Michael Kircher's Blog

A Little Weather

2012-01-27T15:51:00.000-05:00

An inclement January day in the city. Down to the diner to fuel up. Will soon be searching for images. Resolute. Need to show how it feels.

A bone-chilling mist sets the mood.

Contrary to all appearances, there is life. Active and aware.

Contemplating Spring.

Happy MLK Day.

2012-01-14T12:55:00.000-05:00

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is John McCaskill, National Park Service historian at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. He's been with the NPS since 2008. I introduced myself and we got to chatting. Well, mostly I listened, he educated. Hearing about his experience of witnessing former Civil Rights leaders approaching the King sculpture was quite moving. Watching as they took in the Memorial for themselves. Sharing their emotions, their lives. Pretty heavy. I highly recommend introducing yourself to the man if you happen to catch him there. He has much to share.

One Day. What To Do?

2012-01-07T21:46:00.001-05:00

You've got one day. One free day in the DC region. What's there to do? Much!

First things first... breakfast. Get up early and head for the Market On The Boulevard in Potomac, MD. Good coffee and bagels. (They've got excellent specialty sandwiches for lunch, too.)

From there you can zip right up the road to the C&O Canal N. H. P. Wildlife viewing, good hikes, peace and quiet. Inspiring.

As the morning begins to give way, grab your things and head back down the boulevard toward the city. This particular day as I made my way to Georgetown, I slipped over to Rosslyn and continued a little further south to Gravely Point near National Airport. Watching jet liners landing just overhead is really quite a rush. After the plane passes the air above continues to swirl from the jet engines creating a weird hissing sound above for a few seconds. Took me a while to figure out what was going on. Very cool!

OK, what's next? Well, what would a trip to DC be like if you didn't visit at least one museum? My favorite is the National Gallery of Art on Constitution Ave. All the greats represented. Rembrandt, Manet, Degas, and more.

By now you're probably getting hungry. Lunch trucks are a big thing in DC these days. At Farragut Square NW there are several to choose from. Tacos, sandwiches, ice cream. Much variety. I picked the Mojo Truck, owned by Damian Dajcz. He makes Uruguayan sandwiches called "chivitos." They're huge and tasty! I had chopped steak topped with a fried egg on a toasted roll. Amazing. It was an unseasonably warm January day, so I found bench in the park and planted my already weary body and enjoyed the meal.

Rest up. More to do.

After lunch I hopped back in the car and headed across the river to Rosslyn, VA. There you'll find the Iwo Jima Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery right next door. The Lee House, JFK's Eternal Flame and many famous and not so famous men and women lost in war. Pierre Charles L'Enfant is also buried there. And from this vantage point you can take in a spectacular view of his city. In fact, I'd say this is one of the most recognized images of the District of Columbia. You've probably seen it yourself, so many photographers have made it before.

As the sun begins to drop below the horizon, I can think of no better way to wrap up the day then with a pint of Guinness at my favorite DC pub, Ireland's Four Fields (formerly Four Provinces, or "4 Ps", as the locals still call it). Great atmosphere and the best pour in town. A decent selection of Scotch, too! The neighborhood is Cleveland Park. Good restaurants and a great old theatre. Always worth the trip.

(Check out the map below for locations visited. This was actually how I spent the day. All photos were taken the same day in general order of appearance.)

View One Day in the DC Region. in a larger map

Thanks for hangin' with me today.

This is obviously just a small sampling of things to do and see and eat in the Nation's Capital. I'll try to bring you more as the new year rolls on. See you again soon. Happy New Year!

-MK

In The Right Place...

2011-12-13T18:04:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, a cool photo is just a cool photo. No special set up needed. No waiting for the "perfect" light. No contemplating compositional techniques. You find yourself in a good spot, something cool happens, you point and shoot... and voila. Groovy pic!

At least that's how I feel about this one. And to be honest, this wasn't a completely unexpected photo. A couple planes had already landed, I saw the orange flag, my guy was walking by, I quickly moved into position, anticipated the plane and there it is.

Oh, and I applied a fun little post processing treatment to give it a little oomph. Anyway... to paraphrase some smart dude... it's best to be prepared when good things occur.

Cheers.

Scenic DC.

2011-12-03T16:45:00.001-05:00

Strolling the city.

iPhotograph Washington, DC

2011-11-16T20:07:00.001-05:00

New photo essay up at American Journal. Shot entirely with an iPhone. Let me know what you think.

Murmuration

2011-11-14T15:49:00.001-05:00

In 1890 a fellow named Eugene Schieffelin released 60 European starlings in New York's Central Park. For some odd reason he thought it important to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's plays to America. He wasn't sure the introduction would take, so a year later he released 60 more.

