Tom's Daily (well, not always daily) Photos

Where is the Tooth Fairy?

2012-02-19T14:31:00.002-05:00

This is me a few days ago after having a broken molar extracted. The oral surgeon said "it was a difficult extraction" and I believe him considering the pain and swelling I have been having. The whole experience was surreal. I was knocked out for the extraction which is not weird. The weird part was that I have NO memories of the couple of hours after I came to. I was told I had a conversation with the doctor then I rode in the car for two hours to Raleigh, NC, chatting the whole time. I have no recollection of any of this. I was given Versed, Propofol and Fentanyl by IV and the Propofol must be what did it. It is not called 'Milk of Amnesia' for nothing. The nurses there might have taken advantage of me and I wouldn't remember it.

It's finally coming down to the wire here. It's one week until I load up the moving van and move my apartment belongings down to my NC home. I have been anticipating this for months and I am ready to get it over with.

New Car

2012-02-14T19:34:00.001-05:00

We just got my stepson his first car today. It is a 1999 Ford F150 4X4 and fits his rural lifestyle to a T. It was only $4100.00 which fit me to a T.

Red Right Returning

2012-02-09T15:05:00.001-05:00

Red, right, returning for boaters means that when returning from sea you place the red bouy to your right, green to your left, to be in the channel. Things are winding down for me as I'm getting ready to return to my NC home. The physical move will be on Monday, February 27th so I am in a mad rush to get some things settled at the house and things packed and ready to go in my Baltimore apartment. The stress of all this turmoil has really been affecting my photography lately but things will soon pick up when I get the move behind me. I have lots of projects once I get moved so I am excited about getting started (solar panel system, garden, water catchment, chickens, etc). I intend to get a semi-self sufficient homestead going so it should be fun.

Where is Winter?

2012-02-07T19:27:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken one year ago. This year it has been in the 50's, 60's and even 70's every day here in Baltimore. Weird.

Wabash

2012-02-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

I sure wish I had this in my back yard. It would make a great office, den or guest house.

The Corruption of America

2012-01-31T18:05:00.004-05:00

Read it. It is neither pro-Democrat nor pro-Republican. It goes beyond the simple black or white of party politics.

www.stansberryresearch.com/pub/reports/201112PSI_issue.html

When it Rains, it Pours

2012-01-28T12:36:00.001-05:00

This was my drive on I-95 in NC yesterday. When it rains it pours in NC.

I Love This

2012-01-27T03:52:00.002-05:00

This is something I have been wanting to do for a couple of years as I think it is so cool. This couple of Canadian Kids just sent a styrofoam cooler with 3 still cameras and a video camera to the edge of space using a weather balloon and cellphone as a tracking device. The results were great. I think I am going to try something similar once I get settled in down here. I love seeing kids doing something like this rather than sitting in the house playing video games. Just think, they have more of a Space Program going than NASA does now! Here is a link to their story and a video (story and video)

My Phobia

2012-01-26T17:45:00.001-05:00

Well, I have really let my 2 blog fans (hi Dad, hi Sis) down this week with the lack of posts. I have been at the house in NC in a frenzy of activity trying to fix things, clean things and make room for my move back next month. My photographic Zen state has been elusive as a result. I just finished putting down laminate flooring in part of the house and will be refinishing old hardwood floors in the rest of the house. To make matters much worse this week I broke a molar and was told by the dentist today that I have to have it removed. The only thing I fear in this life is the dentist and now I have to go to an oral surgeon when I come back in 2 weeks to get an 'extraction'. It will be a first for me so I can hardly wait. In the meantime I have a bottle of antibiotics and a bottle of pain killers to hold me over. Back to Baltimore in the morning.

Cold and Blustery

2012-01-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

It's a cold and blustery day here in Baltimore. Tomorrow I drive down to the warm tropics of NC.

First Snow in Downtown Baltimore

2012-01-21T08:04:00.001-05:00

Sent from my Samsung smartphone on AT&T

Night Vision

2012-01-18T22:19:00.003-05:00

Well, this was a surprise. I just finished comparing a Bushnell Generation 1 night vision scope ($199.00) with a toy Spy Gear night vision scope ($34.00) and, in my opinion, the Spy Gear is much better. They use different technologies with the Bushnell using an image intensifier tube and the Spy Gear using a CMOS sensor (think cheap digital camera with the infrared filter removed).

