Oh Christmas tree ..

Christmas trees are so beautiful.  The best way to capture the warmth of their lighting is on a tripod.  Here is ours, a 19-year old faux blue spruce, shot with my Nikon D40x and Nikkor 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 lens, ISO100, f/3.5 for 0.8s.  (Click on photo to enlarge).  Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 21

Its always a magnificent moment to see a raptor, the most intense predator in the avian world.  This adult Sharp Shinned Hawk was in our side yard with its prey, sadly, one of our Sparrows.  I did not want to watch the carnage ... It did get pretty gruesome with feathers flying everywhere.  But the photographer in me would not allow me to look away. Shot with my Nikon D300s and 70-200mm lens.  (Click on photos to enlarge).

Space Shuttle Enterprise Title Transfer Ceremony at Intrepid

Sunday, December 11 
This afternoon, Intrepid President Susan Marinoff-Zausner and Board member Charles de Gunzberg welcomed NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garvey, Senator Chuck Schumer and other noted guests to the Title Transfer Ceremony which officially gives the Space Shuttle Enterprise to Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.  The Shuttle is scheduled to arrive in Summer, 2012.  (Click any photo to enlarge).

Senator Chuck Schumer addressed the audience assembled in Hangar One near the Information Desk

Senator Schumer and representatives from Intrepid and NASA gathered at the table, ready to sign the paperwork.

Lori Garvey, NASA Deputy Administrator adds her signature to a poster size Title Transfer document.

Senator Schumer gives the press his best "live long and prosper" sign, from Star Trek, the namers of the Enterprise.  Intrepid Board member Charles de Gunzberg accompanied him.


See more photos of this event at Intrepid's website and other Intrepid events at Proof Positive Photography website .. Go to Galleries .. Intrepid Events.

A halo around the moon

Saturday, December 10
On this night of the lunar eclipse, my husband spotted this ring around the moon.  I went out into the chilly air with my tripod and captured a few shots with my Nikon D300s.  Here's my favorite one.

Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and Mickey Taylor at Mayo PAC in Morristown, NJ Jingle Bell Rock

Thursday, December 1
As mentioned in earlier posts, Eric and I have become friendly with rocker Eddie Money.  He is a supporter of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and a heckuva funny guy.  He and his manager invited us backstage for his Jingle Bell Rock performance at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, NJ with fellow rockers Lou Gramm of Foreigner and Mickey Thomas of Starship.

It was an honor being there as they prepared for the show, and a unique perspective on their work as seen from behind the curtain.

Knowing that professional cameras would not be permitted at the venue, I only brought my "toy" Minolta point-and-shoot but was able to capture these two videos.  I posted them both to YouTube.

The finale .. about 2 minutes ..

And the encore .. Eddie Money performing "Shakin" .. about 4 minutes.  As you can see I was totally fascinated by the stage lighting!

A wonderful evening .. Thank you Eddie and Paul!

For more musicians' photos, please visit Proof Positive Photography under Gallery .. Musicians.  (Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny, Patti Smith, Harvey Reid and others).

Update on my absence ..

A quick update on the gap in posting .. Two days after I photographed Vice President Joe Biden (see post below), I was taken by shortness of breath which resulted in a 2-day hospitalization for multiple blood clots in both lungs and one large one in my leg.  Medically speaking I had "multiple bi-lateral pulmonary emboli" and "deep vein thrombosis". 

Its my great good fortune to say that I am fine now .. as fine as possible.  I may be on blood thinners forever but I'm free again to take my photos and make my stained glass windows, to love my husband and my friends, and continue writing blog entries.  Life 2.0 is good!!

Vice President Biden at the Unveiling of Horse Soldiers Monument on Veterans Day in NYC

Friday evening, I had the distinct honor of being asked to photograph the unveiling of the America's Response Memorial.  It is an 18' high statue created by artist Douwe Blumberg to honor the U.S. Special Forces teams which rode into Afghanistan on horseback to fight the Taliban.  (Click on any image to enlarge).

Bill White, Master of Ceremonies and Chairman and CEO of Constellations Group, is shown with several of the benefactors for the impressive monument which now stands in the lobby of Two World Financial Center, directly across the street from the World Trade Center Memorial.  The lobby where the ceremony took place was heavily damaged in the attacks on 9-11.

A 50' high flag which flew at the WTC the day of the attack was carefully unfurled and hoisted toward the ceiling by dozens of first responders, many of whom lost loved ones.

U.S. Marine Cpl, Aaron Mankin, an Iraq veteran and wounded warrior, with his mother.  Eric first met Aaron a few years ago on Intrepid and I met him two years ago when Prince Harry visited Intrepid. We've seen his transformation as he's endured over 50 surgeries since he was wounded in in Syria. Aaron is a true inspiration, and a warm and caring man.  His mother told me that he is scheduled for yet another surgery next week.