Today this invasive creature hovers precariously at around 200 million! They are opportunistic and aggressive. They are destructive of crops and some native bird populations. They will attack smaller birds to take over their nesting sites.

However, they are on occasion also amazing to watch. I saw several hundred of them today over Great Falls in an aerial display called murmuration. An incredibly large flock swirling and swooping, diving and climbing... a great mass of black birds in beautiful, graceful choreography. Awesome to witness.

Realism

2011-11-10T20:57:00.001-05:00

"Instead of recording reality, photographs have become the norm for the way things appear to us, thereby changing the very idea of reality and realism." ~ Susan Sontag

Autumn

2011-10-31T20:57:00.002-04:00

First frost.

Wedding Photography

2011-10-18T13:46:00.000-04:00

Though I am not a wedding photographer, I do love shooting them. When people and inhibitions part ways, wonderful photo opportunities fill the void.

Occupy Wall Street, DC Event

2011-10-07T13:13:00.000-04:00

Some faces of the movement.

"Listen up Wall Street! Gives us back our money!"
(or something like that.)

Other folks were there as well.

No, son. Corporations with greedy, heartless CEOs destroy jobs.

However, they did not stay long. The movement carried on. Veterans, unions, students, grandmothers. People of many and varied ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. In short, America!

A yoga break for the crowd.

Love.

Peace.

When I look at the young Republican/Libertarian with the anti-union sign above, I can’t help but wonder about the young man’s thinking. His ideals. I think of corporations like Union Carbide and Johns-Manville. Like R. J. Reynolds and Phillip-Morris. Like GM, Ford and Chrysler. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Lehman Brothers. Now I wish I had asked the young man how many millions of people does he think have been killed by unions? How many Americans lost their homes and life savings because of unions? How many people are suffering debilitating terminal diseases because of the behavior of unions?

I wonder if any of that ever crosses his mind.

An Evening At David Alan Harvey's Loft

2011-10-01T19:38:00.000-04:00

Each year around this time Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey hosts two workshops at his loft in New York. Brooklyn, that is. A grueling, sleepless week of shooting and editing, and re-shooting and re-editing, always capped off with a slideshow and party. Many of these have reached legendary status... or so I've heard.

It's been suggested that maybe this year would be the last for these Big Apple workshops and soirees. As I'd never before had the "Kibbutz" experience, I thought I'd make the trip before it was too late. Glad I did.

From the Kibbutz you can just see the new WTC.

Neighboring roof top.

Roof top debris.

Hmmm. I guess you just never know!

OMG! WTF! ;^}

Zun Lee, a workshop student, and DAH.

Harvey discussing afternoon light.

Frostfrog gets decorated.

Creating his "comic strip."

How many photographers does it take...

Zun.

Sarah Lengfield, Kurt's daughter.

In the cell phone glow.

Revelers after the show.

Ruckus and a friend.

Late night. Leaving.

Civil War

2011-09-27T15:13:00.000-04:00

The War Prayer

"Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth into battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended in the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames in summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it --

For our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimmage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet!

We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."

Then & Now #10

2011-09-20T15:34:00.000-04:00

Been working on a new project. Who knows where it'll go. Meantime, found an addition to the series.

The Monocacy Aqueduct figured prominently in the Antietam Campaign. In 1862 Confederate forces tried to destroy it, but due to its "extraordinary solidity and massiveness" they failed. And, thankfully, here it stands 150 years on.

Dance The Night Away

2011-09-06T13:09:00.000-04:00

Good fun this weekend.

Difficult Days

2011-08-25T17:28:00.003-04:00

But as we all know...

Flying

2011-08-14T12:53:00.005-04:00

"The bluebird carries the sky on his back." ~ Henry David Thoreau

So, too, does the Canada goose.

iCanal

2011-08-02T06:48:00.006-04:00

Ventured down here with only the iPhone. Nothing else. Felt weird not having everything hanging off my shoulders, bag, camera, lenses...etc. Nice, but odd.

The Gallery

2011-07-27T18:12:00.005-04:00

Had some time this weekend for a gallery. Wide open spaces. Interesting art.

Birding

2011-07-16T22:36:00.002-04:00

♀ Ruby-throated Hummingbird at rest.

Walking

2011-07-13T11:13:00.004-04:00

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~ John Muir

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." ~ Steven Wright

Independence Day, 2011

2011-07-04T13:34:00.004-04:00

Funny story: A few years ago, a fellow from the neighborhood walked down our street with a bag full of these little 4x6 plastic American flags. He was gleefully planting them in each and every yard he passed. It wasn't until later that I notice the fine print.

I suspect the irony was lost on him. Still makes me smile.

Happy 4th, people! Don't blow off any fingers... 'k?

The River

2011-06-29T15:57:00.003-04:00

Back to my old haunt.

