Is it time to get up?

Gloucester Township, NJ

Our cats are always sleeping. Just some times they take our bed.

East Point Lighthouse, NJ

We took a drive down to East Point Lighthouse. As we were walking around the light I watched the sun pass behind and liked the silhouette.

Archway over the Schuylkill

Market Street Bridge

Philadelphia, PA

There are many things about Philadelphia that I love. One, of course, is being there walking the streets with my husband and photographing all her beauty. Footsin' in Philadelphia one day brought us to the Market Street Bridge. I've always said that Bill has a keener eye for patterns, lines and colors in photograhy then I do. He saw this statue attached to the side of the Market Street Bridge, the arch underneath and the colors that formed on the sides of the bridge brought about by water dripping over the edge. In the dark room (read on the computer) he was able to bring out the contrast between light and dark.

Bill and I are a lot alike and a lot different. For instance, I spent two years taking French and barely made it through French II. Bill took four years of Spanish and still can translate. He still practices his Spanish. What does that have to do with these images? The first is called "The Spider and the Fox". The second is "El Zorro". If you have taken Spanish you should know the answer. The two images below are from the same slide of a spider web he photographed in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Each has been cropped to portray a particular iamges.

The Spider and the Fox

Pine Barrens, NJ

El Zorro

Pine Barrens, NJ

Grafitti #1

Another day of footsin' in Philadelphia and Bill and I stopped at this building with grafitti on the door frame and siding. At the time I liked the colors and thought that it made nice patterns. I took a photo of each side of the door frame. Grafitti artists are quite good but I don't like to give credence to their work. I hate to see someone destroy another person's property. If the artist channelled that same talent in a legitimate way we might see a lot of good artists out there.

I took a look at the photo and tried to see what lies inside the image. I wanted to have my brain draw out an inner image. I call it that for I'm not sure what else to call it when I take my photograph and by using the contrast or hue and saturation controls of the computer program create a new abstract. Below is what came out of Grafitti #1. It is my version of the "Peaceable Kingdom".

Peaceable Kingdom, Philadelphia, PA

Crystal Grasses, Gloucester Township, NJ

Today it is in the teens and for the first time January is really cold. Like yesterday's image, I pulled one from the ice storm years ago. It was like looking at crystal glass in that field. Every blade of dried grass covered in ice. Instead of crystal glasses we had crystal grasses.

Field of Ice, Gloucester Township, NJ

The field is gone now. It is a driving range and miniature golf course. For one beautiful afternoon it was an ice field. Every piece of grace or tree was sheathed in cold, beautiful ice.

Whelk egg capsules, Atlantic City, NJ

Footsin down the beach we found lots of seaweed and shells after a winter storm passed by. Among some seaweed was a necklace that made up the whelk egg capsules.

Snow Shoes, Pine Hill, NJ

Caught in the act. I'd left my hiking shoes outside and after it snowed Bill photographed them covered with the white stuff.

Snow and Picket Fence, Pine Hill, NJ

This scene reminds me of the days when families put up old wooden picket fences around their properties. We had moved here to Pine Hill 2 yrs before this photo was taken. When it began to snow we'd start walking around the neighborhood and found these 2 big monolith stone posts and picket fence in need of a good coat of paint. That fence reminds me of times gone by. I took the picture on that snowy morning the fence and snow had made it just perfect. The original image was a color slide, but after working with it on the computer I realized that it was just as nice in black and white.

Ice Covered, Gloucester Township, NJ

Today it is freezing outside. More like the January weather we expect not what we've been having where the temperaturre stays in the 50's and 60's. This kind of cold reminded Bill and I of the day we had a freezing rain fall during the night. I had to go to my job (emergency personnel have no choice). The ice had brought down wires and the heater which was controlled by electricity was not on. We worked wearing winter coats, we had to send out for hot coffee, ate lunch in the office. It was cold and slippery outside. After work which ended at 3:15PM, I came home and picked up Bill. The sun had come out and the ice that covered everything was sparkling.

The first image is the original of a bushes branch covered in ice against the blue sky. Bill worked on the middle image and likes that the best. In keeping with my tradition of never leaving anything alone I worked on the third and final image to create "Pointing Dog".

Ice Covered No. 1

Ice Covered No. 2

Pointing Dog

Mushrooms Again, Berlin, NJ

Mushrooms are very hard for us to identify. So we are left to photograph for their beauty. They have such great colors, shapes and tectures. Maybe someday we will learn their names.

Dune and Erosion, Atlantic City, NJ

Beach erosion and the loss of dunes is an ongoing battle on the barrier islands.

Snow at Millbridge Pond, Gloucester Township, NJ

Walking down to the pond and marvelling at the snow. So far this year not even a trace in our neighborhood. The forecast for tomorrow says maybe some snow. If so, maybe we will go for a walk in the snow.

Looking Toward Ben Franklin Bridge and NJ

Philadelphia, PA

It was the winter of 2003 and we'd had snow and the Delaware River had large chunks of ice floating as the tide moved back and forth. We had to be careful of where we walked as snow was still piled on city sidewalks. Bill and I decided to take the tour of City Hall tower. It was awesome as we looked north up Broad Street then East toward the bridge and NJ. Bill took the above photo by getting real close to the window trying to take out the glare. What a great feeling to look up at the hand on the Billy Penn statue by Alexander Milne Calder. We were so close, the hand so big.

