Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

2012 – A Year of Photos

As some of you know, I am a photographer. As iriti found herself getting more and more fit through the winter of 2011-12, we decided we were going to do lots of hiking in 2012. As is my habit, I took my camera along for the ride sometimes. You will now be the benificiaries/victims of our wandering.

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We started early, on Easter Sunday, going to a state park, where I saw this little guy just waiting to pose for me:

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We also explored the National Arboretum, where the azaleas were in bloom

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This little guy snuck in and was checking things out, too

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A couple weeks later, we ended up at another state park, checking things out while hiking a few miles

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In early May, Iriti, Kidlet, and I took a road trip to the National Zoo

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We finally got some rain in these parts, so I was able to practice some of my favorite photography, moving water shots, in Shenandoah National Park (we live about a half hour from the north entrance to the park)

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A trip to Memphis for vacation. Everybody humored me one night and let me get this shot (actually, my sister-in-law came up with the idea of going to this area – she thought I’d like it. She was right).

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Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia is short drive for us. We head there a few times a year.

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I decided to play with night photography in our neighborhood one Fall evening

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The weekend before Election Day, we went to a political rally in Bristow, outside of DC. You may recognize a few of these folks. We’ll start with Virginia’s newest Senator, Tim Kaine

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Then, Dave Matthews performed a solo acoustic set (this one’s for you, Khloe…).

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After that, an appearance from Bill Clinton, who was losing his voice from campaining, but not his passion

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Then finally, around 11 PM, President Obama hit the stage

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We were sitting about 30 rows back, 5 seats away from the sound board. We phone banked a couple days, that’s why we had the opportunity for these seats. The venue was an outdoor summer concert facility. The capacity was 25,000, and the place was packed.

All in all, a year to get back into my photography. Thanks for humoring me on this journey


38 comments

  1. Kysen

    however, I’m lucky if I  A) remember to bring a camera, B) remember that I remembered to bring a camera, C) remember where I put the camera if I remember that I remembered to bring it….and even if I am finally able to lay hands on a camera…I have a ‘tremble’ to my hands that prevents holding still long enough to shoot anything. /grin

    YOU, on the other hand, are obviously talented. My favorite of the above batch is the elephant..looks like he smiled as you said “Say Cheez!”.

    Some of my most favorite diaries on dKos are Haole in Hawaii’s photo diaries. My mind has been blown many a time by the images he has shared.

    So, keep up the good work…and, please, continue to share it!

  2. iriti

    Love the Memphis shot!

    I figured I hiked a couple hundred miles this past spring/summer/fall, and you were with me for about 2/3. Tis a wonder our shoes still have soles.

  3. GollyMissMolly

    tree swallows are hard for me to get right since the white is so white and the color is really iridescence. it is also hard to type with a cat on one’s arms.

  4. Portlaw

    ones of the squirrel and Gaffer are high on my list! Thanks for a very pleasant way to decompress from the day.

  5. fogiv

    i lurves me some good photography.  i’m super-amatuer wishing i had the time to go full-on ‘hobby’ with it, but alas…

    maybe when (if?) i retire, i can take a class or sheesh, read the instruction manuals that came with my cameras (lol).

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  6. LeftOverFlowerChild

    All of them are terrific! I love the water shots, absolutely gorgeous. And that bunch of fellows at the end just made my heart go all twitterpated. LOL…Lucky y’all!

    Hope to see more—soon!

     

  7. tonyahky

    Photography is the art of capturing a moment in time–you’ve shared some lovely moments in your travels over the last year.

  8. JG in MD

    Looking at your pictures I made noises like… anyway, you are a fabulous photographer and you photograph my favorite subject-Virginia!

    If you don’t mind my horning in, here are two I took while hiking in VA (Shenandoah, I think) 30+ years ago. My feeling about photography is, whenever I actually have my camera and actually take a decent shot, I save it forever.

  9. Khloe

    Made my knees weak.  

    That black and white shot from Shenandoah National Park was beyond WOW! I could place it on my wall and marvel at it every day.

    I always love shots at night off the water. The added dimension and depth.

    Sorry I was late to your diary. I took a day off from the interwebs this week.  

  10. fogiv

    took this in adirondack state park:

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    somewheres in yolo county, california:

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    middle-of-nowhere, nevada:

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    santa barbara, ca:

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    underwater:

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    oregon coast (heceta head lighthouse)

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    same as above, but closer, and at night:

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    keswick reservoir, california:

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    sierra nevada mountains, dead of winter:

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