Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

It bears repeating that the best times of the day to take photos is early morning and late afternoon. This is when the sun is low at the horizon  and it's light is very warm. It is when there are nice shadows that make even a prosaic image a keeper.

Trapani, this wonderful small city located on the north west corner of Sicily has a long history. It has even been credited by many historians including the English, Butler, has being the true Ithaca of the Odyssey. Be that as it may, it is surely worth a visit.

All those show offs with their huge , heavy cameras with large  with very wide straps with the brand name in large letters, are fast becoming as obsolete as their cameras. I marvel at the rapidity of the change in how photos will be  soon taken. Swiss company Hyetis has made a new wristwatch which features a built-in 41MP camera  that will cost about $1200 when it goes on sale. Details are cloudy, but according to the manufacturer, the watch's built-in camera features an 'optical zoom lens', with an integrated ring flash, as well as communication features including a microphone.   Boy could Dick Tracy use one of these,

Viewed from the standards of American reserves, Lo Zingaro is actually puny. Yet, in a country with little wilderness left after thousands of years of human development, it is a step in the right direction. Years ago fishermen from Castellammare would  use its inlets for shelter and shepherds would use it's lands for grazing. Now it is a very interesting natural reserve  that is only accessible on foot and from the sea  but no landing is allowed. You must swim to it from your boat. It is pretty and shows the rugged coast of the gulf west of the town.

It's always nice to see service improve especially in turn around time. Tamron USA Repair: Now 3-Business Day Turnaround  Time for  Service Repairs Tamron USA , a well-known lens maker for various dSLR cameras and mounts, has just made it known that their USA based repair operations are offering 3-business day turnaround for lens repairs. This is fantastic news for those who are concerned with being without their lens for an extended period of time. Tamron's warranty is quite impressive (6-year limited), however your lens doesn't have to be under warranty to get this speedy turnaround time: you just have to approve the repair cost estimate. Great going Tamron.

The difference between Sicily and a place like Cape Cod is great. I love Sicily but sometimes I yearn for that order and tranquility that a place like the Cape offers. Here at the present time there's utter confusion. Traffic, congestion, overcrowding and total pandemonium. You either love it or hate it. So on these August days of insanity, I fondle remember places that are orderly and peaceful. What can I say, I'm never satisfied.

Some images of Casellammare this winter  and from a summer a few years ago with a little manipulation. What can I say.

One of many old buildings in the centro storico that will soon be renovated to look like what the tourists' idea of Sicily is. Not the real one but the theme park one. As the philosopher said, nothing is real. Too bad. At least it creates a good photo op.

We New Yorkers are rather full of ourselves and tend to put down many places outside the Big Apple. Baltimore Harbor, I must reluctantly admit, is absolutely splendid. Of course we have the South Street Seaport in New York, but Baltimore Harbor is really special. It's what the one in New York should have been. I must admit to having fallen in love with the place. It's worth  visit. The food is also good. To me that's most important.

These shots date from 1970 and were shot with the Canon Ft and the Canon 50mm F 1:1.4 FL lens. The film was Tri-X that I developed on D-76 in I:1 dilution. Those were the great days when I spent countless hours in the darkroom trying to make that perfect print. Digital is too easy, too boring, too common. Photography as an art is on the ropes. Well it was nice while it lasted and I had a blast.