What A Difference A Hat Makes

One thing about digital photography that always amazes me, is how easily you can edit a photo taken several years ago, if there is something in it that you don't like. You can make some minor adjustments, edit the colors, add some new elements to it, and voila, it looks like a brand-new picture. 

Let me explain what I mean. This self-portrait picture was taken in 2018 after I attended an all-white theme birthday party in the Bronx, as you can see in the pic at the end of this blog post. I kept the image literally hidden in a flash drive. There was something about the white beret I chose to wear that night that I didn't like. The all-white suit was fine, but the white beret looked awful to me. In my opinion, the white beret hat ruined the picture.

Last night, as I was browsing at some of my old pictures, I decided to bring this seven-year-old image back to life. And if possible, maybe try to improve and restore it. 

I began by replacing the white beret with a Panama dress hat. I quickly realized that by just replacing the beret hat, the image became aesthetically pleasing. A simple hat replacement served as a fashion accessory that matched my personality. It is amazing what a difference a hat makes. 

The final touch was my decision to replace the jacket color. I admit that that's not my area of expertise, so I found a person online that does photo editing for a living, and he added a light blue color to the jacket for me. So, all it took to improve this old picture, was to replace the hat and add a different color to the jacket. 

I am extremely happy with the final result.

Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Platypod

Visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art last Saturday hoping to capture a couple of images using the Platypod Ultra for my Nikon DSLR. This is my favorite museum in Philly, a must-see attraction in the city. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is considered one of the most significant art museums in the country. 

My Favorite Photo Shoot Location

For over ten years I lived in Brooklyn, New York. Twenty years after I moved out of Brooklyn and relocated to Pennsylvania, was the first time I visited the Brooklyn Bridge/DUMBO area. It also happens to be almost around the same time I purchased my first digital DSLR.

There is no coincidence that getting into photography, and visiting the Brooklyn Pier area had something to do with the other. I have visited the area dozens of times since then, always chasing the perfect postcard picture. 

The Brooklyn Pier area is my favorite photo shoot location, especially during sunset. I find the views of downtown Manhattan from Brooklyn to be iconic and truly breathtaking, particularly from DUMBO and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The Manhattan skyline view at night, is one of the best I have seen of all the cities I have visited. 

The other day I was thinking that it's been a year or two since my last visit to Brooklyn Bridge Park. It is time to start planning another photo shoot trip.

La Violencia Nos Roba la Juventud Puertorriqueña

¿Hasta donde va a llegar la criminalidad en Puerto Rico? Hay demasiada  violencia y criminalidad; es como si vivieramos en el tiempo de los vaqueros en el oeste salvaje. Hoy en dia muchos jovenes andan armados hasta los dientes.

Yaxier Medina Nieves, de 18 años, en posesion de un arma de fuego sin licencia, fue arrestado ayer por el asesinato de un veterano en Aguada. Anthonieska Avilés Cabrera, de 17 años fue arrestada ayer junto a su madre, acusada de asesinar con un arma blanca a otra joven adolescente de 16 años.

La violencia nos roba la juventud puertorriqueña, y lo triste es que no hay una estrategia de prevencion concertada. ¿Que nos pasa Puerto Rico?

Celebrate World Photography Day - August 19th

Today is a day to celebrate World Photography Day. It's a day for photographers, both professional and amateur, to share their work and passion with the world.

Siblings Throwback

Siblings Throwback 

When We Were Kids, And Life Was Simpler

El Baul De Los Recuerdos

Cuando Eramos Niños Y La Vida Era Mas Simple

Anecdotas De Mi Infancia : Rafael "El Jibarito" Hernandez Marin

Hoy, en uno de mis chinchorros favoritos en Filadelfia, ordene de almuerzo un plato de carne guisada con arroz blanco y habichuelas. De musica de fondo se escuchaba la cancion Lamento Borincano, escrita por Rafael Hernandez.

La cancion me transporto a el año 1965, cuando yo estudiaba 4to o 5to grado en la Escuela Franklin Delano Roosevelt en Mayaguez. Recuerdo que un dia, la maestra inicio la clase hablandonos brevemente de un ilustre compositor puertorriqueño llamado Rafael Hernandez Marin. A los 9 años, que era lo que yo podria tener en aquel momento, no tenia la mas minima idea de quien era Rafael Hernandez.

Despues de hablarnos sobre Rafael Hernandez, la maestra nos dijo que el ilustre compositor se encontraba enfermo en el hospital. Sin dar muchos detalles sobre su condicion, nos dijo que a ella le gustaria que nosotros le escribieramos una carta con palabras de aliento para desearle una pronta mejoria.

Que yo recuerde, fue la primera, y la ultima vez, que uno de mis maestros mostro empatia y compasion de tal manera en el salon de clase; y compartio ese sentimiento con nosotros los estudiantes. Ese dia tuvo un impacto positivo en mi. Y a pesar que han pasado 60 años, todavia esa anecdota esta conmigo.

Throwback Thursday - El Baul de los Recuerdos

El Baul de los Recuerdos!

Aqui comparto una foto de mi amada mami (QEPD), cuando todavia era una adolescente. Mami esta de pie en el centro vestida de azul claro. 

Throwback Thursday!

Photo of my late mother, during her teenage years. Mom is the teen standing in the middle, wearing the light blue dress. 

A Beautiful Encapsulation Of My Childhood

I was looking through my late mother's old photo albums at my sister's house, and found a treasure trove of old family pictures that I have never seen before. Almost immediately, to preserve the memories, I began to digitize some of the old photos for restoration.

If there was a picture that would bring back great memories and encapsulate the essence of my childhood, it would be this image. 

This picture is the epitome of my childhood growing up as a kid, when everything was seemingly perfect. In my opinion, and in my personal experience, the late 1950's was the greatest time to be a kid.

I was around 4 years old when this picture was taken. This photo evokes in me a sense of calm and feelings of nostalgia; and transports me back to the best, simple carefree days of my life.

Which is why I love photography so much, old family photos in particular. The power of photographs lies in their ability to transport us back in time, evoking memories and emotions that might have otherwise faded.

Que Viva La Corrupcion

La injusticia que ocurrio hoy en el tribunal de Mayaguez es un clasico ejemplo por el cual la corrupcion en Puerto Rico no se acabara nunca. La exdirectora de finanzas del municipio de Mayaguez, Yahaira M. Valentín Andrade, hoy fue sentenciada a cumplir tres años en probatoria y  pagar una multa de $600 trapos de dolares por malversacion de fondos.

Valentín Andrade aceptó culpabilidad de desviar $9.8 millones destinados al Centro de Trauma de Mayagüez. Mientras tanto, nunca se pudo verificar el paradero de $600,000 dolares transferidos a un banco de España, y 71 otras transferencias, por $380,000 a otros destinos.

Tres años de probatoria y  pagar una multa de $600 trapos de dolares. La culpa la tiene el masoquista pueblo de Puerto Rico, que año tras año continuan dandole el voto a los mismos partidos corruptos que nos han llevado a la quiebra. Los rojos y los azules son lo mismo, de un pajaro las dos alas. Que viva la corrupcion; el crimen si paga.