There's no such thing as a lucky shot. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
A good photo will:
1. Show people something new they've never seen before.
2. Show people something usual in an unusual way.
Photojournalism differs from photography in that it is primarily about access and follow-through.
My goal? To make people see pictures, not just look at them.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
checkmate
myheritage.com is a funny site. You can upload a photo of yourself and it compares it to over 3,000 celebrity faces and finds the one that most closely matches yours. Guess who my match was?
Judit Polgar. Who is this celebrity I resemble, you ask? Well, apparently I look like this world-famous Hungarian chess player. No joke.
This is the most attractive photo of her I could find.
The other ones were pretty scary. Okay. Really scary. I was not too flattered... thank you myheritage.com.
Please, people who know me, tell me it's not true.
My second closest celeb look-alike? Christina Aguilera.
Judit Polgar. Who is this celebrity I resemble, you ask? Well, apparently I look like this world-famous Hungarian chess player. No joke.
This is the most attractive photo of her I could find.
The other ones were pretty scary. Okay. Really scary. I was not too flattered... thank you myheritage.com.
Please, people who know me, tell me it's not true.
My second closest celeb look-alike? Christina Aguilera.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
What might have been...
Last week, Martin offered me his extra Arctic Monkeys concert ticket. I said sure, even though it was two-and-a-half hours away in D.C., and on a weeknight. But hey, the show was supposed to be great, and it was sold out. We left after work and ate dinner at a Chipotle in the city. I drove.
The club was a little sketchy. It looked like a rock club from the movies, one I might turn down any of 57 scary hallways and find a dude with a needle stuck up his arm. But I guess that's just how rock clubs are.
The place was kinda empty for it being such a sold-out show. We frowned at that a little, then turned our attention to the opening band. It was strange, because the band wasn't who we thought it was supposed to be either.
Martin suggested we check out the merchandise booth. No Arctic Monkeys gear.
I pulled the ticket out of my pocket. Monday, March 27.
Then I laughed hysterically because it was Tuesday.
I'm not sure what was funnier - the fact that we missed what was probably the best concert of the year by a mere 24 hours, or the fact that they actually let us in at the door.
The club was a little sketchy. It looked like a rock club from the movies, one I might turn down any of 57 scary hallways and find a dude with a needle stuck up his arm. But I guess that's just how rock clubs are.
The place was kinda empty for it being such a sold-out show. We frowned at that a little, then turned our attention to the opening band. It was strange, because the band wasn't who we thought it was supposed to be either.
Martin suggested we check out the merchandise booth. No Arctic Monkeys gear.
I pulled the ticket out of my pocket. Monday, March 27.
Then I laughed hysterically because it was Tuesday.
I'm not sure what was funnier - the fact that we missed what was probably the best concert of the year by a mere 24 hours, or the fact that they actually let us in at the door.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Say what?
Driving home this evening, I noticed a marquee advertising Caribbean Auto Repair.
Caribbean Auto Repair?
So I admit it. I thought about the stupid phrase for what was probably an inordinately long time. There can only be a few plausible explanations, right?
1. The people who repair the cars are Caribbean.
2. The auto repair is intented for Caribbean vehicles.
3. The auto repair is done in some unique Caribbean fashion.
Or it could just be the name of the place.
Beats me.
Caribbean Auto Repair?
So I admit it. I thought about the stupid phrase for what was probably an inordinately long time. There can only be a few plausible explanations, right?
1. The people who repair the cars are Caribbean.
2. The auto repair is intented for Caribbean vehicles.
3. The auto repair is done in some unique Caribbean fashion.
Or it could just be the name of the place.
Beats me.
Friday, February 17, 2006
My new camera...
So I got a new 20d to replace my 10d... actually I've had it for a couple of weeks now and just haven't updated the ol' blog in quite a little while. But I thought I'd share just a few of my favorite pictures I've taken so far with the new gear. By the way, animals are not the only things I shoot nowadays, just the best subjects. It's been a challenge for me to find new and different things to shoot. I'd like to return to photographing more people, but I struggle in the winter season.
