A Saturday on the Parkway

A Saturday on the Parkway

"Lone Tree Lookout"

"Bare Tree Reflection"

"Edge of Winter"

"Solo Swim"

"Sunset Lake"

the liberty & ellis island collection

welcome associate artists of winston salem gallery visitors

Thank you for visiting my weblog and journal of my personal experiences in photography. This site has served as my temporary home where I have shared my works with friends, family, colleagues, and respected artists each month. I look forward to a permanent residence with an extended online gallery in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please feel free to browse the monthly archives filled with photos and personal sentiments.

If you are interested in quotes for services, prints, or have any other inquiries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Eugenio C.

________________________

About the photos:

The two works currently on display at the AAWS Gallery ("Eyes on Liberty I", "Eyes on Liberty II") are part of a collection of works from a visit to New York City in the winter of 2005. The photographs were created with an unrefined medium format film Holga 120N "toy camera" and printed on an enhanced matte paper with archival inks. The prints are professionally mounted on acid free cores and mats and outlined with black gesso finished wood frames. The finished pieces represent my gallery debut and will be on display from Dec. 1 - Jan. 13 or until they are purchased by a gallery patron.

"P" is for Parking

"P" is for Parking

After an evening of assignment shooting, Shanti and I went to the roof level of a downtown parking deck. I was actually trying to locate a high vantage point to photograph a local hospital for another assignment. The side wall is just tall enough to put it out of view. Perhaps if I brought a ladder I might have a shot.



It's funny how an empty and almost featureless parking deck offers a challenge. I started to see patterns in the shadows and parking lines. The solo letters even stood out on their own. Perhaps some day I'll meet the owner of a fancy sports car and offer to shoot their car up on this deck.

Going down?

Landscape Photography Workshop

Landscape Photography Workshop

Last weekend I enjoyed an opportunity to attend published photographer Carl Galie's fine landscapes photography workshop through the Associate Artists of Winston Salem Gallery. The workshop started on Friday evening where we were introduced to Mr. Galie and to other attendees. The goal of the workshop was to improve our eye for landscapes and to address issues that digital workflow photographers face. We saw plenty of Carl's work on a slideshow where he described the many facets of what it takes to bring in such great images. We were also priviledged to view some of his current work which will be published in one of his new books due sometime next season.


The morning sun is reflected off of the side of this canoe covered in dew.

The best part of attending the workshop was our Saturday morning field study where we all met at a local city park. Perhaps you have heard me mention it before - Salem Lake Park. (Click through or search my blog. I've featured photos from there twice in the past.) Attending this park at 7am offers a whole new perspective. The lighting is different, the weather had changed, fall had fallen, and it was early in the morning instead of the afternoon for once!

After the field outing we had lunch and headed straight back to the classroom for a review of our work. It was odd for me to present work without taking any time to make modest adjustments; but, truth be told I worked much harder at getting results straight out of the camera rather than depend on the computer. This is one other mantra of our instructor's. He has a 3-minute rule where if the image does not look right after 3 minutes of adjustments, then the image is simply discarded. Great rule!



The photo of the geese in flight was touted as the day's luckiest shot. I felt rather fortunate myself to have captured the image. Timing, luck, right-place-at-the-right-time....they are all factors. It should make for a great print down the road.

Thank you Mr. Carl Galie for your time and your advice. Best of luck with your newest book.

(A few more photos from this shoot can be seen on my Photo.net account. See "Links")

Winston Urban Nightscape

Winston Urban "Nightscape"


Most of the "city life" that I have posted in previous blog entries have been representative of Winston Salem's downtown environment. I promise to one day wander over to Greensboro and give that city it's fair amount of coverage. For now, Winston is just a short 10 minute ride to downtown from Kernersville and an easy place to meet up with my good friend Larry for some photo opportunities. Being the swell guys we are, we invited our ladies to join us while we walked through some of downtown. Afterwards, Larry treated us to Mellow Mushroom pizza. Thank you Larry!




Murals can be seen throughout the art district.







A hip Toyota FJ Cruiser is conveniently parked under great street lighting and with a view of the Wachovia building in the background.





(Left) Larry awaits passing traffic to achieve a motion blur in his photo. (Right) this alley was rich with art and urban style.

