Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

May this new year bring you happiness and health. Thank you for visiting the blog .  Thank you for visiting All the Best, Rocco Galatioto

The genius of Italian food is it's simplicity. That doesn't mean that there aren't complex dishes that take hours or even days to prepare, but one can achieve delicious results by simply using the best and freshest ingredients. Pasta all'aglio, olio e peperoncino, is a prime example of this.  To the main ingredients: garlic, oil and red pepper flakes, I added some anchovies  paste and some non toasted  plain bread  crumbs and naturally some pecorino, The parsley is for garnish although it adds some subtle flavor. This easy and fast dish is very healthful. Free radicals do not stand a chance.

Anyone who has ever tried photographing a dog at play knows how hard it is. These photos of my Catahoula  Leopard dog were shot with the Olympus E PL-2. I was amazed how well the auto focus worked.

Progress marches on The Canon 5D Mark II is Officially Retired The 5D Mark II has been a huge camera for Canon, and not just in terms of sales. The 5D Mark II was the first DSLR to offer full 1080p HD video capture, and that earned it jobs on TV and even in films like 'Captain America.' It helped significantly in the advancement of the use of DSLRs for HD video production. Canon announced the 5D Mark II back in September of 2008 and it's been incredibly popular since. Now, a little over four years later, the company has announced that they're discontinuing the camera. For those who've wanted one since it's unveiling, the good news it the price of old stock should drop, making it an affordable option for many.

Once again in Genova. Here we see an open air farmers' market where all sorts of fresh and classic country foods and produce are sold on weekends. This market is in the old part of the city near the harbor.

The enduring question: to upgrade or not to upgrade. The same question kees popping up on the web; it never fails to amuse me. Q. Should I by the LX-7 [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 ...

Yes indeed and it arrived with a vengeance here in North East Pennsylvania.

Genova, known in it's heyday as "la superba, is a fascinating city. One of my favorite places in Italy. These four photos all shot with the Canon G-9 show the narrow streets in the oldest part of the city, the part nearest to the harbor.

Kodak Patents Bought by Companies Including Apple, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft It looks like the worst is finally over for Kodak. The company has managed to sell off its patents, which was a condition in its recent financing option, and managed to drum up the $525 million it needed. The list of purchasers is huge, and it includes a good many of the folks that you'd expect to see bidding on Kodak's patents - Apple, Google, Facebook, Samsung, RIM, Adobe, HTC, Fujifilm, Huawei, Amazon, Shutterfly, and Microsoft. One thing worth noting is that there are a significant amount of cell phone makers in the bunch. Kodak isn't tapped dry just yet. Though they sold off their digital imaging patents, they still hold around 9,600 patents in other areas.

Some recent photos  of Milford, PA in a quiet winter afternoon shot with the Nikon D-200 and the 18-70 F3.5-4.5 kit lens.

Just when you thought it was safe to use Instagram.... Instagram's New Policy Gives Them the Right to Sell Your Photos Admit it, you don't read the Terms of Service agreement when you sign up for a new site or service. You put in your info, you hit "OK" and you get to work. Hey, we do it too. Luckily, there are folks out there that not only read them - they decipher the legalese and translate it for the layman. And, it's a good thing they do, because Instagram's latest is making more than a few people upset. Starting January 16 th , anything you put up on Instagram will fall under a new rule that allows Facebook to sell your photos to other companies and organizations for purposes including advertising. Think of it like a stock photo site that doesn't pay you. If you wish to opt out, your only option is to delete your account by January 16 th - otherwise you're considered automatically opted in.

I want to express my warmest Christmas wishes to all of my blog followers and visitors. Thank you for visiting.  All the best.

Peace and happiness to all and  may Santa be nice to all of you.

Luca, 2 and a half years old Sebastian, one year old Doyle, four month old Anyone who is in this business knows how challenging young children can be to photograph. It's no picnic. These candids of children of relatives and friends were shot at a Christmas party with my LX-7. The camera is very fast for a so called point and shoot it made things a little easier but it was not easy. The children's ages 4 months, 1 year and 2 and 1/2 years.

Here in New York, some people just seem to lose it at Christmas time. This block in Corona Queens is typical of this over the top Christmas lights decorations.

My version of bruschetta Sicilian tomatoes and onions salad Pasta alla Norma Pasta riminata So to celebrate the end of the world that wasn't,  my thought once again turn to good but simple Sicilian food. I am not a foodie just someone who likes to cook and eat good traditional food. Please do not worry, this  is not becoming a food blog.  BTW, I cooked and photographed these dishes. Enjoy.

Again with the summer. It's just that the thought of the winter solstice makes me cold all over. BTW, if you can see this post on 12-12-12, we dodged the Mayan bullet. As you may know by now, my two favorite places in New York City have to do with Brooklyn. One is the Brooklyn Bridge and the other is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. These photos  were all taken in late summer of 2011 with the Canon 5-D and the Canon 16-35 F 2.8 L.

Winter is almost here in the northern hemisphere as we hopefully reach and survive the winter solstice. These photos show a precocious snow fall. There will be more snow, I'm sure.