Saturday November 21, 2009

WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT – Washington was established by the General Assembly of Connecticut in 1742 as “Judea”. Biblical names are common in Litchfield County – Bethlehem Connecticut is a neighboring town. The Congregational Church in Judea had its first meeting in 1741 in a log shed. A meeting house was subsequently built on the town green, completed in 1784; it was destroyed by fire; the present building was finished in 1800. In the late 17th century the name of the town was changed to Washington. The town cemetery is still named the Judea Hill Cemetery.

This is part of my plan to photograph every church in Litchfield County. I’ve selected an image for today that highlights the meeting house’s neoclassical detailing. I’m continuing to explore the quality of out-of-focus rendering.

Congregational Meeting House, Washington CT
Congregational Meeting House, Washington CT

Thursday November 19, 2009

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Looking back at the past week’s work I kept coming back to the cemetery in New Preston. I decided to try more images with large out-of-focus areas. Returning to Grand Central Terminal I reshot the phones with a Leica M9 and a 35mm Summicron pre-aspheric version IV lens – I’ll be using this for the next several days. This lens is known as the “bokeh king” – bokeh being a subjective view of the quality of the out of focus portions of the image.

Grand Central Terminal - lower level
Grand Central Terminal – lower level

Monday November 16, 2009

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – 919 Third Avenue, where my office is located.  Got this walking to the office this morning in brilliant, encompassing late fail light.  For the week of November 14 through 21 I’m using a single camera and lens: a Leica M9 with a 35mm Summicron Asph.  This is a wonderfully flexible combination.  When I need wider I shoot to stitch multiple frames together.  I rarely need longer.   919 Third Avenue is a Skidmore Owings & Merrill building completed in 1970.  It closely resembles an earlier Mies van der Rohe design.

919 Third Avenue
919 Third Avenue

Sunday November 15, 2009

NEW PRESTON, CONNECTICUT – Lois Conner, a friend and teacher, told me never to photograph in cemeteries. This image exploits the lovely rendering of the out of focus portions of the image possible with the lens that I’m using: the Lecia M 35mm Summicron.  Here’s a link to a listing of everyone who is interred in this cemetery: Interred in New Preston

Nancy Lee Cheney Calhoun, Nov 20, 1920 - January 11, 2000
Nancy Lee Cheney Calhoun, Nov 20, 1920 – January 11, 2000

Tuesday November 10, 2009

New York, New York – This is where the rubber meets the road.  A desperate day from the photo a day blog perspective.  A long day in meetings.  At 6:55 PM I shot the cityscape out my window to have something to post.

Out my window
Out my window