Updates

I just returned from mountain biking in the Poconos and am about to get ready for a Photo Walk at Coney Island. The photo walk should be pretty exciting, especially since our group leader organized several events for us. I also just received my new business cards and they look amazing.

Lots more to come soon: posts, pictures, and all of the above. Happy Saturday!

Brownie 2A

I met a couple friends for lunch at the Time-Life building for lunch on Friday. We had a great time discussing photography and enjoyed looking at some of the old Time-Life photographs in the lunch room. On my way home from lunch, I decided to stop by a local thrift store, Astoria's Second Best Thrift Store. I hadn't been in there for several months and enjoyed wandering through the newly organized store. I had made my way to the second half of the store when I stumbled upon two Kodak Brownie cameras.


I played with both of them for a few minutes and decided to see how much they would want for both cameras. I walked out of the store with two Brownies for a total of $6. There are a few small pieces that will need to be replaced, but both cameras are in great condition. I also found out that B&H still sells the film for these cameras. I will hopefully be able to take some pictures with the Brownies in the next few week and will post them as soon as possible.

The New McDonald's

I have a theory....it's probably been said before, but I believe that Starbucks will be (or is) the new McDonald's. Starbucks has some of the only "public" bathrooms in the city, which I take advantage of, but public bathrooms mean a lot of foot traffic, foot traffic that is surpassing the upkeep of the store. I was in Starbucks this evening over on Prince St. and could not believe how disgusting the bathroom was. There was one bathroom (total, girls and guys) for a store that could hold 50-60 people that I waited close to 25 minutes to use.

While waiting in line, I began to have the feeling that is was in coffees version of McDonald's. Customers waited in a long line to have a sugary drink made at lighting speed. I don't know about other coffee drinkers, but my belief is that coffee wasn't meant to be consumed in a hurry. To me, coffee means good conversation or a good book. Something that should be enjoy not quickly, but over a period of time. I guess that is my big problem with the current lifestyle: Nobody slows down.

Last though of the day, next time you are drinking a cup of coffee make yourself slow down. Force yourself to sit and enjoy your drink instead of running out the door. And let me know how that works out.

I leave you with one of my favorite pictures from Governor's Island...

Stock Photography

I now have pictures posted on a stock photography website.  Danny's old roommate visited us last weekend and is also into photography.  I have to thank Dan and Emily for telling me about stock photography.

I only have two pictures up right now, but these pictures are officially for sale.  I will have more posted soon.

I would love any feedback/discussion about stock photography or about my pictures.

http://psc.photoshelter.com/user/kaityv

Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from my trip to Texas...

More to Come...

Once again, it's been a busy couple weeks.  I was in Texas last week from Wednesday to Sunday to celebrate Robyn's 50th birthday and Father's Day and also to see family and friends.  We had a great party on Thursday night at my Mom's apartment with a random mix of friends  and Robyn's surprise party Saturday night at Avanti's (I will post pictures soon).  I got back late Sunday night.  

Tuesday night we went to see the Puppini Sisters at B.B. King (will post pictures soon) and then last night we went to the Kitano Hotel to see Roni Ben-Hur play.  The moral of this story is that I have several new post to come with pictures from my trip and the show.  

For now I leave you with a picture of Mr. Asher:

First Official Photo Shoot

My goodness, I cannot believe 3 weeks have past since my last post. This past week was packed full of fun-filled events, one being my first official photo shoot. I had been talking with Dennis and Darien for several weeks about doing a photo shoot. They both needed publicity photos for their up-coming concert and Darien needed head shots. We planned to shoot outside on Saturday, but the weather was too unbearable. Instead, we settled for a well-light hallway and a silver door.

I had a very different connection and experience with both Dennis and Darien. This was a bit of a surprise to me, since we are all such good friends. We would shoot for 20-30 minutes, take a break, and then continue shooting. I felt that the pictures became stronger every time we came back to shoot.

