Las Vegas Secret Concoction

I'm busy preparing a secret concoction for New Year's Eve tonight....or not. This is something they sell in Vegas. I'm not sure what it is but it is colorful.

About To Get Iced

Looking through my shots for the year this one has to stand out for its timing. Sammy, my niece, is about to get a surprise "ice bucket" of her own, well before the ice bucket challenge craze took off later in the year. On this vacation, if you weren't watching you would find yourself with a bucketful of ice as Sammy is about to discover. I had nothing to do with the planning. I just had a camera nearby.

Two Boats

I saw this as a painting when I took this shot last fall in Marblehead. It took until yesterday to get a piece of software (Topaz Impressions) that could produce what I saw. Two row boats in Marblehead Harbor.

Final Christmas Shots #2

Last year we were making real snowmen. This year we were going out with sweaters so the only snowmen were on the Christmas tree.

Some final Christmas Shots #1

Some final Christmas shots as the season winds down.

Anticipation

I'm not expecting to get much sleep tomorrow morning with a 6 year old in the house.

Creepy Heads in New York City

Would you buy a hat off of one of these heads? I didn't think so. Kinda creepy.

Macy's Christmas Window

The Christmas windows of Macy's don't have the impact they once did. But they still can be beautiful. This one certainly is.....

When Buildings Had Names

Love the north side architecture and when architects had the courage to put names on buildings without selling naming rights. This building was part of a Romanesque revival that came to Chicago after the Chicago Fire. This building was a music school and also a German Beer Hall at one time. Now is part commercial and residential on Armitage Avenue.

Marblehead Walking Path

It was a beautiful early morning to go for a walk prior to heading out to work in Marblehead, Mass earlier this fall.

Hermosa Beach Surfer

I keep shooting this statue because each time I see it, I am in different light. This time, shooting into the sun, he can out in a beautiful golden glow.

Under the El

Saw light and shadow and thought this shot under the elevated tracks near Armitage was worth a try.

Places to Go, People to See

Lots of places to get to from New York City's Penn Station. Not a famous as the larger Grand Central Station. More of a workman's train station with commutes to/from New Jersey and up Long Island. But you can also get to Boston and Washington.

NYC Fun Traveling

Isn't travel fun? Hit NYC last week and landed in a monsoon of a northeaster. This was a winter mis of sleet, snow and rain. Oh well, it could always be worse....

Empire State Building at night

New York is a very photogenic city. Then again, I don't often find myself walking around downtown Chicago at night. In New York, if I don't have a dinner, I have to go walk somewhere to find something to eat. Bring and camera and you will find a shot.

Portillio's in living color

Sometimes, when you look for color, it hits you close to home. No need to travel the country this time out. This is the Portillo's near the Woodfield Mall and it is a shock of color when you walk through the door. No need for fancy color filters with this shot.

The colors that I see on Armitage Avenue

Sometimes you get in the mood to jack up the colors, but this is what I see when I walk along Armitage Avenue. I see these old buildings in all their glory. Buildings so proud, they have names on them. What do you see?

Trumped Up Trump Building

Hyper Trumped Tower. I don't see what all the fuss was about with the size of the building name.

Mike's Camera bites the dust

We had some time to kill between meetings in Denver and I saw from my "Around Me' app that a camera store was near by. Looks like I got there too late. This place never would have closed if it was located near me in Naperville.

Dramatic Flatiron Building

Drama abounds in this picture of the Flatiron Building in New York City from last winter.

Sunrise, Sunset?

Sunrise? Or Sunset? Does  it matter?

LA through the Looking Glass

Downtown LA as seen through a very dirty Century City glass window from my hotel this past year.

Did sunrise really look like this?

Caught a beautiful Pompano Beach Sunrise while getting ready for work one morning. Did it look this way when I stepped out to capture this shot? Yes, of course it did, if you squinted your eyes and were in the right frame of mind.

Things to be Thankful For--Family

Perfect shot by guest photographer, Becca Sack, who took a great picture of my family at Stephi's wedding. I was looking one picture that I might have snapped in the past year representing something to be Thankful For. I did't shoot the shot, but lots to be thankful about in this picture. Thanks Becca!!!

