KMB Photography

Bret Michaels at Mulcahy's 11-9-10

2010-11-12T20:02:00.001-05:00

Bret Michaels was back at Mulcahy's this week. As always, it was an awesome show and I mixed rocking out with some photography. Can't wait for next year's tour. He hinted at another Poison tour next summer (possibly with Motley Crew?) and promised another show at Muls. This may become my pre-finals, pre-Thanksgiving tradition...great way to unwind before the stress...

Donald Trump, Jr. was at the show with his wife, so Bret invited him up to sing "Nothin' But a Good Time" with the band. There was even a jump at the end.

Toxin at Mulcahy's 11-9-10

2010-11-12T18:33:00.001-05:00

After Silent Generosity, Toxin took the stage. They have been opening a lot of shows for BMB this year - I saw them open at Westbury in September.

Silent Generosity at Mulcahy's 11-9-10

2010-11-12T18:24:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday night, I had the opportunity to once again shoot a Bret Michaels' show. He was back at Mulcahy's in Wantagh. Silent Generosity is a local Long Island band. They were the first ones to open the night.

Bret Michaels on Long Island

2010-10-19T00:36:00.010-04:00

I got to see Bret Michaels in concert again a few weeks ago. He never disappoints, even after all he has been through in the last six months. I played around with the manual settings on my camera for these shots...

There's some noise in this one because the ISO was at 1600, but I love the effect it created and the way the scarf is blowing...

You can't do You're Mama Don't Dance without a little harmonica...

This was my favorite guitar of the show...

Not the best photo I've ever taken and probably not the best one I've taken of Bret, but this was my favorite shot of the night...

Eastern Long Island September 2010

2010-10-19T00:35:00.002-04:00

Keeping with the Hamptons theme, our last trip of the summer was Labor Day weekend, when we went out to see a screening of "Last Play at Shea" at Guild Hall...

We started the day at the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum. My sister had just read Moby Dick and wanted to learn more about this history...

This is a dolphin skull they have hanging from the ceiling in one of the rooms...

This is a bust of Thomas Jefferson that used to be part of a ship...

Bay Point...the day before a tropical storm had passed through so the waves made for some great kite boarding...

I love this church on Main Street in East Hampton...

Cemetery in East Hampton...the graves are all pretty old...

This one was for someone who was born in the 1500's...

And the main event...Last Play at Shea...

Artists/Writers Game 2010

2010-10-19T00:20:00.001-04:00

I wound up spending at least one day a month in the Hamptons, which for me was a first. In August, my sister and I went to the Artists/Writers Game in East Hampton. It has been going on for around 62 years and raises money for a couple of different charities. This year the artists won (yay!). Didn't get a lot of shots, but here are the few I did get. Better luck next year?

My sister liked this guy because she thought he looked like Ernest Hemingway...

Eastern Long Island July 2010

2010-10-19T00:16:00.001-04:00

My little sister and I took a trip out to Montauk and Sag Harbor the day after the 4th of July. This time I brought my Nikon to snap some photos...

Sag Harbor...

Bay Point...

Back to Sag Harbor because the playground was calling us...

Flowers July 2010

2010-07-04T22:08:00.004-04:00

Random flower photos from the last few days, all shot with a Casio Exilim point and shoot...

Montauk June 2010

2010-07-04T21:47:00.009-04:00

Last week, I had a lunch meeting in East Hampton and after it ended, I decided to take the rest of the afternoon off work. I bummed around East Hampton Village, went out to Montauk and up to Sag Harbor then ended the night by seeing Equus at Guild Hall Theatre in East Hampton starring Alec Baldwin and Sam Underwood - fantastic performance. Should have taken the time off sooner - I am still feeling the stress-relieving benefits. Here are some photos, mostly from Montauk. I didn't have my Nikon, so these were all shot with a Casio Exilim point and shoot...

Even though I hate heights, I forced myself to climb the tower...

Sag Harbor...

Gen Y Tells Us Why

2010-07-04T21:35:00.005-04:00

Last month, I spoke at a rally in Southampton hosted by OFA South Fork that was aimed at getting young people involved in politics. While I was waiting for it to start, I snapped a few photos...

I stopped on my way home to take some photos of Stargazer...

Memorial Day 2010 at Calverton National Cemetery

2010-07-04T21:19:00.008-04:00

This year on Memorial Day, after marching in the Holbrook parade, I went out to Calverton for the ceremony they do every year. I had never been there before and it was a very moving experience...

The opening procession...

