-Roger

May the 4^th is commonly known as Star Wars Day, “May the 4^th be with you” is how fans commemorate the day.  However, I will mark May the 4^th, 2012 as the day my oldest, De’Lawren Campbell, concluded her 12-year dance career.

She started as a six-year old first grader taking a few lessons at a local dance company, DanceMakers.   The following year they asked Deborah if she could participate in their new competitive line.  The company had competitive lines for their older girls.  However, they were starting a line for the younger ones and wanted her to join.  This led to more dance classes after school and a career dancing competitively throughout the nation.  Deborah and I spent many weekends traveling from Virginia to New Jersey watching her in regional competitions.  Every competitive season was punctuated with national competitions in either Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Panama City Beach.

Deborah heard about a program at Suitland High School dedicated to the performing arts.  We went to a meeting where the staff described the curriculum requiring students to carry the normal course load as well as study their artistic craft.  Initially reluctant to go to this school far from her neighborhood, De’Lawren agreed to give it a try.  She had to audition with a solo dance piece.  They selected her and she continued to dance competitively as well as at school during her freshman year.  As she settled into her new school,  and established new friendships, we informed her we were moving to England.  We let her finish her freshman year because of her involvement at Suitland.

We looked for opportunities in England for her to continue dance.  She took a few lessons at the famed Pineapple Dance Studio–they have their own reality show in the UK.  However, she developed athletic interests in volleyball and basketball instead.

We were concerned where she would go her 11^th grade year when the family returned to the states.  The rigorous Suitland program does not allow students to enter after their 10^th grade year.  Nevertheless, when she returned from England, she auditioned again and was able to return for the 11^th grade.  However, she no longer wanted to dance competitively.  I wouldn’t miss spending weekends at competition events but, I would miss the national ones.  They were always interesting.

Now a senior at the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts at Suitland High School, she wants to hang up the dance shoes.  She spent three of four years studying dance at this school.

She developed a love for volleyball while in England and that appears to be her new passion.  She began during her 10^th grade year and has continued and is currently on a countywide team.  Her mom and I would love to see her continue and have asked her to reconsider her decision to stop dancing.  I hope she takes a class or two just to maintain that muscle memory.  However, our children have to blaze their own trail.

She heads to college this fall and no matter what endeavor she chooses she will be successful.  She dedicates her time to getting better in all she does and I look forward to watching her volleyball skills grow as well.

More of her dancing can be found on Facebook.com

-Roger (a.k.a. Daddio)

I’m humbled by the honor to be featured in their article.  It also demands I update the blog.  It’s been too long without a story!

Please read the article and share your comments.

-Roger

I initially visited Colorado in 1995 when I had an interview with Hewlett-Packard.  I brought a small film camera with me.  My trip sponsor and his wife drove me through some of the mountains.  With my camera, I was disappointed in the images I took because nothing I did could capture the story of these amazing subjects.  Now, 16 years later, some better equipment, and improved photographic skill, I returned seeking another opportunity to tell their story.  As I drove to my hotel, I was in awe of the sky colors and the landscape.  Being in such a high altitude, the air is much clearer and the mountains provide an incredible backdrop.  I’ve seen many beautiful images of the Colorado Mountains but there is no substitute for their immense beauty in person.

I want to digress for a moment.  I asked my fellow “photogs” to critique my blog.  One response I received was to omit references about God and stick to the subject of photography.  I understood why this was said and I appreciated the input.  I presume the person didn’t want me to offend, irritate, annoy, etc., someone who doesn’t share my belief.  However, as I drove to my hotel, I was in awe of God’s work.  I was overcome with how miraculous it all looked.  The sun painted the sky with beautiful pastel colors.  I don’t believe all this is merely the result of forces from earth’s plates compressing the surface into an upward slope.  I believe this is the result of God speaking it into existence.  Now, back to my story.

Part of my pre-travel ritual is to research areas for good landscape photography.  This was an easy chore with Colorado Springs.  The only problem was whether I would have enough time to enjoy them.  After work on Monday, I visited the Garden of the gods. I grabbed a map from the Visitor’s Center, asked where were the best spots, and I was on my way.

As I drove around the garden, I pulled over several times at designated areas.  Yet, some areas I had to walk to because the stop locations did not provide the best view.  I had to be careful as I noticed a person with a camera in one hand and the steering wheel in the other.  Considering that the roads were narrow and very hilly, she was an accident waiting to happen.

I ended my trip with a second trip around the park and a visit to one of the most famous formations in the park, Balanced Rock.  There are several “balanced rocks” in parks throughout the world.  Another one is located at Arches National Park in Utah.

Babies are born with only two fears, falling and loud noises.  Every other fear is learned.  The latter no longer bother me but the former is still hanging around.  I get nervous whenever I approach a balcony in a top-level hotel room.  However, I continuously confront this fear by riding the tallest roller coasters or hiking along the side of a cliff.

Pike’s Peak is the easternmost and one of the tallest mountains in Colorado.  At 10 miles from Colorado Springs, it was a few minutes drive to the entrance.  However, it took nearly two more hours to arrive at the top.

Entering the park, the attendee told me to continue to breathe as I drove and to put my car in first gear when I came down as people sometimes melt their brakes by constantly riding them on the way down.  Initially, the ride was slow, steady and mostly uneventful.  I took a few photos at the pull-over locations, however all that changed when I arrived at the first Visitor’s Center.  The following image is from that location.

The store manager told me about the mountain lions and bears in the mountain.  He assured me the lions would be more scared of me than I would be of them.  A couple who reached the top and were on their way down shared their experience with us.  I nearly changed my mind when I was done talking to them.  The man told me how the road changes and it no longer has trees on the side of the road.  Instead, the road narrows to a single lane for traffic in both directions.  The road has the cliff flush against it and the other side is a steep drop.  When I got into the car to continue my trip, I began to doubt whether I wanted to do this.  As I ascended, I refused to look to the side as it would’ve made me nauseous.  I focused on the double-yellow lines making certain I never got to far from them, especially when the cliff was on my right.  The most harrowing part of the journey came when I drove on the outside lane with the cliff on my side and the road transitioned into a steep grade.  Driving up the mountain, I could not see the road that much further ahead and I was at such an elevation that I no longer saw the horizon.  I only saw the clouds in front of me and to the side of me (whenever I dared to look).  I was at 13,000+ feet in the air.  There were instances where I was driving through the clouds that made the trip even more nerve wrecking.  I felt fear rising up as I wondered what the heck made me even decide to do this.  There was absolutely no room to turn around.  I had to proceed or else.  Fortunately, I had my GPS programmed with the coordinates of the summit.  Therefore, I knew how many miles I had remaining.

I arrived at the top and was overcome with a sincere appreciation for what I accomplished.  After that, I opened the car door and was overcome with a great burst of cold air and wind.  The temperature at the summit was below freezing and the wind was at least 30-40 MPH.  The lack of oxygen made me light-headed and I walked slowly to avoid fainting.  I grabbed some photos and had some taken of me as proof of my accomplishment.  Next, it was time to make my exit.

It was much easier going down as I knew what to expect.  I went back to the Visitor’s Center and showed the manager my photo in front of the summit marker.  He seemed more excited than I was.  I continued my trip out the park buzzing about my latest accomplishment.

This trip reminded me of the hike I did with my sister in Italy.  Whenever we face obstacles, there is always something we can reference from our past that we’ve overcome as well.  We must use those experiences to encourage and propel us to the next level.  I don’t plan on traveling any higher than this without the aid of an airplane.  Yet, I know that whatever my next challenge is, I have multiple experiences to call upon to help me along the way.

P.S.  My average speed was 10-15 MPH and it took me over an hour and a half.  The manager also told me they have annual races up the mountain.  They average speed is 75 MPH and the best time is under ten minutes!!!  I guess people at that speed don’t stop for photos.

-Roger

I didn’t want to travel solo this time and my Mom discovered her inner-explorer every since she visited me in Europe.  Now my roadside companion, she said she would ride with me to Oscoda where the road begins–or ends depending on your direction.  We traveled during the afternoon and spent the night at a nearby hotel.  We began shortly after sunrise, the next morning, to begin our journey.

Photographer’s Note:  The long shadows and the reddish tint on our faces was caused by the sun’s low placement along the horizon.  This time is often called “The Golden Hour“.

Early in our trip we stopped at the Foote Dam Fishing Access and encounter several fly fishermen.  The sun was relatively low in the horizon.  Therefore, some trees were in the shade and others were frontally lit.  We traveled to several overlooks and parking areas to view the colors (Foote Pond, Lumberman’s Monument Visitor’s Center, and some additional sites as well).

As we headed to another overlook, the dense forest provided another photo opportunity.  I wanted to capture the light filtering through the trees.  I stopped down the aperture to achieve the sunburst effect.

The overlooks were truly impressive.  The sweeping vistas made composing the shots easy.  I used my circular polarizer (CP) and it helps filter reflections.  This provides richer colors in the trees and deeper blues from the water.  Some post-processing from Lightroom 3 didn’t hurt either.

We stopped at a parking lot to view the scenery.  That’s when I saw this fiery red tree bursting with color beckoning me to take its picture.  It appears as if the tree moved in front of the larger green pine just for this photo op.

I did not take any solitary or macro photos of leaves.  I did capture the leaves of one tree that had beautiful dark colors.  With the rich blue sky serving as a background, I captured this tree and the polarizer again provided a color boost. 

As the sun approached the summit, the cloudless day provided amazingly and unusual warm weather for this time of year.  Also, the sun began to wash out the colors.  Therefore, we headed home after spending over three hours on that route.

I’ve visited quite a few states.  However, I have not seen many places in Michigan.  I was glad we seized the opportunity to enjoy one of the many traits that makes autumn in my state special and forever my home.

-Roger

I knew I wouldn’t have the opportunity to travel as if I were on vacation.  Therefore, I walked around and made the most of my opportunity with the sights around me.

Diamond Head is one of the most famous landmarks in Hawaii.  It is a crater looming in the background of many images from this island.  I created an HDR image that would display the colors of the sky, crater, trees, and beach.  It required multiple images to do this.

Two types of images you’ll always see during my travels are panning or pattern shots.  I saw the colorful surfboards lined up and it appealed to my love of patterns.

I’m working to improve my images of people.  People are the most interesting subjects in photography.  The range of emotions they can display on their face or by body language always makes photographing them challenging and rewarding.  A grand vista of mountains, streams, and valleys cannot conjure the emotions brought by a well-taken photo of someone.  With that said, sometimes you don’t need their face or body language.  It can be the relationship understood by the grasp of a hand.  If you add a sunset in the background, you can get a wonderful image.

During my last night in Hawaii, I went to grab a bite to eat and debated whether or not to take my camera–actually it wasn’t much of a debate.  I take it wherever I go!  As I walked back to the hotel, I saw this performance.  The performers were sharing the cultural history of Hawaii through dance and music.  The sun already dipped below the horizon, but the sky displayed beautiful sunset colors.  Initially, I wanted to capture the performance from the front of the stage.  If I had moved to the front, the photo would’ve been cluttered with people and buildings of downtown Waikiki.  From the back of the stage, I captured these wonderful colors with the crowd silhouette instead.

My brief time in the Aloha state allowed me to grab a few photos.  I look forward to returning and having another opportunity to see more of the islands.  Also, I want to go on a shark tour with Jordyn!

My father-in-law or as his granddaughters (he has no grandsons) call him, “Papa”, was showing Jordyn features from his iPad 2 device.  They were directly between the large window in the background and myself.  The window with the shade pulled down provided diffused light.  This made a light source with no distracting elements in the background.  Also, with no lights on inside the house, their faces would not be illuminated.  This environment provided an excellent opportunity to capture their silhouettes.

Images like this illustrate why I love photography.  Beautiful photos are not exclusive to exotic locations or the work of sophisticated equipment in a studio.  It can come from ordinary moments.  It’s a person’s ability to recognize those candid times, focus on the subject(s) and use light to tell the story.

