it didn't make me late for work.

253/365 -

September 09

2009-09-09T21:01:00.003-04:00

I wonder whether they're talking about reincarnation or exhumation? This church sign in Jamaica Plain is bound to raise some eye brows -- among other things.

For the record, I'm not posting this photo to bust on the Unitarians. I'm a lapsed Catholic myself, but I know a few charming people who attend Universal Unitarian services. I can't criticize them because I honestly don't know enough about their practices to do so knowledgeably.

Still, this sermon title is pretty good, in that it will attract interest and provoke conversation, and perhaps even bring people in to attend the sermon. It was good enough to convince me to stop, turn around, and find a spot to park while I got this shot.

252/365 -

September 08

2009-09-08T20:53:00.003-04:00

This isn't sunset proper, but it is an interesting view of the sun silhouetting the dome of The Church of Christ, Scientist, in Back Bay this evening.

This church is the Mother Church for the Church of Christ, Scientist -- the first and foremost church of the denomination -- and is part of a large complex. A plaza with reflecting pool and various church buildings are a popular place to gather in the summer, with children playing in a fountain on the property. It's an ornate building, with the large dome and the smaller spire from the original structure, and it has one of the largest pipe organs in Boston.

Whatever your thoughts on the tenets of the Christian Scientists, the complex is impressive and beautiful from many angles, and certainly photogenic enough from almost any angle.

251/365 -

September 07

2009-09-07T21:32:00.002-04:00

I'm very fortunate to have a circle of friends who, if a little peculiar at times, are really nice and thoughtful people.

My friend Marion decided this morning that I needed a surprise party, so she got together with the rest of this bunch to throw something together -- no mean feat on a Federal holiday, a day I was working, and in a public place. Her method was rather elegant; she invited me to dinner at the Prudential Center Food Court, a place we've gone several times.

Once there, while I was distracted ordering, she texted the rest of the miscreants, who were waiting on the outdoor terrace, to let them know my arrival was imminent. They lit up the candles and we were drawn to the right table by the flames billowing forth. The candles burned brightly, and as we were slightly delayed, they did a number on the cake itself (see above).

Still, it was a lovely party, and really a most marvelous surprise. Gay people often say that they're lucky, in that their friends are their family, and they get to choose that family. I'd point to today's surprise party as proof that the sentiment rings true.

250/365 -

September 06

2009-09-06T23:00:00.002-04:00

Today's my birthday! I turned ... one year older today.

It was a very low-key day, really. I went into town with Boyfriend today to get some cross trainers (my excuse for not going to the gym regularly is thus invalid), then went to my neighbor D'Anna's house for a Labor Day party. D'Anna surprised me with a birthday cake -- what a sweetheart she is!

It was actually a very low-key birthday, which is just what I needed. I considered inviting friends out for dinner, but decided at the last minute that what I really wanted was a day with no pressing obligations. Today was precisely that.

Maybe, for my next big milestone birthday, I'll have a party. Until then, today was just perfect.

249/365 -

September 05

2009-09-05T22:45:00.004-04:00

The City of Boston is making a concerted effort to encourage bicyclists -- or rather, to try and convince Boston drivers to share the streets with them.

Part of me wants to cheer when I see bicycle lanes appear on area streets. The other part of me feels rather dubious about the chances of the typical Boston driver actually heeding this advice is somewhat less than even.

I've pretty much blown any chance of actually commuting to work on bicycle this summer, but I hope to spend more time on a bicycle next summer, once I've purchased one. Perhaps then I'll get more use out of the new bicycle lanes.

248/365 -

September 04

2009-09-04T21:58:00.005-04:00

It's an interesting day that starts off at the Registry of Motor Vehicles and ends up with a steak dinner, cake, and two birthday cards.

My driver's license expires on my birthday this year, which happens to be Sunday. I should have been thinking about this all summer, but in my usual way, I delayed taking action until the last possible moment. Fortunately, for an RMV experience, it went well.

