Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

I shot this table shot before a brunch at the home of a dear friend. I used the Nikkor 50mm F 1.4 and the film was GAF Anscochrome 200 for it's brownish tint. Before digital manipulation one had to chose film carefully. This is an hand held shot with available light.

This is my paternal grandmother shortly before her death. I used Tri-X developed in D-76 1:1. The lens was the great Canon 50 MM F 1.4 FL. She was a very sweet and good woman who is always in my memory. I did not pose her. This was a totally candid shot.

This rare cart was shot in Siracusa down in the Ear of Dionysus. Original it was done on Agfachrome but it's color faded to magenta. I scanned and converted it to B&W.

Yes indeed, Florence many years ago. It seems just like yesterday that these shots were taken with Anscochrome 500, the fastest slide film available. Iy did give a nice brown cast that seems appropriate for these images.,

Good old Kodachrome 25 [Kodachrome II was replaced in 1974] with the tele Elmarit 90mm F 2.8 Leitz lens. BTW Fall will be here before we know it.

Meet the Elmar 21mm F 2.4 ASPH. It is in the superb M mount, for the Leica rangefinders both digital and film and it will set you back about three grand. Of course I know that the followers of this blog are well heeled. Of course if you are familiar with Leica lenses you know that great feel, that smoothness and those great images. I can dream can't I?

The Sicilian Cuisine Blog: Sicilian cheeses: la vastedda del Belice http://www.galatiotophoto.blogspot.com

I love the simple geometric New England architecture, these facades are in Stonington Conn.

Reflections from a modern building in Montreal. The lens was the 35 mm Nikkor F 2.8. It was shot on Kodachrome II and then scanned.

A wonderful place to visit for early spring fever.

As you have noted, I have embraced the micro 4/3 system as a superb travel camera system. I have enjoyed and enjoy my E PL2 immensely. Now Olynpus has added more lenses and the PL3. With thre 3 PEN bodies, Olympus has announced the M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm F2.0 and M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.8 prime lenses for Micro Four Thirds. The 12mm F2.0 is a metal-bodied 24mm equivalent featuring a unique snap-focus manual focus mode. A snap-back focus ring reveals a traditional depth-of-field scale for 'zone' focusing and offers improved focus 'feel.' Later in the year it will be accompanied by the 45mm F1.8 portrait lens, making Olympus one of the only manufacturers to offer a fast prime at a roughly 100mm equivalent focal length, ideally suited to portraiture. There is also a relatively compact flash, the FL-300R, helping the PEN range look more like a complete system. They look real good.

This is the flag that proudly stands above Forth McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. It is the same flag that watched over the battle for Baltimore in 1814. The Americans won when they repelled the British forces that wanted to lay siege on the city. This is the flag that inspired the creation of the Star Spangled Banner and the rest is history, as they say. Happy birthday America, may you go on and on. Surely you have some flaws, but you are still the best place in the world. I know that for some these words will sound trite as they have been inculcated to find faults with their country. I find this very strange and troubling. Some will even feel embarrassed by any thought of patriotism. As for me, I get goose pimples when I see our flag. No shame, no guilt no BS. Only pride from one who knows the difference.

A wonderful white horse in northern Virginia, a splendid area of the country. Early evening. Shot with the E PL2 and the 9-18 F3.5-5.6 Zuiko lens.