Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

It seems as just yesterday that spring was here with it's cool days betrayed by warm but pleasant winds that presaged the coming summer. Yet this summer has been humid hot but with little rain to nourish the thirsty trees that appear to be suffering. This photo is one of nistalgia, shot in early May at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with the legendary D-1X.

Our woes started with Odysseus tricking and killing Polyphemus who was minding his business tending to his flock. This started that series un unwelcome but passively resisted invasions that varied from the enlightened as those of the Greeks and Arabs to the despicably barbaric such as the Romans, the French and the Spaniards who introduced all their superstitions and backwardness. Even today, it's obvious that every where the Spaniards went, misery and poverty followed. To top it off, they introduced the inquisition in 1492, that supremely Catholic institution. POVERA SICILIA come sei stata e sei ancora fredata da tutti. Noi che abbiamo creato L'Italia e stiamo al punto di ricrearla, questa volta da parte dalle nostre belle e intelligentissimi d.onne

Great camera that was commandeared by ma daughter and will never use again. These photos are from one of my frequent trips to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, one of my favorite places anywhere.

I decided as I have stated many times in the post that traveling light enhances the pleasure of travel photography. I just got the G-11 that I will take to Italy later in July and will give it to my oldest son Joseph, whose baby photo is posted below, so he can use a good camera for his real estate business. I have seen some of his photos and I'm impressed so I will encourage him. When anf if he is ready to go to the next level I will give him a DSLR. I am semi retired and do not need all my equipment anyway. So this lily pland is in my back yard and after a rain that was much needed I ran out to test the camera, that is if it worked. I do not do "tests," I just use my cameras. I did use flash fil if you must know. It appears that this will be a very nice camera to take along. The 28mm equivalent wide angle is a welcome change from the G-9. BTW, Canon originally followed the G-10 that had 14 mega pixels. Ridiculous in view of the small sensor. It has now scaled the G-11 t...

Shot in August of 1975, we have mt mentor and teacher, Josef Breittenbach holging my newly born son Josef. Yes his legal name has a f at the end and not a ph in honor of this great man. Shot with the Leica M-4 and the sublime 35 mm F2 Summicron. Kokak Tri-X in D-76 as usual.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has one of the most extensive planting of Japanese cherries outside of Japan. Every year the Japanese community in New York does a festival to celebrate this spectacular event. These shots were taken with the D1x and the 35-135 F 3.5-4.5 Nikkor.

The same question kees popping up on the web; it never fails to amuse me. Q. Should I by the LX3 [any camera may be substituted} or should I buy it's successor? A. Sure, why not wait for the successor's successor ad infinitum so you can always window shop and never buy. Gee you do not even have to go through the annoyance of taking photos... Seriously, there will always be a successor but in the meantime you can enjoy this little gem of a camera. My sarcastic initial reply is not as off the wall as it appears as there are such people. I'm not implying that the poster at dpreview.com is one of these as I'm sure he was looking for an honest response. The problem with digital cameras is that there is always something "better" on the horizon. However, this "better" camera will not, necessarily, make you a better photographer. Too often we get rid of equipment before we have fully mastered it and before we have explored it's true capabilit...

The internet is usually full of rumors as to when Canon will bring out a D4 II or when Nikon will come out with a D700X. The impatience of the pixel peepers and techno freaks usually reaches fever pitch. dpreview, the leading site is usually full of posts from people whose anticipation is killing them. At the present time, however, there are very few rumors. Is it the heat? It cannot be that the equipment worshipers no longer care. Maybe they are taking a vacation. They will be back; you can bet on it. Rocco Galatioto

I remember the olf Mexico Caffè as the best place foe expresso in Naples. Alas, how it has changed. New owners, new times, new management. Needless to say that the coffee that I had dreamed for for years since I last tasted ity, turned out to be a disappointment. I did manage to get excellent espresso in Naples, anyway. A real shame!

This is what the New York South Street Seaport looked like at it's infancy; before it became a shopping mall. It had the old ships but it was smack in the middle of the New York fish market that has now relocated to The Bronx and along with taking much of the character of the area it also took it's pungent redolence that's not missed. I took my children there countless times and practically witnessed it's development. Although it's really a large shopping area, it does have charm along with it's inevitable commercialism. But without this free market vigor it would have become just another city park full of boredom and stupid rules that the pathetic bureaucrats always impose. I sort of miss the old place even though the new one is kind of nice too. Since this is a photo blog, I will add some technical data. The camera was the trusty Nikon F, the cameras I made my bones with [I had six at one time but they lasted over 20 years and I still have them and will neve...

This is a recently rescued cat that joined our menagerie. She is aptly named Gioia, Italian for Joy as she is perhaps the sweetest cat I have ever owned and I have owned quite a few. She was under a car on a deserted street and was calling for us. After taking her to the vet, she tested positive for feline leukemia. What to do. Well, we decided to keep her and care for her and love her for the rest of her days. She is being kept isolated from my other cats but she is getting a lot of love, attention and food. Hang in there Gioia. BTW, I used the Nikon d 300 with the 60mmF2.8 Micro Nikkor.