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Posted in Happenings

America turned 234 years old last weekend.  (It blows my mind to think this whole country sprung up in just 234 years!)  Here are some events I attended in Washington, DC that marked the celebrations of USA’s independence from Great Britain.

Friday the 2nd :

Max Impact, the Air Force’s super fun, friendly, high energy and highly talented pop/rock band, performed a great blend of patriot music ranging from pop, country, musicals, to some original songs.  They’ll be performing their patriot program 2 more times at the Air Force Memorial on the 21st and 28th of July along with an 80’s Tribute on the West Capitol Steps on July 13.  Concerts are FREE and start at 8pm.

Saturday the 3rd:

“A Capitol Fourth” marked its 30 year anniversary this year and was hosted by Jimmy Smits.    (One sad note rang to mark the passing last year of Maestro Erich Kunzel, who directed the concert for the last twenty years.)    The rehearsal is staged the night before the fourth and is normally less crowded and a lot more relaxed with a great mix of spontaneous fun that you don’t get during the live national taping.   Not all the headliners always make it, but it’s a unique way to experience the production while still getting to see the fireworks up close the next night.

Sunday the 4th:

Few things bring me so much joy as fireworks do.   I love them big.   I love them loud.   I love them filling my whole field of vision.   I especially look forward every year with great anticipation to the Independence Day fireworks in DC.   Always a fantastic show.

For all you curious sorts…If you’ve ever wondered how fireworks work, here’s a great gallery of images and explanations or here’s a six minute video if you prefer a watching a scientist burn up chemicals to demonstrate how the colors are made.    This site will tell you the names of the common shapes.

For tips on how to photograph fireworks see my tutorial.

Enjoy my image highlights from the weekend!   Click on “Stars and Stripes Forever” or a really great version of the National Anthem if you want to listen to the music in the background while looking at the photos.  Can’t forget the hilarious Muppets version of “Stars and Stripes Forever” for some fun. 🙂

Friday the 2nd

Max Impact performs a powerful mix of patriotic songs at the Air Force Memorial.

Saturday the 3rd

A punchy Jimmy Smits keeps us entertained with his unscripted comments at the rehearsal of “A Capitol Fourth.”

This poor couple must have been interviewed a ½ dozen times. Sitting front and center in patriotic, color coordinated garb will get you on camera every time.

Lang Lang

Behind the scenes look at the rehearsal and taping during John Schneider’s performance of “Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In.”

John Schneider and Reba McEntire

Reba practicing receiving her award.

Sunday the 4th

Our camp neighbors next to us proudly reveal a cleverly decorated cake for America’s Birthday. Pity not enough cake to go around.

Regular crowd shuffles in…

First booms blast off at 9:10pm as dusk barely settles in. Then 17 minutes of joy follow!

Grand Finale!

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  • Tom Wieczorek - July 8, 2010 - 3:06 pm

    These pictures are incredible! You did an excellent job of capturing the fireworks while they were exploding! Super!

  • Marci McKinnon - July 15, 2010 - 9:51 pm

    Renata these pictures are beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing the gift of your photography with us.

  • Jen - July 24, 2010 - 7:14 pm

    Gorgeous! …and I have *no* idea how you got these. Time to wander over to your “photography tips” section!

Posted in Friday Photo Tips

Fill Flash

Most people never think to turn on their flash when taking pictures in the bright sun. (Most cameras don’t either if you let them do all the thinking!)

Since many of you in the U.S. are heading out to Independence Day celebrations this weekend, and I’m sure at least some of you will be taking photos of your friends and family in the bright outdoors, this Friday Photo Tip is for you.  

To get a great picture, you don’t have to always run for the shade, particularly if there is none.  You just have to know where to put the sun in relation to your subject and remember to turn your flash on. 

Turning your flash on may seem counter intuitive on a sunny day, but it’s necessary to fill in dark shadows caused by the bright sun.  That’s why it’s called Fill Flash, because it only fills in the dark parts of your image close enough to be lit by your flash.

Tips for setting up your shot: 

  • Make sure the sun is behind your subject.  (This will help them not to have that painful squinty look.)
  •  Turn on your flash.  Most point and shoot cameras should have the option to force the flash in either Auto or Program mode.  (Let the camera make the rest of the settings automatically.  Try and have your ISO at the lowest setting if in Program mode.) 
  • Make sure you are not too far away from your subject.  (In the big, bright sunlight your little flash might only reach a few feet, so take some test shots to determine a working distance.)

Above is our very lovely model Margaret posing with the sun above and behind her while I used a Fill Flash to light her.  Below are examples of what typically happens without a flash:  people either look silhouetted because the sun is behind them or squinty because the sun is in their eyes. 

If you find yourself shooting in dappled or uneven light (like under a tree) or at high noon when the sun is directly above you (and your friends look like raccoons), Fill Flash will soften out the contrast and open up the shadows so they look more natural.

 As always, knowing and testing your camera produces the best results, so hopefully you’ll get to practice some of these methods at your next sunny outing.

