capture the moment
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(9 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...This was Nilsa’s second Mother’s Day. Not a big celebration. No marching bands or parades, but Tony and I are grateful for all she does everyday.
One of the teaching assistants at Tony’s preschool drew caricatures of all the kids a few days ago. We really like this drawing. Thanks Jen!
Tony and Froggy
Technorati Tags: family, nilsa, tony
posted: may 11th, 2009 under life in general.
comments: none
(10 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Tony turned one this past December. We can’t believe he’s one and we can’t believe that we survived this first year. I’ve been so busy, I didn’t have time to post any photos. I’m only posting one, and this is the best of the lot.
I’m One Today!
posted: february 4th, 2009 under life in general.
comments: none
(19 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...I’m not sure how many years I had a roll of Ilford SFX sitting in the freezer, but it was more than a few. So one day last September (2007), I thawed it out and went off to the Maryland Steam Historical Society Annual Steam Show in Arcadia Maryland. I promptly got the color slide film developed and scanned, but I put the exposed roll of SFX in the refrigerator as I was planning on sending it off to David Wood at dr5.com for his custom processing.
I’ve written about dr5.com before (see this post). And since that writing I’ve sent more film off to them. I don’t expect my photos to win awards, but I still care about the quality of the processing. I would urge any and every film shooter reading this to at least send one roll to dr5.com. I’d say that the cost to develop and mount one 36 exposure roll is about $14. That is no more expensive than what you would pay at a quality camera store (not one of those national chain stores), so the only excuse you have is taking the trouble to mail the film to dr5. And that is the excuse, along with a bad memory, I used for about a year.
On the dr5 website they refer to SFX as having “a very slight, hazy-METALIC” look in their developer 1-neutral and a “stunning metallic sepia/selenium tones” in developer 2-sepia. I had my roll processed in developer 2-sepia. I can see some of that description in my photos. I shot most of these photos at the Steam Show, and the direct sunlight created deep shadows and high contrast which may not be the best environment for this film. On the other hand, due to SFX’s extended sensitivity into the near-infrared, blue skies and lots of sun can a greater infrared look (i.e., dark skies, bright plant foliage) especially when using deep red filters. For the record, I used a Heliopan No. 25 red filter on this entire roll.
Compare this shot of the Mail Pouch barn with the one I did using Illford FP4.
Three steam tractors lined up.
Stone Crusher. Shot hand-held at 1/15 sec.
A well maintained Emerson-Brantingham Peerless engine. The wheels and most accent trim on this tractor is bright red, but with SFX and the No. 25 filter it appears almost white.
A Frick Engine.
A Keck Gonnerman on the move.
A mounted engine shot hand-held at 1/8 sec.
A line up of tractors fired up and ready for the parade.
Technorati Tags: dr5, leica, photography
posted: december 30th, 2008 under photography, leica.
comments: 3
(19 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...The day finally came that we were waiting for, both excitedly and with trepidation, when Tony would take his first steps. Well about three weeks ago he took two or three steps, and by the following weekend when this photo was made, he could walk about ten or fifteen feet without falling. With each passing day he gets stronger and more sure of himself. Look out world!
Tony taking a long walk down the hall.
Technorati Tags: tony
posted: december 26th, 2008 under life in general.
comments: none
(17 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...We enrolled Tony in Little Gym and he is having a great time. This is really good for Tony. He’s in a class that has kids from 9 months to 19 months. Many of the kids are a little older and walking, but Tony does very well. The activities they have for the kids are so varied that all development levels can participate. Each child has their own personality and Tony is definitely his own man that way. If he isn’t interested in what the group is doing, he will go off exploring.
I took the photos below during his first two classes.
Tony tumbles with the help of the instructor, Miss Ashley.
A big finish for Tony!
A very happy Tony.
The happy little guy!
Tony and his ball.
Tony mingling with the other parents.
Tony and some of his classmates try out the balance beam, with help from Mom of course.