I absolutely love this place!

Adirondack Country

2011-06-23T15:32:00.004-04:00

"As a man tramps the woods to the lake he knows he will find pines and lilies, blue herons and golden shiners, shadows on the rocks and the glint of light on the wavelets, just as they were in the summer of 1354, as they will be in 2054 and beyond. He can stand on a rock by the shore and be in a past he could not have known, in a future he will never see. He can be a part of time that was and time yet to come." -- William Chapman White

Lake Placid is Hopping.

2011-06-16T19:10:00.005-04:00

Sure, it may feel like summer, but that's no reason for skipping the ski-jumping and freestyle practice!

Harsh Light

2011-05-31T09:59:00.004-04:00

A few days ago some friends over at Burn were talking about the difficulty of shooting in "bad" light. That is... sunny, midday. While it is usually ideal to wait for "good" light that is represented in the morning or evening, often you have no choice but midday light. What then? Ask one hundred photographers that question and you'll likely get one hundred different answers. But this is how I generally deal with harsh afternoon light.

These were shot around the house about 1PM.

Reflections

2011-05-29T09:58:00.008-04:00

"The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival." -- Aristotle

For The Bird Nerds

2011-05-27T14:13:00.002-04:00

Black-crowned night heron.

Working The Canal

2011-05-23T22:34:00.005-04:00

The Charles F. Mercer is the most recent packet boat to make its way up and down the canal. Built with funds raised by private organizations and actually started by a group of third graders, it has been plying these waters now for 5 years.

Watching the volunteers and Park Service employees work this boat through the locks and up the canal gives one a strong appreciation for how the folks 150 years ago used to survive.

A Trip Back In Time

2011-05-18T16:04:00.005-04:00

It took 22 years, from 1828 to 1850, to complete the C&O Canal. 184.5 miles. From Cumberland, Md to Georgetown in DC, coal and building materials made their way, slowly. With the help of mule teams and through a series of locks, the full trip took seven days to complete.

For most of the 19th century the canal remained in operation. A series of devastating floods and more advanced modes of transportation eventually rendered the canal obsolete.

Good Day At Work

2011-05-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

Imagery abounds.

From The Potomac River Gorge Area

2011-05-06T15:47:00.002-04:00

Feel the Burn!

Peace.

Birding

2011-05-03T17:05:00.000-04:00

Chipping Sparrow.

Birds, Another View.

2011-04-30T13:24:00.004-04:00

Gray Catbird... having shuffled off its mortal coil.

Peace.

Raging River.

2011-04-28T17:22:00.002-04:00

It's been a long and stormy Spring.

Fly DC.

2011-04-26T16:52:00.001-04:00

Here's a view of the city you don't get to see everyday. Just came from shooting some aerials for a client. On the way back to Gaithersburg we flew right past the National Mall. Just reinforces my already strong feelings about what a beautiful city Washington, DC is.

Of course, jumping through the many and varied hoops to get clearance to fly this close reinforces my already strong feelings toward certain unnamed three letter agencies! (I can say no more.)

Cheers!

Birding...

2011-04-23T11:17:00.004-04:00

American Goldfinch. ♂

Birding (cont.)

2011-04-22T08:56:00.002-04:00

Cardinal. ♂

Burn Magazine

2011-04-18T06:44:00.006-04:00

Very proud to say my Potomac Gorge essay was recently published at Burn Magazine. Go have a look.

Grapes of Wrath.

2011-04-09T21:04:00.005-04:00

"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." ~ FDR

"...and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." ~ Steinbeck

Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC

2011-04-05T16:51:00.005-04:00

Found myself at the Lincoln Memorial recently. Found a few others there as well.

Seat of Power?

2011-03-31T16:43:00.008-04:00

"Politicians working within a system like ours can never be much more than what the system will allow. Hypocrisy and self-deception are the traditional characteristics of the middle class in any place and time, and the Untied States today is the paradigmatic middle class society. Therefore, we can hardly blame our political gamesmen for being, literally, representative. Any public man has every right to try and trick us, not only for his own good but, if he is honorable, for ours as well. However, if he himself is not aware of what he is doing or to what extent he is playing the game, then to entrust him with the first magistracy of what may be the last empire on earth is to endanger us all." ~ Gore Vidal

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military/industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." ~ Dwight D Eisenhower, President of the United States, 1953 - 1961

Carolina Wren

2011-03-28T19:26:00.004-04:00

The Carolina wren is a very small bird. It also happens to be one of the loudest. You hear that familiar "tea-kettle tea-kettle tea-kettle" blasting from your backyard, pull out the binocs and scan the underbrush and you find this tiny thing just belting it out! You think, that's what making all that racket? Sheesh.

