I came across these in an antique store in Cold Spring.
Pool Balls
Sigma AF 30mm f/2.8 EX DN for Sony e-mount (NEX)
East 42nd Street
I’ve had this lens for a long time and I’ve posted quite a few pictures taken with it. But I can’t recall that I’ve ever said anything about it.
I like it a lot. It’s small and light and provides autofocus, but not unfortunately image stabilization. The autofocus is maybe a touch slow, but that doesn’t bother me much as I don’t usually take pictures of things that move quickly. It’s solidly built (something rattles inside when it’s not in use, but I’m led to believe that this is normal. The 19mm “rattles” too. When the camera is turned on it stops “rattling”). I used to feel that f2.8 was too slow, but after using a number of faster lenses I’m finding that I more and more incline towards the smaller aperture. The faster lenses are harder to focus (particularly with my aging/aged eyes) and the depth of field is very shallow. I’m sure that there are occasions where you need the extra speed, but most of the time I don’t. The focal length (equivalent 45mm) is one that I like. The lens is very sharp and contrasty – maybe a little too contrasty for my taste, but that’s easily fixed. The colors as also a bit too saturated for my taste, but that’s easily fixable too. I find the chromatic aberration to be a little high. As I write this it’s available for $169 – a great value.
Silos and Barn
In a Bar on 2nd Ave.
Inside the Alex
A house in Ossining,NY
Garrison’s Little Red Chapel
This building is in Garrison, NY – on Route 9d. It seems that it was built in 1862 and was Garrison’s original Episcopal church (St. James Chapel). Later a stone church was built and the building was moved to its current location. Subsequently it became an antiques store and, if the sign is anything to go by, is presently for sale – and has been for some time. Apparently there are no takers. The current owner is willing to give the building to someone willing to restore it (this may mean dismantling the building and moving it to another location).
All pictures taken in February 2012 with a Sony Nex 5N, the first three with the 18-55mm kit lens and the last two with a Canon 50mm f1.4 Leica Thread Mount Lens using and adapter.
The Cynic’s Photography Dictionary on Photofocus
Ambrose Bierce
I’m a fan of the satirical and cynical definitions of Ambrose Bierce, first written as a daily newspaper column and later collected in The Devil’s Dictionary. (It was originally called the Cynic’s Word Book, but so many politicians of the day called Bierce a Devil that he felt the new title more appropriate.)
Unfortunately, very few of Mr. Bierce’s definitions apply to photography. Seeing a need that should be filled, I immediately began working on a Devil’s Dictionary of Photographic terms. Hopefully, some of you will join in and help to expand this desperately needed work.
I particularly liked:
Image Stabilization – a technologic triumph consisting of lenses, magnets, position sensors, springs, and electric motors that is nearly as effective as 3 sticks of wood attached to a base plate. See also, Tripod.
and…
Sharpness – The amount of fine detail visible in an image before it is compressed to 1/10th its original size to post online.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Old Dutch Church and Burial Ground.
In Winter this is one of the few locations that I can reliably expect to be cleared of snow. So it’s a place of last resort for walking the dog when it’s cold and there’s snow on the ground. It’s also a large and very interesting cemetery with lots of celebrity graves, picturesque statuary, flowering trees etc. It’s a very tranquil and peaceful area to walk around in, which I guess is what you would expect.
John Archbold Mausoleum
Door Detail
Edwin Lister Grave. Born: Sep. 10, 1829, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Died: May 18, 1898, Newark, NJ. President of Agricultural Chemical Works, and Assemblyman in New Jersey.
Spring Blossoms
