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Morning Light

2011-12-04T12:22:00.001-05:00

Morning Light, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Via Flickr:
This field is right off of a busy roadway that I take every morning to drop my daughter off for daycare. I just noticed how the sun hits the wheat/grain/whatever at 8 am every morning. Took this shot with my iPhone 4s while sitting in the car at the light. Now my plan is to get out there with my real camera one weekend morning to take a proper shot. This will have to do for now. Also, that wire won't be there in the next one. Still, I think it's a cool shot. The iPhone 4s can do so much.

Downtown

2011-07-31T20:55:00.001-04:00

Downtown, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I've been to New York City quite a bit, but I've never been to the top of the Empire State Building. Well, now I have. This is the view south from the lower of the two observation levels, the 84th floor. Taken with my 10-22mm lens at 10mm.

Velvet Sunset

2010-06-07T10:21:00.001-04:00

Velvet Sunset, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A tropical sunset, over a tropical sea, next to a tropical pool, with a tropical flower. Pretty simple.

I was messing around with some processing techniques and somehow ended up with this. I really like the colors, focus, and semi-surreal nature of the picture. It just feels right to me.

The Perfect Gazebo

2010-05-27T08:51:00.001-04:00

The Perfect Gazebo, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

It's hard for me to think of a better place for a gazebo. Perched on the rocks in the middle of the Caribbean. I wouldn't mind hanging out there indefinitely.

Sunset

2010-05-26T09:09:00.001-04:00

Sunset, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Another one of my Jamaican sunsets. This from my last trip a few weeks ago. The water in the foreground is actually the infinity pool of the resort with the beach and ocean just beyond. Secrets St. James. Beautiful resort, just opened two months ago.

Guard Chair

2010-05-24T08:49:00.001-04:00

Guard Chair, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A lonely lifeguard chair staring out at the turquoise waters of Montego Bay, Jamaica. I'm not quite sure why this beach was empty. If I remember correctly, this was taken before noon, so most vacationers were still eating late breakfasts and nursing the previous night's hangover. This was also the farthest beach from the main resort buildings, so it it was always the quietest.

This is a two shot vertorama.

Sasha at the Park

2010-05-09T10:17:00.001-04:00

Sasha at the Park, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Our 6.5 month old German Shepherd Sasha out for a walk in the park last weekend. I wish I had something more exciting to post, but I just haven't had time to shoot recently. With a trip to Jamaica coming up next week, that could all change quickly.

Sasha

2010-01-17T08:34:00.001-05:00

Sasha, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is Sasha. She's our new puppy. Today, she turns 10 weeks old (but was 9 weeks old when I took this last week). She's a purebred German Shepherd and she's awesome. Her full name is Sasha Fierce von Fluffytail. I realize how ridiculous that is, but my wife and I are ridiculous people. You can just call her Sasha.

I realize puppy pictures aren't for everyone (they weren't for me before I had one), but you'll all just have to indulge every now and then.

Outreach

2010-01-14T09:07:00.001-05:00

Outreach, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Leaving the harbor in Mazatlan, Mexico. When we pulled in it was overcast and cool. When we left, it was sunny and warm. I much preferred the latter. Beautiful sunsets each night.

The Rocky Shore

2010-01-10T12:57:00.001-05:00

The Rocky Shore, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Shoreline in Mazatlan, Mexico. Just when I was getting worried that the day would be overcast, the sun burst through. Once these clouds moved off, it was nothing but fun and sun.

Single exposure, non-HDR. Canon 10-22mm.

My First West Coast Sunset

2010-01-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

My First West Coast Sunset, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The title says it all. I've been to Europe, Australia, Japan, Iceland, and many other places, but until two weeks ago, never California. This was my first west coast sunset, taken in Pacific Beach, San Diego. Hopefully, there will be many more. Unfortunately, I didn't have my tripod, so I had to take a ton of shots and hope that some came out okay. This one is almost SOOC.

Also, it should go without saying that it's embarrassing that I've gone over 2 months since I posted my last shot. I hope there are still some of you that follow my photostream. Things got very busy with work, and I just didn't get out to shoot at all. Things are only going to get busier on Friday when we pick up our new puppy, but at least that will give me a new subject! More coming soon and no more 2 month hibernations.

Autumn

2009-11-02T16:35:00.001-05:00

Autumn, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

One more shot from my walk in Fairmont Park last weekend. I wish there hadn't been so much rain this month, as there would probably gave been more leaves on the trees and less on the ground.

I did a bit of digital cross-processing and added a texture to give it an older-painting feel.

Last Light

2009-10-30T08:54:00.001-04:00

Last Light, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two exposure vertorama of another beautiful Jamaican sunset. I think I'm just about done with the Jamaican pictures, although I like this one a bit better. I feel like I overprocessed one or two of the others and this is a bit better. This is what it actually looked like standing on the beach. My wife and I have made a pact to get down to the Caribbean at least once a year. It's too easy and there are too many good deals from Philly not to.

Warmth

2009-10-29T09:29:00.001-04:00

Warmth, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

More of the beautiful colors of fall as seen in Fairmont Park. It never ceases to amaze me as I hike the trails of the Park that I've never left the Philadelphia city limits and I'm less than 5 miles from my house. Pretty amazing park for a huge city.

Fall

2009-10-27T09:24:00.001-04:00

Fall, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Every year the tree behind our house turns a brilliant hue of orange-red. My wife and I love the few weeks each year when we walk downstairs and see the tree blazing in the sunlight though the window. It's the perfect symbol of fall.

I tried to capture its beauty with this shot. This is actually a huge (for me) file made up of 4 separate raw shots stitched together. Also, I've decided to add a watermark with my name and title to each shot. Thoughts?

Driftwood

2009-10-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

Driftwood, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Apparently, I still remember how to process photos. Taking photos is a different story, as I haven't been able to get out and about in a long time. Instead, I went back and looked through my shots from Jamaica. This one was taken just as the afternoon storms were rolling in.

It's a two exposure vertorama, stitched together in Photoshop. Taken with my trusty Canon 10-22mm.

Picture Perfect

2009-10-07T08:47:00.001-04:00

Picture Perfect, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

2 exposure vertorama of the Grand Palladium resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I've stayed here twice since it opened last year, and it's been great both times. Beautiful pool, good food, and great drinks. Not much more you can ask for.

JoePa

2009-10-06T08:48:00.001-04:00

JoePa, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

For the Penn Staters out there. Had to take a shot of the JoePa statue while I was walking around with my tripod. It would have been disrespectful not to.

Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno (born December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York), is an American football coach and the current head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, a position he has held since 1966. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an FBS football coach, and has coached more bowl game wins and undefeated seasons than any other coach in college football history. Paterno is one of four active coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (along with Chris Ault, Bobby Bowden, and John Gagliardi).

Monolith

2009-10-05T11:21:00.001-04:00

Monolith, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Literally the calm before the storm. Taken on a beautiful Friday evening, September 25, 2009. Beaver Stadium on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University. Penn State football was undefeated and things could not have been better. 24 hours later and it was 20 degrees colder, pouring rain, and Iowa had beaten Penn State for the 7 time in the last 8 meetings between the two teams. What a difference a day makes.

This is a two exposure vertorama, taken with my favorite lens as of late, the Canon 10-22mm.

Penn State Law

2009-09-29T08:44:00.001-04:00

Penn State Law, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Watching the transformation of the Penn State campus is amazing to me, and I've been gone less than ten years. I can only imagine what my parents think when they compare campus to their time at Dear Old State.

This is the Katz Building, which houses the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. Had this building (and a State College campus) existed when I was applying to law schools, my life may have turned out quite differently.

From Wikipedia: The Lewis Katz Building in University Park, Pennsylvania, opened for classes on January 9, 2009. The $60 million, 114,000 square-foot building is the first academic facility to be built on the west side of Park Avenue, opposite from Penn State’s main campus. It is adjacent to the Penn State Arboretum.

The Lewis Katz Building is LEED certified and equipped with advanced high definition digital audiovisual telecommunications capacity that enables the real-time delivery of classes and programs between the law school’s Carlisle and University Park campuses and other collaborative projects and programs with schools and institutions worldwide. The second floor includes the glass-enclosed library, with a two-story information commons, four group study rooms and 11 offices among the features. Library spaces comprise about 50 percent of the building.

In 2009, Judge D. Brooks Smith used the Lewis Katz Building's courtroom to hear an oral argument to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to the courtroom, the Katz Building includes a 250-seat auditorium, four specially designed 75-person classrooms, several seminar rooms, and a highly advanced “board room” permitting electronic “face-to-face” contact with meeting participants worldwide.

Until We Meet Again

2009-09-25T09:04:00.001-04:00

Until We Meet Again, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A while back I said I wasn't going to post any more shots of my bike. Well, I had to post just one more, because I finally sold her today. It was bittersweet. I needed to sell her because I no longer have the time to ride, but man, what a sweet, sweet bike. I always wanted a Daytona, and when I finally got one I didn't have the time to devote to riding. Emma (that's her name) was far and away the best motorcycle I've owned, and I'll miss riding. There's something so relaxing and free about being on a motorcycle. Hopefully I'll be on the road again in the not too distant future....

47

2009-09-22T08:39:00.001-04:00

47, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Last time I was in Atlantic City, it was way too hot. I didn't take many pictures. Once it gets cooler, I'll go back and try and get some nice shots. Also, I'll try not to lose so much money.

Church of Our Lady Before Týn

2009-09-21T08:45:00.001-04:00

Church of Our Lady Before Týn, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I was going through some of my shots from my trip to Prague a few years ago and I came across this one of the Tyn Church. Unfortunately, at the time I didn't have a DSLR or tripod or know what a .raw file was, but for a point and shoot, this came out pretty well. I'd like to go back through some of those shots and process them a bit.

For those of you who like your history:
The Church of Our Lady before Týn (in Czech Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem, also Týnský chrám (Týn Church) or just Týn) is a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, and has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. The church's towers are 80 m high and topped by four small spires.

In the 11th century, this area was occupied by a Romanesque church, which was replaced by an early Gothic Church of Our Lady in front of Týn in 1256. Construction of the present church began in the 14th century in late Gothic style under the influence of Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler. By the beginning of the 15th century, construction was almost complete; only the towers, the gable and roof were missing. The church was controlled by Hussites for some time, including John of Rokycan, future archbishop of Prague, who became the church's vicar in 1427.

The roof was completed in the 1450s, while the gable and northern tower were completed shortly thereafter during the reign of George of Podebrady. His sculpture was placed on the gable, below a huge golden chalice, the symbol of the Hussites. The southern tower was not completed until 1511, under Matěj Rejsek. In 1626, after the Battle of White Mountain, the sculptures of George of Podebrady and the chalice were removed and replaced by a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, with a giant holy made from by melting down the chalice. In 1679 the church was struck by lightning, and the subsequent fire heavily damaged the old vault, which was later replaced by a lower baroque vault.

Under the Front

2009-09-16T19:32:00.001-04:00

Under the Front, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A totally different view and different mood of the same beach as in yesterday's shot, taken from about 20 yards to the right. This was also as the sun was going down, but at the same time the storm clouds were rolling in. Northern coast of Jamaica.

Vertorama composed of two raw exposures.

I'll Take Mine on the Rocks

2009-09-15T09:13:00.001-04:00

I'll Take Mine on the Rocks, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Yet another Jamaican sunset. I don't think I could ever get tired of them.

This is a 6 exposure vertorama. 3 exposures for the bottom, 3 for the top. I think it's a bit overprocessed, but so are Jamaican sunsets.

Paradise Found

2009-09-14T08:50:00.001-04:00

Paradise Found, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This was the scuba/snorkeling/kayak dock of the resort I was at in Jamaica over Labor Day weekend. I'm fairly certain I could sit on that beach every day and never get sick of the view.

If you're curious, this is a two exposure vertorama, meaning that it is taken from two different shots, one placed on top of the other. They were blended together in Photoshop, where I did some other editing, adjusted curves, etc.

Lightning Crashes

2009-09-11T09:07:00.001-04:00

Lightning Crashes, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The second night we were in Jamaica, there was an awesome lightning storm out over the Caribbean. Of course, me being in Jamaica at an all inclusive resort, and it being 10pm, instead of a camera in one hand and a tripod in the other, I had a drink in one hand and another drink in the other.

Luckily, I had my camera nearby, and I was able to use the wide railing as a tripod. I sort of wish I was able to set up with a tripod closer to the water so I wouldn't have the chairs in the foreground, but I can't be too upset seeing as how the drinking was going well.

Anyway, this was my first time ever shooting lightning. Came out pretty good I think. Didn't do much processing at all here other than lower the hue of some yellows and oranges. The sky actually was that purple. Single exposure raw, 30 seconds I believe.

The End

2009-09-10T08:56:00.001-04:00

The End, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Just got back from Jamaica. What a great, easy, trip from Philly. Perfect four day weekend.

I saw some of the most amazing sunsets, including this one. I don't think I have ever seen the clouds split the sunset so that rays of pink streaked across the sky like they did here. I took a ton of shots, so many more to come.

