December 06, 2007
Prague Cityscape
Prague's Vltava River and cityscape during the last few moments of golden hour. Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS lens.
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December 02, 2007
Dawn on the Charles Bridge
An unusually peaceful moment on the Charles Bridge in Prague. During most of the day, this place is crowded with tourists and vendors. Canon 24-105 f/4L lens at f/14, 10 sec, iso 100.
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November 27, 2007
Mala Strana
A rainy evening in the Mala Strana quarter of Prague. Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens at 64mm, .6 sec, f/4 .
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November 21, 2007
Prague Buildings
Looking up at the colorful building facades in Prague. Canon 24-105 f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/320 sec, iso 200.
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November 13, 2007
Tower Bridge
From last month's trip to Europe, here's a view of the Tower Bridge in London. Canon 24-105mm f/4L lS lens at 24mm, f/16, iso 100, 13 sec.
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August 16, 2007
Towers
Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens at 131mm, f/10, 1/160. Towers of Saint Augustine Cathedral, Tucson, Arizona.
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March 31, 2007
Cathedral by Candlelight
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 45mm, f/2.8. Still life inside the Santa Marina Dei Frari church in Venice, Italy.
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February 26, 2007
Atlanta
Tamron 28-75mm lens at 37mm, f/13, 10 sec. Just returned from a short trip to Atlanta.
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February 20, 2007
The Campanille
Canon 24mm f/3.5L TSE at f/4, 1/200, iso 200. Venice, Italy. Something a little different for today. This was one of my first experiments with tilt and shift.
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February 18, 2007
Venice Lamp Revisited
Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens at 200mm, f/4.
Canon 24mm-f/3.5 TSE at f/9.
I decided to mine my Venice archives again, and found various angles on the lamps in the Piazza San Marco. This first composition was my favorite, but here are two other perspectives.
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January 26, 2007
Tough Kitty
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 75mm, f/5, 1/250 sec., iso 200. Burano, Italy. It's been a while since I posted a gratuitous cat photo. This little guy isn't as tough as he looks. Seconds after the capture, he was purring in my hands. Cats have a tendency to come running to be petted as soon as they see you getting close to the ground. This is perhaps the biggest challenge in cat photography. :)
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January 23, 2007
Chair
Canon 17-40mm f/4 lens at 29mm, f/7.1. Another scene from La Placita. The chair was part of a cafe table setup outside a restaurant. I normally don't alter the arrangement of scenes to photograph them, not because I have something against that, but because I'm timid and a little bit lazy. But nobody was looking here and I couldn't resist. I posed the chair in the corner and stretched myself over the table to photograph it.
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January 21, 2007
Steps
Canon 70-200 f/4 at 200mm, f/4.5. La Placita Village, Tucson, Arizona. I wish I had brought my tripod with me for this shot. The two-dimensional effect I was going for would have been more dramatic with a smaller aperture.
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January 19, 2007
Lamp
Canon 70-200mm f/4 at 163mm, f/4.5. La Placita Village, Tucson, Arizona.
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January 18, 2007
Saguaro at Sundown
I just got back from Tucson, Arizona. Surrounded by scenic mountains, Tucson is a great place to visit if you enjoy hiking. Winters are generally mild (though it was unsually cold while we were there), and the terrain is very interesting, with tall saguaro cacti growing all over the hillsides. These photos were taken on the Valley View Overlook Trail in Saguaro National Park West.
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October 25, 2006
U.S. Capitol
Canon 17-40mm-f/4 lens at 17mm, f/9. Don't forget to vote on November 7. Maryland Elections Website.
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October 17, 2006
Vermont Farmhouse
Morning light on a farmhouse. Canon 70-200mm-f/4 lens at 145mm, f/16. A few days ago, Mike and I drove to the Vermont town of Woodstock in the hopes of enjoying some colorful New England foliage. We discovered when we got there that we had just missed the show. The leaves were past their peak color and most of the trees in the countryside were bare. Even so, I thought it was a beautiful place, and I would definitely like to go back there in a future autumn roadtrip.
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September 15, 2006
Luminous Altar
Tamron 28-75mm-f/2.8 lens at 54mm. The Notre Dame Basilica, with it's colorful interior, is one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen. It's definitely worth a peek inside if you are ever in Montreal.
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September 13, 2006
Vieux-Montreal
Canon 24mm-f/3.5 TSE at f/3.5.
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September 06, 2006
Palais des Congres
Canon 17-40mm-f/4L at 19mm, f/8, 1/200 sec. As usual, a new entry on this blog means that I'm back from a trip. Here is downtown Montreal as seen through the colorful glass panels of the Palais des Congres.
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August 22, 2006
Doge's Palace
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 48mm, f/6.3. In the courtyard of the Doge's Palace. Venice, Italy.