Photography Note:  The focal length is 47mm.  I wish I would’ve used my 50mm/F1.4 because that would’ve given me a more diffused background.  However, I could’ve missed the moment changing lenses.

Keep shootin’ and tell me what you think.

-Roger

My blog initially detailed my thoughts and musings about photography. I provided insights and tips on various photo issues. When my family moved to England, most of my posts were about the places we traveled while in Europe. Now, that I’m back in the US, I’m planning to transition from travel-related posts. My focus will be on portrait sessions with families. The practice begins at home and I told my family to brace for my return. I missed two years of my nieces development and nearly a year of my own daughters’ growth. I knew I would take plenty of photos when I saw them. I actually delayed purchasing the Canon 50/1.4 lens until I returned home. It is a great lens for portraiture and I didn’t take many of those shots after my family left England.

As I pursue this type of photography, I look forward to sharing the experiences as I did while in the United Kingdom.

My family has tolerated my photographic passion and at times encouraged it. This weekend we took plenty of photos and they arranged poses for the girls. These images were the creation of my sister-in-law, Six, and my wife, Deborah.

We were all together after Sunday’s service. I did grab one photo of them in their “Sunday outfits”. Afterwards, we photographed them in casual clothes with a consistent color theme.

Fortunately, both my girls as well as my nieces love the camera and getting them to pose is like getting the sun to shine. I give credit to Six because when she put that zebra blanket up as a background I was initially against it. However, it does provide a nice contrast to the colors.

My favorite is the one with them holding hands. It communicates the bond they have as family, and as young girls.

Within this next year, I may not travel to as many places as I did in England. However, I will not be bored or lack inspiration with the beautiful subjects I have around me.

-Roger

I originally scheduled my Egypt trip for January 29^th.  I wanted to celebrate my 40^th birthday on this trip, but I had to cancel due to the revolution.  I considered other places (Spain, Turkey, Germany) to visit.  However, I decided to wait and reschedule because no other place would satisfy my appetite like Egypt.

Once the people’s demands were met and the travel bans were lifted, I booked the 9-day King Tutankhamen trip and prepared for a lifetime trip.

Shortly after my arrival into Cairo, I departed for the resort.  The Cairo sights amazed me as 24 million inhabitants resume normal lives despite their historical transition less than a month ago.  I arrived at the beautiful Oasis Hotel resort in Cairo and enjoyed a nice dinner at their restaurant for my first night.

The next day began early when the participants met in the hotel lobby to meet our tour guide, Sharif.  After his introduction, we traveled to the Pyramids of Giza as he gave us their history.  The sight was incredible and the vendors were ecstatic to see tourists again.  They eagerly greeted us with various products.  There are 130+ pyramids discovered in Egypt.  We visited the legendary ones built for the Egyptian Pharoahs, King Khufu and King Khafre.  To further enrich the experience, we paid for a half-hour camel ride.  The most intimidating part of the ride is when the camel stands.  Unlike a horse, the camel must lay down in order to get on it.  First they stand up the back legs then their front ones, so you must hold on tightly.  Once the ride concluded, we visited the Sphinx nearby and grabbed some photos.

We ended the tour with a visit to a papyrus shop.  The presentation and the artwork were so impressive, I left with three items.  Finally, we returned to our hotel to prepare for the overnight trip to Aswan.

Shortly after our arrival to Aswan, we took a short ride to our cruise ship.   The spacious room with a balcony to view the Nile was beautiful.  After a brief lunch with our new guide and fellow tourists, we visited the High Dam.  Next, we headed to Philae Temple, which is situated on an island.  We toured the temple for an hour and a half, made our way back to Aswan and went shopping in the local market.

Our first night on the ship, we enjoyed dinner and watched the Nubian musicians and dancers perform on the ship.

Day Four

The next morning, we gathered for a quick breakfast and caught a flight to Abu Simbel. The temples’ story describing how they moved them is amazing.  Later that evening, we set sail to the Temple of Kom Ombo.  As the cruise ship reached the location, we saw the beautiful temple aglow in the night sky.  Only a short walk away, we toured the temple with Mohamed, and grabbed some beautiful night-time photos.

Day Five

We meet at 6:00 AM for a trip to the Temple of Horus.  After leaving the ship, several carriages were awaiting to take us to the temple.  We were the first tourists at the site and we enjoyed unobstructed views of the hieroglyphics.  As we departed the temple, streets were bustling with tourist groups heading to the temple.  We spent the remainder of the day aboard the ship.  I took my iPod and enjoyed the day on the sun deck.  After dinner, we watched the belly dancer and other entertainment,

Day Six

We checked out of the cruise ship, reunited with the Felucca group and checked into our Luxor hotel.  It was a beautiful facility located on the Nile banks.  Some of us toured the area capturing photos and enjoying the local dining.  Our tour guide, Sharif, made reservations at a local restaurant and we enjoyed delicious Egyptian food.

Day Seven

We gathered in the lobby approximately an hour and a half prior to sunrise.  With a boxed lunch, we boarded a small boat and headed across the Nile.  After a short ride in a van, we arrived in an open field where several crew times were inflating the hot air balloons.  The guide led us to our balloon basket and within a few minutes, the ground left us.  Unlike the dramatic departure of a jet plane generating air to lift it, the engineless balloon drifted into the air with ease.  For the next 45 minutes, we ascended to 2,500 feet overlooking the Nile and the surrounding countryside including Queen Hatshepsut’s temple and the Valley of the Kings.

Later that day, we visited the Temple of Karnak.  This impressive temple featured elaborate columns and statues more impressive than any other we visited.  The Egyptians ability to create such temples with precision and without modern-day machinery is amazing.

Some group members headed to Dahab, so we grabbed a group photo and those who remained later boarded a train to Cairo.

Day Eight

This is the last full day of my trip.  We arrived at the Giza train station and returned to the Oasis Hotel.  After checking in and taking a hot shower, we opted to visit the Cairo Museum.  We left the museum and headed to the Cairo marketplace.  With a population exceeding 24 million, Cairo possesses many shopping locales.  We visited an area dedicated to tourists and the local population.  We ended the day at a fast food restaurant.  After returning to the hotel, our remaining group reminisced over the past week’s events.  Later, I packed up for my next day’s flight.

The next day I departed for the hotel, arrived safely in London where my friend took me home thus concluding my last, yet memorable, trip while in England.

The sophistication of today’s camera surpasses the simplicity of past models.  This development is a double-edged sword.  It allows us to capture images without understanding ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, and aperture, the three elements necessary to properly expose an image.  I, and other, photographers hear people comment how easy it is to take a picture.  Some people believe if you purchase an expensive enough camera, you can rip it out the box and start creating postcard-quality photos.

Some have made the following statements regarding my images. “That’s a beautiful picture.  You must have a nice camera.”  or my favorite response “Those were some nice photos.  YOU didn’t take them did you? (This was from a family member!)”  I receive the comments in the spirit in which they were given.  However, have you ever seen a beautiful painting and thought, “Wow, this artist must have some nice brushes!”  People didn’t concern themselves with Michelangelo’s equipment used to paint the Sistine Chapel; nor did anyone care about the make and model of Miles Davis’s trumpet.  Yet, photography seems to be the exception where more credit is given to the tool than the artist.  When was the last time you visited your favorite restaurant and concerned yourself about the type of stove used?

I’ve worked with a friend for a few months to help him with his photography.  He has a great point ‘n shoot camera.  He believes he needs a better camera to improve his images.  I urge him to improve his photography skills before upgrading his camera.  A better camera not only makes taking great shots easier.   It makes taking bad shots easier as well.  If you do not understand the principles involved in taking great shots, guess which ones you’ll end up with the most.

I challenged him some time ago to use my camera and I would use his.  We went to Cambridge, UK.  It is a beautiful area with a river running through the city and the historic Cambridge University situated along the river.  I gave him my Digital Rebel XT and a choice of lenses.  He chose to use the lens with a 15x zoom so he could have wide angle and telephoto capability.

He was initially frustrated with the controls, but he found his comfort zone and he believed this was the missing ingredient for his recipe in taking great photos.  I enjoyed using his point ‘n shoot camera and I looked forward to seeing my images on the computer.

We downloaded our images and began to examine the results.  As we looked at his photos, he realized what he saw on the LCD wasn’t showing up on the computer.  The reality is the equipment didn’t make his shots better.  He’s realizing the challenge is how to transform what he visualizes into a good photograph.  A great camera can do many things, but it cannot interpret our vision.

Every person purchasing a nice camera does not need to read photography books and take classes.  Yet, capturing beautiful and lasting images takes time and it’s not the camera, but the photographer that matters.

Every photo in this post was taken with his camera, Canon S90.

“Gear is Good, Vision is Better.” – David duChemin

-Roger

A friend asked me to restore an old photograph of her mom with family. I told her I’d see what I could do but I could make no promises. This was the first time I received such a request.  As a photographer, I use several programs to enhance my images or create a different look to them.  Restoring an old photo was a new challenge, but an opportunity to add another dimension to my photographic repertoire.

There were a few things the photo needed. I had to remove scratches and provide color corrections to the image.

After I removed the scratches, the photo still had a rough look that is often associated with noise in today’s digital images. However, removing noise softens the image and the photograph looses detail. Therefore, I manually removed some noise and corrected the color.

I did this within a couple of hours.  I wanted to improve the photo some more.  However, time was of the essence and I had to get it back to her.  The project encouraged me to learn more about editing and retouching old photos.  I have several and I look forward to applying the techniques I learned.

P.S.  I spoke with my friend and she loved the photo.  She made it into a calendar for her mom for Christmas!  As we shop this season, sometimes the best gifts are the old ones we have that only need updating and used in a new way.

-Roger

I arrived at Brussels, Belgium on a cold, rainy, and windy Tuesday late afternoon.  This would be the pattern for the next twelve days in this country.  My hotel, Mercure Mons, is located in the middle of the woods.  The full colors already peaked; yet, I managed to grab a few shots displaying the last bit of color.

I visit downtown Brussels while it rained.  I went to the famous Atomium and the Grand Place.

The dreary weather meant I had to rush my shots.  I did notice colorful umbrellas.  I attempted to put people with their umbrellas in various shots.  It did not always work, but it was fun attempting to create a theme within my images.

-Roger

Have you read an outstanding book that you couldn’t put down?  You read it until you eyes grew tired and when you finished the book it was a bittersweet moment because you no longer had the next chapter to read.  However, the author promised a sequel so you waited and waited.  The anticipation was so great that you couldn’t wait for it to go on sale.  When the release date was announced, you went online or visited the bookstore to pre-order the book.  When the bookstore called you or you saw that the item was shipped, you began counting down the minutes until you had the book in your hand.  After all the anticipation was over and the book was in your hand, you cancelled plans to do anything that didn’t involve reading the book.  However, something strange happened, as you read the book, the storyline was not as compelling, the characters were not as interesting.  You built up all this anticipation and you were in the midst of a huge disappointment.  You labored through until the end.  Yet, the experience was nowhere near the mental reservoir of excitement you had in mind.  Lastly, have you ever taken a long-awaited vacation only to be disappointed with the destination?  The last example was my potential situation.

I began my love affair with Cinque Terre from a photograph I saw at a camera web site (I was researching a lens I later purchased).  I saw another image of this beautiful coastal town nestled in the Italian mountains. I learned that the village was Manarola, a small fishing village. It is one of five villages within the Liguria region of Italy.  The images were beautiful and I thought it would be a great experience to capture these images.  I began researching the area and learning about the hiking trails.  I did all this before I even knew we were moving to England.  When we moved, I knew I had to visit this place before I returned to the US.