Wind

"Where had I heard this wind before
Change like this to a deeper roar?"

- Robert Frost

Fall Sunset on Pilot Mountain

Fall Sunset on Pilot Mountain

There are only 2 other places on this planet that I have gotten to experience a sunset from atop a mountain - Alaska and "The Grand Canyon" in Arizona. Ask me where those photos are and I might as well shrug my shoulders at you. The memory is certainly still in my mind. Watching a sunset from a high vantage point offers one of the most spectacular experiences. This past weekend's evening visit to Pilot Mountain was no different. Mix in a cold snap and some colorful leaves and I am instantly reminded that Florida is nowhere nearby.




A tree full of colorful leaves creates the perfect canopy for this park bench.









These young tourists made me a bit nervous as they scurried wrecklessly over this large rock. I guess I was no different as a kid. They were facing an already golden sun which was casting a nice warm color.




I found the multi-colored leaves on this tree to be unique from most any other trees seen around here in the fall.






All of these colorful trees made the scene felt as if I were walking through someone's oil painting.








This is a view of Pilot Mountain to the southwest.







The sun begins to race for the horizon. Pinecones hanging from a nearby wintergreen allude to the coming of winter.







The fall has come and is quickly going. Bring on the winter. I hope you have enjoyed this last segment of photos. Every weekend provides new oppotunity to get out and photograph. I encourage you to do the same.

Until next time - emc

The Grape Harvest

The Grape Harvest

I am told of the many amazing things that happen in the spring in North Carolina. For those that have not gotten out to experience everything that fall has to offer, I would have to challenge their perspective of the other great seasons here. Otherwise, it would be a matter of preference.

If there was any other place on Earth that offers a more harmonic changing of seasons than North Carolina, I would love to visit and photograph their region.

In the springtime the cool slowly turns to warm. Stuff starts growing. Life is reaffirmed. In the fall stuff starts to die. (Stuff...you like that?!) Colder air starts prompting people to do things like pick all of those grapes and make some wine before the first snow hits the ground.

In the past few weeks I think I have sampled more wine at tasting events than I have ever consumed at dinner events in years. I would not dare even think of myself as a connoisseur, but the fermented grape concoction has certainly grown on me. I think it's a great past time to enjoy a glass of wine in the company of family or friends or even with a nice home cooked dinner. If you ask me, I am more interested in the serene landscapes, fall colors, and ambience a winery offers. Now that fall is upon us and a chill is in the air it's all the more reason to get out, enjoy the wineries, and celebrate the grape harvest.


A small front loading tractor collects stems from freshly picked grapes.

Through odd fate and the coincidence of having a somewhat rare last name, I received an awesome phone call from my brother a few weeks ago. Apparently, the co-owner of one of the local wineries matched our last names because of some pictures she had seen in the local magazine I work for. She had expressed interest in possibly having me come out and photograph their winery and also take advantage of the upcoming grape harvest. Although we never formalized any agreement in terms of usage, I still enjoyed the visit and took advantage of an opportunity to capture this moment in a winery's annual harvest.



A colorful butterfly blends in and enjoys the sweetness of freshly picked grapes.




Since moving to the Piedmont Triad I have had the opportunity to visit eight different wineries, sample numerous varieties of wines developed here, and collected well over a dozen wine glasses representing various wineries. With the exception of The Biltmore Estate, each of the seven wineries I have visited is no more than a 45 minute drive from Winston Salem. (Wayne - if you're out there and reading this, you seriously need to consider a ROAD TRIP!) If you are ambitious enough and have access to a designated driver, there is a good possibility you could visit all of them in one day. Along one of our stops we spoke with an elderly couple that had visited TWELVE in one day! Overall, I believe there are over 21 wineries in the North Carolina winery appellation.



A small wooden sign with the type of grape being grown is handwritten and posted at the end of each row of grapes.






Just as quickly as the fall came will come winter. With the end of one grape harvest will come another season of spring flowers. I cannot wait for what photos the winter season will bring. Scenes of steam hovering over lakes, snow covered trees and frost covered barns quickly come to mind. I hope you have enjoyed this latest entry.

