NJ

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 )

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 )

 

 

Precious Moments last forever!

October 22, 2014 — 30 Comments

The Look

F/4.5, 1/1000, ISO 250.
The perfect moment of my friend and his daughter frozen in time.

 

Interesting Fact: When someone is having a bad day, pay them a compliment with a smile. The double-duty mood boosting effect will turn their day around for sure. ( http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-facts-about-smiling.html )

 

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 )

It’s Not Always What’s In Front Of You ” SO TURN AROUND TO SEE WHAT REALLY MATTERS “

October 6, 2014 — 33 Comments

down town jersey city

F/5.6, 1/125, ISO 200, Adobe Photoshop CS6.

This actually caught my eye as I was leaving down town Jersey City. People always say keep looking ahead, well I say look all around you, because you never know what you will see.

Interesting Fact: With its 18-piece spire, 1WTC stands at 1,776 feet, a direct reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. ( http://www.rd.com/slideshows/fascinating-trivia-about-one-world-trade-center/ )

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 )

Keep On Knocking But You Can’t Come In.

August 10, 2014 — 13 Comments

Downy Woodpecker

F/5.6, 1/160, ISO 100

Away on vacation strange knock I hear,

I open the door and what do I see

a Downy Woodpecker up In a tree.

I rush for my camera and run out the door

I snap a few photos and that’s about all.

 

Interesting Fact: Woodpeckers don’t sing songs, but they drum loudly against pieces of wood or metal to achieve the same effect. People sometimes think this drumming is part of the birds’ feeding habits, but it isn’t. In fact, feeding birds make surprisingly little noise even when they’re digging vigorously into wood. ( http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/downy_woodpecker/lifehistory )