Learning to See

Hugs

2012-01-22T17:44:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago, I finally succumbed and upgraded to the iPhone, just the 4, not the new 4S. And yes, like the rest of the world, I've become obsessed with its ability to bundle all the technology I need in one little device. But it wasn't until today, that I started to play with the camera.
Before leaving on a two-week road trip to Savannah and Charleston, that will include finding more Phantoms for my new series, I took Copper to the park for one last run before taking off tomorrow morning. There we made friends with two Labradors, Lola and Riley.
With snow covering the limbs and ice coating the lake, I regretted leaving my camera home in my haste to get things done today. But then I remembered my iPhone and it's photographic powers. Holding the small screen up, I started to press away trying to figure out how it works. After a string of bad takes, I caught this one by chance when Riley jumped up to hug his master.

Sunrise

2012-01-14T12:25:00.006-05:00

A few days after posting the sunset image, I woke up to a panoply of color outside my window that catapulted me out of bed to find my camera. With just a few moments left before it would fade, I found the best spot to frame the scene atop a second floor staircase just outside my laundry room facing east. Again, I used my telephoto lens holding it steady for a relatively long 1/25 second exposure.
They say that things come in threes, so I imagine I will see another display of winter color sometime soon. Perhaps at midday?

Silhouette

2012-01-05T17:18:00.016-05:00

Following my proclamation on New Year's Eve that I try to avoid the sunset cliche, yep, here's my very next image that appeared across the street. It's a silhouette, a common technique associated with sunsets, of my neighbor's roofline this afternoon. Taken with my telephoto lens at ISO 400 and a slow shutter speed of 1/25 second, it required a steady hand to maintain sharpness.
So why a sunset today? Well, cold, dry weather produces crisper, more vibrant sunrises and sunsets than other times of the year. After doing some quick research to find out why, I found this explanation from Outdoor Photographer:
During the winter, the sun remains low in the sky, which provides a more favorable angle of light. It also hovers closer to the horizon at sunrise and sunset, extending the time at which you can shoot with warmer light.
Also a quick plug for a workshop I'm giving, Blogging for Artists, this Saturday at the East End Arts Council. Any fellow artists out there interested in creating their own blog, come and find out how easy and fun it can be! Details in the News section here.

Serenity

2011-12-31T17:14:00.017-05:00

This afternoon I waited until after four o'clock, about 20 minutes before sunset, to drive to one of my favorite local spots, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, to take a photograph for my New Year's Eve posting. There's a serene spot overlooking the lake that I had hoped would be illuminated by a dynamic winter sunset. Although I try to avoid that particular cliche, I thought I'd make an exception for today.
However, there was only fog to be found when I arrived even though the sun had been out not long before. For a moment, I thought I'd just post a dramatic image taken several years ago of the sun rising over the bay down the street from my home. But then, I reconsidered. This scene, although not nearly as cheerful, seems more fitting for the tough times we're facing and more a reflection of the serenity I hope we'll find in the year to come.

Rugelach

2011-12-24T10:55:00.027-05:00

During the holidays, any holiday, one of my greatest pleasures is cooking with my kids. Here's a plate of chocolate raspberry rugelach baked yesterday by my daughter, Jackie, and photographed overhead using natural window light.
I'm sure most of you have seen or eaten these cream cheese cookies traditionally baked on Hanukkah, but available in bakeries year-round. Yesterday while walking with my friend and author Julie Sheehan, I expressed my "trans-cultural" delight over the fact that Jackie had baked 150 ruggelach to be wrapped in sets of a dozen and presented as Christmas gifts to her boyfriend's family.
"Rugelach, what's that?" she asked.
"You know, those little crescents I had at my Hanukkah dinner."
"Oh those," she said, "I didn't know what they're called; how's it spelled?"
Never quite sure, I looked it up when I returned home. Here's what I found: Rugelach ( /ˈruːɡələx/; Yiddish: רוגעלך), other spellings: rugelakh, rugulach, rugalach, ruggalach, rogelach (all plural), rugalah, rugala (singular), is a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin.

Family Photo

2011-12-17T08:54:00.015-05:00

Taking a family photo is one of my biggest challenges, especially when I'm in it! First of all, when I announce that I'd like to take one, everyone clams up and starts complaining about what they're wearing or how their hair looks. So I've discovered that it's best not to tell them in advance and to plan to take the photo on special occasions when people are already looking their best. Sure, they will still whine, but they won't have as much time.
Also by using the self-timer on your camera (if you have one), you can get everyone engaged and smiling as they wait for the timer to count down and the shutter to release. This image, featured on my holiday card this year, was taken just before we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner.

Holiday Buzz

2011-12-10T09:45:00.007-05:00

Accidents happen. And sometimes for a reason...

Last week I was in midtown Manhattan taking more photographs for my Phantoms series. At around five just after the sun set, I was walking down Fifth Avenue amidst the crowds, just past the tree in Rockefeller Center. Gazing up at the holiday lights, I spotted a small formation of branches framed against a building that I found interesting.

With my camera set at aperature-priority, I raised it and pressed the shutter. It stayed open for several seconds, far too long with too much shake to render anything discernible, or so I thought. Realizing it was a mistake, I shut off the camera.

When I looked at it later, this is what I found...all the holiday buzz and energy that had been circling around me...

Phenomena

2011-12-03T09:54:00.008-05:00

In the last week, I've been to the beach four times with my dog, Copper. Yes, I know it's December, but it sure doesn't feel like it! On one of our walks at Cupsogue Beach, the county park at the far western end of Westhampton Dunes, we came upon this incredible sight. I'm not quite sure what to call it. An etching, engraving, masonry in sand?

Raising my camera, I started to snap away, excited about my discovery, wondering whether it was man-made or some kind of natural phenomena. Juxtaposed against the streaky clouds, I couldn't believe my luck. As I shot away, Copper crept into the image. At first I wanted to shoo him away, but then he sat down in just the right spot providing his profile.

They say things come in threes, it seems that also applies to photography.

On The March

2011-11-24T09:49:00.007-05:00

Here's a photo of an Occupy Wall Street protester taking time to donate during a march taken by artist Patti Robinson at just the right moment. On this day of Thanksgiving. this image seems to project just the right spirit.

As he leans back digging into his pocket, it epitomizes the movement itself. No matter how busy, how stretched, or how little we have ourselves, giving to others produces a smile.

Bravo, Patti, for carrying your camera and sharing with us!!!

Thanks

2011-11-19T08:40:00.013-05:00

As Thanksgiving approaches this year in the midst of so much global uncertainty, I find myself giving thanks for the little things I take for granted each day. In lieu of admiring the vast display of color that has been prematurely blown away this fall, my eye has been gravitating to the plumes gracing the tips of ornamental grasses that populate the area. Here's a spiky one at the end of my neighbor's driveway that gives me pleasure each time I drive-by.

So this week as you prepare for the holiday, savor the sights all around you, then take out your camera and snap away. And please send your favorite image to meryl@merylspiegel.com and I'll post one here on Thanksgiving!

Autumn Colors?

2011-11-11T11:18:00.007-05:00

Looking out my window, I can't help but notice that there's not much color this fall nor many leaves left on the trees. Due to Hurricane Irene and the recent nor'easter that dumped snow everywhere in the area except here on the East End, most were blown away before they could reach their peak. Therefore, I thought I'd post an image from a glorious fall taken several years ago.

Up until recently, Northeasterners could claim that climate change hadn't affected them as badly as those in other areas. After all, we weren't subject to tsunamis, earthquakes, fires and drought. Yes, we've been kvetching about hotter summers and much colder winters, but we seem to be finding the money to pay for more energy and to clear away all that snow.

But now it seems to be claiming one of our most sacred pleasures---our autumn colors! Have you noticed?

Halloween

2011-11-05T09:24:00.006-04:00

On Halloween this past week, I found myself pushing a stroller through the parade on Main Street in Westhampton. Gazing around at the crowd of trick-or-treaters, there was a myriad of adorable faces. Unable to break away from my watch, I looked down and realized one of the sweetest, my newest grandson locked in his seat, was right in front of me waiting to be photographed. A willing subject, he gave me many smiles to choose from, however I kept shooting and after 15 frames, it was this wide-open expression that captured him.

Constant Motion

2011-10-27T09:51:00.010-04:00

It's about that time again, time for me to post yet another image of my grandson, my most challenging yet irresistible subject. As I've said before, photographing children under the age of five is one of the most difficult assignments, especially little boys who are in constant motion. Trying to pose children---or people of any age---is usually an exercise in frustration and often results in forced images revealing little about the subject's personality.

For me, spontaneity is the way to go. I always try to remember to bring my camera on outings with him, especially when there's an activity or something there that I think will engage him.

So on a recent autumn afternoon when we went to the Riverhead Street Fair, I made sure to pack my camera. While there was junk food and carnival rides galore, it was a collection of vintage tractors that captivated him most. Once he jumped onto this 1949 John Deere, it took just a few frames to really capture him.

Infinity and Beyond

2011-10-17T14:28:00.008-04:00

In support of the Occupy Wall Street movement, I'm posting this image taken on Saturday at Zuccotti Park near Wall Street. Of all the protesters, this one engaged me most. No sign of anger, no litany of words, just a simple symbol and an upraised arm.

Yes I know what some of you might be thinking. What exactly do they want? What do they expect to change? Well, it's that attitude, that complacency that's kept 99% of us down. And no, I didn't sleep in the park or even picket, but I was uplifted to see what looked like a lot of middle class people speaking up, finally taking a stand.

When I saw this fellow, I sunk to my heels and shot upwards; it was my way of enhancing his stature, amplifying his stand...

Errands

2011-10-12T12:08:00.015-04:00

At this time of year, it's difficult to turn my lens away from the pumpkins blanketing the fields here on the East End. Here's a relatively small display that I couldn't help but photograph outside the Garden of Eve, an organic market in Riverhead where I just ordered a Thanksgiving Veggie Box that I will pick-up on the Tuesday before the big day.

While it cost more than I would normally spend, it's certified organic and takes care of a good deal of my holiday food shopping well in advance. Instead of planning all those recipes, my daughters and I are looking forward to the surprise ingredients the box will hold and the dishes we will come up with.

So this is a reminder to carry your camera with you at all times, even on all those errands.

