As summer falls into its quiet retreat lingering remnants of its glory still remain: The sound of children laughing and ice cream trucks driving through the neighborhood, the smell of barbecue and fresh squeezed lemonade, the plentiful sunshine flooding gardens, sun decks, beaches, and lawn chairs. All of these things come to a slow and almost imperceptible end as fall takes its place. For some it is a time to worry about the impending doom of winter, while for others it is a time to turn to the mountains where leaves mix with cool wind to form flowing shapes of color and beauty.
But no matter how one decides to perceive this inevitable transition there are a number of things that will happen regardless, just as they have for thousands of years. Hot chocolate will slowly replace lemonade and the plentiful sun will begin reflecting off of the morning frost and onto increasingly bare trees. The sound of children playing will be muted somewhat by fall jackets and hats, joined by the occasional rustle of leaves as piles of them are scattered to bits by various land based dives. Lawn chairs, beaches, and sun decks will become empty as the temperature drops and people take cover under the warmth of light blankets and cozy reclining chairs, perhaps with a loved one or book. The smell of barbecue will be replaced by burning wood and crisp cool air that slightly worries people when they realize they can see their own breath for the first time in months.
While all of these things are surely indicative of the approaching doom of winter and the decline of treasured summer treats, they also usher in a necessary appreciation for what was so well enjoyed. This is not to say that joy cannot be had in all of the seasons, just that it is amplified by their transition. So as summer fades and its remnants are writ to memory, take pleasure in knowing that they will come again.
Summer Remnants
As summer falls into its quiet retreat lingering remnants of its glory still remain: The sound of children laughing and ice cream trucks driving through the neighborhood, the smell of barbecue and fresh squeezed lemonade, the plentiful sunshine flooding gardens, sun decks, beaches, and lawn chairs. All of these things come to a slow and almost imperceptible end as fall takes its place. For some it is a time to worry about the impending doom of winter, while for others it is a time to turn to the mountains where leaves mix with cool wind to form flowing shapes of color and beauty.
But no matter how one decides to perceive this inevitable transition there are a number of things that will happen regardless, just as they have for thousands of years. Hot chocolate will slowly replace lemonade and the plentiful sun will begin reflecting off of the morning frost and onto increasingly bare trees. The sound of children playing will be muted somewhat by fall jackets and hats, joined by the occasional rustle of leaves as piles of them are scattered to bits by various land based dives. Lawn chairs, beaches, and sun decks will become empty as the temperature drops and people take cover under the warmth of light blankets and cozy reclining chairs, perhaps with a loved one or book. The smell of barbecue will be replaced by burning wood and crisp cool air that slightly worries people when they realize they can see their own breath for the first time in months.
While all of these things are surely indicative of the approaching doom of winter and the decline of treasured summer treats, they also usher in a necessary appreciation for what was so well enjoyed. This is not to say that joy cannot be had in all of the seasons, just that it is amplified by their transition. So as summer fades and its remnants are writ to memory, take pleasure in knowing that they will come again.
Jewels of Antiquity
Most people who have been to other countries tend to say that the US has no history comparatively speaking, but I see it when I walk out my door every day. While the US is certainly younger than most countries, it definitely has some jewels to be found… here are just two examples.
Acorn Street
Acorn Street is probably the most photographed street in Boston, but I have yet to take a shot of it despite living a few blocks away for the past year and a half. I figured it was about time. Cars are not allowed to drive down this street, but I don’t think any “car” would really fit if it tried.
Vine 49
This is just a random door covered by random vines. There are countless others like it, but they all have different things that make them intriguing. I almost feel like I’m walking through a hobbit village when I walk through the streets of Beacon Hill. Everything is just so old and piled on top of each other that there are some very interesting “configurations” to be seen.
Acorn Street is probably the most photographed street in Boston, but I have yet to take a shot of it despite living a few blocks away for the past year and a half. I figured it was about time. Cars are not allowed to drive down this street, but I don’t think any “car” would really fit if it tried.
Vine 49
This is just a random door covered by random vines. There are countless others like it, but they all have different things that make them intriguing. I almost feel like I’m walking through a hobbit village when I walk through the streets of Beacon Hill. Everything is just so old and piled on top of each other that there are some very interesting “configurations” to be seen. Aruba – Part 2
Here are a few more shots from my trip to Aruba. I wasn’t going to post anymore but these ones seemed interesting enough to share. Enjoy!
