August 2008 Archives

As our Mommy-in-Residence blogger Amy Gulli points out, the first day of school can be traumatic. And for the four-year old in this picture, maybe meeting someone just a few steps away from God in a Catholic school is even more intimidating.

While Sam (Amy's little doll) is finally understanding that school is indeed a good place to be, this kindergartner in the photograph wasn't so sure about his strangely-dressed teacher, a nun. He wanted to be anywhere but where he was.

Terrified.

This photograph was taken 30 years ago. By now, this little boy probably has kids of his own, battling the same kind of terror he did. Somehow, we survive.

To read more about Sam's last few days, click here.

While it might not be the world's most dangerous job, washing windows must be one of the most interesting.

This photograph, taken 20 years ago in downtown York, shows a washer hard at work, taken from an angle different than most people would see as they pass on the streets below. Maybe this picture's interest is the soap suds trails, but maybe it's more of a "wish I could try that for about a day."

Myself, I prefer a job where both feet are planted on the ground, with only an occasional fling in the air, under water, or upside down.

Someone once said that mankind's successes are printed on the sports pages, and its failures on the front page.

I like shooting sports.

And most are fairly easy to photograph, once you understand the game and anticipate the action.

But I have a tough time shooting volleyball. Getting a picture at the net is easy, much like under the net in basketball. But to get a truly strong, interesting and different shot is another story entirely. Anticipation is important while shooting sports, and despite my eons of covering volleyball games, I just don't get it. Field hockey is another-- the whistle blows and play stops every seven seconds.

But without question, the easiest sport to shoot is auto racing. The cars are always in the same place, same speed and light. Just crank up the shutter speed to stop the action, and shoot away. The only way to make a racing picture interesting is to slow the shutter and blur the background. Or be lucky enough to be standing where some poor soul will wreck. It's like hockey-- everyone goes to see the fights, or wrecks.

Maybe that's why when Tony Stewart showed up at Williams Grove on Tuesday, everyone had a camera, sometimes two.

Next time you buy a camera, take it to a track. You can't help but get superb photos, and the cars roar past so often you can experiment all night.

Waterfalls are one of the few things that can look totally different with a simple change in camera exposure.

This photo, with a tiny falls that looks delicate and soft, was shot with a shutter speed of about one-half second. Other frames were shot at a speed even slower. Use something rock-solid to steady the camera.

But turn that shutter speed up, freeze the splattering of the water on the rocks, and the waterfalls suddenly becomes a torrent of action and splashing. The higher the shutter speed the better, but at least 1/500 of a second.

It all depends on what kind of picture you're looking for-- raging action or quiet beauty. And don't dismiss the possibility that this small waterfall can look angry. Give it a try. You might be surprised.

This photo was taken while biking the Great Allegheny Passage.

While it might appear that the Big Savage Mountain tunnel in Maryland is ribbed with arches, it is just the light that makes it appear so. A biker is silhouetted against the bright light at the other end.

While bicycycle touring the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) from Cumberland, Md., to near Pittsburgh last week, the 3,200 foot-long tunnel provided welcome relief from the heat. And it was a sign that our long climb up the mountains was nearly over.

We'll have an Excursion in the Record later on, but for now, know that the GAP in an interesting path, and is easy enough for families and laid-back recreational bikers (like me).

For more information on the trail, click here