Overall, I'm very happy with how the pictures turned out. I feel the pictures captured the individual personalities of Dennis and Darien. I would have liked some of the pictures to be a little crisper, but that could have been due to shooting indoors without a light meter. I am very excited to see were this next step in photography will take me. Thanks to Dennis and Darien for being patient with me and taking such great pictures! And thanks to my fantastic assistant for the day, Mr. Danny Stone!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the shoot:

Mr. Dennis Tobenski

Just for Fun

Mr. Darien Shulman

GQ

Happy, Happy Birthday

I wanted to thank my friends and family for making my birthday so special this year. I felt like a princess with all the flowers, cards, and birthday phone calls and texts. My friends and family are the most important people in my life, so thank you for making me feel so loved.

We celebrated my birthday on Friday night with our friends. We went to dinner at a fantastic little Cuban restaurant in the Village. There was quite a comical situation at the beginning of dinner that involved me trying to order guacamole. I had asked the waiter if they had guacamole and he said yes, so I placed an order. A few minutes later, an order of fried plantains showed up at our table. The waiter came over to me to clarify what I had asked for, since the plantains were obviously not what I ordered. I asked him again about the guacamole to which he answered, oh, no we don't have guacamole.

Other than the guacamole conflict, dinner was delicious. I had a seafood paella that came in an authentic paella pan and included a lobster tail, shrimp, monkfish, calamari, mussels, and calms. I could not believe that I ate the whole thing, but it was just that good. Someone told the waiters it was my birthday, so once dinner was done, two waiters came over and sang happy birthday to me. There was a candle in the cake, but this was no ordinary candle. It was like they had stuck a firework in my cake. I will include a picture as soon as I get it.

From there, we moved on to our favorite bar, The Blue Donkey. We definitely owned the bar that night. We started rocking out to some Flight of the Conchords music and then Darien and I proceeded to play a few video games. I think this might have been one of my best birthdays yet. I had such a good time with my new friends in NYC and wished that all my other friends could have been there as well. Thank you all for a great birthday! I love each and every one of you!

Proof of a Good Day

The poem for this week is a tribute to my dirty feet from my hike through Central Park.  I'm going to edit the poem just a bit so it is more appropriate for my situation.

Soap

by Martin Gardner

Just look at those feet! 

Did you actually think

           That dirt would come off, my daughter,             

By wiggling your toes

Around in the sink

And slapping the top of the water?

Just look at your face!

Did you really suppose

Those smudges would all disappear

With a dab at your chin

And the tip of your nose

And a rub on the back of one ear?

You tell me your face

And your feet are clean?

Do you think your old Dad is a dope?

Let's try it again

With a different routine.

This time we'll make use of the soap!

A Perfect Day

It's not an exaggeration to say I've been spending almost all of my time outside in the nice weather.  Thursday was a fantastic day: I turned in my last 15 page paper of the semester, grabbed some ice-cream, and hit up Central Park.  I decided to give Pinkberry a try, since it seems to be all the rage.  My verdict is that it's overpriced, mediocre frozen yogurt.  

I got a small coffee ice-cream with one topping, which came to the ridiculous total of $5.25.  I was hesitant, but I gave it a fair chance regardless of the price.  The yogurt = not so good.  It didn't taste anything like coffee and was kind of boring.  I expected a lot more from a small yogurt that cost $5.25.  I was baffled to see people lining up and spending upwards of $7 for these yogurts!!!  Why spend that much on o.k. yogurt when you can get great frozen yogurt from the local ice-cream truck for a few dollars.  So, my verdict on the new "Pinkberry" craze: spend your money elsewhere.

I took my expensive yogurt to Central Park and plopped down on the nice green grass.  I spent a few hours reading, people watching, and taking in some sun.  I wasn't ready to go home, so I  began my unintentional hike through the park.  I started at the top of the park on the NorthWest side and ended up at the bottom of the park on the SouthEast side.  It felt like everyone in NY was in the park- there were kids and families everywhere!  Everyone seemed so happy.  Since I've spent most my time in Texas which doesn't have seasons, I never realized how much the seasons effect you.  After a long, cold winter, you could feel how giddy everyone was to be out in the sun.  People were smiling, laughing, and very friendly.  I even made a few friends on my walk.

These two little girls were rubbing dirt on their face 

and thought it was just the funniest thing. 

