How To Take a Picture

So I am showing these photographs in reverse order.  "How to take a picture" works like this, at least today.  I saw a mother and father sitting on the rocks above the harbor.  Way over to their left their three boys were wading in the water.  They were too far apart to get them in one photograph.  So, looking at the photograph below, I concentrated on the boys as they waded out further in the water.  I took about 6 photographs, and it was all about the relationship between the boys and which way they were facing and how far apart they were.  So the photo below was the best one, with what I thought was the best arrangement.  Sort of how did the shapes arranged make the best photo.

So now we can go back to the first photograph.  Eventually the boys waded in far enough so that they were now closer to their mom in the same frame.  So I started shooting as they moved around, and their mom had her hand in her hair.  I guess I did about 6 photographs because everyone was changing places quickly.  So the first photograph is my favorite from both sets of images.

 

Blue & Blue & White

Tuesday is Dunkin' at the beach, as usual.  After sitting in the car with our coffee, tea and our donuts, we got out and walked a little.  We went up to a tree that I have photographed so many times, and sat on a bench that looked north.  Here is Kathy sitting on the bench.  You do recognize this tree, right?

Anyhow on this clear morning we had no idea what a beautiful view it was to the north with blue water, blue sky and a deck of clouds cutting through the photograph!  So that view was so striking that we have decided from now on to have our coffee and donuts while sitting on this bench!  If it's not raining, of course!  Please be sure and click on the first photograph to see it larger.  It is a stunning photograph!

 

Memorial Day, 2026 - Flags but no Parade

Unfortunately, it was raining early this morning, and was still sprinkling when the Sea Cliff Memorial Day Parade would have started at 9:00 AM.  So, sadly, no parade this year.  But they did put out the American flags on all the lamp posts.  By the time I drove up to Sea Cliff avenue thinking I would take a photograph like this, it was closer to 10:00 AM and the streets were almost dry.  I have discussed an article written by a Newsday writer back in 1985 where he talked of the Memorial Day parades he used to watch in his small town in Maine and when he went back, they no longer had a parade.  It made me realize that there were parades every year here in Sea Cliff on Memorial Day, and so I started attending them each year because of the importance of honoring those who sacrificed their lives in war. So I am sorry that the weather didn't cooperate this year.  But I wanted to make note of Memorial Day, in some way, in the blog.

 

Strange Shapes in the Dark

I woke up one morning, sleeping the the guest bedroom and Liz and Sarah's.  There were these strange dark shaped in the early light before dawn.  I knew what they were but they seemed so strange to me.  So I got out of bed, got my camera and got back in bed and took this photograph.  What you are seeing is my towel, hung on one post of the four-poster bed. In the middle of the photograph, bottom is a "cat tree" I think they are called.  There is a central stalk and then three sort of "baskets" with soft material in them where cats can sleep.  You see one completely and then the other has some stuff in it.  I just thought that this was such a different picture because of the strange shapes.

Look at This Bread!

You all know that Kathy is a first rate bread baker, right?  Well, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.  Liz baked these loaves of bread when we were in Los Angeles!  These are beyond stunning and they were absolutely delicious.  What is amazing is that these loaves of bread look like they had come from a professional bakery!  Everything is perfect about them.  Bread baking is a mystery to me because of all the things involved that a baker has to know.  And then you have to know how to fix all the problems if a loaf doesn't come out perfectly, and both Kathy an Liz are experts at this as well.  Fresh, hot bread! Yummmmm.

 

Windows and Trees

                               

I often walk with Liz when she brings the dogs out walking in the neighborhood and I am always finding new photographs.  What's funny is that over the years she and Sarah have been in their house, we sort of take the same route over and over.  So I have passed many of the scenes many times.  And then one day, I suddenly see a photograph!  That is the case with this photograph.  It is the side of a really large church that I have passed so often.  It is Zion Hill Baptist Church, a huge and beautiful building.  But on this day, I saw the strange shapes of the trees against the pattern of the windows and there was my photograph. I like this a lot.

Doing Some Painting

We have had these four small pieces of wicker on the front porch for about 30 years or so, along with a large wicker chair and a larger table.  The wicker is old and eventually the white paint fades and the wicker gets dirty and looks awful.  So I paint it all maybe every 8 years or so.  But using an automobile spray gun and compressor, the paint has to be thinned and I would put three coats on the wicker and it would only look OK.  So I bought a new HPLV spray gun that you hold in your hand and it plugs into an extension cord.  No air compressor required!  And it sprays a much thicker latex paint.  This time the wicker almost looks brand new!  With only one coat of paint!  Wow, so much easier.

So here are five of the pieces back on the porch, looking almost brand new!  What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to get all of these painted, over a two day period.  The porch now looks so much nicer!