Another shot at producing usable images at high ISO. This one was shot at ISO12800 85mm F1.8 @1/30sec and then converted to B&W HDR.

Black and white conversion of a very low light shot.

Ups and Downs of the Week

Red Sox – They’re still hanging on to 1st place thanks to the fact that the Yankees are also playing poorly. But they’ve looked lousy the last half dozen games and have lost 3 in a row to teams they should be beating easily.

Whitey Bulger behind bars – It’s about damn time.

Ups and Downs of the Week

Bruins – 2011 Stanley Cup Champions.

Red Sox – Still playing very well. Just came off an 8-1 road trip and tonight they beat the Brewers. Add to that a Yankees loss (to the Cubs, no less) and you have a very good day.

Ups and Downs of the Week

Bruins – They tied the series in convincing fashion at the Garden, but then went back into no-offense mode in Vancouver tonight. They scored at will in the Garden and can’t score at all in Vancouver. Tim Thomas has been spectacular in goal, but if the Bruins score nothing, even one goal is enough for the other team to win. And that’s been the story in Vancouver.

Seal Shootings on Cape Cod – Hope they catch the sicko who is doing this.

Red Sox – They swept the Yankmees in their own house again. They’ve won 7 in a row and own the second best record in baseball.

After thirteen years of hanging out with the tree roots, the cicadas have come out of the ground by the millions. The noise is incredible. It’s almost painful on the ears to stand outside. They make quite a mess with their discarded larva shells, too.

Ups and Downs of the Week

New Lens – I picked up a used Canon 85mm f1.8 lens at B&H Photo in NYC last week. I’ve wanted one of these for a while. They make excellent portrait lenses and are pretty good for mid-range shots as well. Some examples below.

Political Games – Our esteemed state legislature voted overwhelmingly to extend our current health care contracts and dispense with the wildly unpopular plan that was just adopted by the state with very little oversight or thought of consequences. The legislature had a veto-proof majority, but in a not-so-subtle move, they passed the bill and sent it to the governor’s desk, where it is sure to be vetoed, on the last day of the current session. So now when the governor vetoes it, they can claim they tried to do something about and wash their hands of the whole affair. Any group with an ounce of integrity and a gram of courage would have pushed this bill through weeks ago while there was still time to override the inevitable veto. Do they really think we’re all so stupid?

Right place, right time – I was driving home today and was just passing a large corn field as a crop duster started to spray it. I just happened to have my camera gear with me.

Red Sox – They beat Oakland tonight, barely, but they got swept by the Pale Hose earlier this week and are reverting back to their early season sub-par play.