Other thoughts on and pics from Hawaii: February 23, 2016

Other things I've learned

Adding to this.

7) The word "Hawaiian" has a really specific meaning. I had read, before I left, that the only people who use that word are the indigenous people of Hawaii. Other people who are from Hawaii generally say they "live in Hawaii" or are "from Hawaii."

In accordance with all that, one tour guide I met said that he has "lived in Hawaii" his whole life, and that his family has "lived in Hawaii" for four generations. Interesting, (in my opinion, anyway).

8) Apparently I like beaches. Beaches are awesome. Surfing is awesome.

9) I had also read before I left, that there is no night life outside of Honolulu, and that things start early in the day and end early at night because of surfing culture: the best time to go for the waves is in the morning. Now, I don't know if that's true--just reporting what I read, but sure enough, in Haleiwa, a surf town on the North Shore of Oahu, a burger place had breakfast at 7 AM but started serving burgers at 10 AM! Another place had all-day lunch and all-day breakfast.

Plus, the local NBC affiliate, and presumably the other stations as well, had a surf forecast every morning, predicting the size of the waves around the island.

10) Vog is a thing. Like big cities get smog, Hawaii gets vog. Vog occurs when gases and ash from the active volcanoes on the Big Island combine with the air, etc. I'm told that it was really bad one recent summer when the trade winds weren't active and the vog just hung in the air. It bothers people and some find it hard to breathe...like smog.

Pics

I may or may not add more photos as I go along.... I'm down to my last few days of leave from work, so not sure what I'll be doing...

Click to enlarge.

Halona Blowhole, Oahu, Hawaii. February 4, 2016 at 9:50 AM HAST.

More after the jump...

Kona, Hawaii: February 10, 2016

Just FYI: I have had to stop watching news from the mainland and looking at weather forecasts because my brain can't handle the cognitive dissonance between the weather here and the calendar date.

Sorry for the finger in the frame. Kona. Hawaii
 Pic from cellphone.

I found a cupcake place in Kona!!!

Pineapple coconut banana cake, cream cheese icing with coconut and macadamia nuts. Pic from cellphone. Kona, Hawaii.

Honolulu / Waikiki: February 3, 2016

Okay, to get a couple things out of the way right off:

1) I know you're wondering, so I'll answer this question first. Can you get "Hawaiian pizza" in Hawaii? The answer is yes. I saw a pizza place that offers pizza with ham and pineapple that is called Hawaiian. I wonder how Hawaiians feel about it but am afraid to ask.

2) It really is beautiful here.

Click to enlarge, as always.

Sunrise from Waikiki Beach, right outside my hotel. February 3, 2016
at 6:29 HAST (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time).

More after the jump.

Photo (project) of the Day: January 11, 2016

22 days until I'm off to Hawaii.  Maybe it's because I'm going somewhere warm, but I kind of like this cold right now.  Having said that, I plan on staying inside all day Wednesday when it gets colder.

I came across a blog that suggested taking at least three photos of an object, to try different angles.  So one object, three angles.

Walking around today, near Ryerson University, I saw a bike rack.  I kind of liked one photo I took.  One I deleted but I've got the other so you can see what I was photographing.

Here's the bike rack.

I like the triangles lined up in a row.  Actually I kind of like this photo now.  I could probably crop it into something, I think.  Here's the photo I like.

Photo of the Day: January 10, 2016; macro around the condo

The temperature is dropping. I didn't do much but decided to pull out my camera and try some macro photography. I had to pull out my tripod to get this shot clear, given the low-ish light level.

Click to enlarge the photo.

I used my macro filters on this, all three, so the magnification level was +7
(the total of the +4, +2, +1). f/5.6, f/15 at ISO 200.  

Apropos of nothing, I have the Golden Globes on in the background.  Has all been forgiven in regards to Mel Gibson?

Photo of the Day: January 9, 2016

It's global warming warm today in Toronto!  Remember winter?  I hear it's cold out west, though....

