Even though we really just breezed through and didn’t really get a chance to go to any of the lookouts, it really was a unique experience. It really did feel like we were out in the middle of nowhere.
The seriously wacky other-worldly landscape of the Badlands in South Dakota.
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Wall Drug Store in Wall, South Dakota. If you’ve never been, put it on your list (at least if you’re anywhere near). It’s one of those places that you have to visit multiple times because you WILL miss stuff. It’s a treasure trove for kids, families, travelers and people who just like the unique. There’s stuff tucked everywhere – it’s amazing they fit that much stuff in one place. As we drove across South Dakota (and even when we were in Minnesota), we drove past all sorts of marketing billboards. It’s very similar to all the hype about and marketing for South of The Border as your travel into South Carolina from the north. But Wall Drug has that unique western flair to it. We loved it.
There’s something unique around every corner at Wall Drug Store. I poked my head into one of the doors and saw this. | Order a print of this image.
Shot this one a while back, but I’m only just now getting around to processing it. I’m heading to Charlottesville next week for a bike race so maybe this begins my next collection – Higher Ed.
The main entrance to Cole Hall on Bridgewater College’s campus in Bridgewater, VA.
It probably seems random to go back to posting images from Udvar Hazy Air & Space Center, but that’s just me right now – random. Just whatever pops into my head as I look through my huge library of images. This is, after all, a photography blog (I feel like I’ve said that before).
A perfect vantage point for photos of the Space Shuttle Discovery. | Order a print of this image.
Aside from all the obvious benefits of cycling all these years, I’ve also become conditioned to being awake for the wee hours of the morning. It also comes in handy as a photographer.
Like I said, spend the rest of the weekend shooting the good stuff. | Order a print of this image.
The current Cape Henry Lighthouse from inside the stairwell of the original.
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I’ve had plenty of people tell me that my photos remind them of postcards. To be honest (and absolutely no offense intended), that’s more of an insult than a compliment – and here’s why (at least from a photographer’s perspective). One of the main goals of any professional photographer is to be different, to separate their work from all others. A postcard is a tourist souvenir that simply showcases where you are. You can share it with others or keep it for your scrapbook. Point is, it’s usually a simple image of the surrounding area – nothing incredibly creative (keep in mind I’m strictly talking about the image postcards, not the creatively designed ones). So even though I wouldn’t mind if my images landed on postcards some day, a significant part of me lashes out inside when I hear “your photo belongs on a postcard.”
Now here’s the disclaimer…
In my early days I actually used to go straight to the postcard racks to see if I could recreate the images I found there and I usually could. Fast forward to today and you’ll still find me looking at the racks, but now I look to make sure I’m NOT shooting the same stuff. Sure, everybody wants to take the pretty images of any locale. So once you’re done shooting like everybody else, take the tourist hat off and BURN IT. Then spend the next 15 minutes or day or weekend shooting unique images.
The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
– G.K. Chesterton
The symbolic passing of the torch. The original Cape Henry Lighthouse (1792) stands in the foreground and the current (and fully automated) lighthouse (1881) stands behind it.
The two Cape Henry Lighthouses standing side by side in VA Beach.
After leaving DC, I ventured into Maryland before heading down to VA Beach. It’s always fun discovering new places. I even drove through Hollywood and California on my way to the lighthouse featured a couple of days ago.
Drove over this bridge to the lighthouse, but had to photograph it before leaving. | Order a print of this image.
Loads of images to go through. Long weekend. Very little sleep. Horrific road conditions on the way home. Still had a good time. Thank goodness for that ingenious invention – the rumble strip.
For the last 40 miles of my trip the rumble strip was the only way I could tell where I was. This is I-66 in VA. Average speed was about 30 miles an hour from Richmond to Winchester!
The middle of nowhere. The middle of the country. The middle of the road. And just past the middle of our RV trip.
Took a little digging, but I found the exact spot we stopped for some photos!
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.
“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.
Cedarmeade Studios 