Nature

I Cannot Believe Another Day Is Over!

December 9, 2014 — 24 Comments

verrazano bridge

F/11.0, 1/250, ISO 100

This guy enjoying the sunset over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is probably wondering how cold the water is and if he will ever make it across. Or he may be singing in his head a Britney Spears song “Oops!…I did it again”

 

Interesting Fact: The first driver to cross the bridge wore a rented tuxedo and piloted a “pale blue Cadillac convertible with flags flapping from the fenders,” nabbing the distinction because he had parked behind the Staten Island toll for a week, guaranteeing the position. ( http://www.bensonhurstbean.com/2014/11/25-facts-verrazano-narrows-bridge/ )

I Just Came To Say Hello !

November 30, 2014 — 36 Comments

Carolina Chickadee

F/5.6, 1/500, ISO 1000.

This Black-capped Chickadee flew by a few times before he sat on a branch nearby.  He started to say few things to me that sounded like “chick-a-dee-dee-dee”, “fee-bee”, “fee-bee-be”. I’m not sure what he was saying but I am guessing it could be something like “Wazzup!” or maybe ” how you doin”. I guess we can only wonder.

 

Interesting Fact: The song of the Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most complex vocalizations of all animals, acting as a contact call, an alarm call, to identify an individual, or to indicate recognition of a particular flock. ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/680/_/Black-capped_Chickadee.aspx )

This City Means Business!

November 11, 2014 — 9 Comments

NYC speed

F/22.0, 0.8, ISO 100.

New York City knows one speed and it is Fast Forward. ( well sometimes you see cab drivers going in reverse ) HaHa. Let me change that, this city speed is mostly forward. 🙂

 

Interesting Fact:  New York City has more people than 39 of the 50 states in the U.S. ( http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/60-facts-that-will-make-nyc-feel-like-a-whole-new-place )

Be Very Very Quiet, I’m Hunting!

November 5, 2014 — 45 Comments

Great Blue Heron

F/5.6, 1/160, ISO 800.

Hey you, photography man, stay still.  I have been waiting for this fish all day and I am not going to let you mess this up for me.

 

Great Blue Heron1

F/5.6, 1/160, ISO 800.

FINALLY GOT WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR !!!!

 

Interesting Fact:  Great Blue Herons can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision. (  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_blue_heron/lifehistory )

 

 

I Wonder At Midnight What Will The Pumpkin Turn Into !

October 11, 2014 — 8 Comments

Pumpkin

F/5.6, 1/250, ISO 100.

 

It’s always fun to find and pick a perfect pumpkin for this season. But it’s not fun if someone steals your pumpkin as you are taking a photo of it. 🙂

Interesting Fact: The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’. ( http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/pumpkins.html )

Dominican Brother From Another Mother

September 30, 2014 — 26 Comments

hispaniolan woodpecker

Hispaniolan Woodpecker

f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 900.

Caught this pecker, pecking away, pecking so hard that the palm tree kept swaying. Don’t peck so hard my little friend because you may go limp at the end.

I came across Hispaniolan Woodpecker in Dominican Republic, its very similar to Red-Bellied Woodpecker of my very first post.

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

F/8.0, 1/1000, ISO 800.

 

Interesting Fact: Their habitat, which is restricted to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, extends from the coasts, over the deserts to the mountains of the island.  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniolan_woodpecker )

Fall “O” Me Through This Season !

September 23, 2014 — 14 Comments

butterfly

F/6.3, 1/125, ISO 400.

 

I am not ready for the summer to end, but since this butterfly is not giving up on the season changing, I shall do the same.

Interesting Fact: One of the visible signs of fall is the changing color of the leaves. This happens because photosynthesis stops during this period so leaves do not stay green.  ( http://www.parkrideflyusa.com/blog/2012/09/21/12-fun-facts-about-fall/ )

Never Forget

September 10, 2014 — 11 Comments

9/11

F/11.0, 30, ISO 100.

This is a photo that I took last year while visiting a memorial for 9/11 downtown Jersey City. Words do not do it justice. Today lets all stand together and pay tribute to the ones we lost. You will not be forgotten- instead you will live in our hearts forever.

Interesting Fact:   The Tribute in Light is an art installation of 88 searchlights placed next to the site of the World Trade Center to create two vertical columns of light in remembrance of the September 11 attacks. It is produced annually by The Municipal Art Society of New York. ( http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribute_in_Light )

The Sun Don’t Shine Forever, But As Long As It’s Here Then We Might As Well Shine Together

September 2, 2014 — 45 Comments

sunflower sunset

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 100, Flash.

Maybe this sunflower lost all its pedals, but the sun in this photo made it in to the real sun flower.

Interesting Fact: A well-known sunflower characteristic is that the flowering heads track the sun’s movement, a phenomenon known as heliotropism. ( http://www.amazingandweird.com/facts/26-interesting-facts-sunflower-never-knew/ )

I Said A Hip Hop, Hippie To The Hippie, The hip, hip a hop, and you don’t stop, a rock it.

August 17, 2014 — 34 Comments

green grasshopper

F/5.6, 1/250, ISO 640.

For this photo I would like to use quotes from famous Kung Fu (TV Series) (1972)  ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068823/quotes )

Master Po: [after easily defeating the boy in combat] Ha, ha, never assume because a man has no eyes he cannot see. Close your eyes. What do you hear?

Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds.

Master Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat?

Young Caine: No.

Master Po: Do you hear the grasshopper that is at your feet?

Young Caine: [looking down and seeing the insect] Old man, how is it that you hear these things?

Master Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?

 

On my journey of exploring new places, I didn’t hear a grasshopper at my feet, but I did manage to snap a photo of it. I think Master Po would be proud of me.

Interesting Fact: They make their sound (music) by rubbing their
wings or legs together. They can jump 20 times the length of their body. That would be like a 6′ man jumping 120 feet. There are over 18,000 different species worldwide. ( http://www.bugfacts.net/grasshopper.php )