Since 2020 didn’t end up being what anyone thought it would be, photo opportunities were very scarce this year. At the start of the pandemic, I was stuck out on Long Island for about three months (all of spring) without my camera, and once reunited with it in NYC I barely went out due to social distancing rules.
My dream of taking more photos of actual humans in nature went downhill really fast, and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get back to trying in the future now that the COVID-19 vaccine is being administered.
However, looking back at some of the photos I was able to take after the lockdown, I realized my 2020 could have been a lot worse. I still went on a few road trips (the safest way to vacation during a pandemic IMO), so I was able to capture some amazing shots. I also managed to take a few photos around Manhattan.
Here are some of the photos I wanted to highlight from this year:
Summer 2020
Cloudy skies in Dorchester County, MD
June 2020’s Sahara Dust in Manhattan, NY overlooking NJ
Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery in Vienna, MD
Summer berries in Highbridge Park, NYC
Ocean City, MD
Wild horses on Assateague Island
Behind Snappers Waterfront Cafe in Cambridge, MD
Fall 2020
Found a flower while pumpkin picking at Emily’s Produce in MD (plus a ladybug)!
At the end of February, I took a fun road trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with my guy and had a blast. I honestly was so psyched to take my DSLR camera out of New York for the first time, and I had such a fun time taking pics and video during the trip. I did leave my camera behind during some parts of the vacation due to a few places not allowing professional cameras and whatnot (I’m also not great at night photography yet so I didn’t really bother taking my camera out after 6pm), but I am happy with the shots I got.
We stayed at the Oaklander Hotel, which is right near the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland, so at night there were tons of college kids out and about in the streets and the bars.
The hotel itself was a bit odd as the check in desk is not in the lobby on the first floor, but instead on the 10th floor (you read that correctly, TENTH) where the Spirits & Tales hotel bar is. Other than that, the room was great (the stand up shower situation was also odd but after a while you get used to it) and I would stay there again if I were to go back to Pittsburgh for another vacation.
Enjoy some of my favorite shots from my Pittsburgh vacay!
Chasing the sunset on the Pennsylvania Turnpike while traveling to Pittsburgh.
The Pitt Panther Statue
The Cathedral of Learning
Inside the Cathedral of Learning
Austria Nationality Room – The Cathedral of Learning
Israel Nationality Room – Cathedral of Learning (imagine sitting at one of these desks!)
Heinz Memorial Chapel
Inside of the Heinz Memorial Chapel
Dr. Thomas Starzl Statue at UPitt
Oakland Mural
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Oakland Ave
View from the terrace near Litchfield Towers at UPitt
Oakland Square
Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church
Mad Mex Restaurant
Bouquet Gardens
Love locks on Schenley Bridge
Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park
Phipps Conservatory
Dinosaur statue wearing a scarf near the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
I haven’t done a DSLR Diaries for a little while, and it feels strange, so I’m rummaging through my camera roll for some miscellaneous fall-winter 19/20 photos to share with you guys.
To be frank, I haven’t gone shooting much lately as it’s so cold out and the winter wind freezes my little fingers whenever I take my camera out in below 45° weather.
Even thought I think winter landscapes are magical, I’d much rather it be spring right now.
Anyway, enjoy these photos taken in NYC and Long Island during the months of November 2019-January 2020.
Fall 2019
Autumn leaves in Babylon, LI.
Clear afternoon skies in the Flatiron District of Manhattan.
I should have posted this days ago, but I didn’t, so here we are, looking back at October in my DSLR photos more than a month after New York Comic Con.
I didn’t attend Comic Con as a ticketed guest, but I had some friends that wanted to do a photoshoot after, so I hung out around the Javits Center and took some pics of people in cosplay entering an exiting the venue.
I did dress up though, as Qveen Herby. One of my coworkers took these shots of me:
You’ll notice a bunch of Where’s Waldos in these pics. I’m not really sure what that was all about but I was kind of annoyed that I couldn’t find anyone dressed as Carmen Sandiego!
Anyway, enjoy! (These have no captions because I have no clue who half of these people are, save for Mario and Luigi, Tina and Louise Belcher, and Spiderman lol)
I had a blast being an amateur photographer during New York Fashion Week SS20. While I wasn’t prepared to take shots of moving models on the catwalk (didn’t know how to work the manual shutter speed), thankfully, I was invited to photograph the Kentina showcase backstage. So exciting!
I also went to two NYFW events, one at Micheal’s Luxury Consignment shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and a blogger event at Ann Taylor on 5th Ave (thanks for the invite, Christina!).
I wasn’t able to take any photos at all during the Minika Ko showcase I went to at PH-D Lounge (the Penthouse rooftop at Dream Downtown) because it was so dark that my night mode setting was USELESS. I was able to get a decent video on my DSLR though, which you can see in this Instagram post.
Without further ado, enjoy DSLR Diaries a la fashion week:
If you follow me on Instagram or watch my YouTube channel, you’ll know that I’m the proud owner of a new Canon EOS 4000D. It’s my first ever DSLR camera, and I’m so excited to be considered an amateur photographer.
As I practice taking photos, I figured it would be fun to start a new series called “DSLR Diaries” where I share some of my favorite shots for the month. My ultimate faves go on my Instagram stories immediately after I’ve taken them, so I’m not going to repost those here. Make sure to follow @thewhisperbox so you don’t miss them!
Enjoy my July 2019 in photos!
This box remained in the living room for several weeks because Artemis Lucille the cat loved it so much.
Sidewalk floralia in Washington Heights, NYC.
A cool shot of docked CitiBikes in Chinatown/Little Italy.
Chalk art on the sidewalk on Grand Street of interlaced hearts <3.
Okay, so I technically posted this one on my Instagram stories already but this chandelier close up is too cool!
My boyfriend’s favorite beer, Genesee, at the East Harlem Bottling Co.
Dinner at East Harlem Bottling Co.
I couldn’t resist taking a closeup of this yellow flower in Babylon, NY.
A bird day afternoon in Argyle Park.
A graceful swan in Argyle Lake.
Check out my Canon EOS 4000D unboxing video if you haven’t already!