The Right Place at the Wrong Time

Old Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. (16 April 2009)

One of my continuing themes has been about those special moments when all the image planets are in alignment...when the subjects and light and perspective are just right...and you actually have your camera with you to make the shot. The fleeting sunbeam on the baby sequoia; the military officer popping the question in the monument reflection; the perfect sunrise. Each had windows of opportunity only seconds long.

The Prague rooftops looked good for a bit longer but I had the good fortune to be above the buildings and had the best view of the scene. There will be more stories about being in the right place at the right time. That’s more about a special image emerging from a memorable experience in an interesting place...and when the light was right...because photography is all about capturing the light.

Washington Monument, Baltimore (27 April 2014)

But before we return to the Right Place at the Right Time, we must note the flip side of that coin. There are going to be times when that special place won’t have its best face on...regardless of the light. I call this collection

--LANDMARKS UNDER SCAFFOLDING--

In 1994, we visited Mexico City, the home of Beck’s college roommate. This was less than nine years after the devastating 1985 earthquake and you could still see signs of the damage. The National Cathedral on the city’s main square was being repaired. I love shooting the interiors of grand churches. The majestic lines and vast, vaulted construction that frames colorful stained glass. Not today.

National Cathedral, Mexico City (February 1994)

Prague is a wonderful city to visit...for its history and its photogenic qualities. There you will find the famous Charles Bridge. Spanning the Vltava River since 1402, it is lined with statues and drenched in history. The bridge has produced some iconic images in photography. The hot link above is to the Google Images site so you can see for yourself. With ancient quarters of the city at either end, you just have to be there in the morning or evening magic light times and get a shot you will want to enlarge and frame...unless there’s a construction projects going on.

Charles Bridge, Prague (22 December 2009)

Finally, this Hall of Shame ends with a shot from 1999. We had this great opportunity to go to Italy. There would be friends, my sister Pat and husband Jon, Tuscany, Venice, Rome, ancient and Renaissance wonders. But it was 1999...the year before the millennium...the Jubilee Year. Italy was one big public works project. Streets were torn up. The ‘Last Supper’ in Milan was closed for renovation. When am I going to get to the Vatican again? Tough toenails. If Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Michelangelo’s crowning architectural achievement is covered in scaffolding from the roof to the street, too bad. You could extend your vacation. After all, in another year, it will look great.

Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Rome (May 1999)

Let’s put a positive spin on this. I hear the pink marble of St. Peter’s looks amazing now. Maybe that’s my cue to return to Italy and finish what I started. After all, that trip also had us in Florence on a Monday. The museums are closed on Monday. Who goes to Florence on a Monday? We definitely have to go back.

Happy trails.