One activity has the children holding this flexible band. Tony didn’t stay focused on many of these group activities, but for some reason on this one, he would not let go.
Tony walking with help from Nilsa, still maintains control of the flexband.
It’s amazing what you can do with some encouragement from your Mom and a binky.
These baby sized parallel bars are a big help for those about to walk.
Tony and another classmate examine the equipment.
Tony walked easily using these bars for assistance. We will be in trouble soon.
Once again demonstrating his mastery of the parallel bars.
posted: november 30th, 2008 under life in general.
comments: none
(15 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Tony has gotten big and now he can no longer ride in those “baby” car seats. This has meant an investment in new car seats, as well as a new stroller to keep in my car. The last stroller I had was a $50 Graco that served as a platform for his car seat. Without the car seat the “stroller” was a basket on wheels. And since he can no longer use that car seat the stroller is in retirement too. The expenses never end. Now he is sporting around in a Peg-Perego Aria, which he seems to like. These photos were taken on a cool Saturday morning about a week ago.
Notice how Tony’s teeth are coming in now.
Pausing for a photo op early in the walk meets with disapproval from the boss.
Making me smile helps.
I got teeth Dad!
Time to roll Dad!
Technorati Tags: family, leica, tony
posted: october 13th, 2008 under photography, life in general.
comments: 1
(23 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Earlier this year Nilsa called me over to the computer to look at her newest find, a vacation house she thought we should rent for a week in the Outer Banks. With our busy lives I hadn’t given much thought to a vacation, but fortunately she was thinking about it! It turned out to be just the thing we both needed. Oh, and Tony enjoyed himself too.
Nilsa got us this great little beach house in Salvo, NC. that had a couple of bedrooms, large living room, pool and hot tub. We were only about a 300 or 400 yard walk to the beach. This was our first trip with an 8 month old infant, so it required extra planning, extra packing, and extra patience (on our part).
The house was very family friendly. We were very happy to find a high chair stored in a closet and childproof plugs on all the outlets. The one thing it lacked, and we forgot to bring, was his walker. Fortunately, we found a store in Nags Head that had one to rent for $10 a week. We hopped on that! And as it turned out that was the week that Tony really started to get the hang of using the walker. He was all over that house running into anything and everyone, and trying to open every cabinet and drawer in the house.
All in all, things went well. Nilsa drove down and I rode in the back with Tony so one of us could feed and entertain him. Much to our surprise, Tony was quiet and laid back for most of the trip. He finally reached the stage where he had had enough 15 miles from our destination. That amazed us. He is a good kid.
Vacationing with an eight month old was an eye opener for both Nilsa and me. We knew it would be challenging, but I don’t think we really appreciated how much effort it takes to go on vacation, try and relax, yet provide Tony the continuity and structure he needs and is use to. We learned a lot, but I have to say, that Tony was very adaptable, and he quickly got into his new routine and surroundings.
Personally, I found it fun to pack Tony up in his car seat and place his seat in the beach wheelbarrow and pull him to the beach most every morning. He seemed to really enjoy watching the waves come in and go out. Nilsa and I stood in the surf while holding him. You could almost see the gears turning as he would watch the waves lap at our legs. It was my observation, that our “walks” (one of us pulling him in the beach wheelbarrow) on the beach was a calming influence on him. I would love to know what he was thinking. Those walks on the beach with Tony are some memories that stick out the most for me.
Keep your Sunny Side Up.
The front porch. Seeing this just makes you want to sit down and relax.
Tony playing with his hat in the Sunroom. The house even included this nice high chair.
A happy little man. This child is so good natured and naturally happy.
The weather looked as if it was about to storm, but it didn’t. These houses were behind the dune separating the Atlantic Ocean from the beach houses.
Slightly different perspective of these beach front houses.
Taken on a cloudy morning at around 7:30am.
Looking south on the Salvo, NC beach
Pea Island facing the ocean
Pea Island Wildlife Refuge. This is the Oregon Inlet.