At work, my doorman and I have coincidentally close birthdays; Ennio's birthday is tomorrow and mine is Sunday. This combination of dates sticks in people's minds, so we were given dinner by one resident -- a delicious dinner, I might add -- and birthday cake from a second. (I had already put my camera away by the time the Boston Cream Pie from a third resident arrived.) There is a no-tipping policy at our workplace, but our residents treat us to dinner and desserts from time to time. It's really very thoughtful of them.

Today is the perfect day, really, and is going out on a high note.

247/365 -

September 03

2009-09-03T22:57:00.001-04:00

While I haven't ridden a motorcycle in -- what? 20 years? -- I enjoy them. I'll never have a Harley or any other large touring bike, but I could see myself on a small cruiser -- say 250cc or so -- tooling around Boston.

Thus, I will never own, or get the chance to ride, a Ducati, and it's even less likely that I will ever get the chance to take one out somewhere where I could ride it as it was meant to be ouldridden. Still, it's pretty, and I enjoyed looking it over when I caught it parked on the street.

246/365 -

September 02

2009-09-02T20:37:00.002-04:00

I often comment on how I need to look around more, to see the remarkable things around me, to be more aware of my surroundings. I guess I need to add "look down" to that list. Not even being an amateur ornithologist, I couldn't tell you what kind of bird lost this feather. It was about eight inches long, so it's either a large bird or one monster pigeon.

I remember finding large feathers like this when I lived in the leafy green suburbs. I also remember my mother telling me not to touch it, because I would get mites and catch some bird disease. I just never expected to find one in downtown Boston.

245/365 -

September 01

2009-09-01T22:56:00.002-04:00

I know my friend Anna through the auspices of National Novel Writing Month. This will be our fourth year as municipal liaisons for the Boston region, and even though it happens in November, we usually start planning a couple of months in advance.

Which is, essentially, now.

This early on, it's not a complicated process. We sat down with a calendar and worked out our options for holding write-ins, then discussed venues. It was really more of a brainstorming session than any real kind of planning -- but perfectly appropriate for the late hour.

I'm sure NaNoWriMo will be a recurring topic over the rest of the year, so expect more information.

244/365 -

August 31

2009-08-31T20:33:00.002-04:00

I did a quick glance through my photos of the day this year and was surprised that I've only used one jewelry photo thus far.

I'm friends with a jeweler, Keith, and I photograph his pieces for him in exchange for the occasional piece of jewelry as a gift. I have to say, it's rather nice to be able to commission a piece of jewelry for your mother from time to time.

These earrings, with the sea glass and Swarovski crystal beads, are fairly subdued compared to some of Keith's creations. He designed these for a businesswoman friend of his. Keith works hard to create pieces reflective of the wearer's personality as well as their desires.

I don't do product photography very often, nor is it something I usually pursue. It's nice to know I can do it, though, and show off the beauty of these unique creations.

243/365 -

August 30

2009-08-30T22:02:00.001-04:00

Today was kind of an aimless day for me. I didn't get out of the house until nearly 4 pm, then piddled away the rest of the day shopping. Around sunset, as I noticed the pretty orange sunlight on the clouds, I realized I needed a photo of the day.

It was for the best, really. Shopping is hardly photogenic.

I've taken all kinds of photos of Boston at night, and if I was going to try to pull the same trick out of my hat, I really needed to find a different perspective. I ended up at Charlestown Navy Yard, thinking perhaps the USS Constitution in the foreground would make for an interesting shot. I'm still sure it would, provided I can find parking.

This shot is really the third or fourth option I would have chosen, but the only one where I could remain near my car so it wouldn't be towed. I still like it, but I'm going to go back in the future to get the shot of the ship in front of the skyline.

242/365 -

August 29

2009-08-29T20:48:00.002-04:00

Here, in one photograph, is the entire extent of my day.

Note Pretty Boy, who has been trying -- and for the most part succeeding -- to monopolize my attention today. That's our sofa he's lying on, and where I spent a substantial part of the day watching television and DVDs. Which brings me to the DVD selection on display, which is a veritable shortlist of the movies any gay man with a sense of humor should own.