Filly Fallout

2009-09-04T08:53:00.001-04:00

Filly Fallout, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Messing around in Photoshop. This is actually a great place to shoot a sunset, as the sun goes down directly behind Center City Philadelphia. Now, I just have to get out there and actually take a sunset shot. It'd also be a great place to shoot after dark, once the Ben Franklin Bridge (just out of the shot to the right) is all light up. Of course, I'll need volunteers to accompany me. Take turns shooting and watching each other's back.

Jellyfish

2009-09-03T08:56:00.001-04:00

Jellyfish, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Jellyfish at the Camden Aquarium. Such weird animals, yet I could have watched them float around for hours. It's hard to believe that they're sentient beings seeing as how they look like a condom filled with water.

Single exposure processed in Photoshop. I think, looking at this shot on Flickr, that the border is distracting. I'm not sure that I really feel like changing it though.

You can see more detail by clicking on the image to go to Flickr, where you can view this shot larger. You can do that for all of my shots, by the way.

RCA Victor Building 17

2009-09-02T15:45:00.001-04:00

RCA Victor Building 17, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is what's left of the giant RCA manufacturing complex that used to take up much of the Camden, NJ waterfront. Now, this building houses trendy apartments. It seems to me though, that it doesn't matter how nice the inside of your apartment is if you're going to get stabbed when you walk outside of it.

Hungry Hungry Hippo

2009-09-01T13:19:00.001-04:00

Hungry Hungry Hippo, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

So. This is a real, live hippo. I don't think I had ever seen a real, live hippo before until this past weekend. I've never seen a more fake looking animal. I don't know if that's the best way to describe them, but they just don't look real to me. They're more like one of those animatronic devices you'd see at Disney. Anyway, these were real. You can see them for yourself at the Camden Aquarium.

This guy (or gal, I don't know) was trying to give me a kiss though the glass. Or trying to bite my face off. One of the two. Most likely the latter.

Towne Park

2009-08-31T09:06:00.002-04:00

Towne Park, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Saw this sign in downtown Camden today and thought, that's a pretty cool old sign. It's just sitting in the middle of a parking lot with no hotel in sight. I'm guessing the Towne Park hasn't been around in many years. Although if it did exist, they'd have to pay me to stay in downtown Camden after dark.

I did a little more research and found this old picture of the motel from the 70's when it still existed:

"The Towne Park Motel stood in the 800 block of Market Street in Camden NJ. Built after World War II, its business declined as Camden's economy fell off. By the early 1990s it had devolved into a rooming house, inhabited mostly by junkies. prostitutes, and other undesirables. It was razed early in the decade."

One raw image edited in Photoshop.

Under the Boardwalk

2009-08-28T09:33:00.001-04:00

Under the Boardwalk, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Under the Pier at Caesars, Atlantic City. Storm surge from Tropical Storm Bill, although you can't really see it here.

What was I doing under the Pier at Caesars? Well, I can't tell you that.

Independence Hall

2009-08-26T14:02:00.001-04:00

Independence Hall, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Independence Hall. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Birthplace of the Nation. Declaration of Independence. Constitution. Ben Franklin. Etc., etc., etc.

One exposure raw image processed in Photoshop using Topaz Adjust.

Walk With Me

2009-08-25T09:13:00.001-04:00

Walk With Me, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot was taken on Forbidden Drive in Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 6pm on Sunday, August 23rd. Sometimes, walking, hiking, biking, or running through Fairmont Park, it's hard to believe you're still in the middle of the 6th largest city in the country.

Sunday's walk in particular was special, as it was my first official hike traipsing through the woods with a tripod. I didn't get as many odd stares as I thought.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

2009-08-24T17:37:00.001-04:00

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.", originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The title of the shot is a quote by Churchill.

This is the new (although a few years old now) WWII memorial in Washington, D.C. Really beautiful memorial and I'm not sure I was able to capture it's full beauty. It was amazing to me how many people were there enjoying the memorials at 10 pm at night. It was nice to see.

Anyway, I'm not 100% pleased with the way this came out, but it will have to do. Created from 1 exposure, shot in raw format.

The Angry Sky

2009-08-21T09:40:00.001-04:00

The Angry Sky, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two days ago we had strong storms roll through the Philadelphia area. When I say "roll" that's really what the sky looked like. The clouds were churning and rolling and twisting as they moved across the sky, so I ran up to my roof to take a picture. I would have liked to have the 10-22mm on the camera, but I didn't have time to change it, and the clouds were gone in less than 5 minutes. I had to share, since I've never seen the sky seem so angry.

Also, here's a secret for you loyal blog readers (as best as I can tell, there are between 0 and 1 of you): the streetlight beams are fake.

The Lincoln

2009-08-19T09:16:00.001-04:00

The Lincoln, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Looking down the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. I'd love to get back to the same spot to watch the sun set behind the Memorial.

This shot is much better viewed larger where you can actually see the Lincoln Memorial as more than a white speck in the middle. If you go to the Flickr page by clicking on the picture, you can do just that.

The Jefferson

2009-08-18T11:23:00.001-04:00

The Jefferson, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The Jefferson Memorial at night. Friday, August 14th to be exact.

I lived in Washington, D.C. (or just outside) for almost 5 years, yet it took until now (when I haven't lived there in 4 years) to finally visit the monuments at night. It's awesome the things you do and the places you'd never otherwise visit when you take up photography. It's so cool to see the world in a whole new light. Sappy, but true. And I'm sure all of you on Flickr already know this.

This is actually an HDR shot, so it's a combination of 5 exposures of the same shot. This technique worked well here, since the building was lit so brightly but the surroundings were so dark. Taken with my new Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 lens.

Into the Clouds

2009-08-17T08:40:00.001-04:00

Into the Clouds, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two exposure vertorama taken with the trusty Canon 10-22mm. Processed in Photoshop using Topaz Adjust. Shot was taken in the Manassas National Battlefield Park in Northern Virginia.

Birth of a Nation

2009-08-14T08:41:00.001-04:00

Birth of a Nation, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built between 1732 and 1753. It was within those walls that both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed. The tower at the top originally housed the Liberty Bell (which is now across the street). This is actually the rear (South) side of the building.

Funny story, I decided Saturday would be a good day to go take pictures at Independence Hall. Normally, I would have had to deal with tons of tourists walking around in front of the building. On Saturday though, Michelle Obama and the kids decided they wanted to take a tour, so the whole area was shut down while they toured. Bad for tourists, but great for me, since I could walk up to the barricades and take pictures without anyone getting in the way. If you look hard, maybe you can see the First Lady and First Children in the windows.

