When The Past Meets The Present

The future is an unknown, but a somewhat predictable unknown. To look to the future, we must first look back upon the past. That is where the seeds of the future were planted. - Albert Einstein

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 and the Platypod Ultra

For the first time in a long time, yesterday I visited the garage storage unit where I keep my motorcycle to tryout a few GoPro mounts to see how each performs. This is also the first time that I have used the Platypod tripod in three different situations within a week. It performed flawlessly at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at Elfreth's Alley last Wednesday, and at the garage storage unit yesterday afternoon.

The Platypod Ultra tripod is lightweight, compact and incredibly versatile. It is one of the best accessories additions to my camera gear. The phrase "never leave home without it applies here". It appears that the Telesin Windshield mount is the GoPro mount I am most eager to put to use. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of video footage it produces. 

This long weekend, the first Monday of September, serves as the unofficial end of summer. There are still plenty of riding opportunities near Philadelphia before winter arrives. I am looking forward to it. 

Elfreth's Alley and the Platypod

Elfreth's Alley is a National historic landmark street in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, dating back to 1703. 

Yesterday morning I decided to visit Old City trying to capture a couple of pictures using the Platypod Ultra. It is one very crowded and busy street that attract lots of tourists. The historic landmark is labeled the “nation's oldest residential street". 

I knew the alley would be empty if I showed up very early in the morning. In less the 20 minutes I was able to take some pictures without any interruption. I went out for breakfast afterwards; and made it to my apartment before 8:30am. Mission accomplished! 

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?