Tipping Point
Footsteps
Hilton Lagoon
Footsteps
Hilton Lagoon
Aruba – Here’s to Balashi
As summer draws to an end and children everywhere rush (walk slowly with their heads down) back to school, I am now delighting in the fact that I just finished my Master’s degree in engineering. To celebrate this milestone I went to Aruba for a week with my family and some awesome family friends (you know who you are) to soak up the sun. We stayed in the Hyatt Regency and I have to say that it is the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen. The lobby is completely open on one end to the street entrance and on the other end to the island marvels that await. To coax you more gently in the right direction there is a constant breeze blowing through the entire lobby. The flowing white linen draped around the seating areas flaps with the wind as you desperately try to decide whether to stay inside or venture outdoors. Making the decision even more difficult is the casino entrance that pours cold air 20 feet into the open lobby – A very smart trick to get people gambling, lucky for me I don’t know how.
Since I was there for a week, I didn’t have to make the aforementioned decision as I spent plenty of time in both the lobby and outside. While I do have some pictures of the lobby, they were not taken with my usual care because honestly, I just didn’t want to take photos. I was so relaxed that setting up my tripod and camera in the middle of the place somehow seemed wrong. That’s not to say I don’t have photos for you. In fact, I think these are some of my best. Almost all of my HDR shots were taken in one day since the rest of the week I didn’t really feel like carrying a tripod on my horse (horseback riding into the sunset – try it once before you die), in the jeep (off road safari to a natural pool – don’t try it if you have high blood pressure), on the sailboat (it’s harder than you think to get a sailboat to sit still for 9 shots), or under my beach chair (safe for all ages). But HDR or not, I have some good shots for you that I’ll be sharing in the next few days.
The photos in this set are brought to you by happy hour. Balashi, Aruba’s local beer, is not only cheap, but quite tasty as well. After 5 or 6 Balashis on the dockside bar with the fam I began to notice a sunset which is quite possibly the most amazing sunset I have ever seen. And no, I did not have beer goggles for the sunset. Rushing to my room in my inebriated state, I grabbed my tripod, urinated for 15 minutes, and stationed myself at the beach while my family looked on in amusement. Have you ever been so tipsy that a simple, obvious, and maybe questionable idea seemed like the most incredible and exciting idea in the world? And then later you realize that perhaps it wasn’t such a great idea when you notice that the fridge you were trying to fit into is a little broken (completely joking, sort of). One would think that trying to bracket 9 exposures on a tripod, in the sand, in heavy wind, and after 6 beers would be one of these amazingly ungreat ideas, but to tell you the truth, I think the beers helped. So here’s to Balashi, cheers!
The first two shots I am sharing with you were taken right at the hotel beach. I really didn’t do much post-processing to these photos. The sunset really looked this incredible.
Lounging
Drinks of Dusk
Sweet Beginnings
I can’t think of better conditions under which to get married and by the looks of things, they even had a good number of guests. I actually met the bride of this wedding at the hotel bar later in the week while her husband was gambling in the casino (if that isn’t marriage I don’t know what is). Turns out they live in the same area as me… small world. Best of luck to them.
Sweet Abandonment
No, the groom didn’t really get abandoned. That’s my brother who decided to get all artistic by standing in the middle of my shot. Why one would choose the look of abandonment in such a beautiful setting, I’m not sure, but it worked out pretty well. Thanks Sam!
Under Cover
This canvas was part of the beautiful wedding that just ended when I started taking photos. By this time the sun had set and the sky was completely engulfed in the myriad of colors you see here.
Private Service
This table setting is the location of the bride and groom’s first dinner. I didn’t stay around long enough to see what they ate, but I bet you it was just as good as the atmosphere.
Bamboo Cove
Dinner for Two
The above two shots are NOT an HDR photos. There was too much motion to blend the exposures properly so I used the -1 EV shot to keep the highlights in and used Photoshop’s handy shadow recovery tool to bring out the table and chairs.
Drinks of Dusk
Sweet Beginnings
I can’t think of better conditions under which to get married and by the looks of things, they even had a good number of guests. I actually met the bride of this wedding at the hotel bar later in the week while her husband was gambling in the casino (if that isn’t marriage I don’t know what is). Turns out they live in the same area as me… small world. Best of luck to them.
Sweet Abandonment
No, the groom didn’t really get abandoned. That’s my brother who decided to get all artistic by standing in the middle of my shot. Why one would choose the look of abandonment in such a beautiful setting, I’m not sure, but it worked out pretty well. Thanks Sam!
Under Cover
This canvas was part of the beautiful wedding that just ended when I started taking photos. By this time the sun had set and the sky was completely engulfed in the myriad of colors you see here.
Private Service
This table setting is the location of the bride and groom’s first dinner. I didn’t stay around long enough to see what they ate, but I bet you it was just as good as the atmosphere.