Equivalent

2011-10-04T20:01:00.017-04:00

Today at lunch time I took a bike ride along Dune Road where I saw the most magnificent clouds. But alas, I didn't have my camera with me. As I lamented its absence, I remembered a group of cloud images I had taken of October skies in 2009 that still lay buried in my "C" drive. I also recalled that Alfred Stieglitz, the father of art photography, turned away from portraits and landscapes and up toward the clouds to explore abstraction late in his career.

So tonight I found a short video on YouTube about that series called Equivalents. Here's my rendition taken at mid-day with my telephoto lens when a storm threatened over the bay near my house.

In The Field

2011-09-27T10:26:00.014-04:00

September is just flying by! Each year I set my sights on savoring its splendor and it's gone, just like that...This month I've been besieged by a series of "fix-it" projects--updating my online gallery (almost done!), repairing hurricane damage to my chimney and roof, and reconstructing a few teeth--keeping me from getting outdoors with my camera.

So here's another autumn image taken some years back that's inspiring me to get out in the fields, so full here on the East End this time of year. Again, notice the square format and the diagonal lines of color that pull the eye into the image. By stepping a few feet to the right, I was able to make a very still subject come alive. Check-out the long island collection on my site, to see more examples.

Brush Fire

2011-09-19T14:30:00.006-04:00

As summer comes to a close and we edge toward the first day of fall, I recall this image taken several years back in a nearby park. That autumn afternoon when I tromped around with my medium format camera (notice the square frame) in the late afternoon as the sun dipped down, the light skimmed through the trees illuminating this burnt orange brush.

And as I'm apt to do, I stopped down to a wide aperture, f4 or 5.6, to accentuate the foreground and throw the background into a blur.

With the drought continuing in Texas and the wildfires still burning out of control, this image seemed to signify the coming season when mother nature unfurls her unrelenting fury as well as her most exquisite beauty.

Hope

2011-09-11T13:44:00.007-04:00

A few months ago at around 6pm on a June evening, I heard a crash in my backyard. The trunk of a tree had cracked and fallen just over the fence from my neighbor's property onto mine. No storm, no wind, no warning; a giant maple was strewn across my lawn just like that.

Fortunately it hadn't fallen on my house, my dog, or on anyone outside. But was it some kind of warning? Were the gods trying to tell me something? And now I had a major mess to deal with just as I had finished sprucing up my yard for the summer. Who was going to clean it up? How much was it going to cost?

The following weekend my grandson came to sleep over. When he ran out back to play, he screamed "Grammy what happened?"

As I explained, his eye grew wider and wider. "Can I climb up there?" he grinned with glee.

For a few moments I hesitated. What I had viewed as a catastrophe (albeit minor) and a major nuisance, this child perceived as wonderful. The next morning he jumped out of bed, slipped on his sneakers and ran outside in his pajamas to play.

On this hallowed day, this image gives me some hope for the future. No matter what befalls us, what we must face in this life, the human spirit does prevail.

Balance

2011-09-02T17:15:00.009-04:00

This week I'm feeling quite grateful. Grateful for the bulb that burns on my desk while I work and read day or night; grateful for the flame that flickers to boil water for coffee or tea; grateful for the warm water that flows from my faucet to wash my hands and hair.

Yet, although Hurricane Irene spared us here on Long Island, I can't help but fret about the future, that nature's fury will continue to accelerate.

Yes, the water didn't rush up the one block from the bay to my house and flood my first floor as I feared it might for the first time since living near the coast for almost 20 years. And although I spent just one night away from home and lost power for just two days, I'm concerned about those affected in other areas, especially those devastated upstate and in Vermont.

Unless we heed nature's warnings and work tirelessly to find a better balance between consumption and conservation, we'll have to hope that we all can learn how to walk on water.

Hanging Out

2011-08-27T10:14:00.008-04:00

As I cover my office equipment, pack up my photo albums and before I move my computer upstairs to higher ground before Hurricane Irene hits tomorrow, I thought about this collage completed last month and now hanging over the reference desk at the Westhampton Library until Sept 1st.

Called Hanging Out, its background is a composite of three images taken in Guatamala of a volcano. Yes, that's real lava that we were allowed to hike up to and even touch if we dared on a group trip taken there in 2008. And the characters floating on its crest are people I've come in contact with over the years.

Anticipating the course of the next two days, it seems that after we've bought flashlights, batteries, candles and peanut butter, there's not much more we can all do but hang out, hope for the best and see what happens...

Rain

2011-08-14T14:09:00.008-04:00

After a week of the most glorious weather of the summer, it's a rainy Sunday when I have to admit I'm content to stay indoors, catch up on my reading, my blog, and perhaps do not much more than watch the rain fall.

Here's an image taken with my telephoto lens through my front window at f5.6 to emphasize the drops of water falling on the leaf. I could get much closer with a macro lens, but since I don't need to get super close (and don't own one), a telephoto is sufficient. Another reason this lens is a good choice is that the longer focal length further enhances the shallow depth of field.

Following a busy summer of framing and mounting work for several shows, it's nice to get back to making new images...

Purple Ponds

2011-08-05T13:06:00.014-04:00

The hum of the crickets, the scent of the sea spray, the intensity of the light are all signs of August. Here's an image taken in 2005 not far from Orient on the North Fork around this time of year.

It's currently on view as part of an exhibit, THREE WOMEN--Photographic Renditions, now hanging at the Westhampton Library in Westhampton Beach thru Sept.1st.
It features many of my Long Island landscapes--http://www.merylspiegel.com/longisland.htm--plus exquisite hand-painted photographs by Mia Wisnoski and Elizabeth Holmes, two fellow photographs from the area.

My new triptych collages including Romp posted here last month are also on view. It will be fun to pop into the library this month and see how the patrons are responding to the new direction of my work. Details regarding the show are listed here in the News section on the right.

Also Phantoms at Art Sites has been extended an extra week, so if you haven't made it to Riverhead, there's still time!

Scissored

2011-07-27T08:36:00.008-04:00

Here's another image from my Phantoms series now on view at Art Sites in Riverhead thru August 7th. This Saturday I will be giving an artist talk at the gallery at 5:30 about my process and what inspired me to create these images. I hope those of you in the area can come!

This one called Scissored seems to be one of the favorites of the exhibition. It was taken at the Lincoln Road Mall in South Miami last February. I stationed myself in a particular spot where I had a view of the shoppers strolling by, then I watched and waited.

When this young phantom came along, I took notice. Her dark hair, glasses and trousers contrasted with the bright background. But it was her scissored arms and legs moving across the frame accentuated by a slow shutter speed that make her so dynamic.

Romp

2011-07-17T09:11:00.008-04:00

About a year ago, I had the urge to start cutting up the piles of test prints I had stored in boxes over the years. The result is a new series of collages entitled Out of Whack mounted on wood that I will be exhibiting at Galerie Belage, 8 Moniebogue Lane in Westhampton Beach this week thru August 1st as part of the Artists Studio Tour.

Here is one called Romp--a triptych--that I completed last week featuring my favorite subject, Copper. You might recognize the background image as a photograph I posted here last year not long after I adopted him.

What's wonderful about this new work is that I get to revisit, recycle and revise my images into narratives that tell new stories depending on who is viewing them. Take a look at this one and comment below telling me what you see and think...

Passerby

2011-07-06T09:03:00.009-04:00

Here's another image from my Phantoms series on view now at Art Sites, 651 W. Main Street in Riverhead. I hope those of you not too far away can make it to the opening reception this Saturday evening, July 9th from 5 to 7 pm.

This phantom was taken in Miami on the strip in South Beach as I ate my breakfast and watched people pass by. And here's my artist statement which came out more like a poem about what inspired the series:

As I move through life, human beings seem to be disintegrating. I see a face here, hear a voice there, but then they're gone. Blurred, garbled, disjointed... they're all around me. Sometimes I see them, smell them, touch them, sometimes not. They walk by, sometimes we connect for a few moments, sometimes not. They are in my heart, my mind, but mostly on my phone and my computer. They pass by in cars, in the mall, in the park, on the street, sometimes not. They are living, breathing, moving past me, sometimes not. Perhaps they are phantoms, perhaps not.

Phantoms

2011-06-24T14:48:00.013-04:00

Since last fall when I traveled to Spain and France, I have been working on a new series called Phantoms. This week instead of photographing, I have been framing ten of the images to be exhibited at Art Sites, 651 W. Main Street in Riverhead from July 2 - August 7th--with an artist's reception on July 9th from 5 - 7pm, open to the public. I hope those of you within driving distance can come see!

This particular image, Skateboarder, was taken at a very slow shutter speed in Paris beside the Fontaine Saint-Michel in the Latin Quarter as I watched a boy skate around it. Other phantoms in the show were photographed in Barcelona, Miami Beach and Manhattan.

Mystified

2011-06-21T15:24:00.012-04:00

What would you say if I told you that this rose used to be pink? I'm sure you'd say that I must seeing things. Well yes, I do have a vivid imagination but there's no mistake; pink roses, bubble-gum pink to be exact, bloomed on this bush for years.

When I first noticed the change a few weeks ago, I was mystified, thought it was some kind of sign. Perhaps it signaled my daughter's upcoming 21st birthday, that she was turning into a woman. Her middle name happens to be, yes, Rose. Or maybe, it was a sign of my own maturity, the richness of my life as my family and my work keeps growing. Whatever the case, I was pleased since I disliked that particular shade of pink.

Then, I decided to research the subject and found out that indeed, white roses can turn pink and pink roses can turn red due to something called "grafting." Apparently, this rosebush was originally red until it was grafted to be pink. And sometimes, after a period of time the process can reverse. Mystical, don't you think?

Natural

2011-06-13T08:07:00.003-04:00

There's nothing like natural light.

On Saturday at my grandson's birthday party, my job was to take care of his new baby brother. Amidst all the ruckus--rock music blaring from gigantic speakers and 20 four year-olds dancing around us--I laid him down on a leather chair near a window to let him stretch out and noticed the beautiful light falling on his face.

Since I was trying to take some photos too (my usual job), I grabbed my camera and attempted to capture him without a flash. Fortunately, Blake is a very mellow fellow so far and stayed still for the 1/10 second exposure required.