View from the train heading to Cinque Terre

We boarded the train at Pisa.  It was an awesome transition watching the terrain change from a hilly environment to large mountains speckled with villages clinging to their sides.  After an hour train ride, we arrived at La Spezia.  Many people visiting Italy think of Rome, Venice, Milan, etc.  However, I was now a couple of stops away from a small fishing village and a long-awaited dream coming true.  La Spezia is a town southeast of RioMaggiore, the first village within Cinque Terre (CT), where most regional trains stop.  People wanting to continue to CT must transfer to the trains traveling amongst the five villages.  When we arrived at La Spezia, we purchased a two-day train and trail pass that provides unlimited access to both for the next 48 hours.  We boarded the train and it stopped at RioMaggiore.  The villages are only a few kilometers between one another so we literally arrived in Manarola two to three minutes later.  The trains travel through the mountains so we couldn’t get a seaside view as we rode.  When we departed the train, I was overwhelmed with excitement.  The brilliant colors of the homes left me in awe.  The colors were so bright and rich they looked as if Crayola did the paint jobs!  However, the excitement quickly diminished as the GPS told me our hotel was 200+ yards up the step mountainside village.  We hiked up the mountain unsuccessfully looking for our hotel.  After several minutes walking around and twice passing a hotel I didn’t book, I asked for assistance.  I learned our hotel was actually near the water.  I quickly walked while Rochelle rested from our ascent up the hill.  I found our place sitting less than 50 yards from the edge of the cliff.  I checked in and caught up with my sister who was already on her way to the hotel.

View several yards from the hotel

It was less than 40 minutes till sunset and that is my favorite photography time.  The light from the beautiful blue sky balances with the artificial lights from buildings and street lights.  I grabbed a few shots and I walked around the cliff.  I was now staring at the very image I saw so many times online.  It was more impressive in person than I could’ve imagined.  The image of the colorful homes resting on the cliff with the waves crashing below was majestic.  We walked until I found a great site to capture the twilight beauty of Manarola.  Afterwards, we had dinner at a nearby restaurant and called it a night.  After years of anticipation, I finished my first date with Manarola.  It was not disappointing as she was more intriguing and beautiful than I imagined.

The next morning I awoke early with camera and tripod in hand and took some more shots of the coastal village.  Afterwards, I just chilled and thanked God for the opportunity to be in Italy.  Later, Rochelle and I walked the trail to Riomaggiore.  It is by far the easiest trail because it is a 15 minute walk along a paved trail that includes a restaurant along the way.  We arrived at the village, toured the area, took some photos and boarded the train to Corniglia, the middle village.

We walked up a steep flight of 382 steps, and bought jewelry from a local merchant, Tony, before we arrived in the town.  Unlike the other villages located at sea level, Corniglia is situated relatively high in the mountain.  Also, the village was quite small, but it had beautiful views of the mountainside where vineyards littered the cliffs.  We began to walk the trail leading to the next village, Vernazza.

Rochelle walking up one of the 382 steps to Cornigia

I learned that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.  I tried to keep that in mind because I do not like heights.  However, I was now walking along a pathway that varied in width from several feet to no more than two or three.  On my right was the mountain and the other side was a steep descent to the sea.  We were a few hundred feet above sea level and when the path is flirting with the edge of a cliff, fear works its way into your head.  At times, my sister had to stop and wait for me as labored along the path.  The young folks passing or the old folks passing me did not embarrass me.  However, I was taught to always walk along the outside of a curb when I was walking next to a woman.  That’s the chivalrous thing to do.  However, when women passed me on this narrow path.  I clutched to the inside of the path hugging the cliff and I let the ladies walk pass me on the outside.  I would continue my courteous manners once I got off this mountain.

Buried within this cliff is the narrow trail we used to travel between villages.

Approximately a hour and a half later, we descended into the fourth village, Vernazza.  My nerves were a bit done.  However, we rested and I knew I would take the “train” instead of the trail to the next and last village, Monterosso al Mare.  Vernazza’s sea-side is beautiful.  It has a natural marina protecting boats and swimmers from the waves.  I wanted to return during twilight but I committed to another village.

We arrived at Monterosso, thus seeing all five villages of Cinque Terre.  Rochelle opted to visit the beach while I captured more images.  We split up and met up in time to catch the train back to Manarola.  However, I returned to Riomaggiore to capture the village during twilight.  Rochelle returned to the hotel for dinner.  When I was done, I enjoyed dinner at our hotel that has a sea-side view of the cliffs.  After dinner, I returned to the room satisfied in my images and confronting my fear of heights.

Sea level shot of Riomaggiore during twilight. I took this a few feet above the water level.

The next morning we packed and headed to the train station for the next and last leg of our trip, Rome.  The train ride to Rome was approximately four hours.  We arrived in Rome in the early afternoon, dropped our luggage at the holding area, and purchased a self-guided tour of the Vatican.  It worked well because we walked around St. Peter’s Square until the tour began.  Afterwards, we joined the tour and walked into the Vatican Museum without delay—no waiting in line required.  We visited the many artifacts including the Sistine Chapel.  Next, we decided to tour some of the nearby landmarks.  After visiting the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, and other locations, we returned to obtain our luggage.  We headed to our hotel, checked-in, and had dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Once again, we have a productive day on our last stop.

It’s our last full day in Italy.  We awoke early and headed into the city center.  It’s Saturday and admission into the Colosseum and Forum is free.  As we arrive at the site, we take photos with guys dressed as Roman soldiers.  Afterwards, they ask for $20 Euros as compensation!  As we walk to the Colosseum, we decide to participate in a guided tour of the Colosseum and the Forum.  Once again, we bypass the waiting lines and immediately enter both historical landmarks.  Once we completed those tours, we began visiting other areas of Rome.  The city is bustling with thousands of tourists even though this is the more moderate time for tourists.  Rochelle and I split and we meet up a few hours later.  She went shopping and I go…well, you know what I do!  We return to the Colosseum and I take shots of the Colosseum during twilight.  When I finished, we had dinner and headed back to the hotel for our last night in Italy.

Our flight was not until 9:00 PM.  Therefore, we take the time and sleep in for the first time in nearly a week.  When we finally checked-out, we head to the Rome Terminal awaiting our bus ride to the airport.  We still have a few more hours.  So, we visit a bookstore and I see a Rome calendar with images of places we didn’t visit.  Since I have some time, I go and grab some last-minute shots of the Piazza di Spagna and other memorable shots along the way.

Every few minutes she was engaged in a dialogue with someone.

I return and we check-in the area for our bus ride to the airport.  We grab a bite to eat as we wait for our plane and later we board the plane to England.  We arrive safely and we go to my car for the ride home.  At home, all is well.  Rochelle decides to visit London the next day and I chill at home as I prepare for work the following day.  The next day I take her to the airport, and then I go to work.  I’m back into my routine.  However, I had an outstanding time with my sister and nearly 1,200 images chronicling this amazing trip.  I was truly thankful how the weather, the locations, the companionship, and the images worked out so well.  I thank God for a trip of a lifetime!

-Roger

I booked our flights through RyanAir, known for their cheap prices.  However, they bypass the typical accoutrements.  There are no reserved seats and you don’t walk through a protected tunnel to your plane.  You walk outside and board the plane from the front or the rear.  Also, they charge you for checked bags and for printing your boarding pass—I’m being charged to use my own ink and paper—don’t even think about not printing or forgetting your pass you’ll pay a lot extra.  However, the flight was short and uneventful so I have no complaints.

We arrived in Venice and the weather was beautiful.  However, RyanAir doesn’t really take you to Venice—even though that’s what they advertise online.  You arrive at an airport approximately 60 minutes from the town center.  We took a five Euro bus ride near the town center.  It’s approximately 11:00 AM and we get onto the vaporetto, the Venice waterbus.  Proper planning helps greatly because we knew which line to ride.  We traveled the entire length of the Grand Canal getting off and on for one small fee.

We reached the Saint Marco Basilica and we began touring the area.  As we walked, I noticed a local vendor sponsoring a tour to the nearby islands.  I read a photography article about the Burano Island near Venice and the colorful homes.  So, we quickly accepted the opportunity.  The tour began with a trip to Murano Island where we watched a local glass-maker make a horse—Wow, not!  After we walked through the gift shop, it was on to the next location.  We traveled to Burano where the tour guide told us they make a lot of lace on the island.  I bypassed that show and began walking around photographing the homes and the people.  The colorful homes play a prominent role on the island.  In order to maintain the appearance, the residents must get local approval whenever they paint their homes.  Originally, the story goes, they painted the homes in a bright color so the inebriated fisherman knew which home to enter when they returned home.  The next and final stop was to Torcello Island.  I still don’t know why we visited this island.  There were a few buildings and a pay-before-you-go bathroom.  The entire cruise was 3.5 hours, which seemed too long initially.  However, it takes 25 to 35 minutes to get to each island with only a 30 minute stay each time.  Therefore, the trip went quickly.

We arrived back at Saint Marco Basilica and I began photographing the gondolas in the water.  I saw some beautiful shots of them and I wanted to add my own flare to the image.  After doing this, the daylight was fading fast and we were getting hungry and tired.  We left our backpacks on the boat whenever we visited the islands.  However, lugging them around all day began to take its toll.  I pulled out my TomTom to see where the hotel was and it was at the “beginning” of the Grand Canal!  After a long ride through the canal we arrived at our hotel, literally a five-minute walk from the beginning of the bus route.  If only we’d dropped off our bags prior to touring the city, we could’ve saved ourselves from carrying them all day, so much for proper planning.

We checked into the hotel, dropped off the luggage, and found us a place for dinner.  Our first day in Italy was productive and we looked forward to a new day at a new location.

——

We got up early, checked out and headed to the train station that was next to the bus stop right near our hotel!!!!  The train ride to Florence was two hours.  So, it gave us an opportunity to catch some more sleep.  When we arrived in Florence, Rochelle asked if I knew where the hotel is located as we were getting into the taxi.  I said, “No” assuming if it were far we’d need the taxi and if it was close the ride would be cheap.  However, when I showed the driver the address, he smiled and pointed behind us to our hotel.  So, we immediately checked into our hotel and dropped off our luggage!

We visited an information desk then began walking around the city.  We headed to the Duormo, the Cathedral of Florence.  The architecture of the building is amazing.  Many cathedrals in Europe allow people to climb to the top.  So, we decided to participate and 463 steps later, we arrived amidst a stunning view of the city.  However, I’d experience an even better view later that day.  Once you’re done and ready to descend, it becomes an exercise of patience as part of the narrow path is used for people ascending and descending.  Unfortunately, the stairwell is only wide enough for one direction.

We walked to the Accademia.  This is where the famous statue of Michelangelo’s David resides.  It’s recommended that you make reservations or you’ll have to wait in line.  However, we saw two lines, one for people without reservations and one for people “with” reservations.  They both were long.  I wasn’t pressed with seeing the statue and after my sister’s remarks, which were hilarious, but not suitable for print, I lost all interest.

As a photographer, I’m always looking for great views and most of my research centers around that.  I read about an area where you can see the city at sunset.  So, we began to walk to Pizzale de Michelangelo, an elevated town square.  The one fact about any “elevated” place in Europe is it requires strength and stamina.  They don’t offer amenities for people with disabilities.  You can either hike up the trail or stay where you are.

After a mile or so of walking, we arrived at the square and the view was worth it.  The colors were brilliant.  It never ceases to amaze me how natural colors offer some of the best photographic opportunities.  We stayed at the site well past sunset.  As we began to leave, we unsuccessfully tried to hale a taxi.  However, we walked back to our hotel instead.  Once again, we found a place to eat and called it a night after that.

——

The next morning we got up early to take the train to Pisa.  It was our first sign of unpleasant weather as it began to rain.  I prayed this weather would remain and Pisa would be different.  After purchasing our tickets, we boarded the train and headed to our next stop.  As predicted, the clouds began to break and our arrival at Pisa was greeted with a beautiful blue sky with a few clouds to provide break the color.

We discovered a baggage repository so we dropped off our backpacks to lighten the load.  We walked around the area and made our way to the famous courtyard.  After approximately 25 minutes of walking, we saw this leaning building.  We also knew we were getting close because every few feet we saw vendors selling various goods.  Rochelle was excited to see the tower because she told me she had this “unique” idea for a photo.  She was going to pose in front of the tower and pretend she was holding it!  Imagine her disappointment when she saw nearly everyone taking that pose.  We walked around the courtyard visiting the many vendors and me taking photos.  After a few hours, we returned to the train station because we had to travel to our next stop.  We only needed a half-day in Pisa.  We obtained our luggage and boarded the train for our next destination.  The entire trip was going as planned.  However, the highlight for me was now an hour’s train ride to the next stop.