Anyway, I haven't done much today other than a lot of napping.  That's a lie--I also walked around a lot.  It seemed everywhere I went, there were two or three people with serious cameras taking pictures.  Some art class must have a project due.  I saw two people photographing things around a construction site and I wished I had my camera with me.

Here's a photo from Tuesday.

Blue skies in Toronto.  The CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium.  January 5, 2016 at
11:00 AM. f/18, 1/60 at ISO 100.

Photo (lesson) of the Day: January 7, 2015; lens flare

Like J. J. Abrams, (I hear), I like lens flare.

I just read on how to do it.

1)  Raise the value of your f-stop (so the aperture is small).

2)  Aim directly at the source of light.

3)  Move camera around to see what angles create a lot of flare.

The photos below were taken Tuesday as I left Ripley's Aquarium.  They're not really great photos, since I was just seeing if I could create flare.  I learned pretty quickly that the amount of flare isn't immediately apparent in the small camera display.

Click to enlarge.

Outside Ripley's Aquarium, looking south.  Toronto. January 5, 2016 at 10:59 AM. f/22, 1/125 at ISO 100.

More after the jump.

Photo of the Day: January 6, 2015

Photo of the Day

Click to enlarge the photo.

Cold sunrise this morning.

Toronto, looking east. I darkened the exposure a bit to get the colours of the sky.
January 6, 2015 at 7:34 AM.  f/4, 1/50 s at ISO 100.  Maybe next time, if I'm not
feeling too lazy, I'll pull out my tripod and see if a smaller aperture but longer
exposure makes a difference.

Nothing like waking up, snapping some photos, then going back to bed.  I didn't do that, but there's always tomorrow....

Photo(s) of the Day: January 5, 2016; Ripley's Aquarium adventures...

I have to say, $33.88 for general admission at Ripley's Aquarium is waaaay too much.  However, before the school trips and families arrived, I had the place all to myself, except for staff, from 9 AM to around 10 AM.

I took the opportunity to experiment with the camera again.  Light levels were low, so I boosted the ISO levels.  I had to work without a tripod because tripods are not allowed at the Aquarium, as I expected. However, I used my macro filters which allowed me to get closer to the fish and still stay in focus.

Click to make photos bigger for inspection and more fun.

  Clownfish sure are cute.  f/5.6, 1/30 at ISO 1600.

More photos after the jump.

Photos of the day, and Good bye to all that: December 31, 2015

Photos of the Day:  fake faces

There's some sort of theme, I think.

St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto.  November 30, 2015 at 2:45 PM.  f/5.6, 1/50 s at ISO 100.

St. Paul's Basilica Parish, Toronto.  December 3, 2015 at 7:17 AM.  f/5.6, 1.0s at ISO 100.

Romulus, Michigan.  December 15, 2015 at 8:27 AM.  f/4.5, 1/125 at ISO 200.

(Ugly) Photo of the Day: December 30, 2015;

Is it cold enough to make us long for summer?  Probably.  Maybe.  But you're probably thinking of that fake summer no one has, in which we all frolic at the beach, have picnics without mosquitos and everyone is buff and/or beautiful.

Well, then, here is a photo of fake looking flowers to go along with your longing for fake summer.

This photo is so bad, I won't even give details on how it was taken.
Suffice it to say, I'm pretty sure these colours aren't found in nature.
In fact, they were found at my local grocery store.  (Loblaws, for those
of you keeping score.... And why wouldn't you??)

Photo(s) of the Day: December 28, 2015: reflections

I'm about one and a half months into my extended leave from work.  At this point, I'm kicking myself for not getting enough done.  I woke up at 8 AM today.  8 AM!  Feels really late.  I am a bum.

At this point, I might hit a Canadian city for a weekend trip in January.  The Canadian dollar is doing so badly against the American dollar, that it seems not worth it to head south right now.  I have my trip to Hawaii in February, so I think I can wait until then before heading to the US.