This sounds sadder than it is, really. It was a rainy day outside, and to be honest, it was kind of nice to spend it lying on the couch, cuddling with a kitty cat, and watching movies.

241/365 -

August 28

2009-08-28T22:12:00.004-04:00

I thought I should call this one "Urban Escher."

I got this shot while it was still a little sunny out, before the clouds came in and it began to drizzle. I park near this building two or three times a week, but had never noticed this courtyard with its maze of fire escapes before. Shows what happens when I actually bother to look around.

Unfortunately this framing doesn't show the maze of stairs to best effect. The trees block a lot of the view; the fire escapes ride for four or five stories on either side. It's almost too urban a scene to fit in Boston's chi-chi Back Bay.

240/365 -

August 27

2009-08-27T22:22:00.001-04:00

I worked long and hard on the flier for my photo workshop at Dudley Branch Library next month. Fortunately, I finished most of it last night and put the finishing touches on it this morning before work. That was good, because work today was a little like riding a psychotic horse toward a burning stable. It goes to the library tomorrow.

Hopefully this workshop will bring in a few more people than the teen workshop I did in June. It couldn't bring in less people, but I'd like to establish that I'm worth the money they're paying me to teach these things. I'll use the same flier, with different information for place/time, when I go back to the West Roxbury Branch Library to give the class there. By the time I give that workshop, I'll be an old pro at this.

Next goal: Same workshop, but at the Boston Public Library's Main Building at Copley.

239/365 -

August 26

2009-08-26T21:49:00.003-04:00

I just realized that this is my second flag photo in six days. Considering the reason this scene caught my attention, I'd just as soon have missed it.

This was another "driving to work" shot. I was proceeding down South Huntington Ave. in Jamaica Plain, listening to NPR eulogize Senator Kennedy, when I noticed the flag at the VA Medical Center was at half staff. It struck me as being pretty -- a hell of a thing to think, on the face of it. Still, I stopped to take the photo.

Flags on U.S. Government buildings will remain at half staff until sunset on August 30, per Presidential proclamation.

238/365 -

August 25

2009-08-25T21:38:00.001-04:00

Seeing a crumpled-up parking ticket tossed to the sidewalk in frustration isn't that unusual. Seeing a blank parking ticket, however, is unheard of.

It's a bad habit of mine to pick up discarded parking tickets and read them. It's morbid curiousity, I guess -- I like to see what other parking miscreants have done -- and between this and my own collection of the things, I'm almost able to recite beginning to end the various citations, what they mean, and how much the fine is for each.

What I'm really waiting for, though, is the chance to see someone get tickets for littering after throwing their parking ticket to the sidewalk in disgust. That would be worth paying to see.

237/365 -

August 24

2009-08-24T22:51:00.003-04:00

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Boston ... except for 15 minutes this afternoon when the skies opened up.

I work in the lobby of a high-rise in Boston, so hearing the rain from my desk is an unusual occurrence. When I went over to the windows to look out, it was a torrential downpour. Honestly, it was the kind of rain that goes through umbrellas. I had dark thoughts about the long walk to my car to move it when my meter expired, figuring I was going to get soaked through on the way.

Fortunately, the rain left and it was again a beautiful, sunny day in Boston.

236/365 -

August 23

2009-08-23T23:21:00.003-04:00

I've been meaning to take my Yashica 635 twin-lens reflex camera out and run a test roll through it all summer. Unfortunately, life and other circumstances have prevented me from doing it.

Ever since I've returned home from my vacation, I've had a serious lack of photographic motivation. With any normal person, this wouldn't be a big deal. However, as anybody who knows me will admit, I'm anything but normal. Besides, I have this project, taking a photo every day, and I take it kind of seriously.

I thought I'd take the Yashica out yesterday and run a test roll through it, and hoped that in scouting around for test subjects, I might be inspired to get some other photos as well. No such luck. The same thing happened today, with the exception that I didn't have anything else to photograph.