The next morning, Justin and I prepared for yet another flight to another base.  This one was even more remote.  When we landed, all we saw was dust from the rear of the plane.  After a moment or two, we saw more mountains and we were greeted by occasional loud bursts.  Thankfully, there weren’t incoming shots, but tanks firing shots in the distance.  After a week of travel, we returned to our home base no worse for wear.

My last week in Afghanistan was uneventful.  I met more engaging people doing great work and who are very sharp.  The lifestyle is not ideal.  Yet, the work is important and the pay is good.  I would’ve never considered working here previously.  Yet, my experience here has brought the phrase, “Never say never” to the forefront again.

The day of my departure was long.  I woke up at 4:40 AM to prepare for my 5:30 drive to the airport.  With my colleague missing his flight a week earlier, my co-workers and I checked and re-checked the departure time.  I arrived at the airport at 6:00 AM and waited for the 8:30 departure.  We flew into Trabzon Turkey to refuel.  Our time there lasted less than one hour and we were back on the plane to Copenhagen.  We arrived in Denmark and I was already tired and I had reservations at a nearby hotel.  However, I felt I was close to home and I didn’t want to stay away another night.  I went to the ticket counter and inquired about a flight to London.  After checking the schedule, the agent told me I could take an 8:20 PM flight.  With the clock approaching 4:00 PM, it would be no problem passing the time.

Later that day, I boarded the flight and we arrived in London shortly after 9:20 PM.  Now, I had to get my luggage, work my way through customs and grab a train from Heathrow to London, then from London to Huntingdon.  Each train ride is an hour.  So, I knew it would be another two hours and some change before I arrived at home.  Yet, when I bought my ticket going from Heathrow Airport to downtown, it was after 10:30 and the ticket agent wasn’t certain I could catch the second train to Huntingdon.  He thought they may have concluded for the day.  I prayed there would be trains running because an hour long taxi ride would not be cheap.  I arrived at downtown London shortly after 11:30 PM.  Fortunately, there was another train to Huntingdon, but it wasn’t leaving until 12:36 AM, more waiting.  I got on the train and had to fight the urge to contain my excitement at approaching home and not falling asleep thereby missing my stop.  Twenty minutes from my stop I called a taxi so I could have a ride home.  When I got off the train, the guy was waiting for me and it wasn’t a moment too soon because a fellow passenger was eyeing my ride.  I live less than two miles from the station but the ride seemed much longer.  However, I arrived at home shortly after 1:30 AM and I shortly afterwards I answered the bed that was calling me every since I arrived at Denmark.

I had an enlightening experience in Afghanistan.  I met many people and gained some new friends.  I thank God for the opportunity and hope and pray this war comes to a peaceful resolution.  God Bless and Keep Shooting—pictures, that is!

We waited in the lobby for approximately an hour then we were led to a C-130 airplane.  I looked for the friendly airline attendants and the 1^st class or business-class seating, but there were none.  Instead, there was a long stretched-nylon bench for us to sit.  We were less than ten feet from a large palette of equipment that I prayed would remain in place.  The airline attendants always warn you about items shifting during the flight.  I hoped that wouldn’t be the case with that large palette.

Traveling with the military is interesting.  As a first-timer, I watched helicopters take off and land.  Everyone else ignored it as they were used to it.  However, a couple of instances included jets that took off as well. Whenever they took flight, everyone would stop and watch.

Our flight was scheduled for 8:00 AM and we boarded the plane shortly after 7:00.  We spent nearly an hour sitting on the seats waiting.  However, at 8:00 sharp the plane began to take-off and take-off it did.  I wasn’t near a window.  However, there was a window across from me.  In one instance, I would see the ground and the base of the mountains.  Suddenly, the plane would sway and I would see nothing but the sky.  The pilot would bank and turn and the mountains were so close I knew I could reach out and touch them if I wanted.   He would speed up then slow down and the plane would drop.  It was the roller-coaster ride from hell!  However, a military guy and I must have been the only first-timers.  He pulled out his camera to take photos and I couldn’t stop laughing.  Everyone else was deep in thought or sleep.  After approximately 15 minutes of fancy maneuvers, we reached a high altitude and the flight was routine.  Approximately an hour and a half later, we landed at our destination.

Justin called our contact and within a few minutes we had a ride to our base.  The base was an Italian post.  Therefore, I knew since we would be there for a few days, I’d have to endure a few more days of pasta for lunch and dinner.  We met our contacts and they showed us our lodging accommodations.  It was a 7’x18’ room with four twin beds lined two-by-two.  Across the hall were the bathroom and shower stalls.  As we surveyed the grooming area, we noticed a few necessary items missing.  There was no door for the bathroom and none of the stalls contained toilet paper.  We asked a soldier staying in the next room and he told us that toilet paper around here is like, “white gold”.  So, we kept the roll he gave us and used it sparingly.

We went to our work site and accessed the situation.  Prior to working, the early morning start began to take a toll so we asked if we could break for lunch and if they would show us to the chow hall.  After a less than pleasant lunch, we returned to work and fixed a few problems.  We decided to pace the amount of work we’d do since we knew we weren’t leaving for a few days.  The next stop was to our room for a siesta.  We continued this pattern for the next three days, get up, work, eat lunch, nap, and work some more, and finally go to dinner to eat some more.  Our first night on base was enlightening because the more remote bases do not have lights.  Therefore, we walked by the built-in flash lights of our cell phones.

One night, we ran low on our “white gold”.  We saw our sponsor and told him we needed toilet paper.  He only understood, “paper”, so he put his hands together and motioned like he was turning pages in a book.  We repeated the phrase only slower and louder (as if that ever works).  We tried to get him to understand it was a different type of paper we needed.  In the back of my mind, I knew what would make him understand, but I didn’t want to go there.  Finally, after several unsuccessful attempts, I demonstrated the type of paper we needed.  “Ohhhh, toilet paper”, he says while laughing.  A few minutes later he returns with the goods.

We traveled to another base a day or so later.  When we arrived, the officer took us to our rooms and we took a break prior to getting our work done.  We walked around to pass the time when we came across a memorial.  It is a reminder how the attacks over nine years ago changed the world.

Contractors often seize opportunities to work in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the economic opportunities.  Nevertheless, we would have another realization of the life and death consequences due to the war before we completed our trip.

-Roger

I was mentally preparing myself for the vacation that I’d thought would never come. In a few days, my mother and brother would be arriving in England. That’s when a GDIT manager said to me, “Roger. Would you be interested in going to Afghanistan?” I, nonchalantly, said, “Sure…no problem!” (That’s honestly what I said). I then asked him for how long because I knew my sister was coming in October. They told me I would be there for 30-40 days. I agreed and we began the process of sending me to Kabul, Afghanistan. My manager told me that I would be at one base for the duration of my stay. However, it was possible I could spend some time at another base three to four miles away. Since travel between bases typically requires a convoy or at least one vehicle with two armed guards, she told me she would work to limit my time to that one base. Yet, by the time I returned home, I traveled to several bases and logged more than 1,000 miles traveling throughout Afghanistan!

My journey began with a two train rides, a flight from Heathrow in London, and a layover in Copenhagen, Denmark. I detailed my Copenhagen experience in an earlier blog. When I returned from my Copenhagen excursion, I met up with a co-worker, Henry, who was traveling with me. We boarded the plane shortly after 8:00 PM and traveled to Turkey. The plane refueled and completed the final leg of the trip and we arrived in Kabul shortly after 7:30 AM.

Henry’s drivers were waiting for him and they promptly took him to his base. Unfortunately, my ride was not present and this is not the place where one just grabs a taxi to his destination. Travel to any location requires designated drivers trained for the “unique” forms of road rage within the country. As a praying man, I truly didn’t worry. I knew someone would take me to my location, especially after I called and they told me they were coming. The escort arrived after an hour or so of waiting. It was two armed guys, a driver and a shooter. I later learned they are special ops military personnel trained to drive in this area. They gave me a bullet-proof vest and a helmet to wear. However, as a praying man, I wasn’t worried until the “shooter” started talking. He began telling me, “When we get shot at…” He told me that when we began receiving gun fire they would return fire. However, if the vehicle becomes disabled, they would work to defend us and I should remain in the vehicle until further notice. I said, “You mean we’re going to get shot at?” He said, “No, this is what we’re going to do if we get shot at. I just want you to know what the procedures will be.” I breathed a sigh of relief and I thought to myself. “You need to use the word “if” instead of “when”. That’s a big difference. However, I kept the thought to myself.

I arrived at the base and I met some of my co-workers. However, this was not my place of work for the month. Later, I traveled to my home base and I met my co-worker for the month, Frank. He gave me a tour, took me to my tent, and continued to show me around the base. After a busy first few days, I settled in to a routine. I did some work with Frank. However, I craved to do more during my time in Kabul. I contacted management and my co-workers at the nearby base. Within a couple of days, plans were made for me to travel and get the experience of a lifetime. The drivers came to get me so I could go to the nearby base and prepare to travel with my co-worker, Justin.

I was riding down the Kabul streets, where they drive on the right-side of the road, taking in the surroundings when we arrived at a round-about. What happened next was right out of a football playbook. The lead vehicle cut into traffic and block the lanes. Our vehicle quickly entered the round-about traffic and the lead vehicle continued around the circle. Now, we were the lead vehicle and to exit the circle, we performed a similar maneuver. However, the best part was yet to come.

We continued down the boulevard where an island separated the traffic flowing in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, I noticed the right lane was used for vehicles that wanted to travel in the opposite direction of us and vehicles in the other lanes. Therefore, we had to occasionally get out of the right lane to avoid the on-coming wrong-coming traffic! Our destination required us to exit the street with a left turn. However, there are no left-turn lanes and our vehicles did not want to be sitting in the middle of the street waiting for traffic to clear like sitting ducks. That left us with only one other option.

We’re approaching the side street where we need to make the left turn and the lead vehicle drives past the street and he’s looking for a break in the traffic. Suddenly, with no blinkers or signal to the oncoming traffic, he turns right in front of the traffic. The traffic comes to a halt and our vehicle quickly turns with the traffic being cleared and he follows behind us allowing the traffic to resume. That’s the kind of driving that my father-in-law would love!

Copenhagen Train Station

It was less than a week after my family returned to Detroit and I was making preparations to leave again. I received an assignment to travel for a month. Ironically, I was given the assignment two days prior to my vacation and I was scheduled to leave two days after my vacation. Thankfully, I had a helpful Program Office.

The trip required a connecting flight in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally, I wanted to arrive on Tuesday and take the second flight on Wednesday so I could spend the evening in the city. However, the approval process took a little longer than I expected. So, I departed on Wednesday which meant it would be a LONG travel day.

My day of travel began Wednesday morning at 5:00 and I knew it would be strenuous because I didn’t sleep the entire night. The taxi arrived at 5:00 AM and I took two trains to London’s Heathrow Airport. I arrived approximately 90 minutes prior to my two-hour flight. The flight to Copenhagen was smooth and uneventful. I arrived shortly after 12:30 PM. Yet, my next flight wasn’t until 8:45 PM. Now, I had approximately eight hours of free time.

A co-worker told me I could place my luggage in the airport storage area. When I went to check-in my luggage, the lady told me it would be 80! I initially thought 80 Euros which corresponds to nearly $100 dollars. However, it was 80 Kroners which corresponds to approximately $14. The next step was to the train station within the airport. The ticket was about $6 and I was off to downtown Copenhagen. SIDE NOTE: I love me Detroit city. Yet, I find it troubling that I can get to downtown easier from the Paris and Copenhagen train station/airport, where English is not the native language, than I can from my own city’s airport.

I walked around and within minutes I was at the town square.

There were various restaurants and boutiques in the area; some stores were familiar and some not-so-familiar.   I was impressed with the tribal musicians playing music in the square.  Their style of music was very similar to the what we saw in Paris.  After walking around I went into a souvenir shop to purchase postcards. I saw some great photos and I asked the lady where the locations were. She told me it was a six-minute walk. I’m glad I asked because when I arrived I liked what I saw.