It was also lucky that these two balls happened to be right there on the chair coordinating with his outfit and mimicking his cherubic face.

Mesmerized

2011-06-03T06:09:00.007-04:00

Wind, it's not easy to capture by its very nature.

Yesterday on a sunny afternoon, I noticed a field of grasses swaying in the wind on the side of the road. I can't count the number of times I've been mesmerized by this glorious sight, but have shied away from attempting to photograph it. The sheer motion, it's vastness and all the slender pieces seemed like too much to cram into a still frame.

Setting my shutter at 1/320 second, I tried to isolate a single frond at first. While those images were lovely, they didn't reflect my impression nor my experience. So I zoomed out and maintained a shallow depth of field to exaggerate the motion. Then I let it rip...

Fog

2011-05-20T15:49:00.004-04:00

After almost a week of rain, it finally stopped today and the sun came out for a while around noon. By the time I stepped out, however, the weather had already changed---not unusual by the sea here on the East End.

As I walked down the block toward the bay, I felt the moisture in the air and saw that the fog had started to descend. "Wonderful," I thought, "it would be nice to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, but fog is much more interesting."

Then, I started to wonder why. Is it the mystery it evokes? The blur in the distance? A sense of wonder?

Sure, it's all those things. But looking at this image, I realized that what fog does best is bring our attention to what's right in front of us since there's not much more to distract us.

Here, mounds of sea grass stretch into the water like fingers testing the temperature. I had never noticed that before...

Peace

2011-05-10T10:03:00.007-04:00

Amid all the recent reminders of September 11th and the talk of nuclear threats since the killing of Bin Laden and the tsunami in Japan, I keep summoning up this image. Taken early on a May morning several years ago less than a mile from my house, it calms me.

I wish I could replace all the pictures of barbed-wire compounds and bloody floors streaming across the media with images like this. I can't help but think that our minds are in drastic need of rewiring.

After all, violence provokes more violence, therefore, wouldn't peace provoke more peace?

Lime

2011-05-04T16:20:00.005-04:00

Lime, it's the hallmark of spring. That fresh green color that sprouts from the branches and pops up in the garden. All that grey and suddenly, almost overnight lime takes over the landscape.

Late yesterday afternoon, I was looking out a second floor window of my home and found myself staring at the blossoms blanketing the maple tree in my front yard. At first I tried to take a photograph from the window, but the image in my mind's eye did not translate through the camera lens as often happens when shooting from afar.

So I decided to step outside and move closer. I had never stopped to examine an individual maple blossom before. What I discovered was quite beautiful and much more complex than I expected.

Spent

2011-04-26T09:26:00.012-04:00

There's nothing more "springy" than tulips. Last week when I was given this bunch they stood up straight at attention, their petals closed tight into yellow fists. Each day I admired them as they opened little by little, spreading wider over my dining room table.

Then over the weekend, they started to droop. As they reached down almost touching the cherry wood, I waited until this morning to photograph them in the natural light shining through the nearby window.

Yes, fresh flowers are lovely, but there's something remarkable and quite touching about tulips when they're spent.

Worker

2011-04-19T18:06:00.009-04:00

When my grandson heard that a truck had dumped a mountain of mulch on my driveway last Sunday, he begged his parents to drop him off at my house so he could help. Shovel in hand, he dug right in, helping to fill the wheelbarrow and spread the mulch over my many beds. Of course, in between trips around the yard, he ran up and down the huge pile, filling his sneakers with his own private stash.

As the sun sank down in the afternoon, I realized this was the perfect photo opportunity. One of the most difficult jobs as a photographer is to capture young children as they dart around. However, one of the best ways is to engage them in an activity that they love so they forget about the camera.

My grandson loves to work, especially in the dirt. Can you tell?

Color At Last

2011-04-11T13:23:00.007-04:00

Looking out the window or walking down the street these days here on the East End, the landscape is still cloaked in grey. Grey skies, grey shingles, grey branches. Since I usually shoot in color, it hasn't been easy for me to find images in recent months.

I've been dreaming of April and the colors of spring. Like most, I forget that April is perhaps the greyest of months.

Therefore, on a walk in the Quogue Wildlife Preserve this past Saturday with a friend, I was determined to find some color. One of few sunny days of late, I could at least count on the blue sky. But again, the greyness enveloped me.

"Could you help me look for some color," I asked my friend who can be quite observant.

A few minutes later, he pointed out some red branches poking through.

"Thanks," I sighed moving in close.

Blake

2011-04-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

This morning at 12:21, Blake Levi Schaffer arrived. Eight pounds, two ounces. After just three hours of labor, he's finally here!

As I've said before, I don't like to use this forum to show-off my family. But you'll have to bear with me on this one. After all, I am a Jewish mother and now a grandmother of two.

Here's the first photograph taken of mother and child together. Just ten hours old and he's already my model. Although I hate the flash and the automatic portrait setting, it's the best choice when there's just one chance to get it right and no time to experiment. And fortunately, his other set of grandparents are blocking the wall behind them, so there's no shadow...

Repeat

2011-03-27T14:22:00.009-04:00

Today on a walk in the park with my grandson, I saw the first forsythia blooming. With my dog in tow too, I hadn't brought my camera on this sunny yet cold day. Returning home, I thought I'd run out again, but once I sat down my energy waned. Fortunately I recalled this image taken in 2007 along a back road in Riverhead.

Displayed on my website as part of my Lines series, I'm still pleased by how the double yellow lines mimic the blooms so beautifully. Sometimes a repeating pattern or color is enough to make an image memorable. Its a simple tip that seems appropriate to share as we wait for spring until the bitter end...

Beans

2011-03-21T11:41:00.011-04:00

After spending most of last week indoors due to back trouble, I was itching to get outside with my camera yesterday, especially since I was overdue to post here. Driving toward Greenport on the North Fork, I was sure I'd see some signs of spring, pansies on the side of the road or tractors back in the fields.

Although the sun was shining and tiny buds tipped branches, vistas remained bare. Nothing caught my attention nor stirred my imagination. I had all but given up, tucked my camera way under my arm, when we stopped at Aldo's for a pound of coffee before heading back.
Well known for his premium beans (and biscottis), Aldo is one of the few who continues to roast his own. As we ordered Ethiopian, I noticed an apparatus attached to the roaster, spinning in the window, stirring a tub-full, cooling the beans.

Drawn to the sight, I set my shutter speed at 1/5 sec to blur and thus, emphasize the motion. Then I held steady, snapping many frames in order to get one where the blur is in just the right place.

In photography like in literature, "the best laid plans of mice and men (and women) often go awry" or perhaps, amount to a hill of beans...

Bottoms Up

2011-03-10T12:49:00.009-05:00

Despite their ornery nature, swans seem to be one of those subjects that photographers just can't resist. They fall into the postcard category like sunsets and sailboats.

Last weekend after I photographed my "Turner"--a rather moody comment on the change of seasons--I swiveled around and was tickled when these two caught my eye on the other side of the waterway.

Beyond the chuckle and humor here, I'm amazed at how the mood and light can vary so drastically in one location, from one spot to another under the same sky. It just depends which way you point your lens.

Turner

2011-03-06T15:15:00.029-05:00

During these last weeks of winter, it's been quite a challenge to find anything other than mud to photograph. So despite the damp weather this weekend, I was pleased when I visited this special spot in Quiogue--a tiny hamlet tucked between Westhampton and Quogue--and noticed the dappled grey overhead.

As the March winds made it difficult to steady my camera, I was reminded that dramatic skies signal a change in season. Spring may finally be on its way!

After shooting a few frames I decided to underexpose by 2/3 of a stop to enhance the contrast making the sky even more striking. And again, I've created an image that's almost black-and-white.

Although it lacks color, it also reminds me of the skies painted by William Turner, the British artist, in the 19th century. Hence the title and the romance...

Absence

2011-02-27T16:02:00.020-05:00

There's something wonderfully mysterious about this image, somewhat like a graphic novel.

On a trip into Manhattan this past week, I was sitting on the train, a double-decker, shooting down at the door. When it opened at each stop, I photographed the people coming in and out. Of all the images, I found this one most interesting.

Like in writing, it's sometimes what is left out, what is absent rather than what is included in an image that makes it memorable. Here we can feel the anticipation of waiting for someone to walk through the door or sit down on the bench. Our imagination starts to work...

Will it be someone old or young, male or female, black or white, healthy or infirm?

I'm also attracted to its black-and-white properties with a hint of red repeated inside and out. None of this could have been planned. And how it happens is always a mystery.

Canopy

2011-02-20T14:55:00.008-05:00

Around now we're all sick and tired of the winter. Enough already. It's so bad for me that I can't seem to find any inspiration to take photographs around here. I've covered the ice, the snow, even the train tracks. A week has gone by and I haven't taken one photo...

So today I decided instead of braving the cold and trying to overlook all the dirty snow that still lingers, I'd continue to reflect on the week of warmth in Florida (I've been back for only a week).

Here's an aluminum canopy framing the palm trees in a municipal square. While South Beach is known for its Art Deco architecture, there's also an abundance of contemporary sculpture that caught my eye. Many of the gates, doorways and public spaces are adorned with intricate metalwork bending in all directions.

For all its associations with the old and the infirm on the inside, I found Miami to be a place with a healthy appreciation of the new on the outside.

Escape

2011-02-14T16:48:00.007-05:00

If you were wondering where I escaped and missed posting last week, the answer is Miami. Arriving on Super Bowl Sunday, I stayed right on the strip in South Beach in the heart of the Art Deco district across the street from the ocean. For the first few days, I wandered around in disbelief feeling guilty that my friends and family were home freezing. How could it be 80 degrees and sunny in this place when most of the country is covered by snow?

When I accepted my good fortune and let go of the guilt, I started to look around and appreciate the architecture and tropical colors. Since I was focusing on people on the street for another project, I hadn't taken any sightseeing photos. But on the last morning there, I spotted this Chevy BelAir parked in front of the Edison Hotel and raised my camera. Its canary yellow was a wonderful complement to the Wedgewood blue. If it wasn't for the motorcycle parked behind the car, you might think this image was taken in 1955 when this car came out, a year before I was born.