Now, my brother is a hunter. One early morning, while waiting for some poor unsuspecting deer to stroll past (then blowing its brains out) he's sitting in a tree stand 20 feet above the forest floor. It's still dark, none of the wood creatures yet awake. Complete silence. Peaceful. At that moment, unbeknownst to him, a Carolina wren silently alights on a branch not three feet from his head. And then... "tea-kettle tea-kettle tea-kettle!!!" Gah! Startled to near heart failure!

Don't know if he bagged a deer that morning, but a four inch bundle of feathers nearly knocked him out of the tree. For the record, I'm glad it didn't. (I love my brother.) But yeah, I laughed my ass off when he told me about it! I'm slightly evil that way.

Cheers.

Presage of Something?

2011-03-26T17:27:00.006-04:00

Figures that the day before we're supposed to get a little late March winter-like precipitation... a snowbird shows up! Funny.

By the way, they're also called northern and/or slate-colored juncos. (For all you bird nerds out there!)

Birds, birds, birds!

2011-03-21T19:02:00.004-04:00

Cardinal. ♀

More to come. (I swear this time!)

Then and Now #9

2011-03-11T16:38:00.003-05:00

This is a slight variation on the Then & Now theme. I made this first shot in 2006. This is what Great Falls looks like normally.

Yesterday we had almost three inches of rain in a very short period of time. This morning, I went to the Falls to see what I could see. From what I've heard, it still hasn't crested. That will probably be tonight sometime. Anyway... pretty powerful stuff.

(And yes, can't help but think about the tsunami in Japan today.)

Dirty Laundry

2011-03-05T13:29:00.001-05:00

Somewhere in DC.

Updated...

2011-03-01T16:38:00.001-05:00

Hi folks. Just a quick note to let you know I've done a little bit of a refresh on my main website. On the front page and in DC and Canal galleries... new images abound! Pop on over and have a look. Thoughts, critiques and artistic thrashings are welcome.

Many thanks to my friend Jeremy Shockley for his advice and encouragement! Cheers.

Simplicity

2011-02-24T21:26:00.003-05:00

"What's really important is to simplify. The work of most photographers would be improved immensely if they could do one thing: get rid of the extraneous." --William Albert Allard

The River

2011-02-20T17:33:00.007-05:00

I have been negligent. I have been lazy. It's been nearly two months since I last wandered around the Potomac River Gorge, that 15 mile stretch of wildness just outside DC. But I soon plan to rectify this troublesome situation.

Meantime... here are a few photos from visits past.

Cheers.

Soon... Soon!

2011-02-18T15:53:00.004-05:00

A few days of unseasonably warm weather here on the east coast. Teasing us... Spring is around the corner. (or is it?) Green shoots of crocuses and daffodils poking up through the humus. Brings to mind so many thoughts, so many things anticipated. Evenings on the porch with a glass of wine. Open windows allowing a cool breeze throughout the house. The scent of April rains.

Or...

This:

Looking forward to catching up with my man Jason Beakes and his crew! Here's to a little whitewater action!

iNcreasing iPhone iMagery of WashiNgton DC

2011-02-07T21:26:00.008-05:00

Made the rounds a few days ago. Our beautiful, vibrant city.

This project I've taken on, the DC stuff... if nothing else, I've learned I would love to live the life of a flaneur. I lack the means, of course. But who knows... maybe... some day. Ha!

Meantime... I think a cobbling together of a decent number of these images and, you know, doing something with them... that would be worthwhile. Must work on that.

Til then... Cheers!

iStorm

2011-01-28T21:45:00.005-05:00

Hard to explain, but there's just something about strolling the city in a snowstorm...

A poignant, quiet exuberance, I think I'd call it.

Nocturnal Predator

2011-01-24T17:05:00.002-05:00

Meow.

NW Washington DC

2011-01-12T16:29:00.007-05:00

Strolling, meandering, exploring... the abstract beauty, the beautiful ugliness, that is the city.

Looking Up.

2011-01-10T08:38:00.005-05:00

"Except for hydrogen, all the atoms that make each of us up--the iron in our blood, the calcium in our bones, the carbon in our brains--were manufactured in red giant stars thousands of light years away in space and billions of years ago in time. We are star stuff." Carl Sagan

The Zoo

2011-01-07T16:50:00.008-05:00

As part of my ongoing DC wanderings I found myself recently in the neighborhood of the National Zoo. I have to say I'm pretty ambivalent about zoos and whether they are "good" or "bad" for the creatures they house. I've had strong opinions both ways over the years, they do well with captive breeding of endangered animals it's true, but does that outweigh the negatives? The reality, however, is it's too late to close the barn doors now... So it pretty much comes down to whether the zoo is a good zoo or a bad zoo. I hope the former outnumber the latter.

