Merry Christmas

Every year the Worcester Wreath Company delivers about 10,000 wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery as part of their Wreaths Across America project.   I always try to make it a point to visit Arlington at this special time of the year.   Taking time to photograph this remarkable place is my small way of trying to honor the sacrifice of our fallen heroes. 

Thanks and Remembrance

Yesterday I decided to make a quick trip to Arlington National Cemetery. Every year on Memorial Day weekend an American Flag is placed on each headstone. In the past I have tried to shoot this with mixed success. The cemetery opens at 8:00 am, a full 2 hours after sunrise. This time of year the light tends to be harsh and does not lend to my style of photography. With clouds forecasted for the rest of the day, I headed over in the afternoon to shoot for a couple of hours. Arlington is large enough that you really can’t cover the entire grounds in one trip. Originally the plan was to use the diffused light of the cloudy day and keep the sky out of my shots, that’s how I did most of my shots but I really liked this one. I spent most of my time in Section 60. This is the section where our soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are being buried.

Typically when I shoot I’m in a different frame of mind. not always seeing the object in front of me for what it is, but for the composition and graphic nature of the shot that I’m working to compose. Today I found myself often stopping to pause and think about the better men than myself who were buried below me, taking note of the families and loved ones who are visiting and trying not to intrude on what might be a very private and personal time for them.

Spring Arrives

Last Saturday Greg Daily and I took a quick trip to Arlington Cemetery. I’m almost too busy with other projects to get out and shoot spring flowers this year. Also, my main Gitzo tripod had to be returned to Bogen Imaging for the 3rd time in 3 years to have one of the legs re-glued to the base. The last time it was repaired, they handled it on a professional rush basis and I had it back in a little over a week. We are going on 3 weeks this time and I’m having trouble getting a completion date. I not trying to complain, but my backup tripod will not get closer than 15 inches or so from the ground and that puts me at a disadvantage when trying to shoot flowers.


Back to Arlington Cemetery. This town is full of monuments and memorials but I find Arlington to be the most compelling. The light and the texture of the sky was a bit disappointing, but I can usually find something to shoot.

Condolences

Recently I was asked by a friend to photograph his father’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. While I have walked the grounds at Arlington many times and have even attended a few funerals, photographing a funeral is a first for me. Photographing a military funeral is a special event. I can not help but feel a huge amount of pride in my country and respect for the soldiers who carry out this solemn duty on a daily basis. Their dedication, precision, and compassion are evident.