Ballycastle Beach, Northern Ireland

Ballycastle Beach, Ireland

Left Belfast today and headed north and west  to Londonderry. Drove back over some of the same roads from Wednesday - this time the weather cooperated a bit - some rain but mostly dry weather....I saw this image the first time through and was happy to get back for a second shot at it......

 Spending New Year's Eve and Jan 1 in Londonderry exploring the northwest peninsula of Inishowen.

According to Wikipedia Inishowen is the largest peninsula in Ireland and the most northerly point, Main Head. Additionally, they say it has some of the highest sand dunes in all of Europe - as well as a fort constructed in the sixth century, Grianan an Alieach.....

Ireland, Foul Weather

Irish Sea, White Park Bay, Ireland, Canon 5dmkII

Yesterday was one of the my worst weather days ever touring Ireland. We had Rain, Sleet, sun, clouds and winds sometimes as high as 60-70 miles per hour. As I posted on my iPhone blog one could lean back against the wind and it would hold you up. It was also one of the most fun days fighting these elements to get the image....

It was very difficult to photograph in a wind that strong - had to shoot at high ISO and shutter speeds and still hold the tripod down - the other problem was the water being blown on to the front element of the lens.....fun day all around fighting the elements....in the end it all worked out and now I know a few new places to get back too in the future....

Below is the image made just to the right of the above image - shot with my iPhone 4s also on a tripod.....took a few creative liberties with this one.

This morning it is the 'political murals' in West Belfast...Needed to hire a car and driver as the advice was to not go in there without a local....looking forward to seeing these famous murals close up with a camera in my hand.

stay tuned..more coming...

White Park Bay, Ballintoy, Ireland, iPhone4s

Low, Quebec, Christmas

Low, Quebec, Christmas Day 2012

'The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm!'....Irving Berlin

Yes, it turned out to be a very very White Christmas up in Canada.....Got up early and went out and captured a few snow images on Christmas day.....Nothing gets much better then freshly fallen snow...I truly enjoy the way it defines the landscape.....

Bachman Turner Overdrive

Bachman Turner Overdrive

This image of Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) is from mid-seventies in New York City - most likely the Academy of Music which was on 14th street. 

BTO were originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Acording to Wikipedia Randy Bachman and Chad Allan were formerly with The Guess Who and Neil Young apparently suggested they use Fred Turner as the vocalist. 'Takin Care of Business' and 'You Ain't Seen nothing yet' were probably two of their biggest hits.

Judging from the grain structure in this image it was most likely made using Kodak 2475 High Speed Recording Film - a favorite for ISO's of 3200 and more...It' main use was surveillance film back in the day. Personally, I always loved the grain...maybe a bit more detail but....

Chicago - Derby Scrimmage

Chicago Roller Derby Scrimmage

In Chicago to shoot some studio portraits tomorrow and was invited to attend a Women's Roller Derby Scrimmage.....I like shooting little vignettes of what is going on  around the track - don't get me wrong I love the thrill of the bouts but the 'odds and ends' always draw my interest...The movement in this sport reminds me a lot of my days as a Rock and Roll Tour Manager - love the fast moving flashes of color....

Women's Derby is a fast growing sport in this country - in fact the US Team won the World Tournament last week in Toronto.....If you can get to one of these bouts yo will be totally entertained by this fast moving sport, and, the athletic ability of these women....

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan - Dis-Appearing America

Found this old abandoned park on the way to Chicago.....I am not usually prone to HDR type images but on this particular image I liked the juxtaposition of the old and the new.....

Photostream Resolution

OK, I signed on to the cloud today to see for myself what was happening with the photostream images. It does appear, unless I have done something wrong, that the cloud does lower resolution. Possibly I am missing something - so if you have any more info on this subject please feel free to jump in here....

Thanks

1. Low Res in Photostream

 

2. High Res on IP4 

I did notice that Hipstamatic Images seem to come into Photostream with a higher resolution percentage then other camera applications....Could this be?

MIck and Keith

Mick and Keith, 1975

From the 1975 Stones Tour...The first tour with Ron Wood featuring Billy Preston on Keyboards...The tour opened in Baton Rouge with two shows.....I believe after listening to the beginning of Keith's book he is talking about this particular tour...

Ed's Truck

Ed and Willy's Truck

My friend Ed is a vintage car collector. One day while visiting I said why not photograph the Willy's Truck at sunset - he had just finished getting this vehicle back into prime condition. That is except the brakes - but he said yes and we met up one night at an open field near his home in Indiana. Today's image is that photograph - I post today as I am bringing a few prints (one is canvas) with me on my trip out to Indiana this week...Quite the vehicle.......