A lovely close-up shot of a what a horse's nose really looks like... Wow I'm like the Jeff Corwin of barnyard animals.
And if you haven't had your fill of animals, here's another view of a cow you might enjoy.
My dad bought me yellow roses for my birthday when I was home this past weekend, so I stuck them outside in the snow for a couple of pics. It's a little different than your run-of-the-mill flower shot, so I was pleased.
A lovely close-up shot of a what a horse's nose really looks like... Wow I'm like the Jeff Corwin of barnyard animals.
And if you haven't had your fill of animals, here's another view of a cow you might enjoy.
My dad bought me yellow roses for my birthday when I was home this past weekend, so I stuck them outside in the snow for a couple of pics. It's a little different than your run-of-the-mill flower shot, so I was pleased.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
A Celebrity Week
Well, this week was pretty exciting. In celebration of MLK day, I visited our nation's capital. George had asked that I let him know next time I was in town, so I stopped by the White House to say hi. Lucky for me, they still had the Christmas tree up, and the White House staff photographer agreed to take our picture. Nice guy. My only complaint was that for some odd reason, my hair looked just like Laura's that day. Not a fan. And, whew! I've sure added on a few pounds this holiday season. (Gotta get back on that treadmill....)
Then, as a late Christmas present, George flew me out to Hollywood. Great gift, eh? While touring around the area, I accidentally bumped into Johnny Depp on the street. Well I bumped into his dog actually. Which freakin' bit me. I've got bloody teeth marks on my ankle! Can you believe it?? It was a stupid little yappy dog, too. But anyway, Johnny felt so bad he invited me in for coffee and Band-Aids. I don't even like coffee, but I think I drank about five cups. (I mean, it was Johnny Depp's coffee mug - what can I say...) He was so smitten by my dry humor and witty conversation that he asked if I'd like to meet his friend Orlando. I had to get a picture to prove it, because I knew you wouldn't believe me. Thanks to the trusty treadmill, I shed the extra flab pretty quickly. (And boy those ab wheel things really work!)
Of course, Orlando was equally enthralled with my superior conversational skills, and offered me his spot on the Pirates of the Caribbean II poster. They just happened to be shooting the photos for it the day I was there. I must say, however, I think I look a little better as a girl. (Although my beard is coming in nicely.)
So. As you can see, it was a pretty busy week. Gee, I wonder what next week'll hold...
Then, as a late Christmas present, George flew me out to Hollywood. Great gift, eh? While touring around the area, I accidentally bumped into Johnny Depp on the street. Well I bumped into his dog actually. Which freakin' bit me. I've got bloody teeth marks on my ankle! Can you believe it?? It was a stupid little yappy dog, too. But anyway, Johnny felt so bad he invited me in for coffee and Band-Aids. I don't even like coffee, but I think I drank about five cups. (I mean, it was Johnny Depp's coffee mug - what can I say...) He was so smitten by my dry humor and witty conversation that he asked if I'd like to meet his friend Orlando. I had to get a picture to prove it, because I knew you wouldn't believe me. Thanks to the trusty treadmill, I shed the extra flab pretty quickly. (And boy those ab wheel things really work!)
Of course, Orlando was equally enthralled with my superior conversational skills, and offered me his spot on the Pirates of the Caribbean II poster. They just happened to be shooting the photos for it the day I was there. I must say, however, I think I look a little better as a girl. (Although my beard is coming in nicely.)
So. As you can see, it was a pretty busy week. Gee, I wonder what next week'll hold...
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Me, Myself, and my URL
I am the new proud owner of http://www.emilychastain.com.
I own it the domain name, but there's nothing there except a GoDaddy.com ad. You can check if you don't believe me.
But I own it. That's the important part, right? :-)
New Year's Resolution: Get a classy website going at www.emilychastain.com.
I'll keep you posted.
