December 31, 2011 -- Final Photo: Self Portrait

Wow, what a trip this has been. 


Right now, if you were sitting with me, you would see in my eyes and hear in my voice an excited happiness and at the same time, a deep sadness. As I consider this year and the journey I began last January 1, I would not have imagined what this year would mean to me. It has been a year of personal pride. I have shot thousands of photos, at least one each day, making these 365 days a this long and often difficult trip. I have endured personal family angst and deep sadness, losing a dear sister-in-law to a horrible disease, pancreatic cancer, and quite suddenly my father in law. 


But I have also witnessed great happiness with the news that my daughter would be getting married, at her shower and then at  Melisse and Tif's wedding. I have loved and played with my terrific wife, Pat, who suffered lovingly with me during this trip. I have had love, happiness and joy with my wonderful children and their significant others and with terrific friends. This year, with my camera in tow, I reunited with old friends at a 50th high school reunion. I have also made new friends through my photography. 


And what did this year do for my photography? I'm not certain what you might think, but I think my photographic eye has changed. I see more now, even without my camera. I have become more mindful of the human drama that occurs around me. Through my camera I met people all over the world who allowed me to capture them forever. I have met children alone and with and parents; couples, single adults, and homeless people. And I have captured death. 


Through this adventure, I have become much more aware of the interplay of man and nature. I have shot sunrises, sunsets, the moon, rivers, lakes, oceans. I have shot buildings showing them within the context of nature and nature within the context of man's buildings. I have seen and enjoyed a variety of religious centers: Hindu and Buddhist temples, churches, synagogues. 


And I have done all this with my three basic cameras: my Nikon D200, my Panasonic Lumix SMX-ZS6, and the camera of the year, my iPhone4. And given that latter camera's sudden emergence on the real photo scene, I decided to make my last post this self-portrait taken a few minutes ago with my iPhone 4.


Thank you, if you have followed this journey with me. I have loved and appreciated each of the many comments and statements of support I have received. I was often surprised by how many of you were actually following me on this passage. 


I am currently considering a project for the coming year. It will certainly not be something that occurs with such regularity. I will give each of you the opportunity to join in with me on it, when I decide.


If there is a photo that you particularly liked from this year, please let me know. I will send a print of it to you as my thanks for your joining me on this trek.


All the best for the coming year, 2012, to each of you. May you find happiness and be free from suffering. May you be joyful and free from the burdens of age and sickness. Most of all may you find peace and share it with others.


Mark

f2.4 | 1/30s | ISO 800 (no flash) | iPhone 4

December 30, 2011 -- Mariana

Mariana works at the health club that I belong to. She always, but always smiles like this, to me and to everyone as far as I can tell. Her sister, her brother and her mother also work there and they are as lovely and wonderful as is Mariana. I thought that keeping with my goal of providing photos of people these final three days of the year and of this blog, it would be appropriate to share with you this lovely, smiling face. 

f3.8 | 1/15s | ISO 1250 | Lumix

December 29, 2011 -- Reverie with shadows

I set out on the 29th to photograph people. Thinking that the best place to get people who were sitting, to save me the anguish of working against movement, I decided on a Starbucks. I had been pleasantly surprised by the light in a new Starbucks that I visited previously, so this day being clear and bright, I went there again. What I did not expect and was really happy about was the shadow-play that worked perfectly for me in this shot, which I cropped to bring these three guys together with the light and shadows. 
Would El Greco have been pleased with chiaroscuro in this shot?

f8 | 1/160s | ISO 250 | Nikon D200 | 27mm 

December 28, 2011 -- Most important Mexican Dinner Ingredients

Out to dinner Dec 28 at El Barco on Ashland Ave in the Ukranian Village area of Chicago. Second time we've been there. Food is dominantly seafood. Mexican style. Lot's of very interesting dishes. Next time I am going to try the huge whole snapper. But this photo shows what is important in beginning a Mexican dinner.

f3.3 | 1/15s | ISO 1000 | Lumix

December 27, 2011 -- Kali upset at the vet

Kali is ill. She has bladder stones and blood in her urine. Poor thing. She gets so very needy when she doesn't feel well. Here she is held securely by her "mom" at the vet's office. 

f3.3 | 1/40s | ISO 800 (no flash) | Lumix

December 26, 2011 -- Seeta, a happy cat

Curled up and caring about nothing but her sleep.

f4.4 | 1/160s | ISO 640 | Lumix

December 25, 2011 -- ...and happy holidays to you, too

Taken on Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas. Happy Channukah. Good Kwanzaa! Best wishes to all my friends on this blog, world-over. May peace exist.

f3.9 | 1/320s | ISO 80 | Lumix

December 24, 2011 -- Papa's Darling

Here is my friend Paul with his younger granddaughter. She is his darling. She is, that is, until he is holding her sister, then she is his darling. 
Does he look proud? Yes.
Am I jealous?  Yes.

