Day 55: Railroad Station

I decided to stop by the old train station in Washington today for today's picture.

"Nothing was more up-to-date when it was built, or is more obsolete today, than the railroad station." -Ada Louise Huxtable

Day 54: Some Red Heels

Couldn't resist taking a picture of my sisters shoes today. At some point I'm going to make Kristen put the heels from the my portfolio back on for a few shots. At least this time I didn't make her wear these heels in a dryer again.

"Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards in high heels." -Faith Whittlesay

Day 53: Pay Phones

It has been a very long time since I've seen a pay phone. At least right now they still exist!

"A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often- just to save it from drying out completely." -Pam Brown

Day 52: Chairs

I decided to stop at the laundry mat where the picture I use as the banner for this blog was taken. I figured I would get a different shot of the washing machines or something and instead came home with this picture of these chairs. (The only three left at the laundry mat.) Walking in there makes me feel like I've partially stepped back in time, just with newer machines.

"To the discontented man no chair is easy." -Benjamin Franklin

Day 51: Car Lights

I have been extremely busy with school and did not get a chance to upload my picture for yesterday and so will now post both.

"It's a waste of energy to be angry with a man who behaves badly, just as it is to be angry  with a car that won't work." -Bertrand Russell

Day 50: A Few Branches

I can not believe it is day 50! I went to school a little later because of the snow so got a chance to go outside for a few minutes and get a picture while it was light for once.

"Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Day 49: Snowy Bench

On Friday I went for a jog with just a t-shirt and shorts and tonight it has snowed at least 5 inches and it is still coming down. I guess my hopes for spring were a little premature.

"Sometimes you get a glimpse of a semicolon coming, a few lines farther on, and it is like climbing a steep path through the woods and seeing a wooden bench just at a bend in the road ahead, a place where you can expect to sit for a moment, catching your breath." -Lewis Thomas

Day 48: India Palace

This evening I got to go to the Pittsburgh Public Theater to see Camelot. It was quite an enjoyable evening! It made me forget how much I enjoy musicals and miss acting, but it is an evening I won't forget for a while. I would have loved my photo for the day to be from the show, but since pictures during the performance are forbidden I got this shot as we were leaving and heading back to my car. It also makes me wish the city was closer. There are so many things I could photograph there! I guess I'll take them when I can.

"In politics we presume that everyone who knows how to get votes knows how to administer a city or a state. When we are ill... we do not ask for the handsomest physician, or the most eloquent one." -Plato

Day 47: B&W 4

Kristen has been a foot model for me and now she's becoming a hand model. I think that I'm helping her discover her purpose in life as a foot/ hand model for companies.

"If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?"-Milton Berle

Day 46: A Little Sun

Almost seven weeks into this project! Since I wasn't at school until it's dark and the weather was great I decided to go for a jog and see what I could find. Spring cannot come any sooner!

"The sun only illuminates the eye of man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child." -Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Day 45: Crossing

I've driven past this a few times over the last few weeks and finally took my camera with me so I could stop. When I was younger I remember the trains come through Washington fairly often. I don't remember the last time one came through though.

"A helping word to one in trouble is often like a switch on a railroad track... an inch between wreck and smooth , rolling prosperity." -Henry Ward Beecher

Day 44: Night Sky

The weather is getting so much warmer! I actually went outside this evening for a little while and it wasn't freezing. Spring is in sight.

"I like to think the moon is there even when I am not looking at it." -Albert Einstein

Day 43: CDs

With how fast music is changing I really wonder how much longer you'll be able to buy CDs at the store. It's been a while since I've bought a physical CD. Downloading songs is a lot quicker and you can't beat Amazon's $5 albums each month either.

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose." -Tom Krause 

Day 42: Chess

We have a very interesting cat and dog chess set. Many would think with all of the math I would enjoy chess. My dad taught me when I was younger, but for some reason I never enjoyed it that much. I have other hobbies.

