Abandoned Architecture

I went to Sears this afternoon to get a new router to build my telescope with. When I got out of my car in the parking lot, this is what I saw. I was struck by how uninviting this building is. I think that at one time there was an entrance at this end of the building, but now it is boarded up, in a fancy kind of way. I went around to the front where the real entrance is, and that is not inviting either. What puzzles me is why I never noticed this before. It would be interesting to find out when this building was built. I have been coming here ever since moving to Long Island in November of 1966. My friend Jimmie Moose Wildey has always said that my world began and ended at Sears! :-) That was because I was always here buying tools and things I needed to work on the house.

Accidental

Sometimes I scare myself. I was photographing one of the Lilac bushes in the yard, and was using a close up lens to concentrate on the blooms. I spent a fair amount of time trying differing compositions and was pretty happy with the results. And then I happened to look down! There was a dandelion at my feet, growing out of a crack in the driveway! I was surprised to see that it was in its seed stage. I wondered what it is called when the dandelion goes "white" so I looked it up in Wikipedia, perhaps my favorite online resource. Here is what it said: "The flower head matures into a spherical "clock" (also known as "wishies") containing many single-seeded fruits (achenes). Each achene is attached to a pappus of fine hairs, which enable wind-aided dispersal over long distances." I LOVE knowing stuff like this! Anyhow, I started exploring the "clock" with my closeup lens. I included the whole Dandelion in the frame. Here is where the accident happened... I used the magnify function on the LCD to see if the image was in focus, and was stunned to see how much more interesting the photograph was if I was REALLY close. So then I moved in and made this image. The accidental image, indeed!

Abstract Expression

I was sitting having lunch at ICP last week (I know, I am cheating - this blog is called "A Picture EACH Day." Well, you are getting a picture each day, that was taken on this day... *most* of the time.) Anyhow, sorry I got distracted there... So I looked over at these chairs, and the captured my attention for some reason. Mirror image sort of? I don't know, but I started fooling with the composition to see what I could make from it. This is the result. It's the little thingies at both the right and left edges of the frame that make this interesting, in my opinion.

The Mistake

So I am driving down a back road and come to a red light. I looked out to the left and saw a sea of tulips in the sunlight! Wow! Grabbed the Nikon and jumped out of the car and started shooting. I was so excited, that I didn't even check the exposure carefully on the first shot! It was over-esposed. Then I settled down and shot about 30 photographs with varying compositions, When it was time to choose one of the images, I was taken by the first exposure. It looked like an impressionistic painting in some ways, with the pastel colors. So here it is - my mistake!

Choo-Choo

I am always looking, of course. Even when I am standing around waiting for a train, I am looking. Which is where I was the other day, in the LIRR Jamaica Station, waiting for the Oyster Bay train. I didn't see anything right away, but then there was something about the "jagged" dark line of the roof overhead. So I grabbed my toy camera and fiddled with the composition, and this seemed to be the right way to frame it. To me it doesn't look like any identifiable type of architecture, which is why I like it.

The Delicate Colors of Spring

I love this time of early spring. One day there are almost no colors, and the next, there are delicate shades of color everywhere. It won't be long before all the subtle shades of green will all change to the darker greens of summer. But today, the colors are light and bright, and the pink of this dogwood across the street is the compliment of the other green trees behind it. It helps that the day was misty and overcase. The harsh light of direct sun would distract from our being able to see the colors clearly.

The Pigeon

I took this photograph about 30 feet away from the fountain that I photographed and posted two days ago. I seemed to see photographs everywhere in Bryant Park in the rain. I was admiring this scene - thinking that it had a European feel, when this pigeon strolled into the frame. And then stayed there long enough for me to take two frames. I think without the bird, the photograph wouldn't be worth taking. Thank you pigeon! By the way, if you haven't noticed, I changed the post about the white bicycle, below. It turns out that the bike is a sobering memorial. Please scroll down and read the additional information.