This is the Highway 12 bridge, that connects Hatteras Island to Bodie Island.
We will stay in one of these houses next year (if we hit the lottery). The location is the Hatteras Inlet next to the ferry to Ocracoke Island.
Departing Hatteras Inlet on the way to Orcacoke.
We took Tony out of his car seat during the ferry ride. Here he’s learning what it’s like to be in the driver’s seat.
Tony finds the horn, and is quite pleased with himself.
Ferry back from Orcacoke.
Nilsa and Tony on the beach at Salvo.
Tony enjoying time with his Mom on the beach.
Tony was so distracted by the ocean he kept his hat on!
Tony and I in the surf. We found out he didn’t like his feet in the sand.
Watching the waves from the comfort of Dad’s leg.
My two favorite people!
Tony with Lambie in his beach wheelbarrow.
Tony, Lambie, and the hat he would rarely wear on the beach.
One morning Tony and I were walking along the beach and I took this photo of a typical sight on Hatteras.
With the ocean breeze, you see a lot of people flying kites on the beach.
Hatteras Lighthouse.
This is a view from the top of the Hatteras Lighthouse looking southeast.
Looking northeast from the top of the Hatteras Lighthouse.
This is the Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is about 50 miles north of the Hatteras Lighthouse.
I went to the Wright Brothers Museum in Kitty Hawk. The Park Service does a great job of running and maintaining the museum and they put on a great demonstration.
Looking out to the Atlantic from the pathway.
Last photo of the beach and the ocean, till next year.
Technorati Tags: obx, photography, salvo, nc, tony
posted: september 21st, 2008 under photography, life in general.
comments: 1
(27 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...So much has happened in the last 30 days, but so much is going on now that I just haven’t had time to update this blog. You will have to wait a little while longer for our vacation photos and other updates. In the meantime, Tony can now fit comfortably in his stroller without the need of the car seat. This is a big deal to him, now he no longer has to travel on his back facing rearward! He now has a commanding view as his “staff” toil in the background. All photos from my taken with my iPhone.
posted: september 18th, 2008 under life in general.
comments: none
(17 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...The first two photos were made back in late June, shortly after Tony passed six months, and the rest in early August just shy of his eight month “birthday”. Looking back on these photos a month and a half later, it’s amazing how much little man has grown. There is a level of maturity in his face now that just wasn’t there a month before. We see this little fellow every day, so the changes are more subtle to us. These photographs remind me just how much Tony changes in such a short period of time.
I had a roll of Kodak BW400CN, a black and white film designed for C-41 processing. In other words, it’s a black and white film that can be processed in color negative (color print film) chemistry and printed on color negative paper. This allows you to take it to a place like Ritz camera or MotoPhoto and have them process it just as they would color print film. The prints came out looking good. The grain resembles that of TMAX 400, but I thought they had a slight green cast to them. I’ve used Ilford’s XP2 (another C-41 processed black and white film), and I think that XP2 renders richer blacks than the BW400CN. Like a lot of things, it boils down to personal preference.
The food tastes better when Grandpa feeds it to me! Taken around June 20th.
Extra yummy!
Tony, in early August playing with his new “phone”.
I’ll get the hang of using the phone thing sooner or later
Dad, it’s private do you mind?
Technorati Tags: photography, tony
posted: august 23rd, 2008 under photography, life in general.
comments: 1
(20 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Before Tony was born Nilsa found this great little hat. It’s the kind of hat you can put a baby in because, well you can. We liked it so much we decided that when he came home from the hospital he would wear it. Somehow I never made a picture of him in it. So in mid June I assembled Tony and “the hat” and made these photos.
Tony and his “doggie” hat
Tony in his hat pointing (or getting ready to point).
You wouldn’t embarrass me and show these pictures to my friends in later years, would you?
I’m doing what I do best: getting busy!
posted: june 28th, 2008 under life in general.
comments: 1