So there it sits, on my desk, staring at me with its matching lenses -- a steel-and-chrome vintage symbol of my current lack of motivation.

Hopefully, this too shall pass.

235/365 -

August 22

2009-08-22T23:57:00.002-04:00

I've been working on a project the past couple of weeks to scan in old family photographs. It's been a fascinating process. This photograph, of my mother as a girl, has been dubbed the "méchante" picture by my boyfriend, because of my mother's penchant for looking just a little evil when she grins. Once I'm done scanning and retouching where necessary, I'm going to make prints of the better ones.

I found the frame at Bed Bath and Beyond on sale and decided it was perfect to display the "méchante" photo. The color is complimentary to black-and-white and vintage photos, while the raised paisley pattern is just pretty.

Having bought the frame and made the print, I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it. It just doesn't fit my decor. Hell of a thing to realize at this late date, ain't it?

234/365 -

August 21

2009-08-21T20:27:00.002-04:00

This honeysuckle is the largest that I've ever seen. It's as big as my hand.

I kind of half pay attention to plantings as I walk around. This spring I was big on flowers because I'd had a really, truly, dismally-crappy winter, but overall, flowers don't catch my attention that readily.

As I went to my car today, though, the smell of honeysuckle wafted by as I turned the corner onto St. Botolph St. It's not an "urban" smell, so it merited notice. I actually looked past these flowers three or four times looking for the honeysuckle before realizing that this was honeysuckle -- just on a Brobdingnagian scale.

It's certainly not the kind of thing you expect to find in New England. It was quite a delightful surprise.

233/365 -

August 20

2009-08-20T21:28:00.005-04:00

Today's photo of the day will be posted late because of technical difficulties.

The weather today was positively schizophrenic, perhaps even worthy of Florida, minus the impressive lightning displays. It started off sunny and hot -- no change -- before clouds rolled in and the heavens opened up and we had a gully washer, followed by clear skies and muggy, if not quite so hot, weather.

My photography was limited to the times when the rain wasn't coming down in buckets, so this shot of the United States Flag atop the Landmark Center is the best of a tepid bunch. It caught my eye because the steady wind (bringing the rain in, no doubt) had the flag waving so perfectly -- almost like a postcard.

Every other shot I captured today either has stormclouds darkening the skies, and none of them is particularly good. Thus, today's patriotic entry.

232/365

August 19

2009-08-19T22:21:00.002-04:00

"... qu'ils mangent de la brioche."

Often -- and mistakenly -- attributed to Marie Antoinette, the phrase "let them eat cake," has a pejorative ring that is completely at odds with my experience at work tonight.

A resident is leaving us for the west coast, and his colleagues threw him a going-away party today. He's always been a very generous guy, and showed this by leaving the employees here the remainder of his cake (a quite substantial hunk of white cake with delicious icing). It made for a great dessert, especially when washed down with one of the cans of Coca-Cola another resident gave us, just as a thank you for being so nice to them.

It's nice to be appreciated.

231/365 -

August 18

2009-08-18T21:22:00.003-04:00

I can only describe this guy as a "Heck's Angel."

Note the ready-to-go attitude. That foot was kicking off as soon as the light changed -- he was rarin' to go. Then there's his business casual attire. Here's somebody who knows how to dress for success. Most of the people I see on these are dressed ... well, very casually. Then I noticed the helmet. He's not quite a Hell's Angel, but this is a motorist who loves his mount and has the devil-may-care insouciance that's necessary to drive in the City of Boston. This guy is ballsy.

So Mr. Heck's Angel, I salute you!

230/365 -

August 17

2009-08-17T21:43:00.002-04:00

Some people say happiness is the smile of a child, or a butterfly (thank you Mr. Thoreau), or two lovers walking on the beach, hand in hand, watching the sun set.

With all due respect, especially to Henry David Thoreau, those kind of saccharine musings make me think the people spouting them are full of crap.

Happiness, you see, is when your friend comes back from a break and brings you a large iced chai on a hot, humid, muggy day -- and not because you requested it, but because he knows you like it and he just did it.