Oasis

2011-02-01T09:23:00.004-05:00

Between storms I had the opportunity to take a brisk walk with my dog in the sunshine yesterday around noon. Instead of circling the block as usual, I headed toward the tiny marina at the end of my block where the town launch is located--a busy place during the summer but quite desolate during the winter.

This time of year I'm always surprised to see islands of ice floating in Shinnecock Bay in lieu of cabin cruisers, sailboats, and jet-skis. But this time I was drawn to this group of pilings standing at attention, some cushioned by pools of water.

Its an oasis, I thought, just like this place where I can always find something new to behold in the sky, in the water, or on the dock.

Keeping On

2011-01-29T11:04:00.009-05:00

At the close of this most snowy month as the constant barrage of storms continues to disrupt life here on the East End and throughout the Northeast, this image seems fitting. Determined not to let the weather stop me, I was driving through Hampton Bays on Wednesday just as the morning snowfall was ending and there was a break before yet another foot fell that evening. Crossing the railroad tracks around noon, I noticed that the lights were on at the station at midday. Instead of focusing on the gloominess the sight portended, I decided to focus on the positive, to look at it as perhaps, the light at the end of that tunnel that we are all waiting for...

This posting, my 58th, marks a full year that I have become a blogger casting pictures and words out into cyberspace. I'm pleased that I have been able to stick with it and find images each week that I find interesting enough to provoke some thoughts. Moreover, I want to thank my readers for taking the time to take a look, especially those who send encouraging comments...they have kept me going...

Hide-and-Seek

2011-01-25T16:33:00.004-05:00

During this January freeze, it's often difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, to believe that warmer days are ahead. For that reason, I was particularly attracted to these overturned rowboats stacked on the shores of Sears Bellows Pond the other day.

Skimming the surface, the sunlight was elusive, seemed to be playing a game of hide-and-seek. When the light is low and the contrast high, it's a challenge to replicate through the lens what we see before our eyes. In this case, I had to overexpose by two stops in order to render any detail whatsoever in the shadows.

The result is an image that appears black-and-white although it was taken in color. Apropos for the stark days and nights this month.

Accumulation

2011-01-20T11:11:00.005-05:00

Just when the foot of snow dumped in my yard last week is starting to melt, they are predicting more for tomorrow. This winter is surely bound to set records for accumulation here on the East End. Imagining how treacherous it's been for commuters over the past few weeks, I feel fortunate that I work from home and can find images, if need be, by just stepping outside and looking around.

After the last storm when the sun finally came out, I tromped around in my back yard looking for something noteworthy. Since I've lived here for almost twenty years, it's quite a challenge to see things anew on my property. But once again I was surprised when I gravitated toward a line of bare lilac branches that hung down under the weight of all that snow.

As I zoomed in close, the ratio between the spindly branches and the amount of snow accumulated there magnified before my eyes. It's a wonder of nature that I doubt I would have noticed without my camera.

Symmetry

2011-01-10T09:30:00.007-05:00

In the midst of back-to-back snow storms, I thought I'd post this image taken last month on a sunny day in Port Jefferson. Before meeting a friend at Star Bucks, I made a beeline for the harbor where the ferry runs back and forth to Bridgeport. Instead of focusing on some aspect of the large boats loaded with cars, I found myself heading to the small beach where I gravitated toward these algae-covered pilings.

Beyond my attraction to the lime green, I often find that symmetry predominates many of my images where the simple law of thirds constitutes the composition. And then there are the surprises--the gold and green sunspots that many photographers try to avoid, but in this case seem to coordinate so well and add interest to the image.

Ever-Present

2011-01-02T14:03:00.017-05:00

On New Year's Eve while driving through Riverhead, a little early for a lunch date, I turned into Indian Island State Park and drove around looking for an image to post for the New Year. Although I haven't been drawn to landscapes lately, I was attracted to this scene, classic for the area because of the common reeds (or phragmites) on the right invading the marsh.

No matter what the season, they appear wherever you look here on the East End of Long Island. Hovering over the dunes, lining the roads and waterways, crowning private gardens, these tall grasses are always waving in the wind. In the winter they become particularly beautiful as their hue turns from straw to auburn and their fronds fill up with seeds becoming ever so bushy.

If it weren't for the reeds, this spot with no leaves, no sign of life would appear bleak. But the cattails (as I wrongly refer to them) lift the spirit. Not only because of their spiky beauty, their tufts of silk, but because of there persistence, their ever-presence.

Bit of Blue

2010-12-29T09:05:00.009-05:00

Yesterday I was outside with my grandson in the foot of snow the weekend storm had dumped in my yard. As I cleared away what had accumulated on the back step, Brody picked up a smaller shovel and built a sailboat of snow beside the deck. To complete the picture, he gathered a few broken branches and a piece of metal that had fallen off my screen door to create the mast.

Awed by his imagination, I looked up at the sky and saw a vivid blue breaking through the clouds. Cheered by the sight, I ran inside, grabbed my camera and long zoom lens and ran up the outdoor steps to the second level.

How could I render it through the mass of branches, I wondered. Moving the lens closer and closer, I fiddled with the focus until this image came into view. With 2010 almost behind us--a difficult year on most fronts--I found hope and comfort in this bit of blue. I hope you do too...

Mug Shot

2010-12-24T10:19:00.016-05:00

On this Christmas Eve, although I don't celebrate the holiday, I do rejoice in its celebration of family, its gravitational pull, the way the idea of Christmas brings families together against all odds. This morning I read about the travellers still stranded in London's Heathrow airport for days because of five inches of snow, longing to be home for the holidays. It made me feel so grateful to be here at home, two miles from my daughter--unusual for families spread around the globe these days.

Here's an image of my grandson taken a few days ago when he was under the weather and I was called in to watch him so his mom could go to work. For hours we played with his enormous fleet of cars, trucks, trains and planes. As he rolled around with them on the floor, I joined him at his level.

At first he was very aware of the camera, but then relaxed into a variety of poses. There were many to choose from for this post, but this one, the very first is my favorite. Full frontal, wife-beater, cowlick, furrowed brow.

"It's a classic mug shot," I commented to his father as we flipped through the images just before he too left for work.

"Great," he said. "I hope that's not what's in store."

If you have been directed to this blog as per my "Holiday" e-mail, it refers to "Miracle" posted on Dec. 17th just below. Although this one fits the bill as well...

Miracle

2010-12-17T09:27:00.005-05:00

It's a miracle! That's the best way I can describe what I saw through my lens when I leaned over some shallow ice in my favorite park yesterday around noon. I had been circling the pond at Sears Bellows Park in Hampton Bays. With the temperature below freezing, I had thought I might find some interesting ice formations, but on my second loop around nothing inspired.

Then as my dog, Copper, skidded across the ice, I looked down and noticed an array of leaves frozen beneath the surface. Moving my lens in and out, from side to side, I started to create a variety of collage-like images.

Then this frosted heart appeared before my eyes. I know it sounds corny, like a bible story. But it was so divine Tiffany couldn't have come close. At first, I thought it was my imagination. I zoomed in closer and closer examining its many facets, its three chambers. It loomed larger, captured my fancy.

But moreover, it presented the perfect metaphor for this holiday season when so many have broken hearts, have lost hope for the future. Yes, times are terribly tough, many people has lost their jobs and their homes, the tides are rising, the war continues...

However, if we all just take a few moments to stop, breathe, and look around, miracles can happen and will if we just believe...

Please share this with your friends and family through e-mail or on your Facebook page if you are so inspired...the link is www.merylspiegel.blogspot.com

Obstacle

2010-12-10T15:40:00.006-05:00

Earlier this week I was visiting a friend who lives in an old farmhouse in between some wide open fields in Southampton. When I was about to leave at around four o'clock, I looked out the window and was awestruck by the sky. Behind her house the sun was already sinking low, but shooting yet another sunset didn't interest me. So I swiveled around and peered out the front window where I saw the clear, cold light bouncing off a farm structure across the way.

Wrapping myself in my down coat, I pulled my hood on, headed outside, and trod across the frozen earth. When I got within shooting range, I peered through the lens and realized there was a wire fence between me and the image I had envisioned.

Hmmm....what to do? I thought for a few moments. I couldn't remove the obstacle, but perhaps I could use it to enhance the composition somehow. Zooming in closer, I threw the wire out-of-focus and moved to the left. I had created a frame within a frame and transformed the fence into an element that added interest to the image.

Tug-of-War

2010-12-04T17:11:00.006-05:00

As Copper continues to grow so does his boundless energy and constant need for exercise. During the summer I would ride my bicycle around the block several times while he ran beside me on the leash. But with the cold weather coming on that no longer seems to be a viable option.

A few weeks ago, I joined a dog park at Bide-A-Wee, a local animal shelter and adoption center. As we approached the gate on our first visit, about ten dogs--all larger than Copper--came rushing toward us. For a few moments he hung back but then mixed right in, even with two towering Great Danes. Within fifteen minutes, he was circling the perimeter leading the pack.

This morning I brought my camera hoping to get some images of him stretching out in front. Today however, he spent most of the time playing tug-of-war with a large black lab mix. So I leaned in as close as I could.

For an instant he took his eye off the worn-out softball in order to strike a pose for me. Luckily, he was positioned on a 45-degree angle with the sun producing this dramatic Rembrandt light signified by the triangle of darkness covering his right eye.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T12:34:00.005-05:00

Instead of spending the holiday out here in the country this year, I was invited into Manhattan for a city Thanksgiving with an old friend. So in lieu of basting the turkey and preparing all the trimmings, I arrived early with my camera hoping to spend the afternoon on the street with my camera working on a new project.

But alas, the weather didn't cooperate. On the ride in, drops of water covered the windshield. At 2:30 I found myself on the sidewalk in the midst of a light rain without an umbrella and with two hours to kill.

Where to go? I wondered; most everything seemed to be closed, even the Star Bucks on every other block. So I covered my hair with my silk scarf and headed toward the lobby of a nearby hotel. Once inside, I discovered that I wasn't the only one in need of shelter. Men, women and children were sprawled out in every direction. Luckily, I managed to find some space on the corner of a coach. For an hour, I tried to read a novel on my Kindle, but one eye remained fixed on the scene outside the front door.

Will my friend really care that my clothes are wet? That my hair is flat and frizzy? I asked myself. No, I answered rushing out into the rain to follow the umbrellas bobbing by.

