Postcard from this Week

If interested you can see more here, all shot one morning last week:
St Elizabeth's Proof Gallery
A creepy wonderful place - so much fun - so much to see - I thought my head was going to explode! These are just proofs - yet to be truly post processed. Basically just a quick run through Lightroom- some basic global overall adjustments and out to a web proof gallery. I can't wait to work on some of these! Almost all inside shots were with an 85 1.2L - most at 1.2. That lens just yields a certain quality that makes me happy.

Postcard from Last Week

Postcard from this Week

Occasionally while skimming through the Washington Post I'll check out my Horoscope. Just for fun, not that I really believe any of that Hocus-Pocus Mumbo-Jumbo. But one the other day one really hit me. So much so that I cut it out and taped it on my monitor:

LIBRA (Sept 23 - Oct 23) This is ground control asking you to come back to Earth. Living in a space of infinity possibility has it's advantages, but at some point you need to touch your feet to the ground and get to work. This is that moment.

The funny thing is, even though I love to Walk the Earth, I broke contact with ground control long ago. They may be calling but I have long since changed frequency. I enjoy operating in the Stratosphere at my current sustained cruising altitude. It works for me.

Postcard from Last Week

Been busy the past two weeks shooting (and processing) a big huge bunch of new images for my Collection of Washington DC Stock Photography. BTW - I heard last week the Fed announced the Recession was "technically" over. Evidently it ended in August.

Postcard from this Week

Postcard from this Week

Blatant Promo is a good thing

Photoshelter was kind enough to do a nice little piece about me and my collection of Washington DC Stock Photography. I don't do it often but occasionally do allow my serious self to come out and play. I give full credit to Andrew Fingerman, VP of Marketing with Photoshelter, for editing down my responses into what turned out to be a well written interview. I most certainly appreciate the exposure this article provided. Nothing wrong with a little blatant promo, especially now, working hard to survive the Economic Recovery. If interested take a look here:
Building a "Monumental" Photo Business.


Featured Images - Images by Randy Santos / dcstockimages.com

Down by the River

My brother David and and I had a chance last week to see Gov't Mule play a show at the National Harbor Summer Concert Series. Any day you get to see my favorite guitar on the planet, Warren Haynes, is a good day. In this case a wonderful perfectly pleasant evening. I had never been to the National Harbor for a show and had no idea what to expect. It turned out the venue was great. On the river, during a beautiful sunset, a cool relaxed crowd, ample beer tents and plenty of room to roam around, all added up to create a mood that all was right with the World. My hard working little Canon G-9 performs beautifully for so many things but a little limiting in the low light concert photography department. (click images to enlarge)

Chincoteague by Scooter

Having returned from another wonderful vacation at Chincoteague / Assateague Island I am overwhelmed with images to edit through and process. As always I get up with the Sun and head out into the beautiful early morning light and make images to add to my stock image collection of Assateague / Chincoteague. Usually I am doing this in my truck with all my big fancy Canon EOS gear, but this year I took a different approach. Brady had rented a scooter for the week and as a change of pace I decided instead to scooter around the island a few mornings, with only my little Canon g-9 in my shirt pocket. Free of big lenses and camera bodies, traveling lite, in the open air, really altered my perspective on the World I saw around me, which is exactly what I was looking for. Sticking mostly to town, I cruised in and out of the little nooks and crannies I typically wouldn't have taken notice of. So many wonderful things to see in the morning light. Here are just a few of so many images made during my little morning scooter rides. (click images to enlarge )
BTW- below is what someone's leg might look like if they were stupid enough t0 fly off a scooter tearing down a gravel road at almost 40mph wearing only shorts and no shoes.

Postcard from this Week

The Sun always shines on my Telecaster

HotWire had the opportunity to play at the recent American Cancer Society/Maryland Relay for Life. We donated our good vibes for the cause because that's just how we roll. Feeling good, we came to play and spread the love. Perhaps my overuse of Wah-Wah and Fuzz Pedal angered the Gods of Moderation. Shortly after our first smoking set of rocking hard blues we were rained out by a quickly building violent super-massive Thunderhead (pictured below) rapidly approaching the fairgrounds, seemingly headed straight towards the bandstand and my cranked Blackface Bassman. But, not all was lost, any day you get to play outdoors with your friends is a good day. And, it's most certainly not the first time I have angered the Gods of Moderation.
(click images to enlarge)

Saturday Morning . . .