I considered going on a local ferry around the city. However, I didn’t want to rush back to the airport and I knew I’d spend a day in Copenhagen during my return to England. So, I relented.

A few hours later, I made my way back to the airport to prepare for my next flight, and glad I made the effort to see the town.

When we take the time to venture outside our comfort zone, we actually expand our areas of opportunity. Taking the time to ride a train in a foreign land literally opened the door to a beautiful city waiting for me to discover and photograph it.

-Roger

My family arrived Friday morning on the 20th.  To avoid jet lag, I kept them up throughout the day by visiting Cambridge, a drive to Huntingdon and some other locations.  After a light dinner, we prepared for the trip.  The taxi arrived at 5:50 AM Saturday morning and we headed to the local train station for the trip to London.  When we arrived, we waited to board the Eurostar train for the two and a half hour trip to Paris.

When we arrived at our hotel, the rooms were not ready.  So, we placed the bags in storage and headed to see the sights.  We boarded the Metro train and exited at the the Trocadero station.  This is a special stop as it takes you to the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.  It is a fabulous piece of architecture.  However, the significance of the building quickly fades away as you walk around the corner and see the impressive view of the Eiffel Tower.  I knew how beautiful the structure looked from this view and I wanted to capture my mother’s expression when she initially saw it.  She was moved to tears and that moment was greater than anything she could have said.

The next two days included walking, walking, and more walking.  In between the walking, we rode the tour bus and took the Seine River Cruise both allowed us to get off and on for two days.  Our last full day in Paris was hindered by rain.  Due to the storm, we decided not to go into the Eiffel Tower—although I already bought tickets (oh, well).  The tower does not provide much rain cover.  Instead, we boarded the boat, cruised the river, and got off once the rain subsided.

We visited several French restaurants and we were never disappointed.  However, during our last night in Paris, my mother longed for something familiar.  So, we headed to Pizza Hut for dinner—not exactly ideal French cuisine.

The next morning we headed to the train station for a day of traveling.  We took the two and a half-hour train ride to Paris and another four and a half-hour train ride to Scotland.  The ride to Scotland was truly scenic.  This is what a person envisions during a train ride.  The natural beauty left us in awe.  Small villages nestled against the North Sea provided many photographic opportunities.

We arrived at the hotel, checked in and began to visit the city.  Bagpipe music filled the downtown area as it was blaring from various stores and musicians on the corners.  The juxtaposition of natural and medieval beauty was impressive with the cliffs and gothic-styled buildings.  The next morning we ate and decided to walk towards the shoreline.  After a few miles, we arrived at the industrial side of the ports instead of the beaches.  We visited the mall and did some light shopping.  The only unpleasant experience we had was with a bus driver who told me the fare amount but proceeded to drive away while we were counting our money.  Fortunately, the next bus was less than two minutes away and we quickly hopped on and rode to our hotel.

We walked around the area and prepared to enter the Tattoo Festival.  We entered the festival several minutes before it began.  Although we were packed like sardines, the view was great and we were able to get great shots of the participants.

The next morning we made our way to the train station and went to London.  This was the last leg of the trip and the pace of the vacation began to wane on my mom and I.  We arrived at our hotel to find that our room was not ready.  Therefore, we headed to Westminster and rode the London Eye.  Afterwards, my mom wanted to visit Buckingham Palace.  As we walked through James Park, it began to drizzle and the rain became more substantial.

We found the nearest Underground station and made our way to the hotel.  After grabbing a quick bite at Subway, we called it a day and checked into our room.

Our last full day caused us to combine the bus and boat tour.  We rode the Big Top Bus around downtown London.  Next, we took the boat cruise up the River Thames to Greenwich.  We visited the Royal Observatory and took in the beautiful London Skyline.

We concluded the day with a trip back to WestMinster, a Big Bus ride to Marble Arch, and a walk to our hotel.

We concluded our last night with a wrap-up of the week’s highlights and stuffing the various gifts and mementos into our luggage.  Additional photos are available on Facebook.

PERSONAL NOTE:

This trip with my mother and brother was a dream come true.  During my years in college, my mother sacrificed her money, time, vehicle, and other personal benefits to see me through college.  She did it without asking for anything in return.  At times, it caused her grief, but she always did her best to help me.  I asked her why did she sacrifice so much to help and she told me, “RJ, your college education is an investment.”  That statement stayed with me and it motivated me to make certain she received some sort of return on her investment.  When we moved to England, I knew I wanted her to come and visit.  However, she was hesitant to fly.  When my family moved back to the states, I stayed for a few reasons.  One reason was I still wanted to my mother to visit.  She finally decided to come after much urging.  I quickly helped her book her flight.  Afterwards, I made all the hotel and train reservations.  The culmination of this effort was realized when she saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time.  It was truly an honor to provide someone who gave and continues to give me so much a lifetime memory.  She nearly wept out of sheer joy to see and finally realize that she was in Paris, France.

We all may not get the chance to take our parents, guardians, loved-ones overseas.  However, we should make the effort to honor those who enriched our lives and motivated us to strive for our dreams.

-Roger

We wanted to visit the Red Sands Sea Forts.  Unfortunately, two charter services called and canceled our trip two days before our arrival.  Instead, we travel to Whitstable and photographed the local area.

The next day included a “Full Day” tour with a local company that arrived at our hotel and took us to several places.  We visited Leeds Castle then we traveled to Dover.  We visited the Battle of Britain Memorial.  The memorial is similar to our Vietnam Memorial with a wall commemorating those who gave their life in WWII.

The next stop on our tour was a boat ride explaining the history of Dover and a display of the famous White Cliffs of Dover.  Unfortunately, the weather was extremely foggy.  Therefore, we could not clearly see the distant cliffs.  Yet, their immense size was something to behold.  The boat remained within a protective barrier that keeps the choppy waves of the English Channel from crashing the port.  However, that didn’t stop the various swimmers practicing for their attempt to swim the channel.  People spend at least six hours in the water to train for the 21 mile swim from England to France.

Dover is England’s closest point to the European mainland.  This makes Dover a popular port with plenty of traffic coming to and leaving from England.  The Chunnel (English Channel Tunnel) leaves from this point and allows you to arrive in France in approximately 30 minutes.  Within Dover, we visited other sites providing historical accounts of Britain’s battles.  The next and most challenging stop was a walk along the top of the Dover Cliffs.  The cliffs are very famous and EPMD mentions them in their ’92 hit “Crossover”.  I have issues with heights.  So, it was an experience knowing the cliff’s edge, a few feet away, separated me from the cliff’s bottom a few hundred feet down.  That didn’t stop Ashanti from getting that unique perspective near the edge.

The last tour stop was a trip to Dover Castle.  This is an impressive fortress sitting atop the Dover Cliffs.  The elevation and proximity to the shore made any approach easily spotted.

As you view the images in Flickr, you’ll see a feature on the right side indicating where I took the image.  I purchased a GPS logger that records my location every five seconds.  This device is great because it allows you to merge the location data into your photo.  When you upload the image or view it in Picasa, it shows where you were at the time.  It also creates a route showing your traveled route.  As I prepare for my next trips, this will be a great new feature.

Lastly, I prayed for a sunny day during our visit.  Normally, my weather requests are honored.  However, you can see the fog present throughout our day.  I left disappointed that the sunny images I wanted didn’t happen.  As we left our last tour stop, the sun broke through the clouds, burned the fog away, and a sunny day arrived.  That’s when I realized I prayed for a sunny day.  However, I didn’t say when I wanted it to arrive.  Be specific in your prayer requests and keep shooting!

-Roger

After that presentation, he and I talked and become friends.  He told me about his project as an author and I told him about my work as a photographer.  He wanted me to take some shots for his book cover and we talked about it for nearly a year.  After months of talk, we finally brought it to fruition this weekend. Darius Donte’ is “The Ascot Author”. A gifted story-teller and people will find his insight about relationships very compelling.

I was a little nervous because I previously did some studio-like work.  Yet, this was my first job in an actual studio.  We visited the place a few days prior to the shoot so I could assess the lighting and see what I needed to bring.  The studio’s great equipment eased my concerns.  Therefore, I knew the only thing needed was my ability to photograph Darius.

We worked for nearly four hours and several wardrobe changes.  When we were done, I was pleased with the work we did.

-Roger

It started with a bus ride from RAF Alconbury to RAF Fairford where we stayed during the weekend.  Each morning we had breakfast and devotion to start our day.  The first stop was to Salisbury where we toured the famous cathedral.  Afterwards, we traveled approximately a half an hour to Stonehenge and we stayed there for approximately 1.5 hours (I love to take photos.  However, spending nearly two hours walking around large stones is way too much time).

The next day we traveled to Bath.  The city of Bath is simply stunning!  As we drove into the town, I saw clusters of homes built along the side of the hill.  There are breath-taking views throughout the city.  This town is indicative of Europe.  It is an English town that was built during the Roman’s ruling period.  The architecture of several landscapes speaks to that influence.  There were some many picturesque sites that I knew I had to return even before I got off the bus.

We started with the tour of the Roman baths.  I took the time to listen and read about the history because I often go to places, take some photos, then I leave not knowing much than when I arrived.  A friend and I walked around grabbed some more shots before we did a tour of the Bath Abbey.  The Abbey like most cathedrals in England has the large bells that chime throughout the day.  When we did our tour, we went to the room containing the large bells…and guess what.  While the guide explained how often the bells chime, they began ringing!!!  Thankfully, we all left with our hearing intact.  The day concluded with two fellow participants getting baptized in the Avon River in Bath.  That was spectacular to witness.

The third and final day began with an attempt to worship at Christ Church in Oxford.  We arrived too late.  Therefore, we had a private service in public.  We had a short devotion near the church grounds.  We spent the day with a guide explaining the various religious monuments and the history of the Protestant church as they dealt with the Roman Catholic establishment and those who died for their faith.

There was much to learn and take from this weekend.  It’s difficult to articulate how fortunate and blessed I felt to learn about the English history this weekend and take some photos of the gorgeous landscape.  This is what I envisioned when I decided to move to England.  I wish more of my family could’ve participated in the event.  Nevertheless, I think I took some great images to share with them and you all.  Thanks for taking the time to visit.

P.S.  If you want to see them in a larger format, visit my Flickr page and click on the image.

-Roger

I decided to break from the norm and take them on a day trip to the Burghley House. This is a beautiful home with a large open expanse with deer roaming the park. There was a “Garden of Surprise” with beautiful water fountains and a “Sculpture Park” containing art pieces of various forms.

There are additional photos in my Facebook and Flickr album for you to enjoy.

Belgium is famous for waffles and chocolate. During our time in Brugge, we took advantage of both. We sample various types of chocolate and we had waffles topped with Carmel sauce, strawberries, whipped cream and other delectable toppings. We were there for less than 24 hours.  Nevertheless , we had a good time.

-Roger

I had a challenging time photographing the castle. There was minimal light inside which challenged the camera’s low-light ability. The castle grounds contain a Rose Garden and other beautiful trees. However, the roses, flowers and other natural beauties were absent due to the winter season. With that said, I managed to make the most of what was available. I hope you enjoy the images.

-Roger

I’m in the 12th day, 2nd week, and 1st month of a 365 day, 52 week, and 12 month challenge. Now, I’m fighting the PhotoChallenge fatigue.  Unlike jogging, photography is my passion and this challenge provides a daily purpose. However, the challenge is not so much taking the photo, but finding something creative or inspiring around me.  This week I traveled and I looked around my every day surroundings to find something memorable.

I went to Peterborough last week to photograph the Peterborough Cathedral interior. I used the HDR method to combine the various exposures. This church has been a goal of mine for several months and I’m pleased with the results.

I also included some shots taken throughout the week. I took the tree photo using the “Tungsten” setting. This setting is normally for indoor use. It compensates for the yellowish indoor light by adding a blue tint. Without the yellow light to cancel the blue, the camera produces the following result.  The second image was taken using the “Auto White Balance” setting.  This setting adjusts for the ambient light.  UPDATE:  I wanted to add the still life image with the bowl of fruit.

