Spirits of 9/11

Photo commemorating the 9/11 anniversary at Liberty State Park on 9/11/2020. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

Well, it’s 2020, and 9/11 has come and gone once again. I’ve visited the lights and shapes that commemorate 9/11 at Liberty State Park several times. People ask me why I go back more than once. “Don’t I see the same thing every time I go?” Never. This year was special.

Photo commemorating the 9/11 anniversary at Liberty State Park on 9/11/2020. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

Maybe it was because it’s the year of COVID 19 and a pandemic. Maybe it’s because the weather was beautiful this year on 9/11 – just like our weather was on 9/11/01. Maybe it’s because I’ve always lived in the NY/NJ area my entire life. Maybe it’s because I’m a member of my local fire department. Maybe it’s because I love creating images. Maybe it’s because of something else…

World Trade Center Steel on display at the 9/11 anniversary at Liberty State Park on 9/11/2020. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

There’s steel from the World Trade Centers on display in many places including the Greenwich Emergency Squad right here in Stewartsville, NJ. Every time I see it, it gives me chills and goosebumps. I start to think of what this steel must have gone through to look like this. Then I think of what all the people that were in or under the towers must have gone through. Then I think of the families of the survivors…

NYC sky line at the 9/11 anniversary at Liberty State Park on 9/11/2020. Photo by DAVE DABOUR

The NYC sky line is what I’m drawn to first. Even though it’s very familiar to me, it hold a special importance. But this year I also wanted to create some images to put a spiritual connection to what happened here.

If you would like to see more and purchase any prints, please visit my gallery at: https://www.dabourphotography.com/Events/Spirits-of-911/

Do you have a special image size in mind and would love it customized with a mat? I’d love to create that for you! Here is an example of what I mean:

16×20 print

Visit to Metropolitan Museum of Art

Members of Church of the Holy Spirit in Lebanon, NJ travel to NYC for a guided tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Our personal guide was Fr. Ed Murphy. This field trip was the second event in our church’s special event "Renewal of Beauty"

More photos of the museum are available here.

Space Shuttle Enterprise Photos

Photographing the space shuttle has been on my photo bucket list for a while. Sadly I never made it to Florida for a live launch. So when I heard a few weeks ago this piggy back flight was going to take place I was energized to get some photos. The weather forced several delays but the voyage finally happened this past Friday, April 27, 2012.

Additional photos

Motion Blur

I recently watched a Podcast on Photography and one of the items covered was how to blur the background on motion shots. It seemed relatively easy to do. Until you try and do it yourself!

These were all taken in NYC in Central Park near Columbus Circle on a recent trip.

The trick is to NOT have your camera in any type of automatic mode. Ideally you want to be able to set the speed (Tv) of you exposure. Different cameras have different ways of setting that. On Canon’s it’s Tv mode.

These shots were all set on 1/30 of a second. I would suggest experimenting with either 1/60 (but not higher) and possibly lower. Going lower will yield more blur but you have to track the subject precisely.

And the second part is tracking your subject. This goes against everything you learned so far in photography. You do NOT want to keep the camera still completely. Ideally you are tracking the subject as they approach. You also should try and take the photo when they are perpendicular to you as much as possible. It sounds easy but when your subject is moving, it goes by fast!

Lastly I would try and compose your subject so there is empty space in front of the direction your subject is traveling. I did *not* do this very well in the first and last photo. Got it a little in the middle. The empty space gives viewers eyes comfort in knowing the moving subject has someplace to go.

NYC Photo Class

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I went into NYC yesterday and attended Scott Kelby’s “Light it, shoot it and retouch it” seminar. It was a solid day and many new photo tips and techniques were picked up and have to be tried out.

While walking back to the train station I saw this show of the empire State building in the distance and enjoyed it and the leading lines.

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