The Cure, Robert Smith

The Cure, Robert Smith, Beacon Theater, NYC

 Wow, last minute Sunday plans and went off to photograph The Cure at The Beacon Theater, New York City. I always like photographing at the Beacon - great sight-lines, and, as with most theaters, a great shot from the balcony (which I forgot to do yesterday)....

This band has been around since the late 70's, part of the post-punk and New Wave movements in the UK. They have been given credit for stating 'gothic rock'  in the early 80's....During the early 90's they were often called the most popular 'alternative' band in the world.

Robert Smith, The Cure 

Robert Smith is the lead singer, guitar player and main songwriter in The Cure. He was also in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Childhood, Other Neighborhoods

"Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder".....Eberhard Arnold

When Jesus Left Birmingham

Found this one this morning - circa 1993 - a video still from John Mellencamp's When Jesus Left Birmingham video. The video was made in 1993 in and around Bloomington, Indiana.....If memory serves me well this video was quite controversial - check it out on YouTube.....

Orignal image was made using a Pentax 6x7 and Tri-x FIlm...converted to the digital world with an Imacon/Hasselblad scanner.....

Denver Roller Dolls Scrimmage

Derby Scrimmage

On my last day in Denver I was fortunate enough to be invited to shoot a scrimmage at the home practice facility of the Denver Roller Dolls. Fortunately as I was also allowed to shoot from the center of the track - something you really need to experience to understand what goes on out there during a bout. It is complete mayhem and I now understand why you need some experience before allowed on to that turf...

These gals work very hard and are totally dedicated to the sport....Me, I am looking forward to getting the opportunity to do this again.... For more images from this scrimmage go to http://harrysandler.com/Denver_Scrimmage/.

Pre-Scrimmage

I can't thank the Dolls enough for the hospitality shown to me in Denver.....I made a few rookie mistakes - Derby is much harder to shoot then I had imagined so I learned under fire....I really like the fast moving action and the blurs of color - sort of feels like rock and roll meets NASCAR....

Derby Illustration...

Death Valley, Rhyolite Ghost Town

Rhyolite Ghost Rider Sculpture 1984

Rhyolite is a ghost town in the Bulfrog Hills about 120 miles NW of Las Vegas, near the town of Beaty, Nevada. Rhyolite was founded in 1905 as one of several mining camps during the gold rush. Somewhere around 1907 Rhyolite had electric lights, water mains, telephones, newspapers, a hospital, a school, an opera house and a stock exchange. It is estimated that between 3500 and 5000 people lived there. It collapsed very quickly and by 1920 was a ghost town.

This sculpture posted today is one of many at the Goldwell Open Air Museum, the most distinctive being a re-creation of The Last supper. Well worth a visit if you are ever in Death Valley...

Point Reyes, California

Sunset - Point Reyes, California

Reminds me of a Picasso Story in a biography I read:

Patron: Picasso, what is this painting?
Picasso: it is a fish
Patron: It does not look like a fish
Picasso: probably because it's a painting of a fish

they move on to another painting...

Patron: Picasso, what is this painting?
Picasso: It is a sunset
Patron: I have never seen a sunset that looks like this
Picasso: WHAT A PITY.....

Enough said....had to be there...

Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's Delivery Person

Sometimes you just have to be there......I was shooting at a studio in Denver yesterday and we ordered food from Jimmy John's for lunch. My cell phone rings and this female voice tells me the food is here but she can not find the studio door. So I volunteer to go outside and guide her in, and, immediately upon seeing her my photographic bell starts ringing.....I just loved everything about her right down to the pearls and the pen hanging off her t-shirt...she agrees and the image is posted today.

Sometimes reality does inspire....

WFTDA - Roller Derby

WFTDA Impression 1001

Here are a few more images from last weekends Women's Flat Track Roller Derby Association finals....it is hard not to like the time and energy these gals put into their sport.....I am looking forward to doing some more work with Roller Derby...

WFTDA Impression 101

WFTDA Announcer Team

WFTDA Impression 102

Roller Derby

One more day of Derby today - the US Finals.....Gotham form New York versus Oly from Seattle.....it has been quite the experience being at this event....first time shooting Derby although it has some similarities to rock and roll. The derby action moves much quicker without the benefit of large lighting systems.

Today's images are a few more impressions from the finals....