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 500 | iPhone4

December 23, 2011 -- Albert and Tracy

Albert is a puppy Great Dane. Tracy is my friend and owner of the WineStyles where I part-time. Albert's owner is one of our customers. 

f2.8 | 1/250s | ISO 80 | iPhone 4

December 22, 2011 -- Tree bulb, bokeh #3

My continuing quest for a good bokeh. Here I tried for the effect as it was reflected in the Christmas tree ornament and the small lights behind. Best one I've done so far, to my eyes. This shot accomplished with my Panasonic Lumix as wide open as it will go (f3.3). 

f3.3 | 1/30s | ISO 800 | Lumix

December 21, 2011 -- Looking to the past

I was recently at a "family night" at an assisted living home and had this lovely woman sitting on my right. I shot several photos of her. She spoke almost not at all, but her eyes were clear and her smile lovely. When I captured this moment I remember thinking, "I wonder what she is remembering?" because that is what she looked like she was doing in her thoughts. 


I shot these at ISO 1600 because I didn't want flash to get in the way of the many shots I took of several individuals and family groupings.

f4/8 | 1/10s | ISO 1600 | Nikon D200 | 72mm

December 20, 2011 -- Holiday Magic at WineStyles

I readily admit that many of the 365 photos published on this blog this year have not been very good. Often that ocured because I almost forgot to take one on a given day. Usually it was because I was tired or because of the many family issues we were dealing with this year. Please forgive this hastily constructed still-life that Tracy and I constructed as I was leaving work at the wine store on this evening. This wine is a fun Muscotto Spumanti. Not a great wine, but a fun wine. One to have with friends in front of a fire or at a holiday dinner.


 The positive aspect of setting up and constructing this shot is that I was encouraged to go home and have a couple of glasses of good wine! 

f3.3 | 1/30 s | ISO 400 | Pansonic Lumix

December 19, 2011 -- Loomis Holiday Doors

Previously, I have posted a lovely doorway on Loomis Street in Chicago. There are a number of lovely old, restored, and newer brownstones and townhouses on that street. The light remains low in Chicago this time of year and provides nice shadows and warmer colors. Those were what led me to take this photo. In the digital darkroom, I modified it to bring out the texture and warm it up even more.

f3.9 | 1/160s | ISO 80 | Panasonic Lumix

December 18, 2011 -- Our Tree Bokeh #2

Still trying my hand at the bokeh technique. This time I used my Nikon, but I have a lot to learn. Despite taking quite a few shots, I still failed to get the proper focal length. I think I needed more ambient light. Those of you who are good at this technique, please give me some pointers. The second image is actually the first, but I tried to create the bokeh using the Focal-point 2 add-on. 

f3.5 | 1/10s | ISO 800 | Nikon D200 | Nikkor 36mm

December 17, 2011 -- Bokeh

Here is my attempt at a purposeful bokeh photo. It was difficult capturing the blur with the Lumix. I had to hold the camera rock still, which was, of course, impossible.
I am going to try some more with my Nikon and a tripod. Watch for better shots coming soon. 

f5 | 0.5s | ISO 800 | Panasonic Lumix

December 16, 2011 -- Ice crystals

Our car was outside, overnight, with a very cold freeze. This is what the ice crystals looked like on the windshield. It was shot at macro length (25mm). It was cold!  As a friend of mine, Dr. Bob Buckley, is want to say, "Nature's grand and glorious pageantry." 

f3.3 | 1/60s | ISO 80 | Panasonic Lumix

December 15, 2011 -- Purple Roses for Linda

Perhaps you have seen the ubiquitous "cancer" ribbons in purple. If you have wondered what that color stands for, it is pancreatic cancer. At the memorial service for my sister-in-law, there was an abundance of flowers, but only these two perfect purple roses.

f3.3 | 1/30s | ISO 400 (flash) | Panasonic Lumix

December 14, 2011 -- Phil retiring

My colleague and longtime friend (over 30 years) Phil is "retiring" and this photo of him and his wife Nancy was taken after he received his retirement certificate and the applause of colleagues on Wednesday Dec 14.
I say "retiring" because like me, Phil will take a few months off, go a bit crazy, and then return to the university as a part-time, but very productive faculty member in our Department of Medical Education. He knows I mean it when I say: "All the best to you and Nancy, Phil."