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, are welcomed into the Hall by warm applause. They were joined in the front row by various NYC dignitaries including Police Commissioner Ray Kelly who was recognized by the Vice President.

Behind the Vice President are the Horse Soldiers, the members of U.S. Special Forces Teams who rode into Afghanistan on horseback and for whom the monument is dedicated. The Vice President spoke at length about the patriotism of this country and the ongoing efforts to preserve freedom.

For more information about the monument and the artist who created it, Douwe Blumberg, please click here.

This shoot produced over 300 images .. This is just a handful of memories from a once-in-a-lifetime evening.  It was a real honor to be in the company of our brave soldiers and our Vice President.

For more event photos, please click here for Proof Positive Photography website .. and find us on FaceBook here.

Veterans Day Observance in Teaneck

Friday morning, I was asked by Teaneck Patch to cover their Veterans Day Observance at the Municipal Green.  Borough officials, Police and Honor Guard, Fire Fighters, American Legion, Sons of American Legion and many local Veterans and residents turned out to recognize the many sacrifices made for our freedoms, here and abroad, past and present.

The Ceremony was conducted on a lovely Fall morning, trees in full bloom.

Fire Fighters saluting during the Pledge of Allegiance.

Many veterans from various conflicts attended the Observance including my husband Eric, a 20-year Air Force veteran.

More photos were published on both Glen Rock and Teaneck's Patch site.  Click here to view.

Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall Opening Ceremonies at Intrepid

This morning I had the honor of shooting the Opening Ceremony for the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall at the Intrepid.  The Wall will remain open, free of charge, 24 hours a day, every day until November 20. It is a three-quarter scale model of the original wall in Washington D.C. (Click on any photo for a closer look).

The Nam Nights and the Intrepid Former Crew Members at the Opening Ceremony.

Intrepid Former Crew Members saluting the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall.

A highlight of the ceremony was a performance of "One More Soldier Coming Home" by rocker Eddie Money, whom Eric and I now consider a friend.

Eddie and his wife Laurie during the solemn part of the Ceremony.  He is generously donating 100% of the proceeds of his song, "One More Soldier Coming Home" to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.  Please visit Eddie's website, hear the song, and consider a contribution, $0.99 to support our soldiers! Click here for the link. 

Two former Intrepid Crew Members paying their respects at the Wall.

 

See my photos posted here, on Intrepid's website.

See more photos on FaceBook or under "Intrepid Events Gallery" at Proof Positive Photography website. Thank you!

Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall arrives at Intrepid

Yesterday, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall was welcomed to Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum with a police and motorcycle escort from Staten Island, across the George Washington Bridge and down the West Side Highway. (Click on any image to enlarge).

The Nam Knights of America, Patriot Guard Riders, Rolling Thunder, Hudson Valley Harley and other motorcycle groups gathered together on the pier and hand carried the panels of the Memorial Wall to the display area.

The Dignity Memorial Wall will be on display until November 20.  Opening Ceremonies will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10:00 a.m. Check back for photos of this event as well.

See more photos on FaceBook or under "Intrepid Events Gallery" at Proof Positive Photography website.

Photo published in Bergen Record

For the second time recently, the Bergen Record newspaper surprised me by publishing one of my photographs in their Monday "Insight" feature.  This morning, they chose my pumpkin in the snow photo saying that "they had other entries along the same theme" but my photo "perfectly captured the essence of the moment." 
I'm very flattered!  (Click to enlarge and read caption).

Squirrel getting ready for Winter

This little guy found a piece of the apple core that I threw out onto the patio earlier in the day. I like the sunlight on his belly, the catch lights in his eye and his camoflage with our wooden fence.

Nikon D300s, 70-200MM 2.8 VRII lens, ISO200, f/2.8, 1/80s.

October snowstorm photos from the front porch

When the weather turns as bad as it was this past weekend, taking photos from the front porch is an appealing alternative to going out.  Here are two .. click any photo to enlarge.

Nikon D40x .. ISO 100, f/3.5, 4 seconds, tripod. Shot just after sunset when the sky was still navy blue.  I like the pink and purple glow created by our orange pumpkin post light.

Nikon D40x .. ISO100, f/3.5, 7.1 seconds, tripod.  The snow plows idled long enough to get a nice long exposure and illuminate the 8" of snow.  I think this one looks like a Kinkaid painting.  Our neighbors, whose home is featured, love the shot.

For more event photos, please click here for Proof Positive Photography website ..
and find us on FaceBook here. 