But still... watching a cheetah stroll with all its feline grace through the mock savanna she's been consigned to in the heart of Washington DC raises difficult questions in my mind. (the fact that her space is adjacent to that of a few zebras seems especially cruel.) Knowing the fastest land animal on earth will never be able to exercise that feat is an uncomfortable fact to ignore. Does she know it? Feel it? I have no idea. But I know it. I feel it. That's painful enough. Every animal there suffers to some degree the repression of some aspect of their natural instincts.

Which brings us to the great apes. I suspect these highly intelligent cousins of ours do feel the isolation, the claustrophobia... the inability to roam. (it's winter now so they spend their time inside, even less space.) Gorillas in captivity, if I think about it too much, just feels wrong. Such a highly evolved creature deserves better, I think.

But it is what it is... and there they are... I come and see them when I can.... and man!... they are goddamn impressive!

Thought I'd throw in a couple Orangs as well. And yes, the 2nd picture down...that's ape sex! Guess it can't be all bad there.

Not Happy.

2011-01-06T12:00:00.001-05:00

Really wanted that extra piece of pie!

Then and Now #8

2011-01-05T15:30:00.003-05:00

Margaret Bourke-White began her career as an industrial/architectural photographer. Her many iconic images of U.S. industry tend to overshadow her later work as a photojournalist. She covered the liberation of Buchenwald in Nazi Germany with General Patton's troops. She covered Ganghi's release from prison. Before all this she photographed Dust Bowl migrants and shortly after she and her husband, novelist Erskine Caldwell, took on the South during the Great Depression and created You Have Seen Their Faces.

In 1934, however, she found herself on these steps about 500 feet west of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. I find myself driving past them a couple times a week. Today I decided to stop.

Washington DC Via iPhone

2010-12-30T19:35:00.008-05:00

A little more exploration of DC with the iPhone. Cafes, canals, and cathedrals.

Happy New Year all!

Another Basement

2010-12-29T16:37:00.004-05:00

Lots of traveling over the holiday. More basement adventures.

The Basement

2010-12-24T16:52:00.005-05:00

Basements. I could spend all day (or night) down there. As a kid they used to frighten me. Great place to explore these days... your own or, even better, someone else's!

This is mine. What's in yours?

iStroll

2010-12-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

Wandering the city with an iPhone. More to come.

Workin' Hard!

2010-12-11T11:02:00.003-05:00

Down at the river working on a (semi) new project. Hopeful it'll be seen (prominently!) sometime after the New Year. Will let you know.

Forlorn...

2010-12-06T17:13:00.003-05:00

(She's not really... just caught her in a moment. )

Touching base...

2010-11-22T21:21:00.005-05:00

Sorry, people. I'm in a bit of a dry spell. Have plans for new essays and singles soon. Keep checking in. Meantime, this is a photo I took at FotoweekDC. My friend Bob Blake got that shot of the fish market down on Maine Ave. in SW Washington. Part of the all night shoot they have each year. All photos are to be taken between 6PM and 6AM. I was unable to pull the all nighter. But it has inspired me... more on that in the coming weeks.

Cheers,

-M

Rally To Restore Sanity

2010-10-31T20:19:00.007-04:00

Huge crowd. Funny, intelligent people.

I worked around the edges.

Scenes From The City #3

2010-10-20T16:24:00.009-04:00

The Nation's Capital. So much to see, so much to do. Well worth the trip.

Taking a breather near the reflecting pool.

The book of names at the Vietnam War Memorial.

Korean War Veterans Memorial.

Verdant grove along the western edge of the National Mall.

DuPont Circle Metro entrance.

Checkmate? DuPont Circle.

Few things better than this greasy diner burger!

The Camera I Really Want.

2010-10-18T16:45:00.007-04:00

I generally don't do gear talk. I mean, I actually love talking gear talk with other photogs, but in these pages I think it'd probably bore the crap out of just about everyone who regularly visits. (You're welcome!)

But today, just to have it on record, I'd like to offer my wish list to the camera company relevant to my needs... Nikon.

Dear Mr Nikon,

May I please have a camera that is no bigger or heavier (preferably even a tad smaller!) than the F100 was? With your D3s sensor in it? With a 100% view finder? Please? Pretty please?

Oh, and no video... seriously. I don't use it. I don't want it. I don't want to pay the cost. I realize it's become de rigueur for pretty much every goddamn camera made these days, and will be for the foreseeable future, but really... just this once, leave it out! I currently shoot with a D200 (two, in fact). Quality camera. Really love it. But it has its limitations. No need to go into all that now, but both are getting long in the tooth and an upgrade is probably in my future. And the camera described would be oh so nice! I realize something like this is probably not even in the pipeline yet, but it should be and it should be in the next year or so. If you could make this happen, that would be great.