. . . feeling good, Summer is here. Letting my little G-9 and flip-flops lead the way as I Walk the Earth in the early morning Sun. (click images to enlarge)

Postcard from Last Week

Bathed in the Glow

Last Thursday I had a full day to myself. Val was chaperoning a field trip with James to Philadelphia, Jay was in school, and Brady was working. Left to my own devices, I do what I usually do, took off work and enjoyed a glorious day outside, around the old homestead. I finished planting my Father's Day present, a beautiful Redwood, worked in my garden, watched the clouds drift by, and in general enjoyed the quiet solitude walking my wonderful little corner of this Earth. (click images to enlarge)Fortunately the entire day fell between our endless series of morning/afternoon thunderstorms. The light was amazing. Bathed in that incredible glow you only get pre-severe thunderstorm I couldn't resist a few shots with my G-9 as I went about my day.

Beer, Blues, and Sunshine

After what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights of rain, Saturday held the promise of a full day of blue sky and sunshine. Responding quickly, my brother David took appropriate action and organized a keg party to welcome back the Sun. Ever responsive as well, our band Hotwire decided drinking beer, playing Blues in the Sun, and throwing our good vibes into the clear blue sky was badly needed. It felt good to stand in the Sun with a 16oz cup in one hand and the fat neck of a Les Paul Jr in the other. All photos by Miles and Linda Newman/Brady Santos. (click images to enlarge)

Saturday Morning Part II

My friend Keith's comments (one of my 7 readers) on the previous post got me thinking. On my little Saturday Morning Walking the Earth strolls I take so many photos, most of which I never show here. I just do a quick edit of whatever I find interesting and throw them up. Lucky for me my brain is just wired differently than most regular folks. I literally see everything around me in terms of shapes, patterns, color, and light. With my trusty G-9, I'm simply capturing what I see, to share my vision of how I observe the wonderful World around me. It's like good healthy food for my constantly swirling brain. Hopefully this inspires others to slow down and look around.
(click images to enlarge)
So, my point is, with Keith's comment, having actually inspired someone, inspired me to go back and review what I shot Saturday morning, a group of well over 100 images. I quickly selected a few more that made me smile. Images that didn't make the first cut but upon review seem worthy of sharing. They may be good, they may be bad, I don't know, But for me that's not the point, it's just what I do, Thank God. And btw, thanks Mom (one of my other 7 readers) for my over-stimulated hyperactive brain. You are beautiful and I Love You!

Last Saturday Morning . . .

. . . Walking the Earth with my hard working little Canon G-9. You only pass through this World once, don't take life so seriously, see the beauty of the World, art is everywhere around you. (click images to enlarge) BTW- The image on the far right is water coming out of a small fountain.

Postcard from this Week

View an image gallery of more schooners and sailing images,
all shot that same day, click here: Schooners on the Chesapeake

If I have to explain . . .

Depending on your perspective (mine or Val's) I did something either completely and utterly impractical or exercised good sound judgement and did something that made perfect, well thought out, solid common sense. I bought a 1979 Camaro. Not just any 1979 Camaro, I got lucky, this beauty has only 54k miles, all original and absolutely tip top. I had my new friends at Fleming's Ultimate Garage build out the beautiful 350 small block up to around 325hp. New high-performance camshaft, 675cfm Holley Carb, Edelbrock Intake Manifold, Performance Shift Kit, Ceremic Long Tube Hooker Headers into true custom dual exhaust straight out the back, and more. Take the T-Tops off, hit the gas, it's a complete bad-ass, a blast to drive. Nothing beats the sweet rumble of hopped up genuine American made v-8 muscle. If you understand what I'm talking about then there's no need to explain further.

Postcard from Last Week

Postcard from this Week