Gunaella Pass

Guanella Pass, Georgetown, Colorado

Been quite busy lately but I found the time to get out with my camera one morning last week in Colorado. I was staying with a friend in Gerogetown, Colorado and drove up to the top of Guanella Pass, 11,669 feet. And PS, it is hard to breath at that altitude if you are a sea level New Yorker....

It was bitter cold that morning. Despite the cold, on the way down the pass, I managed few images, one which is posted today. It was the wispy cloud that caught my eye and I wanted to made theimage before it dis-appeared behind the mountains...

Whidbey Island - Deception pass

Deception Pass - Whidbey Island

Whidbey Island - Deception Pass....This image was made on the last day of the Last-Pixel Show workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School. The weather held up and everyone seemed to be having a fun time......Hopefully wil be back next year....

Really liked the school and the area - lots of places to shoot and everyone is quite friendly. Perfect place for a photographic trip.

Image made with a medium format digital back...

Coupeville - Penn Cove

Penn Cove - Coupeville, Washington State

Caught this image yesterday at sunrise on Whidbey Island, Coupeville, Washington State. The best thing about shooting in the cove is the coffee shop that opens 30 minutes before sunrise - out on a pier in the cove. Does it get any better then that?....And they have freshly made cherry scones....

I am up here teaching a workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School and will definitely be taking the class to this cove for sunrise tomorrow morning....

Image made using a the phase one p65+ medium format back, Alpa STC with a 47MM Schneider lens...

Jerry Jerry Jerry

Jerry with Poplyfe

Jerry Springer is the host of the show I am working on in Las Vegas.....The last show is today so I thought why not post a few images of Jerry....He is fun to work with.....and, of course, very funny.

Jerry with Australian Jack Vidgen

OK, off to find a place to watch the New York Giants-Miami Dolphins......

Jerry with Anna Graceman

America's Got Talent

Anna Graceman

First show played last night at The Colosseum at Caesar's....went very well....Two more to go - Saturday and Sunday. So much really good talent on this show - here are a few more images from last night....Two more days and off to Whidbey Island...but who is counting...

Michael Grimm - David Barry

Jaden Wiggins - Poplyfe

Dillon Ingram - Poplyfe

Dylan Wiggins - Poplyfe

America's Got Talent

Landau Eugene Murphy Jr - The Winner

 Here are a few more candid rehearsal images - 1st show tomorrow......lots of really good young singers on this show - should be a really good show....Off to Whidbey Island and points Northwest after this is over.......

Poplyfe

Poplyfe

House Band Guitarist Dave Barry

Desert Sunrise

Desert Sunrise

I was driving to Las Vegas earlier in the week hoping to catch a good sunrise...As the sun was coming over the horizon it seemed rather bland and I was thinking 'not today'. Then I saw an exit called 'Old Ghost Town Road' and could not resist.....Long story short the sunrise was spectacular so I pulled over over and grabbed a typical off highway desert sunrise image.....about all I had time for....

America's Got Talent

Musical Director Will Hollis with Anna Graceman and Jack Vidgen

In Las Vegas working on America's Got Talent - three shows this weekend at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace. This years winner was Landau Eugene Murphy who is the headline act along with Michael Grimm (last year's winner),  Jack Vidgen who won Australia's Got Talent, Silhouettes, Anna Graceman, Fighting Gravity, Poplyfe and Landon Swank.

Anna Graceman - Jack Vidgen Duet

The first rehearsals were in Los Angeles with musical director Will Hollis and have now moved to Las Vegas. Shows are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.....This is a fun show with some fabulous artists......

Yosemite - Abandoned House

Deserted House - Yosemite

Look!  Look!  Look deep into nature and you will understand everything.  Albert Einstein

Gary US Bonds

Gary US Bonds

Don't you know that I danced, I danced till a quarter to three
With the help, last night, of Daddy G.
He was swingin on the sax like a nobody could
And I was dancin' all over the room.
Oh, don't you know the people were dancin' like they were mad,
it was the swingin'est band they had, ever had.
It was the swingin'est song that could ever be,
It was a night with Daddy G.

 

Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi

This image from the opening of the new Meadowlands Stadium last year....

Death Valley - Mesquite Dunes - Detail

Mesquite Dunes - Death Valley

Not much to say today - busy trying to organize leaving for the next month...Las Vegas, Whidbey Island and Denver....found this image of Mesquite Dunes in the archives from November 2009 - my first trip to Death Valley...doing a 'Nature's Peace' show in February with several other artists using images from nature with the focus on National Parks to call attention to the need to expose children to one of our countries finest ideas....check out Ken Burn's National Parks series...great viewing.

that's all folks....