The Gold Star families...

The Patriot Guard Riders...these folks are amazing...

Congressman Bishop walking to the podium...

A Gold Star mother teaching the crowd about the difference between a 21 gun salute and a 21 gun volley...

Maine Weekend 2010 - Sunday

2010-07-04T20:18:00.007-04:00

Last day in Maine. Some random shots from the drive south...

Along the highway, there is a statue place where we stopped to get a pig statue...

Where the Wild Things Are!

Flea market...

Suspension bridge meant only for walking. I actually climbed down a small rock face to get some of the shots...

Maine Weekend 2010 - Saturday

2010-07-04T16:54:00.017-04:00

Saturday was the Fisherman's Festival. I wound up missing most of it, but did see a few of the events...

This was the bait shoveling contest...

This girl was one of the runners-up for the Little Miss Shrimp Pagent. She sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"...

Trap hauling contest...

Outside the library were some really pretty flowers...

Tug-of-war competition for the kids...

Really cool coffee shop that had no empty space on the walls...

Downtown Bath...

Boothbay Harbor at sunset...

Maine Weekend 2010 - Friday

2010-07-04T11:39:00.016-04:00

Friday in Maine...we went to a lighthouse we had never been to before that is northeast (I think) of Boothbay Harbor.

Right across the water from the lighthouse is this house, which belonged to the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West...

On the same island was an old cemetery with some cool headstones...

Some random shots from the drive back to Boothbay...

Downtown Boothbay Harbor...

We stopped at a quilt shop somewhere in Maine, I can't remember the name of the town...

Along the road between Edgecomb and Boothbay is a farm with llamas and emus...

We went to a tidal pool that we haven't been to for a few years...

And then we went to Pemiquid Point Lighthouse...

Maine Weekend 2010 - Thursday

2010-07-04T11:26:00.005-04:00

Been a long time since I updated...law school finals and work sort of got in the way. Over the next few posts, I will catch up on what I have been slacking on posting.

These are from this year's trip to Boothbay Harbor, Maine for the Fisherman's Festival. I almost didn't make it because I had to finish my appellate brief for legal writing but after being awake for 36 hours straight, I finished it and submitted it and was ready for the ferry...

Before we left, I took some pictures of mom's flowers while waiting for everyone to be ready...

Some pictures from the New Hampshire State Liquor Store...

Soldier Ride

2010-02-17T02:04:00.003-05:00

Way back in July, I took part in Soldier Ride the Hamptons. Shortly after, I started law school, which has kept me from being able to update this blog :) So, finally, here are the pictures from the event, which, I have to say, was one of the best days of my life.

The event raised money to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, an awesome organization that helps our nation's wounded heroes. The bike ride was either 30 miles or 60 miles. I did 30 - and man, was that plenty! I rode in honor of Christopher Levi (look back a few posts and you'll see some photos from his homecoming), a wounded warrior from my hometown. The ride was held in memory of Jordan Haerter, a Marine from Sag Harbor who was killed in Iraq in April 2008.

The day started out with registration and breakfast at the American Legion Post in Amaghansett...

A shirt from the Soldier Ride event that had taken place the day before in Babylon, New York...talk about hardcore biking - two days in a row!

The organizer getting the crowd psyched...

The local fire chief presented donations that had been collected by the fire department...

And then Dan Akroyd took the stage...he rode his motorcycle with the Patriot Guard Riders that led off the ride...

The bikers getting ready to head out...

Jordan's mom shares his story...

These two young boys raised an extraordinary amount of money for their age...

And we're off - this was taking while attempting to navigate the bike...downtown Amaghansett...

This was where I realized that trying to shoot and bike at the same time probably wasn't a good idea...something was bound to get broken...although this was still about 2 miles before I realized that the guy in the bike store who checked out my bike a few days before the race was totally wrong...my bike was already broken...

This was about the point where I realized that my rear tire may not hold up for the entire race...and it certainly wasn't doing any hills...if you've ever spent time in this area of East Hampton, you will understand the problem...

The Marines from Jordan's unit, the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (I believe they are known as the Walking Dead) came up from Camp Lejune to take part in the ride...they had just learned of the loss of another member of the unit overseas...

This was at the "half-way" point, where a memorial ceremony was held for Jordan...we rode across the bridge...this was the point where I realized that my bike was in really bad shape and questioned whether or not I would be able to finish the race in one piece...but then I thought, if Chris could do it, then I could finish the race...

I gave up on the bike for a little while and walked across the bridge with the 5K walkers...

