Recreated

I think it was Father’s Day in 2006. I had a nice little Kodak point and shoot camera and I wanted to use it so I drove into Boston and just walked around. I had an idea to stand at the base of the Hancock building and point the camera straight up. That didn’t quite work the way I had hoped, but when I moved just a little bit I got this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/3508496301/

It might still be my favorite photograph that I have ever taken that doesn’t have Jen or Harry or Bellana or my niece or any of my nephews in it. I like it.

Every time I get a new camera I think, “I’m going to try and recreate that picture” and then it never works out as well. My Nikon D90 gave me a bunch of really good pictures, but nothing close enough to the accidental original. I just couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong.

Ever since the film obsession began a few years ago (when my sister found my father’s Pentax K1000 while cleaning out his dresser and asked if anyone wanted it and I suddenly realized that I really, really, really wanted it) I’ve been wanting to go into Boston and see if I could pull it off on film.

Today I went into Boston to see if I could pull it off. I had the K1000, the Lubitell 166, and my digital Nikon Z5. I was messing with the K1000 when I accidentally figured out what I needed to do. I didn’t move to my left, like I thought I did. I moved to my right. All three cameras tried it out. Obviously we have to wait to get the film developed to know how they did, but the digital I can already see.

Close enough?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54547114851/in/datetaken/

All I need now is the airplane to come back.

Ducks

The cameras and I went out again this morning… and I think we’re going out again later today as well. We’ll see how things go between now and then.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54545361082/in/album-72177720326414589

Went out wandering the local river walk yesterday and decided to mess around with lens blur techniques. I honestly love the results, like painting with pixels.

River grass, shot by dragging my lens downward while releasing the shutter. The image has a slight crop but is otherwise unedited.

#nikonz5

Sunrise Fail

The forecast called for clear skies at Salisbury Beach at sunrise today. The forecast was wrong. I was there and I took a bunch of pictures, but the clouds covered the horizon and there was no photo of the sun coming out of the water. It was a wasted effort on that front, but I went to Plumb Island after and got a nice pic of the lighthouse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54543753511/in/album-72177720326390739

When the sun eventually did break through, it made the Merrimack River look nice.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54543940424/in/album-72177720326390739

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #lighthouse #Massachusetts #merrimackRiver #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #plumbIsland #river #z5

Log Hollow Falls, western north carolina.

The sunlight cutting through the dense foliage to illuminate the rushing waters made for a truly otherworldly, fairytale-like adventure.

#nikonz5
1/800
F7.1
ISO1600

What a Weekend

We are home. Graduation weekend is over. Two things happened. One, my step son graduated from UVM and that is amazing and he is amazing and its all amazing. Two, rain. Constant, never ending, drowning, soaking rain. The whole time. Rain sucks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54527401537/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54528642185/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54529218464/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54529274693/in/album-72177720326195140

Bribes

Remember when bribery was illegal? That was before the nazi in chief of the fascist states of america declared that it was a smart move to let a foreign government give you an airplane as a present. Our new air force one, which will stop being air force one and become trump’s personal plane once he leaves office, assuming he leaves office before he dies.

Yeah, this country fucking sucks. Can you imagine if Barack Obama told the public he was taking a passenger jet as a gift from an Islamic nation? Fucking fascists.

Change of subject. Two things to look forward to this week. First, I have my three year post-gastric bypass surgery check in at the weight loss clinic. I expect them to tell me that I am the greatest patient they have ever had, and that no patient they’ve dealt with has ever had suck overwhelming success with their post-op program. I am hoping for a plaque or something to honor me.

Of infinitely greater importance, my step son Harry is going to graduate from the University of Vermont this weekend. I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud. Did I mention how proud I am? We’ll be heading up there after work on Friday. I am really looking forward to it. I don’t know if you can tell by the context of this paragraph, but I am really proud of Harry.

Okay, Robert. Back to work with you.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54514909030/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #bribe #bribery #Cat #collegeGraduation #collegeKids #Family #gastricBypassSurgery #graduation #grownUpKids #health #Kids #Kitty #magaIsACult #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Politics #robin #StepKids #trumpIsAFascist #trumpIsANazi #trumpIsEvil #z5

Smoke

I heard that there was white smoke in Rome today. This was my first response:

https://bsky.app/profile/robj1971.bsky.social/post/3loodbwd5c52p

Turns out the new pope is an American. Weird, huh? Dude’s going to speak English with an accent that I can understand. Too bad I’m not catholic anymore. It might mean something to me if I were.

