My photography through time...

Took a while to post due to the fact that I had to get a new camera and a scanner... I had a tragic loss of data a few years ago and the victims were my pictures in the computer I managed to crash so magnificently. Thankfully, I had printed some of my photos to make a scrapbook/portfolio thingie. One would think that I would learn from The Big Computer Crash of 2007, but apparently that is not so. Friday morning I learned that spilling a cup full of hot tea on your laptop doesn't give the best results in the world. Which is why I have been thanking the Best Buy guy who made me buy insurance on my laptop.

On top of which, my 35mm Yashica camera crapped out on me after many many years of loyal service and my Nikon Coolpix 8700, that cost a fortune back in the day, decided to play hardball with me, I had to get a new camera. The new camera is the Coolpix S50; a point and shoot digital camera. When I say "new," it's used but it's new to me =]

Above you can see my Yashica in the far right, my broken Nikon in the middle and the box of my "new" Nikon. When it comes to digital cameras, I never divert from Nikon. Maybe a Canon or an Olympus.

Back to this week's blog. My dad was and still is an avid amateur photographer and he got me into photography at an early age. He's a 35mm guy though and made sure I was one too =] He taught me to pay attention and do it "right" the first time since film and developing the film cost so much money, back in the day that is. So, when I hear Pat and other photography mentors that I have had talking about "shoot, shoot, and shoot some more," it still sounds so weird to me. Other than that, I knew all of Pat's suggestions, tips, and principles or derivatives of them from the videos.

Here's some of my work.

Osmanbey - Istanbul, TURKEY
I was trying to catch the rush hour of people shopping and trying to get home for dinner.





Bosphorus - Istanbul, TURKEY
This is a 35mm black and white film but it incorporates the empty space idea to emphasize the bridge in the picture.





Bosphorus - Istanbul, TURKEY
Again, 35mm but this time the boats are emphasized.





Maiden's Tower - Istanbul, TURKEY
The infamous Maiden's Tower I mentioned in my earlier blog. There is an upscale cafe there now. I really like the angle in this picture.





Maiden's Tower - Istanbul, TURKEY
This incorporates the rule of 1/3's (sort of) and the empty space.





Back Stage - Hackensack, NJ
Talk about a tight picture.





Cello
Newbie mistake (which I shouldn't have made). Not enough light to make it a clear picture. I can probably photoshop it though.





Dr. Finley - Hackensack, NJ
Here, shutter speed was important. For example, Pat had to use a fast shutter speed when he was taking pictures of the football game, I had to use a slower shutter speed for this one.





Natural - Hackensack, NJ
These girls got caught in the act.





Nature - Passaic River, NJ





Christmasy
Used this as a Christmas card =] Rule of 1/3's??





Beeeeeeeee!!
Close-up. Took a lot to hold the camera still.





My student - Home
Tight picture. Not a lot of empty space.





Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - New York, NY
Look closely at the people in the windows. I thought that was cool. I loooooooove high resolution!! Though floating dolls in Manhattan is still creepy to me.





Hello! - New York, NY
Another tight-shot from the Thanksgiving Day Parade.





Strangers in the Day - New York, NY
Natural shot of kids watching the parade.





Moving - Lincoln Tunnel, Somewhere between NY & NJ
I don't know why, but i love blurry moving pictures like this one and the hands on the piano above. It's fascinating to me but a lot of people find it unappealing to the eye... I guess whoever said that "the beauty is in the eye of the beholder" was absolutely correct.





Chrysler Building - New York, NY
Love the empty space around the Chrysler Building here.





Wannabe - New York, NY
Another oldie, but a goodie. Took my friends to the Turkish Day Parade in Manhattan. They had a blast with me =]





Mr. & Mrs. Valevaris - Nutley, NJ
I stood on the witness stand and took this picture. Good thing the court officials didn't get mad at me. My friends asked me to take a few pictures at their ceremony.





Mr. & Mrs. Valevaris - Nutley, NJ
Caught them nagging at each other moments after the ceremony =P





Mr. & Mrs. Valevaris - Nutley, NJ
"We did it!" Sometimes posing is good and much needed!





Trinity Ann Valevaris - Nutley, NJ
Cutie pie loves the camera and attention. Trying to get HER to pose was another story all together.





Pensive - Lyndhurst, NJ
Daddy was quite pensive this morning. Rule of 1/3's. I love the lighting in this picture.





Self Portrait
Had to finish off with this.

You can guess by now that I love black & white photography. There is something so nostalgic about it.

Well, now that I have a new camera with video, I'm going to have to read yet another user's manual thoroughly to take better pictures. Still can't figure out how not to get red eyes with this camera. Mind you, I've only had it for a day. I miss my old Nikon! It's out of the warranty time so I have to pay for the repairs. As for the Yashica, does anybody know a camera repair store in North Jersey? ANYONE?? Professor Nichols??? Please?!?!?



P.S. Wow.... This has been a long blog.