Bamboo Cove
Dinner for Two
The above two shots are NOT an HDR photos. There was too much motion to blend the exposures properly so I used the -1 EV shot to keep the highlights in and used Photoshop’s handy shadow recovery tool to bring out the table and chairs. Montréal Part 1: Notre-Dame Basilica
I was in Montréal last weekend with a few friends before going to a week long leadership conference for work. I just now got the chance to post process some of the shots I took there, but I’m pretty happy with the results. Montréal in general was not what I expected. The night life was… interesting, to say the least, but to keep things G-rated I’ll move on to the day life. In a way it reminds me a lot of Boston. Old Montréal looks sort of like Faneuil Hall with its cobble stone streets and restaurants. The main street, rue Sainte-Catherine, strongly resembles Newbury St. here in Boston, minus the strip clubs. But the similiarities end there. The culture is quite unique, infused with a magnitude of French influence I didn’t expect. One would think that since I speak French relatively fluently, I’d be able to handle myself pretty well. While this was true in Montréal, I did not fare so well closer to the Canadian border where the gas station attendants spoke some very… unique French.
But I digress. This set is about my favorite part of Montréal and also where we started our journey – the Notre-Dame Basilica. I’ve attempted to capture some of the beauty in the photos below, but it was difficult given the immense detail present in every corner. My favorite part of the basilica was undoubtedly the cool blue lighting which was spattered across the front of the structure. If you ever get the chance to visit I highly recommend it as I find it even more beautiful than the Notre-Dame in Paris. Anyway, enough talk, onto the photos! I’ll be posting some other more docile photos of Montréal in part 2.
Esplanade Sunset
These shots are from a recent photo shoot down at the Esplanade in Boston. This is probably one of the few places you can watch a sunset in the city, which is why half my photos are tagged with Esplanade 😉 Regardless, the sunsets from here are always beautiful.
Cleatset
I took this shot by resting my camera directly on the dock, sans tripod. Considering the camera weighs close to a ton, it’s not surprising that it remained still for the 9 shots required to create this photo.
River Path
This shot shows the bike path that runs along the Esplanade.
Creamsicle Dreams
I couldn’t really think of a better title for this one. I wanted to express the shift in colors in the sky from the sunlight on the right to night’s beginning on the left with the transfer between the two happening somewhere midway. That was my intent at least, but all that kept coming to mind when I looked at this photo was, “creamsicle, creamsicle, creamsicle.” I must be hungry.
Sunset’s Reception
Sunset’s Reception 2
Break Time
I took this shot by resting my camera directly on the dock, sans tripod. Considering the camera weighs close to a ton, it’s not surprising that it remained still for the 9 shots required to create this photo.
River Path
This shot shows the bike path that runs along the Esplanade.
Creamsicle Dreams
I couldn’t really think of a better title for this one. I wanted to express the shift in colors in the sky from the sunlight on the right to night’s beginning on the left with the transfer between the two happening somewhere midway. That was my intent at least, but all that kept coming to mind when I looked at this photo was, “creamsicle, creamsicle, creamsicle.” I must be hungry.
Sunset’s Reception
Sunset’s Reception 2
Break Time
Diamond of the City
These shots were taken from the Esplanade. I can’t remember what the park is called, but it has quite an amazing view of the city.
Diamond of the City
Lamp Shade
Lamp Shade
Posted in Boston, Night Tagged with: baseball-diamond, Boston, d200, field, hancock, Parks, prudential, trees
Hidden Beauty
It’s amazing what the camera can reveal that the eye cannot initially see. When I went out to take pictures tonight I expected the heavy cloud coverage would make for less than ideal conditions. My camera quickly proved me wrong. As I opened the camera up stop by stop I began to notice a myriad of colors appear. First blue, then pink, then orange, followed by the lush greenery of the foreground. Slightly perplexed I put my camera down and looked up at the sky. Was it my eyes or camera that was betraying me? I searched for the answer meticulously as my eyes panned the night before me.
The closer I looked the more I could see that it was I who was at fault. Directly above my oblivious self was one of the most beautiful skies I have ever seen. But it was a different kind of beauty, not the overt in-your-face kind that grabs your attention at first glance. This beauty was completely naked, free from the blinding adornments that scream at all your senses, begging for their simultaneous attention.