On The Move

2010-11-19T13:37:00.009-05:00

Back for two weeks from Europe and just now I'm adjusting to the quiet life here on the East End of Long Island. Looking out my back window, yellowed maple leaves cover my yard waiting to be raked. And in front, an empty lane snakes by my house toward the bay. Beautiful but a bit bleak this time of year. And quite a change from the busy streets of Barcelona where life buzzes by at an accelerated pace day and nite.

On foot or bike or moto, the people are always on the move. When in New York City with my camera, I'm prone to approach strangers head on and exchange a few words. But in Catalonia, I was not so bold, suddenly shy. I spent time standing on street corners watching life pass by in a blur.

Sure...there I was an outsider, and worse, a tourist. But I learned that my reaction was not unfounded. On walking and bike tours, guides talked about the Catalans, their fierce independence, their refusal to blend in with the rest of Spain, their struggle to preserve their separate language and culture. In the 17th century, some went so far as to ally themselves with the enemy in a war against France. Perhaps these warnings kept me at bay.

The city was vibrant, an architectural wonder, but the people were aloof, in constant motion, difficult to capture.

Dog Lovers

2010-11-12T08:55:00.020-05:00

Somehow dogs provide us with a universal language. Looking at this image, is there any clue that this man and his dog is French not American, that this park is in Paris, not New York City?

A few weeks ago on my first evening in Paris where I was staying with friends, Helene and Bernard, we took a walk with their dog, Lumi, to Buttes Chaumont, a park nearby their townhouse that reminds me of Central Park with it's manmade lake, transplanted boulders and beautiful ironwork. As we traversed the park pulling Lumi along (he hates his leash), we noticed a man sitting in an open area on a hill with his terrier perched on his shoulder like a parrot. We too decided to take a rest there to let Lumi roam free.

Naturally, the little dog hopped down to play with Lumi and the man gravitated towards us. For half an hour, we shared our love of the canine. Even though my puppy, Copper, was at home thousands of miles across the ocean, his virtual presence made me feel like one of the crowd.

To give you a glimpse of Lumi, here's a photograph of him with Bernard and my daughter, Jackie, when we visited the castle in Chantilly the next day.

Neptune

2010-11-05T15:07:00.017-04:00

Back at home after two weeks, I've returned with almost 300 images, a mix of sightseeing shots and the start of a new project that I'm excited about but not ready to unveil. Although this one fits neither category, it came immediately to mind when choosing one to show here.

"What is it?" I hear you asking. I thought she was going to Europe, not Yellowstone. Indeed, I did go to Barcelona, then Paris where we visited Versailles, Louis XIV's castle of castles. And I do have a photo of me and my daughter grinning in front of the gold-plated gate and here's one of me in the Hall of Mirrors. However, the fountains filling the grounds captivated me most.

Ten minutes before closing, visitors were told to gather near Neptune, a geyser on the far side of the estate near the exit. As we moseyed in that direction and the sun slipped down behind us, I began photographing the pink light cast on the buildings just beyond the gate. Then water shot up from a myriad of fountains surrounding me. With my left eye, however, I sensed something even more spectacular above. In his glory, Neptune was gushing high in the sky catching a beam of that pink light.

Last Supper

2010-10-18T10:22:00.013-04:00

Sometimes a chore can turn into a delight than can be transformed into a photographic pleasure. For a week I've been preparing for a two-week trip to Europe where I'll be visiting my daughter who's studying in Barcelona; then I'll travel to Paris to visit friends.
As part of the endless preparations, I kept eying the food in my refrigerator hoping I wouldn't have to throw it away just before heading for the airport. Yesterday a friend and I were sitting in the sun in my backyard about to leave for a goodbye lunch when an idea popped into my head. "Let's just stay here," I said, "I've got all this food that I don't want to waste....why don't we just use everything in the fridge."

So two eggplants, leftover tomato sauce and mozzarella, and some parsley became my version of eggplant parmesan. We also roasted a few orange and yellow peppers, used half a container of mesclun for two small salads, and warmed the remains of a loaf of semolina.

An hour and a half later, this Mediterranean meal graced my table."Take a picture," my friend said, "it looks too good to eat."

But I'm hungry and tired from all the cooking I thought sighing.

"Com'on, do it for me," she insisted."

*for those of you who are enjoying Learning to See, I will be away until early November when I hope to return with some more photographic pleasures!

Treehouse

2010-10-13T11:17:00.012-04:00

Trees, there's something wondrous about them. The way they stand strong, sway in the wind, grab the earth with their roots. So much like people, each with its own personality.

So on my visit to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum with a friend last Saturday, I was captivated by a very special tree, a huge weeping beech presiding over the back lawn. It's long, heavy limbs cascaded to the ground draping its trunk, concealing it from view.

As we neared, we separated the curtains of small green leaves. Beams of light bounced off the main trunk and the many offshoots popping up, some curving over head, others lending support. We had discovered a treehouse on the ground, no climbing required.

Afterwards, I inquired about the tree and learned that it's been there for 350 years. When I told my friend, he said "I hope we look that good at 350."

Nurture

2010-10-10T09:07:00.012-04:00

Yesterday while wandering around the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Oakdale, known for it's ancient weeping beech trees, my eye gravitated to a line of coleus plants popping up at my feet. I sunk down to my heels and moved in as if a magnet was pulling me close.

One, two, three...I counted three hearts beating against one another. I thought of my daughter, Lauren, her little boy, and the new baby now growing inside her. I thought of her vibrancy, her thirst for life, her relentless energy. I thought of her glittering smile mixed with quite a bit of mischief.

But mostly I thought about how she nurtures her child so seamlessly, is able to balance the demands of the outside world with her maternal instincts. And I'm thrilled that it's so much easier for her than it was for me...now that's progress!

Tomorrow is Lauren's birthday, she will be 25, what a beauty...

Stoop

2010-10-03T15:56:00.011-04:00

Stoops, they reveal much about the inhabitants. For years I've been looking at stoops wondering about the people inside. Perhaps, I'm a nosybody or worse, some sort of peeping Tom. But let's face it, aren't we all curious about others. Isn't that why we love biographies, novels, movies and yes, photography. They give us a glimpse into other people's lives.

So if you were passing by my house and saw my stoop, you'd learn that I love dogs, flowers, and autumn colors. And maybe if you're observant, you'd notice that my welcome mat is worn and my stoop needs repainting, that I'm in need of a handyman.

As far as the image itself, it appears quite straight-forward, but notice the high contrast between the left and the right. While the mums are in deep shadow, Copper is bathed in light. A lot to ask of any camera no matter how sophisticated. So I had to compromise, choose an exposure that provided enough light to see the flowers, but not so much that it would obliterate the dog. Either way, I had to sacrifice one for the other.

Setting my ISO at 400, I chose to expose for the mums, but about one stop 'under' so we could still see Copper. The result is rather haunting. Perhaps a precursor to Halloween. Doesn't he look like Snoopy with super-powers?

Off-Season

2010-09-30T17:21:00.015-04:00

On the last day of September, this seems like the image to post. Most of the second homeowners have returned to the city or to suburbia. However, they've left their lounge chairs to us natives along with permission to roam free with our dogs. And while it's my favorite month here on the East End, it also flies by the fastest.

Each year at the end of the summer, therefore, I tell myself that I'm going to make an extra effort to savor September: walk on the beach everyday, swim in the warm water, take the time to sprawl out on the sand with a novel; ignore the fact that I might be the only soul sitting there under the sun.

Well I'm here to report that Copper and I did pretty well this year, as evidenced by the images posted in the last few weeks. While I've certainly dug deeper into work, spent more hours in front of this screen, and broken out my boots a few times, I've still been polishing my toenails and wearing sandals most of the time.

And look at Copper, he's trying to figure out where all the people went and why they left their furniture behind and in his way...

Abundance

2010-09-26T10:38:00.085-04:00

Something magical happens here during the first few weeks of autumn in a place called Cupsogue Beach County Park that I just became aware of after living on the East End for more than 20 years. As the Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada southward to Mexico each year, they stop there along the way to roost in the pines trees that line the path leading from the parking lot to the inlet.

Last Tuesday my friend, Joy, called inviting me to meet her there at 5:30pm to see the butterflies and "make sure to bring your camera," she insisted. So off I went with my dog, expecting to see a few fluttering around.

As we wandered down the path, I looked up and indeed there they were just as she had promised soaring in circles, dancing with one another, then landing between the pine needles where they perched to soak up the day's last bit of sun. Switching to my long zoom lens, I became mesmerized by the "abundance," a word Joy kept repeating in my ear. Grateful that she had lead me there, I wondered how many more marvels may be unbeknown to me. So for any of you reading these words, do keep me posted when you discover anything I might have missed...

Gazers

2010-09-22T19:47:00.012-04:00

If you gaze out your window tonight, you'll see the Super Harvest Moon. It's a rare event when the autumnal equinox coincides with a full moon. I took this picture last evening while outdoors at dusk after photographing Monarch butterflies at Cupsoque Beach in Westhampton Dunes---to be posted soon.

Satisfied with the expedition, a friend and I were headed for the parking lot about to leave when I looked up and saw the moon hanging over the dunes. It was so vibrant I could actually see the man in the moon.

Immediately I thought of Serge Gal, director of Image Ouverte, a photography school in the South of France, someone who shared his passion for photography with me and many others. Serge passed away this past August. He spent his life helping others learn how to see. Today he would have been sixty years old.

Holy

2010-09-18T09:00:00.011-04:00

In observance of Yom Kippur, this seemed like the right image to post today. Although I don't go to synagogue like I did in my youth and find other ways to connect spiritually, this highest of Jewish holy days still weighs on me. Marked as the day to atone for our sins and memorialize the dead, I still try to fast, but usually don't make it to sundown.

Interesting how this sad day falls in September, the most beautiful time of year here on the East End. The water has warmed, the air has turned crisp, and the ski seems bluer. As I walked along the beach in Westhampton the other day, I took pictures observing all three. But then I came upon this black rock that had washed up on shore and was shimmering in the sand, soft to the touch, filled with pores. I leaned in close, was again captivated by all the nooks and crannies.

Gazing at it now, I wonder if those are my sins or the people I have lost. Whatever the case, it's definitely holy...