As always, stay tuned. I have another great photo entry this week with more great landscape views and fall colors. If you are resourceful enough, and want to sneak preview these photos before they make it on my blog, you will find these photos elsewhere. If you have made it this far and have read through this entire weblog entry, be the first one (of maybe 3 loyal readers, hehe) to Email me with the correct location of these new pictures (taken yesterday) and a reward is yours. For your diligence, I will send you a free 8x10 enlargement from my newest photos or any other photo from my online publishings of your choice.

Have fun. Get out and photograph.

PS - I am thrilled to let my fellow readership know that as of yesterday I am now a member of the Associated Artists of Winston Salem. Ok, so it doesn't take talent to become a member - just a membership donation. :) I do, however, plan on making the most of the membership and getting my photography exposed to as many people as possible. Thank you for your continued encouragement and visitation to my weblog.

A year and a lifetime ago

A year and a lifetime ago


If you had asked me how long ago I thought this picture had been taken I might have possibly scratched my head and responded with a confused answer: "Two years ago? Three years? I don't think I remember." That is exactly what it feels like having lived under three different roofs spanning over a few short months. That is exactly how far removed I am from the out of body terrific experiences I had working with a hometown NFL franchise.

By trade I am a computer guy. By desire I carry a camera and create imagery. In my dreams I will get to experience things that will forever start long conversations that stir the retelling of fantastic stories. Working for the team I got to hear our sportscasters berate as a kid is now just a dreamy haze.

It was my desire to carry a camera in October of 2005 when our "Pewter Pirates" flew north to New Jersey - bringing me along for the ride - where our team would face the Jets. For my first trip, we were ironically be beaten by "Vinny" - a quarterback who started his career with the creamsicle orange and red Bucs that I remember growing up watching. I didn't care. I was out of my skin and probably out of my mind for toting my pocket sized point and shoot; but, to this day I cannot thank myself enough for taking that chance. I remember running on and off of the field and riding in a bus next to an athlete whose leg was bigger than my torso. I remember helping our equipment crew peel jerseys from game soaked shoulder pads. My memories are now tangible. That year ago is now yesterday. In my retirement it will have been a few years ago. Perhaps the kids I might someday raise will remind me of what a lifetime ago was.

Tampa, Florida - what a great city that was to grow up in and experience as an adult. Life could not be more fitting to have given me an opportunity to work for a team that represented the one city where I created the fondest lifetime memories. I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity.

Finding Fall - Hanging Rock Park, NC

Finding Fall - Hanging Rock Park, NC

The above panoramic of the lake at the Hanging Rock recreational area was created from 4 images and "stitched" together on the computer.

Larry and I were up and at it again early this morning in search of fall foliage. I suggested a trip to the Hanging Rock Park where I hoped to find the colors of the changing season. If you search my blog for "Hanging Rock" you will find a trip report and photos from other visits, so I will keep the documentary write up short and just share some photos.

Today's visit was strictly photo fun. Larry is a native of this area, and despite many visits to Hanging Rock Park throughout his youth, he had never actually taken any of the hikes. Hike is exactly what we did.

The temperatures this morning were will under 50 degrees. After a breakfast at Biscuitville, we headed north on a short 40 minute ride to the park's entrance. Shortly after arriving, we hit the visitor's center and decided on a hike to the actual "hanging rock." When I asked Larry why he had never hiked any of the trails "back in the day," he honestly admitted that "laziness" had gotten the best of him. I have to hand him some credit - we both hiked with our heavy Bogen/Manfrotto tripods all the way to the peak. It's a long hike and after a while camera gear and tripods can really get heavy. We didn't do so bad. A nice stop every now and again to closely photograph the leaves and other scenery made for opportunities to regain our breath and shed some fleece sweaters. Regardless, I still have to give him some flak for not exploring the surrounding attractions.


Being the Florida boy that I am, I truly enjoyed every bit of color displayed in the forests. The locals here swear that it's still to early to really enjoy the fall, but from what I gathered today the colors are well on their way. I cannot imagine what full fall colors will look like. Next weekend will probably be another repeat trip out to the mountains. Hopefully I can continue to offer some nice photos for your review.

This couple took in the views and enjoyed a snack while perched on the edge of Hanging Rock.

Larry sets up for a photo near a ledge offering a great lookout









In addition to the golds and greens was the fiery red foliage.