And Yes, The Ice Cream Was Delicious

The forecast for Philadelphia includes a wet weekend, with showers and steady rain continuing into Monday. Yesterday, before the rain arrived, I decided to head on over to one of my favorite spots, the Schuylkill River near Boathouse Row.

This is a historic and scenic area in Philadelphia known for its row of 15 Victorian boathouses, which house rowing clubs and are a popular spot for rowing, walking, and viewing the illuminated lights at night.

I was hoping to capture a few behind-the-scene images of my GoPro Hero on a Platypod eXtreme. Surprisingly, maybe because of the weather conditions, the area was empty. Faster than the blink of an eye, I took all the pictures I needed, just in time before the rain arrived.

Before heading home, and to celebrate the successful photo walk, I purchased a "Swirl" from the ice cream truck parked in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. A "swirl" is a combination of vanilla and chocolate ice cream in a cone. And yes, the ice cream was delicious. 

The Obligatory Bathroom Selfie

I have acquired a habit of taking selfies and behind the scene pics when shooting at a location. Most times I don't even use my Nikon, I just grab my old trusty point and shoot Sony Cybershot DSC-W530, and take a couple of pics.

From past experience, I don't like asking a stranger to take photos of me, pics never comes out the way I like. It is the reason why I always carry a tripod with me. I've been spending more time on Instagram lately, more than any other social platform. Lots of times I browse Instagram to get inspired.

Selfies are the only self-portraiture that I use to explore my photography. As much as some people like to criticize those of us who indulge into taking pics of ourselves, taking selfies is a norm these days. Not sure if you noticed, but often those that criticize, are usually folks without pictures.

In my opinion, selfies aren't going anywhere anytime soon! Taking a cool selfie is only half the fun. Now you got to share it!

[ Top cartoon image is the obligatory bathroom selfie. ]

Behind The Shot : Photo Postcards In Your Own Backyard

Sometimes I look at images of exotic destinations, they seem to be a lot of fun and exciting spots. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints or lack of free time, the majority of my shooting is done in locations not far from home.

One example of this is my favorite hangout place, New York City. In addition to the amazing city skylines, NYC have lots of historic landmarks that offer a wide range of potential compositions.

The Big Apple is a popular choice for landscape photographers, many of whom travel from distant states and other countries to shoot there.

Often, we think great images happen by luck, or because a person have expensive equipment. The truth is many great images are taken after years of return trips to the same spots.