About

I’m Victor. This blog started in September 2011 at the suggestion of cousin Amy. It is a collection of images combined with a story behind the image. It spans my photographic awareness in color slide and digital photography. Welcome.

Evolution: I have a philosophical/existential question. Am I shooting to post? Or am I posting what I shoot? I thought I’d post what I shot? That was the beginning. But it’s way easier to remain in the present than the past. Hmmmm…. Do the images tell a story? Or are my recollections from my images? Enjoy.

Once again, if you are reading, many thanks for visiting this blog. I am often (mostly) remiss in reciprocating or in thanking you for your visits. My humble apology and be assured I appreciate your views.

April 2023

April fool’s day. Update. Thanks for visiting! “may you live in interesting times.” – an English interpretation of a traditional Chinese curse. Well, it’s no joke. There is no amusement in the times we live. I will defer further comment. All is well – here. Cats are our family and frequent my posts. A cat purrs on my lap as I type this very moment. I recommend it highly for stress relief. i worry. Just when you think things are going well – wham! Meanwhile, I shoot pictures as often as photo ops come. And, I share. Lately, I have pondered the legacy that I will leave behind. … nothing infamous, not famous… more than a ripple?

January 2023

Covid 19. It’s called 19 because it came into the world in 2019. Duh!? I just got it?! It’s only four years later. It’s still here. The 1918 pandemic lasted a couple years? We have not gotten the disease. Yet. Relatives all around us have had it and survived. No casualties. So far. Historical. Hysteria is over. For now. My photography has been largely about family. I shoot using four cameras. I try to shoot every day. My blog(s) continue because I am still here (alive) and my muse Colleen (dearest wife) continues to encourage me (to take pictures and post). No iPhone for me. Recalcitrant, old fashioned, fixed. No! I experiment constantly and revel in the world and the picture ops around me/us! Enjoy!

November 2022

I edit this page in order to apologize to any new readers. I am sadly remiss at responding to your likes. I do appreciate the visits. I hope the photography has been interesting and perhaps given the reader some ideas and perhaps new perspectives. Otherwise, I am mostly posting pictures of things happening around me. Photo-ops! I am a lifelong amateur photographer beginning in black and white film and progressing through slide film. Yeah, yeah, a long long time ago. Digital is the way to go! of course! iPhone! Nope. I stubbornly stick with cameras and lenses. There are still some folks out there with a real camera. Each year fewer cameras are sold. Some of our kids have cameras. Most do not have hard line phones. Hard line phone?

July 2022

Whoa! I’m late! I missed May 2022. My excuse? I was down with a concussion. Yeah! Funny! Sad. Dumb. Self-inflicted stupid on my part. I’m fine. It’s summer. The family is in reunion mode. My pics? I am posting in galleries instead of a single outstanding photo. There are simply too many good shots and stories to tell. I would go back to a single entry per day but life is too hectic and interesting. Meanwhile, I am very happy to photograph my life and adventures. I am thankful for family and my life with Colleen. So far so good.

February 2022

A new year. Happy to be here. Sad at the news of the world. Your view may vary with the news you watch and believe to be true. Never before did truth have so many multiple versions. It’s simply bewildering how truth is manipulated. The internet was supposed to be transparent. I remain optimistic. Why not? I still believe in good. I post (multiple) photographs of the world around me and enjoy sharing the stories of the things in my life past and present. Sunrise, sunset, cats, food, and travels are subject to my posts. There is still a touch of humor and wonder at the world around me. Colleen and I have an anniversary this month. There is always something to celebrate and be grateful about our lives. I wish the same for all of you too.

November 2021

Well, Covid continues to color our lives. Like it or not, it has affected what we do and how we go about our lives. Some deny the disease exists and they decline to be vaccinated. It simply astounds me. I shall ignore the obvious and concentrate on truth and science. This is not a political forum. We – Colleen and I – made our first extended foray into the wide world recently. It was a very successful return to travel photography. We are prevented, yet, from overseas travel. That will come later. I hope. – God willin’ and the river don’t rise. Our family remains safe as I hope yours is too. Be well. Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite.

June 2021

I’m early. I edit this section about every 3 months. Covid has just diminished to the point where we made our first trip to see family in other states. I have a new macro lens and have been shooting the flowers in my garden. It’s like diving the same reef. Each time, each dive, each pass, the flowers change, just as coral looks different each dive. This is my current inspiration. I am glad to have a camera in hand and subjects to photograph. I am partly gear-head rotating multiple cameras to capture the images I seek. I seek that always elusive ‘great image’ that is there in every shutter opportunity. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t.