That, my friends, is happiness.

*Happiness can also be the resident who asks you what kind of ice cream and toppings you'd like, just because she's headed that way.

229/365 -

August 16

2009-08-16T22:40:00.002-04:00

The recipe for Deviled Eggs is suspiciously simple for such a delicious result.

Boyfriend made the dish for me when we were on vacation, and indulges my taste for it every couple of months. Having grown up in the South, I've had many different varieties of deviled egg, and liked most of them. I have to say, though, that boyfriend's recipe is the best. So I asked him to show me how he makes it.

Hard boiled eggs, mustard powder, mayonnaise, and paprika. That's it. I expected something more elaborate, and certainly something requiring more utensils than a paring knife and a couple of spoons. It boggles my mind how he could create something so divine -- pun intended -- from so few, and so humble, ingredients.

I proceeded to eat eight deviled eggs for breakfast -- well, eight halves equals four eggs, I guess -- and thoroughly enjoyed them. Hopefully I'll enjoy them more often in the future.

228/365 -

August 15

2009-08-15T19:39:00.001-04:00

It's not possible to tell whether this is a happy kitty or an abused one when looking at this photo.

For the record, it's a happy kitty.

Pretty Boy is a very affectionate cat, and he likes to lay next to me when I'm lying down. Today, with the temperature in the living room around 85 degrees -- I still haven't put the air conditioner into the window yet -- having a cat lying next to you is a little like having a fuzzy hot water bottle against your side. Fortunately, today he decided to content himself with rubbing himself all over my feet.

What can I say? He's weird, but he's mine.

227/365 -

August 14

2009-08-14T20:47:00.001-04:00

It was a bright, sunny day. The temperature was warm but not too hot. These lucky folks were getting sailing lessons on Jamaica Pond. How perfect.

Too bad I was going to work.

The upcoming weekend looks to be nice, and I'll be putting more laundry out on the clothesline to take advantage of the sunshine and warmth. I don't know yet what I'm going to do for a photo of the day, since I haven't had the energy to plan any photo walks with people and seem to be out of the habit of going on my own anymore. Actually, having typed that, I think that's exactly what I'm going to do -- out on a solo photo walk. What nicer way to spend an afternoon?

226/365 -

August 13

2009-08-13T21:09:00.001-04:00

I loved the reflection of the scattered clouds and blue skies in the facade of 111 Huntington Avenue as I walked back to work from my break. It rained this morning, and it was overcast and cool, with scattered showers, this afternoon as I drove in to work. That made the sun's appearance at 5:45 pm all the more beautiful.

I'm enjoying the weather, truth be told. OK, I could do without so much rain, but even that has its compensatory values -- the grass is greener and the flowers more verdant just about everywhere you look.

By the way, that should be the first rule for photographers: Look. If you're trudging around with your head down, not looking at what's around you, you can't see anything worth photographing.

225/365 -

August 12

2009-08-12T22:03:00.002-04:00

Part of me finds it obnoxious that the driver of this stretch limousine parked at not one, but two, parking meters this afternoon. The other part of me marvels at the good parallel parking job he did. His most remarkable feat, however, was in finding two adjacent parking places to claim.

I had to make a few circuits of the block to find my own parking space, which is about a block further down the street from where I work. So naturally, I felt a brief surge of annoyance when I saw it. In fairness, as I walked by, I checked, and the driver had put money in both meters, so at least he wasn't being a complete jackass about it.

I suppose that stretch limo drivers don't have many options for where to park the 20-foot-long monsters in Boston. And whatever else I feel about it, I still admire his skill at parallel parking.

224/365 -

August 11

2009-08-11T21:02:00.002-04:00

So in the off season, it seems Santa Claus summers in Boston and drives a Nissan Altima.

I spotted Saint Nick while driving to work this afternoon. I was running late -- sadly, not an unusual occurrence -- when I pulled up to a red light on Huntington Ave. and happened to glance over at the car next to me.

