Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

These children photos were shot in Tangiers when things were simpler and the area was relatively at peace. Today things are quite different and much less civilized. I want to post children photos in a perhaps futile attempt at some iota of understanding.

This lens was one of the most amazing optics I ever used. I earned lots of money making copies for a photo archive using this lens. Eventually I replaced it with the 69mm F 2.8 AF but great as it was it did not have the magic of the manual focus one. So much for progress. I just want to share these two examples shot on Kodachrome II on the Nikon FTn. BTW, Kodachrome II had it's own magical qualities. It's the only thing I miss about film.

During the eighties, Coney Island sort of hit bottom. The Sate Housing Authority in what was one of the never ending failures in so called urban development built tall housing units that soon became slums. The city had tried this earlier in other parts of the area with ultimately the same  results. This was naturally at the expense of the old Coney Island that was undergoing a change and was slipping toward irrelevancy as the old so called Play land of the World. New Yorkers do have a large sense of self importance. At any rate, the area has become sort of gentrified now and even though it has lost that old "charm and character," it has become a very pleasant place. Even Nathans has been re designed into a much better place to eat the famous hot dogs and fries.  

New York is simply an amazing place. This dancer was showing her stuff on Central Park South right in front of the Plaza Hotel. You got to love this city.

I have posted many images of Erice, Sicily and all have attested to the magnificence of this medieval hamlet. These images are, however, from the summer of 1969 and were made with my original Yashicamat 124 on Ansco Pan film. The name Ansco alone signifies vintage photos. As I scan, I keep finding many images that I simply forgot. Scan we must.

Let us celebrate it. The blog has taken a different color theme in accordance with this long awaited event.

These images shot on 3-12-20166 at St. John's University are of the LassatilAbballari folk group. The name meas let them dance and they performed traditional songs and dances not only of Sicily but of all of Southern Italy. The people had a grand time. The sponsor was Arba Sicula, a Sicilian cultural association presently headed by Dr. Gaetano Cipolla of St. John's university. Professor Cipolla who recently retired was the chairman of the modern langu ages department at the school. BTW, the bagpipes were played extensively by shepherds in Sicily.