Finally, I should point out that this is not and HDR shot, even though it looks like it. It's a single .raw exposure that I processed in Photoshop with Topaz Adjust

Second Bank of the United States

2009-08-13T09:10:00.001-04:00

Second Bank of the United States, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Carpenters' Hall was designed by architect Robert Smith (1722-1777) in the Georgian style and built as a four-story brick building between 1770 and 1773 by the Carpenters' Company. It would be first used as a meeting site by the guild on January 21, 1771, and would continue to hold annual meetings there until 1777 when the British would capture Philadelphia. On April 23, 1773 (St. George's Day), it would be used by the Society of Englishmen and Sons of Englishmen.

The First Continental Congress of the United Colonies of North America met here from September 5 to October 26, 1774, since the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) was being used by the moderate Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania. It was here that Congress resolved to ban further imports of slaves and to discontinue the slave trade within the colonies, a step toward phasing out slavery in British North America. The building has a long history as an assembly place and has been the home to numerous tenants in the arts, sciences and commerce. The meeting hall served as a hospital for both British and American troops in the Revolutionary War, and other institutions in Philadelphia have held meetings in Carpenters' Hall, including Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, the First and Second Banks of the United States.

The Drake

2009-08-12T09:07:00.001-04:00

The Drake, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Constructed in 1929 as a luxury hotel, the Drake was once the tallest building in Philadelphia. I've always thought the architecture of this building, especially the top, is just fantastic. I would love to go up top and out on those terraces, I'm sure the views of Philadelphia are fantastic.

I would have liked to include more of the building in this shot, but I took it as I was leaving work, and didn't really take the time to get a clean shot of the building. The Kimmer Center was actually blocking everything below what you see in the picture.

This is an HDR image taken from 3 exposures, processed in Photomatrix and then in Photoshop.

It Doesn't Always Go Your Way

2009-08-11T08:23:00.001-04:00

It Doesn't Always Go Your Way, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I'm posting this photo more for the story than for the shot itself. This past Saturday, I decided I would get up for sunrise and shoot the sun rising over the Philadelphia Art Museum. My first sunrise shoot ever. Unfortunately, as I was headed to the spot I thought would be best, I found out the road was closed, which meant that there was absolutely no way I could get to where I wanted to be in time. That was immediately followed by me freaking out, because I got up 5 hours too early on a Saturday only to find out my plan was foiled.

After driving around, cursing, and looking for spots to shoot from, I found this one, which turned out to be fine, except for the fact that I was standing about 20 feet over the freeway, on the top of a retainer wall, crouched in the bushes, and terrified I would fall onto the freeway below. Not the best place to be at 5 am in Philly. So I took about 3 exposures and got the hell out of there. This is one of them. Just imagine how beautiful this would have looked without the bushes or freeway in between me and the river.

I added some notes to help illustrate my story, and so you can see that it was a good plan in theory. I'm sure we all have stories like this as aspiring photographers, I just wanted to share mine. It doesn't always go your way....

Sunrise Over Philly

2009-08-10T11:42:00.001-04:00

Sunrise Over Philly, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot represents a few firsts, most notably, the first time I have ever gotten up before 7 am when I didn't have to get to either a) work, b) class, or c) the airport. This is also the first vertorama I've attempted (created from just two exposures, this is not an HDR). Apparently, this is what Philadelphia looks like before 6 am. Who woulda thunk?

A vertorama is like a panorama, only vertical. For instance, this shot is actually two shots stacked one on top of the other. That way, the angle is not only wide horizontally, but vertically as well.

Out of Service

2009-08-07T09:12:00.001-04:00

Out of Service, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I wasn't originally going to post this, but why not? No reason not to post what I think is a cool image. That's actually an overturned toilet in the foreground. Let's hope it's no longer in use. If you couldn't figure it out from the other shots in my photostream, this is from one of the cells in the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Summer's Calm

2009-08-06T09:27:00.002-04:00

Summer's Calm, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Now for something completely different than what I've been doing recently.
Sometimes, when looking for subjects to shoot, I forget to look at what's right in front of me. I was going for a bit of a "dreamy" effect on this one.

This one took a bit of processing to get it to where I wanted it, and it's still not quite as ethereal as I'd like. The only way to fix that though is, I think, with a longer lens. It's hard to describe, because I can only picture it in my head. Here's a link to an example though: A Dream to Dream, by Aileenie. If you have time, you should check out her photostream on Flickr, it's really, really excellent.

High Water

2009-08-05T09:04:00.001-04:00

High Water, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Another shot of the flooded Wissahickon Creek from this past Sunday (7/2/09). This shot is a little busier than I'd like, but the sky and clouds were just so great in this shot, I had to process and post.

In hindsight, I should have stepped to the left so that tree wasn't in the foreground and I had more of the river. I'll have to go re-look at my pictures and see if maybe I didn't do just that, although I don't think I was that smart.

The Flood

2009-08-04T14:09:00.001-04:00

The Flood, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

We had torrential rains here in Philly on Sunday (7/2/09) and there were flash floods everywhere. This is the Wissahickon Creek, which was higher than I've ever seen it. Another foot or two and I wouldn't have been able to get to where I was standing. Good for photography, bad for travel.

Where the Earth Meets

2009-07-31T11:33:00.001-04:00

Where the Earth Meets, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This literally is "where the Earth meets." It was taken in Thingvellir National Park, which is in Iceland. The rifts between the rocks are actually a result of movement of the Eurasian and North American plate boundaries that run through Iceland. In the south, the plates inch past each other, but at Thingvellir, they break apart and the land between subsides. Away from the plate boundaries the activity is fairly constant, about two centimetres a year, but in the rift zones themselves, tensional stress accumulates during a long period and is then released in a burst of activity when fracture boundaries are reached.

Bonsecours Market

2009-07-29T09:50:00.001-04:00

Bonsecours Market, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I was looking through some of my old photographs from past trips when I found this shot from Montreal, one of my favorite cities in the world. Thought it might looks nice all gussied up.

From Wikipedia: Bonsecours Market (French: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. Named for the adjacent Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, it opened in 1847. Construction began in 1844 by architect William Footner, and was completed in 1860 by George Browne. Bonsecours Market housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of United Canada in 1849. Today, the market houses outdoor cafés, restaurants and boutiques.

Also, I'm 30 today, which is neat.

