Somewhat similar to Paris, Rome has that golden light, for a short period in the afternoon between the afternoon cappuccino and the first beer of the evening. The humidity and the pollution add a soft fuzz to the distant backgrounds, that gives a glow to the shots against the light. We've just spent a week in Rome, with temperatures in the 50's F. Photo sites included Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, Villa d'Este, Villa Adriano and the Pantheon. Yes, the Appian Way is flatter than many Boston roads. Yes, walking for several hours, on cobbled streets, does interesting things to your back, ankles and knees.
This was the first real trip for my
Canon G9, the new pocket-sized camera that produces some amazing shots. It has a wild dynamic range and can handle shots against the light better than much more expensive cameras. Many of my shots were in the late afternoon, with the sun low in the sky. I was using exposure compensation almost all the time. Add that tiny flash to fill in dark foregrounds and this is a really cool camera. It had two obvious disadvantages. The rear screen shows slightly more than it captured, leading to cutting off several feet. The high ISO images have plenty of noise, as somewhat expected, compared with the 1D level cameras. So I did carry both; wondering what it would be like to be on a trip with only the G9 and the tiny
Vye computerAside from being on time and polite,
Swiss airlines get a special mention for being the first airline in several years to successfully deliver a vegetarian meal. Compare this with the Untied [;)] airlines flight attendant, on the DC to Rome flight, who said to me, 'The pasta's going to take a while. Are you sure you don't want the beef?'
On her first day back at school, the history teacher asked that question. Rachel was the only kid in her class to have seen the Colosseum. Maybe it was worth the hassle of the long layover in DC, the TSA security theater, the international germ exchange....Rome photos
here.
We have spent the past couple of weeks in the Mexican province of Guanajuato. We have visited the cities of Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo and yes the Gringo haven of San Miguel de Allende. I am overwhelmed by the warmth of people, the smiles and the eye contact, all features in short supply in New England these days. Maybe the election result will help people improve their moods a little. But really, even with the violence in the news these days in Mexico, I have not been to a more welcoming place. Hasta luego mis amigos. Pictures here...
Congratulations to Alissa and Hemal who were married in Worcester recently. I was invited to document the reception at Mechanics Hall. Pictures are here