Given the same amount of IR illumination the 'toy' blew away the Bushnell and showed much more sensitivity to IR light. The Spy Gear had a brighter and clearer image although pixelated due to the low resolution (probably 640 x 480). The only pluses for the Bushnell are the rugged body and the 2.5x magnification (which you may or may not want). Also, in very low light with no IR illumination, the Bushnell gives a better image. With any IR illumination at all, even very low levels, the Spy Gear shines. They both use AA batteries with the Bushnell using 2 and the Spy Gear using 4. I did find that the Bushnell would not power up with NiMH batteries, only with Alkalines.

I am shocked in a good way. Nice to know that I can pay $30 to get better performance than a $200 scope which is specifically made for night vision. Spy Gear has another similar scope that is not as fancy looking but is only $11.00 on Amazon. I am going to get one to see if it has the same electronics as their $35.00 model. The only way to get better performance than both the Spy Gear or Bushnell Gen 1 scopes would be to go to a Generation 2 ($1000) or Generation 3 ($3000) night vision scope. I have seen online where people have taken the toy scope and have removed the sensor and electronics which are tiny and have put them in real small enclosures. The toy enclosure is only for show to look cool. I am going to try this next and will even try to attach a sensor to a rifle scope to see how that works. Easy to play with the cost being so low.

Spy Gear on the left, Bushnell on the right.

This is from the Bushnell

This is from the Spy Gear

Honesty

2012-01-17T17:46:00.001-05:00

I drove 100 miles each way to check out this truck that my stepson found online. He just got his drivers license and we are looking for his first vehicle and being a country boy, a truck is his only interest. When I drove down to this little used car dealership in Virginia and asked to see the truck the salesman's first words were "you don't want that piece of shit". He proceeded to show me the extensive rusting in the rear of the truck. In places there were 3 inch holes all the way through the frame. He was right. I didn't want that piece of shit. My whole drive back to Baltimore I just kept shaking my head and saying "An honest used car salesman? What is this world coming to?"

Fins

2012-01-15T18:08:00.000-05:00

This guy, or gal, was giving me the eye at the Baltimore Aquarium.

Belly

2012-01-13T15:47:00.001-05:00

This is my personal Belly Dancer. She dances for me every night after dinner. When I was raised by Bedouin in the Arabian Desert we would have 10 or 20 Belly Dancers entertaining us every night. Oh, those were the days.

Airport Fun

2012-01-12T18:53:00.002-05:00

I'm just sitting here at the Raleigh Durham Airport waiting on my flight to Baltimore. My photography has been real lame lately due to my life being so busy living in 2 cities, fixing a flooded house and getting ready to move. I'm also very busy working on getting my home to be somewhat self-sufficient with all that entails. I am one of many Americans who are getting nervous about things and who feel like the economy could eventually crash. The huge amount of government debt that is accumulating is unsustainable. Oh well, I just plan on being as prepared as possible.

Sent from my Samsung smartphone on AT&T

Gun Play

2012-01-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

It has been pouring rain all day here at the house in NC. I decided to have some fun disassembling, cleaning and reassembling a Ruger SP101 (357mag) and a Glock 17 (9mm).

Emergency Solar Power

2012-01-10T23:02:00.001-05:00

The beginnings of an emergency solar backup system. This one will consist of two solar panels, one charge controller, one 110ah 12 Volt AGM battery, a Trimetric system monitor and a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter. I will be expanding it to 4 panels and 4 batteries in the near future. It will run some lights, fans and electronics for longer periods plus high draw items like a microwave or power tools for real short periods. This will be in addition to a gas generator which will mainly be used to quickly charge the solar battery bank if needed.

On the Road Again

2012-01-08T17:47:00.000-05:00

I will be back on the road again in the morning as I head back down to NC for the week. As usual, I can hardly wait to get out of Baltimore but the weeks are counting down.

