Boston Massachusetts: A Quick Visit

On Friday January 20th, I passed through Boston very quickly. I had to take care of a few errands in a town just south of the city. I had traveled out there with Kris, whom also had some errands in that part of the state. We enjoy Boston very much. We have places of comfort that we like to frequent; and with only a few hours to visit, lunch was a priority. I had not traveled with any equipment with me. All I had with me was my cell phone and a nice day of light and fresh flurries that had fallen. The snow had fallen the night before. Not a lot, but enough to make it feel like it was actually winter. I was out very late the night before capturing the snow as it fell in Holyoke. We parked at the commons and made our way through the park. It was debatable where we were going to eat lunch, but I knew what I wanted. To the North End we went. I know I have discussed the North End before, but you just can not go wrong with any of the restaurants there. Benevento's is a staple amongst its neighbors. It had been a very long time since we had enjoyed our favorite. Vannessa's Pesto, pictured below, is flavorful pizza topped with Grilled chicken, homemade pesto sauce, caramelized onions, Pecorino Romano cheese, mozzarella cheese. We also enjoyed a Rhode Island style dish of calamari. Listed on their menu is a sautéed style that we have had before. But we were given the choice of either sautéed or Rhode Island, we chose the one that wasnt listed on the menu, but made fresh for us. In addition to the sweet peppers, it came topped with pine nuts. A delicious roasted treat that coincided with the pesto that was going to be atop our pizza.

Over a pint of Guinness and lunch we discussed life and business. Our conversations have been generally the same lately. Life, Love, Happiness, and Business. Lunch was great. exactly what we expected and for that reason, why we keep going back. As said to us by the hostest on our way out, "Thank you for coming I hope you had a great lunch." "Of course, that is why we keep coming back." An ambitious thank you and good afternoon sent us on our way. Next up, Mike's Pastry to get a cannoli for me and my girlfriend for desert. Our time in Boston was short, but great like always. We had also discussed having and owning some real estate in the city. Kris and I both very much enjoy the area and I miss the city even after moving back to Western Mass nearly 3 years later.

The photos I made convey a sense of light and shadow with people and elements of the city streets as my subject matter. I will be back in Boston sooner than later.

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New From Nikon

Earlier this week, Monday to be exact, I came across this site: The British Journal of Photography. I took an immediate interest in the site and began reading some of the articles. I have gone back a few times, here of there, to revisit a few pieces for some additional info. Just as I was doing that very same thing, I found a piece about Nikon. "Nikon gets ready for the Olympics with its flagship D4"

As I began reading the piece about this new flagship model, what really stuck out to me was how many times it was stated that Nikon has listened to the pros that are using their products. As I wrote in my facebook status, "The value of a company's product is increased not by the components used, but by their attentiveness to their users." This is so true. I have been waiting to see if Nikon is releasing a D800 to replace the beloved 700, but instead, for about half the cost more than the D700, you can get the D4. Priced at $6000.00 for the body, the technology that is in this body is nothing short of what is undoubtedly going to lead the class in the DSLR bracket.

I have been using both Nikon and Canon in my studio. At times the Canon 7D has done a stellar job, but there are times when I can not put down my Nikon. I have friends, pros, hobbyists, amateurs, and happy snappers, that argue for their brand loyalty. I am not one to really dispute the differences any more. But, each company has a feature or two that the other lacks or makes up for. Nikon has low-light ISO to Canon's lenses. But, at the end of the day, the application in which you are shooting will set the demand and need for a specific type of camera. The choice is yours depending on what you are shooting. The D4 is a camera that I am going to explore as my time for upgrade is near. If you read the entire article about the D4, you will see the bit about the Wireless Transmitter wt-5. We are in a digital era in which we have near limitless possibilities when creativity is allowed to shape the world. I look forward to working with Nikon's newest products. After all, Nikon cameras have shaped and helped form my business, studio, and portfolio.