Blimp in the Background

You are not paranoid if they really are following you.

Bryant Park Merry-Go-Round

Bryant Park is always a colorful place to visit in midtown Manhattan. Ice skating in the winter. A place to sit and eat and play in the summer. I didn't have a tripod, but any solid surface will do to get a time-lapse photography shot.

Snow, its what's coming.....

Snow is coming. Not this week as it is warming up, but you know it is coming....and my first GIF.

Pompano Fellow Photog

A fellow photog decided to get up early to see the sunrise. Pompano Beach north of Ft. Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale on high with a Cruise Ship Departing

Caught a huge cruise ship departing Fort Lauderdale as my flight was coming in. With record cold today, wish I was on that ship.....

Field of Greens....and Purples

With the early and cold onset of winter this week I thought we needed a reminder of spring. So here is a colorful field of greens and purples to remind us that spring is just 4 months away. It is cold but we will have warmer days ahead.

Pompano Beach Sun Rise

Caught the sun rise through the beach grasses with an early wake up call in Pompano Beach.

Marblehead Splash of Color

For a blog about color, this is a shot you have to take. Lots of character in these colors.

Marblehead Red, White and Blue

Great use of patriotic colors in this beautiful house in Marblehead. For a blog looking for color, this is in the right spot.

Marblehead History in Signs

Lots of history in the buildings around Marblehead. These are some of the signs you see giving the names of original owners of the home. Nice seeing living history.

Downtown Boulder

Nice area in downtown Boulder to walk, eat and catch some rays being at least a mile closer to the sun than in Chicago.

Naperville Marathon 3:05 pace group

Running at a 3:05 pace and still enough strength left to wave and smile at the fans on the sidelines. This is approaching the 6 mile point. Still, impressive to run that fast for that long.

Ogawa Square Mall in Oakland

While Oakland, California isn't know for its distinctive architecture, every city has its charms. I caught a look at Ogawa Square in downtown Oakland on a morning run and took this iPhone pano. Nice open area in the midst of government and commercial office buildings. I am sure it is a draw for lunchtime office workers on a sunny California day. 

Pigeon Training in NYC

It takes hard work to get your pigeon to stay and pose for a picture. Had to use Golda Meir's statue to do it.

Washington MLK Monument

What a powerful display just off the Washington Mall. This was my first chance to see the MLK Monument. Impressive, with lots of his quotes on the walls surrounding the statue.

The Flag Still Stands

The Senate turned over yesterday and the flag still stands. Wonderful view of democracy. Actually, this is the first time I have been able to shoot pictures of the Washington Monument without scaffolding all over the place.

A Whole Lot Of No In Boulder

It's just one light pole, but it had a whole lot of "no's" on it in downtown Boulder, Colorado.

Fallen Fall Leaves Colors

I think the title says it all.

Denver Rockies Foothills

Cool weather in Denver gave excellent views of the Rocky Mountain foothills with just a touch of snow up at the tops. Might have to try to get some skiing in this year.

Halloween Fun

Ages 6 and 3 are perfect for Halloween. You can see it on their faces--along with the biting cold. But we got some sun as well and that made the half hour of our trick-or-treating lots of fun.

Three Pumpkins

Michael Jr, Cheryl and Jono all carved pumpkins with William's help this past weekend. Michael Jr. did "Shy Guy", Cheryl did a cat and Jono had some kind of ghost. Good work all. Thanks to Cheryl as my guest photographer while I was out traveling. Loved that we got outside to carve in beautiful weather last weekend in Chicago.

Hermosa Jumping for Joy

Two young girls on Hermosa Beach jumping off a ledge of sand for joy.

One more of Stephi, Anthony and Clio Wedding shot.....

Great shot of this young family in love. I am biased, of course.

Stephi and Anthony

I might be biased but that is a great couple and a great love story in the making.

Stephi's Big Day

Stephi is getting married today. We are very proud parents. Here she is on her 13th birthday. It does go by fast, doesn't it?

Clearwater Bird Feeding Time

Don't feed the birds unless you want a Hitchcock movie to play over your head.