Actually, if you create this camera... I will buy two, straight away, no questions asked. And you know what, I suspect, no... I know I am not alone! Build it, and we will buy! I promise.

Many thanks,

-Mike Kircher

(Now, does anyone know Mr Nikon's address?) ;^}

Mourning Doves

2010-10-12T18:53:00.003-04:00

A couple years ago, a pair of Mourning Doves decided the most convenient place for them to build their nest was in a spacious bird feeder in the backyard. The other flying creatures back there I'm sure were none too happy for a couple weeks that Spring. But once established the little family home stayed. I checked in periodically to see if any predators (raccoons, most likely) had discovered the eggs... but no, they remained untouched. Warm and protected.

About 14 days later two fluffy brownish squabs were seen huddled together, waiting for a parent to bring them their breakfast. Another couple weeks and the fledglings left. I immediately cleaned out the feeder and turned it back over to the rest of the various birds that make our home theirs.

Peace.

Solitude

2010-09-26T20:33:00.003-04:00

Early morning... sun just above the horizon... you and the sea. Nobody else.

Are there greater moments than this?

Life is Simple. Eat, Sleep, Bird.

2010-09-21T20:24:00.005-04:00

Someone, years ago, gave me a t-shirt with that slogan on it... as I am a bit of a bird nerd. Though I once was avid, I'm now more a when-I-get-around-to-it kind of birder. Still enjoy it greatly, but don't often take the time.

But the Fall migration is beginning and that's pretty exciting. You'll soon be seeing and hearing more and more as many little dinosaurs make their way to various southern climes. I intend to bring you a few species now and again over the next few weeks. (That's my intention. Whether I actually manage to do it is a whole other story!)

Starting out with an easy one from the backyard.

Black-capped chickadee.

Go get yourself some binoculars. And a Peterson Field Guide. And enjoy!

Farm Women's Co-operative Market

2010-09-15T16:13:00.003-04:00

A new Maryland Life is out today. One of the featured articles is on the Farm Women's Market in Bethesda. This venerable co-op has been around since the '30s, many of the stalls passed down generations. Yours truly provided the photography that accompanies the tastefully written story by Renee Sklarew.

Pick up a copy, won't you?

Cheers.

Marathon in the Parks

2010-09-13T20:12:00.009-04:00

So... a bunch of runners marathoned through my neighborhood the other day. The Parks Half-Marathon. Fifth year in a row. 13 miles of shin-splinting, meniscus tearing brutality. Well, that's the way I would characterize it, but about 2000 other people see it differently. Many actually find it quite the enjoyable experience! OK, then...

I went down there this year to see what kind of shots I could come away with. It was rainy and cool. The runners were amazing. Dedicated organizers and volunteers lined the course, which runs from Rockville to Bethesda, MD. Much of it through large swaths of Rock Creek Park. (hence, the name)

Good time. Photographs below:

Scenes From The City #2

2010-09-10T18:44:00.003-04:00

Fair Use?

2010-09-04T19:54:00.007-04:00

If I make a photograph of the Eiffel Tower or the Vietnam War memorial or let's say a mural on the side of a building--all of which I have indeed done (see examples below)--should the artist whose work I'm recording get a cut of any income I might make? Or do you think maybe a vindictive law suit is in order? Apparently, this is how some asshole "artists" think.

I, of course, find it a completely absurd proposition. Because, well... it is!

See this (over at Bob Krist's place): Photog Fragged By Fair-Use-F**king Footprint Artist...

Exploring

2010-08-30T15:37:00.002-04:00

Youth and curiosity travel together. The trick is keeping them on the same trail as you age.

Rain Much?

2010-08-24T19:36:00.006-04:00

Last week the DC area was hit with a pretty major rain storm. Second in as many weeks in fact. (Missed the first one while on vacation.) This one did a pretty good job on upper Rock Creek along Beach Dr.

I threw on my Columbia rain jacket, drove to the closed-off area and then hoofed it. Keeping the camera dry was a fair chore. It did get wet of course, but thankfully no major breakdowns.

The road was clear for a tenth of a mile or so before it became thoroughly swallowed by the flood waters (see last photo, that's Beach Drive under all that!). The park resembled a cypress swamp as the tree trunks were several inches deep.

Power was lost, basements were flooded, cars were swept away, trees toppled. It's been an interesting year here in the mid-Atlantic. Largest snowfall in the winter, longest stretch of 90 degree weather this summer, and then all this... sheesh!

Mother Nature don't mess around, do she?!

Jump!

2010-08-21T11:55:00.004-04:00

"For nimble thought can jump both sea and land" -- Shakespeare

Family Time

2010-08-16T20:11:00.005-04:00

Just back from a week with family. 64 people. Ages from 3 to 80.

