The Blizzard that Wasn’t…at Least in NYC

I love a good snow storm.  A blizzard even better, especially if it shuts down the “city that never sleeps” for a day or two.  There is something special about the quiet and stillness that Mother Nature brings to us.  And it gives a photographer a clean canvas to create a new story.

The Weather Channel and local news were doing everything they could to prepare it’s audience for the “big event”.  Grocery and hardware stores were reaping the benefits of this forecast as customers waited outside in long lines, only to find empty shelves and longer checkout lines inside.

The Governor and Mayor of New York/City determined a State of Emergency would be best to keep it’s citizens safe for the anticipated weather event.  (And it allowed the folks that clear the roads a safe way to do their jobs.)

The impending doom would happen sometime in the overnight hours and throughout the day on Tuesday, January 27, 2015.

I listened to the forecast until 2:30am and determined getting up in a few hours would be a great time to see how this storm impacted New York City.  This is what I discovered.

 

Beyond the city limits and north to Maine, the impact was much greater.  People lost power.  Winds blew upwards of 70MPH.  Snow drifted to feet vs. inches.  I wish all my readers safety and hope recovery is swift.

Stay warm.  And thanks for taking the time to watch.

 

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

 

 

Build Your Own Camera

There was talk about an inexpensive camera made of plastic that took photographs with a slight distortion/vignetting around the edges.  It was a beautiful distortion, the images taken with this camera had a “signature” appearance.

Rumor was this camera had been around since 1990 and the store was down in the Village.

A few weeks ago when I was at PDN’s Photo Plus Expo there it was!  A small 35mm camera with removable 50mm lens.  The company Lomography; the model KONSTRUKTOR.

The demonstrator showed me how this manual film camera worked.  It had a fixed aperture at f-10 with 2 speeds of 1/80s or bulb.  And the best part:  you build it from a kit. Not too difficult; for ages 14 and older and it only takes 1 to 2 hours.

I debated purchasing one, but a friend asked me “why not”?  And so I did.

The steps to build this are all very logical and the parts fit nicely together.

Well, my 1 to 2 hours actually turned into 4.  Lesson learned:  read everything first and lay out all the parts.

I highly recommend that you give this a try, it’s really quite an experience!

Looking forward to my first shoot.

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

Fort Tilden Part One: The Public Space

 

As I walked around the grounds of Fort Tilden that were “open” to the public a few things circled in my mind.  This space is so vast; what went on here and why all these randomly placed buildings?

Some were made of wood, some of brick.  Some were in use, some appeared to be empty for decades.  Every once in a while a parks department vehicle would drive by.

 

A chapel stood in the center of it all; eerie shapes appeared through the windows as if they were ghosts.  At the entrance was a very peculiar sign:

 

 

 

 

 

At this point I really had no idea what I stumbled upon as children were playing soccer and softball in the open fields.  In the distance day campers were doing something with paint.  And across the road from where they played were people working in the community garden ensuring those large sunflowers would grow to their full height.

When the ranger drove by again, I stopped him and began asking my questions.

•  Did the chapel ever open?  No, in fact it had been closed for years due to asbestos.
• Why is the beach closed; will it open again soon?  It would not open for a while due to the artillery that washed ashore from Hurricane Sandy.
• What was that amazing old metal building in the distance?  He told me it was an old artillery building and that most of the current destruction came from Sandy.

When I asked him if I could walk around, he told me only in the designated area’s.  Everything else was restricted.

Hmmmm….what was this place?

Joyous sounds were coming from the children at camp, so I walked over to discover this program was run by the Rockaway Artist Alliance.  The RAA had 2 studio’s in these old military buildings; they worked with artists near and far.  The councilors told me that beyond the fence to the west, was an old “watch” tower used when Fort Tilden was a military base.  It was 173 feet high, with amazing views.  But it was “off-limits” according to the park.

I thanked them for their time and information and continued walking up to the beach where I witnessed the destruction from the storm.