Those Straws are Trouble

2012-01-06T15:22:00.003-05:00

That is Danielle on the left. I think she has had too much to drink as she is desperately chasing that straw around in pursuit of some more. When I am that intoxicated I just dispense with the straw and gulp it down:o)

Angry Birds

2012-01-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

Just a little Angry Birds while I'm waiting.

Raw

2012-01-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

Just a few oysters from Faidley's today.

The Eve of a New Year

2011-12-31T17:06:00.002-05:00

Here it is, New Year's Eve and I don't have a picture to post (I take that back, I just took one) I am in Baltimore, getting ready to head to work for the night. While I am dealing with patients I will be glancing at the TV to see the rest of humanity celebrating the changing of the years. Oh well. This past year has been a challenging one with many ups and downs but the coming year brings promises of exciting new changes. I can hardly wait. I wish everyone out there a Happy New Year!

R.I.P.

2011-12-30T16:42:00.000-05:00

One of three pygmy hamsters given to my stepdaughter at Christmas. He just suddenly squeaked and dropped over dead. This was just before his burial in the back yard. 'We barely new ye but ye seemed to be a good lass'

Zzzzzz.....

2011-12-28T22:34:00.001-05:00

Spent a couple of hours sitting at the Department of Motor Vehicles waiting on my stepson to get his license. I think we were about 100th in line. This picture is as boring as I felt at the time.

Mmm, BBQ

2011-12-27T22:14:00.001-05:00

I always enjoy my stop at Smithfield's Barbeque for some of the best pork BBQ around. I would have taken a picture of the food but by the time I thought about taking a picture I had already gulped it down. Oh well.

Dogs Like Christmas Too!

2011-12-26T19:09:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T22:07:00.000-05:00

Santa brought me this DVD for Christmas. I can't believe how good Santa's taste in music is. Crosby and Nash are two of my all time favorites!

Back in Baltimore

2011-12-21T16:32:00.000-05:00

I'm back in Baltimore and will be here until the 26th. Duty calls:o(

Better Late Than Never

2011-12-19T21:52:00.000-05:00

Real late getting a Christmas tree this year.

Night Crawlers

2011-12-18T20:29:00.001-05:00

I caught these two guys crawling around under my house! (Kevin, on the right, is 6 1/2 feet tall now and he used to be the smallest kid for his age)

It'll Tickle Yore Innards!

2011-12-17T23:30:00.019-05:00

I found this old Mountain Dew soda bottle under the

house yesterday and thought it was great. Research online

shows it to be from 1962 which was when the house was built.

Crawling

2011-12-16T23:23:00.008-05:00

My stepson and I spent ALL day pulling out old air ducts in the crawl space under the house and then replacing each of the 12 runs with new. I saved about 1500.00 by doing it myself although there were times today when I questioned my decision. It was HARD work. That is the old still hanging in the photo.

(taken with Samsung Galaxy S2 phone)

Busy Busy

2011-12-15T20:17:00.000-05:00

I've been real busy down in NC today. Lots of new power goodies to replace the flooded ones. Here is a generator, chain saw, power washer and leaf blower all prepped, started and confirmed to be OK. Also picked up many boxes of laminate flooring that I am getting ready to install in the house.

Obama

2011-12-13T23:41:00.000-05:00

They are not afraid to express their anti Obama sentiments down here in rural NC. O=One B=Big A=Ass M=Mistake A=America for my Democrat friends out there :o) You probably wouldn't live long driving this truck around back in Baltimore.

Cazbar

2011-12-11T00:03:00.001-05:00

My four dates at the Cazbar this evening! That is Trisha, Danielle, Brittany and Ray. We are all moving to Utah and they are going to be 4 of my 5 wives.

(Canon S90 - shot at 6mm (about 28mm equiv.), ISO 500, f2 at 1/60s with flash on low power)

Trifecta

2011-12-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

Liquor, cigarettes and checks cashed. What more could you want in life?

Dessert

2011-12-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

I think I will pass on the bean pies today but a slice of strawberry cheesecake sure sounds good.

Trickle-up Poverty

2011-12-08T17:40:00.001-05:00

This is a great bumper sticker.

Occupy

2011-12-07T18:49:00.001-05:00

Not much going on at Occupy Baltimore today.