It's sights like this that inspire me to keep a camera with me most of the time. I used to do this anyway, but since starting this blog, it's become a habit for me. That's a good thing; I find myself looking around more, seeing more, and honestly, getting some of the funniest photos I've ever taken.

223/365 -

August 10

2009-08-10T22:09:00.002-04:00

I made a trek up to Waltham today, to Bentley University, to participate in a "one-on-one paid interview" at their Design and Usability Center. They were looking for people with photography experience to review some kind of digital photo thingamabob, and they were paying $100 for sitting through a 90-minute interview. What's not to like?

So I made it there -- early -- with my 200 digital photos carefully saved to a USB drive as requested. I met the interviewer, and then I waited. And waited. And waited.

Turns out they were having technical problems with the new device, and I frankly ran out of time to sit there. I ended up leaving, but with my $100, since I'd done everything they asked of me.

Honestly, it was probably for the best that I didn't do the interview. After 90 minutes of technical difficulties, I probably wouldn't have an unbiased opinion on the stupid thing any longer -- whatever the heck it was.

222/365 -

August 09

2009-08-09T23:01:00.002-04:00

Having spent a week in 90-degree weather, with lots of bright Florida sunshine keeping things hot, coming back to 70-degree weather with overcast skies was a nice change.

I had a busy week on vacation, and ended up spending most of today sitting in my pajamas doing nothing. I'm feeling a little tired, and think I've got a little bit of a sore throat from going from air conditioning to the humid outdoors to air conditioning over and over. Floridians are absolutely in love with their air conditioning.

I did finally drag myself out of the house to catch a movie with Boyfriend. Go see Julie and Julia if you get the chance; it's very worth it.

221/365 -

August 08

2009-08-08T21:47:00.003-04:00

I started off my vacation album with a photo of a beautiful sunrise, so it seems only appropriate that I end my vacation album with another pretty photo.

That, and it's the best picture I've taken today.

Boyfriend and I left our timeshare in Daytona Beach too early this morning, but we got to see this stunning sunrise. We actually had enough extra time on our hands to have breakfast at Waffle House -- a real treat for me. We got lucky and had an entire row to ourselves on the flight up, so we had a little additional space. And we came home to a happy kitty cat, thanks to our wonderful landladies who took such good care of Pretty Boy while we were away.

The vacation was great, but it sure is nice to be home.

220/365 -

August 07

2009-08-07T22:36:00.002-04:00

More than 20 years ago, when I lived in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, for a summer, I got to visit Kennedy Space Center. It was the highlight of a pretty crappy summer.

Since I vacationed here this year, I couldn't let the opportunity to visit again pass. It was just too much. So I dragged Boyfriend there with me, and despite getting caught in one torrential downpour, we were able to take the tour, visit some exhibits, and thoroughly enjoyed our tour there.

I got to travel out to the viewing platform nearest Launch Pads 39A and 39B -- the sites from where the Saturn Vs were launched to the moon, the Space Shuttles are launched, and the new Orion spacecraft will be launched. Discovery was on Pad 39A while we were there, though it was mostly hidden by the gantry. Then we saw the Saturn V rocket display -- fascinating.

If you ever get the chance to visit KSC, I highly recommend the tour. It can't be beat.

119/365 -

August 06

2009-08-06T22:55:00.003-04:00

Boyfriend and I made the trek to Orlando and Epcot today. After a minor kerfuffle with the GPS unit (our charger broke) and about 30 minutes' detour to get a replacement charger, we were finally on our way to Orlando and the Magic Kingdom. Then we headed for a walk around the world.

Once we arrived, we headed through Canada and England to France for lunch. Boyfriend described it as tasting like "something from Air France." Morocco, Italy, Germany, the American Experience, and a few other countries along the way, we finished walking around the central lake.

We went on a couple of the rides (most notably: Spaceship Earth) and considered dinner there, before deciding to head home and eat some of the food we have to finish in the next two days.

I don't often get to visit 11 countries in one day -- especially without a passport. It was an interesting day.

