My Kodak Picture of the Day!

MY KODAK PICTURE OF THE DAY

March 13, 2002

(Helaine Cummins - Photographer)

Lenny and I had the most AWESOME vacation in England, July/August 2001. Many of you know that I took tons of photographs, both color prints and digital. I put the digital photos on web pages that I call "ENGLAND 2001, Our Trip of a Lifetime". (My color prints are all stuck in 7 albums!)

When looking at a friend's Australia photos online, I came across the Kodak.com "Picture of the Day" contest. I thought to myself "I've got tons of pictures to submit. It doesn't cost anything and many of my photos are digital and ready to go . . . so why not submit one?" So I did enter one of those pictures which I call "Our Private Tin Mine":

Our Private Tin Mine,taken by ME,
while "exploring" Cornwall, England
with Christine, our "tour guide".

Much to my surprise on February 28, 2002, I received the following email from one of the editors for Kodak's Picture of the Day:

Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!

Dear Helaine,

I'm one of the editors for Kodak's Picture of the Day -- and I'm writing to say CONGRATULATIONS!

"Our Private Tin Mine" has been accepted for Picture of the Day. It will appear on http://www.kodak.com, and on the Kodak Times Square Gallery in New York City every few minutes March 13, 2002.

Be sure to tell your friends and family, and keep submitting your pictures!

Best regards,

Frank Grad

I was so excited and thrilled that within hours of receiving that email I sent emails to tons of family and friends!

Hey, check this out!!!! I made the big time! REALLY BIG!!! MY picture can be seen on March 13 on this huge screen in New York Times Square!!! Wooooohoooooo!!!! Where's my plane ticket?

Hey, any of you in New York, check it out and tell me how it looks! You can also see my picture on the web site as listed below. I'll attach my picture here for you to see, but make sure you go and see the real deal on March 13.

Let me know if you see it!

Helaine

PS I'll probably send a reminder out closer to the 13th.

I'm including some of the responses from family and friends here:

*Jan*	*Oh now we won't be able to stand you with the SWELLED HEAD!!!!! Congratulations what a neat deal. How long will it be on the screen?*
*Dennis*	*Helaine, WELL DONE!!!*
*Carol*	*Helaine: Whooohoooo! and Congrats!!! I am sooooooo impressed! You did good! I always said your photos were great [:)]*
*Nissim*	*Wow! Congrats!*
*David*	*Well done Hank*
*Helaine -* *NutnHunny*	*WOW...! YOU GO GIRL!*
*Helaine -* *hew*	*i saw your photos. they are fabulous, clear as a bell!* *love, and congratulations.*
*David*	*For sure, I'm going to go and see it.*
*Paula*	*Congratulations! How great!*
*Elesa*	*Fantastic, but did you win any money or anything? How long will it be up there? Do you know anyone in NY who will go and take a photo of it for you?*
*Barriella*	That's great news !!!! Wish we could be in Times Square to see it in person. Maybe you can enter the contest again, but give us advance notice, and we can plan our trip to see Caren and Michael around that event ?!!????!! Love, Us
*Helaine -* *hdavis*	*Congratulations!! Your tin mine castle looks like one of the castles from the Poldarks series from PBS.*
*Christine*	*Congratulations! BUT where are you in the picture. I can only see the tin mine!*
*Larry*	*Just goes to show ya. Take thousands of pictures and you are bound to get a few good ones.* *Congrats,*
*Amy*	*so proud of you mrs. c.....what a fabulous picture!!!*
*Helaine -* *UpJoey*	*wonderful fun news! I agree the photo is marvelous! where was this photo taken? I even see a birdie on the top of this castle?*
*Marlene B*	*How did you accomplish this?*
*Sandy*	*Congratulations Helaine* *I knew you have the talent that you don't use* *professionally. Keep up the good work.*
*Barbara*	*Helaine, Congrats!! I know you always wanted to be BIGGER THAN LIFE.*
*Helaine -* *hfraser*	*If I'm energetic and walk from the station to work on the 13th, I'll look for it...good work!!! (She DID!!! See below!)*
*Patti*	*Congrats! We'll be watching.*
*Helaine -* *Sivin*	*Good work! Hey this is great. I'll be sure to take a look! Great pic!*
*setsuko*	That is BIG !!! CONGRATULATIONS !!! that's neat photo. I can feel quiet, warm European country atmosphere from the image. I wish I could see the building with white flowers. Again, congratulations !! I'm supposed to go to NY for bus. trip leaving on 3/6 for 2 nights, but it is postponed to April. I hope you will find someone to take photo of it. : )
*Scottland*	*Way to Go! Where's the picture? I thought the download was the picture, but it was the example of time square and where your picture is going to be. Very exciting!*
*Jodi*	*We'll be in NYC in March so I'll take a picture of your picture and send it to you. TALK ABOUT BIG TIME !!!!!WOW !! congratulations. love and hugs, nef*
*Estelle*	*Congratulations! Its a wonderful picture. Did you take it when you were in England?*
*Tom*	*Well done!!!!*
*Bruno*	*wowww !!! congratulations !!!*
*Andrea*	Fantastic, Great to hear from you Helaine, You have left me speechless, Whowowowowowow, Reallly happy for you. How? When? Where? and where did you take that beautiful print of and where? Congratulations. I 've noted that date in my calendar so I will be looking for it in New York. Are you going there? Oh well a dream come true. Just me, (Tell me more . . .)
*Phyllis*	*WOW! That is great. Congratulations. I am impressed, and I will try to remember to look on March 13.*
*Lyn*	*Helaine- How did you get so famous ? I will ask my friend's daughter who lives in Manhattan to check it out.*
*Katie*	*Well, well! You'll make your fortune yet! Get ready Jay Leno! How fun. Wish we could see it.*
*Helaine -* *Xplrt*	*hi will check it out!*
*Bobbi*	*Congrats! Helaine! I knew you had a winner in you!*
*Mindy*	*Wow! A celebrity!!! I always did love your photos. Is it a photo of NY or from your England trip? cool photo ..congrats*
*Helaine -* *Mig*	*that is wonderful news*
*Caren & Mike*	*Totally cool...I'll go check it out! Congrats!*
*Barbara*	*I'm thrilled for you. Congratulations, it's a wonderful* *picture. What an honor! Keep that camera clicking.*
*Helaine -* *Wifey*	*congrats on your picture. Where was it taken?*
*Colleen*	*CONGRATULATIONS HELAINE!!!!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!! YOU'LL HAVE TO LET US KNOW WHEN WE CAN SEE IT ON THE BILLBOARD!*
*Gill*	*Hi Helaine, That is great news!!! I love the photo as well!*
*Julene*	*Hey, cooooolllll!!! Congrats Hank. I'll be looking for it for real on the real day.*
*Judi*	*Thanks for the reminder. Will check it out tomorrow morning.*
*Judy*	*Congrats - I like the photo. I'll check the Kodak site next week as well. How many did you submit to Kodak?*
*Howie*	*Hi Helaine, Congratulations!!!!!*
*Jason*	*That is sooo cool! I like the picture a lot! It's beautiful!*
*Judy*	Very cool!! Both the picture and the whole thing. Please convey my congratulations. I can feel what it must have been like to have been there - and I'm a big fan of ruined castles and such. Thanks for thinking to pass it on to me.
*Rhonda*	*that's pretty cool - although that whole eye thing before the picture comes up is kinda creepy!*
*Carol*	*I saw your picture. It never went into real time for me, but your picture was cool!*
*KEN*	*Wow!! Great photo! I want my own tin mine if it looks like that!!!!*
*Claire*	*Just wanted to let you know I just saw your photo flash. Your famous now!*
*Kim*	*Hey Sandi, I checked it out. Tell your mom that's cool!*
*Carolyn & Rachel*	*Just a quick email to Say Congratulations for today, on your picture. It really is nice to see a bit of home, here in the USA*
*Kathy*	Aren't you proud??? It is right on the sight when you click on Kodak.com!! Then I went to the webcam and waited for your picture to show it.. It was NEAT!! Perhaps you should take the best of your pictures..and contact a book *publishing company..have you thought of that?*

OK, now it is Tuesday night, March 12 . . . Wait! It's already March 13 in New York!!! My picture was on the Kodak web site already! I started sending out email and messaging anyone who was around. I was "talking" with people even as I was falling asleep. *YAWN*

One of those I "talked" to was Geoffrey who sent me screen captures of MY picture of the day on kodak.com. (He also taught me how to do it for myself!)