Peach

2010-09-14T12:22:00.005-04:00

Peach is one of my favorite colors. While most houses here on the East End are painted grey or tan, mine is painted a pale peach. And my living room which I redecorated about two years ago is covered in a more vibrant shade of that hue. After a few trips to Mexico, I was inspired to brighten up the long, wet winters here by the shore with some color from the tropics.

So when I was walking my dog last weekend and spotted this splash of peach, I stopped and sank down to my heels trying to get as close as possible with my camera. Within a few moments, I was lost in the color and texture; the nooks and crannies grew more interesting to my eye than the object as a whole.

While I usually specify exactly where I unearth my images, I'd like to leave this one up to your imagination. Leave a comment below telling me what you think it is and where it was discovered...

Leaving

2010-09-10T10:25:00.010-04:00

While I try not to use this blog to showcase my family, I couldn't resist posting this image. Here's my younger daughter, Jaclyn, (my baby) at the airport a few days ago, about to leave for her semester abroad in Barcelona. Excited yet clearly apprehensive, she clutched her wallet and her rollie in the middle of the terminal just after checking her other two bags.

When I raised my camera, she covered her face and screamed, "Noooo, Mom, it's so embarrassing!"

"Come on, let me take just a few."

"Ok," she sighed and looked away."

At first I thought this image so aptly epitomized the moment. But maybe, it just mirrors the mixed emotions of the photographer who happens to be her mother. Even though separating has gotten easier, I must keep reminding myself that she's twenty years old not twenty months. Which raises an interesting question about portraiture.

Where do we leave off and they begin? Are we portraying how they feel at a given moment or how we feel about them?

For me, it's a dance of give and take, just like any relationship.

Engaged

2010-09-06T08:49:00.012-04:00

With an autumn chill in the air this morning, I chose this image today, the official last day of the summer, hoping that the season will continue well into September.

Last week I met friends at Meschutt Beach, a narrow strip of sand on the Peconic Bay, where young families gather to enjoy the seaside. On Friday evenings, a band plays while adults munch on fried food and their children swim safely in the calm water.

As my girlfriend and I talked about our busy week, I had one eye on the kids running in and out and splashing about. Now that my daughters are in their twenties, it had been years since I had sat in that spot savoring the sight.

"Excuse me," I said to her in mid-sentence, "I have to go get my camera." Luckily, I had stashed it in my car, but left it there in hopes that I could just sit back and relax. Returning to my beach chair ten minutes later, I switched to my long lens and started shooting.

Quickly I focused on this group who had been seriously hunting for crabs since I had sat down. Because I like to engage with my subjects and capture their expressions, it's rare that I opt for a telephoto lens and shoot from behind. But in this instance, facial features were not required; their stance and the evening light warming their skin tells us everything we need to know.

Twofer

2010-08-31T08:27:00.007-04:00

One of the first things I learned when I began to take photography seriously was that you have to take a lot of pictures in order to get one photograph. Years ago while in a workshop with Joyce Tenneson, who is now a renown art/fashion photographer, she said that if you find one good image on a roll of film with 36 frames, you're doing well.

After discovering the couple under the red umbrella that I posted last week, I was surprised, therefore, to find another captivating pair on a patch of sand adjacent to that same pier that afternoon. Spread out on their backs, scores of horseshoe crabs lay there glistening in the sun, their golden color so different from the steel gray, much larger specimens I had seen on that beach before.

"Look at the color!" I immediately blurted to my student.

"What happened, why are they all dead?" she asked.

"I have no idea," I said, "I've never seen this variety here; bigger, darker ones come here to spawn in the spring." Maybe it has something to do with climate change, I thought.

Lifting our cameras, we moved in close and started shooting. I was immediately drawn to this mother and her baby, cuddled together, soaking up the sun, perhaps hoping it would bring them back to life. The baby appeared to be smiling, maybe just happy to be close to its mother until the very end.

Seurat

2010-08-23T13:12:00.020-04:00

Continuing my study of couples--a series that seems to be newly developing this summer--I was inspired to post this image taken a few weeks ago. When a student and I took a walk down to the town boat launch around the corner from my home, we immediately spotted the red umbrella and moved closer. I was excited to discover such a vibrant focal point amidst the panorama. Although it's quite dramatic and constantly changing depending on time of day and year, the wide open space that I pass by each day is difficult to photograph.

Lifting our cameras, I instructed her to play with the composition by deciding where to place the object (and therefore, the couple) in the frame. As she did so, I followed suite.

Afterwards, when reviewing the images, I was enchanted to find this one reminiscent of George Seurat's famous painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. I'm always amazed at how the French Impressionists influence my work and contemporary art in general .

To enhance its painterly effect, I can't wait to see how the photograph looks when I print it on watercolor paper.

Comfortable

2010-08-16T10:52:00.011-04:00

At the reception for the Westhampton Artists Studio Tour on Friday evening which took place at the Full Moon Arts Center in East Moriches, I spent some time photographing kids, couples, and families in a treehouse overlooking a huge tent--where the artwork of about 50 artists (including me) was on display.

Mission accomplished, I was anxious to join the party that was winding down below. Coming down the steps, I spotted this couple nestled in a hammock. The light on their hats, the tilt of their heads, their comfort with one another warmed my heart. Scurrying toward them from behind, I tried to get close without intruding. But when I arrived, I found it difficult to focus on their faces due to a lack of light and the high contrast in the background.

Fiddling with my camera, I motioned to them announcing my intention and ultimately opted to use my flash for some fill. Luckily, they remained comfortable and continued to enjoy themselves and each other.

Spinning

2010-08-10T09:47:00.018-04:00

"My head is spinning." How many times have you heard that? I know I've uttered those words aloud and to myself quite often. Especially these days when we're texting, talking, driving, working, all at the same time. Multi-tasking, it's the mantra of our times. I wouldn't be surprised if the Earth's rotation has picked up speed.

So a few weeks ago for the final session of a kids workshop, we spent time experimenting with motion. After showing the group of 11-year olds one of my Manhattan images of a man leaping in Times Square that I call Billy Elliot, we stepped outside of Amy's Ark Studio in Westhampton. The girls ran directly up a hill toward a swing tethered to a tree. One jumped on and started spinning like a top.
As her long brown hair swirled around her, the rest of us started shooting, trying to freeze her in the frame as she spun by. Not easy since she was moving so fast. To exaggerate the blur and create a moire effect, I chose an extremely slow shutter speed--1/8 second.

"Just keep shooting," I encouraged them. That's the beauty of digital technology, no wasted film; you can keep going until you get a good one. And that's exactly what I did; of the twenty frames expended, I was satisfied with just this one.

So, don't be shy, keep shooting. But don't forget to edit by deleting all the bad ones from your memory card so you're ready to go next time.

If you're in the area this weekend, you can see this image on view during the Westhampton Artists Studio Tour at Amy's Ark Studio & Farm where I will be displaying a new series of prints from this blog called Texture. Call 288-1954x241 for tickets.

Reading Room

2010-08-04T10:05:00.007-04:00

As we enter the dog days of August, the lazy days, when all I want to do is sit under a tree and read a book, I thought it fitting to post this image taken in Manhattan. Having just emerged from the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I saw the Picasso show with a friend, we headed into Central Park with our cameras.

Around 5:30pm, the sun skimmed low producing long shadows and dramatic afternoon light. While these conditions appeal to the naked eye, the high contrast can be quite blinding and difficult to render through the lens. Therefore, it's important to come up with an average light reading between the darker and lighter spots. While it's best to have a hand-held meter, you can compensate by bracketing, which means shooting the same image three times: first according to your automatic reading, then over and underexpose by one stop on the manual setting. Some digital cameras offer a compensation button which makes this simple. Later you can decide which one is most pleasing to your eye.

Strong light also requires a strong composition. As I moved closer and closer to the subject, I realized that I could use the limbs of the tree to create structure. In effect, they separate the light from the dark green and frame the girl off to the left in her own reading room.

Three's Company

2010-07-27T10:13:00.015-04:00

"Two's company; three's a crowd." How many times have we heard that old adage?

As the oldest of three children, I can't agree more that three or any odd number is challenging when it comes to relationships between people. "The love triangle" and "the fifth wheel" are two prime examples.

However, when it comes to visual relationships in photography--or any of the arts for that matter--three seems to be just the right number. Unlike our psyches which strive for balance and symmetry, the eye seems to prefer when things are thrown askew.

So during a recent workshop on still life at the Westhampton Library when we took a walk down the street to a little farmstand, I pointed out these three onions thrown haphazardly into a basket to my teenage students.

Looking downwards, one lifted her camera and peered through her tiny viewfinder. The corners of her mouth turned up, then she nodded and pressed the shutter. What more could a teacher ask for? I haven't seen her version yet, but this is mine.

Double Duty

2010-07-19T11:48:00.009-04:00

This month I'm conducting three workshops per week at various venues in the area. While I start each session with landscapes and progress to still life, students seems most interested in learning how to take better pictures of their loved ones.

My philosophy, however, is that one needs to learn about composition and light before trying to capture things that move. So as I began to plan the upcoming lesson on portraiture, it was apropos that my most active subject, my three-year-old grandson, arrived at my doorstep Saturday to spend the morning with me while my daughter went to work.

"Where's Copper?" he asked as my six-month old puppy bounded toward him. For the next few hours, they played like siblings indoors and out while I ran after them making sure that the dog wasn't too rough with the boy and visa versa and that Copper didn't eat Brody's toys.

When they finally relaxed, Copper hopped onto the window seat in my front room, his favorite spot, and Brody followed. Quickly I grabbed my Canon and set it on the portrait setting. No time to fiddle with the camera; just enough time to capture the moment.

Junked

2010-07-12T10:53:00.012-04:00

Alas, I've finally gotten back to shooting film! Although I'm thoroughly enjoying the instant gratification of my Canon Rebel digital SLR, there's still nothing like film.

Taken with my Hasselblad which I was using almost exclusively before buying the Canon last summer, this is the first image I've selected for a new series I'm developing with two other women photographers, Elizabeth Holmes and Mia Wisnoski---who also continue to shoot film and share a love for the nostalgic aspects of the area. Decaying buildings, vintage trucks, rusted wheels; we all seem to be drawn to what's old or not too new.

