The best nature photography causes you to say something spontaneous. Maybe it’s just “wow”, but something. “Spectacular” is my reaction to the photostream of Bryce Bradford. There are so many great pics to pick from, any could […]
Category: Living
Gregory Peck: The Eyes Have It
Apologies for going dark, letting Flickr a Day run on automatic (as I keep about a week’s worth of advanced photos primed to post). Wednesday afternoon, May 6, I picked up my first new pair of eyeglasses in six years, resulting in downward spiral of my vision rather than upwards. I couldn’t much read or write, which is why the absence. My wrong assumption: Customary adjustment period for aging eyes that require severe astigmatic correction and progressive lenses with bifocals. Wrong guess.
I have returned to using my old eyeglasses while the others go out for redo. I see so well, the temptation to demand refund and keep the aged pair is almost overwhelming. Almost. 🙂
Flickr a Day 128: ‘Sleepy Raccoon’
Italian Riccardo Palazzani is a Star Trek fan, not that you would ever guess from his personal website. His photostream is more down to earth, and today’s selection is typical. He prefers nature to people, […]
Friends Forever?
My 20 year-old daughter moves home this week after two years of living elsewhere—college dorm, then group home. She will take our bedroom, in a swap with her parents. As part of the preparation, my […]
Flickr a Day 123: Rescue Dog
John Bell and his dog Darcy search for survivors in Chautara, which is northeast of Kathmandu, Nepal, following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on April 25, 2015. The UK Department for International Development uploaded the […]
Flickr a Day 122: Baby is Born
Once again, our attention turns to Nepal and the relief effort following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated parts of the country on April 25, 2015. Here, a baby is born at the Israel Defense Services […]
Flickr a Day 121: Teen Rescue
We commemorate rather than celebrate May Day with the first of three photos documenting the aftermath of the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. Yesterday, rescuers pulled 15 year-old Pemba […]
Apple Fiscal Q2 2015 Snapshot
If there be ghosts, Tim Cook should expect sleepless nights ahead. Surely Steve Jobs can’t stand to be so overshadowed by his successor, who takes Apple where the cofounder couldn’t: Massive earnings and margins. Today, after the closing bell, the company reported yet another ridiculously blow-out quarter, largely lifted by iPhone. If the smartphone market ever collapses, Apple Armageddon will follow. In the present, momentum is unstoppable.
Some perspective: Apple’s net income was more than two-and-half times Microsoft’s during the same time period (calendar Q1 2015)—and 3.8 times that of Google. To reiterate, those comparisons are put-in-the-bank profits, not revenues. By the numbers: $58 billion in sales, $13.6 net income, and $2.33 earnings per share. Wall Street consensus was $56 billion revenue and $2.16 EPS. Year over year, revenue rose 26.6 percent and net sales by 33 percent.
Flickr a Day 111: ‘Ferrara Busker Festival’
Today’s selection is another lesson in perspective, and also composition. July Pastorello focuses on a partial subject, yet enough for us to understand the activity, while using the people watching as background canvas that compels you […]
Epitaph
On a blustery night in February 1978, I sat in my college dorm gripped with writer’s block. A song lyric wouldn’t come, so I decided to write a poem; a rarity. Pure poetry isn’t my thing. The verse is short, and I decided then, at age 18, that it would someday be my epitaph.
I originally posted the poem with title “Lay Me Down” on Jan. 31, 2004, when this blog resided at TypePad. Rather than restore the original post, I revive instead.
Flickr a Day 108: Bus Ride
Early Micro Fourth Thirds and oddballs like the Sigma DP1 led affordable, mirrorless cameras to popularity. Among the key benefits: Convenience of a rangefinder, like the one used on Day 87, but for much less cost; physically smaller size; and lenses that are less bulky. The DP line, like the Fuji X100 series or the Leica X1 and X2, stand out for being compacts with fixed lenses and APS-C sensors common among digital SLRs. Another, the Sony Cyber-Shot RX1, and companion RX1R, up the ante by offering something more: full-frame sensor.
A full-frame sensor is typically 24mm by 36mm with an effective focal point of 35mm. APS-C is cropped, by comparison, adding an effective multiple of around 1.5 times (depending on the camera) to the lens’ focal length. Full frame captures more detail, suffers from fewer visual artifacts, and produces better results in natural or low-light. You pay more, too. Either RX1 retails for around $2,800—for camera with fixed, non-interchangeable lens.
Justin Kern used the RX1 to shoot today’s selection, which I chose for its detail, rich color, and stark contrast—perspective smartly split between the bus interior and the road outside. Vitals: f/2, ISO 125, 1/80 sec, 35mm.
Big Cat in a Small Tree
Neko is primarily an indoor cat, but we do take him out for brief jaunts in the apartment complex courtyard. While he’s not trim, our bulky boy can still climb when motivated. Here he finds […]