Stacy

The Big Apple

Black And White Photography, Photography
Top of the Rock view of Empire State Building and Lower Manhattan
Fuji X100T, fixed 23mm f/2.0 lens, 1/125 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 2000

A hot, humid, hazy mid-afternoon in New York City, and it was the final day of four that I spent last week in this wonderful metropolis. Shortened tourist lines found me 70 stories above street level atop the GE Building in Rockefeller Center, the 10th tallest building in NYC. The Top of the Rock Observation Deck offers spectacular views of Manhattan, which include the Empire State Building (a big selling point for spending $24 to ride the elevator here as opposed to visiting the top of the ESB). Plus the 70th floor deck is completely open-air at the top, with no security fences to shoot through. It’s a great place to take photos.

Despite the oppressive haze, Lower Manhattan was still a wonderful sight. In the distance stands Freedom Tower, at 1776 feet tall, and though barely visible this day, just off to its right on the tip of Liberty Island in Upper New York Bay, Lady Liberty extends her welcome.

Love NYC? Visit my NYC gallery on VisualVenturing.com.

Crossing

Black And White Photography, Photography
Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, Georgetown, Washington, DC, looking north toward pedestrian bridges between business buildingsChesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal, Georgetown, Washington, DC

Georgetown is filled with wonderful photographic spots, and on this day, I set my sights on the peaceful C&O Canal. An occasional jogger ran down the path, a few pedestrians meandered on a lunch-time walk, while others crossed the bridges over the canals, many with bicycles. But the shot I wanted — someone crossing the foreground bridge — took a bit some patience.

If anyone was to cross, I was expecting it to be on the lower level of the bridge. I was so surprised to see this woman crossing on the upper level that I missed the shot entirely. From then on, I had my camera focused and my shutter finger ready for what I hoped would be her return crossing. She did not disappoint!

A color version of this photo is posted on VisualVenturing.com. Which one do you prefer?

(The184.5-mile Chesapeake and Ohio Canal operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. The canal’s principal cargo was coal from the Allegheny Mountains.

Rising and falling over an elevation change of 605 feet, it required the construction of 74 canal locks, 11 aqueducts to cross major streams, more than 240 culverts to cross smaller streams, and a 3,118-foot tunnel.

The canal is now maintained as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, with a trail that follows the old towpath. Credit: Wikipedia.)

Rue Chanoinesse

Black And White Photography, Photography

Rue Chanoinesse, Paris, France

Another trip down Paris memory lane. Rue Chanoinesse is a welcome respite from the tourist-packed Notre Dame, only a block away but feeling worlds apart. We stumbled upon it after enjoying some time in a cafe overlooking the Pont Saint-Louis and Notre Dame.

For more photos from my travels, visit VisualVenturing.com.

To Our Fallen Heroes

Black And White Photography, Photography
Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery
“For love of country, they accepted death.”

Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day in the United States, a federal holiday on which those who gave their lives while serving in the country’s armed forces are remembered and honored. At Arlington National Cemetery, a U.S. military cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., the Honor Guard pays tribute at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Forever indebted …

To learn more about the extraordinary elite Guard who serve to man this post 24/7, 365 days a year, visit Guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns on VisualVenturing.com. 

Tied Up

Black And White Photography, Photography
London Bobby tying shoe

I took this photo almost four years to the day while touring London. I was so focused on the Bobby and his shoe that I didn’t see the Bobby and his machine gun 🙂

For a color version and a look into how I post-processed it, visit VisualVenturing.com.

Forever Remembered

Black And White Photography, Photography
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Washington DC
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC

Honoring the men and women who served in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists across 140 black granite panels the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives while serving with the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War.

— shot with the Fuji X100T —
For more of my photos, visit VisualVenturing.com.

Mr. Jefferson

Black And White Photography, Photography
Jefferson Memorial, close-up front view. Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C.

My parting shot after capturing golden-hour cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin.

For more photos from DC and plenty of other places, visit VisualVenturing.com.