There was little opportunity for photography today after a 12-hour day in the office. I did notice this rather interesting light fixture and reflection in the stairwell as I left the building this evening. It has been raining all day like you would not believe, and I am guessing tomorrow’s post will feature a submerged road or bridge.
I was too busy with the new job today to find time for a single photo. Instead I am posting from my archives. Exactly two years ago I had just started construction of my kayak and as the spring paddling season rapidly approaches I am looking forward to getting out on the water again. Yesterday I played in an outdoor soccer scrimmage and tweaked my knee again. I am hoping to heal in time for the season opener in two weeks. There is a nice gym at work and I plan to do some rehab there as soon as I can.
Today’s photo is a scanned black and white print that was taken and developed by Kyle for his photography class. I am very impressed by the composition he selected. He has a distinct foreground, midground and background. He has captured two leading lines, made use of complimentary diagonals and included reflections. Most importantly, the photo tells a compelling story. I do not know if Kyle intentionally composed around these design elements but he has certainly demonstrated a keen photographic eye. I absolutely love this photo and was thrilled when he shared it with me.
This morning Nicolai, Jeanine and I drove to Franklin, MA to attend a wrestling clinic conducted by Anthony Robles. A junior at Arizona State University, Anthony is a two time All-American ranked third in the nation at 125 pounds. He was born without a right leg just like Nicolai and spent time after the clinic giving Nico some private coaching. Beyond his wrestling prowess we were all impressed by Anthony’s demeanor. A nicer man you will not meet and we were delighted when he accepted our invitation to drive him to the airport for his flight back to Arizona. We will look forward to attending the NCAA Nationals next year and watching Anthony go all the way.
The Abby Fund was created in memory of the former CCHS student Abdirauf Abdullahi. “Abby,” as his friends called him, graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in June 2006, having received a full scholarship to college. Two months before attending his first semester, he was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity and urban violence. This evening Maya performed an African dance to drum music during the fundraiser and will dance two more times this weekend.
Eye of the Storm is a Massachusetts equine rescue center dedicated to saving the lives of horses who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. Jeanine, Maya and her Girl Scout troop visited the Stow center today where Jeanine took this photo.
My new office is very reminiscent of the one I had at Truevision. It is only day two but I feel very at home in my new surroundings which is good as I have spent 30 hours here in my first two days.
Today begins a new chapter in my professional career as the Senior VP of Product Development for the Home Robots Division of iRobot. I spent the entire morning in orientation briefings with 7 other new employees (the company is growing fast). The Government & Industrial Division does some work for the defense department on Secret and Top Secret projects. Because of this all employees must understand and comply with stringent security policies. I enjoyed lunch with my new boss and spent the afternoon in meetings with new colleagues. I spent the evening settling into my new office and made it home in time to enjoy the 11pm news.
For the last few days many of the roads to and from our home have been flooded due to heavy rains. This has added significant delays to our simplest journeys. Today, fortunately, the water has subsided sufficiently to allow slow passage. Our home sits on high ground and we have been spared the problems of many of our Concord neighbors who have flooded basements.
At Kyle’s request, I am adding a full-length image of Hannah subsequent to my original posting.
The Black & White Ball was held this evening at the high school. Kyle escorted the lovely Hannah, and both allowed me to photograph them after the event. Nicolai, after much vascillation, also decided to attend. Both fit in the tuxedo I wore at my wedding and it was amusing to watch them fight over it.
When we returned from the talent show the family enjoyed an Angel Food cake prepared from scratch by Maya and her Aunt Lauren. By the time I set up a proper fill flash, the cake was already being devoured and I had to settle for this poorly lit photo of the cooks and their creation.
Maya with friends Sarinnagh and Kristina performed a dance routine that she choreographed during the annual Willard School Talent show this evening. Thunderous applause from the standing room only audience was the reward for extensive rehearsal and flawless execution. Maya reports that she loves being on stage.
Jeanine’s sister Lauren and nephew Luke are staying with us for a couple of days while they check out the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. This evening Kyle and Luke grilled a chicken and built a nice fire. Nico and I helped eat the chicken. Later the cousins took up a game of cards on the deck making the most of the great spring weather.
We stopped frequently on this final day of our thousand mile, four day adventure discovering an abandoned goal mine, a Vietnam War Memorial, and countless photogenic landscapes. Between stops we had hours of time to talk and reflect on the passage of our combined 101 years, work, family, friends and our respective interests. I hope Alissa and Mayela are both up for some kind of sibling adventure as I would like to do the same with each of them when they reach the half century mark.
Mark and Jeanine both share a gift for spotting wildlife from a speeding car. Mark spotted a group of male Big Horn sheep on a distant mountainside in waning light. Unbelievable, as they practically disappear into their environment. The herd of females was easier to track down and we ultimately found a dirt road that took us to within feet of them for great close ups.