April 2021

It’s technically March, I update… about every three months. There are readers who cut to the chase and look to see what this is all about. Historically, we are just coming through the Covid pandemic. I am safely through and vaccinated. For the first time in my blog there were political posts. We survived he who will not be named – not Voldemort, trump. Science has prevailed and the “lies” are over. Life goes on. We lost dear Patch – beloved cat. And, Tillie & Peas – new sister, kittens, have joined the family. I continue to post about life present and past, illustrating posts with pictures – some good, some bad – but always with a story to tell: Insight, philosophy, humor, nonsense, love.

December 2020

No one much comes to “about.” (I think.) But I update it to keep it current. I retired as a neurosurgeon in 2016. Covid 19 has been a horror to watch from afar. It’s been a blessing to be spared front line status. It has been frustrating to watch our @#$%^ president blow the deal. The vaccine has been released. Let us hope the pandemic will fade and everyone remains safe. It won’t happen because we continue with risky behavior or just have plain bad luck. I still wish everyone a safe new year and the hope that we remain safe. “Trust me, I’m a doctor.” There are a few nuts in the medical profession. The rest have cautioned extreme measures and care. Do it! Their experience on the front line cannot be understood from a layman’s view. We are not allowed to show you a view of the extreme suffering and death. Take heed!

September 2020

I evolved once again. We live in troubled times. It’s clear to me. And, there are many many who diverge from my opinion. I’ve probably lost friends and followers to my blog as well as gained new. Meanwhile, for the first time I let politics creep into my posts. It’s my outlet. There’s so little one can do to push the cause  for right from evil. I have a collection of photos that illustrate – a picture is worth a thousand words. You see in my blog what has and now interests me. You don’t see the many many discards of my failures. Corona – covid – is among us. There are those among you who don’t take it seriously or believe in it at all. It is indeed a shame to ignore science and fact. I don’t.

April 2020

“Life in corona” It’s weird times we are in. Biblical? Certainly, historic! I have lived to see Kennedy shot, the shuttle explode, 9/11….

Old Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.”

I suppose we shall remember. I have veered to the political, occasionally, of late. Many pardons, it’s not a political blog. But sometimes the photo “fits” the moment. We’re here to drain the swamp, but, I forgot why.

February 2020

Wow! It’s been nearly a year since I updated this intro. Thanks for visiting. I’m very bad at acknowledging your interest and support. Please accept that I appreciate your visits. We – Colleen and I  – have had a year! Married, traveled, Seven great cats. The first grandchild (mine, Colleen had four). The year flew by. Savor? I wish. I have. I did. We did! Gear head (me)? I got a brand new mirrorless camera. I’m trying to remain upbeat with pics and with some humble humor. Ummm? Strike humble – for sure… maybe humor, too?

March 2019

Update time. Six month. I’m pretty consistent to remember. Thank you again for visiting. I don’t respond. My Bad. No excuse. It’s too much for me to keep up with. I’m not that popular. There is just no time. I appreciate your visit and wish you the best. I’m retired now. My main hobby is photography. There are plenty of photo ops. Around here, it’s mainly cats for me. Shhhh… there are seven now. I don’t think I can sneak in another.

Sept 2018

Wow, six months goes by quickly. It doesn’t, silly. But it sure seems a blink when I last updated this page. Thank you! Thank you for visiting. There’s lots out there to grab your attention. And the fact that you took time to look over my blog is appreciated. I’m not any good at following up on your visit. Accept my apology in advance. I came to this page now to grab the photo above and to compare it with what I found recently. The white fence has all but fallen down. It’s about nine years between photos and visits. Sad. It’s good that it was not me who’d run down over that time. Enjoy! And thanks again for visiting.

March 2018

So, to anyone and everyone who visits my blog, thank you. To anyone who’s “following” my posts, I thank you. I have not searched your blogs or posted my thank you on your sites. Apologies. My following is modest. It would be more if I were more socially active. Sorry. I’m not facebook or instagram interested. Oh well.

Hey! I’m old. I’m still retired. Uncomfortable with the notion… I still dream about work. Not my intention but dreams about work awaken me. It was cool to be a neurosurgeon once upon a time. I also dream the “final exam” is tomorrow and I’ve never been to a single class or opened the book. Oh my! You can imagine my relief when I wake up and repeat to myself it was a “dream!” I suppose there is guilt or something lurking about. The premise of a story and an image continues to evolve for me. Sometimes it’s about the story. Sometimes it’s the image. Thank you again for visiting/following.