I can best compare the sky tonight to a beautiful woman with frizzled hair and all her makeup washed off right before she goes to bed at night (yes, ladies, you are most beautiful when you look like “crap”). Now imagine seeing that same woman walk down the street as you pass her by. You’d most likely think she’s either homeless, hideous, or just plain crazy. But say you stop for a moment to ask the woman her name. As she looks up at you, you notice her half-closed dreamy eyes, followed by her subtle smile and soft imperfect skin. At first this combination confuses you, but as you gaze deeper you begin to put all the individual pieces together to form a picture that is her true beauty. That, my friends, is what I witnessed tonight – a crazy homeless woman walking down the street looking for a place to sleep… just kidding. 🙂
Hidden Beauty
Fissure
Fissure
Posted in Boston, Sunrise & Sunset Tagged with: Boston, bushes, charles-river, d200, lights, longfellow-bridge, prudential-center, sky, train, trees
Marblehead
Here are a few shots from Marblehead, MA. It was a gorgeous day out, as you can see.
Supa Powaful
Jerry Schwarzenegger – This shot is named after the horrible Arnold impersonation I refuse to stop doing. Jerry is so used to hearing me speak Arnold-lounge that he subconsciously posed as him in this shot. I casually aimed my camera accordingly and yelled out, “Jerry, you aaaa supa powaful!” as I snapped a few before he had the chance to escape.
Non-fiction
Meet Melissa. Melissa loves Harry Potter, beaches, and doing mean things to rats in her lab. I can forgive the rat torture, but I’m still trying to understand the Harry Potter obsession. I’ll admit I’ve seen the movies, but I have never read the books, despite all the rave. I have a theory that the pages are laced with some sort of drug that keeps people reading regardless of how much their eyes hurt. Something must have caught Melissa’s eye in this photo long enough to release her from her spell as she enjoyed a little bit of non-fiction from the beautiful day.
Coming Home
Please click on this image for a better view (Flickr) as it looks distorted on my site.
This shot is a panoramic view of kayakers coming into the harbor after what must have been a beautiful morning spent sea kayaking. It sort of reminds me of a biker gang… but in the water, less the noise, ridiculous haircuts, and police in tow. I’m not sure if this was for a special occasion or if it is some sort of club, but either way it definitely made me want to put down my camera for a while and grab a kayak of my own.
Rocky Decision
Here’s Jerry after he realized the tide was coming up. He is slightly alarmed mainly because he doesn’t know how to swim. Like many decisions we face in life, this one is a bit rocky. There appears to be more than one correct path, but if our friend Jerry doesn’t decide soon, he will face the same fate as the rocks beneath him. Time is of the essence, be as decisive as you can.
Jerry Schwarzenegger – This shot is named after the horrible Arnold impersonation I refuse to stop doing. Jerry is so used to hearing me speak Arnold-lounge that he subconsciously posed as him in this shot. I casually aimed my camera accordingly and yelled out, “Jerry, you aaaa supa powaful!” as I snapped a few before he had the chance to escape.
Non-fiction
Meet Melissa. Melissa loves Harry Potter, beaches, and doing mean things to rats in her lab. I can forgive the rat torture, but I’m still trying to understand the Harry Potter obsession. I’ll admit I’ve seen the movies, but I have never read the books, despite all the rave. I have a theory that the pages are laced with some sort of drug that keeps people reading regardless of how much their eyes hurt. Something must have caught Melissa’s eye in this photo long enough to release her from her spell as she enjoyed a little bit of non-fiction from the beautiful day.
Coming Home
Please click on this image for a better view (Flickr) as it looks distorted on my site.
This shot is a panoramic view of kayakers coming into the harbor after what must have been a beautiful morning spent sea kayaking. It sort of reminds me of a biker gang… but in the water, less the noise, ridiculous haircuts, and police in tow. I’m not sure if this was for a special occasion or if it is some sort of club, but either way it definitely made me want to put down my camera for a while and grab a kayak of my own.
Rocky Decision
Here’s Jerry after he realized the tide was coming up. He is slightly alarmed mainly because he doesn’t know how to swim. Like many decisions we face in life, this one is a bit rocky. There appears to be more than one correct path, but if our friend Jerry doesn’t decide soon, he will face the same fate as the rocks beneath him. Time is of the essence, be as decisive as you can.
Boston Nightscapes
It’s been over a week since I last posted something… far too long, I apologize. Once my classes are over expect to see a lot more work from me.
Caught Watching
I almost fell into the water when taking this shot. I figured it would be a good idea to get as close to the water as possible, but little did I know that the lowest level of rocks was covered in slippery muck. Rest assured, I escaped unscathed.
Ying Yang
Can you see it?
I almost fell into the water when taking this shot. I figured it would be a good idea to get as close to the water as possible, but little did I know that the lowest level of rocks was covered in slippery muck. Rest assured, I escaped unscathed.
Ying Yang
Can you see it?