118/365 -

August 05

2009-08-05T23:36:00.001-04:00

Boyfriend and I spent a low-key vacation day today. We made $125 by sitting through one of the most entertaining and charming high-pressure sales pitches I've ever had the pleasure to sit through, then headed over to my parent's place here for dinner and games night.

I love Scrabble, and Boyfriend and I consider ourselves pretty good at it. Having a third and fourth person in the game is tremendously helpful in making the game interesting, and my mother was a willing participant.

While she claims not to be very good at the game, she won the thing, leading by 40 points a couple of times during the play and ending more than 60 points ahead of either Boyfriend or me. The board was kind of dense, and the distribution of tiles is pretty even.

It was really a lovely way to spend the evening.

217/365 -

August 04

2009-08-04T22:03:00.001-04:00

The vacation continues apace. Boyfriend and I meandered down to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Museum just south of Daytona Beach this afternoon.

Unfortunately -- or fortunately, considering the muggy, humid atmosphere of Florida in August -- the lighthouse itself was closed because of a nearby lightning storm. The other buildings of the museum were open, including a really fascinating exhibit about Fresnel Lenses. The First-Class Fresnel Lens -- 12 feet tall, about 10 feet wide of about a thousand prismatic lenses -- is truly impressive. It looks like something out of Jules Verne.

I managed to get some interesting photos of the lenses and the property, including this classic view of the lighthouse itself. All in all, a great evening.

216/365 -

August 03

2009-08-03T23:28:00.002-04:00

Boyfriend and I had my parents to dinner at our timeshare tonight. It was an opportunity for me to show off his cooking skills.

It was also a chance for us to give my mother her birthday gifts for the past two years.

Last year, we had a beautiful handmade lapel pin created especially for her by an artist friend of mine. It is quite stunning, but when we flew down for her birthday, I didn't check a bag -- and an eight-inch long straight pen would not have made it through security.

This year, Boyfriend tracked down a bottle of my mother's favorite -- and long since discontinued -- fragrance: Geminesse by Max Factor. This was quite the coup, and I knew my mother was going to be thrilled. As indeed she was.

Her birthday was last month, but I think this was well worth waiting for. :-)

215/365 -

August 02

2009-08-02T22:28:00.001-04:00

The last person to stay in this unit before us left the alarm clock on and set for 6 am. It was quite a surprise to be awakened so soon after we'd gotten in, unpacked, showered, and finally dropped to sleep.

Turns out, it was kind of a nice surprise.

I got up and scratched myself before stumbling out into the living room. Our living room has two large sliding glass doors overlooking the Atlantic, and I was startled to see this amazing sunrise. The cumulus clouds in the distance were silhouetted perfectly by the rising sun. Not being a morning person, it's a minor miracle that I was able to get my camera and tripod, set up on the balcony, and shoot several images until I got the shot I wanted.

It was a great way to start the morning, and hopefully a good omen for the rest of the week.

214/365 -

August 01

2009-08-01T23:59:00.000-04:00

This is a "safety shot." It's an easy-to-get photo for the blog, since I knew it was going to be a busy day of travel going on vacation. (That's also why this didn't get posted yesterday.)

The Boyfriend and I jetted off to Daytona Beach on Saturday for a week's vacation. It's only three hours by plane, but there's a world of difference between the Atlantic Coast of Florida and Boston.

Obviously, we're not practicioners of the art of packing light. In fairness, I usually use the smaller red bag, which will fit in an airliner overhead bin, and consolidate my camera bag and computer bag into the red backpack. As I had to bring gifts for my mother, who we're seeing here, I knew I would have to check a bag. (My friend Keith the jeweler custom-made her an exquisite eight-inch long lapel pin that never would have made it past security!) I also had a couple of books, which would have been too heavy to carry on, even had I wanted to.

We got a late start on everything involved with this vacation, so it was a delight to arrive here and see the wonderful timeshare condo waiting for us. Once in Florida, everything went flawlessly.

More vacation photos will be forthcoming in future entries. I'm looking forward to seeing what I get.

213/365 -