I’m enjoying the daily challenge and I hope you enjoy the results. If you want to see more photos, please visit the Flickr site.

P.S. I didn’t participate in the 5K marathon due to scheduling conflicts. However, I will participate in one this year!

-Roger

The first image came to me a few weeks ago as I was looking at Deborah’s jewelry collection. She has an array of costume jewelry of many colors, shapes, and styles. They all hang from multiple wooden sculptures and meshed together it is quite a visual display.

The second group of images represents a spontaneous concept. I looked outside one morning and noticed the frost covered everything. It is always dreadful to look outside and see the car covered with frost. It indicates we have to spend 10+ minutes letting the car run with the defroster blasting. The alternative is to feverishly scrape a small hole to see out the driver’s side and make two clearings for the mirrors and hope the rest quickly melts while driving.  The latter is never a good idea because it’s not safe and the car is freezing!

There is another way of viewing frost. It provides delicate dressing to the leaves and shrubbery that dare to withstand the bitter winter temperatures. Prior to melting away in the early morning sun, the small crystals adorning the flora display beautiful patterns. My neighbor had their small Christmas tree in the recycle bin. However, the small pine needles were covered with these frozen decorations. I captured other frost-covered greenery as well.

Flowers with dew drops on them are a beautiful site to behold.  I enjoy photographing flowers that appear to have the morning dew on them.  I’m not one for getting up in the morning to photograph it.  So, I fake-the-funk by spraying water on them.  However, frost represents the winter equivalent and it makes everyday shrubbery very photogenic.

Jesus says in Matt 6:28-29 that the lilies of the field were dressed more beautiful than Solomon, the richest man in the world. Although I didn’t photograph any lilies, the frost-covered plants I captured, were impressively dressed.

-Roger

The top photo is the correct image and the bottom is the original.

The images are nearly identical with the exception that the bottom image (the original) is darker.  Photographing snow is “tricky” for cameras.  The camera typically provides us with the correct “exposure” whenever we take a photo.  However, there are some instances where we adjust the settings to provide us with the desired result.  Snow is a difficult subject for the camera.  The pure “white” snow seems too bright.  Therefore, it makes adjustments to the exposure to darken the image.  The result is an image with gray snow.

We want that bright exposure because it accurately reflects what we see.  I had to increase the camera exposure by+2/3 to obtain the top image.  Some people might increase the exposure even further.  The increased amount is based on personal preference.

If you have similar winter images that appear dark, do not get frustrated.  It is a function of the camera and a simple exposure adjustment will increase your satisfaction.  Consult your manual for changing the exposure value or exposure compensation.  Although, you must remember to change it once you are done.  Otherwise, the photos you take afterwards will be too bright.

The automatic watermark is another indicator that the bottom image was too dark.  The bottom image’s watermark is in white letters.  However, the lighter image was done in black letters.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I’ve provided plenty of options.  Nevertheless, I hope my upload mistake has been a teachable moment for you.

-Roger

I like this photo because I used a large aperture value F/22 to get the sunburst effect.

This image shows the frost on a row of trees.

If you want to see the remaining images, please check out my Flickr site.

I know the weather may be cold.  However, take the time to capture the fleeting images that only winter can provide.

-Roger

When we hear about them tapping our phones, checking our bank records, we don’t trip. However, let Facebook use our photo for marketing purposes and we cry “foul” and fear the sky is falling. Where are our priorities and can we get some perspective? We continue to provide more personal information in public forums. We post videos, write blogs, upload photos and continually reveal personal information about ourselves for public consumption. Yet, we crave privacy for the very things we make publicly available.

We must ask what content do we want to make available and why. Also, what are the risks if the information entered the public domain (i.e., what would happen if it went beyond FB)? Only answering these questions can we begin to determine what the proper dissemination levels should be. No privacy policy on any web site will ever ease our anxiety without putting into context the information we reveal about ourselves.

I initially learned about Facebook several years ago when a beauty pageant winner had personal photos intended for her friends only become available to the press and other media outlets. She was asked, “Why did you post the photos?” She kept reverting to the fact that they were for her friends only. I was floored that someone would “upload” such personal photos onto the Internet. We tend to forget that the first part of a web address stands for “World Wide Web”. This implies no matter where we are in the world, we’re all connected—somebody, somewhere can get to us. Ultimately, she kept her crown and she stated she learned a valuable lesson.

I view the pageant winner and other young adult’s rationale about privacy as naivety from a generation that didn’t grow up without the Internet. They believe privacy comes from the click of a button in the settings menu. With that mentality, many people have seen their personal dalliances become fodder for the national news programs. As someone whose childhood and formidable years were established long before Mark Zuckerberg was even born (The founder of Facebook), my parents, friends, and experiences taught me the importance of discretion. It is not based on data encryption or software settings.

I joined Facebook despite my initial trepidation. I reconnected with many friends from college, high school, middle and elementary school since that time. It’s truly remarkable considering many of those connections happened while I’m thousands of miles away in Europe. I also immersed myself into other social media venues where I display and discuss my passion for photography.

http://www.Moore-Images.com/blog

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mooreimages/

http://www.twitter.com/MooreImages

http://moore-images.smugmug.com/ – Going away May, 2010

Even with all my various Internet accounts and activities, I closely guard what is available. On my Flickr account, I use no privacy controls, so anyone can view those images. I place my email logo as a way to protect against someone copying my images and inadvertently claiming it as their own. That’s the only form of control I use. I do not put any family photos on that web site, because the images are publicly available for anyone to view. That is truly “Public” information. Any photos of my family, I put on the Facebook or Smugmug account because they’re tightly controlled. Those images are for the FB community. That is what I call, “Privileged” information. Some captured moments include us around the house in pajamas or with the girls’ wild hairstyles. Those photos and videos are “Private” and will not be on any web site.

This leads me to my point about the aspect of privacy or materials we deem “private”. There are four categories that deal with information about us and this is how we should deal with it.

The categories are PUBLIC, PRIVILEGED, PRIVATE, and SECRET. As you view these categories you may have an idea as to what they mean to you.

Public – This is a simple and basic as it gets. This is information we all know about one another or what we see based on our interaction (name, age, workplace, schooling, etc.) It is information we don’t mind sharing.

Privileged – This is information that is publicly available. However, we do not disclose it for security or other personal reasons. We share these things with people we trust or because we trust the forum we’re using. Facebook does a decent job in securing this information. However, they have 350+ million users. Do not assume because you marked it “private” that it’ll never be publicly available.

Private – This information is only shared amongst those we trust. It pertains to specific issues or the disclosure of the information could cause harm (bank accounts, health records, personal experiences, photos or videos displaying compromising situations, etc.). Certain photos and videos belong on Facebook as much as your bank records do. If you’re in a private setting, you may share these items, but NOT over the Internet.

Secret – This is information you keep to yourself only the parties directly involved know of it and unless you’re getting your polygraph taken, you disavow any knowledge of the situation.

Here’s a scenario of using the four categories in Facebook.

PUBLIC – You’re getting married. You provide statuses about the situation. You start a blog about the progress. That is public information you don’t mind sharing.

PRIVILEGED – You have photos and videos of the wedding day. You decide to post those on Facebook only because of the intimate nature of the event.

PRIVATE – You fly to Las Vegas and take photos and videos of the wedding night. KEEP THAT OFF FACEBOOK.

SECRET – Some activities that happened in Las Vegas stay in Las Vegas!

BOTTOM LINE

We join social networks so that we can be found. At least, I did. I’m glad I reconnected with so many old friends and I’m able to share my life with them! I know it is important to control the information dissemination via Facebook privacy and security settings. We all have an image to maintain or a “brand” to protect. People removed tags on my photos and asked me to remove photos altogether. However, we must realize once we join these web sites we’re putting ourselves on display. The information we release is vulnerable to exploitation because no system is 100% secure. When I read some of the news articles and user statuses about Facebook, people act as if the web site is displaying SSN, checking account details, old skeletons or secret rendezvous.

We relinquish true security and privacy the moment we click the “Upload” button. If you have anything on Facebook that concerns you that much, take it down or remove it from your profile. With that said, use “common sense” and ask yourself, “If this material circulated beyond my control, what would be the consequences?” If SunTrust, Bank of America, or any other financial institution allow the public to search and obtain our account numbers, please contact me, otherwise save the Chicken Little status alerts!

I welcome any and all comments.

-Roger

The beautiful fall colors present excellent opportunities to take photos. Unfortunately, that period lasts only for a few weeks. If we compare those brilliant fall colors with the remaining seasons, we see a wonderful transition throughout the year and not just for a few weeks.

I take monthly photos from my balcony recording the seasonal changes. Within the first week of the month, I record an image from the same spot (my balcony) using the same focal length (50mm). I stitched the photos together, added some music and text to create a multimedia presentation. Let me know what you think. Until then, keep shooting!


-Roger

The trees in the neighborhood continue to strip their leaves in preparation for the oncoming winter. The ones remaining transform into beautiful shades of red, gold and orange. During the late evening sunlight, the warm light further accents the leaves and produces beautiful images. In addition, the sky has a pastel color that further accents the autumn image.

Unfortunately, when I take photo, the various amounts of light are too much for the camera to handle. There is the bright sky overhead contrasting with the dark river and shades within the trees. The human eye has no problem seeing the dynamic range in light. However, a camera is unable to capture all this information in one image. That is why when we take a picture of the sky everything in the foreground is dark. Yet, if we take a picture of the ground, the sky turns white with no cloud detail. There are techniques to combat this problem. One technique is to use a Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter. However, that requires using additional equipment. The second technique is to take multiple images of the scene and combine them to accurately reflect what you see.

I won’t bore you with the details of how it works. Instead, I’ll show you some images I took with the camera and then the final image that combines them.

The first image I exposed the camera to capture the trees, water and fence. However, the sky is overexposed and there are no clouds to see.

The second image I exposed for the sky. However, everything else is underexposed.

The final image is a result of five exposures I made of the backyard. This is possible using HDR which combines various images with different exposures to create one properly exposed photo. Lastly, it is highly recommended that one uses a tripod to make certain there are no shifts in capturing the multiple images. Take the time to admire and appreciate the beauty around you. It’s more abundant than you realize. Then, go out and capture some more images!

-Roger

I completed posting my images on Facebook and Flickr and I’m happy with the results. However, when I look at the number of photos I posted I see my growth as a photographer. I’m not saying that photos are necessarily better—although I think they are. However, I am more discriminating of the images I take and the images I upload. When I began shooting pictures, I spent an afternoon in downtown DC and took over 200 hundred photos. Now contrast that with a four-day Paris trip with my family. A picturesque city with infinite photographic possibilities and I took less than four hundred photos.

As I reflect on my time in Paris, there were many aspects of the trip that were memorable. The architecture was as beautiful and detailed as I imagined. The Eiffel Tower lit-up at night was simply amazing. I didn’t want to visit the Louvre museum initially. However, I was glad I went. I even purchased a book to learn more about the art. However, none of that was the most impressive aspect of the city.

I simply admire the Parisian lifestyle. They have a laid back way of life. It is a culture centered on enjoying life. Nearly every restaurant includes an outdoor section where customers enjoy dining at a leisure pace. The dizzying number of quaint restaurants littering the city makes it impossible for any one place to stand out. I won’t go into detail about the clothing stores. However, it was utterly astounding how many clothing shops were in the few areas we visited.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the friendliness. You had a few bad apples in the city or maybe apples that weren’t too pleasant. However, folks were patient with us as we attempted to communicate with our limited French vocabulary.