I own it the domain name, but there's nothing there except a GoDaddy.com ad. You can check if you don't believe me.
But I own it. That's the important part, right? :-)
New Year's Resolution: Get a classy website going at www.emilychastain.com.
I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Merry Christmas!
I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a great holiday season. God bless!
(and a special Christmas greeting from East Tennessee....)
http://www.killsometime.com/animations/animation.asp?ID=151
(and a special Christmas greeting from East Tennessee....)
http://www.killsometime.com/animations/animation.asp?ID=151
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Hello again...
I'm well aware I haven't updated in the last month, and there's no really good excuse for that (except I've been busy, which is true, but people don't like that one.) My Africa trip was so long ago, I don't really know if I wanna write more about it... if you want to see more pictures, please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/emster214.
Anyway, I found this cool thing where you can create a map of the world that highlights in red all of the countries you've been to. So here's mine.
create your own visited country map
I didn't think I was doing too bad (I've been to 22 countries) until it told me that even with my 22 countries, that's only 9% of the world. Nine percent!! Do you know how little that is?? I've got to get busy. Of course, then I was thinking, well, I'm 22 years old and I've been to 22 countries - maybe by the time I'm 60 I'll have been to 60 countries. But then I realized that's only 26%. And then at the age of 60, I'll have only seen a quarter of the world. So how do I solve this problem? Is seeing more than half of the world a realistic goal? To do that, I'd have to visit approximately 113 countries.
Wow. The world's really big.
Anyway, I found this cool thing where you can create a map of the world that highlights in red all of the countries you've been to. So here's mine.
create your own visited country map
I didn't think I was doing too bad (I've been to 22 countries) until it told me that even with my 22 countries, that's only 9% of the world. Nine percent!! Do you know how little that is?? I've got to get busy. Of course, then I was thinking, well, I'm 22 years old and I've been to 22 countries - maybe by the time I'm 60 I'll have been to 60 countries. But then I realized that's only 26%. And then at the age of 60, I'll have only seen a quarter of the world. So how do I solve this problem? Is seeing more than half of the world a realistic goal? To do that, I'd have to visit approximately 113 countries.
Wow. The world's really big.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Johannesburg
I've decided that talking about my trip is (obviously) too much stuff to sum up in one post, but I have to start somewhere. So here goes...
We flew from Tri-Cities to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Johannesburg. The flight from Atlanta to Jo-burg was 19 hours straight. We landed once at the Isle of Sal to refuel and change crew members. Unfortunately, we passengers weren't allowed off the plane. The only thing that got me through the grueling hours in the air was the really cool video screen thingy. Not only could you watch a new release of your choosing, you could also play a game, tune into music, or check out a little featurette on Africa. I went the educational route and played blackjack. To my mom I introduced the game Shanghaii and she was then quite occupied for the rest of the trip.
After we landed at the Johannesburg airport, we had to wait for buses to take us back to the main terminal. They just let us wait underneath of the nose of the plane, something I think would never happen in America. If you look closely you can see the large crowd of people reflected on the underside of the plane nose.
Okay, PAUSE for a moment. I really don't want to give a narrative about my trip (on this day we went here, on this day we did this... blah blah blah...) so maybe I'll just share some of my observations and post a few pictures to accompany them.
Johannesburg, South Africa. It was not quite what I expected. It's a big city, quite normal as far as big cities go. There are nice places to eat, shop, visit, and see. There are quite crappy places where no one wants to eat, shop, visit, or see. Like any big city. One thing I wasn't prepared for was all the trash. It's a dirty place. But then it also had its really nice places. For example, there was the Montecasino, a huge casino/shopping mall complex. It could have been on the strip in Vegas and I wouldn't have known the difference.
The Montecasino was the first place we went to eat after setting foot on African soil.
The view of the casino floor from the Thai restaurant we ate at in the Montecasino, located in Johannesburg.
Not only did the Montecasino have shopping and a casino, it also had what they called a bird garden. We got there just as the garden was closing, but I was allowed to sneak in and grab a quick shot of the parrot.