Anyway...  here are some photos from earlier in the year.

Photo(s) of the Day: December 27, 2015; thoughts on Toronto

"The great critic Northrop Frye, an ornament of the city [of Toronto] for half a century, once called Toronto a good place to mind your business.  Thirty or forty years ago, the most obvious quality of Toronto was reticence, which many mistook for a virtue.  Toronto was a city of silence, a private city, where all the best meals were eaten at home and no one noticed the absence of street life and public spaces."  Robert Fulford, Accidental City:  The Transformation of Toronto, Toronto:  McFarlane Walter & Ross, 1995 at page 1.

I think Fulford's thesis is that the city has changed since Northrop Frye's description.  Has it?  Discuss.

Click on photos to get a larger view.

Spire Condos.  Adelaide St. E. and Church St.  Toronto.  December 24, 2015 at 8:30 AM.   f/8,1/250 s at ISO 100.  I slightly underexposed it just get more blue in the sky, which is evidence in the uncrossed version of this photo.

60 Richmond St. E., Toronto.  December 24, 2015 at 8:33 AM.  f/13, 1/100 s at ISO 100.

Photo(s) of the Day: December 26, 2015; "trees"

Fake trees.  

Trying to create something artistic, a holiday "bookeh."  The fake tree in my building's lobby.

The Toronto Eaton Centre tree, Toronto.  December 24, 2015 at 7:45 AM.  f/4.5, 1/5 s at ISO 100.  I had my tripod set up, and a few minutes after this shot, I was asked if I was media, and if not, no tripod use.  I knew that might happen.  Lesson: use your tripod when you can, if it's not crowded, and be polite when you're being shut down.  Hopefully, you'll already have your shots.

Photo of the Day: December 25, 2015; Toronto

Peace, y'all.

Toronto City Hall.  December 24, 2015 at 5:04 PM.  f/4, 1/60s at ISO 320.  I used my panorama setting.  It was the blue hour.  Lights were on, crowds were big, sky was just getting dark and no one was on the ice because there was no ice.  It was a warm Christmas Eve.  Peace, y'all.

Photo of the Day: December 24, 2015; Toronto City Hall

Toronto City Hall, December 24, 2015 at 7:18 AM.  f/3.5, 0.4s shutter at ISO 100.  Look at the ripples on that rink.  That's water, y'all.  There will be no skating today.

It's a warm Christmas Eve in Toronto.  At any rate, peace,  y'all.

New York / Toronto: December 21, 2015; last looks (for now) at NYC

Here are some shots from my last day in New York City of which I am proud.  That, my friends, was a grammatically correct sentence.

Click on the shots to get a larger view.

Columbus Circle, New York City.  December 18, 2015 at 7:06 AM.  f/4 at 1/160 at ISO 2500.  I didn't have my tripod, and was trying to use my panorama setting on my camera.  So I'm low on the ground trying to use my elbow as a pivot so I can keep a constant height.  Obviously not successful, but I decided not to crop this shot.  I didn't choose the settings because my camera did it automatically, but I'm amazed at how fake this photo looks.  It looks like an artist's rendering or conceptual art of the building.  I like the shot.

I love Columbus Circle and I have no idea why.  It's a retail area near Central Park with corporate offices, so it's not something I should "love" but I do.  I think it's a great space.

Columbus Circle, New York City.  December 18, 2015 at 7:08 AM.  f/3.5 at 1/25 at ISO 500.  Now, I set these settings myself, and was worried that without a tripod, there would be considerable shake visible, but I think it turned out pretty well.  Still looks like an artist's rendering to me.

Times Square at the Golden Hour

Soon after leaving Columbus Circle, I went to the Financial District and it started raining at around 11 AM, if not earlier.  I spent my last few hours in New York wandering through Washington Square Park, the Flatiron area and Union Square and walked up to Times Square.

The good:  after a full previous day and a morning of rain, there was some sunlight in the afternoon, so I had a proper golden hour before I left.

