Open Window

Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

 

Peter Tooker & Claudia Ward Showing at Ashawagh Hall

Nearly everyone knows by now that there was a photo exhibition last evening, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts (HPA) and curated by Laurie Barone-Schaefer, at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton. It was a lot of fun and the turn out was fantastic - guess it helped that we had rain this year rather than snow like last year. Over 50 photographic artists were featured and hundreds of people milled throughout the hall admiring the art and enjoying the the food from the Nutritian Dragon. 

Peter and I each had two submissions that seemed to be very well received. Three of the images were frameless -  printed on metallic paper and mounted on acrylic board. This is a new service at HPA and they looked incredible. Many images sold last night including one of mine - The Narcissistic Serpent!

These are the images we featured at the show.

"Barbed Wire" ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Sagg Main July 24, 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

Sagg Main July 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

If anyone is interested in buying one of these photos, feel free to leave a comment here and we'll work with HPA to get you the image you like.

Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

The photo exhibition at Ashawagh Hall last weekend, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts and curated by Laurie Barone-Shaefer, has been deemed a success by one and all. Over 50 photographers, ranging in ages from 9 -81, exhibited a wide range of images and a number were even sold  - including Laurie's. 

SOLD: Towd Point ©2012 Laurie Barone-Schaefer

Peter showed two of his architectural HDR images, one of the New York Skyline and the other of Montparnasse in Paris. 

"New York Skyline" © 2009 Peter Tooker

"Montparnasse, Paris" © 2010 Peter Tooker

I exhibited "Spring", a flower photograph printed on metallic paper, and "Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill", two images framed together of a Coast Guard Cutter braving Bill's waves and dodging surfers off Montauk Point.

 "Spring" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

"Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

 

Once again it was great fun to see everyone's work and to get to know some of the other artists first hand. 

Thanks again to Dave, Ben, and everyone at Hampton Photo Arts, and of course, the indefatigable Laurie Barone-Schaefer. 

 

Open Window's Second Year

It's official, Open-Window is now two years old. I can hardly believe I began this blog on a cold January day, sitting at the island in my kitchen, 730 days ago. In the past two years, Open-Window has focused my days on creating stories, snippits, and photographs that I hoped you would find entertaining, sometimes informative, and maybe even amusing. We've covered a lot of ground and many diverse topics over this time ranging from Hawaii to Paris, Hamburger Relish to Caviar, Horse Racing to Airshow Acrobatics. As time has passed, we increasingly focused on the images and slide shows that would accompany a post, and have worked diligently to improve the quality of all that we delivered. Peter has continued to emphasize wide-angle HDR (high dynamic range) photography whether on his DSLR (digital single lens reflex-camera) or his, ever-handy, iPhone, and I have continued with my love of all-things-macro, although we each dabbled in the other's specialty just to keep it interesting.

Mexican Train Tiles and Turtles
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

Over the past twenty four months, we've made 388 postings to Open-Window which is an average of almost 4 per week, nearly every one containing at least one photograph and 60 of which included a slide show with music. When we embarked on this endeavor, we expected to focus on travel, food and photography. As it's turned out, the focus has been just that ... but in reverse - photography, food and travel. See, we'll photograph nearly anything - food that we eat, games that we play, children at the beach, machines of any sort, flowers and their residents, landmarks and landscapes, moon-rises and sunsets, and even light itself. 

The Outer Banks of North Caroline
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward taken with the iPhone using the Pro HDR App

This year has been quite a journey photographically as well as geographically. Peter and I traveled over 14, 500 miles. We drove the entire east coast from the east end of Long Island to Orlando, Florida, traversing Florida, and turning north to reach Memphis Tennessee. We crossed the states of Tennessee and North Carolina end-to-end (west to east), photographing some of this country's most beautiful scenery in the Great Smoky Mountains. When we reached the Atlantic Ocean, it felt like we'd returned home, for tidal waters are in our veins, and the days on the Outer Banks are now cherished memories. Early morning sunrises over the ocean, wild horses on the beaches, hang gliding from the dunes, and fish tacos are just a few of the things we captured in-frame. With tornadoes nipping at our heels from western Florida, to Memphis and eventually to eastern North Carolina, we headed home just hours before their destruction hit the locales we'd come to know and love. Atlantic City was our refuge from the storms, before returning to the calm, untouched East End.