Catch up with everyone, revisit old hang-outs, recharge the batteries. Every two years. Nothing like it.

Below is my nephew enjoying a cold one on the beach. Dusk. Distant cumulonimbus catching the last of the sun's warm light. Contentment.

Pretty much says it all.

Good to be back. Big hugs to everyone!

My Favorite Theropod

2010-08-04T15:35:00.005-04:00

Dinosaurs are everywhere!

It's Almost That Time

2010-07-30T17:26:00.004-04:00

Trying to be patient. I really am.

Seriously People!

2010-07-22T17:18:00.000-04:00

Wow. Just... wow.

Idiots in The National Parks

2010-07-15T14:24:00.008-04:00

A while back I talked about people and wildlife in our National Parks and how "meet-ups" are sometimes inevitable. And how often they are not but some folks can't seem to help themselves and like to force the issue. As foolish as that sounds it happens all the time.

Case in point... a recent visit to Assateague National Seashore where the main attraction are the wild horses. Descendants of 17th century livestock they are today truly wild. In the Visitor's Center, at the park's entrance and in various spots throughout the entire park, signs warn of the dangers of getting too close to these creatures. Every single driver of every vehicle that enters the park is handed this bright yellow paper from the attending ranger:

So, nobody can honestly claim ignorance here. The cautions and warnings are clear and are everywhere.

Now, it is one thing for you, as an adult, to make up your mind to take a chance, risk getting close. That's your choice. But to allow your child to get close, to even encourage her! Just so you can take a picture? Seriously... WTF! Parents... Stop being dumb asses!

Lastly, here's what you find at the Park's website.

Assateague's horses are beautiful, tough, and wild. They have learned to survive in a harsh environment. Feeding and/or petting them is detrimental to both visitors and horses. Horses can get sick from human food. Those that learn to come up to the road to beg for food are often hit and killed by cars. Visitors are kicked, bitten and knocked down every year as a direct result of getting too close to the wild horses. Treating wild horses like tame animals takes away the wildness that makes them special. Protect your family by respecting theirs. Give the horses the space they need to be wild.

Mental Health Days

2010-07-09T13:43:00.009-04:00

Sometimes you just need a little time to think.

My own little grotto.

Off to the Cathedral. And yes, for anyone who really knows me, there's a fair amount of irony in this. What can I say, it's peaceful.

Peace.

Maryland Life Magazine

2010-07-02T07:28:00.003-04:00

Just a little note to bring attention to the latest issue of Maryland Life, which features a photo essay from yours truly. The magazine should be in the stores soon. So keep an eye out. In the meantime you can see a few images at the website.

Thanks for looking.

Not Just In Your Garden...

2010-06-28T17:42:00.005-04:00

But on your (seriously dirty) windows, too!

Mantis religiosa.

What Lurks In Your Garden?

2010-06-24T16:52:00.007-04:00

Found this little creature crawling around one of my potted plants out back. Have no idea what it is (if you do, please share!), but it is cool, isn't it? It'd be terrifying if it were bigger, but it's barely a centimeter long. A 60mm micro lens got me close. It's a rich and amazing world down there.
Creepy-crawlies are everywhere! Researchers in PA once counted in an oak forest about 9,000 arthropods in one square foot. We step on thousands of insects a day without even knowing it. Happy this fellow wasn't one of them.

"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos." E.O. Wilson

DC Triathlon Extended...

2010-06-22T16:53:00.005-04:00

As promised... few more from the day.

Washington DC Triathlon 2010

2010-06-21T07:19:00.011-04:00

Swim.

Bike.

Run.

This was my first triathlon. Photography wise of course... not participating! Although by the end of the event, I felt I had. Keeping up with the athletes in the hot-humid summer air of DC as they transitioned from swimmer to biker to runner made for quite the mini-marathon itself. Kind of fun actually.

Also, as a huge fan of our National Park system it was gratifying to discover that the Washington, DC Triathlon takes place almost exclusively on Park grounds. From the Potomac River near the Memorial Bridge and Lincoln Memorial to the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial to the Washington Monument and the National Mall, not to mention a significant portion of Rock Creek Park, these amazing (insane?) athletes made good use of a small segment of our vast Park system. Yet another reason to maintain generous funding for these treasures.

Great challenge, great venue. Can't wait until next year!

More images tomorrow.

Capital Pride ... Continued

2010-06-16T19:55:00.004-04:00

Just a few more from the parade.

Cheers.

Capital Pride Parade

2010-06-13T22:38:00.010-04:00

An absolutely wonderful time.

Ted Haggard and Larry Craig were not there... but they should have been! They have no idea what they're missing.