This leads me to the most impressive thing I saw as I compare it to the National Mall in DC. The mall is a large open area covered with grass, bordered with trees and pathways that stretch for a mile or so between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. During the daytime, it is filled with people playing, walking, and enjoying the afternoon. However, as the day turns to night, the Mall crowd diminishes in size and it’s left with a few people in transit. In Paris, they have a similar open area that stretches a ½ kilometer from the Eiffel Tower to the Ecole Militaire (Military School). We were leaving the Eiffel Tower from a night of sight-seeing and photography. The time was approximately midnight. However, the mall area was packed with people having picnics. Groups of people were sitting on the grounds with wine and food and having conversations. They weren’t waiting to buy tickets or for any external event to take place. They were simply enjoying life. I found this very impressive and something by which to learn.

So many of us, me included, work two or three gigs to get our “hustle on”. However, how often do we simply enjoy our present situation with our family? I’m not saying we should forego our lifestyle and imitate the French culture. However, something is said for a lifestyle that enjoys the present instead of being consumed about the future or what we want to get next. As we pursue our goals, I think we need to remind ourselves the purpose for them. Every time I venture out for a photo shoot, I try to learn something to help me next time. This trip reminded me of what I already knew but, what I also needed to see.

When we take photos, we normally want the photo to be a literal snapshot of a point in time, a frozen moment that does not melt away or loses its flavor. We photograph many things that catch our eye or impress us. It may be our children running, riding a bike, a fancy car going down the street or some other item. My wife and I were riding down the highway when several bikers came from behind and began doing various stunts on their bikes (i.e., wheelies, standing on the side, etc.). Unfortunately, I was driving so Deborah took out the camera and began shooting. When we got home, I noticed she did a great job in taking the shot. However, there was something missing in the photo. We didn’t capture the thrill of the moment. The shutter speed was so quick that it froze the motion and it looks as if the biker is standing next to the bike.

There’s an opportunity to catch these events in a more “dramatic” fashion. It involves a slower shutter speed and the technique of panning. Panning requires the photographer to follow the subject as it moves from right to left or vice-versa while simultaneously snapping multiple photos. In order to imply motion the camera’s shutter speed must be slower than normal. This technique allows you to have a sharp image of the moving subject while the environment containing the subject is blurry. A good shutter speed, starting point would be 1/20s and you can increase or decrease the speed depending on the object’s speed or the desired effect. If we use this technique for the biker, the background would be so blurry that it leaves no question as to whether or not he was moving.

Place the camera in the Shutter Priority mode and set the time to 1/20s. Also, put the camera’s shooting mode to continuous. This allows you to hold the shutter button and the camera continues to take images. Finally, follow the action on your LCD screen or view finder and begin shooting. This is a hit or miss technique that produces plenty of misses initially. However, as you get a feel for the technique, you’ll discover a new way of photographing images. I find this technique so challenging yet rewarding that I commit to this technique whenever I travel. I take many shots. However, I usually find a few keepers that make it worth the effort.

Panning is such a popular technique that SLR lenses have components in place to help keep the moving object in focus as you follow it. It is often used in sporting events. However, they often freeze the image with a fast shutter speed (i.e., 1/250s or higher). Nevertheless, the same principles are used during slower speeds.

Thanks for reading and “Keep Shooting”.

-Roger

I begin this weekend without any major shooting events. Considering I’m living in a country that was on the losing end of this American holiday, there aren’t many celebrations to be had. However, I received many emails on shooting 4^thof July fireworks celebrations. Therefore, I wanted to provide my input.

Historically, the camera settings were the “trickiest” part of photographing fireworks. However, many newer models come with an actual “Fireworks” setting. Therefore, much of the mystery is removed.

Great fireworks images contain more than the brilliant and colorful bursts in the night sky. They provide a beautiful skyline composition or other landmarks that provide a sense of place to the image.

However, before we begin with the composition, some basic gear is necessary. Any sharp fireworks image requires a tripod. You can obtain an inexpensive one, under $30 dollars from local electronic or retail stores. They provide stability and provide sharp images difficult to obtain otherwise. Next, use a remote trigger. This allows the user to activate the shutter without touching the camera. Even the slight vibration from pressing the camera button creates enough shake to blur the images slightly. If that is not available, put the camera on a two-second delay if possible. That requires great timing considering you must anticipate when the bursts will appear.

Secondly, compose the shot to include buildings or a familiar image. These elements disclose your location and show how large the displays were. They also help to focus the camera prior to the fireworks.

Some cameras do not have a fireworks setting. Therefore, manual exposure settings are necessary. If you have a Point & Shoot (P&S) without a fireworks setting, I recommend you put the camera on the “Shutter Priority” setting (i.e., S or Sv) between three to five seconds. This value depends on the length of the fireworks burst. I typically try to keep the shutter open long enough to get a burst from its lift-off to the burst in the sky. You may have to change this setting during the fireworks. Therefore, understand this setting so you can make the necessary changes quickly.

Taking photos of fireworks at night is difficult for the camera’s auto focusing mechanism whether it’s a P&S or SLR. The camera is attempting to photograph a moving object at night that is visible for only a few seconds. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you turn off the Auto focus setting—if possible. This is another reason why landscapes are helpful. They allow you to focus on the building manually. Therefore, when the fireworks begin, the camera is set to sharply capture the images.

SLR USERS – I recommend the aperture set to F/8 to F/16. This will allow you to obtain enough depth of focus even if the fireworks are not allows on the same focus plane. Also, set the manual focus to infinity unless you’re very close to the action. P&S users do not typically have to worry about their aperture since the smaller sensor size provides very adequate depth of focus.

Lastly, I included fireworks shots from my first attempt. They’re only the burst. You do not see the lift-off. Also, there are no recognizable landmarks. They do not provide any scale or sense or location that I discussed earlier. The images lack interest. However, I linked my other images and you can immediately tell where I was and how big the celebration was.

I Included a link to some additional fireworks images. I hope you like them.

God Bless & Keep Shootin’

-Roger

These are the simple yet, profound words from the esteemed photographer who has worked in the photography business for a few decades.  He made this point to illustrate that once you’re done photographing your initial subject, keep your camera available to capture images that may develop as your initial work concludes.  You may discover opportunities initially unforeseen.

However, we could also say the prelude to this advise is equally true.  

“Unpack your camera before you arrive at the location.”

As the family and I left the hotel Saturday evening, I debated whether or not to remove my camera from the bag or keep it packed until I arrived at “the location”.  Although there was no set location in mind, I thought taking it out the bag at the hotel was too early.  No sooner had I decided to keep it tucked away, we began to see all manner of individuals dressed in costumes and outrageous attire.  Several photographic opportunities appearing and disappearing before my eyes while my camera remained in the bag.  All I could do was shake my head in disbelief as the opportunites missed based on my decision passed me.  

Now, you may think, “Why couldn’t you just pull out the camera?”  However, I hadn’t used it since earlier in the day.  Therefore, I had to change the settings to compensate for the nighttime environment.  I also had to mount the external flash.  All these adjustments require a minute or so to accomplish.  Unfortunately, opportunities that appear quickly, disappear just as fast.

I read many articles, books, etc. that emphasized the need to be prepared for those unexpected shots.  As photographers, we’re so focused on the correct composition, exposure, lighting, etc.  However, just having the camera ready to take a shot will suffice.

I had a slight moment of redemption when several men wearing tropical shirts, lei, and accompanying party hats walked towards me.  Prior to seeing them, I removed my camera because I realized there were many sights to see this evening.  However, not fully prepared to shoot photos, my settings were not correct.  Nevertheless, I knew I wanted something instead of nothing so I took the shot.  The result was blurry and not the most photographically-correct image.  However, it is infinitely better than a mental image that would fade over time.

Therefore, as I already knew to keep the camera out when I’m done with an initial shoot, I’ll prepare it for work as soon as I leave my home…or hotel.

Secondly, a lesson in perseverance paid big dividends.  I wrote about the “Magic Hour” also known as twilight in my previous blogs–check it out here.  This is the time when the sun has set and the sky turns a cobalt blue.  It happens before sunrise and after sunset.  However, this period only lasts for 10-20 minutes–depending on the time of year.

Deborah and Jordyn went to a popular restaurant to eat.  I wanted to join them.  However, we went to eat just as twilight was beginning and I wanted to photograph the town of York during twilight–taking great shots require a sacrifice of sleep or dinner at times.  I walked to the bridge, set up my camera and began shooting.  Unfortunately, the photos did not materialize the way I visualized it.  Nevertheless, I kept shooting as I hoped to salvage something from this setup.

I eventually packed up, not wanting to waste more time at this site.  A bit disappointed that I missed dinner with the girls and nothing to show for it, I walked towards the restaurant.  As I turned the corner, I  noticed that Clifford’s Tower was lit at night.  I remembered seeing the lights surround the tower earlier that day.  However, I forgot about them.  As I looked at the tower glowing above the city, I noticed the twilight sky had not turned black.  I quickly setup my tripod and camera and began shooting.  When I was done, I left with a feeling of sincere fulfillment.  I did not capture what I intended.  Yet, I captured more than I imagined.

The lesson here is similar to the phrase, “Reach for the moon and if you miss you’re still amongst the stars”.  There are other sayings, scriptures, anecdotes that are equally applicable to this story.  The bottom line is I made an effort and put myself in position to achieve something.  Although my initial goal was not accomplished, I was positioned to take advantage of the other opportunity available to me.

You do not need to be a photographer to value the importance of preparation and perseverance in any aspect of life.  Therefore, always be ready and run this race with patience and determination.

      Side note:  If you look closely at the picture of Clifford’s Tower, you’ll see a couple standing in the street taking a picture.  You can see the bright light from their camera’s LCD screen which is the tower–just a little detail I found interesting.

Keep Shooting and God Bless.

-Roger

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    I’m not in DC this spring.  Therefore, I missed the Cherry Blossoms.  However, I did such a great job last year.  Why should I try to top perfection .  Also, I decided to cancel a trip to the Netherlands to photograph the tulips at the world-famous Keukenhof garden near Amsterdam.  Therefore, I decided to make the best of my local flora opportunities. The flowers are blooming here in the United Kingdom as spring is in full swing. Vibrant yellow colors from the rapeseed plant line the motorways as we drive around the country.  However, the flower du jour is the bluebell. This is a beautiful blue flower that grows abundantly in many forests throughout the United Kingdom. It has been featured in the newspapers and on television.  When the flowers are in full bloom, the forest grounds are peppered with bluebells. This Saturday was an unusually warm day. Deborah and Jordyn went on a shopping trip to a London mall. I dropped them to the meeting spot to gather with the other shoppers and now the day was mine to enjoy. I researched the bluebells and I had some forests I wanted to visit.  After a week of deliberation and research, I drove 40+ miles to the Heartwood Forest.   This particular forest was mentioned in the local paper for the quality of their bluebells. There was one major problem with the journey and I hoped it would be resolved by the time I arrived.   The weather was mostly sunny with clouds playing hide-n-seek with the sun. Unlike the other 99% of the people in the world, I didn’t want today to be sunny.   I was hoping for a nice overcast day so the sky would be an enormous softbox to illuminate the forest grounds.   When the sun is bright, the trees cast strong shadows. The ground has bright areas where the sun hits directly and dark areas caused by the trees shadow.   This wrecks havoc on a photograph. The contrast is so great that consistency is lost and the viewer struggles to view the image.  However, I had a few hours before I had to pick up the girls. Therefore, I planted my camera on the tripod and I waited for the sun to hide behind the clouds.   I planned my image composition when the sun was shining. At last, my patience was rewarded with the clouds hiding the sun. The overcast provided soft light giving the images a consistent tone. Therefore, while many dread going outside during an overcast day, I use it as an opportunity to photograph flowers, people or other subjects not requiring a bright blue sky. To see more of these images, please visit my Flickr page. -Roger

I posted a few abstract photos a few weeks ago and I received several emails and responses regarding the images. Some wondered how did I do it and others just provided comments.

I actually wanted to post information about the pictures when I uploaded them. However, I never got around to providing the story behind the image. Nevertheless, that’s what this blog is designed to do.

I received an email from PPSOP.com, an online photography class I took. The email inspired me to combine everyday elements and photograph them in an abstract manner, thus “creating” art.

