My wife Cory and I had a wonderful day and night on our 30th Wedding anniversary. Thank you for all the kind likes and comments on social media.
People claim we can make it to 50 years. I'm not so sure. I'd be 87 years old. My parents never lived that long. My dad passed at 75 and my mom at 82. I'd be pushing it for sure. Cory on the other hand would have no problem getting there. But I'm afraid it would be without me. But hey, who knows. Maybe just maybe I can make it. I'm not going to give up. I live a pretty active lifestyle,
so it could happen.

My only concern is that I'd not have all my marbles at 87. I'd be loopy at best.

OK enough of Cory and I. I wanted to blog about the look and feel of Video Frame Grabs. For those of you who might not understand what a video frame grab is, I'll explain it to you. A video frame grab is simply a still from a moving video. There are many ways of grabbing them. I use Window Media Player and just hit the pause button at the moment I want to capture.

It's fun and another creative way of capturing a moment in surfing.

Last week I did all video frame grabs from my MARIA web edit. People loved them. But truth be told, the quality is night and day from my NIKON stills. There are better quality video cameras out there (4k and the RED Cameras) that can rival any still from any of the good S:LR cameras. Unfortunately I am not quite there just yet. So I make do with what I have.

There's a certain appeal to these frame grabs though. Back in the day when there were frame grabs from the old Super 8MM and 16mm that had a really cool look to them. In fact, I still grab frames from my old movies. I like the fact that they are grainy and slightly out of focus. It gives that old feel look, that lots of surfers like.

The series of video frame grabs in the gallery this week are all from my video clips of the upcoming GRANITE GIRLS and The RIVER WOMEN movie. I'll try and ID those who I know, and take a stab at those I might not know. In either case, grabbing these frames is like shooting stills of these same waves. For me as a photographer/filmmaker it adds a fresh look at something that has already been recorded.



Happy faces of mother and daughter. Rachel and Maddie Ryan. I love these two women surfers. They are such a tight knit family.



Another mother and daughter surf family. Teresa and Nicole Quinn.
I remember Nicole as a toddler, now she's out there catching waves with her mom and her friends.



The movie will also feature the women surf photographers. There's a handful that need to be recognized. Cory (above), Kim Grondin, Martha Lardent, Erica Nardone, and Hannah Vokey. All great photogs in their own right.



Erica Nardone on one of the coldest ever days I've ever dealt with.



Julie Jakoboski has gotten so much better since her relationship with Mikey Evans. He shapes her boards, surfs with her all the time, and lets face it, his talent can only help. And her surfing as of late is proof of that.



Hannah Vokey is one of the most talented surfers I know. She is an incredible artist and she's a really good surfer/skateboarder. Plus she's funny. She and her husband Sam (smiling behind her) surf together all the time. Sam like Hannah is another super talented artist. Her section in the movie will reflect
on their talents.

The movie itself has been pushed back until after Thanksgiving.
However, just think how cool of a Holiday Gift this will make!



"Surfing and Video Heals All Wounds"

This week's Ed's corner pic is from September 14th, 2013. That's Garret Krapf surfing the TS Gabrielle swell. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.


Now for Some International News

Harvey Weinstein. I have to say before this week, I really paid no attention to this toad. But after all the crazy allegations have come out it's hard not to know who he is today. So, I gathered a number of stills off the internet to share with you all today and this week. All the Hollywood HYPOCRITES and the equally hypocritical Politicians have all posed with this Monster Toad.

I mean not for nothing, but this man is hideous looking. The Casting Couch never looked so disgusting. Those poor women.
Or rather those women who were raped and sexually assaulted against their will by this toad.



Toad meets Toad. What a pair. Harvey and Mikey.



I hope the toad didn't maul her too. Poor Heidi Klum.



Oh no you don't Toad. Leave little Chelsea alone.



Say it ain't so Michelle. Yeah Harvey gave her husband all kinds of money. The Toad was a big supporter of the Dems.



It took a week before Hillary came out and spoke against the Toad. She along with many other DEMS gladly accepted his money and endorsements. Like I said. Hypocrites.



Now that's a Cold Play. Gweneth Paltro and the Toad.

KSM Photoshop of the Week
So I am not at all surprised that the Toad, and the Horn Toad hooked up with KSM. I wish I was a fly on the wall at that party. One can only imagine what kind of debauchery went on behind closed doors of those three.


Harvey and Khaliddy look like they could be brothers. Or cousins. Except of course that Harvey is Jewish and Khaliddy is Al Qeada. Not exactly the best of friends. But, sex, wine, and women change all of that. The Casting Couch with these three predators would make a GREAT Halloween Movie.

So my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).

*Note to self -must pick up a case of Condoms at Home Depot this week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jay Hammer October 14th, 2017!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Evamarie Fatello 19th, 2017



Click on the image above for details.

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 13 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo from any of the weeks on RPOTW.

Remember my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds.
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

(Above) Nicole Quinn bottom turn on a Maria leftover.
GRANITE GIRLS 2017 Video frame grab by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Julie Jakoboski last July 26th, 2017 in the water
GRANITE GIRLS 2017 Video frame grab by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON on each clip to view videos



MARIA from Ralph's Pic Of The Week on Vimeo.

Hurricane MARIA in New England. It's hard to get excited about a swell from a storm that devastated Puerto Rico. Lets face it, all East Coasters love PR. It's our Go To place for Tropical dream waves. The surf from Maria was well worth the travel woes. It's all New England Surfers. The music is by my old band SEMPER FI and the title of the song that I wrote in 1983 is...MARIA. I know ironic huh? David Robinson from The CARS produced the song. I also included a couple of tunes from Tom Petty. I loved that man and his music. So sad. If any of you want to help out the people of Puerto Rico contact the AMERICAN RED CROSS. Thanks.