Foggy

2011-12-05T17:27:00.002-05:00

It was real foggy this morning.

(Olympus E-PL2 with 25/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 250, f1.6)

Renovations

2011-12-04T08:01:00.003-05:00

I'm almost done with my renovations. All I need to do is to knock a hole in the floor for my new outdoor toilet and I will be finished.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Pana/Leica 25/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 250, f2.5 at 1/320s, from a moving car)

Cotton Pickin

2011-12-03T17:09:00.000-05:00

Looks like snow but it's just cotton.

Gasoline

2011-12-02T15:24:00.000-05:00

Just filling up the Jeep with gas. Gasoline was $3.13 a gallon today which is lower than I can remember it being in quite a while.

Totem

2011-11-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

Wow! I found a statue of my ex-wife. (just kidding)

Packing

2011-11-28T23:13:00.000-05:00

Guess what I was doing today? Yep, you guessed it. I was packing boxes for my upcoming move. It's still about 60 days away but I can't wait to get the whole thing started.

Drive Thru

2011-11-26T16:41:00.000-05:00

Rural drive thru near Washington, NC (referred to as Little Washington by folks down there)

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic Leica 25/1.4 lens - taken at ISO 200, f4.5 @ 1/3200s)

Overpass Art

2011-11-25T15:27:00.002-05:00

A little overpass art on I-95 in Richmond today. I am back in Baltimore for my weekend of work. The one bright spot is that I received my insurance check from the National Flood Insurance Program for the damages I received from Hurricane Irene. Now the real renovation work can commence. I am wrapping up my time here in Baltimore and will be moving back to my NC home within the next couple of months so I can hardly wait. I have not enjoyed my 5 year stint here in Baltimore and getting back to a rural lifestyle is my idea of heaven. I am going to spend several months just working on the house, putting in a solar and water system, establishing a garden, raising some chickens and just decompressing (oh, and taking some decent pictures again for a change). Maybe next fall I will go back to work:o)

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic/Leica 25/1.4 lens - taken at ISO 200, f4.5 @ 1/3200s)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T23:57:00.001-05:00

The Last Crops

2011-11-23T18:49:00.000-05:00

The last of the tomatoes and LOTS of collard greens rolling in.

Where Are The Cars?

2011-11-22T19:09:00.001-05:00

I finished another three crazy days at work which were absolutely terrible. That explains my 3 day lapse in posts. I hit the road real early this morning to head back to my NC home. This is a picture taken while driving south on I-95 through Washington D.C. this morning about 2:30am. I have never seen so little traffic while driving through the Hell of D.C.

A Little Wide

2011-11-18T17:06:00.000-05:00

Just a quick pic from the top of my parking garage in Baltimore.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic 7-14 zoom - shot at 9mm, ISO 800, f10 @ 1/2500 sec.)

The Alamo

2011-11-17T18:51:00.001-05:00

From my archive. Taken at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

Packing and Dreaming

2011-11-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

I spent the last couple of days packing boxes for my upcoming move. Todays pic is from my archive. It was taken on the river behind my house in NC a few years ago. I can hardly wait to pull the canoe out and get back on the water.

Contemplative

2011-11-15T14:04:00.004-05:00

No common failure,

whether it be sickness or bankruptcy

or professional misfortune,

will reverberate so cruelly and deeply

in the unconscious as a divorce.

It penetrates the seat of all anguish,

forcing it to life.

With one cut, it slices more deeply

than life can ever reach.

--- Botho Strauss

(Shot with my eyeball and stored in my brain)

Jupiter in Infrared

2011-11-14T17:49:00.001-05:00

I shot this sunset over the ocean through binoculars when messing around one day. To me it looks like an infrared picture of Jupiter.

Water, Water, Everywhere

2011-11-12T18:15:00.000-05:00

Looking out from my back patio on my birthday this year, August 27th, during Hurricane Irene. The house was flooded and only the most basic of repairs have been made. I am currently waiting on my flood insurance claim to be paid and I have no idea how long that will take. Since the claim is with the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA) I am sure it will be quick and efficient.

