Architecture

Sharp

“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that ‘individuality’ is the key to success.”

– Robert Orben

I’m certainly in a position where the saying “use it or lose it” plays a huge factor.  This blog, if anything, is helping me stay sharp and practice my craft.  Every once in a while I get the urge to do something a little “wonky” with my images – just for fun.  Enjoy.

In honor of all the graduates from Handley this weekend. | Order a print of this image.

In honor of all the graduates from Handley this weekend. | Order a print of this image.

Kent Room

“Baseball is like church. Many attend few understand.”

– Leo Durocher

Kent Room

There’s quite a bit of history in the churches of Old Town Winchester. Here’s a neat article on the Old Town Winchester site. | Order a print of this image.

Senioritis

And so it begins.  The last couple of weeks before my daughter is high school senior.  The one thing she’s really looking forward to is the senior cafeteria.  I’ve walked by this space countless number of times and never really knew what it was.  According to my wife (and anybody who attended Handley High School pre-21st Century), this space used to be classrooms.  Hopefully I’ll be allowed to roam through the hallways this summer and shoot more of this building – I’ve always wanted to.

A multi-purpose space at John Handley High School

A multi-purpose space at John Handley High School. | Order a print of this image.

My Best Camera

I pretty much take my cameras everywhere these days, but there are specific situations where my big cameras won’t work.  Namely, my bike rides.  I have, however, adopted the popular saying among photographers “My best camera is the one I have with me.”  This is actually an iPhoneography book and app, FYI.  I just really want to go back now and shoot this properly.

A one-shot HDR from an iPhone.

A one-shot HDR from an iPhone.

OG Winchester

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”

– Robert Frost

Apparently my family is very fond of The Olive Garden these days.  It’s not uncommon for us to be there late at night even after they’re closing down.  It’s nice feeling when you can, occasionally, just let loose and be stupid.  And we get stupid.  But it’s now been twice this week.  I’m sure the wait staff cringe when they see us coming now.

Last ones out.

Last ones out.

Discover

“You don’t stop playing because you get old.  You get old because you stop playing”

– Posted on a sign at the entrance to Winchester City’s Jim Barnett Park

There’s been quite a lot of change in the downtown area of Winchester (aka Old Town).  One of the biggest changes, in my humble opinion, is the recent move of the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum.  Not only did it move off the Loudoun Mall (really only 1 block away), but it moved into a huge new building.  The former space offered a fun learning space for kids, but the new space is enormous and it ads a roof-top component!  It’s really cool that this downtown staple was able to find a space to expand its offering.  Can’t wait to check it out.

The new Shenandoah Discovery Museum in Old Town Winchester.

The new Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum in Old Town Winchester.

“Delight”-ful

The entire time that I worked at TV3 Winchester, one of the more common misconceptions from visitors to Winchester was that the building where I worked was the welcome center.  It was, after all, situated in such a way that if you’re coming off the interstate at the “main” Winchester exit you’d see the TV3 Winchester building straight in front of you, well, welcoming you to the city.  The actual welcome center is just a few more blocks down the road and around the corner (within walking distance of what was TV3 Winchester).  It’s right across the parking lot from the oldest house in Winchester Abram’s Delight.

I'm kinda getting to be a tourist in my own town as I make my rounds to create new images. | Order a print of this image.

I’m kinda getting to be a tourist in my own town as I make my rounds to create new images. | Order a print of this image of Abram’s Delight.

Steeple

I had a friend suggest a new project to me today which always makes the gears turn even faster.  He suggested that it might be pretty cool to do a “Steeples of Winchester” motif.  So, of course, now I’m noticing all the steeples.  You know, kinda like the deal when you buy a new car and you all-of-a-sudden start noticing all those same cars out on the road.  Yeah, that’s gonna be me with steeples now for a while.  Just you watch.

They changed the locks at my church and no I enter through a different door. Sometimes a slight change of routine will make you notice things that have been there all along.

They changed the locks at my church and now I enter through a different door on Sunday. Sometimes a slight change of routine will make you notice things that have been there all along.

The Sound of Music

I’m setting up, and adding to, my Flickr account.  I’ve had it for several years and have done nothing with it.  Shame on me.  Anyway, it’s there now and is being populated and organized as we speak.  I randomly started with images from Austria (maybe because I was talking with a friend about the trip the other day).  As I’m skimming through – and skipping most (I really wish I knew how to take better pictures back then) – I stop at this one and immediately begin processing it.  There was just something about it that stood out from all the rest.  When I finished and uploaded it to my galleries I realized that I had processed it before.  The difference illustrates how, on different days, you can see and image completely differently.

This is the building used for the Von Trapp residence exteriors in the movie. | Order a print of this image.

This is the building used for the Von Trapp residence exteriors in the movie. | Order a print of this image.

Long Branch

So this place is really tucked away in Clarke County, VA.  I ride by this place just before riding by the Millwood Mill on Tuesday nights.  I’ve been here once before when I was shooting weddings and haven’t been back since.  Now I want to go inside because apparently there’s an amazing staircase just inside the front entrance (it’s now a goal of mine to shoot it).

