Valfal's photos

A friend requested that I post a stand-alone image of the Brooklyn Bridge from the photo collage I submitted to TSC this past week. He also requested that I try posting it as a B&W image. So, after a little trip to PicMonkey where I cropped it a little and changed it to B&W, here is the result. I added two notes of the image in its original state as well as the processed version that I used in my collage. Let me know how the B&W version compares with the other two. Thanks so much! :-)

My week was certainly a busy, traveled-filled one! My photos from the top left circling clockwise: 1. A very colorful vintage VW Bus seen at the annual "NYC Volkswagen Traffic Jam" classic VW show at Governors Island near Manhatten, NY. The event took place last Sunday, August 25th. We have participated in this show for the past three years. 2. A horse painted to look like the State flag of Maryland, USA. Yesterday, I helped run a booth at the Maryland State Fair for an equestrian therapeutic riding program I volunteer for. I was there literally all day! (edited using selective color). 3. A blue heron seen in a cove at Havre de Grace, MD during the mid-week. (edited using B&W). 4. The iconic Brooklyn Bridge captured "on the fly" as we were driving home from the "NYC Volkswagen Traffic Jam" classic car show last Sunday. (edited using white balance manipulation). Whew, now I'm tired! I need a day of rest!

Found at a cove in Havre de Grace, Maryland near the head of the Chesapeake Bay.

If you want to be off-center, you must be in perfect balance. ***Thank you so very much, everybody for your wonderful and very encouraging comments and faves. They really mean a lot to me! Have a wonderful week :-))

This photo was was shot using manual settings, then post processed in PicMonkey.

***Thank you so much for your comments, faves and invitations, friends! They are all most appreciated! :-))

In camera processing: white balance manipulation. Incidental vignetting resulting from a cardboard cutout over the lens. Post processing: Pic Monkey's Orton processing effect. *Thank you so much for your very kind comments, faves and invitations, dear friends! I wish I could thank each of you individually, but was away from the computer a lot this week. May you all have a wonderful week ahead!*

Another beautiful day at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. Three more photos in notes :)

The story behind this image: A couple of days ago, I heard one of my favorite Bruce Hornsby songs on the radio; I immediately got an idea use the song as my muse for this week's image, using white balance to accent the mood I wanted. I have a mandolin that I used to play (not so well) many years ago at family functions, made by CF Martin & Company. They are world renown for their guitars, but they also make very nice mandolins. My particular instrument is the "A" style model, not the typical "scroll" style that you see more commonly in bluegrass bands. I must say that I really like the idea of using white balance to achieve a particular atmosphere! *For the Sight and Sound Group: "Mandolin Rain" by Bruce Hornsby www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDgOwX72fLI "Listen to the mandolin rain Listen to the music on the lake Listen to my heart break every time she runs away"

I'm not the biggest Elvis fan, but I did like several of his songs including this one: "Mystery Train" www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_eE0NPArEY "Train, train comin' 'round, 'round the bend, Train, train comin' 'round, 'round the bend. Well it took my baby, But it never will again, no not again. Train, train comin' down the line, Train, Train comin' down the line. Well, it's bringin' my baby, 'Cause she's mine, all, all mine She's mine, all, all mine." *(For Sight and Sound group)

A couple of weeks ago, I took care of my son's cat, Kittles, while he was away on vacation. In this image, Kittles is perched on the sofa next to me, looking through a window. The bright sunlight shining on his well-posed face provided me with a very rare photo opportunity. Lucky for me I had my phone camera handy! :-) **Thank you all so very much for your lovely and encouraging comments, faves, and invitations, my friends!** Have a great week!

For the group Sight and Sound: I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash www.youtube.com/watch?v=FscIgtDJFXg This is the sight that greeted me after an early evening thunderstorm blew through my neighborhood last week. It reminded me of one of my favorite songs of all time, "I Can See Clearly Now" by the incomparable Johnny Nash. Not only is the tune upbeat, but also the message. A very winning combo! Enjoy :-) Thank you all so very much for your kind words, faves and invites! I wish I could personally thank each of you, but my internet is down at the moment and can only access through my phone. I thought it more important to comment on your images instead :-)) Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and to my fellow Americans, Happy 4th of July!!

Harbor Tunnel in Baltimore, Maryland.

The New York City skyline. I was playing around with processing to make it look like a dream. ~Thank you so much for your kind words and faves, my friends; most appreciated!~

Developing seed pods of a peony after bloom. Thank you so much, dear friends, for your kind words and faves; I deeply appreciate it! Have a great week, all! :-))

This is the Gilpin Falls Covered Bridge. It is one of only two covered bridges remaining in Cecil County, Maryland. It literally is "the bridge to nowhere" as it doesn't carry traffic anymore. It basically crosses a stream and that is it. There was quite a bit of controversy a few years ago over whether to demolish or restore this bridge when it was discovered to be structurally unsound after several years of deterioration. Over a million dollars would be needed to fund restoration. A small group of proponents for preservation tried to privately raise all funds, but could not do it in time. They appealed to local county government to fund the balance, but many taxpayers complained, citing several other bridges in active use by citizens in dire need of repair that were being put on hold for lack of funding. In the end, the restoration was funded through a combination of private donations and money from the State of Maryland set aside for historic preservation. I travel past this landmark on a regular basis, so I don't usually think much of it as I speed by. However, the photo above reminds me that it really isn't so ordinary after all. Other than very minor adjustments with contrast and rotation, this image is otherwise unprocessed. For a more "artistically" bucholic image of the bridge, check out the photo I took a few weeks ago in the note.