I Wonder

2011-11-11T21:19:00.009-05:00

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being

run by smart people who are putting us on,

or by imbeciles who really mean it."

--- Mark Twain

My Favorite Time of Year

2011-11-10T16:31:00.000-05:00

Just a pic from my archive. Taken in southern Pennsylvania.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - shot at ISO 200, f3.5 @ 1/500s)

Subliminal

2011-11-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

A subliminal message on the wall of this shop and yes it made me stop. Taken on Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks, North Carolina.

From Mongo's Site - thanks Steve!

2011-11-06T14:03:00.001-05:00

Alterations

2011-11-04T14:07:00.000-04:00

Eating the way I have been lately results in the need for a little alteration work on the slacks.

Crackers!

2011-11-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

Hey, I thought today that if I can make bread then I can make crackers! Well, I did and it was easy - they came out great (excuse the rough looking cookie sheet). I just made a single serving of crackers using 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tbsp. olive oil, garlic salt and just a little bit of water added until it turns into dough (about 1/4 cup). Roll it out onto a cookie sheet, top with a little rough ground salt and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Total time to make was 30 minutes (5 to make the dough and 25 to cook). That's it for my cooking posts this week. I'm just excited that I can have fun making some of my bread products at a MUCH reduced price over store bought.

Bread 2

2011-11-02T15:40:00.001-04:00

I had so much fun making bread yesterday I just had to do it again today to learn from my mistakes. Today was perfect. I made two loaves and on one I decided to get fancy making 3 strands and weaving them. Both loaves are great and I had a blast again. It's a lot cheaper than buying bread from the store and it's not hard at all. The only thing I might try next time is to use 'bread' flour instead of all purpose flour. I would get more 'rise' but the bread flour costs almost 3 times as much. I'm sure I will stick with the cheaper route as I am very pleased with what I got today. First pic is just before going in the oven, after letting the loaves rise for about 30 minutes. The second pic is right out of the oven. I got the golden color by spraying the loaves with cooking spray just before going in and the last one is the end cut off (after I had eaten what I cut off).

(Taken with E-PL1 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - ISO 500, f3.5 @ 1/30s)

Bread!

2011-11-01T23:38:00.000-04:00

I decided to make bread for the first time today and boy is it easy and fun. It didn't turn out perfect but it tasted great and I know how to perfect it next time. I won't be buying bread anymore. For one loaf I just mixed 3 cups of flour, 1 tbs. sugar (I didn't have any sugar so I used maple syrup), 1 tsp. salt, 1 package fast rise yeast and 1 1/4 cup of warm water. You just mix all the ingredients, knead the resulting dough for about 10 minutes, let stand and rise for 1 hour, knead again for a minute or two and form out the loaf on a greased cookie sheet, let stand and rise for another 30 minutes then throw it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. My one mistake? After I had formed the loaf and had let it rise for 30 minutes I cut the top of the loaf with several slits like you see online. Well, I should have done that after I had formed the loaf but BEFORE I let it do the final 30 minute rise. What happened was the loaf had all puffed out like it should have but when I cut the top it partially collapsed. Then I cooked it and although it did puff back up some it lost the full rise that it had before I sliced it. Still came out tasting great though. I felt like Tom Hanks in Castaway when he had made fire and was dancing around singing. When I finished I was thumping my chest and saying "bread, me make bread"

Halloween Fright!

2011-10-31T14:13:00.001-04:00

Something really scary on Halloween. I think I let this cottage cheese sit a little too long in the fridge.

Fun in the Closet

2011-10-30T18:18:00.001-04:00

Twirling around a lightstick loop in the closet today.

(E-PL2 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - taken at ISO 400, f1.7 @ 1 sec.)

Snow!!!

2011-10-29T18:46:00.000-04:00

Wow, snow up here in the Northeast and it's not even Halloween yet!

INED

2011-10-26T18:33:00.001-04:00

Improvised Noodle Explosive Device at work.

Federal Building

2011-10-25T19:47:00.001-04:00

The Federal Building in downtown Baltimore.

Sick Day

2011-10-24T23:04:00.000-04:00

Great! I just started a four day stretch of being off of work and what happens? I wake up with a 102 degree temp with chills and an achy body.