Someone on the airplane told us that Johannesburg is the most treed city in the world. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but there were a surprising number of trees. They weren't all particularly green, or even sizeable, but they were there. The most unusual tree I saw was the jacaranda, a tree with purple flowers.
On our second day in Johannesburg, we went to visit some friends of the missionaries we were in Africa to see. This is a view from at their house where we had tea. (Everyone drinks tea in Africa, apparently.)The purple flowers had fallen from a jacaranda tree.
Alright, now I'm going to revert to a few observations I made in my journal after being in Jo-burg for a day or so. (Yes, I am a nerd for quoting myself.)
"Johannesburg is a strange mix of European influence and African culture. It's almost like a big city in Europe, but it's completely African at the same time. The effects of European colonization are apparent but not so strong they overshadow what is truly native. I think if I had one word to describe things so far, it would be DUSTY. (The second word being DRY.) Everything is constantly covered with a fine layer of dust. Good thing for those "domestic workers" as they are called. Apparently, it's nearly insulting to not hire household help. Any middle-class South African home has a live-in domestic servant. And security. Security is a HUGE deal around here. I've yet to see a house not surrounded by some sort of fenced enclosure (most often topped with barbed wire.) Private security guards are more plentiful and more effective than actual policemen. All windows have those steel bar things across them because at night people leave their windows open (air-conditioning in homes is pretty much unheard of.) Crime is a big concern. The mentality seems to be a purely selfish one, where people are concerned primarily with their own needs, often sacrificing morals to meet those needs. Life is cheap here, so I've heard, and so someone won't think twice about physically harming you for a few dollars."
We flew from Tri-Cities to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Johannesburg. The flight from Atlanta to Jo-burg was 19 hours straight. We landed once at the Isle of Sal to refuel and change crew members. Unfortunately, we passengers weren't allowed off the plane. The only thing that got me through the grueling hours in the air was the really cool video screen thingy. Not only could you watch a new release of your choosing, you could also play a game, tune into music, or check out a little featurette on Africa. I went the educational route and played blackjack. To my mom I introduced the game Shanghaii and she was then quite occupied for the rest of the trip.
After we landed at the Johannesburg airport, we had to wait for buses to take us back to the main terminal. They just let us wait underneath of the nose of the plane, something I think would never happen in America. If you look closely you can see the large crowd of people reflected on the underside of the plane nose.
Okay, PAUSE for a moment. I really don't want to give a narrative about my trip (on this day we went here, on this day we did this... blah blah blah...) so maybe I'll just share some of my observations and post a few pictures to accompany them.
Johannesburg, South Africa. It was not quite what I expected. It's a big city, quite normal as far as big cities go. There are nice places to eat, shop, visit, and see. There are quite crappy places where no one wants to eat, shop, visit, or see. Like any big city. One thing I wasn't prepared for was all the trash. It's a dirty place. But then it also had its really nice places. For example, there was the Montecasino, a huge casino/shopping mall complex. It could have been on the strip in Vegas and I wouldn't have known the difference.
The Montecasino was the first place we went to eat after setting foot on African soil.
The view of the casino floor from the Thai restaurant we ate at in the Montecasino, located in Johannesburg.
Not only did the Montecasino have shopping and a casino, it also had what they called a bird garden. We got there just as the garden was closing, but I was allowed to sneak in and grab a quick shot of the parrot.
Someone on the airplane told us that Johannesburg is the most treed city in the world. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but there were a surprising number of trees. They weren't all particularly green, or even sizeable, but they were there. The most unusual tree I saw was the jacaranda, a tree with purple flowers.
On our second day in Johannesburg, we went to visit some friends of the missionaries we were in Africa to see. This is a view from at their house where we had tea. (Everyone drinks tea in Africa, apparently.)The purple flowers had fallen from a jacaranda tree.
Alright, now I'm going to revert to a few observations I made in my journal after being in Jo-burg for a day or so. (Yes, I am a nerd for quoting myself.)