Can't Stop the Hustle

2009-07-28T09:04:00.001-04:00

Can't Stop the Hustle, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I wanted to go back and look through some of the shots I took of City Hall a month or so ago. This one captures a bit more of the street than the last one I posted, "The View Up Broad", which focused more on City Hall. It really is a great place to shoot at night, but I guess you can only take so many shots of the same thing.

Single exposure using my ultrawide Canon 10-22mm.

The Verdant Creek

2009-07-27T09:00:00.001-04:00

The Verdant Creek, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The creek I was standing in is the Wissahickon Creek, in Fairmont Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For those familiar with the area, just past the bridge and to the right is the Valley Green Inn.

This is an HDR shot from 5 exposures. I quite like the way it came out, especially all of the greens and blues. It looks quite like a watercolor to me. I took this at about 8:15pm. I was hoping to have a more dramatic sky, but it was overcast and started to rain about 15 minutes later. Oh well.

A Facade of Skyscrapers...

2009-07-24T08:56:00.003-04:00

, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

... facing a lake and behind the facade, every type of dubiousness.
- E.M. Forster

I thought that was a cool quote to describe Chicago. This is another shot taken from the top of the Hancock Center. Its similar to the one posted a few days ago, but you'll see that it is actually different. Different sky. This one was taken about an hour (and two drinks) later.

This is actually a black and white shot with, I believe, three layers on top of it. One layer giving it the colors, one layer adding the "sun" streaks, and a third layer giving it the gritty/worn appearance. Finally, I added the border around the edges. This is what happens when you play around in Photoshop.

Passing By

2009-07-23T12:18:00.001-04:00

Passing By, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I've been meaning to experiment more at night. The problem is, I'm so tired after work I rarely venture out of the house. I was able to make it down the street, tripod and all for this one. Don't know how interesting it is, but I like the lights.

"Very Little is Needed to Make a Happy Life."

2009-07-22T09:09:00.001-04:00

"Very Little is Needed to Make a Happy Life.", originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The title is a quote from Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Roman Emperor, A.D. 161-180.

I actually took this shot a few weeks ago. I was looking out of my window and the clouds were so cool looking, I had to snap a few pictures. This was the best one in my opinion. I wish the foreground was more interesting, but I like the silhouette.

The John Hancock Center

2009-07-21T08:52:00.001-04:00

The John Hancock Center, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan Avenue in the Gold Coast area of Chicago, Illinois, is a 100-story, 1,127-foot (344 m) tall skyscraper designed by structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. When completed in 1969, it was the tallest building in the world outside New York City. It is currently the fourth-tallest building in Chicago and the sixth-tallest in the United States, after the Willis Tower, the Empire State Building, the Bank of America Tower, the Trump Tower, and the Aon Center. When measured to the top of its antenna masts, it stands at 1,506 feet (459 m). The building is home to offices and restaurants, as well as about 700 condominiums and contains the highest residences in the world. This skyscraper was named for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, a developer and original tenant of the building.

This photo was made using one single .raw shot, but I created two different layers, one for the buildings and one for the sky. I was able to add a bit more depth to the clouds this way.

The Loop

2009-07-20T09:07:00.001-04:00

The Loop, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Was in Chicago this past weekend visiting friends. Before dinner on Saturday, we had drinks on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Center. What a great place to have a drink or two. The views were awesome. I have many more pictures like this that I'll post in the coming days.

This is an HDR image blended from three exposures at -2, 0, +2 in Photomatrix and then tweaked in Photoshop. You should really click on the picture to view it in Flickr, where you can then view it large. It's the only way to do it justice.

Steel

2009-07-16T10:48:00.001-04:00

Steel, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is a bridge crossing the Schuylkill in Manayunk that I've always wanted to cross. It's private property, so I didn't. I actually went over for the sunset, but none of those shots came out, but I thought the bridge itself was pretty cool looking. I added some texturing to give it that old, worn feel.

1938 Peugeot Darl'mat LeMans

2009-07-15T08:34:00.001-04:00

1938 Peugeot Darl'mat LeMans, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot is from the Simeone Foundation shots that I took earlier this year. This particular shot is of a 1938 Peugeot Darl'mat LeMans. Beautiful car.

This is an HDR image made from three separate exposures and processed in Photomatrix.

Mantis

2009-07-14T10:21:00.001-04:00

Mantis, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Saw this here praying mantis sitting on my fence. I think (s)he was just as interested in me as I was in him (her).

Photograph was taken with a 200mm telephoto lens. There wasn't anything interesting in the background, so I added two layers of textures to give it a little more depth. I would have liked to have gotten a bit more detail on the mantis itself, but it is what it is.

The Canal

2009-07-13T13:11:00.001-04:00

The Canal, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Looking down the canal in Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania just after sundown. Every night I look at the clouds and sunset and think about how nice it would be to shoot by the canal. Of course, the one night I actually get my act together and go down, no clouds in the sky and less than average sunset. Oh well, beautiful place for a summer's night stroll.

Damn It's Hot

2009-07-10T08:20:00.002-04:00

Damn It's Hot, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Another picture from Las Vegas. It really was quite hot.

Mandalay

2009-07-09T08:31:00.001-04:00

Mandalay, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Sorry for not posting anything for a few days, but I was away for a bit. Take a look at the photo above and see if you can guess where.

Bottles

2009-06-30T14:38:00.001-04:00

Bottles, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Also went on a tour of the Philadelphia Brewing Company on Saturday (three brewery tours in one day = good times). This is a shot of their bottling machine. I highly recommend the tour to anyone in the Philadelphia area. Cool brewery and they have a great bar upstairs that functions as their tasting room. You can hang out for as long as you want and taste as many of their delicious beers as you want. Makes for a good Saturday afternoon.

Yards

2009-06-29T08:59:00.002-04:00

Yards, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Toured the Yards Brewing Company brewery on Saturday. Turned out to be a private tour, which was very cool. Nice small local brewery and quality beer, although I don't know that you can get it outside of the Philadelphia area.

This is one single shot. I made the beer tap its own layer in Photoshop in order to make it stand out a bit. For reference, here is the shot as it came straight out of the camera.

A Story To Tell

2009-06-26T08:58:00.001-04:00

A Story To Tell, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

It's very difficult to feed a flower through a typewriter.

The Cabin

2009-06-25T09:53:00.001-04:00

The Cabin, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Valley Forge National Park outside of Philadelphia. General George Washington camped here, although I'm fairly certain not in this replica cabin, built, I'm guessing, sometime in the last 20 years. However, you are free to make your own conclusions.

This shot is a three exposure HDR image.

Void

2009-06-24T09:17:00.001-04:00

Void, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Ok, this is my last shot from Eastern State Penitentiary. I really like the colors and textures in it, so I'm sharing it with you. Hope you're not too burnt out on the prison shots, but what a cool place to shoot.

