Photo of the Day — Day 247

One unexpected benefit of getting married is that I’ve had the chance to meet up with folks that I haven’t seen as often as I’d like, since everyone is coming to town for the big day.  E. took me out to lunch to celebrate my joyous occasion and to share some good news of her own.  She’s not a big fan of having her photo taken, but maybe she got caught up in the spirit because she let me take a portrait of her before she headed back to Farmville.

Cracker Barrel parking lot in Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 240

The past couple of days, I’ve taken more than a few snow photos, many of which looked as if they could have been in black and white, thanks to the bright white snow and the darkness of the tree bark.  I decided to roll with the black and white theme today, and one of my favorite ways of playing around with black and white is to shoot textures.  I decided that I would walk around Lee Park and take photos of the trees, and this is what I came up with.

Lee Park in Charlottesville, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 187

When I was a student at the University of Virginia, the majority of my classes were in Cabell Hall.  If you weren’t careful crossing the street behind the building, you ran the risk of being run down by a car, especially at night, when it was hard to see pedestrians.  In fact, a professor in our department was struck and seriously injuring during the time I was there.  After I left, the school decided that it was time to do something, so they built a pedestrian bridge over the road, and they installed a lot more lighting.

Jefferson Park Avenue in Charlottesville, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 149

Today was a rainy, foggy, dreary day, and with the unpacking from my move and the preparing for tomorrow’s trip to New York for Thanksgiving, I didn’t get the chance to take a photo.  Here’s a shot that I took a couple of days ago, though, when the sky was much more interesting.

In the sky over Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 140

Since today is Veterans’ Day, and I’m a veteran, I thought about having today’s photo of the day be something topical; after all, I think that it’s important to commemorate the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform, past and present, on such a day.  As it happens, there will be a veterans’ parade in Staunton tomorrow, so I decided to hold off and see if something presents itself then.

In the meantime, I had to go to the hardware store to pick up a couple of things, and as I was leaving, I saw a weathered wooden door on the outside of the building.  The stained wood and peeling paint gave it plenty of character, crying out for a black and white photo to be made.  Not being one to ignore such invitations, I stopped and took today’s photo.    

Young True Value Hardware Store in Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 128

Followers of my photoblog have by now noticed that a lot of my photo of the day entries come from Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall area.  It’s probably my favorite part of town, partially because of all of the fine cafes and restaurants and bookstores that are located there, but also due to the many people-watching opportunities it offers.  And, like most photographers, I am an inveterate people watcher.

One of the nice features of the Downtown Mall that I haven’t chronicled on my photoblog is the nTelos Wireless Pavillion (http://www.thenteloswirelesspavilion.com/), an outdoor music and event venue that lies on one end of the Mall.  During the summer, there is a regular music series held there called Fridays after Five, and it was the home of a beer festival and a number of special concert events featuring fairly well-known musicians, too.  Today’s photo of the day was taken when it was set up for a charity event.

nTelos Wireless Pavillion on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 113

I’ve mentioned the Pompeii Lounge (http://www.thepompeilounge.com/) before on the photoblog: it’s one of my favorite places to be in Staunton.  I’ve written about the friendly people who work there, the interesting mix of folks who stop by for a drink (and sometimes even a cigar!), and the shabby chic yet cozy decor.  One think that I haven’t included in my previous posts about the Pompeii is the fact that there is often quite good music to be heard there.  They have live music every weekend, always good and always free admission, and local bands frequently drop in for impromptu jam sessions.  One band in particular, Brian Elijah Smith & the Wild Hearts (http://www.bryanelijahsmith.com/fr_bryanelijahsmiththewildhearts.cfm), sometimes holds band practice there, and when they do, it’s a real treat.  They have amazing energy and a great sound; if they ever play anywhere near you, I highly recommend that you check them out.  Today’s photos of the day are a couple of snapshots of tonight’s band practice in the lounge.  It’s not the best place for photography, but it’s a wonderful place to hear good music.  

Pompeii Lounge in Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 107

When I moved to Charlottesville in the mid-90s, one of the places that first struck my fancy was this odd little place in Belmont that sold tombstones.  When you pass by, you see what looks like a miniature cemetery with a small building at the back of the lot that looks almost like a garage, but with a bit more architectural flair.  W. A. Hartman Memorials boasts that it has offered “For over 60 years one of the largest displays of monuments in [sic] area.”  I haven’t compared their display to that of their competition, but I’d bet that they’re telling the truth.

