Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

Super e1932 Leica does not set the expected target or record at Hong Kong auction. A leica Luxus II [only four were ever made] did not meet it's expected  auction selling  price estimated to be around  $1.2  millions but garnered "only" $ 620.000. Just peanuts I guess for those who have money to burn but may begin to re think the value of these items Nevertheless,  last year in Vienna, a Leica model O sold for a record 2.6 Million Euros. Not too shabby or should I add not too sane. But who am I to judge.

Yes indeed, how beautiful you are New York These shots with the Olympus E PL-2 are from the section in Queens called Long Island city that is right across midtown Manhattan. Here the afternoon light give the image an added glow and interest.

Fujifilm  Corporation has developed a digital magazine for the owners  X series cameras. Available in six languages (English,  Italian, French, German, Spanish, and Russian ). One can go to the Apple Newsstand or Google Play store, or  it can always  be viewed using a web browser.

Here is the second installment of the quaint courtyards in Trapani's old section

The simplest way that obtains your end results is the best. You do not want to make it even simpler because it then appears too amateurish. Window light is the best on a portrait. A simple reflector is added to make up for film's or the sensor's inability to handle great dynamic range. This type of light is what the great master used when painting and if you go to any portrait gallery you will agree. This is what my teacher Josef Breitenbach stressed. The two studio shots posted emulate this light by the use of a single umbrella and a reflector. They were shot in my old Manhattan studio on 26th Street. The camera was the Nikon F with the Nikkor 105 mm F 2.5. The film was Tri-X Pan.

Here in the North Eastern section of the USA  fall has ended and with it's passage goes the glory that is typical of  autumns in this region. Too bad; it goes really fast. It is very hard to capture it at it's peak, but I try to do it every fall without ever tiring. Now the weather has turned cold, windy and wintry and actually horrid. But that is nature's way; with it's ineluctable cycles without which we would all be bored to tears. And to those visitors from the southern hemisphere, enjoy your spring and summer.

Leica has just announced the 2014 Leica Oskar Barnack Award international photography competition, Beginning on December 15, 2013, entries may be sent, The first prize winner  receive a cash prize of €10,000 (~ $13,500) plus a Leica M camera and lens,  at a value  of additional €10,000. Good luck,

    I always like to look at the images that  I made in this lovely city on the  north western corner of Sicily. It's a fascinating city with a very long  and lively history. These cortili or courtyards are typical of the many interesting ones that make this city's centro storico, historical center, so fascinating. This is part one. Stay tuned for a few more.

  The Chicago Sun-Times  was the first paper to gets rid of all photographers, but now a French newspaper publishes without photos!   To make the point of how important photos are. Just when the journalism industry is struggling to stay alive, the world of photojournalism has been hit especially hard. Earlier this year, the Chicago Sun-Times laid-off its entire staff in favor of  reporters using their  iPhones. The French newspaper Libération showed its support for photographers by publishing its November 14th issue with all the images removed. They are trying to make a point; trying to show the power of images. But this really misses the point on the death of photojournalism.  What we have now, with the proliferation of smart phones is the ability to capture something in real time...as it's happening. So the point we have been trying to make is that big camera, big salary, big shot, journalism is dying fast. Rest in Peace.

Shot way back in the fall of 2000 ay the North Fork of Long Island with my very first digital camera, the Nikon Coolpix 990. Just three megapixels but it was a competent camera if one went around it's limitations.

The beach at Guidaloca in winter

Central park is truly central to the life of this city. People put on a constant show every day but on Sunday afternoons the place gets really hopping. These photos from the seventies show how it was then.  Of course music and musicians were always at the center of the action. All shot on Tri-X Pan, naturally with the Nikon F and that superb 105 F 2.5 Nikkor that I still have and can still use on my latest Nikon DSLRs. On e of the reasons why I truly love Nikon.