Happy Wednesday.

Torment

2009-06-23T10:51:00.002-04:00

Torment, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is my first self-portrait. I had the idea as soon as I processed "Eye of God" below. I thought that lone table sitting there was cool, but wouldn't it be better if it was me instead of that table?

This was tricky, as I had to take the self-portrait with the same exact lighting as was coming through the window at the top of the cell. This required me sitting in my garage with a halogen lamp hanging from the garage door opener above me and the camera mounted on a tripod on a table to be at the correct height.

One the shot was taken, I removed the table and added myself. The shadow is as taken in my garage. I have a few other shots with me in various different poses, but this one was my favorite. Maybe I'll post the others later.

The feeling in this shot is meant to express what I feel like sitting in my office at work every day :)

Click here to see the same shot much larger on black.

The View Up Broad

2009-06-22T09:06:00.001-04:00

The View Up Broad, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is the view looking north up South Broad Street towards City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Every night for about the past year, the buildings have been lit up in different colors, which makes for great night photography.

I actually work right behind where I was standing when I took the shot. Don't know why it took me so long to get out there and actually do it.

Eye of God

2009-06-19T08:57:00.001-04:00

Eye of God, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Interior of a cell in the Eastern State Penitentiary with a lone dresser inside. The only light the prisoners ever got was through the window on the top aptly called the "Eye of God."

This will be either the last or penultimate shot that I have from Eastern State. Really a cool place to go visit. I recommend it to everyone.

Hopeless

2009-06-18T10:02:00.001-04:00

Hopeless, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Another shot from Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I'm about 90% sure this is a view down Cell Block 11, one of the "newer" cell blocks.

Some info about the Penitentiary from Wikipedia: Designed by John Haviland and opened on October 25, 1829, Eastern State is considered to be the world's first true penitentiary. Its revolutionary system of incarceration, dubbed the "Pennsylvania System" or Separate system, originated and encouraged solitary confinement as a form of rehabilitation.

The Pennsylvania System was opposed contemporaneously by the Auburn System (also known as the New York System), which held that prisoners should be forced to work together in silence, and could be subjected to physical punishment (Sing Sing prison was an example of the Auburn system). Although the Auburn system was favored in the United States, Eastern State's radial floor plan and system of solitary confinement was the model for over 300 prisons worldwide. The name "Penitentiary" comes from the word "penance". The original goal was for prisoners to want to open up to God, thus seeking penance.

I decided to take this picture and add some texturing to give it more of an ominous feel. I think it worked.

The Road

2009-06-17T14:13:00.001-04:00

The Road, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I've always wanted to take one of those shots where the yellow lines in the road stretch off into the distance. Unfortunately, the road here went down hill, so I didn't get the lines stretching off as far as I would have liked. The clouds were very dramatic though, so I like the way this turned out. As if you couldn't tell, I removed all color aside from the lines and the blue sky.

This is one of the roads that winds through Valley Forge National Park outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Very cool park to wander through on a nice day.

Eight

2009-06-16T09:51:00.002-04:00

Eight, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

One of many shots I took at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You could spend days in there taking pictures.

Here's some info on the Penitentiary's architecture, from Wikipedia:

When the Eastern State Penitentiary, or Cherry Hill as it was known at the time, was erected in 1829 it was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country. Its architectural significance first arose in 1821, when British architect John Haviland was chosen to design the building. Haviland found most of his inspiration for his plan for the penitentiary from prisons and asylums built beginning in the 1780's in England and Ireland. These complexes consist of cell wings radiating in a semi or full circle array from a center tower where the supervise of the prison keeps it under constant surveillance.

The design for the penitentiary which Haviland devised became to be known as the hub-and-spoke plan which consisted of an octagonal center connected by corridors to seven radiating single-story cell blocks, each containing two ranges of large single cells--8 x 12 feet x 10 feet high- with hot water heating, a water tap, toilet, and individual exercise yards the same width at the cell. There were rectangular openings in the cell wall through which food and work materials could be passed to the prisoner, as well as peepholes for guards to observe prisoners without being seen. To minimize the opportunities for communication between inmates Haviland designed a basic flush toilet for each cell with individual pipes leading to a central sewer which he hoped would prevent the sending of messages between adjacent cells.

Despite his efforts, prisoners were still able to communicate with each other and the flushing system had to be redesigned several times. The hub-and-spoke plan was chosen above other possibilities because it was the cheapest to build and less expensive to maintain once in operation. Haviland remarked he chose the design to promote "watching, convenience, economy, and ventilation" (Norman Johnson, Crucible of Good Intentions:35). Once construction of the prison was completed in 1836, it could house 450 prisoners in solitary confinement where they remained during their entire sentence except for serious illness.

John Haviland completed the architecture of the Eastern state penitentiary in 1836. The Eastern State Penitentiary was built in a Gothic style construction, and is built completely of stone and rock. English born architect Haviland, continued the Gothic style upon the eastern state penitentiary, giving inmates an interior and exterior of solid walls of isolation. The Eastern State Penitentiary is the first penitentiary ever constructed and was made of thirty-foot walls, narrow long hallways, and isolating cells. Each cell was lit only by a single lighting source from either skylights or windows, was considered the “window of God” or “Eye of God”. The church viewed imprisonment, usually in isolation, as an instrument that would modify sinful or disruptive behavior. The time spent in prison will help inmates reflect on their crimes committed giving them the mission for redemption. The holy Bible was the only possession that the inmates were given while incarcerated. Gothic churches and cathedrals were mainly built in Europe, France and England in the 13th through the 17th centuries. The Structure was not only built in a Gothic style to intimidate wrongdoers, but to remind the free citizens what might befall on them should they break the law.

Cell Block Seven

2009-06-15T09:46:00.001-04:00

Cell Block Seven, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is the view down cell block seven at the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I encourage everyone to take the tour if you have time while you're visiting Philadelphia. A really amazing building with an amazing history that not too many people know about.

According to the Penitentiary website: In May 1833, architect John Haviland created a new model for Cell Block Seven, one with several advantages over earlier cell blocks at the site. The most noticeable difference between Cell Block Seven and the previous two story cell blocks – Four, Five & Six – is the 30 foot barrel vault ceiling. In addition, Haviland set the catwalks back so they did not hang over the first floor. This made the block brighter and contributed to the Cathedral - like atmosphere. When Cell Block Seven was finished in 1836, it marked the completion of the original construction.