The National Gallery of Art

2010-06-08T14:19:00.005-04:00

In 1937 Andrew W. Mellon left his collection of art to the United States government. Congress and President Franklin Roosevelt saw to it that Mr. Mellon's wish to create a national gallery was fully realized. The permanent collection has grown since then, with new exhibits rotating in and out every year.

I spent a little quality time there last week.

In the summer they have "Jazz in the Garden" every Friday evening. The Sculpture Garden is on Constitution Ave between 7th and 9th streets. I hope to bring you a few images from there in the coming weeks. Til then... Cheers!

Rolling Thunder XXIII - Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T12:00:00.015-04:00

Tens of thousands of bikers and spectators descended on Washington, DC for the annual "Ride to the Wall." My first trip down there. Very impressive turn out. The roar of motorcycle engines began at noon and continued well past 2:00 PM.

The riders start at the Pentagon in VA, ride past Arlington Cemetery, cross the Memorial Bridge into DC, pass the Lincoln Memorial, head east along Constitution Ave to the Capitol building, turn west back up Independence Ave and finish at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Below is my coverage of this years event.

Peace.

A Walk in The Park

2010-05-26T12:57:00.004-04:00

Curiosity. Exploration. The nature of Homo sapiens.

Many Uses of The "Shoot Through" Umbrella.

2010-05-22T21:03:00.009-04:00

Groovy discovery. Decided to grab a quick portrait of my niece. Dark, foreboding, storm clouds as backdrop. Ran inside, got the SB800 and a shoot-through umbrella. Set the flash to full power, used the on-camera flash as a trigger, under exposed the sky by about 2 stops, held the flash and umbrella in my left hand and made a few photographs.

Love the chocolate smudges.

The rain soon began to fall, my niece said she needed to be under the umbrella, I held the umbrella over her head and suddenly thought, Hmmm... this could be a shot. Even though it's a "shoot-through" umbrella there was more than enough bounce-back to create this image.

Will be using this technique more often.

You don't necessarily need to stop shooting even when you think you've got the shot. You just never know.

Scenes From The City

2010-05-19T17:43:00.008-04:00

Washington DC.

Metro, Capitol Hill, downtown, museums. Tourists, workers, activist and protesters, politicians.

Alive, vibrant.

Homo neanderthalensis and You

2010-05-12T14:18:00.007-04:00

It recently came to light that we humans... (well, some of us anyway! specifically, those of European or East Asian or Australasian extraction.) have 1 - 4% Neandertal DNA coursing through our veins. How cool is that!? (I'll answer... Way Cool!) I'd try to go into a little more detail, but I'm pretty sure I'd end up sounding like the Neandertal-esque ignoramus I actually am. So you can read all about it here: John Hawks Weblog. He knows of what he speaks.

It was also at that blog where I learned there is a new app for the iPhone. It's called MEanderthal. It takes a close up photo of your face and morphs it into a Neandertal version of you! Now how cool is that? (see above answer) It can also make Homo floresiensis and Homo heidelbergensis versions of you. I expect--and hope!--that they will add more species in the coming months. Til then... have some fun!

OK... here's my transmogrification:

Aargh!

One other thing... Neandertals thrived for over 400,000 years. From the Levant to northern Europe to China to Siberia. It seems reasonable that they had developed adaptations not unlike ours. A Neandertal from what is today France and one from China or Siberia probably didn't resemble each other all too much. In other words, I'd like to see at some point a few available versions of Neandertal from this app. Differently shaped noses, a few different shades of skin perhaps. Not everyone should have the same hair style either. This is all for fun of course, but I'm guessing that when everyone starts comparing their Neandertal avatars and begin to notice we all look the same it'll lose some of it's grooviness. Anyway... just some thoughts.

Washington DC Photojournalist, Pete Marovich

2010-05-11T21:03:00.007-04:00

Spent a little time today with my friend, Pete. He was preparing to cover the hearings on Capitol Hill regarding the oil spill in the Gulf.

I was covering him. Yeah, he grumbled a bit... but I think he secretly enjoyed it!

Off Camera Flash

2010-05-04T13:55:00.004-04:00

Just a reminder: every now and then you should try to get the flash off the camera. It gives each shot a little different feel.

This can be done using a sync cord, infrared triggering device or, if you have a Nikon system, the camera's own pop-up flash will trigger a compatible speedlight--SB800 in this case.

For this shot I used a sync cord and held the flash in my left hand. This is a very common technique and usually when it is employed the flash is, understandably, coming from camera left. (You're holding the camera with your right hand and the obvious default is holding the flash up in your left hand.) As you can tell, however, the light in this photo is coming from camera right. All it took was a minor physical contortion. With the camera to your eye, bring your left shoulder under your chin, extend your left arm out to the right (take a quick peek to see that the flash is pointed at the subject!) and shoot.

A little extra effort and a simple portrait becomes just slightly more interesting.