Spanish Mustang on the Outer Banks
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward

Thirty days and thirty nights, and 4,000 miles on the road gave us a tremendous, renewed appreciation for the beauty and diversity of this country we live in. A couple of hundred more miles were covered seeking out horses at Saratoga Springs in August. For one who isn't known as an animal lover, I do love photographing them. Whether in their stance or stride, they speak volumes to me and hopefully that is being captured by the lens. Finally, the balance of those miles (nearly 10,000) were accomplished by a trip to The Big Island of Hawaii, where we were able to photograph the incredible diversity of this island's landscape and all of its beauty from a helicopter. 

Antique Hood Ornament
Photo © 2011 Claudia Ward 

More locally, we visited Belmont Park just a week before the Stakes were run and attended the Hampton Classic Horse Show every single day it was held over Labor Day weekend. There were at least three Antique Auto Shows, one Road Rallye and a Mini Cooper Scavenger Hunt that we shot as well. Our beaches on the east end of Long Island are some of the most breathtaking in the country (right up there with North Carolina's) and we spent many happy hours either hip deep in snow in January or ankle deep in sand in August, capturing the undulating shapes of their dunes draped in snow or the power of their seas after a storm.

Light Painting for New Year's
Photo © 2011 Peter Tooker 

The holidays that dot our calendars were also not ignored. Memorial Day is always an homage to the "Opening" of the Hamptons season. Flag Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Christmas season were all duly noted and celebrated with photographs too.   

Meaty Tomato painted by Barbara Andolsek

Let me also add, ever so humbly, that I have once again been thrilled that Barbara Andolsek continues to make paintings based on some of my photographs. Barbara and I have yet to meet but feel a friendship beyond pen-pals. Nearly 3,000 miles apart but with a shared appreciation for the beauty of the world around us, Barbara and I have forged a friendship that could only occur in this wonderful 21st century. It still astounds me at how incredibly open and selfless so many people are using the internet to connect, communicate, and share. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to be a part of it.

The word "blog" is derived from the expression "web log", which originally was an online journal of sorts and has morphed, over time, into a platform for communicating and exchanging information and ideas. I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm and support over the last two years but more importantly for your participation - "communication and exchange" are exactly what has occurred when you've left comments for us, and you've made it just that much more fun and interesting.

So here is a slide show which represents a snapshot of Open-Window's second year. It's shorter than last year's and yet still longer than most at just under 10 minutes. Perhaps you can set aside a little time next Sunday morning. We've made this for you, to enjoy and remember a year that we shared, and for that I want to say with great sincerity "Thanks for the memories". 

  

Photos & Slide Show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker © 2011
Music: Concerto in E-flat Major for Trumpet & Orchestra: 1. Allegro Con Spirito by Wynton Marsalis, National Philharmonic Orchestra & Raymond Leppard 

 

P.S. Please feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you thought of year two and if there is something you'd like to see more of in the coming months.

 

 

Baked Stuffed Clams

A friend's son went clamming over the weekend and made quite a haul, so he shared some of it with us. A dozen 4-5 inch chowder clams, the largest of the quahog (pronounced CO-hog) family, were delivered to our doorstep, and Peter and I immediately resurrected a recipe for Baked Stuffed Clams that another friend shared with us years ago.

The effort to make these is not onerous but it's also not insignificant, and the results are divine - so we went out to our local fishmonger and bought a dozen cherrystones, the next smallest quahog, to complement the catch.

 
Peter loves a good baked clam and is always sampling them wherever we go, with disappointing results most of the time. What makes a baked clam disappointing? Too much bread, too little clam, too dry, and garlic (in any proportion). So, what makes a baked clam memorable and worthy of repetition? A moist proportional mixture of bread to clams - remember they're called baked clams, not baked bread with clams, subtle herbs and a little cheese (to hold things together), and no garlic, it simply overpowers everything.

In his opinion, based on decades of research, this recipe produces one of the best baked clams he's had. If you want the maximum clam flavor, bake some immediately and enjoy. These freeze beautifully and we enjoy them all winter, but we have noticed the distinct clam flavor is reduced a little once they've been frozen. Personally, I'll take them any way I can get them, and hope our clamming friends continue to share their haul.