(E-PL2 with Panasonic/Leica 25/1.4 lens - taken at ISO 400, f2 @ 1/100s) I'm still trying to decide on whether to keep the 25/1.4 lens which is a wonderful lens. It is like when I had the new Olympus 12/f2 lens which I returned. It was wonderful but expensive and big (compared with the 14 pancake which I have). This 25/1.4 is the same situation - it is wonderful but expensive and much bigger than my Pany 20/1.7.

Paul's

2011-10-23T08:34:00.001-04:00

Sadly, Paul's is no longer in business in downtown Baltimore.

(Panasonic G1 with kit zoom - taken at ISO 100, f5 @ 1/200s) I really like my G1 but hardly ever use it because I like the in-body stabilization of my Olympus cameras so much. Just give me a new Olympus, say an E-P4 with a little bit of an upgraded sensor and add a built in EVF like the new Sony NEX7 and I will never have to buy another camera again. I still love the sweet spot that the micro four thirds cameras fill for me. It is mostly because of the compact size of the lenses and the perfectly acceptable image quality (spectacular at times). The NEX series is nice but you are getting those full size lenses that I sold my Nikon gear to get away from.

Back to Baltimore/Back to Work

2011-10-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

Big Changes Coming

2011-10-20T19:19:00.003-04:00

That is me at the steering wheel a few years ago. My picture taking is at a real low right now. I am getting ready to quit my job in Baltimore so I can be at home in NC more so there are a million things to take care of. This week I have been continuing my repairs on my house from the damage from Hurricane Irene. After getting back here to the house permanently in January I will be putting in a solar system, a water catchment system and a big garden. I can hardly wait!

Waiting

2011-10-17T20:42:00.001-04:00

Just sitting here at BWI waiting on my flight to Raleigh. Heading home for the week! Since I fly standby I might not be getting out until tomorrow since this flight tonight is booked to capacity. (I made it - last seat)

Sent from my Samsung smartphone on AT&T

Leaving Work

2011-10-15T15:37:00.000-04:00

Here are all the night shift employees leaving work and heading home this morning.

(taken with Samsung Galaxy S2 phone)

Two Frogs

2011-10-13T21:44:00.000-04:00

From the archive. Just a cool antique store near the Virginia/North Carolina state line. What have I been doing today? Just sitting inside because of all the rain here and playing with my new Panasonic 25/1.4 lens. I was going to post some pics here on blogger but I can't seem to get multiple pics to orient correctly on the screen and, in addition, when there is more than one pic in the post you can't click on a pic and get a larger view like you can when there is just one picture. Until I figure something out (that doesn't require an entire day's work) let me just say the 25 is a wonderful lens, sharp and contrasty throughout its range. It is probably the sharpest lens that I have ever owned. The only things that have me on the fence are the price and the size. Not that it's huge but the pancake 20 is much more to my liking and it is just about as good optically and I actually think I prefer the 40mm equivalent focal length over the 50. Decisions, decisions.

Dinner at the Diner

2011-10-12T16:24:00.001-04:00

(Canon S90 - f4.9 @ 1/250s)

Panasonic/Leica 25mm F1.4 Dilemma

2011-10-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

One of the things that carried me into the micro four thirds world and which also keeps me there is the wonderful selection of lenses available for the format. Just when I thought I had settled on my 'holy trinity' of lenses (Panasonic 14/2.5, Panasonic 20/1.7 and Olympus 45/1.8) along came a new lens today. It is the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f1.4 lens that I had back ordered 4 months ago and frankly forgot all about until it arrived today. All I can say is "Wow". This thing is spectacular. It's built really well (although not all metal like the true Leica's), it's pretty sharp wide open and stopped down a little it is breathtakingly sharp with a wonderful bokeh. Now what do I do? It's a little sharper than the Pany 20 which is a great lens and is a little faster but it is more expensive and it is definitely bigger than the 20. The 12, 20 and 45 are a tough trio to beat for quality and super compact size but man this 25 is a sweet lens. I really don't want to carry 4 lenses especially with the 20 and 25 being so close in focal length. How often can you say in the newer camera world that you have too many quality primes to chose from.