"Johannesburg is a strange mix of European influence and African culture. It's almost like a big city in Europe, but it's completely African at the same time. The effects of European colonization are apparent but not so strong they overshadow what is truly native. I think if I had one word to describe things so far, it would be DUSTY. (The second word being DRY.) Everything is constantly covered with a fine layer of dust. Good thing for those "domestic workers" as they are called. Apparently, it's nearly insulting to not hire household help. Any middle-class South African home has a live-in domestic servant. And security. Security is a HUGE deal around here. I've yet to see a house not surrounded by some sort of fenced enclosure (most often topped with barbed wire.) Private security guards are more plentiful and more effective than actual policemen. All windows have those steel bar things across them because at night people leave their windows open (air-conditioning in homes is pretty much unheard of.) Crime is a big concern. The mentality seems to be a purely selfish one, where people are concerned primarily with their own needs, often sacrificing morals to meet those needs. Life is cheap here, so I've heard, and so someone won't think twice about physically harming you for a few dollars."
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Out of Africa
Well folks, I'm sure you've been waiting in hopeful anticipation for my long-awaited return. And here I am, once again on American soil. (Sometimes I need to go away to really appreciate that more.)
The trip was good. Africa's cool.
I am being purposely vague and unspecific, as I will elaborate with many details later. Right now, I am struggling to type without my eyes closing up on me. After arriving at the airport at 1:00 this afternoon, I had been travelling for 36 hours. THIRTY-SIX HOURS. That's a DAY-AND-A-HALF of my life I will never get back - forever sucked away by airport layovers and long flights.
I. need. sleep.
The trip was good. Africa's cool.
I am being purposely vague and unspecific, as I will elaborate with many details later. Right now, I am struggling to type without my eyes closing up on me. After arriving at the airport at 1:00 this afternoon, I had been travelling for 36 hours. THIRTY-SIX HOURS. That's a DAY-AND-A-HALF of my life I will never get back - forever sucked away by airport layovers and long flights.
I. need. sleep.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Off to Africa!
Well, folks, the time has come. I'm leaving for my long-awaited Africa trip. So it might be awhile until you hear from me again (okay, like two weeks) but then I'll be back with plenty of awesome pictures. Hopefully. (I hear they malaria over there.)
Until then, here's a couple of other shots....
Horses in a field in Longbranch, VA.
Lawn mower racing?? Has anyone ever seen this before?? These guys at the Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival were pretty serious about it.
Until then, here's a couple of other shots....
Horses in a field in Longbranch, VA.
Lawn mower racing?? Has anyone ever seen this before?? These guys at the Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival were pretty serious about it.
Friday, October 14, 2005
october views
I've been shooting more scenic stuff lately, I guess mostly because everything is so beautiful here. I usually have off Mondays from work, and I've spent the last few driving around and taking pictures. There's so many great places to go here for good photo ops - mountains, trails, roads, farmland, etc.
On a side note, I came across a really great song the other day which I would recommend everyone downl.... purchase.
Into the Fire, by a great UK group Thirteen Senses. This song is on the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack (which kicks butt, by the way.) Check it out. It doesn't disappoint.
Yes, fall is arriving... the leaves are beginning to change color. This is a view from my drive up to Reddish Knob, Virginia.
This is really better in a larger version... with this small picture you miss so much detail.
My drive down the mountain from Reddish Knob, in Virginia.
On a side note, I came across a really great song the other day which I would recommend everyone downl.... purchase.
Into the Fire, by a great UK group Thirteen Senses. This song is on the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack (which kicks butt, by the way.) Check it out. It doesn't disappoint.
Yes, fall is arriving... the leaves are beginning to change color. This is a view from my drive up to Reddish Knob, Virginia.
This is really better in a larger version... with this small picture you miss so much detail.