Baked Stuffed Clams

2½-3 dozen medium clams - "chopped"
1 (14 oz) pkg Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 cup hot clam juice
¼ lb butter, melted
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon (heaping) parsley
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon (level) dry mustard
Pepper to taste
½ cup cubed Swiss or Gruyère cheese
1 3-inch onion finely chopped
========================

• Open clams, trying to preserve the shells. Separate the clams from the shells; place clams and as much juice as possible in a bowl. Scrape the shell clean of all muscles. Rinse shells well and let dry. (TIP: If the clams seem to be a challenge to open, place them in the freezer for about 20-25 minutes, you don't want to freeze them just confuse them, so they'll be easier to open.)
• Remove clams from juice, rinse under running water to remove any shell fragments, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the clams are chopped, NOT puréed.
• Strain the clam juice through a fine strainer lined with cheese cloth. Do twice if necessary.
• Measure out 2 cups of clam juice (add store bought clam juice if there isn't enough). Place juice in sauce pan, heat to a simmer. (I found that the clam juice evaporated incredibly fast, thus the reason for measuring out 2 cups when you only need to use one.)
• In a large bowl, pour 1 cup of hot clam juice over the stuffing and stir together.
• Add the melted butter; stir to blend.
• Add the milk; blend.
• Add the parsley, Parmesan cheese, dry mustard, pepper, Swiss/Gruyère cheese and the onion. Stir.
• Add clams and toss together to blend.
• Stuff each clam shell.
• If you are going to cook them immediately, place the stuffed clams on a cookie sheet. (At this point, Peter sprays each clam with a touch of butter spray to ensure browning.) Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.
• If you are going to freeze them, freeze them on a cookie sheet, stacked with wax paper in between layers, and wrapped in plastic or foil. Once the clams are frozen, put them in freezer bags so you can easily remove the quantity you want at any time (without them being frozen together). When you are ready to enjoy some, defrost them and then cook according to the instructions above, or (if you're in a hurry), defrost them in the microwave (Peter uses the Speed Defrost setting for about 5 minutes). Then, place them on a cookie sheet, spray each with butter spray (if you like), and bake in a 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until brown.

 

 Enjoy ... these are really good!

Girls in the Window

I love this photograph taken in HDR on my iPhone in Memphis, but .... what's wrong with this picture?

Sent from my iPhone

Saratoga Springs NY

We'd never visited Saratoga Springs "in season", so here we are. It's gloriously dry, breezy, and warm (not hot). We have lucked out! We got a "rail side" table in the Turf Terrace, a restaurant on the third floor of the stadium. This is the view from my seat! Oh my! Those red, white, and blue poles are the finish line. It costs $7.50 per person to get a table.... for the day! The first race is at 1:00pm and there are 10 races today, 7 will be run on turf (grass). I'm in heaven. Enjoy your day too.

©2011 Claudia Ward - HDR photo taken with and sent from my iPhone.

Belmont Park

The Belmont Stakes is the next and final race in the Triple Crown and takes place at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. The Belmont is the oldest of the triple crown races, having first been held in 1866, and is considered by some the most demanding, not only because it's the longest race at 1½ miles on a dirt track but because of the schedule. The Belmont is run three weeks after the Preakness and only five weeks after the Kentucky Derby - this year on Saturday the 11th of June. This is the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes and if you "do the math" you may be wondering what happened to two years. Well, the race has been held annually except for in 1911 and 1912, when racing was outlawed in New York State - bet you didn't know that!

If you watched the Preakness last week, you know that there will be no triple crown winner this year. Animal Kingdom won the Derby and came in second at the Preakness behind Shackleford. The Belmont Stakes will be an exciting race, in a beautiful park. When Peter and I went there last week, the park was nearly empty, allowing us to appreciate the perspective onlookers will have from every level, from the Trackside Apron to the third floor of the Grand Stand. One thing struck us though - Belmont feels small, and if it feels small when it's this empty, what will it feel like on race day with 100,000 spectators.

  Photos and Slide Show @Claudia Ward
All photos taken with the iPhone and processed with HDR Pro
Music: Ashes by Thomas Newman - Soundtrack of Little Women

New York City Subway Art

Peter and I love New York and truly believe there's no better way to get around than by the subway. Over the years the subway stations have certainly improved and mosaic art work has sprung up in several stations. When we were in the city recently we found this mosaic mural which neither of us had seen before. Peter took this HDR with his iPhone, once again validating the quality of its camera. Can anyone tell me where we found this mural in Manhattan? We know but do you?