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 160 | iPhone 4

December 13, 2011 -- Champagne Flutes (Holiday Lights)

Seeming to be champagne flutes these nicely light-wrapped trees offer an extra special opportunity to recall the fun of this season and on this day (December 13, 2011) to honor and toast the life of our sister-in-law and my friend Linda Bloom who died on this morning after a nearly year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. She is no longer suffering. May her next life be one of great virtue to all.

f4.2 | 1/15s | ISO 1600 | Panasonic Lumix

December 12, 2011 -- Holiday Lights (Tradition #4)

Taking these night photos is difficult. Difficult to do without a tripod, which I haven't used in any of these. Difficult to capture without a lot of grainy noise. Still, they do bring out the spirit of this season, so colorful and fun (as in this photo with the train seeming to head around the perimeter of the upper porch).  I tried to reduce the noise and sharpen the photo, but not with much success. 


I have learned a lot about these iPhone images. If you go back and look through these on the blog you will see that the f stop is almost always f2.8 and the shutter speed always the same at 1/15s. What differs is the ISO. that is how the camera works, not by changing the diaphragm or the shutter speed, but always the ISO.

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 1000 | iPhone 4

December 11, 2011 -- Forgotten

I like this old farmhouse. Who lived here? What memories are stored still in those walls? What lives have escaped the broken windows, now filled with billowing curtains? What was there that is now completely forgotten?

f3.7 | 1/125s | ISO 160 | Panasonic Lumix

December 10, 2011 -- Rural Train Yard (Panorama)

Marshalltown is in central Iowa, a rural area that has significant train traffic. I was told that the trains haul coal predominantly, but when I visited this train yard it appeared to me that the freight was far more diverse. I was happy to get this series of late afternoon shots of a train yard where I could actually get access to the trains and the tracks. I could rarely get so close in Chicago.

All shots taken at f22 | ISO 400 | Nikon D200 | Nikor 24-120 lens

December 9, 2011 -- Watching me watching her

 There was a full harem of Does and their buck also grazing in this cornfield, which is directly across the street from my brother-in-law's home in Iowa. They deer were completely uninterested in me. This Doe, however watched me for a few minutes, sufficient time for me to run inside, get my little camera, run outside (in stocking feet at 27 degrees) and capture a few shots. I was really amazed that she just "sort of" waited for me to capture her portrait.

f4.9 | 1/250s | ISO 800 | Panasonic Lumix

December 8, 2011 -- Stocked (Holiday "Tradition" #3)

Toys, candy, pants, sweaters, bedding, kitchen utensils...you name it, the stores are stocked.

f4 | 1/160s | ISO 80 | Panasonic Lumix

December 7, 2011 -- Caring for Linda

The family caregivers of my sister-in-law had set up elaborate mechanisms to assure that she was perfectly cared for in her last days. Pancreatic Cancer is a terrible disease for the person with it, and sadly, for those who observe it and act as caregivers. The disease is unforgiving. 

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 80 (flash) | iPhone 4

December 6, 2011 -- Holiday Traditions #3 House Lights

OK. I know. The quality of this photo is not good. There is no excuse. I almost forgot to take a photo and this one was literally shot through the open car window with my iPhone. I promise to be more careful. Still, the lights are pretty.  I did take the time to straighten the photo and to remove some of the noise using Photoshop CS5.

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 1000 | iPhone

November 5, 2011 -- Gate to Nowhere

In the Japanese Zen Buddhist traditions and I believe also in the Shinto traditions there is the gateless gate. The gate that describes non-duality, an opening that leads nowhere and everywhere. A reminder of oneness. 


Here is a local version of the gateless gate which I called the gate to nowhere. 
Here is the story: for six months at a Marriott hotel construction site which I regularly pass there was erected a chain link fence surrounding the site. A few weeks ago a large portion of that fence was removed, leaving what we see here. Why the gate was not also removed is a question everyone I speak to about it questions. Still, here it stands. The lock, by the way, is fully functional. I tried to open the gate so that I could walk through, perhaps into a "Twilight Zone", but to no avail. It was locked.

f2.8 | 1/120s | ISO 125 | iPhone4

December 4, 2011 -- Holiday Traditions

Here is the second of my holiday traditions photos, the first being the night shot of the indoor Christmas tree lighted in white lights. This is a tradition that I rarely partook of, having grown up in a Jewish family. I still do not do it, for various reasons.  It is a nice activity. Many people like my daughter-in-law's family go to a tree farm and cut their own tree each year. Fun, I would think. This guy bought his at the local charity support where they have several hundred trees each year and sell they all.

f3.3 | 1/60s | ISO 320 | Lumix

December 3, 2011 -- Marines

These Marines are in their dress uniforms and were out collecting for the Marine Corps Reserve program "Toys for Tots". If you haven't donated a toy, please do so. It's a worthy cause to help children who otherwise might never receive any gift this season.


