In My Town

Last Night

Well, this is it.  At least for this year.  I haven’t decided what I’m going to do as I move forward.  My first thought is to continue.  It’s such a large part of me now especially after 365 consecutive days of doing it.  That’s a long streak.  But my goal was 365 and I did it.  So I may continue, but maybe not as intensively.

So, what did I accomplish.  My initial goal was to stay active as a creative-type.  I lost a job as the Creative Director of a TV station in December and instead of packing up the family and ripping my daughter out of her high school as a senior, I decided to stay put and figure something out.  In the meantime, I needed to remain active so the 365 project was where I landed.

Starting out was a little rough.  Here are some tidbits of advice – no explanation just tidbits.  I discovered most of these in my research before I started.  I get it now.  I’m not including any explanations – just trust me.

  1. Use a topic list to get started
  2. Take your camera (any camera) everywhere
  3. Shoot
  4. Shoot
  5. Shoot

You’ll develop the habit during the first month and before you know it, it’s December 31st.

Happy new Year Year!

 

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I never understood the “First Night” naming convention. Shouldn’t it be “Last Night?”

 

Silent Night

My Photography goal today was to capture a decent bracketed set of images of silent night at the 10pm service.  I had the 4pm and 7pm service to rehearse it.  At the moment of truth during the last verse my connection broke to my GoPro so this is as good as it gets this year.  Oh well.

Merry Christmas to all…

My church's sanctuary illuminated by candle light.

My church’s sanctuary illuminated by candle light.

Challenge

Alright, I didn’t think I’d be saying it, but it needs to snow so I can jazz up my images.

I think I’m going to challenge myself to go on my next trip and ONLY bring the GoPro as my single camera.  The challenge wouldn’t be in getting some great images.  The challenge for me would be trying to leave everything else behind!

Most of my images this time of year would be jazzed up with just a little snow on the ground.

Most of my images this time of year would be jazzed up with just a little snow on the ground.

Front Cover

Heads up.  Watch for the 2015 Winchester City calendar.  Yours Truly is featured on the front cover (well, at least my image is) as well as multiple months inside.

Winchester, VA

Order a print of this image.

 

Warming Up

Getting ready for our last Handley holiday concert.  Seems like this is my view at a lot of venues.

This has been my view for many Handley productions over the last 6 years 

This has been my view for many Handley productions over the last 6 years

Astro Wing

Give me enough time and I’ll eventually cover the whole school.  I’d need a lot of time, though.

Several weeks ago I posted the exterior of what I always thought was graffiti on the windows. | Order a print of this image.

Several weeks ago I posted the exterior of what I always thought was graffiti on the windows. | Order a print of this image.

Inside

I’ve shot plenty of stuff on the exterior and I’ve always wanted to just walk around inside and shoot, but I never can get it completely empty – until today.  I took advantage of some time before the annual band holiday concert and did a little walk-around.  I know a lot of Handley faculty follow these posts so I hope I wasn’t too far out of bounds with my little photo walk.  I’m really digging the updated Protune features on the GoPro – now I’m just waiting for the GoPro cameras to start shooting in RAW.

I like what it can do, but there's still such a difference between JPEG and RAW images in post.

I like what it can do, but there’s still such a difference between JPEG and RAW images in post (but I knew that going in). | Order a print of this image.

Can You See It?

I’ve read articles about how various drone sightings are freaking out pilots of major airlines.  I certainly can’t speak to what it’s like to fly a plane or what it looks like out the cockpit window – having had only a 1/2-hour lesson in a Cessna once about 10 years ago.  I’ve debated whether or not I should write about this because I know the sh*t storm that could ensue, but I think I’d be hard-pressed to see a drone out the window of an airplane.  But that’s me.  I don’t have the trained eye of a pilot.  It’s different up there.  Kinda like when I was in Africa and the guides kept seeing all the animals.  I had no idea what I was looking at having never experienced it – that’s why they’re the experts.  That being said, I can speak to what it looks like from the other perspective and can only assume that it’s a similar view.  I know my pilot friends may have a lot to say on the matter and I certainly invite it because both sides need to be considered as the public moves into a new era of unmanned craft hovering around your neighborhoods.  I think I’ve done a pretty good job at using common sense since I’ve had the aerial camera.  I’ve only had one complaint and that person was questionable at best.

Anyway, can you see the small aircraft (prop plane) in this image?  It was flying near my house and I was very nervous about it so I brought the drone back towards me.  The plane was relatively close (probably just took off from the local airport) and I could clearly see it from my vantage point on the ground.  Look really closely.  It took me a little bit to find it and I knew it was there.  Now, keep in mind that I’m probably below the plane so seeing it would be easier than it seeing me.  I have a more contrasting background from my viewpoint.

Look out!

Look out!  I’m hovering at 374 feet by the way.

Mixed

So it’s been one year today.  I’ve been thinking about this post for a while.  Should I post about it?  Am I dwelling on the past or am I simply being nostalgic?  Should I let it go?  Should I move on?  How do I feel about it now that it’s 365 days behind me?  I still have pretty mixed emotions.

So much has changed in the past 12 months.  People I knew and worked with daily have moved on.  Initially, I was incredibly angry and I held on to it for a long time (still have a little left).  I mean, how could this have happened?  Believe me there’s a unanimous opinion about that one.  We decided to remain in the area because it’s our home.  I understand the need for most to move out of the area – that’s the accepted protocol to stay in this industry and move up; however, I wasn’t in a position where I could do that.  So I had to pick up the pieces and take a crack at it here and I think I’ve done ok for the first year.