© 2011 Peter Tooker, NYC Subway Art
 

Gracehill Bed & Breakfast in The Smokies

High atop Little Round Top in the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee is a magical place called Gracehill. It's a Bed & Breakfast that is elegant in all of its appointments and breathtaking in its location. This three story building was built with as much care and attention to detail as Kathy, the Innkeeper, gives to her table settings and gardens. Each level of the house affords her guests with the opportunity to gaze out over the valley to the mountains beyond. Sunrise is peaceful and slowly turns the mountains a pale pink before the sun crests the mountains to the east. Clouds hug the valley below and the feeling you get from being above the clouds is heavenly. Every bedroom is decorated luxuriously with artifacts, antiques and art that can't help but fascinate Gracehill's guests. The gardens around the house blend beautifully into the forests beyond and are accented with stunning stonework, relaxing fountains, and are constructed to bloom throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Despite having come to the Smokies to explore, a guest at Gracehill doesn't want to leave given its comfort and beauty.

Breakfast is a very special event and Kathy excels at it's presentation. A different china pattern and place setting is used everyday, each one striking and unique. Depending on the season, breakfast could be served in front of the fire in the kitchen, in the splendid dining room, or, in warm weather, out on the veranda. Kathy greets you with a good cup of coffee and juice, introduces guests to one another, and then presents the first course which is usually a cooked fruit dish, like poached pears or baked apples filled with cinnamon and nuts. The second, and last course, is typically an egg dish like baked eggs with peppers and sausage, or an egg enchilada. It's all delicious but you will want to hike the hills afterwards.

Our favorite time of day at Gracehill was sunset. All of the verandas face west so you can't miss this astounding daily event. Whether the mountains and valley are wrapped in clouds creating a dusk of blue hues, the like of which you will never have seen, or the mountains and valley are dark silhouettes set against a fire orange sky, the sun setting at Gracehill is a glorious and joyful event, and you'll find yourself whispering to your companion out of reverence for the beauty that you've just witnessed.

We've done our best to convey the essence of Gracehill as we saw it in early spring. We're looking forward to returning when the mountains are green with leaves and the gardens are bursting with color.

 Photos and Slide Show ©2011 Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker
Music: Mountain Theme by Bruce Rowland from the soundtrack of The Man from Snowy River

 

Dawn at the Outer Banks

Dawn is my favorite time of day. I always find first light thrilling, I don't know why - perhaps it's the optimist in me ... what will a new day bring? But first there's sunrise which is ever so brief and beautiful.

We're overlooking the ocean, sleeping to the sounds of its constant motion, and waking to the drama of the sun rising from the ocean. The coast of the Outer Banks of North Carolina are picturesque, and Peter and I find the changing early morning light magical.

Ocracoke Island, NC

We've stumbled upon this island gem at the southern end of the Outer Banks and Peter found this wonderful hotel over looking Silver Lake in Ocracoke Village. Captain's Landing hotel is on the right and our room was on the second floor. We fell asleep listening to the waves lapping the pier all evening and awoke to the gulls greeting the day. This is spectacular in all it's natural beauty and it feels like home.

iPhone HDR photo by Claudia Ward

Sent from my iPhone

Inn on Biltmore Estate

Good evening from the rocking chair veranda at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, North Carolina, where Peter and I enjoyed a cocktail and a light supper in our wicker rocking chairs watching the sun descend behind the mountains.

HDR iPhone photo © 2011 Claudia Ward

Brunch

Brunch on the shores of the mighty, muddy Mississippi. Catfish in the sun with a spicy Bloody Mary at Tug's in Harbor Town, Memphis, TN.

Photo ©2011 Peter Tooker. HDR photo taken on an iPhone.

 Sent from my iPhone

Greetings

From sunny, but soon to be stormy, St. Petersburg, FL. This is for all of our friends in the nippy northeast. Warm weather will come.

Bluffton, South Carolina

Sunset and low tide in lowcountry - beautiful Bluffton South Carolina.

Peter Tooker © 2011 HDR Photo taken with an iPhone Camera

Winter

I know, I'm in the minority, but I love winter. I love the chill in the air; I love putting (and taking off) layers; I love the low, long light at the beginning and end of every day; I love snow and ice, and all the shapes they take; I love the smell of apple cider steeping with cinnamon sticks and wood burning in the fireplace; I love the feeling and sense of home I get in this season as no other.

