Memorial Day 2012

"I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did. We mourn for them as comrades who have departed, but we feel the glory of their dying and the glory of their achievement covers all our great country, and has set them in an imperishable roll of honor." — President Benjamin Harrison, May 30th, 1891

On this Memorial Day, fly your flags proudly as we remember those brave men and women who served to make and keep our nation free so that we can have flags and three-day weekends and all those things we generally take for granted.  Whether they died on the battlefield or behind the lines or years later from the ravages of diseases brought on by war, we should always remember them and thank them for their service. I do. 

Ah, So That's What Using a Different Camera Feels Like!

Leaving my beloved Nikon in the car, yesterday I had the chance to fool around with a top-of-the-line, brand-spanking-new Olympus E-M5 OM-D Series Digital SLR Camera during the Essex Heritage Photo Safari that my friend Juli and I went on in Newburyport that was sponsored by Hunt's Camera and the Essex National Heritage Area.  Even though the camera was very cool in many respects and had some very interesting on-board features such as Art Filter effects and a monitor that swivels both up and down so that you can change the perspective of your shot without having to kneel down or climb up on things along, with a very lightweight body and lens, I'm not really sure if it's a camera that I'd buy.

Part of me really liked it - especially my right arm due to the light weight! - and part of me wasn't so sure about it - some of which I'll chalk up to having spent so much time with my Nikon and not quite sure what to do with a smaller camera!  The part of me that really wasn't sure about it though is the part that registers price being that the model that I was using was about $1,300 with just a 14-42 mm lens.  Ouch!  Amazing technology certainly does come with amazing price tags attached, huh?

Juli was using a version that was a slightly less-expensive Olympus (with a price tag of about $900) than the one that I had and she paid better attention to David Wells, the professional photographer who gave us a bit of advice and instruction before we ventured out into the pretty town of Newburyport to hunt for photographic opportunities, so I think that her photos were loads better than mine when it came to subject matter and composition ... well, except maybe for this one she sneakily took of me trying to figure out how to use my camera by the waterfront ...

or me still trying to figure out how to use the camera in a cheese and wine shop ...

but like these two that she shot when she wasn't taking pictures of me!

As for me, I was busy taking pictures of bottles of wine (if you look in the upper left you can see Juli taking that picture of me above) ...

... and shoes and accessories ...

... and candy ...

... and a hot dog sign ...

... and a steeple that I apparently got fixated on ...

... and a monument by the waterfront ...

... and some bicyclists ...

... and one I took of Juli on the waterfront probably right before she took the one of me!

As you can tell from some of the photos above, I did try out a few of the Art Effects that the camera offered and even though they were cool (I rather do like the "Key Lime" effect on the first steeple picture), I guess I'm just more of a traditionalist than artist when it comes to using a camera.  That said, I had a great time and it was a lot of fun and I might actually have even learned a few things from David, our pro, even though I might not have applied them that well! Let's see what I can do with his tips and my trusty Nikon though!

Oh, and as for Newburyport itself - what a great place!  I'll be heading back up that way again before too long as I continue my travels for that other project I keep alluding to so stayed tuned for more.  Perhaps I can even talk Barb into taking a journey up there with me when she's up visiting her SisterDears in July - there's obviously wine to be found and I think she'd love the area!  Speaking of Barb, I totally befuddled her with yesterday's post that contained no photos at all so I hope that today's post makes up for that!  

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

So here it is, the "first official weekend of summer" and I keep wondering how it got here so fast!  But what else is new when it comes to time flying lately?  I'd better not blink or next thing I know it's going to be the Fourth of July and then the "last official weekend of summer"!

I hope y'all have something fun planned for this weekend.  As for me, you'll never guess where I am again!  Yep, back in Salem but this time I'll be heading up to Newburyport to cheat on my Nikon with an Olympus for a little bit.  Gasp!  There's a good reason I'm leaving the Nikon in the car for awhile though, I'm going on a Photo Safari with my friend Juli which is sponsored by the Essex National Heritage Commission and a local camera shop. We get to take Olympus cameras and equipment out for a spin as well as get some photography tips from a guest photographer and keep the memory card with the pictures we take. Bonus - it's in the historic area of the town - who'd a thunk it?

I've heard all sorts of good things about Newburyport so I'm really looking forward to fooling around with another camera for awhile and seeing some more of Massachusetts and then spending a little more time in Salem afterward.  I'll be heading home on Sunday, recharging for a bit, and then taking a drive across Connecticut on Monday for a family get-together at my cousin Dave's house.  Whew!  I should be good and tired just in time to go back to work on Tuesday where I start my new shift rotation and will now have Friday through Monday off instead of my current schedule of Wednesday through Saturday off.  Still lots of time for wandering around!

So what have you got planned for the weekend other than remembering those brave men and women who gave us cause to have a holiday weekend to begin with??  Whatever it is, I hope it's fun and safe!