On of the numerous art works on the riverfront in Peekskill New York. Unfortunately I’ve been unable to find any information (e.g. what it’s called; who created it etc.) on this work.
Peekskill Riverwalk Park – Stargate on Hudson?
Peekskill Riverwalk Park – A Local Legend
This is Dylan’s Wine Cellar in Peekskill, NY and in front of it is the stuff of a local legend. It seems that L. Frank Baum spent a couple of (apparently quite unhappy) years at the Peekskill Military Academy. A road ran from the waterfront to the academy and on arriving (either by train or boat, opinions vary) Baum is said to have asked for directions. As the road had fairly distinctively colored bricks he was told to “follow the yellow brick road”. This small patch, now a parking lot, is all that remains. L. Frank Baum was, of course, the author of “The Wizard of Oz”. Is the story true? Some think so. Others don’t and apparently there are a number of other candidates for “the yellow brick road”. However, the Peekskill Town Historian, John Curren clearly feels it’s true, but then he would wouldn’t he.
Nikon N70/F70
I didn’t especially want this camera. When I started collecting cameras I though I would stick to rangefinders, but somewhere along the line I got distracted towards SLRs. I bought a Yashica FX-3 in a thrift store because I found myself stuck without a camera and wanted to take pictures. I’d never owned a Nikon so I thought if I’m getting SLRs I might as well get a Nikon – that led to the acquisition of a Nikon F2 body. Then I needed a lens and I found the lens (a manual focus lens) I wanted attached to a Nikon N90s. I liked the N90s and realized that I’d never actually used an autofocus SLR – so I needed an AF lens. I found such a lens attached to this N70, which as I said, I didn’t especially want. I think I spent about $30 for the camera and lens so what did I have to lose. I put a roll of film in it to see if the body worked, put it away and never used it. The other day I remembered there was a film in it and decided to try it. Inevitably I took pictures of what was close to hand: flowers in our garden.
As I was only trying to see if the camera worked I can’t say that I tried it out very thoroughly. I put it into aperture priority and largely “pointed and shot”. I was using an old film and taking pictures at the worst time of day (around noon). All I can really say is that the camera felt comfortable enough in my hands and not too heavy around my neck. The rather strange fan-shaped interface is unique to this camera and I don’t think Nikon used it again – probably because of all the negative feedback. Nikon aficionado Thom Hogan had this to say (I don’t know when this was written):
The F70/N70’s gimmicky LCD interface met with a lot of derision. However, unlike the F60/N60 or F65/N65, the F70/N70 gives its user plenty of feedback on what’s been set and what the other options are. As such, it’s a good learning camera. The F70/N70’s specifications are mostly good (other than the 1/125 flash sync), and the camera is arguably a bargain at its current prices. The metering and autofocus systems are quite good for an amateur camera and the range of abilities of this camera are quite sophisticated. The built-in flash isn’t very powerful and large lenses get in the way of its coverage, so don’t count on not having to buy a Speedlight. Three things keep me from recommending it wholeheartedly to advanced amateurs or aspiring pros:
1. The lack of depth of field (DOF) preview is a serious omission.
2. That LCD interface really does demand that you take your eye from the viewfinder to make many setting changes, which is okay for learning, but frustrating when you need to work fast.
3. The F80/N80 that replaces it in the Nikon lineup is clearly a better camera and fixes nearly all the F70/N70’s shortcomings.
While I agree that the interface is rather “fiddly” I imagine that once you’re used to it it’s not that bad. Definitely a usable camera though. The pictures were very contrasty and the colors were a bit off (probably because of the old film) and so needed “tweaking” in post processing.
An interesting Q&A session with Martin Parr
He seems like an interesting guy, with a good sense of humor or maybe I just relate to him because we are both British and almost exact contemporaries (I’m about 20 days older than him).
Martin Parr has the enviable job of traveling the world with a camera. He has been commissioned by brands and publishers to create country-specific series. Everywhere he goes he sniffs for “the extraordinary within the ordinary.” It may be a regular man on a beach outing, but who has the American flag for swimming trucks. A cigarette tucked behind an ear can just as easily catch his attention.
“If you have a camera you can justify your presence everywhere,” Parr tells his listeners via video chat. His tone is not matter-of-factly but humorous. He points out that “the quality of our connection” with strangers, objects and places determines the quality of the picture. This requires a reciprocal relationship with subjects. Parr himself sends out prints to people who mail after seeing themselves in one of his books.
A useful tip from Parr: In most countries photographers are free to shoot in public places, except France. Always carry around release forms if you plan to publish photographs of the French in newspapers and magazines.
via An Educational Video Hangout with Martin Parr · Lomography.
Big Sur California
These were taken on 29 December 2003 with a Canon Powershot S50. They were taken during a period where I’d soured on photography and so perhaps wasn’t taking as much care as I might otherwise have. Unfortunately I didn’t know enough about the benefits of RAW in those days so these are JPGs – and to my mind somewhat oversharpened. It was also rather a dull day so many of the pictures I did take were blurred because of camera shake caused by too slow a shutter speed. These are the only shots that I found to be useable.
It was some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve seen though and I very much regret that I didn’t spend more time on the photographs. Such a missed opportunity. Will I ever get a chance to go back? We still have family in California so who knows?
