Low Angle View

My first impression, seeing the previous entry, was shadow.   A very tall shadow.  Gearing-up for today’s turn I was also thinking tennis, court, ball, clay, grass, etc.  Unable to release my mind from a sports and field thing, I was reeling. Then it occurred to me that Russ’ shadow was tall, and the posture somewhat confident.  “Standing tall” became my mantra for today, and this image stood out in my mind. Standing tall, detail in the shadows, fits pretty well.  It’s also blue, contains a flag… pretty much, my signature themes. — Also my last play for this round, a nice parting shot.  Great experience, playing Daily Photo Game.  Thanks to all of my fellow players for the challenge and the inspiration. JP

She stands at the gateway of our nation, just north of the place where the mighty rushing Hudson meets the Atlantic.  She watches over the harbor, sees the ships that pass in the night, knows the secret aspirations of our immigrants, she is the greeter of a minion of untold millions.  She lifts the spirits of the broken, bolsters the morale of the faithful, she lights the way.  Do not attempt to catalogue her knowledge… Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” – Emma Lazarus  

Frankly, I was hoping to remain with the tree theme a little longer.  I made a great picture of a tree Sunday evening while waiting for the Willie Nelson concert to begin at a local outdoor venue, Ravinia Park. There I was, lying on my back on a blanket with Andrea curled-up in my arms and looking up at the sky when all of a sudden I noticed how beautiful the light on the tree above me was.  In typical obsessed-photographer style, I gently shoved her out of my arms, pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and began photographing this tree.  Luckily for me, Andrea’s a very understanding woman and… but I digress. The past two images, Jay’s palm tree and Russ’ infinity with clouds, made me think round & sky and so… the Ferris Wheel at Circus World. To quote a famous photographer, “It isn’t often you can lay down on the job and still accomplish a task.  But I was sweating a bit.   Does that count as working hard?”  I’m currently on vacation, after all.