Mr. Curious

2009-06-12T10:07:00.001-04:00

Mr. Curious, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Saw this gal looking at me at the Philadelphia Zoo. She's a blue eyed Black Lemur. Only the males are black, the females remain light brown. Interestingly, they are the only primates besides humans that have blue eyes.

Axle Grunge

2009-06-11T14:57:00.001-04:00

Axle Grunge, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

From my last shoot with my motorcycle. I really like the way the texture works with the mechanical nature of this shot. A lot of power gets transferred through that chain to the tire, 123bhp at 12500rpm, with 53ft.lbs torque at 11750rpm to be exact. I guess I should have cleaned it before I took the shot.

This is an HDR image blended from three exposures. I then took out all of the red, yellow, and orange tones in photoshop so only the greens and blues were remaining (I left a little gold). I needed a break from posting all the flowers, so here it is.

Reflections on Government

2009-06-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

Reflections on Government, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot was taken a few months ago near City Hall in downtown Philadelphia. The reflection is of City Hall's clock tower with William Penn standing on top. The gentleman's agreement in Philadelphia for many years was that no building could stand taller than the top of Ben Franklin's hat. The first building to break that rule was Liberty Place, which is actually the triangular topped building you can see in the upper left corner of this shot. That's one of the reasons I tried to get the two buildings in the same shot.

This is an HDR image blended from three exposures in Photomatrix. The colors were then adjusted in Photoshop.

The Single Tree

2009-06-09T13:17:00.001-04:00

The Single Tree, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Whenever anyone on Flickr posts a picture of a single tree in a meadow with beautiful clouds, I get jealous. I finally found one of my own. Unfortunately, at the time I didn't realize that my camera's ISO was set to 1600, which was less than ideal. Oh well.

Crossing the Bridge

2009-06-07T22:22:00.003-04:00

Crossing the Bridge, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Train crossing the Rockville Bridge just north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Rockville Bridge is the longest stone-arch bridge in the world (although you can't really tell from this angle).

I grew up a few miles away, but never photographed it until this Memorial Day weekend. I saw the train car with all the graffiti coming up from the right, so I tried to get a shot where it was right above the arch. As I was watching it pass, I thought it would make a cool selective color shot.

This picture is actually three blended together. The bridge and water below it is an HDR image combined from three exposures. The clouds are from an under-exposed image, which gives them their depth. Finally, the train car is a third image in which I left the color. This is the same bridge in the shot I posted on May 29th if you couldn't tell.

Water Lilies

2009-06-05T09:14:00.001-04:00

Water Lilies, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This was going to end the week of flowers, because, as I keep saying, I'm not a big fan of flower shots. They're a bit banal. That said, as you should have figured out by now, I was a Longwood Gardens last weekend and they happen to have quite a few ... wait for it ... flowers. So I have a ton of flower shots saved on my computer. You'll just have to put up with them for another day or two.

These, water lilies are from the water lily garden at Longwood Gardens. I had never seen a garden dedicated specifically to water lilies before, but it was pretty cool. They dye the water black to get rid of a certain kind of bacteria, but also to make the flowers stand out more. It works.

Hibiscus

2009-06-04T09:18:00.001-04:00

Hibiscus, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Flower week continues here on NegativeMode. In a departure from my normal modus operandi, this shot is straight out of the camera with only minor adjustments to contrast and brightness. Color is as shot. In hindsight, I wish I wasn't using such a shallow depth of field and the petals were in better focus. Also, I forget what kind of hibiscus this was exactly.

I still have a few more shots from Longwood Gardens. You'll get my favorite one tomorrow, although this is a close second. Hope this lovely flower brightens up your dreary day (it's rainy and cool in Philly today).

Among Friends

2009-06-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

Among Friends, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Since this has turned into Flower Week, I'm posting another shot I took of, wait for it, flowers. I've heard people say that taking pictures of flowers is for amateurs and beginner photographers, and, after taking more pictures, I agree with that sentiment to an extent. Taking a shot of a flower seems to me to be a safe, easy thing to do. They're generally colorful, have interesting features, and, importantly, they don't move. Basically, they're hard to screw up. That said, they're hard to make interesting too.

This is one of the first shots I took with my camera. It was taken at the Philadelphia Flower Show, which is like nirvana for beginner photographers: nothing but pretty flowers, bright colors, and they stay put. In hindsight, I don't think this is a particularly great or interesting shot because, like I said, it's just flowers, and everyone takes pictures of flowers.

The reason I posted it is so that it would be around the more recent flower shots I've taken, ones that I feel are more interesting, for you to compare. It's not that I think this is a bad shot, I just don't think it's very compelling or skillful. I think I've rambled enough, please enjoy the pretty pictures.

The Vibrant Twins

2009-06-02T10:07:00.002-04:00

The Vibrant Twins, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

My Mom had the most beautiful roses arranged on the kitchen table when I was home for Memorial Day Weekend. They were all the color of the middle two roses. I took this shot at night when only the kitchen light was shining down on them, which resulted in the dramatic lighting and black background.

Since my focus was on the two center roses, I decided to desaturate the rest to make those two stand out even more. Unadulterated, all of the roses would like like the center two.

Maybe I'll post pictures of flowers all week, even though I generally find flower shots to be pretty banal.

The Orchid

2009-06-01T10:50:00.004-04:00

The Orchid, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Went to Longwood Gardens this past weekend, which, for those of you that don't know, are beautiful gardens and a conservatory located near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The gardens were beautiful, but the conservatory was even more amazing. Some of the flowers and plants in there were stunning.

In the conservatory, there is an "orchid room" with nothing but different types of orchids. Some of the most beautiful orchids I've seen. I took a bunch of pictures of course. I'm not sure what type of orchid this is, but I thought it was neato.

Obviously, I added a lot of texturing to this photo, and I'm happy with the way it came out. As a point of reference, here's what the shot looked like directly out of the camera, without any postprocessing on my part:

Stone Arches

2009-05-29T09:07:00.002-04:00

Stone Arches, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The Rockville Bridge, at the time of its completion in 1902, was the longest stone masonry arch railroad viaduct in the world. Constructed between 1900 - 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it has forty-eight 70-foot spans, for a total length of 3,820 feet (1,164 m).

In hindsight, I think the other side of the bridge may be more interesting. I'll have to check that out next time I'm in Central Pennsylvania.

This shot was made from three exposures, -2, 0, +2, merged in Photomatrix. I think added the texturing and border in Photoshop. I also toned down the colors to make it a bit less vibrant, which I think fits. A lot of the yellow/orange color your seeing actually comes from the texture layered over top of the shot.

