Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

Flower field in Sicily. Campo in fiori in Sicilia

By botanic garden, what I mean is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a place of sublime beauty and tranquility. One of my all time favorite places. May it always continue to give so much joy to a public in  much need of it. Giardino  qui vuol dire il Giardino botanico di Brooklyn, un posto d'una bellezza sublime e di tanta tranquillita'. Uno dei posti assolutamente preferiti da me. Possa continuare a dare tanta gioia ad un publico che ne ha tanto bisogno.

Shot a few years ago with the canon D-300 in North Eastern Pennsylvania on a cloudy day that brought out the colors. It will soon look like this. Superb.

Shot in the country as summer wanes and we get ready for that radiant fall that presages a long and cold winter that the less said about it the better. Foto scattate qui in campagna mentre l'estate si estingue e ci prepariamo per un autunno radiante e glorioso che presagia un inverno longo e freddo che meglio se ne parli meglio e'.

These archival shots of Venice on a rainy April day  make me want to get back there as soon as possible. The lens was the Sigma 28-135.

What I like about this new camera is that Nikon didn't go nuts cramming too many mega pixels so that low light and noise performance are not compromised. Nikon Announces the D600 - a New Full Frame DSLR with a 24MP Sensor Nikon has just announced the D600, the smallest and most affordable full frame DSLR on the market today. This makes it a very welcome camera and one needed in Nikon's lineup. The new Nikon D600 has a 24.3MP full frame (35mm size) CMOS sensor with a body style, features and controls  resembling the Nikon D7000 a DX format camera. It has a 39 Point Autofocus System, and  9 of the AF Points are Cross type. The D600 includes weather sealing, and the same EXPEED 3 Processing Engine that is used the higher end Nikon models like the D800, it also has a shutter life expectancy of approximately 150,000 cycles. This new Nikon model also includes an Optical Viewfinder with 100% Coverage.  This feature is usually found on the more expensive Pro Level DSLR mo...

This amazing portable camera is a delight and it is still being used by my wife Marcy. Except for some noise at high ISO, it is really wonderful.

I find this entire involvement with a statue - this reverence placed on a symbol - very interesting. I understand the sociological reasons and I'm in no way criticizing how people worship or how they express their  spiritual needs needs. As a photographer, I just love these events because they provide  the opportunity for great shots. I also enjoy seeing people having great fun.  My great disappointment was that there was a long line at the zeppole stand and being extremely impatient, I declined to buy any. My stomach thanks me for it.

View from Erice, Sicily on an early afternoon of August 2011.

The immigrants from Castellammare del Golfo have always paid homage to La Madonna del Soccorso the patron saint and protector of the town and beloved most by it's  fishermen. I have posted many photos of the feast in Sicily, these are of the festa here in Queens. After a mass, the statue is taken around the neighborhood and then it's placed next to the stage on Fresh Pond Road. There are of course all the usual  bancarelle , or street vendors that are a mix of games for children and food for adults. The food reflects the cultural mix of Queens, however the sausage and the zeppole vendors are a must. More photos will follow of this rather impressive four days event that is very popular and well attended. It is interesting to note that the statue is seen by the participants as a holy  relic. The money pinned on it sort of profanes this image but what would a procession be without a statue with money pinned on it. Let's get real folks.

The Italian feasts tradition was carried over by immigrants and began a tradition of re evocations of the feasts of their old towns. It was a way to keep the ties strong and a way to have fun. This feast is a remake in the Sates of the Festa del Ventuno of Castellammare del Golfo and it honors the same Madonna del Soccorso . More photod will follow. I can only add: Have a delicious week / Abbiate una settimana deliziosa