"The Importance of Being Earnest"

Last night I got to photograph the dress rehearsal for the upcoming play of the Upper Merion Underground Players. That is to say the theater program for the Upper Merion Area High School. They are performing Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the high school (map) on November 15,16, and 17 at 7:30PM. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. This farcical comedy first graced the stage in London in February of 1895, at the height of Wilde’s career. This humorous rebuttal to the stuffy, formal Victorian age was well received at its time and has had several revivals through the past century. It’s a tale of love, snobbery, marriage and false identity that pokes fun at everyone. Including Earnest.

Cast Members from the play

#TravelTuesday Boston

A few years ago my wife and I took a weekend trip to visit Boston. I am a big history fan and Boston plays a big role in America’s early days. We enjoyed two walking tours of the historic area while we were visiting, one about the city’s role in the birth of our great nation and one about its darker side. Both tours were given by Boston by Foot, were fun and informative, which brings me to a point I need to share. Private tours: If you are traveling to a city or region that you don’t know well invest in a private guide. Not necessarily for the whole visit, but for part of it. We have had guides in Boston, San Antonio, London, Rome and Florence. The money spent has provided stellar information and priceless time and money savings. Back to Boston... One of the pieces of art I found fascinating was commissioned for the bicentennial in 1976. The artwork is embedded into the streets around the Haymarket district. It represents the trash of the market. Bronze sculptures were inlaid into concrete, depicting litter that would have been discarded onto the street during busy market days. I find it strange, but when I think back on our trip to Boston, it’s one of the first images I remember.

The Streets of Boston

Veterans Day 2012

Yesterday was Veterans Day here in the United States. To honor those who have fought for this nation, this is one of the first quotes about our country’s first soldiers. It was spoken by our premier president on the fields at Valley Forge National Historic Park. “Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldier.” February 16 1776

Veterans Day 2012

Nikon D5100 Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 @ 12mm f/8 ISO 100 5 image HDR

Dodging a bullet

Here in the Northeast we received our first present from Old Man Winter this week. A nor'easter hurled massive amounts of precipitation from the Atlantic Ocean on top of many states in our region. But just outside of West Chester PA, where I live, we came through pretty much unscathed. When I awoke Wednesday morning I peered through the window shades. Much to my surprise, the six inches of snow I expected had transformed into a light dusting. Driving into work I did find a few spots that has some snow left on the trees like this one at Grove United Methodist Church in West Chester. Hopefully winter will stay away for a few more weeks. Enjoy your weekend.

First Snowfall

Nikon D800 Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 @ 16mm f/8 ISO 100 7 image HDR

Nikon D800 vs. D4

First let me say this is not a review of either camera, and I am not telling anyone to spend lots and lots of money to buy either one of these cameras but, if you do, you won’t be disappointed.

The Nikon D800: I’ve had mine now for a few months. I traded in my D5100 which I had for about a year. The majority of the work I do is landscape photography and this is where the D800 shines. It’ a 36.3 Megapixel full frame camera and it makes HUGE files. I have a fairly new laptop that I run Photomatix Pro, Lightroom and Photoshop on, and the thing goes into overdrive mode processing some of my images. The quality of files produced by the D800 is fabulous. The detail is breathtaking, and the fun you can have processing them last for hours.

The Nikon D4: I needed this camera for shooting action sports. Football mainly so far. Fast frames per second is what’s needed, (10fps for the D4) and the D4 will shoot for 10-20 seconds straight without filling up the buffer even in raw format. The high ISO capabilities of this camera are the best I have ever seen. With correct exposure metering I have no fears going even beyond 6400. This is a professional camera, with a professional pricetag. The D4 shoots full frame,16.2 megapixel images all day and never complains. It is a workhorse.

Comparison: Each camera has specific functions. Both are great cameras. Either can be used to do what the other was designed for, but when you use them for their raison d’etre they clearly outshine each other. In closing, remembera great photographer is not made by the camera. Anyone can make great images on cameras costing far less then these.