Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

Siracusa, Syracuse, in Eastern Sicily was the wold's most important city and it was actually the downfall of any dreams of empire that the Athens had. Their failed attempt in 414 BC, to try to wage war on Syracuse led to their slow demise. A series of wars with Carthage led to the slow erosion of it's powers. The emerging Romans, then actually barbarians when compared to the Hellenic Sicilians, made Sicily the first Roman province after they defeated the Carthaginians in the third Punic War. Syracuse then became part of the Roman empire along with the rest of Sicily and it's problems began. But enough history. These photos were shot in Ortigia, the oldest part of Syracuse and actually an island. I may be prejudiced but Syracuse is one of the most beautiful city in Italy and it's cuisine based mostly on sea food is probably Italy's best. No one who comes to Sicily can afford to miss this glorious city where Archimedes worked and formulated his many ideas on physics ...

Nothing typifies Americana better than a front porch in a small town. This was just shot in Honesdale, Pennsylvania and it represents summertime relaxation. I believe that it's a worthy photo for the Fourth of July.

Tammurinaru is Sicilian  singular for drummer, tamburino , in Italian. The traditional tammmurinari were actually news spreaders of a sort. They were used as providers of announcements and for advertising purposes. Sort of town criers. Here they are all decked out in traditional folk costumes and are announcing the upcoming Festa del ventuno the main town feast for that culminates on August 21st. They were shot on the main street the Corso Garibaldi.

These slides are from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. They are all Kodachrome 25 that have surprisingly held on to their color. Kodachrome II wasmuch better at this. Shot in 1976with the Nikon FTN.

Along with cactus flowers, poppies are among nature's most delicate flowers. These were recently shot with the Olympus EPL-2.

It's really the heart of Manhattan. These photos were shot on a nice winter's day ib front of the Main NY Public Library. As many have realized by now, I love this city.

The Sicilian Cuisine Blog: Palermo "streat food tour": where you eat like a real Sicilian!

I cannot stress enough that without stunning light there cannot be great photography unless we are talking about photo journalism where the content is what matters most.  In nature photography  interesting light is most important. I am not sying that these are stunning photos; I am making a point.