In Sag Harbor Village, the ride went past Jordan's grave...

I didn't realize I had gotten this shot until after I got home and looked at the pictures...if you look closely, you can see the American flag reflecting next to the quote...

By the end of the race, I was too wiped to take any pictures. I finished last, but what sticks with me still is that I finished, and I had the opportunity to take part in a great tribute to one of our country's fallen heroes. I cannot wait to do it again this year.

Fourth of July Ducks Game

2009-07-06T21:04:00.039-04:00

On Saturday night my little sister and I went to the Ducks game. Of course, the camera came along...

Goofing around before the game...

Some Quacker Jack action...

Game time...

Quacker Jack and friend running the bases...

One of the Ducks players gets ready to watch the fireworks...

Being the 4th of July, of course there were fireworks...

Some after-game pics. My sister was blown away by the fireworks...

The Calm After the Storm

2009-06-26T21:04:00.006-04:00

It seems like it's been raining non-stop for weeks. Tonight we had a particularly wicked storm, but afterward the sky looked really cool...

There was still some lightening in the distance. Not spectacular shots, but still cool...

And of course, with all the rain, the dogs have been spending more time inside...

Flag Day

2009-06-14T19:51:00.004-04:00

I went to the Flag Day ceremony at American Legion Post 155 in Ronkonkoma today. I got there a bit late, so I missed most of it, but here are some pictures...

A collection of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts brought up old flags that were then properly disposed of through burning...

An older group of Boy Scouts went through the flag folding ceremony, and the crowd was taught what each part of the folding represented...

Mets Game 6-25-08

2009-06-14T19:25:00.008-04:00

These pictures are almost a year old - I took them at the last game I went to at Shea Stadium last June. I came across them today, and they made me feel better about the Mets getting crushed by the Yanks today, so I figured I'd post them...

Ahh, Shea Stadium. I went to the game with my little sister. We got there a few minutes late and she had to go to the bathroom (of course, if she'd listened and gone before we left the house, we'd have been fine, but I digress), and I made her stop in the parking lot so I could take pictures of the stadium. Like I told her that day, I've been a Mets fan my entire life, and going to Shea for the first time when I was 5 was like a religious experience. At that time, it was magical because it was where Darryl Strawberry played; when I went there last June, it was also where Mike Piazza, John Olerud (I never could spell his name right), Rey Ordonez, Turk Wendell, David Wright, Jose Reyes, and all of the other players I rooted for over the years had played; it was where I yelled at John Rocker for being an idiot and then watched him find out he had been traded while he was in the bullpen warming up for a game; it was where I'd watched baseball with my parents and my brother and sister; it was where the Mets had gone through so many ups and downs; it was filled with a history I felt in some way I was part of just by being a fan...

David Wright hitting a home run. If you look closely just under where it says neweracap.com on the dugout, you can see the ball leaving the bat...

Citifield being constructed...

The Mets do a team handshake like no other I've seen at the end of the game. Boy can these guys jump...

I took this shot with the camera phone on my Blackberry and was suprised at the quality...

Peconic Quilt Show

2009-06-14T18:32:00.013-04:00

Last Sunday, I went to the Peconic Quilt Show in Riverhead with my mom. I am still amazed at the skill level of the quilters. I've dabbled, but I don't think I could ever do anything near as awesome as what these women (and men!) do. Here are some pictures...

First we went and saw my grandma. Here are some shots from her flower garden...

This butterfly was hanging out when we went into the show, and was still there when we came out about 6 hours later...

I think this is supposed to be Woodsey the Owl...either way, it's awesome...

This is from a quilt called "Women, Etcetera." It's a huge quilt that was done entirely by hand over the course of three years and is supposed to represent all of the things that women do...

This is the entire quilt...

There were a bunch of these guys hanging around. The last time I saw this many turkeys in one place on Long Island was on my friend Alexander's property in Amaghansett. This one did everything he could to evade having his picture taken...

A reversible quilt!

I picked up the Army version of this fabric to try to do something similar...

More close-ups from the "Women Etcetra" quilt...

D-Day Wound Warriors Walk in Glen Cove

2009-06-06T11:39:00.009-04:00

This morning I participated in the Greater Long Island Running Club's Wounded Warrior 5K to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the Semper Fi Fund. Now, no one get excited - I did not do an actual 5K. But I did do the 1-mile walk portion of the event. After the walk, there was a ceremony to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day, then the wheelchair race and the 5K race began. Of course, because I'm me, I carried my camera along with me...