After walking about 7 miles, I finally decided to call it a day.  I returned home with a smile and dirty feet.  Danny and I grabbed a few beers and went to the roof to watch the sunset.  We talked for about an hour and then walked down the street and grabbed a few slices of pizza.  I could not have asked for a better Thursday.  Here's a few pictures of us goofing off on the roof.

Spring

The weather is getting warmer and the city is beginning to rouse from a long winter hibernation.  The first signs of Spring are emerging and the city welcomes it with open arms and warm laughter.  Chilly days will still happen here and there, but overall, Spring will rule the days!

Good-by My Winter Suit

by N.M. Bodecker

Good-by my winter suit,

good-by my hat and boot,

good-by my ear-protecting muffs

and storms that hail and hoot.

Farewell to snow and sleet,

farewell to Cream of Wheat,

farewell to ice-removing salt,

and slush around my feet.

Right on! to daffodils,

right on! to whippoorwills,

right on! to chirp-producing eggs

and baby birds and quills.

The day is on the wing,

the kite is on the string,

the sun is where the sun should be-

it's spring all right! It's spring!

City, City, New York City

I like the idea of including a new poem every week from The Random House Book of Poetry.  The poem for this week perfectly describes life in any big city.  So, here it is:

 

City, City

by Marci Ridlon

        I

City, city,

Wrong and bad,

Looms above me,

When I'm sad,

Throws its shadow

On my care,

Sheds its poison

In my air,

Pounds me with its

Noisy fist,

Sprays me with its

Sooty mist.

Till, with sadness

On my face,

I long to live

Another place.

        

        II

City, city

Golden-clad,

Shines around me

When I'm glad,

Lifts me with its

Strength and height,

Fills me with its

Sound and sight,

Takes me to its

Crowded heart,

Holds me so I

Won't depart.

Till, with gladness

On my face,

I wouldn't live

Another place.  

Eletelephony

For the past week, I've had one of my favorite children's poems running through my head. I feel like I should say that I want to rid this repeating poem from my mind, yet it still manages to make me laugh after 2o years.   I highly recommend "The Random House Book of Poetry for Children" for anyone with children, or the sense of humor of a child (a.k.a me).  I've enjoyed my copy for over 20 years.  I decided to share this wonderful poem with everyone.  Enjoy!

Eletelephony

by Laura E. Richards

Once there was an elephant,

Who tried to use the telephant-

No! No! I mean an elephone

Who tried to use the telephone-

(Dear me! I am not certain quite

That even now I've got it right.)

Howe'er it was, he got his trunk

Entangled in the telephunk;

The more he tried to get it free,

The louder buzzed the telephee-

(I fead I'd better drop this song

Of elephop and telephong!)

Leap with Both Feet

So, I JUST found out that one my pictures is posted on National Geographic's "Your Shot" page. I can't explain how excited I am that my picture was picked.  This also means that my photo has a chance to be featured in a National Geographic Magazine.  Thanks to everyone who voted!  You can still see my picture of you go to the link below and pick "March - Week 1" 

National Geographic

The image below is the picture that was picked for the website. 

On another note, I made the transition to a MacBook.  My laptop still worked alright, but it didn't stay open without tape.  I had pieces of white athletic tape holding my screen open.  After a few weeks, the tape would begin to slide and my monitor would, very slowly, begin to fall backwards.  I have to include a picture, because my computer looked so hilarious.

My laptop was very loyal to me for the last few years, especially after being dropped (twice), but it was time for an upgrade. I had never considered getting a Mac, until my brother got one for Christmas. It was then that I began to notice how many people had Macs!  I started asking around and everyone who had a Mac, swore by them.  I've only had my MacBook for a day, but I'm beginning to see why people love them so much.  So far, I really, really like my MacBook and am very impressed with all the features.  I can honestly say that I've happy with my switch from PC to Mac. 

Mmmmmac and cheese

I was a little slow with getting this post up, but the slowness had something to do with spending over 12 hours in the city the last two days. Danny and I had a free day on Monday, so we played 'tourist' for the day. We started with the Metropolitan Museum (MET) in the morning. I found out that I get in free for being a Columbia student, which was very exciting. We spent about 2 hours wandering through the gigantic museum. I was very impressed with the collection of Van Gogh and Monet paintings. The weather was abnormally beautiful for February, in the low 60s, so after the museum, we walked to the reservoir in Central Park. It felt like all of New York was out jogging because of the nice weather.