On Frozen Pond, Great Egg Harbor River

New Brooklyn Park, Winslow Township, NJ

There is a park in Winslow Township, NJ, called New Brooklyn Park. The Great Egg Harbor River runs throught it. We've been there in all seasons. Here the ice was just beginning to freeze where the river looks like a pond. Up river beaver had created a dam and the edge of the river overflowed. We have seen eastern bluebirds, American bald eagles, Baltimore orioles, woodchucks and at least one otter on the river. People play ball, fish and canoe. It's a nice place to go to and get away from our busy lives we lead.

Walking the dog, Pine Hill, NJ

Here it is January 15th and it feels like spring. Will we ever see snow again. Just a few years ago during a really big storm, we walked around the neighborhood. Even dogs needs to get out.

Abstract #1, Philadelphia, PA

We were walking, footsin' again in Philadelphia when we came across this cement wall with rust forming a shell-like pattern. I took the photograph and filed it away as the title abstract. I liked the cracks in the cement and rust colors. Today I decided to put the image on our blog. I am trying to show that an abstract can be photographed as well as created on the computer. In the "Man Escaping" image from December where I used the "contrast and brightness" selection of Ulead, I decided to leave the image as it was. I saved it only as abstract. Never one to leave something alone, I began to make a second image. A little brightness here, hue and saturation there and out comes the image below, "Abstract: Man walking into an angry storm".

Man walking into an angry storm, Philadelphia, PA

C is for Cat, Pine Hill, NJ

Try paying the bills with someone watching your every move.

Capitol Complex, Trenton, NJ

A trip on NJ Transit's River Link and we arrived at Trenton, our state capital. A beautiful day. The architecture in Trenton needs to be explored more. There is also its outdoor artworks. Another footsin experience.

Waves # 2, Atlantic City, NJ

Waves # 1, Atlantic City, NJ

Which wave image captures the feel of the ocean crashing? Bill often remarks about the green tint seen as the wave crests and turns over. The film image hints of the color of the sky. On the computer the photographer can capture both.

Glove and Snowflakes, Gloucester Township, NJ

We had been out walking, the snow started to fall when I saw this old leather glove. I decided to photograph it. It was stuck to the asphalt at a nearby shopping center. I was reminded of the "infamous black glove" and OJ Simpson.

Snow Cones

Atlantic City, NJ

It was eleven years ago when the Philadelphia area was hit with a blizzard and 30 inches of snow dropped on our South Jersey home. We had made plans to attend a photographic seminar in Alantic City, NJ. Our reservations were made. We were going to stay overnight at Resorts. The seminar was cancelled but we went to the hotel anyway. The boardwalk and beach were covered with snow. It was beautiful and awesome, snow on the boards and the roar of the ocean.

Ice Trees Before Sunset, Gloucester Township, NJ

The beauty of using the computer to the dark room, an old slide that was poorly taken and filed away can become something more interesting. This image was horribly under exposed and the trees frozen from the ice storm were nearly black the ice looked like Christmas lights. The slide was copied onto the computer with a very interesting result.

Snow and Ice at Millbridge Pond, Gloucester Township, NJ

Snow covered the ground around our old apartment. We got up early and walked down to what we called Millbridge Pond. The pond was nearly frozen. Everything was foggy and white. And quiet. And beautiful.

Kelp, Atlantic City, NJ

More footsin' in AC. Walking along the surf. A winter storm had washed seaweed onto the beach.

Night on the Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ

We stayed at Resorts and went out to get some night shots. The Taj Mahal and Showboat casinos shine even on a winter's night.

Ice at Garden Pier, Atlantic City, NJ

In 2005 it was a very cold January. Not like today where forecasters say it may reach low 60's. We were footsin' again on the beach at Atlantic City, NJ. When we reached Garden Pier we saw that the waves had left water on much of the pier and that water was frozen.

Reflection of an A, Gloucester Township, NJ

It was the winter of 1983 and we had a real cold spell with the local pond frozen. Bill and I walked around the edge of the water until he found the edge frozen. The trees were making a reflection. Fast forward to 2007 where with the help of the computer the letter 'A' shines through.

Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, North Wildwood, NJ

We took a ride on a mild winter day to Cape May County, first stopping at the zoo and then a quick run to see Hereford inlet lighthouse. They changed it's colors from white to pale green. We spent time updating our stock of photos.

New Year's Day, 2007

It was announced that the Mummers' Parade has been postponed until January 6, 2007. We don't go over to the parade a lot. In fact, as a couple, we have been there only once in 1991. It was the first time for me. But my husband had been there before. He grew up in Philadelphia. For both of us growing up with the Mummers' Parade on New Year's Day is a tradition. For me it was watching the parade at my grandparents' house. For Bill, well his parents liked to watch it on the television as well. After Bill left the Army in the early 70's, he went to the parade in 1973 and captured the excitement and beauty of the people and their costumes. In 1991 we went together. Below are several photos taken during the only 2 times we have ever seen the parade live.

Mummer's Parade, 1973

Philadelphia, PA

Fancy

Bring on the clowns

The people

The colors


Mummers' Parade, 1991

The bright costumes




Getting ready


Going up Broad Street