Order a print of this image.

Order a print of this image.

Millwood Mill

Another edition of “In My Town.”  This one’s not technically in my town, but it’s close enough.  I go on a group ride on Tuesdays that rides right past this Mill.  Wonderful scenery in Clarke County, VA.

Some wonderful scenery in Clarke County, VA including the Burwell Morgan Mill.

Some wonderful scenery in Clarke County, VA including the Burwell Morgan Mill.

JMU 2.0

You know how when you get older, you start telling your kids, your nieces and nephews, your students – just anyone younger than you are – about how “none of this was here when I was your age?”  That was me at James Madison University today while talking with my daughter.  The new part of JMU (east side of 81) is pretty cool and the architecture is dramatic.  I might just be exploring more this weekend.

I went to school with the Carrier Library. Pretty cool that another president has a separate library on the new part of campus.

I went to school when the Carrier Library was the only on-campus library (and it had one less floor than it currently has). This is the second on-campus library across I-81.

Concrete Jungle

One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.

– Tom Wolfe

Enough said.

On a brisk morning walk in New York City. I think this was the morning that I was on my way to the Apple Store at Grand Central.

On a brisk morning walk in New York City. I think this was the morning that I was on my way to the Apple Store at Grand Central.

Stairway

Another take on the incredible architecture inside the Handley Regional Library in Winchester.  My next project is going to be shooting the inside of Handley High School.  That place has got some architectural awesomeness and I’ve wanted to shoot it forever.  Stay tuned…

The main staircase that leads to the second and third levels at the Handley Library. | Order a print of this image.

The main staircase that leads to the second and third levels at the Handley Library. | Order a print of this image.

Library

I was near the Handley Library as the sun was setting and as luck (or design) would have it, I had my camera with me.  I just wish there was a more interesting cloud cover this evening.  Ah, well.  Not bad for an impromptu shoot.

The Handley Library was constructed in 1913 with a major renovation in 2001. It's apparently also featured in a photography book about libraries that was just published, but I'm unsure of the title.

The Handley Library was constructed in 1913 with a major renovation in 2001. It’s apparently also featured in a photography book about libraries that was just published, but I’m unsure of the title.

Stained

In worship an increased power steals its way into the heart sanctuary, an increased compassion grows in the soul. To worship is to change.

– Richard J Foster

I took this one on Easter morning, but never had the time to process it.

I took this one on Easter morning, but never had the time to process it.

Just Beachy

Proper sunsets are simply awesome.  I shot close to 300 photos before it was all said and done, but this one stood out from the rest.  All the “contrasty” things going on were screaming for some post-processing.  Hopefully gonna turn the other way in several hours and the catch up with the sun.

Retirement

Could you see yourself retiring here? Order a print of this image.

Composition

“How do they know what they want when they haven’t even seen it?”

– Steve Jobs

Frame your next photograph with this thought in mind – only show them what you want them to see.  It always amazes me to see what goes on behind the scenes of any video shoot.  Any that I’ve done.  Any that I’ve seen.  I can’t watch any video anymore without the production gears in my head spinning out of control.  It’s just fascinating.  The lights, the flags, the reflectors, the people, the gadgets and doodads – all just out of the frame.  But all there to make what is in the frame that much better.  Just fascinating.  And that’s just it – only show them what you want them to see.  So grab a camera and start shooting those extraordinary scenes that may just be smack dab in the middle of a bunch of chaos.  But once you frame all that junk out, you’re left with insanely great images!

This doorknob just stood out to me as unique, but I had to look past all the distractions to really see it.

This doorknob just stood out to me as unique, but I had to look past all the distractions to really see it.

Work The Scene

I’ve mentioned before that I try to shoot various angles of any scene I’m photographing (unique angles).  But I keep thinking that for every individual image that I post here, I’ve got close to 5-10 other decent images that may get pushed aside and forgotten about.  This also helps me out on those days where I haven’t shot at all.  I shot today, but am having a tough time nailing down the part of the image I want to feature.  So while I figure out how to proceed with that one I thought I’d post another one from the day I shot in my church’s sanctuary.

I've always found it difficult to shoot in this sanctuary due to the hot spot at the altar.

I’ve always found it difficult to shoot in this sanctuary due to the hot spot at the altar.  The HDR post-processing technique certainly helps.

Detour

It’s a good thing I take my camera everywhere nowadays.  After day 1 of 2 at a freelance job in Fishersville, the interstate was completely backed up so as any good photographer would do, I took an immediate detour into the nearby town –  Staunton.  It had been nasty, wet weather all day so I looked for interesting places to shoot inside (and I’m into churches right now apparently – namely the sanctuaries and stairwells).  I really wanted to get to the top of this one, but couldn’t quite figure it out…

Detours can take you to some great places. I really wanted to shoot from that landing up there. The rope was to the church bell.

Detours can take you to some great places. I really wanted to shoot from that landing up there (looks like remnants from what the church used to be). The rope was for the church bell.