The northeast has had its challenges in the past few winters, but nothing insurmountable. The recent nor'easter was meant to be terrible for us, but we persevered as did those of us to the north who "had it worse".

A challenging season? Without a doubt. But there's nothing, in my estimation, like the feeling of coming in from a walk on the beach or along Main Street on a cold winter's day to the warmth of your home. I once read that "If you cut your own wood, it will warm you twice", well I can't cut the wood but that which we've gathered is warming us very nicely. Enjoy the winter.

 

Photos ©2011 Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker; Slide Show by CLaudia Ward
Music: Winter by Classical Study Music

 

Open Window Anniversary

One year ago today I began this blog called Open Window. The name was derived from something that Maria said in The Sound of Music. "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window." Eighteen months ago, I was laid off from a job on Wall Street, and Peter and I vowed then that we would make this our "open window", thus the name for the blog.

When I look back to one year ago, I can't believe all I've learned and all we've done. A year ago I knew absolutely nothing about blogs. The internet to me was used primarily for plane reservations and a computer was used for word documents, excel spreadsheets, and tweaking jpeg photos. Well all of that has changed. Our blog is now firmly established and I've learned to post from anywhere, even from 35,000 feet over the rockies. I've learned that the internet is a phenomenal source of information on any and every topic you could ever want, and the land of blogs is the friendliest and most generous community I've ever known or been privileged enough to participate in. These days I follow ten blogs religiously on the topics of photography, food, art, and french words - no surprises there. I've learned a great deal from those who have gone on before, through their example, and sincerely hope that they agree with the adage that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". These days you will also rarely find me without my computer in hand. All of our photography work is done on a computer, our address books, calendars and my recipe box all reside on my MacBook, my homepage provides me with up-to-the-minute weather, stock prices and surf conditions, nearly all of my ongoing contact with friends occurs via email, messages or video chats, and whenever we have a question, we "ask our best friends", my computer or Peter's iPad. We have happily taken up full-fledged residence in the 21st century, something we never had time to do before.

First and foremost, one year ago, we set out to entertain on Open Window and we sincerely hope we've achieved that goal. We've made 231 posts to Open-Window over the last twelve months which is an average of 4 posts a week, mostly focused on food, photography, and travel. Want to know which posts were your favorites? The post with the most pageviews was Chipotle & Rosemary Roasted Nuts by Ina Garten, and the second was Cooking with Patricia Wells in Provence. Posts on my two favorite cookbook authors lead the way. The next two most viewed posts were Tomato Tarte Tatin and, believe it or not, Participles and Prepositions. But perusing all of the stats reveals to me an equal interest in travel, photography and food.

In 231 posts, which included 35 slide shows, we've shared a lot this year: Flying Tigers, Reflections in an Icicle, and a Narcissistic Swan; the big picture and the smallest details of trains, planes, boats and antique cars; snows of last winter, the flowers of spring, summer surf, and the brilliance of fall; pictures of the shorelines and skylines of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, in addition to those of Chicago, Nantucket, Provincetown, Lake Placid, Bridgehampton, and Paris; and recipes galore, including Homemade Dill Pickles, Mushroom Soup without Cream, Sautéed Corn off the Cob, Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, Salmon & Israeli Couscous, and Pear Sorbet.

Your participation in the blog is what has inspired me to keep creating something I hope you'll find pleasing to look at, thought provoking, humorous, or just plain entertaining. Blogging is all about communication and I have thoroughly enjoyed our connection over the last year. Thank you, one and all, for all of your enthusiasm and support. Let's see what the new year will bring.

In the meantime, I took this opportunity to do a photographic summary of Open Window's first year. This slide show is longer than most so you may want to hold off watching it until a quiet spell comes upon you ... maybe Sunday morning. The video itself is 13 minutes and 39 seconds long, but summarizes the year we've shared, and what a year it was. Merci beaucoup and leave a comment - let us know what you think of Open Window's first year.

 

Photographs ©2010 Claudia Ward and Peter Tooker
Music: Mozart - Sinphonia Concertante in E Flat, K 364 - 1. Allegro Maestoso by Levon Chilingirian; Neville Marriner: Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields

Click on the square of outgoing arrows in the bottom right corner to expand the slide show. 