I will post some pics soon from this lens. I am still trying to get some comparison pics posted of my Voigtlander 40 vs. the Olympus 45 so now I have to do a comparison between the Panasonic 20 vs. the Panasonic/Leica 25. I will get them up but only when I get the time. I like to shoot and post daily pictures but I don't get all excited about technical comparisons as I feel there is a lot more to pleasant pictures than sharpness down to the atomic level:o)

(Olympus E-PL1 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - shot at ISO 400, f/2 @ 1/3s)

Bonamassa

2011-10-10T17:42:00.002-04:00

I saw this walking to work last night. This is one performance I would like to see. He will be at the Hippodrome right next door in a month.

(taken with Samsung Galaxy S2 phone)

Almost Over

2011-10-09T19:17:00.001-04:00

Just finishing up a 3 day stretch of work, the worst 3 days I have ever lived through. The line "abandon hope all ye who enter here" from Dante's Inferno has been coming to mind. The pic is from my archive.

Damn, it's Bright!

2011-10-08T17:59:00.001-04:00

A picture of my grandson, Christian. Sent from my daughter in Houston yesterday.

Samsung Galaxy S2

2011-10-05T22:34:00.006-04:00

I just got my new Samsung Galaxy S2 from ATT today. I have been using the IPhone 3GS for a couple of years now and was torn about leaving the Apple universe. Well, so far I am blown away. The Galaxy S2 is worlds above the IPhone in almost every way. The larger 4.3" AMOLED screen has to be seen to be believed. My pic just does not show the major differences in the screen but the AMOLED screen is the best display that I have ever seen. Blacks are truly black and not a lit up grey like the IPhone. Colors are rich and vibrant. It is like night and day. The Galaxy is longer and a little wider but it is much lighter than the IPhone and is thinner. It is much faster with a dual core 1.3ghz processor and all apps load and run instantly. Web browsing is MUCH faster. With both phones on WiFi and loading the same web page, the Galaxy was more than 3 times faster than my IPhone (like 2 secs vs. 6 to 8 secs.) The Galaxy also has 4G capability and has NFC on board which will be enabled in the future for financial transactions. I am more than shocked at what I have been missing with this Android world and this is coming from a real Apple fan. I seriously can't find one negative about the Galaxy. Oh, and the camera. The camera is one of the best I have seen in a phone. It is 8 megapixels with autofocus and it gives you the option of setting all controls manually such as ISO, metering, white balance, exposure compensation, image stabilization, etc. The pics I have taken so far today have made me very happy.

Muddin

2011-10-03T20:24:00.001-04:00

Kevin, my stepson, in a state of bliss after a little 4 wheeling fun.

(taken with Panasonic Lumix point and shoot, ISO 800, f3.8 @ 1/10s)

Just Hanging Out

2011-10-02T21:33:00.003-04:00

Taken yesterday in downtown Baltimore. Today was in the 40's with a steady rain so I didn't get out. I ended up taking a bunch of pictures indoors with my Voigtlander 40 and Olympus 45 to compare the two. I will post some of the comparison pictures in a few days. I would post them sooner but I am selling the Voigtlander and don't want to jinx the sale. No, there is nothing wrong with the Voigtlander. It has been my favorite lens for some time.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f2.8 @1/160s)

Just a Cup of Joe

2011-09-30T23:26:00.001-04:00

Pirates!

2011-09-29T14:51:00.002-04:00

Pirates invaded the Inner Harbor today but the U.S.S. Constellation in the background fired a salvo and ran them off. Those scurvy dogs!

(E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f5.6 at 1/160s)

A Little Green

2011-09-28T16:51:00.001-04:00

It's nice to have at least a little green in the city. I am working today and tomorrow so I won't have a chance to compare my Voigtlander 40 and my Olympus 45 like I was hoping. I should get to it on Friday so I will post a few comparison shots then to see how they stack up against each other.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f2 at 1/80s)

The New Olympus 45

2011-09-27T20:30:00.002-04:00

I finally received the new Olympus 45/1.8 micro 4/3 lens! My first impressions are very favorable. The body is plastic but looks like metal and feels buttery smooth. I love that big focusing ring. It looks great on my E-PL2 but I think I would probably have preferred a black body instead of the silver to maintain a slightly lower 'profile'. Side by side tests against my beloved Voigtlander will be done tomorrow.