The petroglyphs are about twenty feet above the ground on along a vertical wall and it was not clear to either Mark or I as to how they were placed there. The dinosaur tracks, highlighted in white, are about twice the size of my hand and required a short but tricky climb to get a close up view.
Today is a travel day back to Denver where we will stay in a hotel before our flights tomorrow morning. Before departing, however, we make a brief excursion down the Colorado in the opposite direction, where we seek out Native American petroglyphs and preserved dinosaur tracks.
As sunset approaches, Mark and I make the strenuous climb to iconic Delicate Arch. We are both acrophobic and the last few hundred feet are along a narrow cliff ledge. Although Mark makes it past the ledge he elects to descend immediately rather than waiting as I will for golden light which necessitates a return in darkness. Only during the winter months does the angle of the setting sun afford a near shadowless image. Add in snow caps on the La Sal Mountains and it does not get any better than this.
We spend the remainder of the afternoon and evening enjoying Arches National Park where there is no shortage of stunning scenery to capture. Mark has a great photographic eye and an affinity for shooting tiny details through the macro lens while I tend to look for the big picture vistas. His photo above of the lichen covered mounds is one of my favorites from the trip. The subtle color palette combined with the strong opposing diagonal elements makes for a really sophisticated composition and great image.
Learning a lesson from the prior evening, we find an approved tent site early in the day. The Arches campground is full so we opt for a site directly adjacent to the Colorado River which turned out to be a superior second choice and offered us quick access to Moab for gas and food.
Our next destination is Dead Horse Point State Park where the morning fog lifts just as we arrive to reveal a crystal clear view of what I believe to be one of the top five panoramic views in the United States.
Reversing roles from yesterday, Mark is the student today and I pass on advice as we capture all the beauty that surrounds us. While all the photographers jockey for position and prepare for the sunrise shooting frenzy (optimal light exists for a fleeting five minutes), Mark enjoys what has to be one of the most clear and bright night skies either of us has ever seen. After returning to the parking area we have the bad luck to shake out the tent at the exact moment a park ranger is passing by. Despite my efforts to wiggle out of the $50 citation for camping outside of an approved area the fully frosted windshield of the car is a dead give away. Fortunately my National Park Annual Pass and the temporary paper license plate on our new from the factory rental car all check out and the understanding ranger sends us on our way. I chaulk up the fine to an expensive tent site fee and small price to pay for the images we got. Mark chaulked it up to my general stupidity and failure to follow posted rules and his good advice to heed them.
Today, we wake up an hour before sunrise, take down the tent, and make the short hike to Mesa Arch, where we join several other photographers to enjoy the dramatic lighting on the underside of the arch from the sun’s first light.
The net result on the day was two happy brothers. We got off the river at about 6:30 pm and drove to Canyon Lands National Park in Utah, arriving just around 11 pm. The campground there was full, and I opted to pitch our tent in the Mesa Arch trailhead parking area.
I believe the highlight of the day for Mark was dry casting from the anchored boat and catching a nice Brown after a very patient effort to coax him onto the hook. This style of fishing takes far more finesse than the nymph fishing that we employed for most of the day.
I spent about half my time fishing and the other half behind the camera. In the afternoon, I asked Lincoln to put me ashore so I could shoot from that perspective and ran ahead of the boat along a narrow path that paralleled the river.
I believe the last time I went fishing was also with Mark some 35 years ago. He and Lincoln did a fine job of teaching me the art of fly casting, healing the line, setting the hook, and landing the fish. I used this knowledge to catch this small but very pretty Brown Trout. Had I paid closer attention to the lesson on landing the fish, I would have kept my pole in an upright position keeping the right pressure on the line when I hooked a very big fish. When I lowered my pole and tried to pull him to the boat he got away but it was still a big thrill to fight with him while he was on the line.
It does not take long before Mark starts landing fish left and right. Our guide, Lincoln, handles the boat, sets up our fishing rigs, and carefully releases our catches. By my count Mark lands just over a dozen fish including many beautiful Rainbows and Browns as well as one hefty Whitey.
I made arrangements with a local outfitter to provide us with a drift boat and knowledgeable river guide. Mark will fish from the forward position, our guide will handle the ours from the middle seat and I will take up the rear position from which I will fish and photograph. We meet up with our guide at 9am and are on the water by 10am. The morning starts cold but the temperature quickly rises and the weather could not be more glorious.
I am up before sunrise and head out to see what the morning light has to offer. I find this nice view of the Colorado River along whose path much of our coming adventures will revolve. If this scene looks cold, I will have accurately conveyed the setting. When I return to the hotel, Mark is awake and we grab a hot breakfast before heading out for a day of fly fishing on the Roaring Fork River which will end at its confluence with the Colorado.