 

 

Harbour Lights in Downtown New York

Downtown New York holds a special place in my heart, as many of you know. It just suits all my sensibilities - the narrow streets, the architecture, the history, and easy access to views across the waters of the Hudson River, New York Harbor, and the East River. Perched above the East River, set deep in the South Street Seaport, is one of my favorite places in all of New York - Harbour Lights, a restaurant with one of the all time best views in the city, hands down.

Harbour Lights is on the third floor of Pier 17, tucked securely into the northeast corner of the building. Peter and I have been going to Harbour Lights for years and were so glad when we saw it reopen after 911. We've loved sitting out on the deck on a summer day, enjoying a lobster salad but even more enjoying the panoramic view of Brooklyn, the river with its three southern bridges - the Brooklyn, the Manhattan and the Williamsburg, and lower Manhattan. Spectacular on any day, this view is breathtaking at night when all the lights of these burroughs and bridges come up, and on a crisp evening around the holidays, there's no more festive location. Harbour Lights dresses itself elegantly in garland and white lights in December, but never seems to detract from the city just beyond it's picture windows. 

Peter and I met friends here last week and of course Peter came with cameras in hand. He couldn't wait to see how HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography would reveal parts of the city we both love. We sincerely hope you feel the festiveness of the holiday season in downtown New York.

 

Photos @2010 Peter Tooker; Slide Show by Claudia Ward & Peter Tooker 

White Oaks

White Oaks, located in the scenic Upper Delaware River Valley, is the country home of good friends. The property comprises a log cabin, several out-buildings, and a spring fed pond, all situated on rolling hills amidst 30 acres of wooded grounds. The peace and quiet at White Oaks are to be savored. There are trails in the woods for hiking in the spring, summer, and fall, and skiing in the winter, and the pond is perfect for swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The entire property is special but what is most charming is the house - a log cabin, built solidly - with the logs acting as their own insulation!

Peter's been practicing internal shots with HDR processing and these are the results. No burned out or blacked out spots, isn't it great? Enjoy this little slice of country living - we certainly did.

 Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker; Slide show by Claudia Ward

Music: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F, Bwv1046: 3rd Mvt., by J.S. Bach

 

 

 

Pittsburgh PA

The architecture in The Golden Triangle in downtown Pittsburgh is stunning - modern steel and glass reflect stone structures from previous generations. In this slide show, I think you'll agree that Peter has captured Pittsburgh at her finest and shown her off with wonderful high dynamic range. (Note: This is Peter's work, it was only posted from my Vimeo account.)

 HDR Photos ©2010 Peter Tooker

Music: Winning by Randy Newman

 

Lackawanna Station Hotel - Scranton PA

The Lackawanna Station was built in 1908 when Scranton was a railroad hub and had five major railroads running through it. Today it's a hotel, converted in 1983 and renovated in 2006, which is run by the Radisson chain and I must say this must be one of the jewels in its crown, certainly on the east coast of the U.S. From the outside, this six story neo-classical structure appears solid and permanent - meant to last several lifetimes, and it is. On the inside, The Grand Lobby is breathtaking and if you sit there long enough taking in all of the details, you can imagine it a bustling train terminal once again with ticket booths under the marble arches and doors opening to the tracks that could take you anywhere in the U.S. The lobby features an ornate tile floor, rare Sienna marble walls and 36 unique hand-painted faience tile murals from the DL&W (Delaware, Lackawanna & Western) Mainline, and it's all illuminated by natural light filtered through a tiffany barrel vaulted stained-glass ceiling. The beauty and richness in all of the details and materials speaks volumes about the immense success of the railroads at the turn of the 20th century and their significance in American business.

The Lackawanna Station was and is considered one of the most beautiful railroad terminals in the country and we thought you might like to see what we enjoyed so thoroughly.

 
HDR Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker
Music: It's Only A Paper Moon by Derek Paravicini

 

The Delaware Water Gap

 Photo ©2010 Claudia Ward

Another first on our recent sojourn was a stop in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area. I've crisscrossed the Delaware River many times and seen the signs for the Gap, but never had a chance to stop. Having nothing to rush home for, we took the time and were so pleasantly surprised. We pulled off Route 80 at Kittatinny Point at The Gap end of the park. It was a beautiful warm fall day and the moment we left the highway we were surrounded by all the vibrant colors of fall. Naturally we started taking pictures and then stopped in the visitor center to see what we could see. The park ranger gave us a map. The park runs a 40 mile length of the Delaware River in New Jersey and Pennsylvania - it's huge and it's beautiful.

