Happy New Year

It's almost three years since I started this blog.
And I would like to thank you for following me here.
I've enjoyed sharing my photographic experiences with
you all. In the meantime, I have started another site,
Recovery Thru My Lens,
connecting my imagery with my more personal journey.
As a result, I'm not posting as often here. So it is
with a heavy heart that I've decided to discontinue
this site and direct my creative energy to
just one blog. I hope you will join
me there on Wordpress.ccm.

Happy New Year!

Meryl

Found

I'm a firm believer that the best photographs are the ones you happen to find along the way in the midst of your daily routine. Last weekend on a grey misty morning while I was walking my dog through my tiny hometown, I came across this scene. I must have passed this bagel store hundreds of times, but it wasn't until I noticed its interplay with this colorful array of skateboards that I appreciated its humor. For a more poetic take, go to Recovery Thru My Lens.

Post-Thanksgiving

Readers, I have been remiss. Here's my tribute to Thanksgiving rather late this year. I got so wrapped up in my preparations, I simply forgot, but I hope you enjoy this one---especially the little guy bent over in the front, rather poultry-like. The shallow depth of field I used here seems to emphasize his diminutive stature...don't you think?

Still Sandy

On Sunday, we were finally allowed access to the Roger's Beach in Westhampton after the hurricane. Of course, I grabbed my camera and headed down there. What I found, was much different that I expected. The beach was still sandy, wider than before, not narrower. But there were these rivers of water running through it. I decided that the best way to depict that impression was to shoot right up the river. In terms of composition, the angle of view can make all the difference. To see another viewpoint, go to my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens.

Flaming

As Hurricane Sandy heads toward us, I'm wondering how bad it will really be, how much work I should do. For Irene last year, I moved my computer and all my photographs upstairs in case of flooding; and all we got was some wind. Hmmm.....this time they're saying it could be the worst storm ever. This image comes to mind as I wonder whether we'll lose power. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could convert all the leaves flaming outdoors into the energy we might need to cook and read by? Wouldn't that be the ulitimate in sustainability?

Spine

On Sunday I took a drive to the North Fork and came across a community garden in New Suffolk. Since I started my little garden this summer where I planted mostly tomatoes and was unexpectedly more successful than I could have imagined, I'm drawn to plots of vegetables that I find in unlikely places. This unusual variety of Swiss chard with its yellow spine was so stunning that I had to take a photograph. 

Serenity

No matter how long I live near the water, I still need to remind myself that even in the off-season, when the temperature starts to dip, I can jump in my car and in ten minutes I'll be where the water meets the sky, where there's some serenity for me and plenty for you too. 

In fact if you visit my other blog, Recovery Thru My Lens, you'll read the same words but find another view of this scene. I couldn't chose between the two, so I posted one on each site. Let me know which one you prefer...

Autumn Light

There is something about porches in the late afternoon light that I find so peaceful. Over the weekend I visited an old friend in Westchester where I hadn't been in many years. When I entered her beautiful home around 5pm, I headed straight to the back porch where autumn light was skimming its surface. And there with little effort on my part, I captured this composition. For a more poetic take on this image, visit Recovery Thru My Lens.

Flyer

Oooh, I've been so remiss here...life has gotten away with me these days. ...

But here's something wonderful I captured the other day in front of my local sushi restaurant. Little Elvin, the son of the owner whom I've known for about twenty years. When I saw him with his Radio Flyer, I couldn't resist his adorable stance and expression. The contrasty midday light presented quite a challenge for a portrait, but the shadow on his face seems to compliment his mood.

For a more whimsical take on this image...go to Recovery Thru My Lens!

Capture

Although I complain about too much technology to the point of creating an entire collection, called Phantoms, to show how it's the demise of society as I've known it, here's an instance where it definitely came in handy.

When I go to the beach lugging beach chairs, umbrella, towels, books, etc, I leave my camera behind to lighten the load and avoid damaging my equipment. However, now that the i-Phone takes such good pictures, I can whip it out if I see something I can't resist.

Sure, I can't control the f-stop, shutter speed or the focus and the file size is limited, but when there's a choice between capturing the image or not, I  succumb.

In this case, if I would have waited to return the next day with my Canon, this creature would certainly have been washed away.

For a more personal take on the alligator, go to Recovery Thru My Lens.