Saturday snowstorm cancels Glen Rock Homecoming events

Northern NJ (and much of the Northeast) endured yet another aberration of Mother Nature, an October snowstorm on Saturday.  Pretty, yes, but it wreaked havoc on the plans of many, including events in Glen Rock.  The Tailgate Party and the Homecoming Game were canceled. Here are some photos from the day. 

The Glen Rock Panthers, the high school football team, was all ready to play their rivals in Hawthorne.  The announcement of the cancellation of the homecoming game due to heavy snow came just a few moments after this photo was shot. (Click on any photo to enlarge).

Shooting in heavy, wet snow presents challenges for cameras.  Had I thought of it, my lens shield, which I normally use in bright sun, would have been a great accessory for the lens.  Rather than risk moisture damage to my SB-800 flash, I used my pop-up, on-camera flash.

The cheerleaders on their way off the field.  These shots required light touch up in PhotoShop, due to snowflakes being caught in the flash.

The homecoming game has been rescheduled .. and at least the kids got to be together for a while, without having to be out in it all afternoon.  (They enjoyed the following Monday and Tuesday off from school due to downed trees and lines, and widespread power outages).   Please click here for the full article.

For more event photos, please click here for Proof Positive Photography website .. and find us on FaceBook here.

Popeye cartoonist Hy Eisman creates artwork for Glen Rock's Environmental Commission

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting Popeye and Katzenjammer Kids cartoonist Hy Eisman and his lovely wife, Florenz, as they made a presentation of artwork to Mayor John van Keuren.  The art will be featured on shopping bags which will be distributed to Glen Rock residents the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  This project was coordinated by the Glen Rock Environmental Commission.

The artwork captions are .. "We don't do paper, we don't do plastic, we bring our own, hey that's fantastic!  More and more Glen Rockers bring reusable bags to the store .. Its the green thing to do and Glen Rock loves green".  The framed piece is signed from Mr. Eisman to Mayor van Keuren.

Florenz and Hy Eisman with Mayor van Keuren.

For a few more photos and the story, please click this link to Glen Rock Patch.com.

Squirrel and Gnome photo in Bergen Record today

My squirrel and gnome photo, taken in mid-June, is featured in this morning's Bergen Record newspaper "Insight" article.  The caption given by the editors is, "Sneak attack: What's a squirrel to do when it's peacefully hopping through trees and gathering nuts, and suddenly spies someone waiting to ambush it with a slingshot?  This one decides the fair response is to knock some sense into the ol' gnome dome."  (Click to enlarge).

Proof Positive Photography website ... Proof Positive Photography FaceBook site.

Blessing of the Animals in Ridgewood

Yesterday's sunny morning brought out a nice crowd of dog owners for the Blessing of the Animals at Christ Church in Ridgewood.  Fathers Lisby and Lewis read passages and offered St. Francis medals to the congregants.

Many of the dogs were rescues .. This one was from Hurricane Katrina and has been trained to be a Therapy Dog.

To see all 25 photos, visit Ridgewood Patch.com.

Video: David Cassidy & Davy Jones "I'm a Believer"

Sometimes I give my cameras a rest and take a little video instead.  Here's one taken with my Canon PowerShot A1000 back on September 7.  A one-time rendition of "I'm a Believer" by David Cassidy and Davy Jones at the Bergen PAC in Englewood, NJ.  Enjoy!

See more musicians under the "Musicians Gallery" tab at Proof Positive Photo.com.

Pooches Pair with Young Readers

Heart warming photo shoot last night, photographing children at the library reading their books to Certified Therapy Dogs as part of a 4-year program sponsored by the Glen Rock Library.  Young readers got the chance to read a book to a gentle, furry canine who listened patiently by their side.

Maggie the Newfoundland was one of the first dogs in the program.  Here she listens while Kenny reads and gets some help from his dad on the hard words.

First time out for Lucy .. She did a wonderful job keeping Gabriel company.

This retiree has been participating with her Border Terrier since she retired from 34 years as a Kindergarten teacher.

Lucy the Lab giving Kayla some love. Shots taken with Nikon D40x and SB-600 flash .. New SB-700 flash is due to arrive today.

For more photos and full story, please click here for Glen Rock Patch.com.

Hawes Elementary School ribbon cutting

Last night I did a photo shoot for Ridgewood Patch.com, a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the expansion at Hawes Elementary School.  The ceremony was held in the parking lot outside the new addition.

 

Attending the ceremony were members of the Board of Education, Hawes School staff, architects, and construction management, along with parents.

Henrietta is a duck that the kids adopted. She and her brood routinely walk in the back door, through the halls of the school. "Henrietta's Gate" was constructed so that the new building addition would not disrupt her routine.

The principal and the superintendent of schools cut the ribbon, officially opening the expansion.  For story and more photos, please click here for Ridgewood Patch.com.