Recognizing our love of photography, the ranger pointed us in the direction of the Upper Glen and a hike in the forest to a pretty waterfall. It sounded right up our alley, so we picked up the Old Mine Road north. What a serenely beautiful road. It follows the winding path of the river, has a speed limit of 15 miles an hour, is only one lane in places, and has almost no traffic, at least on this fall Monday. The entire park is an incredible treasure - available for camping, swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, and, of course, wildlife and birdwatching, and there are no entrance fees!

We hope you enjoy the slide show of Peter's HDR shots in the park.
He was determined to reach the waterfall and he did, lugging cameras and tripods over hill and dale. 

I think it was well worth it, wouldn't you agree?

 HDR Photos © 2010 Peter Tooker; Slide Show by Claudia Ward

Music: Acoustic Sunrise

 

Steamtown PA

Scranton Pennsylvania is a place, I'm sad to say, I've avoided all my life, happily driving past it on so many trips through New York State, thinking "Who would want to stop there?" Well recently friends told us about Steamtown which is in Scranton. Part of the National Park system, Steamtown was established in 1986 "to further public understanding and appreciation of the role steam railroading played in the development of the United States" and Peter and I decided we had to see it, and we're glad we did.

Who doesn't like trains and all the romantic images they conjure of new landscapes passing by the windows and far away destinations? Romantic images indeed because it was the train's workhorse characteristics that contributed to the growth of the U.S. during the last half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth. "Between the Civil War and World War I, the United States was transformed from an agricultural to a manufacturing nation, thanks largely to the railroads" and people like George and Seldon Scranton, ironmakers who founded the DL&W (Delaware, Lackawanna & Western) Railroad. Trains "brought raw materials like coal, oil, iron ore, and cotton to factories and carried away steel, machines, cloth, and other finished products. They moved livestock, grain, and produce from farms to the cities. And they carried people everywhere." In 1812, they say a trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia took six days by stage coach. In 1854, the same journey took 15 hours by train, and by 1920 the trip was down to 5 hours! Now that's progress! After WWI, cars and trucks began to eat away at the train's monopoly on transportation and in 1925, the introduction of the cleaner, more efficient diesel-electric engine began the retirement of the steam locomotive altogether.

But in Steamtown in Scranton PA the age of steam is alive and well. The Steamtown collection consists of locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, a mail car, and a Pullman. You can take rides on one of the restored trains and tour the inside of the roundhouse where restoration work is still underway. You can also watch the steam engine on the 90 foot-long turntable in the center of the roundhouse, being turned to enter its bay at the end of the day. And if you're in town, as the train to Moscow is pulling out of the station, run to the bridge that crosses the tracks - the perspective is incredible. The picturesque town of Scranton is the backdrop for this Norman Rockwell sight, as the train releases steam, clangs it's bell, sounds its whistle, and slowly gains speed, heading directly for the bridge. The whistle sounds ever more alarming and the black and white smoke clouds become larger and larger as the train approaches and finally envelops you as the train passes under the bridge. It's quite a thrill and certainly underscores the power of these magnificent machines.

 

 Photos ©2010 Peter Tooker All Rights Reserved

 THE TRAIN TO MOSCOW

Video ©2010 Peter Tooker 

  THE ROUNDHOUSE & THE TURNTABLE

Video © 2010 Peter Tooker 

 

Fields of Power - Peter's HDR Slide Show

Peter and I stumbled upon an "Engine Run" called the Fields of Power in Sagaponack, NY last weekend. A bright red biplane doing barrel roles over the beach caught our eye, so we tracked it down to a grassy air field amongst the fields of Foster Farm on Sagg Main Street.

Saturday was a glorious day - sunny with a bright blue sky, puffy cumulus clouds, a light breeze and temps around 75 - does it get any better than that? Sunday was cloudy, threatening rain, and cool - really, a nice contrast to Saturday for us photographers.

This is the third annual "Fields of Power" event. The Fosters invite fellow members of the Long Island Antique Power Association (LIAPA) to show off their engines and prized pieces of antique farm equipment. Between Saturday and Sunday, we viewed antique planes that flew in (and out) just for this event, tractors of every size, shape and vintage (it seemed), vintage automobiles including a classic Bentley, all manner of machinery like a "dancing" compactor, a hot water maker, and an antique shingle mill dating from 1888! I never knew machinery could be so interesting. 

