NEW YORK NEW YORK – I had amazing luck today. I went to the Guggenheim Museum with my daughter and a close friend of hers; we had lunch at The Wright (a restaurant located in the Guggenheim) and walked the Central Park reservoir. I’ve been trying to take a picture I like of the museum for two years; I finally got it. I’ve also being trying to take a picture of the reservoir with the west side skyline in the background, and tall grass/reeds in spots around the reservoir in the foreground; I finally got it. Both taken with my Leica M9 and 24mm Summilux lens, more than justifying my affection for this combination.
NEW YORK NEW YORK – I spent the day at my office. I had tossed my Alpa into a bag so I was equiped for wide angle. Our firm has a collection of chromogenic prints prints of images made in the 1980s by Jim Dow of every major league baseball stadium. The images were taken with an 8×10 camera and typically consist of 3 unstitched panoramic images.
NEW YORK NEW YORK – I went today with a tripod and my large Alpa, the Alpa Max, to explore Riverside Park and the George Washington Bridge. My start was delayed by personal errand – by the time I got into things the golden light was gone and the light was rathe uninteresting. I’ve posted some examples anyway.
George Washington BridgeRiverside ParkRiverside ParkRiverside ParkRiverside Park
NEW YORK NEW YORK – Francesca has a new hat. This and the Triborough Bridge shot at the golden hour (which is particularly golden this time of year) were shot with my Panasonic GH-2. This is my kit for snapshots and for long lenses.
NEW YORK NEW YORK – As you might expect this is an emotionally flat day for me after all of the excitement of the wedding. My mojo is elsewhere. It’s gone into hiding. I hope it’s not gone forever. But I threw my Alpa into a small bag and soldiered on. I caught this at Citicorp Center on my way to the office. Everyone is alone, facing away from everyone else. Everyone is an island. That’s what life is like sans mojo. A lucky shot. Odd how you can do well at something regardless of your state of mind by just doing it daily.
The Alpa (with an 80 meg medium format back) is very demanding of technique when used handheld. At 80 megs of resolution a bit of camera movement was plainly evident in this image. I down-rezed the file to 24 megs – the file size produced by a high end Canon or Nikon – and the jitters disappeared.
NEW YORK NEW YOK – Well today is the big day for Alexander (our son) and Laura. I was a participant and had little energy/focus for photography. Here’s a quote on the event from a note from a friend:
I thought that Laura’s and Alexander’s wedding ceremony was beautiful, touching, and memorable. I was entranced by the rich and majestic setting (St. Ignatius Loyola was truly gorgeous), and charmed by the priest, whom I found interesting and compelling.
And then there was the wonderful, joyous, energetic, and sumptuous cocktails and dinner and dancing at the Yale Club. What a perfect setting! The hors d’oeuvres and dinner were delicious (I was the fellow who ate 8 pounds of the grilled sausage) and the dancing was amazing. Why didn’t you warn me that Francesca (senior) is a whirling dervish? She is a sensational dancer. I danced with Francesca for a song or two and, as I walked exhausted back to my table, concluded that she has the aerobic capacity of a Navy seal. And, of course, Patrizia was amazing to watch as she moved across the dance floor. Francesca (junior) was stunning (as always) and looked fabulous on the dance floor herself.
But, most important, I was touched to see Laura and Alexander so obviously happy and in love. They make a handsome couple. I was moved by their closeness, and I know that they will be very good to and for each other.
Anyway, a couple of images with my M9 and 50 mm Summilux lens:
NEW YOK NEW YORK – This is rehearsal day for Laura and Alexander’s wedding. Thankfully I’m not serving in any official role as a photographer for the event. Wedding photograph is grueling business – I have tremendous admiration for the team that is shooting the wedding. I managed a few shots with my Panasonic GH2 at the rehearsal at St. Ignatius.
Alexander and his best man, Karim:
Alexander and KarimThe families watchMaria practices her readingAlexander and Laura sit patiently
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