W. A. Hartman Memorials in Charlottesville, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 101

I had a couple of hours to kill today while I was waiting for S. to participate in her master class, so I set a challenge of sorts for myself: I gave myself one hour to take as many interesting photos as possible without leaving the quad on the Old Dominion University campus. 

The idea behind setting challenges like these is to remind us that if we look hard enough, there are beautiful images everywhere.  Try it sometime, with or without a camera.  Pick a place, maybe even one that you know decently well, and spend some time there looking around for things that would make for a good photo.  I’ll bet that you’ll be surprised and what you can find. 

Here are some of the highlights of my hour.

Old Dominion University Campus in Norfolk, VA

Photo a Day — Day 99

A little while ago, I posted my first landscape photo on the photoblog, one I took of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Although I’ve living in Virginia for the better part of twenty years, now, I’m originally from the Midwest, where mountains are pretty scarce (to say the least!).  I often pass by the scene depicted in these two photos, since they’re taken from a scenic overlook/rest stop on I-64 between Staunton and Charlottesville, and I never take the view for granted.

Blue Ridge Mountains near Afton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 84

Today I had the chance to meet up with a friend of mine from Farmville — the town, not the Facebook game! — for a cup of coffee at the local Starbucks.  B. is a nursing student who is pretty far along in her training, and she’s doing a practicum in the hospital near where I work.  I suspect that she’ll be a great nurse: she is smart and tough and kind and has the sort of bubbly personality that can in itself be a form of healing.  I miss my regular Thursday night wings and beer night with B., her fiance, and the rest of the Farmville crew.

Starbucks Cafe in Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 83

The Darjeeling Cafe (http://darjeelingcafe.com/) is really picking up steam these days: they have their liquor license, they have expanded their menu, and they’re  now hosting all sorts of events like open mic nights and spelling bees and high teas.  Tonight was an open mic night, and although I was only able to stay for the first couple of performers, I was seriously impressed by the quality of the music.  J., who with M.B. is one of the owners, started the evening off with some incredible singing, and the acts that followed kept up the pace.

This is my first attempt at concert photography, and the lighting — while nice and dramatic for the audience — was a real challenge for photography.  I want to work on improving my concert shooting, but these “rough drafts” will have to suffice as the photo(s) of the day.

Darjeeling Cafe in Staunton, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 59

Lest viewers of my photoblog begin to think that I am only interested in the artifacts of man (and woman, of course!), allow me to share another of my abiding photographic interests: organic forms.  In this case, the bark of a tree, seen close-up, offers a fascinating experiment in topography.  If a photo such as this one were seen without any contextual markers, it might appear to be an aerial landscape, a dry creek bottom, or any one of a host of other natural wonders. 

The next time you pass a tree, take a moment and look — I mean really look — at it.  You might be surprised by what you see.

Corner of Jefferson Street and 2nd Street Northwest in Charlottesville, VA

Photo of the Day — Day 56

Those of you who have been following my blog know that I’m a big fan of the Beverley Cigar Store, partially because of the many fine cigars that A. always has on hand, but also because it’s a wonderful place to cross paths with folks from all walks of life.  Not surprisingly, there are far more men who are smoke shop regulars than women, but with the exception of the skewed gender ratio, it’s by far the most diverse place I’ve found in this fairly homogenous town.

On any given day, you might find white folks and black folks, the old and the youngish (you can’t smoke if you’re under 18, and A. will check your I.D. if necessary!), professionals and minimum-wage workers, liberals and conservatives, teetotalers and fine wine connoisseurs, locals and tourists just passing through, and maybe even a couple of Civil War reenactors.  B., pictured here, is one of the younger guys, a college student and auto enthusiast.

Beverley Cigar Store in Staunton, VA

Photo a Day — Day 36

I decided that today’s photo would be a little different, a break from all the colorful walls and doorways that I’ve been posting these past few days.  Consider this a sort of palate cleanser, a fresh and clean little nibble that will prepare you for the next burst of flavorful color.

Outside the Police Station in Staunton, VA