We worked up quite an appetite with all the walking, so we hightailed it to S'Mac, a little restaurant that only serves mac and cheese. That's right, gourmet mac and cheese. The place was jam packed!!! I couldn't believe how crowded it was at 2pm. We waited about 20 minutes for our food, but oohhhhh was it worth it! I got the La Mancha, which included Manchego cheese from Spain, fennel, and onion. I realized after I ordered that I made a mistake not getting a smaller size, but oh well, I had leftovers. They bring your mac and cheese out straight from the oven in an individual skillet. I was blown away! Danny got the Cheeseburger mac and cheese and love it. The moral of the story is that we will be taking any and all visitors for mac and cheese when they come visit (hint, hint).

On another note, I am an official research assistant on two different projects at New York Psychiatric Institute. I am very excited about this because it is the first time I will be working in my field AND getting paid. They told me that they want me to work with them through Dec, at least. So, that's about all for now. I know that this was a long post, but oh well, I had a lot to say. Hope all is well elsewhere. Peace.

Rufus Wainwright Concert

What an amazing Valentine's Day! Danny, Dennis, Darien, and I went to the Rufus Wainwright concert last night. Sean Lennon opened the concert, but only played a few songs. We must not forget that this was Rufus' Concert, not Sean's. Rufus came out in a neon yellow suit that glowed in the dark. He sounded absolutely amazing. He played two sets and then came back out for the ultimate encore.

He brought out his sister (Martha Wainwright), mom (Kate Wainwright), and Sean Lennon to sing the first song of the encore. And what did they sing, none other then 'Across the Universe.' I can't even begin to describe how moved I was by this song. To hear Rufus AND Sean Lennon sing 'Across the Universe' together was surreal.

Rufus continued his encore by singing a song with his sister and mom. And then...all inhibitions were thrown into the wind. Rufus took off the white robe and was wearing heels and a black dress; his band returned dressed as nuns. The audience went crazy! All and all, the show was amazing and the perfect way to spend Valentine's Day. Enjoy the pictures from the show!!!

www.flickr.com/kaityv

Valentine's Day

Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, I want to wish everyone a great day. Yes, it's a silly holiday, but any holiday that includes (dark) chocolate can't be all bad.

Have a fantastic V-Day!!!

Business Card Preview

I thought I would post a preview of my business card. I'm pretty excited about getting my cards, because I feel like they will allow me to take more candid pictures without feeling creepy. I think what I'm going to do is take the pictures I want and hand my cards out to people who are in my pictures. It's a pretty empowering feeling.

I recently discovered the true power of my camera and lens. The other day, I explored the manual function of my lens, and adjusted the shutter speed and aperture settings on my camera. I feel like I will be able to take pictures and get the exposure I want without relying on Photoshop later. Happy exploring!

18-1, Go Giants

Party time in NYC!!! You can feel the excitement and happiness in all New Yorkers since the big win. Danny and I watched the game at a friend's apartment on the East Side. Needless to say, we were surrounded by passionate Giants fans while we watched the game. From the balcony, you could hear people yelling from the apartments and on the streets after the Giants won. We went walking around after the game was over and it was madness. Toilet paper was thrown, people were yelling, people were cheering; it was an indescribable feeling. The parade is currently underway while I write this blog.

New York City is a great place to be right now. Go Giants!!!

Hours and hours

It's amazing how fast time goes when I'm editing and organizing pictures. Sometimes the process can get tedious, like when I've already edited and uploaded all my pictures, and then I realize I need to resize over 200 pictures. Yeah, then the picture process can get a little tedious. But for the most part, I am really enjoying making books.

I am currently working on a family photo album for my mom. The hardest part of making family photo albums is working with scanned images. Just about every image needs to be resized so that it fits correctly into the book. All I can say is thank goodness for digital pictures!

First blog, trial blog

Helllllooo....la la la.