My drive down the mountain from Reddish Knob, in Virginia.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Photos from the lake
Alright, I know it's just two photos and I've really been slacking off lately with the whole blogging business, but I figured it was better than nothing.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Scenes from VA
Well folks, if nothing else, this place shore is purty.
The Blue Ridge Mountains, as seen along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
A road winds around a curve in the mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
This was a great find on the way home from Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.
An evening sunset as I drove from Broadway back to Harrisonburg. I pulled over to the side of the road and this is what I saw. Beautiful, huh?
The Blue Ridge Mountains, as seen along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
A road winds around a curve in the mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
This was a great find on the way home from Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.
An evening sunset as I drove from Broadway back to Harrisonburg. I pulled over to the side of the road and this is what I saw. Beautiful, huh?
Saturday, September 17, 2005
me, as a wedding photographer
For those of you who don't know, I'm working at a photography studio here in Harrisonburg. I've had the opportunity now to help them shoot a couple of weddings, and I wanted to post a few of the pictures I came up with. (My job as a photographer at these weddings is to capture the more candid, unposed moments everyone else might overlook.)
A bridesmaid waits at the window for the wedding guests to arrive at the reception.
A boy stands and watches the disco ball at a wedding reception in Weyer's Cave, Virginia.
The bride's bouquet from a wedding I helped shoot this weekend.
A candle burns in the foreground as the bride visits tables at her reception in Weyer's Cave, VA.
A bridesmaid waits at the window for the wedding guests to arrive at the reception.
A boy stands and watches the disco ball at a wedding reception in Weyer's Cave, Virginia.
The bride's bouquet from a wedding I helped shoot this weekend.
A candle burns in the foreground as the bride visits tables at her reception in Weyer's Cave, VA.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Git 'Er Done
Alright, well I went to two local fairs a few weeks ago, and never got to post all the pictures I intended to. I've been trying to decide how in the world to describe my first county fair without making it seem horribly country and redneck, but I've just given up. It was horribly country and redneck, no matter how you look at it. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind - it was just a different experience for me. A brief example....
After taking some man's picture, I asked him what his name was. The first name - James - I didn't have too much trouble with, but the last name was a different story.
"And your last name, please?" I said.
"Heel," said James.
"Oh, heel, like the part of my foot," I said, scribbling on my notepad.
"No, it's Heel."
"Uhhh, well how do you spell it?" I asked, puzzled.
"H-i-l-l."
At this point we didn't really know what to say to each other, so I just said thanks and left as quickly as possible. How do you apologize for speaking English and yet completely misunderstanding a fellow American? I'm just glad his first name wasn't Will, because I'd have written "wheel".
Anyway, after shooting a few photos, I noticed my stomach growling at me a bit, and went to find some food. There were a few funnel cake and cotton candy booths, but nothing screamed meat like the fried chicken building. Okay, well it seemed like a building at least, compared to the other small kiosks. Fried chicken and french fries.... yummm.... Now I grew up Southern Baptist, and there's something to be said about Baptists and fried chicken on Sundays. It never fails - if a Baptist is having a church luncheon, I guarantee you they're serving fried chicken. The point of all this is, I tend to like fried chicken and tend to blame it on being Baptist. So I waited for my chicken, and when the man serving handed me the plate, he said,
"There you go, sugar. We gave you an extra piece of chicken because you looked hungry."
Excuse me? Now I could bet my camera on the fact that they didn't give the fat guy in line behind me one less piece of chicken because he looked full. Why is it that people feel personally responsible for fattening me up just because I'm a little on the slender side? People don't think twice before making remarks about my weight (or lack thereof) but I know they aren't commenting on overweight people to their faces. So what makes them think they can do it to me? I've been blessed with good skinny genes, and sometimes find it a bit offensive when people snidely point it out to me. Alright, that's my gripe for the day. I'll let it go now.
Here are some of the pictures from the fair.
Maynard pauses for a portrait at his booth at the Bergton Fair in western Virginia.
A silhouetted figure strolls past the caramel apples and sno-cones booth at the Bergton Fair in western Virginia.