 

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

Fort Tilden in Five Parts

Today my post comes to you in 5 parts.  It continues the journey deeper into the Rockaways uncovering some hidden gems and forgotten spaces that have been abandoned by man and rescued by nature.  It also explores a section of beach that has been impacted by nature and has not yet been returned to man.

Over the summer and into early fall of 2013, I returned to understand and document the impact Hurricane Sandy had to this area.  More and more I became intrigued by the history and the stories the locals shared.

I hope you enjoy the journey:

• The Open Public Space
• The Mile Hike on the Forbidden Road
• The Views from the Tower
• The Return to Civilization
• The Amazing History-Missiles in Queens?

 

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

 

 

A Simple Spring Afternoon

Over the past 3 months, I’ve been working toward bringing my photography business to the next level.  “Focus, stay on course, keep your eye on the prize…and so on”.  As with all artists, we constantly look for ways to grow personally, develop a style that is true to our souls, created something that we can be proud of and have someone in the world to connect with/to.

With these goals also comes procrastination.  Sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of being overwhelmed.   Although I suppose this is true for everyone when being faced with something that could potentially change your life.  [This of course is is what we want, just taking those steps to get there “we get in our own way”.]

OK, so back to the title of this piece-yes reader there is an connection!

Yesterday was the first real spring day that I had free time (or I made the time).  The temperature was in the 70’s, with clear skies above.

I joined the New York Botanical Garden in November of last year.  I visited a few times over the last couple of months, each time it was cold and grey.  The Orchid Show was in it’s last weeks and this seemed to be the perfect time to go.

A Tuesday afternoon after all the school vacation breaks had passed, the garden was empty and peaceful.  The daffodils were in full bloom.  Small purple and yellow flowers popped up throughout the grounds.  The grass was so green and inviting I had to run my fingers across the blades.  With “Sting” in my ears I laid down on the sunny hill and let the warmth surround me.

The hour trip to the Bronx turned into a wonderful 3 hour respite.  I walked through the Pine Trees, the Perennial Garden and the hidden gem known as the Rock Garden.  I spent time in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory where the Orchids exploded with color throughout this amazing exhibit.  Outside at the water lilly pond I sat and watched the ducks and koi swim about.

Nature in its grandeur, with a little help from man made this a glorious spring afternoon.(All photo’s taken with iPhone 3G)

Now that I am rejuvenated it’s time to continue on.  Enjoy!

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

A Long Weekend

The work will always be there…

Celebrate and enjoy the long weekend.

Happy Labor Day!

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®

Space Shuttle Enterprise and Kodi George

As I woke up this morning and began the typical routine, I heard something in the news that took me from a casual approach to the day to the “photographer” mindset that kicks in anytime there is something worth noting.

Brian Lehrer, of WNYC was talking about a historic event going on right at that moment.  The Space Shuttle Enterprise would “fly over” NYC as it makes it’s way to JFK Airport.   [Early summer it will be transported to its final home at the The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.]  It would fly over the Statue of Liberty, up the Hudson River to the Tappan Zee Bridge and then circle around Queens.

Do I run across town?  Do I dash out of the house without walking Kodi?

I let a few minutes pass for logic and reality to set in.  If I were to get anything of value, there should have been a bit more planning on my part.  So I got myself and puppy dog dressed for our walk.  I took my trusty iPhone with me to document this historic flight, hoping I would be able to catch a glimpse from the East River.

As a few of us gathered at the corner of the East 78th Street Footbridge, we discovered the flight pattern and that from our vantage point the Shuttle would be crossing by the Triborough Bridge.  As we waited, Kodi also made a few new friends.  It was a joyful morning!

The Shuttle flew over at approximately 11:10am.  It was a beautiful site.  The sky was bright blue with just the right amount of clouds.  The Shuttle shimmered in the sunlight.  What I saw with my eyes was amazing.

I’ve attached a few links to close ups.  As you can see, I was a bit too far to get the details of the flight.  But I share with you what I saw, to give you a sense of the spectacle of these few historic moments.

Until next time.

Teresa, 51art

adventure is life, live it! ®