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July 06, 2006
Lamp
Tamron 28-75mm lens at 28mm, f/2.8. A lamp at the Piazza San Marco. Looking back at my favorite photos from Venice, I'm struck by how often I used my Tamron 28-75 lens. I also had with me a canon 17-40 f/4, a canon 24mm f/3.5 TSE, and a canon 70-200mm f/4 with me, but the Tamron 28-75 turned out to be the most useful as a walk-about lens because of its light weight and its useful range. It was on my camera more than any other lens, which is why I was devastated when its auto focus motor broke early in the trip. I'm going to send it back to Tamron, and I hope they'll make good on the warranty.
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July 04, 2006
Buildings and Bridges
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 50mm, f/11. A friend commented that my photos make it look as though we had Venice to ourselves. However, much of the time the city was very crowded. June is definitely in the peak tourist season. But at certain times of day, and in certain parts of the city, it was quite peaceful. If I remember right, today's scene was enjoyed at around 6 in the morning, so I did feel like I had the place to myself.
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June 29, 2006
Broom
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 62mm, f/2.8. A little scene from a corridor in Burano.
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June 27, 2006
Cats of Burano
Gold and Grey
Corner Cat
Historically, cats have enjoyed a special status as the protectors of Venice against rats and plague. In Venice itself, we did not see as many strays as I was lead to expect. In Burano, however, there was an ample supply.
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June 26, 2006
Houses of Burano
Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens at 200mm, f/8. One of our favorite photographic trips was to Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon well known for its vibrantly colored houses. It was a very pleasant place to wander with a camera.
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June 23, 2006
Reflections
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 75mm, f/2.8. Reflections in a gondola parking lot.
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June 22, 2006
Venice at Night
Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens at 100mm, f/4, 2.5 sec.. Another quiet Venetian scene. The canals are especially calm at night without all the motorboats and gondole.
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June 21, 2006
La Serenissima
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens at 75mm f/2.8. Away from the frenzy of the tourist areas, La Serenissima remains true to her name.
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June 20, 2006
Cafe
Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens at 94mm, f/4. One of the many outdoor cafes in San Marco on a strangely uncrowded afternoon.
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June 19, 2006
Venice
Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 at 75mm, f/2.8. Gondole and a street lamp. I had a wonderful time photographing Venice. For this trip, I tried to take more photos that encorporate entire scenes (instead of patterned close-ups) and give a sense of place, because I believe this is one of the weaker aspects of my photography.
This photo of gondole and a street lamp was taken near the Piazza San Marco with San Giorgio Maggiore in the background. Mike and I never took a gondola ride because they going at the price of 80 euro per half hour. But still, it was fun to watch the gondole go by, and the gondoliers seem rather nice and tolerant of photographers (photo).
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May 25, 2006
Scenes from Sarasota
We were in Sarasota earlier this month, which is known for its pretty beaches. Both these photos were taken on Longboat Key, the first behind our hotel and the second at Coquina Beach.
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April 02, 2006
Cherry Blossom Festival
The Yoshino cherry trees in D.C. are in full bloom right now, in perfect timing with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. I recommend seeing the tidal basin area half an hour before sunset. The sight of all the cherry blossoms glowing in the golden light is spectacular.
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February 04, 2006
Nautilus
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January 30, 2006
Radio City Music Hall
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November 27, 2005
Inside the Kimmel Center
Canon 5D, Tamon 28-75mm lens. If you find yourself in Philadelphia, a visit to the Kimmel Center is definitely worth it. I just wandered in, but if you're shy about this kind of thing, they do offer tours of this magnificent building to the public daily at 1PM.
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November 20, 2005
Marigot Bay
Canon 300D, Tamron 28-75mm lens. From this summer's archives, view from a catamaran in Marigot Bay, St. Lucia.
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November 01, 2005
Memory
A child's bedroom in Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts. Canon 5D, tamron 28-75mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 200. This weekend Mike and I took a roadtrip to Bethel, Maine to see one of my best friends from college get married. The town of Sturbridge was one of our stops along the way.
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October 20, 2005
Corners
The National Gallery East Wing in D.C.
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October 16, 2005
Curves
The glass roof of the Kimmel Center. Philadelphia, PA.
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October 15, 2005
Liberty Place
Detail from the Liberty Place building in Philadelphia.
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September 07, 2005
Sunburst
View from our ship as we were out at sea. My husband is a tad sore about this photo. We were both relaxing on the deck, and I had sent him to get us drinks. While he was at the bar, this spectacular sunburst appeared, and by the time he got back, it was gone.
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September 06, 2005
Souvenirs
A tourist shop alley in Philipsburg, St. Maarten. Tamron 28-75mm lens, f/8, 1/50 sec, iso 100. It's been a very eventful couple of weeks. I got married (we eloped) and then went on a cruise to the southern Caribbean to celebrate.