(Olympus E-PL1 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - shot at ISO 500, f2.8 at 0.8 secs (handheld at almost a second, that's why I love the Olympus in body stabilization so much))

Nacho Mama's

2011-09-26T23:28:00.002-04:00

Great little restaurant/bar in the Canton area of Baltimore.

(Taken with IPhone)

Belts for Baltimore

2011-09-25T08:23:00.002-04:00

I am setting up a new non-profit organization called "Belts for Baltimore". Maybe I can get some Federal funding.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f2.8 at 1/160s)

Licking Her Lips

2011-09-23T15:31:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of Missy, our dog, licking her lips (do dogs have lips?) in anticipation of some of that candy bar.

(Olympus E-PL1 with Panasonic 20/1.7 lens - shot at ISO 1600, f1.7 @ 1/60s. Converted to B&W in ACDSee Pro)

Looking Up in Downtown Baltimore

2011-09-22T23:38:00.002-04:00

(First Pic from my IPhone today. Second pic from Olympus E-PL1 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens shot at ISO 320, f5.6 at 1/100s)

Romance in the Park

2011-09-21T15:00:00.003-04:00

Ah, romance. Nice to see it still exists. Taken in Federal Hill Park, Baltimore.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f1.8 @ 1/1250s and no, I didn't nail the focus. One drawback of manual focus lenses with narrow depth of field used in a hurry. Even though I absolutely love my Voigtlander I am anxiously awaiting the new Olympus 45/1.8 lens due out any time now. It is supposed to be sharp wide open and that autofocus will be real nice.)

Baltimore Inner Harbor

2011-09-20T22:25:00.014-04:00

Panorama I shot today of the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. I almost never shoot panoramas so the technical quality of this one is horrible. It is only 3 of 5 pics that I took, the rightmost 2 pics wouldn't stitch. It was done on the fly without a tripod and with me not being very careful. Don't look too closely or you will see a terrible cloning job I did along a bit of the top edge to even out the pic. Let's call it a "quick and dirty" job. (Oh, and I discovered after posting this that you can't click on the picture in Blogger and get the full size version like regular pics. I'm not sure why that is. Panoramas can be a pain to view and that's probably why I hate messing with them) I plan on going back this week or next to do a proper panorama of the entire harbor though. It will depend on weather and sunset sky conditions/look. It was a fun day though. This is taken from the top of Federal Hill, where a fort used to be that guarded the harbor and is now a great park. This is on the south side of the harbor looking north. I work in the most distant building on the very left of the image and I live (when I am in Baltimore) about 6 blocks on the other side of that tallest copper colored building on the left. It is about a mile walk from my place to the top of this hill. The Inner Harbor is a wonderful place full of attractions and restaurants. I have been doing a lot of 'photo walks' the last few days so expect a lot of 'city life' pictures for a while:o)

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f5.6 I think, 1/320s)

Scary Go Round

2011-09-19T19:35:00.003-04:00

If I was a little kid these big mean looking chickens would scare me to death. Taken at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore today.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic 20mm/1.7 lens - shot at ISO 250, f4 @ 1/100s)

Tracy Says Hi!

2011-09-18T08:15:00.005-04:00

(Olympus E-PL2 with Voigtlander 40/1.4 lens - shot at ISO 200, f1.8 @ 1/13s, converted to B&W with SilverEfexPro)

Harar Beer

2011-09-16T18:40:00.001-04:00

How about a little Ethiopian Beer? It's real good.

(Olympus E-PL2 with Panasonic 14mm/2.5 lens, shot at ISO 500, f3.5 at 1/6s)

This Video is Insane!

2011-09-15T01:48:00.004-04:00

Back in Baltimore

2011-09-14T22:03:00.001-04:00

Had my full flood insurance assessment done today then I drove to my apt and job in Baltimore where I sit now. Even with all the damage to my home and all the work that place requires, I am really going to miss my NC home while I am gone.