Here’s a cat to celebrate:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54505624251/in/datetaken/

Here’s another cat to keep celebrating. The new pope stole the thunder from my birthday. What a jerk. At least he’s not maga. Civilization has that going for it, I guess.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54505811764/in/datetaken/

Seven Hours Later

My last post was published seven hours ago. I’m hanging in there but really can’t wait for this crap to be over. I’m fasting ahead of a medical test and I am hungry. I barely have a stomach left after gastric bypass surgery, but what I have is really jonzin’ for a snack, know what I mean? No hunger pains yet, which is odd given that I get hunger pains all the time. Maybe my brain is trying to protect my stomach? Who knows.

I can’t eat today, but the birds can.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54482797723/in/datetaken/

That is today’s photo a day challenge pic. Blurry backgrounds are fun. Bokeh.

The cats are in a state of hyper vigilance right now. There is a mouse in the house. It was in my home office earlier but it got away. In was later seen in our bedroom but I think it got away again. Both cats are on the hunt so it’s days are numbered. I will catch it and bring it outside if I can, but the feline avengers might not give me the opportunity.

Here’s a picture of Robin from before the mouse presented itself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54482672049/in/datetaken/

Here’s one of Lily. Robin was already stalking the rodent invader at this point, but Lily wasn’t in on it yet. She was blissfully unaware.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54483320215/in/datetaken/

#Doubs #Arc-Et-Senans #Beaux-arts #Statue #Equilibriste #Acrobat #Balance #Am3 #am3-prompt-202518 #Nikon #Nikonfr #NikonZ5

Holiday Schedule

I took this picture yesterday. Not sure why I am posting it now, but I am… so there.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54467314233/in/datetaken/

As mentioned in a post from nearly 24 hours ago, yesterday was a holiday in Massachusetts. Patriots Day. In my neighborhood, Tuesday is trash day. I got up early and got everything ready and opened the door to walk outside with a big trash bag and as the door was swinging in toward me, I remembered that whole holiday thing. The holiday trash pickup schedule punts our Tuesday to Wednesday. Aw, hell. I hate when I forget about that. I took the barrel out to the street anyway. Tomorrow’s an in-the-office day. Taking the barrel out now saves me about three minutes tomorrow morning. Yippee.

Now, onward to another super fascinating Tuesday. Yippee, again.

Bird

One of the cats was sitting in the window next to my desk, just watching the goings on in the backyard. All of a sudden she FREAKED OUT and ran away. A few minutes later I noticed this:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54466313014

Coincidence?

Easter

Insert joke about a zombie giving up his weekend for our sins.

The plan is to visit Jen’s mother and step father today. It will be a lovely day, I am sure. They have a new cat. The resemblance to our cat Robin is striking. I expect I’ll use the wrong name at least once or twice.

Until then here is a photographic study. First, we have two cats who were pretending to be asleep as I snuck up on them with my camera.

Awake Lily:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54462894402/in/datetaken/

Awake Robin (also, today’s photo a day picture winner):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54464088330/in/datetaken/

Then a couple of hours later I returned to the scene of the crime and found both of them actually sleeping.

Asleep Lily:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54463924264/in/datetaken/

Asleep Robin:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54463927054/in/datetaken/

Cuteness overload. Happy Easter from my cats to yours.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #Kitty #lily #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #z5

Ireland Coast is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. I took these pictures with my Nikon Z5 & 28-75mm 2.8f during the daylight so, not the best at all but also good. #traveldiary #ireland #visitireland #landscape #photography #Nikon #nikonZ5 #lightlovers #traveltheworld

Protests

We tried. Twice. We drove up to Kingston, NH for a protest but when we got there there were only a couple of people holding signs in a park. We changed direction and headed to Billerica, MA where there was a big rally going on in the town common. We tried to stop but there wasn’t any place to park and well… at the risk of TMI… there were full bladder issues that needed attending.

We will do better next time, and I promise there will be a next time. Until then, here’s a cat.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54462513639/in/datetaken/

#50501 #antiFascist #antifa #Cat #handsOff #Kitty #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photography #Politics #protests #robin #trumpIsAFascist #trumpIsANazi #trumpIsEvil #z5

#Loire #Firminy #Architecture #LeCorbusier #UniteDHabitation #SansDessusDessous #UpsideDown #am3-prompt-202516 #Am3 #am3-prompt-202516 #Nikon #Nikonfr #NikonZ5