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July 19, 2005
Union Station
Last week, I went to D.C. to meet up with a friend from high school who was visiting the area. Even though I was a little late getting to our meeting, I couldn't help but to stop and fire off a few shots at Union Station as I was passing through. As I was taking this photo, I heard some guy passing me exclaim, "What the $#% are you taking a picture of?" A year ago, such a comment would've really embarassed me, but at this point I've gotten so used to taking photos in odd places that I no longer mind. I have the feeling that many better compositions can be made of the pretty, patterned ceiling than my centered approach. Maybe next time.
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July 02, 2005
Architecture
The Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. What I like best about Frank Gehry's creations is how they reflect the color of their surroundings.
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June 30, 2005
Triangularity
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June 19, 2005
Lone Tree
From last month's trip to Sarasota, Florida.
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May 23, 2005
Art Deco Transom
This is one I dug up from last month's trip to NYC.
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May 12, 2005
Sarasota Colors
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May 08, 2005
Sarasota Sunset
Greetings from Sarasota, FL. I'm here for 6 days at a conference on Vision Science, where we're enjoying really nice weather and white sandy beaches.
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April 26, 2005
Structure
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April 17, 2005
Framed
At the MoMA.
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April 14, 2005
Hieroglyphics
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April 13, 2005
Cubicles
This was taken from my hotel room during a recent visit to NYC for a neuroscience conference. I took advantage of the beautiful spring weather to get out and do some photography, so my next series of posts will be from this trip. While I was there, I also managed to pick up a new 70-200mm f/4 L lens from B&H, which happens to be an excellent place to lose one's money.
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March 16, 2005
Trinity Church
Here is another image from my brief visit to Boston this past weekend. This is the altar at Trinity Church in Copley Square. I'd be curious to know whether you like this version or the one in black and white better.
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March 11, 2005
The Funhouse
The Stata Center at MIT, designed by architect Frank Gehry.
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February 26, 2005
Blue Benches
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February 23, 2005
QVB
From the archives, this was taken in the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney.
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February 17, 2005
Crossing the Dames Point Bridge
Another image from my trip to Jacksonville, FL.
I have a bit of news to share, which is that I've just signed on as a photographer with the stock agency Acclaim Images. This move will shape the direction of my photography somewhat, as I'm now exploring what kind of images will sell. I obviously have a lot to learn, and I'm finding this all really exciting!
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January 21, 2005
Midwestern Shapes and Lines
My cousin's house in Kansas. Konica Minolta Dimage A200.
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January 01, 2005
Traveling
A tunnel at Chicago O'hare Airport. I also have an alternative version here
which shows the ceiling in greater detail.
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December 02, 2004
Wattamola Lagoon 2
Canon A70
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November 29, 2004
Wattamola Lagoon
Canon A70
This photo, though technically rather crappy, is special to me as a memento of Wattamola Lagoon, one of the most beautiful places I visited in the Sydney area this summer. Sadly, I'm dragging out old photos from the hard drive to post, because the only landscapes I've seen lately are the inside of my office and the library.
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November 27, 2004
Sydney Seagull
An old favorite; A seagull stands guard outside the Sydney Opera House.
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November 22, 2004
Window on the City
Taken from the skyway downtown, this image sums up my impressions of Minneapolis--a nice city, but one best enjoyed from indoors.
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Goodbye, Minneapolis
It was cold, windy, and wet for most of the conference, which really didn't bother me, because I didn't have time to explore much of it anyway. One rainy afternoon, I spent an hour wandering around in the skyway, a network of indoor walkways that spans the downtown area. (I took the photo above during this expedition.) It relieved me to see that the natives had the sense to build these weather-protective tunnels. I guess they're not all masochists, after all. Though I didn't get to see much else of the city, I was very impressed by a number of good restaurants, like Dakota, Sawatdee, and New Delhi. To me, food is definitely the most important measure of any area. So Minneapolis, you get a thumbs up from me in spite of your lousy climate!
On the last day of the conference, the weather finally cleared up. So in my final hours in Minneapolis, I saw downtown from the outside and made a trek to see the famous "Spoonbridge and Cherry" sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.
Tower
Spoonbridge and Cherry
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November 04, 2004
Colors for Sale
A display of shirts from a vendor in San Diego's old town market.
This is my entry for Photofriday.com's "still life" challenge.
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November 03, 2004
Old Town, San Diego
I'd really like to take more pictures of people on the street, but as a shy person, I'm usually pretty hesitant about approaching them. However, the few times I've worked up the nerve to ask someone if I can take their picture, they've been happy to let me do it. Of course, I've mostly approached street performers, who are probably natural exhibitionists. But hey, it's a start...
A musician in Old Town Historical Park.
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November 02, 2004
Balboa Park, San Diego
A lily pond. The color on the water is the reflection of a sand colored building in the light of the setting sun.
The Museum of Man.
Posted by claire-obscure at 01:19 PM | Comments (5)