Festival Dia de los Muertos

Hoy al mediodia, en el sur de Filadelfia, voy a atender la actividad del Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, donde se presentaran actividades de musica, comida y artesania de la ciudad de Mexico, Oaxaca y Puebla. Por primera vez voy a utilizar la Nikon DSLR y grabare videos con la GoPro action camera simultaneamente. Desde luego esto va ser un experimento para ver si el ajuste del estabilizador de imagen de la GoPro esta correcto. Que Viva Mexico !!!

Happy Halloween at the Graveyard

Halloween is my favorite holiday! I enjoy the costumes creativity and dressing up every year as a different character. And I love participating in the Halloween activities. 

In 2021 I traveled to Biloxi Beach, Mississippi and New Orleans to attend a group of friends Halloween weekend party. It was a lot of fun. I have a few funny and scary anecdotes during the trip to share, but that's a story for another day.

Clases de Pandero de Plena

En estos dias me matricule a tomar unas clases para aprender a tocar el Pandero de Plena aqui en Filadelfia. Si Dios quiere las clases comienzan el sabado 7 de noviembre del 2026. 

En el 2006 me entusiasme con tratar de aprender a tocar, y recuerdo que un dia dando una vuelta por el Paseo de Diego, compre un set completo de Panderos enla Plaza del Mercado en Rio Piedras. El set de Panderos, el Seguidor, el Punteador y el Requinto han estado por 20 años guardados en una gaveta acumulando polvo en mi apartamento. Voy a tratar de grabar la clase en video si me lo permiten.

The Trick To Motorcycle Solo Photography

As an amateur photographer, one of the disadvantages of not having a riding companion, is how to take moving or rolling shots of you and your motorcycle.

My solution to this issue is to setup the camera and tripod to take photos every 1-2 seconds or use a wireless remote. My preferred method is using the wireless remote.  The trick of solo photography is taking photos of you and your motorcycle on an empty road, to be able to take safe shots and without distractions. 

If you pay attention to my left hand on the first image, I am holding my keys and the remote with my left hand. This photo was taken inadvertently; I pressed the remote button when I was in the process of grabbing my bike keys with my right hand. Kind of like a behind-the-scenes picture. 

In a nutshell, this is how I take solo motorcycle photography.  It takes planning to do motorcycle self-portrait photography, because you do not have a riding companion to stop and shoot for you. Every image is a deliberate self-portrait or staged scene.

Motorcycle Ride On The Open Road

Nothing beats a long afternoon ride out on the open road with a motorcycle like the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. Taking advantage of the nice weather we experienced this past weekend, I took my bike for a spin to upstate New York. 

This sport-touring bike excels on the highway thanks to its high-speed stability, massive torque, and surprising comfort. For a bike of its size, the Ninja ZX-14 handles amazingly, especially on the open highway.

Slippery When Wet

Riding a motorcycle when it rains is number one on my list of things I don't like. Cars drive too fast in the highway, and don't care about sharing the road with motorcycles. 

In the mid 1980's I was living in Brooklyn, NY, and got caught in a downpour without a rainsuit on my way to a motorcycle race in MapleGrove, Pennsylvania. I got completely soaked. 

Twenty six years later (2012), I found myself in the same scenario during a trip to Maryland International Raceway. This time I was living in Philadelphia and had a rainsuit available.  The only difference is that it was pouring rain for almost 8 straight hours. By the time I made it to the track, the race event was cancelled for the following day.  

I don't ride a motorcycle when it rains if I can avoid it. If I am on the road and it rains, I simply take my time and drive careful. I am also aware that even if you ride perfectly and safely, when riding a motorcycle, you are never safe.

Recordar En Fotos Es Volver A Vivir

Para mi es invaluable guardar fotos que en el momento de tomarlas, no son de mi agrado o no quedo como yo queria. Uno nunca sabe si la foto se va a poder mejorar con ayuda de nueva tecnologia en el futuro.

La primera foto fue tomada en el 2013, al frente de la entrada del Pennsylvania Civil War Memorial en Filadelfia. Nunca me gusto la foto original. 

Hoy, buscando otra foto, de casualidad  la encontre en un flash drive de los que tengo guardado. Usando nueva technologia disponible hoy en dia, en 20 minutos pude arreglar la foto y quedo mucho mejor que en el 2013. 

Decidi buscar en otro del monton de flash drives que tengo, y encontre la foto de el Muelle de la Libertad, en el poblado de Boqueron. Esa foto selfie fue tomada en el verano del 2023 en Cabo Rojo, P.R. Utilize el mismo metodo para arreglar la foto, y finalmente quedo como yo queria. 

Los nuevos metodos modernos de editar fotos, son una herramienta que permite arreglar fotos mas rapido y con mas eficiencia. Y eso de por si me da satisfaccion y me motiva a tomar mas fotos. Las fotos me permiten compartir recuerdos, historias para revivir aquel pasado y sentir nuevamente la emocion de aquellos momentos especiales.