I rarely get to take a group portrait. I tried to get the two fellows at each end to smile. You see how successful I was.

f3.3 | 1/15s | ISO 400 | Panasonic Lumix

December 2, 2011 -- Portrait of Alexandra and Tracy

What better portrait of wine enthusiasts than one with wine in the photo.

f3.3 | 1/30s | ISO 320 | Panasonic Lumix

December 1, 2011 -- Door 1314 with Lamp

My continuing obsession with doors. For this image, taken with my Lumix, I cropped to get as much balance/symmetry as possible without distorting the doorway. I also straightened the perspective. Still far from perfect, but it shows much of what I saw.


Original on left and the final.

       

f4.5 | 1/60s | ISO 800 | Panasonic Lumix 

November 30, 2011 -- We live through our smart phones

Smart phones, plain old cell phones, Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of computerized social networking are thought to bring people closer. In fact, I believe that these bits of hardware and software media are enabling people to increase their distance from one another, mistaking them as closeness. My rant for the day.


I toned and recolored this photo to provide a noir look, thinking that it would enhance the distancing and coolness I was describing. 

f2.8 | 1/150s | ISO 80 | iPhone

November 29, 2011 -- "No eating, drinking or playing of loud music on the Train"

...at least that's what the signs indicate. This person enjoyed her chicken dinner during our ride together. She was nice, though, carefully cleaning up as she departed.

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 125 | iPhone

November 28, 2011 -- Couple Portrait

Two lovely women that I know, kind of well. Here they are departing Ohare. 

f3.3 | 1/30s | ISO 200 | Lumix

November 27, 2011 -- Indoor Christmas Tree

This is a nighttime shot, done with my iPhone. I continue to try out this amazing device. My prediction: Apple will find a way to make this a 12-14mp camera within the next two years! When that happens, I will update my current iPhone 4.  I did attempt to do some despeckeling and eliminating of noise, but with little success. 

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 1000 | iPhone

November 26, 2011 -- Here is love and comfort

Wampa, a rescue Boxer, is my son and daughter-in-law's dog (one of three). Wampa is the sweetest, most loving, charming and wonderful friend. Here she is in comfort as she loves it, sleeping against her "dad's" leg.

iPhone HDR

November 25, 2011 -- Stirring the kale

It is really hard to take good photos of cooking or food. Mostly, I think, it takes good studio lighting and a big sensor, as in a $25,000+ Haselblad or Mimaya digital. As you can see, I had neither good lighting nor a large sensor camera...just my Panasonic Lumix for this series of shots. Here is the best of the lot.

f3.3 | 1/30s| ISO 400 (flash) | Lumix

November 24, 2011 -- Taking a walk

Here are some of my "girls" taking a walk and taking advantage of a late November day (Thanksgiving Day) that was lovely and relatively warm. 

f2.8 | 1/290s | ISO 80 | iPhone

November 23, 2011 -- White Rose

Just a fantastic rose. It had little fragrance, but shared its absolute beauty. 

f3.3 | 1/30s | ISO 80 (flash) | Lumix 

November 22, 2011 -- Memorial Service

This is a panorama of the setting of my father-in-law's memorial service. He died November 17, 2011. The service was held on November 22.

iPhone 

November 21, 2011 -- Bernice on Loomis

As followers of this blog know, I like doors. Doors are the opening into another life. Doors are ways that people keep themselves closed off. Doors are evidence of what can lie beyond. Make of a door what you wish. Here is what Bernice (a woman? a family name?) wanted for the home at 725 Loomis Street in Chicago.


I took this photo with my iPhone using the Pro HDR app within the phone, later digitally modifying it using HDR Pro tone mapping for single photo. I wanted a generally realistic look, but with a slightly "other worldly" feel to the image. This day, was bright a clear and the reflections were wonderful as were the shadows at 1:50PM. 

iPhone (HDR from two images)

November 20, 2011 -- Bobci and Ellie

Portraits. Maybe I will begin to learn to do portraits. I like the more active, realistic style of portrait. In this we can really see both the grandmother and the granddaughter as they are in life...as I know them.
One thing I really try to do is to get the person or people to look right down the barrel of the lens. I think I got it here. I did this with my iPhone. Amazing little camera!

f2.8 | 1/15s | ISO 200 (with flash) | iPhone