Ben

2009-05-28T10:31:00.003-04:00

Ben, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is a shot of Ben Franklin as he sits on his throne watching over all the visitors to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. I used to love going to the F.I. as a kid with my grandparents. Recently, I went as an "adult" with my wife, sister, and brother-in-law. It was still pretty fun. Maybe someday I'll take my grandkids.

In any event, this is taken from a single exposure. The saturation was boosted as were contrast and black levels.

Shrooms

2009-05-27T09:21:00.002-04:00

Shrooms, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This was one of the, if not the, first shot I took with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens when I bought it. I believe I attached the lens in the kitchen while I happened to be cooking some mushrooms. I don't remember what the mushrooms were for. Steak if I had to guess. I'm sure they were delicious.

This shot was taken wide-open at f/1.8, hence the very shallow depth of field. It's also an HDR shot, created from three exposures, -2. 0, +2. I think it's actually fairly interesting for a shot that was taken strictly for purposes of screwing around with a new lens.

The Stone Barn

2009-05-26T09:13:00.003-04:00

The Stone Barn, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A stone barn at Ft. Hunter Park, just north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Pretty solid structure if you ask me. Doesn't look like it's going anywhere for a while.

I really like the way this one came out. I had to blend two different images together to get the sky the way I wanted it to look behind the building. The building itself is an HDR image from three exposures. The sky is just one exposure, edited in Photoshop to bring out the contrast in the clouds. I love the colors here. Hope you do too.

1937 BMW 328

2009-05-22T08:54:00.001-04:00

1937 BMW 328, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

1937 BMW 328 from the Simeone Foundation in Philadelphia, PA. From the Foundation's website: BMW 328s were commonly ordered by wealthy Germans to compete against each other at the Nürburgring. Since the cars were virtually identical, the winner could claim bragging rights as “the best driver.”

The Nürburgring was opened in 1927, the same year that Mercedes and Benz were joined. This marque, along with many others would find fame on the legendary 18-mile circuit, built to be a showcase for German engineering and driving talent.

This shot is another in my series of classic cars (all from the Simeone Foundation) that I processed from multiple exposures. Textures were added to give the worn, classic, historic, etc. feel, similar to the 1926 Kissel and 1938 Jaguar. If you care, the reason I used the heavy texturing and processing is because I wasn't happy with the shots as taken. In hindsight, my framing, pov, and focus could have been better on many of them. Treating them to make them look "worn" feels natural to me for the subject and creates a good look, all while hiding my perceived shortcoming with the original shots. Of course, everyone will have different opinions....

View On Black

1926 Kissel 8-75 Speedster

2009-05-21T09:00:00.002-04:00

1926 Kissel 8-75 Speedster, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

If you couldn't tell from the description, this is a 1926 Kissel 8-75 Speedster. This particular car (of which I believe there are only 4 left in the world) is owned by the Simeone Foundation and located in Philadelphia, PA.

This shot was taken from three different exposures and combined in Photomatrix. I wasn't happy with the noise in the shot, so I first converted it to black and white in Photoshop, and then added two textures. It's the textures that are giving it the brownish/yellow tint and also the crease lines and border. I was really happy with the way this came out in the end. I think the textures work perfectly for this old car giving a worn look to the shot.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Hot Potato

2009-05-20T09:36:00.001-04:00

Hot Potato, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

And for something a little different today. . . .

It was amazing. I was on my way home from work when I saw a forest fire raging out of control in the local National Forest. Before I could even run to get help, out of the blue appeared this brave Potato. Within minutes, the fire was under control and everyone was safe. It was amazing. Not a single life was lost or a single hash browned.

Seriously though, this shot took a little bit of setting up and a little bit of luck. The cardboard I used for the fire burned a little hotter and a little higher than I expected, so there was a little worry for a minute or two that I would burn the house down. Luckily, I had a garden hose nearby and no one was hurt.

I'm not sure what the neighbors were thinking if they happened to see me in the backyard playing with toys and setting fires at 8:30 pm on a Tuesday. I think it was worth it though, I really like this shot.

What Lies Beyond

2009-05-19T09:35:00.002-04:00

What Lies Beyond, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

So obviously I lied about stopping my experiments with textures and processing (overprocessing?). While I do realize that these images aren't "photography" in it's purest sense, I really like some of the images I've created, this one in particular.

I'm always curious to see what you out there think. What works, what doesn't, so keep the comments coming. Thanks for looking and sharing.

Special thanks to JoesSistah's for the textures, they're beautiful.

Lights

2009-05-18T15:21:00.001-04:00

Lights, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Took this shot of a street lamp in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. After much work in Photoshop, this is the result. I like it, but do you?

King of the Hill

2009-05-16T08:35:00.003-04:00

King of the Hill, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I saw this whist driving through Northeastern Pennsylvania coal country. It's a giant pile of red dirt that looked like it belonged on Mars, except for the rolling hills behind it. I'm not really sure what that is sticking out of the top or why its there.

I added some texturing because I'm in a texturing phase and it makes me happy. Also, I like the experimentation in photoshop. One more thing. I'm not sure how I get the white out of the rounded edges. Obviously, when you view this shot against a white background, it doesn't matter, but here it looks silly. I'll get right on that.

Tug

2009-05-14T11:20:00.001-04:00

Tug, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot was taken on the dock next to the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship. My sister and her husband thought it would be funny if we read "tug" as a verb (and a suggestion) instead of a noun. I digitally cross-processed the shot, reduced the saturation, and added some texturing as I'm want to do.

Also, I thought this would be a nice change from some of the other shots I've posted here.

30 Rock

2009-05-13T10:47:00.001-04:00

30 Rock, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

During my last visit to NYC for my sister-in-law's birthday, I had a chance to meander around the city a bit. I couldn't pass up the chance to check out Rockafeller Center and take a picture with all of the other tourists in Rockafeller Center taking pictures, so I did.

This shot of 30 Rock is an HDR image created from three exposures at -2, 0, +2 exposure values. I wish I had a wider angle lens for this shot so I could have gotten more of the bottom of the building in the bottom of the frame, but I don't. Maybe when I get a new lens I'll have to head back.

Please feel free to post any comments, positive or negative, either here or by clicking on the photo. Thanks.

Darth Tater

2009-05-12T09:41:00.001-04:00

Darth Tater, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I was very lucky to capture this candid shot. I had to use a telephoto and hide in the bushes across the street, lest I be captured. When commenting, please consider the danger I was in when taking such a wonderful photograph of such a dark and dangerous individual.

Really though, this was more experimentation with nighttime shooting, a tripod, and my 50mm 1.8 lens. I like this shot of Mr. Potatohead.