"My problem with chess was that all my pieces wanted to end the game as soon as possible." -Dave Barry

Day 41: Hearts

The patterns and shadows created by railings are amazing. This is the railing at one of the old "local" schools before they created the combined Washington School District.

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and let it come in." -Morrie Schwartz

Day 40: Trumpet

My sister enjoys playing the trumpet at school. She is actually pretty good when she practices, but when she hast to practice while I'm trying to concentrate it gets hard. I guess it's better to practice than not at all.

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52

Day 39: Glasses

Friday evening is here again. It is such a wonderful feeling to come to the end of the week and be able to relax and meditate on the past weeks events seeing where you've been and where you want to go.

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones." -Proverbs 3:7-8

Day 38: A Little Reflection

Mirrors are a really interesting thing. When you add light reflecting, it gets even better.

"It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."- Oscar Wilde

Day 37: Socks

What is better than a crazy pair of socks?

"Never run in the rain with your socks on." -Green Day

Day 36: B&W 3

Yesterday and today I really didn't have the motivation to take photos, but I have to work through this. I'm surprised I made it 36 days before this really happened and I'm sure it will happen again before the year is up.  I can't wait until summer so I have more subjects to photograph and have time time to photograph them.I'll also be able to stay outside for more than 5 minutes before my hands freeze.

Even though this is only my third black and white picture for the blog I'm becoming partial to them.  It really emphasizes the details.

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there." -Lewis Carroll

Day 35: Cat Teapot

My mom has a lot of teapots that she's gotten at different points over the years. One of these is this cat teapot. It has the classic blue floral pattern on it, it's crazy how some patterns withstand time.

Strange how a teapot
Can represent at the same time
The comfort of solitude
And the pleasures of company.
-Zen Haiku

Day 34: Nachos

You have to have some snack foods during the Super Bowl! What's better than melted cheese and taco meat on chips? The only thing that would have made this a better Super Bowl was if the Steelers had won, but you can't win them all.

"I like vending machines because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that is achieves its maximum flavor potential." -Mitch Hedberg

Day 33: Music

Music is such a big part of our lives! It seems like as I've gotten older I appreciate it more and more. It somehow can express something that is not expressible in words.

"Music is the universal language of mankind." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Day 32: Sunsetting

My favorite number! 32 days into this photography project and I can't wait for the other 333 days. Today I thought I'd capture the sun setting. The day was so nice I was able to get a photo without my hands freezing too. In just the last 21 days I can already tell I'm learning to use my camera better and quickly know how to change the settings to get the desired photo. I also thought I'd mention that in the right-upper corner a bird flew by and it is not a speck of dirt on my lens. The weekend is here!

"Science will never be able to reduce the value of a sunset to arithmetic. Nor can it reduce friendship or statesmanship to a formula." -Dr. Louis Orr

Day 31: Coca-Cola Machine

Again I was working with light as I continue to learn more about how my camera works in different lighting situations. Tonight I took a picture of a Coca-Cola machine that was outside. Anytime I see a Coca-Cola machine now it reminds me of the scene in the movie Dr. Strangelove. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUAK7t3Lf8s).

"You're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company." -from the movie Dr. Strangelove

Day 30: Pogs

Today I was talking with some friends at school and one of us mentioned pogs. What a great thing so many of us collected! I don't know anyone who actually played the game though. When I got home I had to dig out the small collection I still have.

"Too many people grow up. That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don't remember what it's like to be 12 years old. They patronize, they treat children as inferiors. Well I won't do that." -Walt Disney

Scholastic Photography Portfolio

I had a few requests to post the eight photographs I submitted to the Scholastic Art contest on this blog. Here you go! This is from my senior year (2010) and for which I nationally won a Silver Key. Kristen is the foot model.

"Close your eyes and tap your heels three times. And think to yourself, 'There's no place like home.'"- Wizard of Oz

Day 29: Light

After I chauffeured my sister around I drove around a little while until I saw one of the many churches in Washington. It was lit beautifully so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph it. I quickly got this shot while it was pouring rain.

"There is not enough darkness in the world to put out the light of even one small candle." -Robert Alden