August 2017

Whoa! Time flies. I meant to update this post about every three months. I’ve been busy doing nothing. First, I don’t respond well to visitors and to new followers. Please accept my apology. I appreciate the viewers. Thank you all! This prelude would be acknowledgement to you all. I’ve a lot of projects on the burner. Nothing major has been done yet. I’m enjoying life away from the Middle East. Current events notwithstanding life has been interesting. Largely, I have devolved to what is around and about in my world. There are some photo tips to be gleaned. Cats have replaced fish. There is still plenty of wildlife. And nature serves up lots of subject material. Life is change. Mine changes constantly enough to keep me on my toes.

March 2017

Thank you! I’m very bad in not thanking my visitors and followers. So, thank you. I very much appreciate that you have looked at my blog. Nothing is staid. Life changes. I’ve gone through so many moments and experiences. New. There are some second chances. And, there are chances that have rarely come around twice. You wrap your arms around the good and hold on tight with all your might. No more fish. Well, at least I’m not diving these days. I haven’t figured out what’s next. No worry. For now it’s like endless summer. I’m good.

December 2016

I’ve been on an extended vacation that may be retirement. It’s still not official, but close. I left the Middle East in September. Weather changes again. That would be rain and cold and all sorts of difference from 100 degree days of blazing hot sun. I’ve been to a series of states. That would be the United States of America. I actually had Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. No more prayer time five times a day. I can eat and shop without timing my trips. No diving, alas, you can’t have everything. So far there has been no moss under my feet. Life is still coming too fast to keep up. Sometimes I stop to smell the roses. Living life large these days…

July 2016

I have been terribly remiss in thanking new visitors and followers who come to this blog. Please accept my apologies in advance and know that I appreciate that you have seen and read my stuff. I’m not an artist or an author. My day job is brain surgery – for now. My photography is technically competent. Occasionally I have pictures that make me proud. But they are not grand and glorious. Just good. I will add that I have been in lots of interesting places. And at the moment I am based in the Middle East. It’s not an easy place to be. The news in New York is that there are way fewer murders now. And the photo above was in Maine. They recently referred to it as overwhelmingly white. Now I am in a place that is overwhelmingly Muslim. I am involuntarily entwined with their prayers five times a day. Lucky, that is down from 72 per day. Early images are land based. But now, I dive! So? You see!

March 2016

What’s new? Well, I’m still in the Middle East working away. I dive on the weekends in the Red Sea, hence, the fishies. My daughter Jules was just married, one child to go. Life happens. Lately the blog has been about current events. Alternatively, I dive into my archives. Things always change and I find myself flooded with current images so this tends to dominate my recent posts. Images trigger stories. Sometimes I imagine the story as I shoot the image – the chicken or the egg?

September 2015

Someone I love pointed out that I have not updated this section in a while. Life changes. Things happen. No excuses. It all started as a retrospective on my life. I’ve more than one hundred thousand slides. Yes, I’m old and film and Kodak were king once. Now I have about two hundred thousand digital images. It’s not bragging. I just take a lot of pictures. I’m ok. I’m too lazy to sit for hours or days in a spot to get the perfect sunrise image. I don’t like being up in the dark. But the gist is to provide a thought to go along with my image and to illustrate things that are and were. Thank you for checking on me. I’m still here.

March 2015

Almost a year… it’s been eventful. My images are largely scattered across my interests. Lately you will see a lot of Middle East and Red Sea. I dive whenever I can. So there are lots of fishies. I live in Saudi Arabia at the moment. I travel home. But home has been a moving target until lately. If it sounds mysterious, it is a work in progress. I laugh more now. Life does indeed have a way of sneaking up on you. There is good and bad. Sometimes it’s better. I’ll take that.

May 2014

Time flies. It sometimes feels as though life is speeding along. The family is scattered and their lives are changing. My kids have significant others all of the sudden. It’s an exciting time. Diving remains my chief pastime. I stick to a few dive venues. However, each time you dive the geography may be the same but the fish you see are always different. It stays interesting. And I have sprinkled images from my archives among the posts in keeping with stories and the associated memories. I should probably go to the archives more. Meanwhile current events keeps me occupied as photo ops present themselves.

December 2013

Update time once again. Some people have to travel far to get to a vacation destination to engage in and pursue their interests. I am fortunate to be presently based where I can scuba dive nearly every weekend. This reminds me of when I was younger and envied people who lived near a ski slope and could ski nearly everyday. Yes the twists and turns of life can play out in wonderful ways. It has allowed me to have  renewed vigor while admitting I am past middle age. As of this writing, I am about to join my kids and dive for a few days. As you see much of my recent blog is filled with undersea pictures. Digital imaging has made nearly every diver with a point and shoot camera a better photographer. There does remain the fine line between snap shot and photo. You shoot like mad during an hour or two of dive time. And then you try to correct your mistakes before your next dives. Yeah! It’s all fun!

