"Say Goodbye to Hollywood..."

"So many faces in and out of my life

Some will last

Some will be just now and then

Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes

I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again"

 Well our time in LA has come to an end. I must admit, I didn't expect much out of this time here. I just figured we'd lay low for 6 months and just chill. I mean, that's the LA way, right? But surprisingly this town carved out a little special place in our heart. We know we will most likely never live here, but in our brief time here, we made some memories that we will never forget. LA, in it's own special way, has a way of igniting your soul. I'm not sure if it's the diversity, the excitement of the city, or if it's just the warmth. Whatever it was, I'm glad we got to try it out...if only for a brief moment in time. Thank You Los Angeles!!

To Stay Or Go? That Is The Question...

Well, as we sit here today, it has been 4 months since we arrived in NYC. Summer is in full swing every chance we have to get out and see all this magnificent city has to offer, we do it. We have 2 months left before Laura's current contract is up and we have a lot of contemplating to do. We really love it here and are now starting to entertain the idea of a permanent stay. Laura is seeing offers in here new field of research and has begun submitting resumes. The task we face is if one of those jobs actually offers her a job, do we decide to become New Yorkers for good? The up-side is that we would have the opportunity to live in maybe the most vibrant and exciting city in America. On the other hand, we would be committing to living in maybe the most expensive city in America. There are certainly other concerns that arise concerning NYC, but I think money is the biggest one. In about a month, we will need to start planning our next destination if we decide to move on. The next month should be very interesting. In the meantime, here are some of my latest images that continue to dazzle my eyes and make me never want to leave this place!!

The High Line

 Union Square

 Greenwich

 Rows & Stoops

Modern Architecture

 10th Ave. Freeze Out

 4th of July

 Williamsburg

 East River

 City At Night

Freedom

Manhattanhenge - May 29, 2013

For those of you who have never had the chance to live in NYC, you probably have never heard of the phenomenon that is Manhattanhenge. Also known as the Manhattan Solstice, this circumstance occurs twice a year during which the setting sun aligns with the east–west streets of the main street grid in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The neologism is derived from Stonehenge, where the sun aligns with the stones on the solstices with a similarly dramatic effect. The word was popularized in 2002 by Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History.

Being an armature photographer and knowing that while I am in NYC, I better jump at any opportunity to take unique photos, I decided to set out and grab some shots of this twice a year photo-opp. I did some research to find out where the best spots in the city were to shoot this unique sunset and found out that 34th Street and 42nd Street provided this best framing for the "money shot". I decided on 42nd since it was only 3 blocks from our apartment. I set out at 7:30 pm thinking or hoping I would still be able to grab a good spot before the 8:15 setting. Much to my surprise most of the street had been occupied for hours with photogs waiting for the event. Rookie move. Luckily, at 6'2 ft. tall, I can shoot pictures over most average sized people. Thank God.

Around 8:10, Mother Sun started to peak out from around the corner of the Madame Tussauds sign. We were minutes away and up went a sea of cameras and cell phones.

On cue, at 8:13 she was moving into place for the "money shot".

And within minutes, she was gone...

 

Gonna rise up...turning mistakes into gold.

Living in our 3rd floor Salem apartment has offered me some amazing photo opportunities. I have seen amazing hues reflecting off the Atlantic Ocean as the sun sets behind where I am looking. I have seen full moons rise over the horizon as there is still sunlight and produce amazing images. Then the other morning, I had the chance to watch the sky go from the pitch black of night and evolve into an awesome blend of color, as I sat and had coffee before an early flight. This picture captured my favorite moment - that beautiful moment when night began transitioning to day. Stunning!!

Good Morning from Salem, MA

This morning I happened to awaken at a little after 5 AM and happened to see the sun rising up over the Salem Sound and Atlantic Ocean. Amazing sight for this Texan.

Sun Setting On Happy Hour

I am starting to think that with the right lighting, my iPhone can capture some great pics. I snapped this one yesterday while Laura and I were enjoying a nice warm afternoon on the patio at Cuatro's in Austin. An arctic blast of winter weather has arrived here today so we took full advantage of one more "spring-like" day outside. I had no idea we would be treated to this beautiful sky as well.