The Right Place at the Right Time – 2 – Lt. Smith’s Proposal

In August 2005, nephew Brandon and bride Katie visited from Wisconsin.  After dinner, we drove into Washington to noodle around the Nation’s Capitol on a warm summer evening.  We were inside the Jefferson Memorial and about to leave when I looked across the tidal Basin toward the Washington Monument.

The floodlit obelisk was reflected on the water.  There were hardly any people in the area but I did notice this couple by the water’s edge.  Even if all I could see was distant silhouettes, the body language was clearly romantic.  All I needed to do was move across the top steps of the Memorial enough to make them stand out in the light.

Lt. Smith's Proposal (12 August 2005)

I caught up with the couple as they were leaving…said they looked wonderful in the light and I might have a nice picture if they wanted it.  Turns out he was a Marine officer and had just proposed to his new fiancé.  He later wrote back that they were thinking of using the shot in their wedding announcement.

In these warring times, I hope they are still well and happy.





Seeing Now: Photography since 1960 – Exhibit Thoughts

On April 9^th, I went to a photography exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art - http://www.artbma.org/exhibitions/seeing-now/ 

 “Seeing Now: Photography Since 1960” had over 200 images…mostly black and white and the collection represented what one might expect from a period that underwent such social and political changes.  One can expect that a time that included war, civil rights struggles, the women’s movement and other ‘revolutions’ would produce art that challenged the concept of ‘art’.

Unfortunately, there were no take-away brochures or printed catalogues that added some words and guidance to the images.  A viewer with limited insights [like me] was left with only the brief wall postings that introduced the various rooms of work.   The cognoscenti, curators and critics, find pretentious words to describe the image, their impact, the photographer’s intent.  More often than not, the photographer’s own words regarding these aspects are absent and this viewer is left to wonder. 

As with any exhibit, I thought some of the shots were fascinating and provocative.  Others were images that were like many I have taken and tossed.  I was amazed that they were there on the wall in a major museum. 

I suspect this will be a recurring topic as the blog progresses and matures…what is art; personal taste; what makes a good photo; what makes a great one?  Stay tuned.

The Right Place at the Right Time – 1 – The Majesty of Law

I’ve been a lazy photographer forever.  Part of that is due to being poor when I started and I couldn’t afford to take many pictures of anything since film and processing cost money.  Part of that comes from a preference to see as much as possible when I vacation.  We have never been the types that have the cabin in the woods or beach house that we return to every year.

If that was the case, I’d quickly see that there are certain times when the images will be more interesting…sunrise, dusk, fog, rain, for example.  Instead, I’ve been too much of a drive-by shooter.  It’s been like, “We have one extra day in Vancouver, let’s go to Stanley Park or dash over to Victoria Island and see what we can see (and we’ll make do with whatever light and weather we get)”. 

I learned long ago that serious photographers come upon a scene, gauge the conditions and plan to return when the light is best. If it’s the middle of the day, go have lunch, take a nap or explore other locations. Too many of us shoot when we’re there and keep moving…guilty as charged. 

However, we can get lucky.  And, if you think about what makes a good shot and train your eye to catch certain things, you will get lucky more often.  But sometimes, it won’t be about anticipation and preparation.  You will just be in the right place at the right time.   

In April, 2005, I was in D.C. on the first of what has become an annual rite of spring…wandering around with the camera, looking for images…enjoying the change of seasons, the magnificent sights in our Nation’s Capitol and the fact that I didn’t have to go to work anymore. 

In front of the Rayburn House Office Building are two, 10-foot, marble statues.  That the light struck this one just right was a function of the time of day, the weather and the season.  Another time of year and the sun will not be where it was that day.  Since our field of vision is much wider than the camera’s, we are aware of more of the building, the street, surrounding trees and sky.  You take a shot of the sun-lit statue and move on.

It’s not until later that you realize how the light and shadow contrast each other so well.  So many of the bright elements are next to dark ones and vice versa.   I have been back many times and it has never looked like it does here.  I guess the lesson is two-fold.  A good shot can happen to anyone at any time.  But, we can all think a little more about what we want and look for it when we’re out with the camera.  As Thomas Jefferson said, “I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”.

Majesty of Law, Washington, D.C. (5 April 2005)



TV Review - From the Edge with Peter Lik

On March 31^st, the Weather Channel [of all places] premiered a new half-hour series – From the Edge with Peter Lik. 

Mr. Lik has fancy galleries all over the world where stunning, enormous prints can be purchased for four to six-figure prices.  If you go to his web site [http://www.peterlik.com/ ], you will learn he is “the world’s most honored photographer” among other things.  While I will be the first to agree that his landscape photographs are spectacular, I cannot recommend this program as a photography show.  It is more of a travel and sight-seeing program.

This first episode – Capture the Gods, The Big Island, Hawaii showed Lik chasing images of lava, waterfalls and the night sky.  The format is commercial TV with quick cut editing and rock music.  This is not National Geographic or PBS and not very educational.  It’s more about the places he visits and his rugged, sleeveless, Aussie enthusiasm and less about what he does to capture the shot. 

Some of the film sequences are terrific as he flies over the Kilauea volcano and boats to the shoreline where molten lava spills into the sea.  I couldn’t help but wish I had boats and helicopters at my disposal.   Alright, so I am envious.  However, I did appreciate the segment where he shot the stars from the top of Mauna Kea and how a 30-second exposure can reveal light the human eye cannot see. 

If you go to the Weather Channel web site http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/peter-lik/episodes/episode-guide , you can see this program and the list of locales that will be visited through the series.  Yes, each segment within this episode did have some kind of photography tip…e.g. the best time for sunrise color is the few minutes before the sun breaks the horizon; it’s difficult to get a good dawn shot of lava from a rocking boat.   But overall, this was more about him and the wonderful places he’s visiting and less about actually photographing them.