One of our favorite places to visit is WIlliamsburg and the last time we ventured out a little further than usual and found this place. Needless to say there’s a ton of history in this area and we’d never been to this site before. And as always, great photo opportunities everywhere we went.
This is where I took this one | Order a print of this image.
While everybody was taking photos inside, I figured I’d be different and shoot the outside, which is just as photogenic. I really wanted to shoot the sunset from the tower, but it closed at 4:30 so this was a decent consolation. I’ve got so many more images to work my way through, but this one really caught my eye as I looked through my library.
The Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum in Chantilly, VA. Order a print of this image.
I heard myself vocalize it today. I’m a photographer. I had a friend suggest that I collect unemployment while I search for a job. And I heard myself say that I’m not sure I want to look right now. I’m a photographer. At least for now. Life is certainly going to throw curveballs at you from time to time and this one has been a whopper, but I think I’ve created a path that I’m going to follow and see where this crazy adventure takes me. As long as I’ve got access to my cameras and a nice day for a bike ride, I’ll be good for now.
Thanks Carla.
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There in the darkest night of the soul
There in the sweetest songs of victory
Your grace finds me
Yes Your grace finds me– Matt Redman, “Your Grace Finds Me”
To me, when I see this, I see a perfect desktop background image. Order a print of this image (or download it for your desktop).
This image certainly conjures up many different emotions with so many different people, but one thing is for certain – it will forever be a part of our nation’s history. It certainly is an impressive piece of machinery and takes up a sizable portion of the floor!
On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, The Enola Gay became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb.
Didn’t really like to have to shoot through the glass, but this thing is so picturesque! Order a print of this image.
I absolutely love this and just might work on my own list at some point (it’d probably contain almost all of these anyway). (borrowed from http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/100-things-i-have-learned-about-photography-169386)
The evolution of a photographer.
1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn’t mean that they’re a good photographer. 2. Always shoot in RAW. Always. 3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer. 4. Photo editing is an art in itself 5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time. 6. Macro photography isn’t for everybody. 7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps. 8. Go outside & shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums. 9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph. 10. Film isn’t better than digital. 11. Digital isn’t better than film. 12. There is no “magic” camera or lens. 13. Better lenses don’t give you better photos. 14. Spend less time looking at other people’s work and more time shooting your own. 15. Don’t take your DSLR to parties. 16. Girls dig photographers. 17. Making your photos b/w doesn’t automatically make them “artsy” 18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you “photoshop” your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the “digital darkroom”. 19. You don’t need to take a photo of everything. 20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none. 21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap. 22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better. 23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur. 24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting. 25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography. 26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you. 27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight. 28. The more photos you take, the better you get. 29. Don’t be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures. 30. Only show your best photos. 31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera. 32. Join an online photography forum. 33. Critique the works of others. 34. Think before you shoot. 35. A good photo shouldn’t require explanation (although background information often adds to an image). * 36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well. 37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them. 38. Grain is beautiful. 39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier. 40. Simplicity is key. 41. The definition of photography is: “painting with light.” Use light in your favor. 42. Find your style of photography and stick with it. 43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing. 44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter. 45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere. 46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life. 47. Don’t pamper your camera. Use and abuse it. 48. Take straight photos. 49. Shoot with confidence. 50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends. 51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy. 52. Give your photos to friends. 53. Give them to strangers. 54. Don’t forget to frame them. 55. Costco prints are cheap and look great. 56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s). 57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself. 58. Photos make great presents. 59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling. 60. Candid>Posed. 61. Natural light is the best light. 62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best “walk-around” focal length. 63. Don’t be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary. 64. You don’t need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don’t even own one). 65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose. 66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be “artsy” is exploitation. 67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations. 68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included. 69. You can’t “photoshop” bad images into good ones. 70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer. 71. You don’t need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard. 72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons. 73. Cameras as tools, not toys. 74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren’t much different. 75. Photography isn’t a hobby- it’s a lifestyle. 76. Make photos, not excuses. 77. Be original in your photography. Don’t try to copy the style of others. 78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more. 79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention. 80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography. 81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem. 82. Laughter always draws out peoples’ true character in a photograph. 83. Don’t look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment. 84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while. 85. Have fun while taking photos. 86. Never delete any of your photos. 87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places. 88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens. 89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair. 90. Learn how to read a histogram. 91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one. 92. Don’t be afraid to take photos in the rain. 93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it. 94. Never take photos on an empty stomach. 95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography. 96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world. 97. Never stop taking photos 98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life 99. Capture the decisive moment 100. Write your own list.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
– Ansel Adams
A very bold sunset near Strasburg, VA. Order a print of this image.