Every few weeks since the summer started, we've been driving around, mostly on the North Fork, with our cameras with the idea of presenting the East End from three different viewpoints. To get back to film, I've decided to used this medium-format camera; notice the square format and the color saturation; a warmer yet more formal format to my eye.

Next June, we'll be mounting a show at the new Westhampton Library showcasing the results. While I love to wander on my own, it's nice to have a break from the solitude and enjoy the company of like-minded souls.

Spotting

2010-07-05T08:15:00.008-04:00

People watching, it's one of my favorite pastimes and one of the reasons I started taking photographs in the first place. So when I went down to the Quogue dock with my friend, Julie, on Friday evening where I heard a Reggae band was playing to kick off the holiday weekend, I made sure to bring my camera.

Working our way through the crowd with the sun glaring in our eyes, Julie pointed toward the dock on the periphery where we headed and took a seat. Perfect, I thought, as the sun sank behind my right shoulder casting a crystal light. Men wore shorts, women donned hats, boys and girls pushed scooters and rode bikes; it was Norman Rockwell, circa 2010.

I waited and watched...then out of my left eye, I spotted them, the perfect family, some with two legs, some with four. Quickly I changed lenses to my long zoom and set my f-stop to F11 to ensure there would be enough depth of field for the foursome yet throwing the two posts, that framed the image so nicely, a little out of focus.

"Do you think they have kids?" I said.

"Nah," Julie replied, "looks like they've invested in dogs."

Swirl

2010-06-29T08:56:00.009-04:00

Sunday was my daughter's 20th birthday. As part of the celebration, Jackie requested that we have brunch at Love Lane Kitchen on the North Fork, about half an hour from our home on the South Fork. When we sat down, I ordered iced coffee right away as the day was heating up. Ironically, I had been at the same eatery the day before when out shooting in the area with two fellow photographers, and was looking forward to the iced coffee again, half caf/half decaf.

When the server set it down before us, Jackie picked up the tiny vessel of milk and started pouring. "That looks cool," she said as a ribbon of white swirled through the caramel, "Mom, take a picture!"

Not a problem. I had been snapping away as I stared at her and her boyfriend, who was visiting for the weekend---not quite comprehending how 20 years had passed and what an amazing person my Jackie had become.

To avoid the flash I set the ISO at 800, the F-stop at 5.6 and had no choice but to shoot at 1/8 second, very slow to hand-hold. But I held steady pressing the camera body to my forehead. In this case, the show shutter speed and shallow depth of field worked to advantage, emphasizing the motion inherent in this still life.

When Jackie saw the image, she said "my nails look good; good thing I just had a manicure."

Out of the Blue

2010-06-25T12:57:00.011-04:00

If you want to capture that special image that pops up out of the blue, the most important thing to remember is to carry your camera with you all the time. If I hadn't stashed my camera bag in the back of my car, I would have missed the chance to capture this magnificent sight.

As dusk descended one evening, I was driving home down Lewis Road where acres upon acres of farmland have been preserved by the town of Southampton. There hanging over the field, a tremendous cloud was set on fire by the sun that had just dipped below the horizon.

As I neared, the cloud loomed larger and more brilliant. Pulling over to the side of the road, I reached behind me pleased to discover that I had indeed left my camera in the car. Knowing that the color would soon fade, I quickly changed lenses to my long one, 55-250mm, pointed it out the window and zoomed all the way in. I also underexposed by about one stop to intensify the cloud color thus throwing the treeline into silhouette.

With more time to gaze at this image now, I'm amazed at what we can see when we keep looking. I see the profile of a man with a full head of curly hair--looks a little like Harpo Marx!

Peconic River Day

2010-06-18T11:48:00.045-04:00

Between the forks on the East End of Long Island where I have lived year-round for over twenty years, there's the town of Riverhead where the locals travel from all directions to do their daily business. Once a thriving downtown center, the village has struggled for decades to compete with the big chains that now crowd Route 58 nearby.
Behind Main Street, however, there's a lazy river that delights each time I pass through on my way to Home Depot, Target, or some such place.
So when I was invited to participate tomorrow in Peconic River Day at a gallery called Art Sites that yes, is on the way to Tanger Outlet Mall, I was thrilled.
A few weeks ago, I began by photographing people enjoying the boardwalk. Relaxing on benches, reading the paper or strolling by, I approached them slowly asking if they'd like to participate in this celebration of the river.
To my surprise, no one refused. Then I crossed the parking lot to discover some children frolicking intheir front yard facing the river. Under the care of their grandpas, I was a hesitant to ask if I could photograph the children.
Yet again, they were most willing to oblige. Since then, I visited the places I frequent when in town, a riverside bistro, the arts council, the bank, and the library--where my close friend, Elva, works---to capture the faces of those who live, work and play along the Peconic River.
Here's the result. To view, just click the forward arrow at your own pace.

Saving the Seagull

2010-06-07T18:27:00.067-04:00

Two weeks ago, I took a trip with my puppy to Cupsogue Beach at the end of Westhampton Dunes--a seaside park preserved by the county wedged between the ocean and the bay--to check out the venue for my next photography class. Moseying along taking in the sights, Copper darted suddenly toward the water, howling like the hound he is.

Flapping one wing, a large bird lumbered into the water; it happened so fast that it took me a minute or so to realize it was a wounded seagull. Quickly, I tied the dog to a post and rushed back to the bird who was struggling in the water. Reaching for my camera, I took one photograph before he emerged from the foam dragging a broken wing.

What do I do? I thought panicking.

Fumbling for my cellphone, I made a few calls and found the number for the Wildlife Refuge Center of the Hamptons. While waiting for the volunteer to arrive from Hampton Bays, I shot 66 frames as my dog continued to howl.

At one point a wave knocked the gull onto his back. I approached slowly and was surprised when he allowed me to gingerly flip him back onto his feet. Making eye contact, he reminded me of my puppy when I rescued him a few weeks before.

After that, he stood nearby posing in thanks as we continued to wait. Here are 13 images presented as a slide show; just one couldn't possibly do him justice.

To view, just click the forward arrow at your own pace.

Iris

2010-05-31T11:15:00.012-04:00

As May comes to a close, it seems fitting to end with the iris, the most spectacular of flowers. Around noon one day last week, I couldn't take my eyes off the phosphorescent petals just outside my front window that had just bloomed.
Envisioning all the pictures of irises I had already seen, I was reluctant to grab my camera. "But these purple and yellow ones are so special," I thought, "and they're mine." Within minutes I was leaning over the tall specimen in the middle of my front garden experimenting with the composition.
As I zoomed in, I decided to focus on the purple patterns at F5.6, letting the yellow petals fall into a blur. However, the lightness of that blur overpowered the darker elements I was trying to highlight. So I set my digital camera on manual and underexposed by a little more than one stop. Presto...without Photoshop, I had toned done the yellow and created a more dramatic image.
It's no wonder that of all the flowers that blossom on Earth, they named this one after the color of the eye.

Timeless

2010-05-24T15:48:00.006-04:00

Photographing children is an art unto itself. Since they are in constant motion and so difficult to predict, the secret is to take lots and lots of pictures.
Last week an artist friend invited me to participate in a project celebrating life on the Peconic River at a festival at Art Sites, a gallery in Riverhead set for June 19th. The premise is to photograph people living, working and playing along the river. So on Saturday we set out to find out if indeed anyone was enjoying the balmy weather along the boardwalk constructed there a few years ago.
After shooting a few strollers, we noticed a family with some young children playing in a yard across the way. "You ask them," my friend said afraid that they might refuse.
To her surprise, they were more than happy to participate. Thirty minutes later, we walked away satisfied with the more than 50 images we had taken. Then, one of the little girls jumped on her rocking horse and asked me to take some more, just of her.
Rocking back and forth, she looked directly in the lens. The light danced in her eyes and on the grass behind her. Now comfortable with me and my camera, she rewarded me with this timeless image. It's my experience that the best usually does come last.

No Swimming?

2010-05-16T10:00:00.009-04:00

Having slipped back into stillness last week with the study of light, here I am with more motion. Another walk in Sears Bellows County Park in Hampton Bays with my puppy, Copper, produced this telling image. Celebrating the season of renewal, it also validates the axiom "seek and ye shall find."

Upon entering the park, we proceeded on the path circling the lake that I have trailed time and again. Speeding ahead of me, Copper lead me to this spot where the water lapped against the shore more robustly than usual as result of the rain the day before.
It was as if the sign had been knocked over and submerged right there to attract my attention. Again I slowed my shutter to enhance the movement and mix of colors.
No swimming? In such a glorious place? Whoever heard of such a thing?

Leaf Light

2010-05-11T18:51:00.010-04:00

This month I've been taking my photography class on local field trips to take advantage of the beauty that abounds this time of year. Last week we took a walk to a little park down the street from my house. Created just a few years ago, this spot reminds me of public spaces in Europe where every square foot is utilized to the max.

Featuring a walking track, a playground, an amphitheater, a fountain and several lush gardens, I chose this place because it provides a plethora of subject matter to photograph. So when I became obsessed with photographing just one leaf hanging from a pear blossom tree, I'm sure my students were a bit perplexed.
As the late afternoon light flickered through the leaf from behind, I pointed out the detail it revealed. A sight so simple yet so easy to miss unless one is really looking. Soon some were just as enthralled and started snapping away.

Getting Close

2010-05-06T07:55:00.009-04:00

After all that rain last month, this May is one of the most beautiful I can recall. The air is filled with the sweetest scent and wherever I look buds are bursting with color. However the problem with spring is that it passes in the blink of an eye. So while I'm blinking, I try to capture what's most memorable.
Last fall I planted a row of 40 tulips bordering my front garden. Having forgotten about them during the long cold winter, I was excited when they poked through the soil even though just a dozen appeared. But a week after blossoming, their petals were already drooping. Within a few days, they were completely spent. While tulips are one of the most fetching flowers, they are also one of the most fleeting.
To preserve the sight, I cradled one in my hands, carried it to my back deck and laid it out on a bench. Then I focused up close filling the frame with color.
Sometimes the secret to a good image is simply getting close.

More Copper

2010-04-30T07:47:00.057-04:00

Lately, motion seems to be my mantra and the focus of my recent photography class, also called Learning to See. Until now, I've concentrated on stillness in my work, perhaps, because I've been practicing yoga for years. By staying still, looking inward then outward, I've developed the patience to wait and watch.

