Lost Aussie on the loose

Out With The Old, In With The New

As 2012 draws to a close and 2013 lies shortly within our grasp I'd like to take this opportunity to bid all my blog, facebook and "real life" friends all the best for the coming year.

This year has been one of many challenges and also one filled with many adventures, blessed by the new friends that I have made along the way, both near and far and enhanced by the ones I already knew.

I'm not sure what 2013 will bring exactly.  In all likelihood a move from Long Island, but to where is not quite certain just yet.  Regardless I look forward to taking you with me and sharing the journey going forward.

To my "big" and "little" sons, I wish you all the very best for 2013, as do I for all my friends, family, students and photography and art pals.

Here's wishing for peace, health, prosperity, political sanity,  a lot more gun control and the confidence to enjoy all the blessings that so many of our forefathers (in all sorts of countries) fought so hard for us to have......

Cheers to you all............

A Little Jail Time

One of the things on my "bucket list" whilst I was in Philly this past week was to visit the East State Penitentiary which I managed to do this afternoon. 

A fascinating spot by all accounts and I used this first visit as a bit of a reconoitre as I know that I want to go back with my tripod and take some different (better) pictures than the hand held ones I managed today.

If you are a texture junkie you will think you have taken the fast track to heaven when you get here... lots of old paint and great colors on the walls.  Wire, stone and plaster - all cracked and peeling away....

Opened in 1829, the prison was iconic in it's time, each cell occupant being kept in solitary confinement with two allotments of 10 minutes each day to exercise outside and the remainder of their day left for "contemplation".
The prison was active until 1970 when the last of the imates were sent to more modern facilities.

One of the most noteable criminals housed in the prison was Al' (Scarface) Capone, arrested for carrying a concealed, deadly weapon.
This was Capone’s first prison sentence. His time in Eastern State was spent in relative luxury. His cell on the Park Avenue Block had fine furniture, oriental rugs, and a cabinet radio.

When the prison was viable there was heating and some modicum of plumbing and "flushing" facilities.  Today however that is all decommissioned and the place is stone cold freezing!  The website admonishes visitors to wrap up warm during winter months and is well worth taking to heart!

A chilly but very very interesting place to visit indeed!

A Little Post Christmas Fun

Cruising around Philadelphia for a little work and a little play today.  Probably the first time I have ever seen a building decorated with whole Christmas trees from top to bottom....

My new  Fisheye lens is da bomb!!  And despite freezing temps and a wind chill factor of even cooler degrees, I scouted around Independence Mall and Penn Landing to give it a bit of a test.

The old buildings hereabouts proved to be great picture fodder and I happily snapped away until my fingers were all about frozen and had to head back to the hotel to get warm.

I hope you are enjoying your post Christmas days and are getting ready for the advent of 2013 in fine style.

A Little Blast From The Past

Fossicking  through old photo albums, as one is wont to do when family are about, for a little show and tell (and embarassment!)... and came across one filled with pix of me when I was VERY much younger.  I must have been 7 or 8 when this photo was taken and my sister about 4.  We were living in Bunbury, Western Australia at the time and as far as I can recall, the first and last time I sat on Santa's knee.

Not sure what I wished for way back then, I think it might have been a second hand bicycle, but this year it's all about Fish's Eyes....and not the wet smelly sort!

In Search of Santa

Apparently 52% of the population believe in Santa, and if you were in any doubt that he exists, we found him in many guises last weekend traipsing around New York during Santacon ... and...in many shapes and sizes, so I guess you could just take your pick...

He even appeared on a skateboard ... along with another curious creature caught out in red....

A Little Seasonal Fun

I'm oh so busy with the Family at the moment and feel a little sad that I have so few moments to post to the Blog or to take pics....

but while my 'glory boys' are here, well, I have to make the most of it, as I am sure you understand...

So for those faithful followers who do keep peeking back now and then, here's a little video experiment....crafted with some photos that I have taken recently....

 

 

Music Credit http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/427932/ccmixter-jamendo

Enjoy.....

And Then There Was Seven...

Our merry band of two sons and two girlfriends have been added to by way of another "mum"  from Australia joining the band to become a semi-permanent member of our Christmas gaggle! Tripping around NYC today we could have made for a grand photo-walk group, and probably did.

We started our day by heading down to Union Square Christmas Markets where I snapped some images and moments that caught my eye.....

and then one or two that were a little more "usual"

and then some that I just had to "wreck" in Photoshop.....starting with a Pop-Up-Shop window decoration...

and ending with....

A grand day out by all accounts and a few nice snaps to add to the collection! :-)

A Not So "Still Life"

Things are busy and on the go at "Casa Otero" with visitors from afar, sightseeing and holiday preparations and trying to fit that all in with the non-stop, no vacation work ethic of DH.

I appreciate the kind comments and emails and am glad that you are still popping by to read the blog even though there is little creativity to be had at the moment..... I think it's a week at least since I even had my camera out!!

I'll leave you with a little "Pear Play" from a few weeks ago when I was messing around in the basement....

Here's hoping that your December is moving along at a spiffy pace!!!!  Mine sure is!!

Stealing Photoshp Moments While I May....

These days are busy, filled with (visiting) family expeditions and exponential cooking and cleaning that comes with the added bodies in the house.

Tomorrow #1 son arrives from his "European Tour" - along with his girlfriend, and our numbers will swell to six.  Quite a departure from 2 humans and 3 cats which is our usual score.

Not too many moments to "do my own thing".... however there's a Member's Gallery Show at the Art League next week for which I had to prepare and frame some work so I have spent the evening locked away in the Studio getting that sorted out and since everyone else was busy doing their own thing, I took the opportunity to "play" a little.....

Ergo this  "Fractured Thought" piece...

....rather apropos at the moment....

Retouching a Vintage Portrait in Photoshop ...and A Story

Scroll back almost a day or so ago and I am talking to my Dad in Perth (13hrs ahead of me) in what amounts to my wee small hours..... and we are chatting about this that and the next thing.... and amongst other things, he was bemoaning the fact that he had no luck digitally "fixing" an old photograph of his father, and I like the good daughter offered to 'fix' it for him! Ha!

No small feat as this photograph was taken probably late 1913 or early 1914 just at the beginning of World War One!! ...well before the thought of film ratings and ISO settings and almost every image that was shot was a long exposure!  Ergo lots of noise.  Add the destruction of time to the fragile prints and I sort of wondered at what I had bitten off to chew....

Well challenge accepted and with some judicious cloning at 500%, pixel by pixel, painting in contrast with luminosity layers and the help of Silver Efex Pro2 to get an even B&W color I am almost happy with the retouch and I hope Dad will be too.

And as for the story part...... My Grandfather (on my Dad's side) was an interesting character (you can read about my other Grandfather here) .
This one was a Major in the British Royal Artillery and if you ever saw the movie War Horse then you might have some idea of what I'm talking about as he was responsible for the  Cavalry at his post and the care and welfare of the many horses and guns that were sent into battle during WW1 from where he was stationed.
Miraculously he survived the Battle of the Somme but returned home suffering from severe shell shock and took a long time to recuperate.

Sadly as a child I did not get to see him often and by the time I would have been able to have a sensible conversation with him he had passed away.  I do wonder though at the stories he might have had to have told.....

So a little toast to "Grandpa S" ...I hope you like your spiffy makeover and yes, I see a chip off the old block here and there....visited in the faces of my sons....