Sept 2013

The big thing for me at the moment is scuba diving. It’s not hard for me. But I’ve seen the learning curve for some newer divers and I guess there’s a bit more to it. I just feel like it’s no big deal. You constantly have to be safe. After that, I’m learning to extend my underwater photography skills in a new direction. Digital has afforded immediate feedback like film could never do. My progress has been rapid. At the same time I am humbled by how much my early efforts look so poor in retrospect. It’s a great thing to learn something new.

June 2013

Time for another update. I’ve let my other two blogs go fallow. I’m letting my photography wander from past to present. There was a computer breakdown in March. Though my images are intact, I haven’t loaded them back to Lightroom, so editing is limited. It’s good that I’m a bit too busy to edit. Diving starts again soon. Right now that is the chief focus of mastering a new skill.

March 2013

Once again I record greetings from the Middle East. Despite the news reporting turmoil all around the region, I am fairly safe. Cultural differences are evident all around. I might have said that mid life crisis was in full swing, but, no longer. Everything is so interesting. I had not realized how boring it was to be safe in my chosen profession. Right now I see and care for things everyday, which are different and renew my need to stay on my toes. It’s a whole new set of diseases and a whole new mind set in treatment considerations. And I’m teaching again. My only regret is that there aren’t so many photo ops. But that can’t remain for too long.

December 2012

I update this page once more to say that I have been home to New York for the first time in a while. My daughter’s best friend got married. I had an opportunity to see many casual friends who are blown away by the recent relocation my life has taken. I am settling in and for now continue to have some pretty nice adventures. Time is still linear and forward. On the whole I hope to have few regrets.

August 2012

Well, lots of things changed in June. I’m based in the Middle East now. It’s desert and high heat. In fact it’s been 100+ degrees each and every day. No rain, just dust. New customs. I haven’t cooked once. I’m maintaining weight and fitness. I learned to dive. And I’m learning underwater photography. I hope to travel around the Middle East, Turkey, India, and Africa. I can’t visit Mecca because I’m not Muslim. Islam has become part of my life. I have experienced my first Ramadan. As for my work, neurosurgery has become a fascinating clash of cultural ideas and technical challenges. I am at once a curiosity and a valuable asset. It has been an adventure so far.

May 2012:

Every once in a while it helps to update. It’s hasn’t been a year for this blog. But I have met and corresponded with people from around the world. What a great experience! There have been people from more than one hundred countries who have visited. And, yes, finally all the states in the United States are represented among visitors. What’s neat is that so many people have been following and visit regularly. I hope I’m preserving some memories for my kids through the photos and stories. In the meantime I hope that finding my blog will entertain and inform you with pictures and observations. Thanks to all.

Sept 2011:

See the Blogroll in the sidebar for my other sites.

In the grand scheme of things, I have accumulated a considerable number of good images. I would like to share them and hope you will enjoy. Sometimes the story behind the picture is interesting enough to make a story. It’s a way to keep me occupied as if there wasn’t enough to do. So here’s to all of you who have served to inspire and encourage me.

Mostly, I work without a plan which is not exactly how Lisa, my wife, would approve. She has  been critical and I thank her, because each time I  go back and try to adjust. Recently I have become comfortable in seeing things with a better eye toward composition. Autofocus allows me to just hold out the camera and shoot. And, with the new point and shoot Canon G11, you don’t even hear I have taken the image. A new wave of terror has overtaken my wife and family as they try to avoid getting caught chewing dinner.

Well, it’s certainly been a long trip and I hope to reflect on some of those travels. I have certainly been challenged to solve different problems from high speed tennis serves to long exposure fireworks. I value my film and slide background, some work of which you will see. I still have to scan thousands of slides.

Oh, and the title of the blog… is to emphasize a few images, perhaps not the best, but, to discuss the good fortune I have had to have been in the right place sometimes.

November, 2011:

Well, I’ve been at this about a month. I’ve learned a lot about blogging. It’s been a welcome distraction. (It’s complicated.) Meanwhile I have learned new terms like widgets, analytics, and flag counters. Mostly I have been introduced to a larger group who are avid photographers and who graciously share their work. I have always enjoyed learning a new skill – blogging. Thanks, to all who have found this blog. I have been humbled by the good work that is out there in the world.

Note: http://imagedevent.wordpress.com/  – is my other site, where I concentrate on events, and where a gallery of images rather than a single image more appropriately covers the story. PhotoCritical covers image criticism.