Now I'm using those same skills to study motion. By choosing a spot, standing my ground and shifting my shutter speed, faster or slower, the effects are eye-opening. The one on top of Copper romping up a hill in a nearby park was taken at 1/30 second at F11. Notice how his coat blurs seamlessly into the background. When he raced down the hill toward me, however, I selected a much faster speed of 1/125 sec, to delineate his face.

While my puppy continues to fascinate me, I mustn't let this blog become all about him, so I'm also including a reflection found in a huge puddle that blocked our path during a walk yesterday in Sears Bellows Park. Interesting how copper is the predominant color.

Passing

2010-04-26T09:14:00.028-04:00

This month I've traveled to Manhattan by train more frequently than I have in the 22 years I've lived on the East End of Long Island. Usually, I use the two hours to catch up on my reading or my sleep.
But last week I turned my gaze to the slide show that sped past my window. To slow it down, I set my shutter speed to 1/25 second and pointed my camera outside. Warehouses, parking lots, strip malls and graffiti flew by. Instantly, I scanned the images I had collected so quickly on my digital camera.
While the blur created an interesting effect, I found nothing that inspired. Trying again, I tilted my lens downward toward the ground and kept pressing. Rails flashed; metal moved side to side, up and down. Life was passing and so was time.
Apropos after this past weekend when I traveled back and forth to the city to see old friends from Syracuse University and to attend a reunion we had been planning for months. Is life passing forward or backward? Sometimes it's hard to tell.

Copper

2010-04-18T19:58:00.029-04:00

Since I lost my 11-year old golden retriever, Buddy, on New Year's Eve 2008, I was certain I'd never fall in love again. However, I guess whoever said "never say never" had a point.

Yesterday while driving through Westhampton Beach, I noticed lots of commotion on the main corner in the midst of the spring sidewalk sale. Cages full of puppies were on display and up for adoption by a local rescue group called Last Chance.
Parking quickly, I darted toward the puppies and immediately set my eyes on a brown and white beagle/retriever mix (or so they said). An hour later, I was driving home with a 12-week old in the passenger seat. Since then, he hasn't left my side.
When I sat down at the computer tonite, Copper curled up on the rug behind me just as Buddy was so apt to do. Grabbing my camera, I set the ISO to 1600 and focused on his soulful eyes. Photographing indoors at night is always a challenge, especially when you refuse to use flash.
ps...while I was busy writing this, he crewed my USB cord...

Catch

2010-04-13T16:53:00.016-04:00

Sunny and in the sixties, I donned my sunhat, grabbed my camera, and headed for the beach. Although I live just five minutes away, I hadn't been there since December.
Upon arriving, I marched downed to the shoreline aiming my lens at the surf. But the waves themselves failed to hold my interest. As the whitecaps moved in and out, my eye gravitated to the impressions left on the sand just as the water receded.
Then I started to see things, shapes that looked like fish stenciled in the sand. The more I looked the more I found. Schools of fish one after the other. Incredulous, I snapped away zooming in and out. I had to work fast since they dried and disappeared as quickly as I spotted them.
Once I was fairly certain I'd caught something worth writing about, I stored my camera in the bag slung over my shoulder and moseyed down the beach enjoying the long-awaited sun. About ten minutes later, however, I happened upon the most remarkable catch of all. So I reached back in and captured this.

Bowing Out

2010-04-07T08:19:00.015-04:00

Yesterday afternoon while I was raking my yard and clearing all the debris cast upon it since the fall, I kept glancing towards the skeleton of snow-capped hydrangea towering over my front flower bed. The lacy flowers, once Wedgewood blue spotted pink, had faded to a translucent ivory so delicate I yearned to preserve them.
As I raked and raked, I decided to reward myself when the job was done by photographing them. But how could I do them justice? How could I transform the withered specimen before me into the object of beauty I perceived in my mind's eye?
An hour later, at about 4:30 when the sun was sinking behind me, I grabbed my camera and set to work. Choosing the largest cluster, I focused on the bottom pedal and the adjacent buds letting everything else fall into a blur. This time I chose an F8, however, to emphasize the flower yet include enough detail of the green growth coming forth from behind to take its place.
Hydrangea, they're otherworldly, especially when they're bowing out.

Lanterns

2010-04-03T09:27:00.018-04:00

As the harbinger of spring, forsythia is one of my favorite plants. Its delicate flowers and wispy branches appear magically like feathers just as the birds start chirping.
Throughout the torrential rain that hammered the East End this past week, however, I feared that spring would never come. Fortunately I had a project on the computer that kept me busy indoors for hours. But one evening I was so stiff I found myself knocking on a friend's door to ask if I could use her yoga studio.
As I waited on the doorstep, I noticed tiny yellow buds hanging from a branch that reminded me of teardrops. Pitted against the gloomy gray dusk, they cheered me somehow, seemed to be planted there to let me know that brighter times were ahead.
Originally I called this post Teardrops, but when a subscriber said they looked more like the little lanterns strung across yards in the summer, I agreed and changed the title.
To achieve this effect I opted for a shallow depth of field by selecting a F5.6 and focused carefully on the pedals, throwing the background into a blur.

Kinetic

2010-03-26T15:03:00.024-04:00

A few days ago, I took a walk with my daughter and grandson in the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, a wonderful place for children. Almost three, Brody's starting to appreciate the wonder that surrounds him on the East End of Long Island and the freedom it affords those who grow up here.

Rounding the lake, he darted back and forth, jumped up and down---a perpetual ball of energy. Along the way, I photographed signs of spring, pussy willows against the deep blue sky, lime green moss lining the pathway and rose-coloured buds tipping branches. But what impressed me most was a reflection that's probably there all year long.
With the water lapping toward me, I sunk down to my heels, slowed my shutter speed to 1/50 of a second to enhance the ripple effect, and snapped several frames. Here's my favorite reminding me of my grandson's kinetic energy and his lust for life.

Kilts

2010-03-20T18:45:00.039-04:00

With the sun shining this morning, I finally set out for the St. Patricks Day parade in Hampton Bays. After a brutal winter, it was refreshing to see the sidewalks and parking lots brimming with activity. Green hats, green hair, green balloons, even green dogs bobbed by. Quickly, I pulled out my camera to capture all that Irish passing by. Visions of men in skirts however, still flashed in my mind's eye.

When the parade started, I set my shutter speed to 1/4 second to blur and therefore, accentuate the motion. Then they appeared, group after group in a range of plaids.
Running ahead, I pointed down toward their feet and the green line dividing the street. Afterwards, I selected the image above from the many I had taken. But I couldn't get one little girl out of my mind--the first of many I had seen dressed for the day. A Mexican girl named Zitlaya who complemented the green more beautifully than any other.

Tree Down

2010-03-15T11:20:00.020-04:00

After several sunny days in a row last week, when spring seemed to be just around the corner, I planned to attend the St. Patrick's Day parade--a big event in Westhampton this time of year. With green in mind for this blog, I conjured kilts flashing by or four-leaf clovers reflected in store windows. However typical of March's schitzophrenic nature, a major storm gathered forcing officials to postpone the event until next weekend.

As the wind whipped and the rain pounded on Saturday, my fair-weather visions vanished. So I practiced patience (not easy for me) and waited for something, anything to replace them. I was already late in posting. Then just before dinner as the sky darkened, the power went out...
Sunday dawned with nothing new in mind and still no electricity; so I surrendered and reviewed images already taken, particularly those with a hint of spring. When the rain finally stopped in the afternoon, my daughter and I went out for a while. Driving home, we came upon a large tree blocking the roadway.

"Hey Mom," Jackie said, "why don't you just photograph the tree?"

Fencing

2010-03-07T08:54:00.022-05:00

A few weeks ago, my daughter invited me to visit the Double D Bar Ranch, a haven for unwanted and abused farm animals in Manorville, about 20 minutes from my home where a friend of hers volunteers. With my grandson in tow, we wandered the grounds marveling at the variety of creatures harbored there: horses, goats, peacocks, pigs, turkeys, deer, a llama and for some reason, roosters galore.

While the array of animals presented a feast for the eyes, they were all sequestered behind bars or wire mesh blocking a clear view. Peering through my viewfinder, I was disappointed for a few moments until I realized that I could incorporate the fencing into the image. Once I made that decision, I photographed freely playing with the element originally perceived as an obstacle.
As we wound our way through the farm, we finally came upon three bulls. Choosing one, I zoomed in framing his features and fluffy ears between the bars. When I got home and scanned the images, I was pleased to discover that I had captured an interesting new collection of images that I now call fauna and that can be viewed on my online gallery.

More Snow

2010-02-27T08:58:00.022-05:00

As February draws to a close, I was hoping to move onto more spring-like subjects, but when I sat down at my desk this morning and saw more snow out my window, mother nature dictated.

Here is an image I captured after the last snowstorm while walking around my tiny town tucked amidst "the Hamptons" on eastern Long Island. While most of the world envisions this area as a seaside resort, those of us who live here year-round experience small town living that in the off-season resembles any little place in the Northeast.
Aside from the snowy path canopied by trees trailing into the distance, what I like most about this picture is the rusty maple leaves on the right catching the midday sun and throwing the composition a little off-kilter. The long shadow from the telephone pole falling diagonally across the foreground also disrupts the symmetry of this typical scene drawing the eye in.

Smug

2010-02-23T12:19:00.008-05:00

Before happening upon the Valentine in Flushing last week, there was another surprise, quite bizarre, that shocked my senses. Turning the corner off Main Street, I spotted the back of an open delivery truck filled with layers of pink.

"Ahhh, there's something I might be able to post for Valentine's Day," I thought moving closer, lifting my camera, adjusting the aperture to F8 to give me enough depth of field, yet not too much in order to emphasis the ripples in the foreground.

As the image came into focus, I realized it wasn't bolts of fabric or some such thing as I suspected, but layers of flesh---lifeless pigs piled one on top of another. My stomach churned breaking down the plateful of pork dumplings I had just ingested.

Then, men in white aprons appeared and started to unload them one at a time. As one butcher crossed the street with a hog draped over his shoulder, I recovered quickly enough to frame him in my viewfinder and press the shutter.

"Did you get it?" he asked smugly.