Boston Massachusetts

I frequent travel to Boston as much as I can. There is this photogenic quality about Boston that I can not escape. It began before I had attended the Art Institute of Boston in 2009, but  it is a feeling that I can not escape. It is like a visual sensory over load when I walk around the city. The first attractive quality that I am captivated by is light. The sun light, reflected light, refracted light, bounced light from buildings reflecting off other buildings, cars, signs etc. You name it, if it is illuminating the urban landscape, the skyline, or the street that I am walking on, I am captivated and compelled to photograph it. Of course, Boston does have other cultural and luxurious aspects that can be associated with photography, or at the very least aspects that still happen to fall in front of my lens. I am an avid, well more like HUGE fan of dinning in Boston's North End. Out of the 70 something restaurants in the quaint historic district of the city, I have knocked off a handful. Beneventos is a favorite. I have frequented this place over the last two years. Tell them I sent you! They wont know who the hell you are talking about, but I am sure they will appreciate it. Right around the corner is Mike's Pastry. You havent had a Cannoli until you have had one from Mike's. Even if you are in a stage 4 food coma from Beneventos or one of the other amazing places to dine at, you NEED to make a point to indulge in a cannoli. Of course, they have a line that typically reaches the door, other types of pastries, ( I dont waste my time or money on them, No offense Mike. I know what I like! ) but who wants that when their cannoli's are famous. Right?

Boston is a town that I escape to. I can get lost in the city with my camera and never be lost. There are a lot of great places to see. I have gone out there twice in the last month with my girlfriend and both trips I saw things, through the lens, that I have never seen before. I made images I have never made in the city before. I am going to share a few from both visits, but not all from the last visit, as I am using a few of them to write about black and white photography for another photography blog. Below are some photos from the last two times in the city. As someone who frequent goes to the city for both business and pleasure, I will be sharing stories often.

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Resolution: A Healthy Balance

I, like a lot of people, do not believe in creating New Years Resolutions. I never have. It is not that I would break a resolution or two, I just do not believe in them. Part of my personal philosophy is to create realistic goals and complete them. I would never set a goal that I didnt think I wouldnt be able to complete. For 2012 I have taken on an additional responsibility. I am going to be volunteering at the Holyoke YMCA. I am no stranger to a gym, as I have been committed to personal fitness for a number of years now. My goal in 2012 is to create a healthier balance between my work, photography, business goals, and fitness. I have been working on new projects and venturing into newer business plans. As things change, new projects, and new business being ventured, I need a much stronger balance in my life. Volunteering within my community will have its benefits and help to give a healthier balance to my work load. I am looking forward to a hard working and beneficial year. I never leave home without a camera. I always make it a point to have one with me at nearly every moment. You just never know when you will need to make a photograph. It is this desire to always have a camera with me that gives me a creative balance between shooting for a client and for myself. A few days before Christmas I was traveling from the studio to the mall to pick up a few last minute gifts when I drove by a burned out house. This property caught fire one afternoon in the fall. On the afternoon of the fire I was unable to get to the scene to capture it. As some of you know I tend to arrive on scenes of fires, make some photographs, and contribute to the media publications in the Western Mass area. But on this afternoon I was passing by, had a few minutes to spare, and made some post-fire images. The images show the carnage and devastation a fire can have on a building or house. The house stood alone, abandoned and left unoccupied. Due to the abandonment of the property, there was no one inside. No one was injured. It is sad though, to see someones former home, memories, and belongings having been destroyed. The Holyoke Fire Department, like every other community is outstanding and does a phenomenal job when they are called to action.

 

Post Christmas Post

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas. I know mine was pretty spectacular. I was able to meet Santa and sit on his lap, err I mean HER lap. A family celebration on Christmas led to the arrival of Santa, played by my g/f. It was cute. Christmas overall was great. I hope the same was for you too! This week is kind of low-key. Not a whole lot going, kind of like a vacation, but not "officially." It is December 28th and we still have NO snow here in the Northeast. The last time we had real snow fall was on October 30th/31st. It is pretty barren outside. The days are grey and a little bleak. Christmas was not white, but it was still great. I would like a little bit of snow fall this winter. It sure is cool enough out there.

Just think, how nice would it be if this scene was covered in snow?

New Beginnings: A Fresh Start

Welcome to my newest blog. As of this post I will be writing using this blog only. I have been writing two previous blogs, http://holyokeinphotos.com and http://lenshare.com Due to a software issue and having been on blogger's platform for so long, I have decided to condense all my traffic to one blog and my portfolio site. I will be having links up to both Lenshare and Holyoke in Photos, but, from here on out, it is allllll this new site! With that being said, First Post! Christmas is only a few days away and the year is fast coming to an end. It has been an exciting year. There have been some ups and downs, but that is life sometimes. I was very happy to network and take on some new clients this past year. I have been fortunate to forge new relationships and build some new bodies of work in doing so. I am going to keep this post short in terms of words, but would like to feature a few images. I will say though, I am looking forward to an exciting new year.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Be safe!

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