Five and a Half

Fred City (or Frederick, MD as everyone else besides me calls it) is a great place to eat, drink beer, or go for a photowalk. Sometimes it is a good place to do all three.

Bridge2

Photos capture a moment in time - not just the what was seen, but also what was felt. Frustration is what I felt when I took this picture. Minutes earlier this wonderfully under-construction bridge was beautifully shrouded in fog - revealing just enough to make you want to see more. I tried to get closer to frame the shot that was in my mind, but the closer I got, the more the fog moved away, leaving me a bridge with too little mystery. Alas.

Maryland Heights

This was one of the first shots I took with my iPhone 4s. The main advantage to this over my usual DSLR rig was that it fit it my pocket, which was especially nice when hiking a fairly strenuous trail. The reward was this beautiful view of Harper's Ferry, site of much historical stuff and several ice cream shops, also very nice after hiking a fairly strenuous trail.

Day 116 - A Very Special Blossom - 6 Apr 2011

This is a plum tree that does not make plums. Guess that makes it just a tree. What it does make, however, are blossoms. This is one of them. There are many others, but you'll have to make my word for that.

Day 102 - Is This the World? - 23 Mar 2011

Some days you win, some days you lose, and some days you take a picture of a flower.

Day 50 - Under Ten - 30 Jan 2011

You wouldn't know it by looking, but something I am trying to do this time around is take more portraits. It is certainly one area where my photography skills are lacking, so this could be a good opportunity for improvement. The specific kind of portraits I'd like to get good at taking are Environmental Portraits. Wikipedia defines these as:

An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject's usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject's life and surroundings. By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, it is thought that you will be able to better illuminate their character, and therefore portray the essence of their personality, rather than merely a likeness of their physical features.

So anyway, at least you now know what I was trying to do with this shot. Hopefully you will see more of these in the next 315 days.

Day 47 - After the Snow Has Fallen - 27 Jan 2011

This is what I wish this thing would look like on the first day of winter, but it never does. Just because I take a shot of this on the first day of each season, does not mean I can't shoot it other days, too.

Nice bonus of the snow is that you can't see me.

Day 46 - Faces in the Snow - 26 Jan 2011

This has been a mean winter thus far. One cold day after another without the usual break of Springlike weather in between. And to top it off, no decent snows. That is, not until this day. Finally we got a snowman-making, sled worthy, snowball-fight-enabling, find-your-sled kind of snow. Before I grabbed my shovel, I grabbed my camera and took this shot.

Down St. Charlies

I've always had a desire to take a good shot of a New Orleans street car. While we were waiting for #933 to take us from where we were to where we were going, I got my chance. Like many things in the South, these old beauties move so slowly that it wasn't even especially foolish of me to stand on the track to take the picture as the car approached. And even if I cut it too close I expect someone would have pushed me out of the way - I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.

Square Umbrella

There is a secret little part of Manhattan that I like to call "Times Square". It is the perfect spot to meditate, unwind and enjoy the peaceful quietness. My Times Square is even more idyllic now that they've added these wonderful umbrellas. It is so nice that I'm hesitant to even post about it for fear that it will be discovered by the masses.

The Light Ahead

My grandparents owned a dry cleaning plant and always had vans that they used for, I'm not sure what (delivering the clean clothes? Did dry cleaners used to do that? Do they still? Maybe I would know this if my work clothes were not jeans and t-shirts on a good day). Point is, they had vans. So, when I saw this antique van, it brought back some memories, which I guess is the whole point of antiques.

Come Fly With Me

There was a time long ago when chrome wasn't just a browser - it was also a metal. They used to put it on cars in all kinds of crazy and creative ways, including hood mounted origami birds like this one. A real motor-head could tell you what kind of car this is based on this bird, but all I can tell you is that it was a greenish/blueish car.

Big Willy Style

This taken a good while after sunset. That is the nice thing about using a tripod and a long exposure - it can capture enough light to make night look like day, and also smooth out the choppy water.. Of course I could have just taken the shot during the day when it was not windy and may not have looked all that different. What's the fun in that?

Small Worlds

And here is the other shot I submitted for the World Wide Photo Walk (tm). This also did not win. So it goes. I still like it.

Many Days

I am a big fan of Fred City (or Frederick, MD as it is called by everyone who is not me). Having done more than a few informal photowalks there, I was excited to be part of the official World Wide Photo Walk. Turns out it was not something to be all the excited about, but still I got a few decent pictures out of it. This was one of the two that I submitted.

Close Encounter

The annual fireman's carnival is a very big event in our very small town. For the kids it is a chance to ride some rides that are scary for the wrong reasons. For me it is chance eat a delicious pit beef sandwich and take some long exposure shots. Sure, I get strange looks for carrying around my tripod, but I also get strange looks when I don't so it is not a big deal.

Northern Crosses

Think about how many times
I have fallen
Spirits are using me
larger voices callin'.
What heaven brought you and me
Cannot be forgotten.

Straight To Your Heart

Nothing like a little trespassing to get you where you need to be to take the shot. This is the tunnel at Harper's Ferry. For law abiding citizens there is a fence that ruins the shot - you can see it on the right. Shelley has a similar shot (and by similar, I mean better).

You Don't Stop

One more from Mebane in May. If you've never heard of Mebane, you might think it is just some one stoplight town. I can tell you with some certainty that is at least that, and possibly more.

Five Ways Out

Another stop on the Mebane Photowalk was a laundromat. In a bit of a crazy random happenstance, inside was a slightly awkward new couple enjoying what looked to be frozen yogurt.