The bad:  the golden hour coincided with the time I had to grab my luggage from the bell captain at my hotel to catch my flight home.

At any rate, I snapped some photos on my way to the hotel because the light was so nice.

Times Square, New York City.  December 18, 2015 at 3:53 PM.  I guess my quest to get a good photo of Times Square continues....

At this point, I'm getting sad to leave New York.

Times Square, New York City.  December 18, 2015 at 3:57 PM.  

To make sure I wasn't hearing things, I listened for the sound installation between 45th and 46th St between Broadway and 7th Ave.  I still hear the hum.   (You can read about my previous trips at this post).  

I still hear the hum, I tell you!!!  

The subway grate at 45th and 46th St between Broadway and 7th Ave.  All these people are obvious to the hum, it seems. It is subtle.  Feels like a little New York secret....

Hopefully, I will post something more Toronto-centric tomorrow....

New York City: December 16, 2015; running around, skyline shots

It was a busy day today, trying to squeeze in some of what I wanted to do yesterday and what I had planned to do today.  It was cooler than yesterday but still warmer than an average December.  I only wore a t-shirt and hoodie in the morning.  I was a bit cold, but it was tolerable.

Clouds moved in this afternoon and I took this:

Using the panorama setting.  Details below. 

Before I got that shot, though, I was up early and as my hotel is near Times Square, I took advantage of it being relatively uncrowded.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Times Square

It's a tourist cliche, but maybe cliches exist for a reason.  Hard to photograph, though, with the light levels, etc.

Sun rises in Times Square.  December 16, 2015 at 7:07 AM.  f/4, 1/60 at ISO 160.

General Grant National Memorial

I went uptown (up to around 120th St) to see the Riverside Church because of its really tall tower, and because both that and The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine are open early, while most of the city is still getting up and/or struggling to get to work.

However, it wasn't open until 8; I thought it was 7 AM.  So, I wandered a bit and came across Grant's Tomb.  I had no idea, until a few months ago, that it was even in New York.  I read that only 10% of New Yorkers have visited it, so I'm in good company, I guess.

General Grant National Memorial, New York City.  December 16, 2015 at 7:47 AM.

This answers the age old riddle of who is buried in Grant's tomb.  (The answer, if you don't know, is nobody.  It's a mausoleum, so he's not buried).

I thought the light was nice and snapped this photo.  I was zoomed in as far as my kit lens can go, 50 mm.  Detail of General Grant Memorial, New York City.  December 16, 2015 at 7:51 AM.  f/13, 1/125 seconds at ISO 100.

Christmas at Radio City Music Hall

I hear it's a tradition, so I attended the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.  The Hall is huge, and for New Yorkers' reputation for cynicism, there sure were a lot of sentimental people who, from what I overheard, attend all the time.  Lots of people in Christmas type outfits.  I saw a couple dressed as elves ask an usher to take their picture.  I wish I had taken one too.  It was kind of funny.  It's nice they found each other.

Radio City Music Hall, dressed up for Christmas.  December 16, 2015 at 12:42 PM.

There was an 11 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM show (not sure about those last two) today.  I went to the morning one.

The climax of the show, aside from all the Rockettes' numbers, was a live nativity scene.  There were real animals.  I'll tell you right now, the sheep did not give a damn about the angel in the sky.  It was actually kind of impressive, though.

Everyone is into Christmas in New York City.  1251 Avenue of the Americas.  December 16, 2015 at 12:39 PM.  f/8, 1/320  at ISO 3200.  I have no idea why the ISO is so high.  I guess I wasn't paying attention.  I had set it high to get photos of the Christmas Spectacular.  

Manhattan skyline shots from Brooklyn

I did something I haven't done in years. Just because I wanted some good shots, I went to Brooklyn.  No reason not to go to Brooklyn--I just haven't.   

I had my tripod with me.  These shots are from Brooklyn Heights Promenade.  I wanted to get some shots from the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge, but the other side of the bridge is inaccessible due to construction.

Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Heights Promenade.  December 16, 2015 at  2:07 PM.  f/14, 1/2000 at ISO 3200.  That ISO is much too high for the light conditions, I think.  I apologize to all of you on my behalf and also on behalf of my family.

I moved a few feet west to get this shot:

Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge.  December 16, 2015 at 2:52 PM.  f/9, 1/100 at ISO 100.  That's a more reasonable ISO.  Yes, I was there snapping photos for that long...

I have dozens more shots of the skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge.  There were a few people taking photos there, but I'm guessing it would be a madhouse in the summer.

Union Square Holiday Market

I visited the Holiday (Christmas?) Market at Union Square.

I took this picture because I thought this guy was selling beautiful blown glass.  I'm sure there are ethics about taking photos like this.  I probably should have asked before taking the photo, instead, I took it when he wasn't looking....

Pretty colours.....  I'm sure I could crop it better....  f/4.5, 1/80 at ISO 800.

Regional Accent Report

You'll be happy to know, I went to see "Fun Home" tonight and the woman and her Dad beside me had the *most* stereotypical New York (New Yawk!) accents.  It was great.  Daughter is a bit of a mess though, but it's probably okay since Daddy sounds rich....

Okay, I'm tired now....  

More to come.....

Toronto: December 11, 2015; shots of Toronto skyline, another view

I went to Kensington Market, Wednesday afternoon.  The top of the parking garage at St. Andrew St. has a great view--so I heard.

It was an impressive view, (I like that it looks like the city is rising from the graffiti-laden buildings), and after I arrived, a few more photographers showed up, so apparently it's not a secret.  I was the only one with a tripod, though!!!!  Win for me!  This one woman had a way nicer camera and lens than me, though, so I had some camera envy.....

Click on them to "embiggen" the photos...

Using the panorama setting on my camera.  I bought a new fancy tripod, so I can do fancy pans at a constant height.  Great tripod....  Toronto, December 9, 2015 at 4:02 PM.  ISO 200, f/4 at 1/60 second.

An unusually warm December day in Toronto, December 9, 2015 at 4:15 PM.  ISO 200, f/9 at 1/13 second.

Still warm.  Toronto, December 9, 2015 at 4:17 PM.  ISO 200, f/10 at 1/8 second.

The lights of the buildings came on gradually, but of the major buildings, by far the latest was the CN Tower.  I waited awhile for the CN Tower lights to come on and was ready to leave by the time they did.  At this point, it occurred to me that I wanted everything to be in focus, so switched to a smaller aperture.  

Toronto, December 9, 2015 at 4:40 PM.  ISO 200, f/14 at 2.5 seconds.

It seemed appropriate to get a shot of Toronto I was happy with before setting out to travel a bit again...  Looking forward to re-discovering Detroit and New York City, especially since I've been feeling like a bum hanging out at home.  I've been sleeping until 7 AM most days...  Up early as "usual" today, but easy to feel like a big slacker.  

Toronto: November 10, 2015; Massey Hall

Off to Mississauga again today. 

Here's a photo from my wandering yesterday.  I'm getting a hang of my camera.  This is, obviously, historic Massey Hall on Shuter St in Toronto.  Off the top of my head, official (ie--non bootleg) live recordings from Massey Hall include Neil Young and Tears for Fears.

I'm a big fan of light trails, so obviously this is a long exposure.

I will post more photos from my afternoon trek around the city in tomorrow's post.

Off to Detroit and New York City starting over the weekend.  Whoever's still reading, btw, thanks for reading....

Click to enlarge the photo, as always.

Massey Hall, Toronto, December 9, 2015 at 6:57 PM.  I was originally across the street, but a car stopped in front of my tripod set up, so I moved.  Turned out to be a better shot.  It was starting to rain and I was worried about my camera, so this was the last shot of the day.  ISO 200, f/16 (to keep everything nice and sharp and create light trails) and shutter speed 3.2 s.