 **For those who plan on photographing fireworks this weekend, don’t forget to brush up on how to capture those bursts.

Happy Fourth!

It's too dark, I can't see!

You're blinding me!

 

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  • Marci McKinnon - July 3, 2010 - 2:24 pm

    Renata, I never knew using a flash in sunlight made a difference. Thanks for the info. 🙂

  • Renata - July 3, 2010 - 11:28 pm

    Absolutely! Let me know how it goes when you try it.

  • Jen - July 26, 2010 - 5:08 pm

    That first shot is a really lovely picture of Margaret. (I’ve got lots like the third shot. Heh.) Thanks for the helpful tip! I’m definitely going to remember this one.

Posted in Happenings

Last night I went to Fort McNair in Washington, DC for my first Twilight Tattoo.  It’s an hour-long military pageant featuring Soldiers from The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), with performances by The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,”  The U.S. Army Blues, vocalists from The U.S. Army Band Downrange, The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, and The U.S. Army Drill Team.

Twilight Tattoo is a very patriotic and family friendly event.   It is also quite a moving and impressive experience of the US Army both past and present.  (These are all real soldiers by the way and not actors in costumes.)   For an added bonus before and after the performances, kids especially enjoyed climbing into some Army helicopters and talking with soldiers in their various uniforms.  I have to admit I was rather intimidated by all the ‘machinery’ (for example, big guns and helicopters taking off so close you feel like you’re going to blow away), but the boys seemed right at home.  This must be the stuff of what many of their imaginary games are made of!  

One thing I learnt was that the Fife and Drum Corps weren’t just a nice little marching band, but that they provided the means to communicate the commands while in the field so all the soldiers could hear them.  That is why they wore the reverse colors in their jackets from the other soldiers, so that a commander could easily identify them and signal a fifer and/or drummer to musically communicate the next command.  A big thanks to Heather, (the very friendly soldier fifer pictured at the end), who explained this at the meet and greet afterwards and posed to play one more tune for me. 

Here’s the schedule for the last couple of Twilight Tattoo’s in MD and DC this Saturday and Wednesday.  Seems you can even watch it live via the internet if you’re not local.   A similar performance called ‘Spirit of America’ will be traveling to a few states in September. 

Here’s a sampling of images from Twilight Tattoo.  Enjoy!

 

A lovely moonrise over the National War College building to end the evening.

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  • Katie Murphy - June 24, 2010 - 8:44 pm

    These are great photos! We went to the Old Guard’s 50th Anniversary Tatoo last weekend and it was great . . .but I think the boys would love to go to one outside! They would love to see the soldiers too.

  • Renata - June 25, 2010 - 11:19 am

    Thanks Katie! Yeah, it would definitely be a young boys dream! It was great seeing them light up playing on the real helicopters and admiring the soldiers. Being the grown up girl that I am, all I saw was “danger” and all the young boys saw was “adventure.” I’m definitely not cut out to be a soldier 🙂 I was panicking just sitting at the controls of a grounded helicopter!

Posted in Happenings

For those that know me know I have a bit of a love affair with Italy.  One thing I’ve always wanted to see is the flag throwing demonstrations of medieval days gone by.  

Lucky for me, one such festival in ‘miniatura’ came to my town.  Il Mastrogiurato from Lanciano, Italy has been traveling through the Baltimore/DC area and performing this 14th century tradition as part of various Italian festivals over the past weekend.  (Incidentally, Lanciano is also known for its extraordinary Eucharistic miracle.)

I was able to catch a little investiture ceremony and flag throwing display at City Hall in Baltimore yesterday.  Complete with period costumes, colorful flags and drums it was quite a display in spite of the blazing noonday heat. 

Il Mastrogiurato himself, looked like he jumped off the Medici family tree into Modern day Americana, sporting his own camcorder.  He certainly couldn’t have looked any more the part.

Here are some images from the event that lasted about half an hour.

Afterwards, I was about to either melt or pass out and was looking for some cold or frozen treat before driving home.  I was parked on Calvert St and I saw the sign for this inviting tart frozen yogurt  and thought that sounded perfect.  Never been to this place before and unbeknownst to me, they were introducing this new frozen yogurt that very day.    I’m convinced it was just for me.  I got mine with raspberries and chocolate topping. It hit the spot so nicely with its mild tart tang, so it was not too sweet and more satisfying on a hot day.   The owner, Bhavin Patel at Roly Poly, was super friendly, so I have to give him a shout out.  Great day to unveil your new menu item 🙂 

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Posted in Happenings

Thank you to all those who nominated special Dad’s they know and love for the Father’s Day Portrait Session Giveaway Drawing!

It was great to read your tributes!

And The Winner Is….Peter Murphy!!!

Big congratulations to you Peter!  Looking forward to scheduling your photo shoot!! 

(Already planning and looking forward to next next month’s drawing!    Hint:  “comments are a good thing”)
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