Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

When all fails in my attempt at posting new and different photos, I can always  literally go to Venice. These date from April, 2008 and the lens used was the pedestrian but capable 24-85 F 3.5-4.5 EF.  Here are some street scenes.

These archival shots were made in June of 1973 with the Nikkor 35mm f 2,8 on the the classic Kodachrome II with an ISO speed of 25. It's hard for new photographers to understand that we were shooting at 25 and got results to die for. 

By now it has become obvious that the Olympus E PL-2 has become my favorite travel camera and even all around camera. It has superb image quality, portability, interchangeable lenses and the abilty to use many older lenses using appropriate adapters. The 2X factor must be taken into consideration. Here we see the use of the 9-18 zoom that is equivalent to 18-36 mm. Not too shabby. Again thr site is Segesta and in particula it's glorious Doric temple that is unique in that it does not have a cella or inner chamber. It was a sunny Sicilian day and the sky did not betray the presence of clouds. BTW, the Greek temples in Sicily are in much netter shape and are much better preserved that those in Greece or in any other parts of Magna Grecia. Needless to say, us Sicilians are very proud of or Hellenic roots.

It was a hot August day, a sunny one as usual in Sicily. Here we were at Segesta the ancient city that played a large role in the war between Syracuse and Athens that ultimately led not only to Athen's defeat but to the decline of the Greek word. Naturally the rise of the Roman world was unstoppable and after the third Punic war the whole of Sicily became Roman. It was the first Roman province but it fared badly at the uncultured Roman hands, they were not Hellenized. Many years later under Hadrian, Athens was again resurrected as the cultural center of the empire. At any rate, more photos will follow, but this man shading himself under a white umbrella caught my eye.

Took a walk around the house and in the back yard with my Nikon D-700 and the superb Nikkor 60mm Micro F 2.8 lens. Something to do after two rainy days. Enjoy.

Religious manifestations produce excitement,  outpouring of religious fervor, s great deal of superstition and a great excuse to party. This very long procession, in honor of the Patron Saint of Castellammare del Golfo, la Madonna del Soccorso [The Madonna of Succor] is celebrated on the last day of the three days long feast that  also includes a sea procession on the first day. It culminates with a magnificent fire works show on the water. The feature in this procession is that the participants walk in front of the statue; the cart is squarely before the horse. Nevertheless, it creates a memorable display of outpouring and the whole environment that is created sort of pulls you in and makes you a participant.

A great place to visit. The Inner Harbor is just wonderful. Shot with the Olympus E PL-2

Nikon's D800 has been awarded the prestigious Camera Grand Prix 2012 title and also won the public vote for best camera. The awards, organized by the Japanese 'Camera Journal Press Club' also recognized the Canon EF8-15mm F4L USM as lens of the year. Meanwhile, the Editors Awards were given to Sony's NEX-7 and the Olympus m.Zuiko 45mm F1.8.

I called this super exhibit the shower curtains but it was, nevertheless superb. What a great event to make winter more palatable. New York at it's best; Central Park at it's finest.

What a perfect beauty, what an inescapable grip it has on me. Needless to say, I cannot stay away from my beloved Castellammare del Golfo. Il vero paese del mare.

Leica is famous for niche products and the predecessor to this camera was no exception. Shelling out almost two grand for a fixed lens camera "assembled" in Germany with adequate focus speed may not appeal to many people. But it's a big market and there are many so called Leica fans who will bite. LEICA X2: THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE LEICA COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA Solms, Germany (May 10, 2012) - Leica Camera AG presents the X2, a new addition to the X-line of compact digital cameras. Handmade at Leica’s headquarters in Germany, the Leica X2 features a new APS-C-format professional CMOS image sensor with over 16.5 megapixels (effective 16.2 MP). In combination with the high-performance Leica Elmarit 24 mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens, a classic focal length for photojournalism, this sensor ensures maximum image quality and sparkling brilliance. With its refined styling and high-performance technical features, the Leica X2 offers unsurpassed performance in a compact packa...

The Lens Baby is a fun optic. It's nice to fool around with it on a rainy day or when you are bored. athese are photos of cut flowers.

The Sicilian Cuisine Blog: Sicilian mandarine and orange jelly: light and refreshing!