As a photographer, there are many debates as to what or how we should compose our shot. There is the “purist” belief that we should only photograph a subject in its natural state. Therefore, any manipulation of the scene by “removing” or “adding” elements is forbidden. However, I believe such unnecessary restrictions confine creativity. Therefore, as a direct violation of this rule, I bought a bouquet of flowers and sprayed them with a water bottle. I wanted to simulate the early morning dew flowers have. This leads me to my latest images.

“Oil and water don’t mix!” This is a saying often used when two opposing parties are unable to work together. However, as a photographer, it is the basis for creating abstract art because literally, “Oil and water don’t mix!”
I used a colorful magazine cover for this demonstration. The cover had many easter eggs in pastel colors on the cover. The soft colors would provide an excellent backgeound. Next, I used a baking tray and filled it halfway with water. After that, I grabbed some cooking grease and put it in the water. The grease remains separated from the water while it floats. Lastly, I placed my camera and a Tamron lens, 70-300mm lens with the macro feature, on a tripod over the glass tray and began photographing the interaction between the water and the oil.

As I began learning photography, I was advised to read photography magazines, websites, etc. and if I found something I really like to try and emulate it. The photographs I took are such an example. However, real growth comes when you no longer replicate other photographs. Instead, you’re motivated from within and you begin to see life in terms of lines, patterns, shapes, colors textures, etc. Then, the key is to capture them and introduce people to a world within a world.

As my journey continues and I photograph these moments, I look forward to sharing that growth with you.

Keep Shooting!

-Roger, Moore Images

During this time, I captured a couple shots of the trees covered in the freshly fallen snow. The camera sees all the white and attempts to underexpose the image. Therefore, I had to compensate for that and I increased the exposure by +2/3 and +1.

Later that same day, I caught a couple more shots as the sun began to set. I had to change the white balance from Auto to Shade. The auto setting tries to balance all the color in the image. Therefore, certain colors are diminished. Setting the camera to Shade warms the image which is very effective during sunsets. The natural warm color produced by the evening sun is enhanced.

The day has come. After months of preparation and planning, we went to Mom-Avis and Daddio’s house waiting for the shuttle. Not to my surprise, nearly, everyone came to the house. We took pictures and chronicled the last few minutes we’ll be together.

The only thing that would’ve made this complete is to have my parents and brother present as well.

Nevertheless, after a series of tearful good-byes, Erica & Deborah re-enacting the Color Purple scene where Celie and her sister mimic patty cake, Jordyn, Deborah, and I boarded the SuperShuttle and headed to the airport on Monday afternoon.

The plane ride was smooth and uneventful which is always good. We arrived at Heathrow at approximately 5:45 AM. As soon as we gathered our luggage and headed towards the exit, we saw Andrew, our driver, holding a sign with our name on it.

The weather was just below freezing as we navigated through the snow for approximately 90 miles from Heathrow Airport until we arrived at the Britannia Inn. There isn’t much to see out here as this area is very rural.

Nevertheless, our adventure begins so stay tuned…

-Roger

I added some pictures my brother took to compare his with mine. When you see two similar images, one is mine and the other is his.

Lastly, I created a photo slide show with the sounds and music of the ellipse. I’m practicing my multimedia publishing capabilities. Let me know what you think.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_J6GSlwk28&hl=en&fs=1]

I reached my pinnacle of frustration when the family went to Florida for a week. After missing so many shots at Sea World changing lenses, I decided to obtain a super-zoom lens. I read the reviews that bemoaned the image quality of the superzooms. With such a wide range, these lenses do not produce sharp images. Yet, I was willing to live with that compromise. So, I purchased the Sigma 18-200 DC OS. Afterwards, I sold the Sigma 17-70.

The first big test was a trip to the Caribbean for my 7th Anniversary. I was sold as it produced beautiful images of my wife and the landscape. The next test was a trip to Shenandoah National Park. Once again, the images I returned with were impressive. I did notice a bit of loss in the sharpness. However, it was nothing I dwelt on.

During the winter, I took photos but the spring time signaled a change for me. The cherry blossoms were in bloom and I went to take some photos. I went on a Friday evening to take pictures of them during the dusk and I returned early in the morning to get them during the dawn. Contrary to my initial position, I began to have greater concern about sharpness and image quality. If I was making the effort to rise during the early hours, I wanted my camera and lens to return the favor and provide excellent photos. Therefore, I began using the Tamron more often.

In June, I went to Cape Cod for a photo safari. During that trip, I used the Sigma quite often. When I began reviewing my images, I noticed a definite loss in sharpness. As a matter of fact, I noticed vignetting at the telephoto end. It was so bad that I sent the lens in for repair. It returned with improvement but the confidence was lost.

Also, I noticed that images other photographers made of similar images were much sharper. Some of this can be attributed to post-processing. However, I realized that my quality demands had grown. Now, how much quality was I willing to compromise for one-lens convenience?

I decided to compromise on the convenience and pursue quality. Therefore, I purchased the Canon 24-105 lens. This would provide me with more reach than the Tamron. However, I had the confidence of the “L” lens reputation for image quality.

I decided to do a head-to-head lens comparison. I went outside and I took my three lenses (Tamron 28-75, Canon 24-105, Sigma 18-200). I placed my camera on a tripod and I took photos of my home at various apertures and at various zoom lengths.

Tamron Aperture (2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8.0, 11.0, 16.0, 22.0) & Tamron Zoom (28, 35, 50, 75)

Canon Aperture (4.0, 5.6, 8.0, 11.0, 16.0, 22.0) & Canon Zoom (24, 35, 50, 75, 105)

Sigma Aperture (4.0, 5.6, 8.0, 11.0, 16.0, 22.0) & Sigma Zoom (18, 28, 35, 50, 78, 105, 135, 200)

Using the Canon ZoomBrowser software, I was able to do a side-by-side comparison of the images. The best images were typically between 5.6 & 11.0. I was surprised to see how soft the Tamron images were at a 2.8 aperture compared to those from 5.6 to 11.0. My main criteria was image sharpness and I looked at color quality.

However, for head-to-head competition, I used the F8.0 as the comparison aperture. It was no surprise that the Sigma performed the worst. The difference was noticeable immediately. However, the results between Canon and Tamron are mixed. The Canon outperformed the Tamron head-to-head at the 35mm & 50mm. Also, the Canon’s 24mm image was sharper and provided more detail than Tamron’s 28mm. However, I was surprised that Tamron performed much better than Canon at the 75mm length. Usually lenses do not performed well at their extremes. Overall the competition was close. This was quite surprising considering the Tamron is 40% the cost of the Canon. Although, the Canon provides IS and a wider focal range.

Considering how close the competition was either this Tamron is a very good lens or the “L” series reputation is over-hyped. I hope for the former.

-Roger

Unfortunately, the festival left much to be desired. Although my imagination ran wild with photographic possibilities, the actual event was stuck at the runner’s starting block. I took some images. However, I had to find more interesting festival shots. The additional sights provided some relief to the balloon disappointment. I guess if I want the grand image with dozens of balloons, I’ll have to travel to Albuquerque.

-Roger

It was memorable as we traveled late Thursday to arrive at our hotel in New Jersey. Since we left late in the evening, we avoided most of the traffic jams. However, we were immersed in the throng of Big Apple’s traffic the next day as we traveled from Hasbruck Heights, NJ to the cookout in Hempstead, NY.

We traveled across Manhattan Island and it was amazing as people used their cars jockeying for lane positions. The labyrinth of bridges and ramps is quite intimidating for out-of-town guests. Technology truly helps navigate one through the maze of roads that make up the city. One must shift lane positions from the left to the right and back to the left again or you risk missing your desired exit. I cannot imagine driving through the area for the 1st time as you attempt to read paper directions without an assistant to guide you. The on-board GPS truly helped me as it forewarned me of upcoming turns. Even with that assistance, I chose wrongly as we got to a fork in the road. Despite the GPS’s warning, I took the express lane instead of the local one and we ended up missing our exit. Nevertheless, the two areas merged and I was able to exit, turn around and head in the right direction.

The next day was exciting. We woke-up early and caught the NJ Once we arrived, we took the girls to Times Square and showed them the bright light in the big city. We managed to do some “light” shopping. However, the highlight was supposed to be the two-hour cruise around Manhattan Island. I wanted the girls to see the city and the Statue of Liberty. A storm came and the rain caused us to close the boat’s windows and this hindered some of the sight-seeing. Nevertheless, they saw Lady Liberty, the Brooklyn bridge and other memorable landmarks. Ironically, as soon as we left the island and arrived at our hotel, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.

Later that evening, we attended the banquet. This is always the highlight of the reunion. This is a time where we reflect on Buckner ancestors and pay homage to those who laid the family foundation. The eldest man and woman are honored along with the youngest. Also, those who have passed are remembered. Afterwards, a keynote speaker provides a timely message. Lastly, we eat and conclude with dancing and celebrating our togetherness.

The final day, which is Sunday, concludes the reunion. This includes a Sunday morning message and a prayer for everyone’s safe arrival to their various destinations.

I always enjoy the reunions and I especially look forward to next year’s. It’s in Michigan!!!!

-Roger

I created a Smugmug account two years ago as my online gallery. It worked well. Whenever I created photos, I’d send an email and people had access to my images. As a matter of fact, some even purchased my photos since I had the pro account. I began to grow as a photographer taking classes and improving my craft. The results were manifested in the responses to my images and, most importantly, my own personal satisfaction in the images I created. As I read books and articles from other photographers, I learned the importance of sharing the story behind the image. However, I typically did that in my emails and I didn’t send emails very often.

The next step was to create my personal blog and share my thoughts as they relate to photography. The main challenge was getting out the message. I could have the greatest stories. However, if no one knows about them, what value is it. That is where Facebook enters the picture. I created an account to begin networking with other individuals. It has been a work in progress. However, I enjoy connecting with family and friends. It has brought an instant connection to individuals I lost contact with some time ago.

Yet, my original purpose is still left wanting–increase my photographic exposure. During this time, I created a Flickr account for my images as well. I originally considered this the website for the casual photographer taking snapshots with their Point ‘n Shot camera–not meeting this sophisticated criteria I sought. However, I got off my pompous high horse and realized there were great images at this site. Now, I’ve joined two groups (Night Images and Washington DC/Metro Area) and added my images to them as well.

Will this be the avenue for greater exposure? Only time will tell. However, I look forward to the reviews. With that said, I know greater exposure opens myself to greater criticism. The generous reviews from family and friends will not be readily provided by a larger viewing public. In conclusion, I must be careful of what I wish for because I just might get it.

-Roger

This summer has been busy with my travels. I consider myself blessed having these opportunities. I went on my first trip to Cedar Point in 10+ years. It was just as exciting as I remembered. The addition of the new rides provided me with new challenges to overcome. My trip highlights were the Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force, Raptor, and my “new” personal favorite “MaxAir”. I rode the MaxAir three times. It didn’t have the hills of a roller coaster. However, the smooth drop provided a great thrill.

Image #2 Wicked Twister

I decided to take pictures emphasizing the speed of the rides. Therefore, I shot at 1/20 of a second and panned the images. This produced images that are mostly blurred except in one location. It’s a unique way of capturing motion but I had fun with the rides and taking the images.

Image #3 MaxAir

One trip participant named, Prince, used his P&S camera to record his time on the roads. I had a P&S camera a few years ago and the video was only 30s long. However, those cameras improved greatly since that time. He had great video and now I’m looking forward to getting one with the same capability.

-Roger

I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. Considering the vast array of opinions and information on the web, I don’t take it likely that you chose to spend time with me.

My blog will primarily discuss my experiences in photography. However, I will occasionally divert from the topic to address other issues important to me.

Now, on to photography. We just celebrated Memorial Day and I did not take any shots at downtown DC. However, two years ago during Memorial Day 2006, I had my Digital Rebel XT for less than a month and I took various photographs of people celebrating the holiday. This was my first foray into candid, street, and landscape photography. Since that time, I have fine tuned my craft especially with regards to composition. You can personally view all of the galleries at Moore Images. However, this year, I decided to relax and photograph the family instead.

I will provide more opportunities to share my thoughts as I travel and share my images. Thank you for visiting and come back soon.