Geoffrey "captured" this screen for me.	This is a detail of the screen capture on the left.
Geoffrey also "captured" the next Kodak screen for me.	Here's a detail of the screen capture on the left.

I captured the Kodak Times Square Web Cam image with MY Photo of the Day showing!

There's NO stoping me now!
Here is the Times Square Cam screen
showing MY Photo of the Day!

And here is the detail of the shot on the left.

When I put out a plea for someone . . . ANYONE . . . in the New York City area to get a picture of MY Picture of the Day on the Kodak Times Square Cam in Manhattan, I thought I was probably just wishin', and hopin', but nobody would come through with any pictures for me. Boy was I wrong!

I'm waiting for a couple of photos from a total stranger! One of our Helaines asked a friend if she might be able to get a couple of shots for me. Here is her email to me:

Subject: Re: a favor to ask you

I coincidentally happened to throw a disposable camera into my back pack this morning.

I went to Times Square today at lunch after reading your email request. I figured that the photo was part of the Kodak display on the front of the Marriot Marquis. However, I watched for a while and didn't see it. I stayed for the repeat twice.

Something told me to stay there for lunch so I tried a McVeggie burger and continued to watch the display. Suddenly I looked up and saw the "Imagine all the world living life in peace" billboard. Then, I saw the photo and credit "Photo by Helaine Cummins".

I went outside and waiting for the new repeat of slides. It included a promo for ET and then the screen blacked out. Next it read, "Kodak photo of the day" Then it showed your photo followed by the credit. I snapped the photo first but the movement was so quick, I had to wait a full round again to snap the credit.

Hopefully my photo will show something, given its a disposable camera. I'll let you know.

Thanks for a great lunch hour.
Marianne

Even without the photographs, the description means sooooo much to me! Thank you Marianne for taking the pictures AND your great description! I had no idea that they were putting MY name up there, huge for the world to see!

I'll be breathlessly awaiting your photos! I'll add them as soon as I get them here to scan!

And then from one of our New York Helaines:

Subject: Here is your reminder

Decisions...decisions...when should I go to see Helaine's picture? Before work (and be late), at lunch (which I might not get to take), after work (no, then it would be dark). And then of course today was a miserable day ... but I wanted to see your picture.

Anyway, I decided to go before work (so what if I'd be a few minutes late). I felt honored to know the photographer (even tho there was no one around to brag to). I took a couple of pictures of your picture (it only stayed on the screen for a couple of seconds) with a digital camera. I missed your name though (think I blinked). I'll send them to you...would do so tonite but I'm too lazy. So you'll just have to wait til the weekend (hope you don't mind). Any way, you should be proud of yourself!!!

Helaine

The picture that follow was taken by Helaine, right there at Times Square, of MY Picture of the Day!!! Woooooohoooooo!!!!! Of course I had to shrink it down so you could see it. Then I cropped MY part so you could see it better.

Helaine, thank you soooooo much.

I should add that these wonderful thoughtful people who went and took the pictures for me, did so in the cold pouring rain! Thank you both again!

This is the digital photo taken of
MY Photo of the Day showing on the Kodak display in Times Square -
Wednesday, March 13, 2002!

Detail of the New York Helaine's photo

Now with this web page, I've taken my "moment of glory", my "15 minutes of fame", my "minute in the limelight", and turned it into my special moment that will live forever!

So, do you think I'm acting tooooo excited? Well, I AM excited! I love taking pictures and have been doing so for years. This is the greatest photography event of my life . . . so far! Who knows what may come in the future . . . ?

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hcummins@lausd.k12.ca.us