As I make my way through some new interior church shoots I wanted to apply some of my new-found techniques to an older photo of my church. I discovered it’s not ALL about techniques and post-processing (actually I knew this going in). This is in direct response to that pocket of folks who believe that all the post-processing work that’s all the rage now is cheating. I’m here to say that the post-processing will certainly bring out the best in an image, but if you don’t start with a decent image (tack-sharp, great composition, interesting subject matter, etc.) you’re not going to get very far. I’m satisfied with the edit of this image, but I wish I had a better image to begin with.
The main sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church, Winchester. Order a print of this image.
I must have some inner urge to photograph the interior of buildings these days. And there’s certainly a huge opportunity for that when you live in an historic town like I do. Granted, Shenandoah University isn’t a really old university, but it does have some great buildings.
Goodson Chapel Recital Hall. Order a print of this image.
I’ve always loved the novelty of this floor and figured I’d shoot some images while I was there last week.
Winchester has gone through many changes, but a lot of the current city has been the way it is ever since I moved here. For instance, I don’t remember Handley High School before the current renovations (I think I went into the school one time – not enough to remember what it was like). I also don’t know what the Handley Library looked like before it’s most current round of updates in 2001. But I do know that this room is the coolest in the library – if I were a kid now, I’d be hanging out in here.
This is the “Teen” section of the Handley regional Library in Winchester. I love all the textures in here. Order a print of this image.
“…sometimes I like to close my eyes,
And imagine what it’d be like when summer does come.”– Olaf the snowman
I’m slowly making my way through the downtown buildings in Winchester and I’m diggin’ all the shoots and fascinating architecture I’m seeing. I really wish I’d known how to shoot back when we went to England. Anyway…
I usually don’t engage in altering an image’s content, but this time I did. Various things in the original image just seemed distracting so I went ahead and removed them (things like thermostat controls, light switches and literature racks). I’d have to put them back in if I were to submit this image for any major contest, though.
Enjoy.
The Boyd Chapel at First Presbyterian Church in Winchester, VA. Among other gatherings, this space lends itself to the 7:30 am worship service each Sunday. Order a print of this image.
So here’s the scene – we’re driving back from the district band assessment at Sherando High School (where the Handley Band got a superior rating, btw!) and we’re going to wash the car. The manual one where you have to brave the elements and actually wash your own car. But all the bays are taken, and some are closed, so we decide it’s no big deal and start driving out. As we drive by the empty bays I see a fascinating (that’s a relative term, I know, ‘cuz I’m visually fascinated by weird and mundane stuff) image that I want to capture. Now, keep in mind, a couple of the bays are closed off with cones, but still accessible and that’s where I see my image. I start snapping photos and some guy drives right up to me, rolls down his window and starts shouting for me to come over to him. I oblige and he starts interrogating me about why I was taking pictures. I told him, simply, that I’m a photographer and I saw something fascinating and wanted to take pictures. Simple enough.
His response – “There’s no reason to take any pictures!”
My reply – “I can and I will.”
I spent a little extra time taking more pictures than I’ll probably want just for spite.
The word “stacks” just reminds me of a library. I literally could have spent another couple hours in this building (and will probably go back just to shoot). I’m having fun going all “Right-Brain” on these images!
I now know what people are talking about when they say they get lost in their work. I’ve just been playing around with more images and it’s all-of-a-sudden 1 in the morning! Anyway, I’m really digging this Lightroom workflow and am just grabbing any and every image to see what I can do with it.
Here’s one I did a couple years ago…
And here’s the revisit…
I know the saying is actually “Before-After,” but here’s my OCD coming through. People read from left to right and the image portrays an after image morphing into a before shot (and it’s alphabetical). Anyway…
March marks my 5th year as “Production Manager” (I kinda just gave myself that title, but it’s pretty accurate) at my church as I’ve overseen the A/V booth since we launched the New Stone Gathering service in 2009! And here’s where having a crap-ton of photos laying around comes in handy.
Before…
…after…
…and combined.
I took Waldo (my awesome dog) to the park today for our morning walk. As always, I brought my camera. But the day was dreary and there was a little bit of snow (not enough to look any good) so I wasn’t sure what kinds of photos I’d get. Then we kind of stumbled on the ducks. So I put all my gear down and get into a shooting stance (more like an awkward squat) to shoot some ducks.
I suddenly hear a massive fluttering underneath me (I was perched on a bridge). I almost dropped my camera, but then had to laugh because Waldo had discovered his inner hunting dog! It was awesome – not the picture, but the moment.
What is it that’s making me really want to go inside?
Downtown Winchester is really getting a facelift. I remember one of our first stories at TV3 Winchester was when the roof collapsed at the Taylor Hotel c. 2007. Read more about the renovation here.
The front porch of the newly renovated Taylor Hotel in Winchester, VA. Order a print of this image.
Cedarmeade Studios 