A precursor to this "Fields of Power" event happened every year in Bridgehampton on the grounds of the Historical Society across the street from our house. We never attended it but heard it each day it operated because the engines "ran" all day. Given all of the sputtering, popping, whirring, and whistle blowing that filled the air all day, we dubbed the event "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". That event has now been replaced by the "Fields of Power". If you're in the area, seek it out because it is not only interesting but a lot of fun. In addition to watching all these machines run, there are tractor pulls, a "mini" air show when the planes take off and land, model airplanes buzzing the air field, a hay ride, and a demonstration of how that Shingle Mill makes shingles from huge logs. On Sunday they even ran an obstacle course for antique cars where the driver was blindfolded and the passenger guided them through the course - that was hilarious!

Here's Peter's view of all we saw, processed in High Dynamic Range (HDR). Let us know what you think of the event and the photos. Stay tuned for my "telephoto" perspective.

Photos and Slide Show © 2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

We sincerely hope this continues for many years to come.

HDR Photography - Vermont

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and it's a very exciting part of photography these days one that Peter has really gotten in to. 

Ever taken photos of a sunset at the beach or in the mountains and found that in the picture you have very dark areas showing none of the details that your eyes saw and very, very bright areas, also revealing little that you could see? Well, your eye saw much more, and a camera has limitations. However, processing digital photographs these days provides such exciting opportunities to reveal that which could not be revealed before .... ergo HDR photography. 

In its basic form, it can be defined as taking a photograph at "zero exposure" and then auto bracketing so the camera will then take another photograph at +2 exposure and another at -2 exposure. What this does at the end of the day (thanks to Photomatix Pro) is merge all three so what's in the shadows is revealed and what's in the bright lights is not lost. I think it's truly breathtaking, and after all of that, you can then begin to have fun ... it's all art.

On our way to a wedding in northern NY state recently, we stopped in Vermont to see friends. Peter shot these in HDR, and we'd be very interested in what you think - of the photographic technique, of the picture, of the location, ...

© 2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Southampton Antique Auto Show

There was an antique auto show at Rogers Mansion in Southampton on Saturday and Peter and I got there early, wanting to see and photograph some of the old cars before the crowds got too large. We arrived just after 10:00 a.m., when it started, and we were still there chatting with the owners and photographing their beautiful cars well after noon. 

There were automobiles and trucks from as early as 1915 going all the way up to 1958. The preponderance of participants were Fords - and some real beauties. Model A's from the '30's were well represented, in mint condition with wonderful radiator caps and grills. A 1931 navy blue, Ford Sport Coupe stole my husband's heart but the Thunderbirds nearly stole his soul. What a bevy of beauties - each one made both our hearts race faster. First, I fell for the 1956 peacock blue Thunderbird convertible, but being fickle my crush was quickly and easily transferred to "Timeless", a gorgeous 1957 flame red T-Bird, and then we both saw her ... the 1954 satin yellow Kaiser Darrin -sweet. The interior and fiberglass exterior were satin yellow, as was the steering wheel and she has sliding "pocket doors" - Peter was "a goner". Not even the Jaguars could turn his head, of which there were three - a sexy white E-Type L2 (she's the only one that had a chance), a sleek silver-gray XK, and a '53 black convertible XK with red interior. All he could do was take pictures of all of these beauties to savor later.

I, on the other hand, found myself now captivated by trucks, of all things - a 1958 sky blue Chevrolet 3100 pick-up truck with a custom cover captivated my imagination (very Mayberry); and, the Hildreth's Chevrolet delivery truck reflected the store's history (the oldest department store in the country) but also everything around it. I got some wonderful photos of all of the trucks around it, reflected in its side panels.

We thought the show was wonderful and a great success, and hope to attend again next year. In the meantime we want to share two slide shows, so you can see what we saw. 

Today's slide show is Peter's. He's our wide-angle man and the one working on HDR photography (High Dynamic Range) using normal, exposure fusion, and grunge effects. You'll notice the different results and effects in the photos. Please sit back, enjoy, and let us know what you think. 

Photos & Slide Show @2010 Peter Tooker, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Don't you wish you'd been there?