Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in the United States

The tradition of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving is steeped in myth and legend. Few people realize that the Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the next year, or any year thereafter, though some of their descendants later made a “Forefather’s Day” that usually occurred on December 21 or 22. Several Presidents, including George Washington, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began lobbying several Presidents for the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but her lobbying was unsuccessful until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday.

Get ready for Thanksgiving Day

Day 13 – Photography 101: Moment

Photography 101: Moment

Blue Jay landing on a suet cage.

Capture a fleeting moment and experiment with blur and movement.

Our lives are made up of big events and tiny moments. Ultimately, life is fleeting, and oftentimes it’s these small moments we love to document.

Think about the fleeting moments you experience each day — from a quiet, precious moment with your child to a busy commute through the subway, among strangers.

Tip: Movement is a great way to convey time and fleetingness.

Day 12 – Photography 101: Architecture

Photography 101: Architecture

Study architectural forms, and also train your eye to look for shots that will translate well in black and white.

From geometric patterns on skyscrapers to the ironwork on historical buildings, there are many opportunities to capture the beauty and complexity of architecture.

The lines, shapes, and undulating surfaces come alive in the color version, while the black and white shot feels abstract and creates a mysterious mood.

 

Our Nation’s Capital

The history of the United States Capitol Building begins in 1793. Since then, the U.S. Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended and restored. The Capitol that we see today is the result of several major periods of construction; it stands as a monument to the ingenuity, determination and skill of the American people.

 

Day 11 – Photography 101: A Pop of Color

My stepdaughter’s graduation

Photography 101: A Pop of Color

The colors in our photographs are evocative and rouse emotions within us. Color can elevate a mundane image into something intriguing and meaningful, and can tell a particular story within the frame.

Day 10 – Photography 101: Mystery

Photography 101: Mystery

Show us something uncertain, and manipulate light around you to enhance the mood of your image.

Day 9 – Photography 101: Warmth

Bridge over Sunken Lake

Fall on he Farm

Sunset

Sunken Lake

Today, capture an image of warmth, ideally using the sun as your source.

Photography means “drawing with light,” and when you snap a picture with your camera, you use and record light to create an image.

Color in photography could definitely be seen as the most important factor. It can create mood, emotion, warmth, coldness and much more.

Examples of warm colors are red, yellow and orange, and these colors are referred to as such because they resemble fire and evoke feelings of warmth.

Day 8: Photography 101: The Natural World

The Natural World

Capture a moment, big or small, and pay attention to the lines and curves produced by nature.

The beauty of nature can be found everywhere.

First Winter Storm

 

I took these pictures during the summer.

“Nature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished”

-Lao Tzu

Day 7 -Photography 101: Landmark

Photography 101: Landmark – Landmarks are everywhere: iconic places, meeting points, markers on a map. Today, consider a unique point of view as you photograph a landmark.

Costa Maya Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

It has been raining so I am using a landmark that I saw a few months ago.

The Costa Maya Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

Deep in the Mexican jungle, Chacchoben is among the most famous ruins in Cozumel. These ancient pyramids have been excavated and restored, and now stand as testament to the myths and rituals of the mysterious Mayan peoples. First human settlements in the area of Chacchoben have been dated at around 1000BC. By 360AD Chacchoben had become the largest community in the region.

Looking up from the bottom shows the workmanship and the time it must have taken to build this.