A fellow walker took this picture for me...

There were some Boy Scouts walking around selling American Flags...

The Marine Corps color guard setting up...

Judge Suozzi, who was at Normandy on D-Day...

Judge Suozzi leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance...

County Executive Tom Suozzi ran in the 5K...

Sgt. Major Reese from Quantico, the guest of honor...

Afternoon with the Dogs

2009-05-31T18:58:00.005-04:00

I finally drug my butt out of bed this afternoon to take some pictures of my dogs enjoying the weather...

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T19:50:00.007-04:00

I just got home from the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans' of America Memorial Day ceremony at Bald Hill. It was the first time I've gone to the ceremony - it was an incredibly moving experience. I'm going to post the lyrics to a Keni Thomas song I think everyone should listen to, and then some pictures from the ceremony.

Flags of Our Fathers
Keni Thomas

I remember every holiday
The whole town lined the streets
Waiting on the big parade
From the curb and their lawn chair seats
And that one old man
Always the first to stand
And snap a sharp salute
And one by one the crowd around
Would rise and follow suit

As the streamers flew like eagles
And the battle banners waved
For all the ones who fought and died
To see Old Glory raised
To each and every hero
Who has ever come and gone
The flags of our fathers carry on

The marching bands and the motorcades
Paper flowers and the floats
Beauty queens and their pageant waves
Oh but what I remember most
Is that one old man
Always the first stand with his hand across his heart
And how his eyes welled up with pride
When he saw the color guard

As the streamers flew like eagles
And the battle banners wave
For all the ones who fought and died
To see Old Glory wave
To each and every hero
Who has ever come and gone
The flags of our fathers carry on

Corporal Chris Levi Homecoming

2009-05-16T16:07:00.008-04:00

Just got home from the homecoming celebration for Corporal Chris Levi of Holbrook, New York. Corporal Levi (U.S. Army) was finally able to come home today after a year-long stay at Walter Reed Army Hospital following traumatic amputation of both legs while on deployment in Sadr City, Iraq in March 2008. The community, led by the Holbrook Fire Department, came together and renovated the Levi home so that Corporal Levi would be able to comfortably return to his family's home and try to resume his life. Welcome home, Chris.

Chief Gimbl, who spearheaded the renovations and the homecoming...

Senator Foley presents Corporal Levi with the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross...

May Flowers

2009-05-10T02:18:00.005-04:00

Some photos I snapped yesterday of the flowers already blooming in my mom's garden, and the flowerpot cupcakes I made for Mother's Day...

New England Weekend - Sunday

2009-05-10T01:26:00.009-04:00

Last day in Maine and the drive home...

This is how they play politics in Edgecomb...

This is a suspension bridge that was built in the 1890's for pedestrian traffic only...

This is the flea market building in Brunswick from the suspension bridge...

We stopped at the open air flea market in Hollis, NH on our way to Nashua...

Sunset from the ferry home...

New England Weekend - Saturday

2009-04-27T00:52:00.035-04:00

Day 2 of my New England weekend. This was the whole reason we went up to Maine - the annual Boothbay Harbor Fishermans' Festival, the kick-off of the summer season in the Boothbay Region...

Awesome shop in Boothbay Harbor...

I wish this was really the price of gas...

Every year the town gets together as part of their Fisherman's Festival and selects a Shrimp Princess...

The first event of the monring is the Cod Fish Relay. Each grade in the high school has a team, and they have to put on foul weather gear, grab two fish, run around the town and then the next person has to put on the gear, grab the fish, and run, and on down the line...

The perennial emcee for the day...

The race for last place...

Once the high school race was done, they did the small fry version...

The second event of the day is the trap haul, where teams go out and race to see who can pick up all of the traps and then put them back quicker. This was the winning team coming in...

The next event is the crate run, where they string a line of lobster crates that are weighted down with seaweed between a boat and the dock and people (mostly kids) run across them to see how many back and forth passes they can make before they fall in...

This is the kid who won. The rule is that you either fall in or run for 3 minutes. In 3 minutes, he ran 480 crates...

The last three runners were members of the local Coast Guard unit who decided to get in on the action...

The next event, and the last one I stayed to watch, was the dory bailout. The only match I saw was the first one, where two sets of sophomores from the local high school battled it out...

Craft fair at the Boothbay Harbor Fire House...

Indoor flea market and dam in Brunswick...

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse...

I seriously busted my butt on the rocks in order to get this picture...

I took the opportunity to make my sister pose a bit...