Photo 365 Project

It is not often I have a day off with zero work to accomplish.  I actually sat down and thought about this, eventually realizing the last time I took an entire 24 hours off and didn’t respond to friends and clients e-mails, texts, calls, Facebook messages, etc… has been over two years.  Certainly not complaining about that fact.  Truth is, I love working.  Yet, I had carved out this time for myself weeks ago because I knew the weeks (honest: months) leading up to it would be insane.

Knowing I had a full day off, I had to (of course) ask around and plan my day.  Because what’s a day off without a day of work to plan said day off? A brilliant recommendation from a trusty coworker led me to the absolute amazingness that is Northampton, MA.  It has a downtown better than cities ten times its size.  After espressos, homemade chocolates, used bookstores and antiquing (no discoveries of old cameras, sadly), I can positively declare I am recharged.

Naturally, I fit in some street photography…

I’ve been meaning to watch the sunset.  That is to say…really watch it. To put down the Blackberry and planner and car keys and itinerary.  Just watch the sunset.  It didn’t disappoint.

I woke up at 4am and looked for an open coffee stand to prevent my impending fatigue.  I had a four hour drive ahead of me and was ill equipped for the curvy country roads ahead.  Finally properly caffeinated and on the road, I was focused on the destination.  It must have been about an hour in, somewhere in rural Massachusetts, where I saw a serene, foggy lake peaking out of the pine tree lined road.  Immediately my natural self kicked in.  “No time, keep on going.”  But I’ve been working on that.  Taking time.  For what? Anything.

“Take the time,” my other self said, eventually winning the battle.  I pulled down a gravel road and parked on the embankment.  I grabbed my camera, snapped a few shots and then jumped into the warm, idle car.  Then I just sat there.  I knew I did a half-assed job.  And I had a tripod within inches from me, so there were no excuses.  “Take the time,” my inner voice said to the other voice, which was already imagining barreling down the country road once again.  So I did.

Running back to the side of the lake with a tripod this time, I did the job I should have done on the first pass.  I took the time.

I’ve been missing for a few days.  Well, not really, but kind of.  I have had so much work to do that I’ve neglected the blog! One of the reasons? Hurricane Lee! Fresh off of Hurricane Irene, it didn’t take long for many areas around Connecticut to flood once again…

Every day I walk to work, I look up at a huge clock tower staring back at me.  I am appreciative that I get to work out of such an interesting and unique building in a great location.  It used to serve as a train station and now it is housed with offices and a giant printing press for the newspaper.  I have been wanting to climb up that tower since I spotted it almost exactly two years ago.  When the opportunity came, I nudged myself into the adventure! I am not really one for heights…as I was climbing my knees got soft and my stomach got a tad queasy.  I am such a wimp.  Luckily there was a railing that I clung to, all the while thinking…”just don’t faint in front of these people…”

The shots from up top were worth it though! First, you can see the tower and it’s history, here.

Sure the phrase is tiring, but Ithaca, NY and its many gorges, hideaway parks and streams are not!

As you know, I am not a great landscape photog.  I like to say I focus on peeps not places! But these are pretty much right out of the camera.  No editing…the photos took themselves!

“Dreams are like stars…you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny.”

Barkhamsted Reservoir, CT