What do I think now that I’m 52 weeks removed?  Well, there’s still a very large part of me that is saddened by it all.  I think it’s especially noticeable to me because I’m teaching a video production class right back in the same building.  Kinda heart-breaking to watch my control room be dismantled.  But when it’s all said and done, how is any negative talk going to benefit me now anyway?  I’ve moved on, but I’ll never forget.  That was my dream job.  I was doing what I enjoyed.  I essentially had no commute.  I created some lasting friendships and met so many awesome people along the way.  Some, of whom, I’m still working with these days.

I would never be where I am today and doing what I’m doing had it not been for several people who believed in me from the start.  There I was, struggling to find something in the creative industry.  No formal training in it.  A degree in Psychology.  And high hopes.  Then along came TV3 Winchester.

For 7 years I got to have my cake and eat it, too.  For 7 years, I built up a reputation that has carried me into the next chapter of my life.  I still have a passion for what I’m doing and it’s a daily struggle, but such is the life of a freelancer.  But now I have a track record behind me that’s helping me tremendously.

I don’t think I’ll soon forget the memories and experiences from my time with TV3 Winchester that have brought me to where I am right now.

The original cast and crew.

The original cast and crew.

Worthy

I took the new GoPro out tonight to determine if it’s worthy enough to be considered a decent camera in my photography tool box.  I’ve made my decision.  What do you think?

The "Beacon of Light" all decked out for the holidays

The “Beacon of Light” all decked out for the holidays. | Order a print of this image.

Filters

I know a lot of people aren’t big on the “creative” images full of filters that come off a cell phone these days – me included.  But I’m a real sucker for a photo that has that graphic novel look to it.

I chose to only take my phone to the Christmas parade tonight.  My thinking was that I’ve shot this parade for 6 years now and I always come home with the same shots.  BORING!!  So here’s what I came home with tonight.

The John Handley Marching Band in the annual Winchester Christmas parade.

The John Handley Marching Band in the annual Winchester Christmas parade.

Material

Do you think there’s an American restaurant in Japan where they grill hotdogs and hamburgers and participate in various American idiosyncrasies?  I wonder what those idiosyncrasies would be.  And I wonder where the Japanese restaurants here in the U.S. get their material.  Is there some father somewhere in Japan making onion ring volcanoes for his kids at dinner?  Is there a Japanese mother making beating heart shapes out of rice?  These are things that make me go “hmmmmmmm…”

IMG_1713-Edit

Sun Shower

I think it’s cool how you can sometimes see a rain storm way off in the distance.  That’s what I saw here, only it’s a sun shower.  One of these days I’m going to figure out how to shoot those rays so they look like they do when I’m looking at them.

DCIM@MEDIA

180º

This morning’s glow was pretty cool.  It completely wrapped around the entire sky.  So many times I’m so focused on the actual sunrise that I forget to do a 180 and check out the other view.  It was tough to pick just one image so here are two.

DJI03935

DJI03936

Closing Time

It’s a real race to get in position for the sunset these days.  The last buses from the school day haven’t even left the school, yet!  It’s worth it though.  I’m flying from the comfort of a heated vehicle these days.  I wonder how easy it would be to fly from a moving vehicle.  I suppose I should be even more careful now that the FAA is gaining ground with the NTSB, huh?

DJI03902-Edit

This one’s on my gallery site, too.

 

Graffiti

So it’s not graffiti.  I thought it was something like a senior hallway that changes every year or something like that.  Nope, it’s a wall of constellations.  Yeah, look really closely.  I always wondered what it was.  And I’ve always wanted to take a photo of the cupola through the glass hallway.  Here’s both – well, sort of…

The "bridge" at John Handley High School. | Order a print of this image.

The “bridge” at John Handley High School. | Order a print of this image.

Freedom

For all those who fought for my freedom I simply say “Thank you.”  Enjoy this moving piece performed by the John Handley High School band and choir.  It was originally written to honor the first responders during the 9/11 attack, but it applies here, as well.

Just Cool

Wow, that was just cool!  When we first started talking about shooting some aerials of the entire student body of WPS, I thought sure it’ll be neat.  That was just cool and a little overwhelming.  To be honest, I was nervous until it was all over.  Shooting aerials of that many people gathered in one space with an aerial camera makes me nervous.  But we pulled it off.  How about that?!  And the camera was a huge hit.  Kids love that stuff – and I’m including adults ‘cuz we’re just big kids, right?

The entire student body of Winchester Public Schools (roughly 4,400 students) gathered today for an aerial shoot promotion cultural diversity. The footage will be featured in a video to be shown in January on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The entire student body of Winchester Public Schools (roughly 4,400 students) gathered today for an aerial shoot promoting cultural diversity. The footage will be featured in a video to be shown in January on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Almost

If you knew what you were looking at you could see almost the entire course of yesterday’s Battlefield Half Marathon.

This is the "view" from my house - well, at least from straight above my house.

This is the “view” from my house – well, at least from straight above my house.

Early Bird

I know the saying – “The early bird gets the worm” – but it’s so much harder this time of year.  I suppose the payoff is worth it.  And also, I don’t like worms.

Such a cool (quite literally) sunrise this morning at the inaugural Battlefield Half Marathon in Frederick County, VA. | Order a print of this image.

Such a cool (quite literally) sunrise this morning at the inaugural Battlefield Half Marathon in Frederick County, VA. | Order a print of this image.