Since Memorial day is in May, I chose to feature the National Memorial Arch which is located in Valley Forge National Historic Park because of the inscription on the reverse side.
"Naked and starving as they are We cannot enough admire The incomparable Patience and Fidelity of the Soldiery" - George Washington
The photograph was taken just after sunset in November of last year.
May 2013 Calendar
Earlier this year I was approached by a friend about an new sports team called the Philadelphia Phoenix who needed some photographic coverage. The Phoenix is part of the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) which is a league for the sport of Ultimate (Ultimate Frisbee). This is a professional sports team, and the athleticism of the competitors is really something to watch. The pictures in the gallery below show a fraction of the continuous action. At first I was a bit skeptical of guys throwing a Frisbee around a football field. But now, having seen one of the games, let me assure you, these wiry, strong, determined gladiators take to the field with power and grace. It is an impressive sight. If you have some time Sunday May 5th at 1pm come see them at home against the DC Breeze at O’Shields Stadium, Cheyney University.
Over this past weekend I got to work with the West Chester Film Festival staff taking candid photographs of their ninth annual “Small Town Big Film” event. Over the course of the weekend there were many gatherings, including meet and greets, workshops, and screenings for the movies that were submitted to the festival. There were more than sixty films submitted, which were screened at two locations in West Chester: the Armory and the Knights of Columbus. The awards banquet was Sunday evening. It was a thrill for me and a wonderful event. Be sure to put it on your calendar for next year so you can help celebrate 10 years of the West Chester Film Festival. You can also visit their Facebook page
I get asked this question more than you would think. Some friends of mine don’t travel farther than the Jersey Shore for a week or two every summer. Some have never left our home state of Pennsylvania. Some expound excuses: too expensive, too far, too much hassle and my favorite “I don’t want to go anywhere else, I have everything I need right here.” My response to this last excuse is usually something like “Being content and being fulfilled are very different things.” But this usually falls on deaf ears. So let me make my case here.
Travel because the world is full of mystery, because the Earth has glorious secrets shrouded from the multitudes. Travel for the people you would never meet at home. Soak in their ideas, culture, and values. People from other cultures have passions about things we take for granted. I have learned the value of many things I thought were insubstantial in this world while I was traveling. Travel for the feeling of independence. It’s a great feeling when you’ve accomplished a great task, be that climbing in the Rockies or living for a week in a country where you don’t speak the language. Travel for the food. Taste the complexity of French wine, or the sweet nectar of Canadian maple syrup, or savor a three hour meal where each course is more delectable than the last. Travel for the sights. There is only one Grand Canyon, only one Niagara Falls, only one Tower Bridge, Statue of Liberty (well actually there are three, but not like the one in New York), Coliseum, Eiffel Tower, San Francisco Bridge, Blarney Stone, the list goes on and on. Travel for an event like the running of the bulls, or a rocket launch, the World Series, a formula one race, a Broadway play, or a breakfast with the Disney Princesses.
I agree some travel is very expensive, but sometimes it can be very economical. Plan something in advance, even if it’s that trip to the beach. Try a different beach that is supposed to be amazing. Try a beach in a different state, or even a different continent. Start small, and start local. I can say that because for me travel is more about the experience than the length of the plane ride. A half hour car ride to a festival can be very inspiring if you plan the journey, which is a lot of fun in itself.
Why travel? My best answer, because we’re only here once. Live life and soak up a world full of experiences, here, there and everywhere. Carpe Diem - Seize the day
Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 65mm f/7.1 ISO 100 1/500 sec
I thought I had better get a few of the last “late Winter / pre-Spring” pictures posted. Here’s one I took a few weeks ago at the end of March. Today, when I search for interesting moments to photograph the trees each have a subtle hue of light green. Not long ago they were just dead lifeless sticks, waiting for Mother Nature’s resurrecting kiss. Pictures of dead trees are not high on people’s favorites lists, but the angle of the horizon plus the drama in the sky made me think the scene had potential. It gave me the feeling of weather pushing into the picture by a hidden force. The sky seems so alive, while beneath appears so dead.
Nikon D800, Nikkor 28-300mm F/3.5-5.6 @ 85mm f/18 ISO 100 5 image HDR