This guy, Shawn, was working one of the rides at the fair. I like the photo because the background tells so much about his job. I wonder, however, are the bright colors and cartoon too distracting to the portrait?
Livestock on display at the Rockingham County fairgrounds
After taking some man's picture, I asked him what his name was. The first name - James - I didn't have too much trouble with, but the last name was a different story.
"And your last name, please?" I said.
"Heel," said James.
"Oh, heel, like the part of my foot," I said, scribbling on my notepad.
"No, it's Heel."
"Uhhh, well how do you spell it?" I asked, puzzled.
"H-i-l-l."
At this point we didn't really know what to say to each other, so I just said thanks and left as quickly as possible. How do you apologize for speaking English and yet completely misunderstanding a fellow American? I'm just glad his first name wasn't Will, because I'd have written "wheel".
Anyway, after shooting a few photos, I noticed my stomach growling at me a bit, and went to find some food. There were a few funnel cake and cotton candy booths, but nothing screamed meat like the fried chicken building. Okay, well it seemed like a building at least, compared to the other small kiosks. Fried chicken and french fries.... yummm.... Now I grew up Southern Baptist, and there's something to be said about Baptists and fried chicken on Sundays. It never fails - if a Baptist is having a church luncheon, I guarantee you they're serving fried chicken. The point of all this is, I tend to like fried chicken and tend to blame it on being Baptist. So I waited for my chicken, and when the man serving handed me the plate, he said,
"There you go, sugar. We gave you an extra piece of chicken because you looked hungry."
Excuse me? Now I could bet my camera on the fact that they didn't give the fat guy in line behind me one less piece of chicken because he looked full. Why is it that people feel personally responsible for fattening me up just because I'm a little on the slender side? People don't think twice before making remarks about my weight (or lack thereof) but I know they aren't commenting on overweight people to their faces. So what makes them think they can do it to me? I've been blessed with good skinny genes, and sometimes find it a bit offensive when people snidely point it out to me. Alright, that's my gripe for the day. I'll let it go now.
Here are some of the pictures from the fair.
Maynard pauses for a portrait at his booth at the Bergton Fair in western Virginia.
A silhouetted figure strolls past the caramel apples and sno-cones booth at the Bergton Fair in western Virginia.
This guy, Shawn, was working one of the rides at the fair. I like the photo because the background tells so much about his job. I wonder, however, are the bright colors and cartoon too distracting to the portrait?
Livestock on display at the Rockingham County fairgrounds
Thursday, September 08, 2005
she sells no seashells on the gulf coast seashore
This church, right along the beach in Biloxi, MS, was one I visited in June. Now, it has been pretty much destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I saw a shot of it on the news the other day. The church, St. Michael's, was shaped like a seashell, and each stained glass window represented a fisherman or an aspect of the sea.
I've been a bad blogger lately. Shame on me. This is just a short update to let everyone know my grandparents are okay. It took them four days to realize they couldn't live very long without electricity or running water, and so they left for my parent's house in Tennessee. My uncle, out at sea with his job, returned to find that his entire apartment complex had flat-out disappeared. He is staying at my grandparent's house now, sweating out the 90-degree days and hoping the power will soon be restored.
Hurricanes suck.
I've been a bad blogger lately. Shame on me. This is just a short update to let everyone know my grandparents are okay. It took them four days to realize they couldn't live very long without electricity or running water, and so they left for my parent's house in Tennessee. My uncle, out at sea with his job, returned to find that his entire apartment complex had flat-out disappeared. He is staying at my grandparent's house now, sweating out the 90-degree days and hoping the power will soon be restored.
Hurricanes suck.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Goodbye Gulfport, Hello Hurricane
The last time I saw Gulfport, MS, was in June, not quite three months ago. It was as it usually is: part beach town, part tourist town, part trashy town. I see what I always see there: souveneir shops with shark-mouth entrances boasting cheap swimsuits and beach towels; casinos glittering with neon LCD screens; hotels with blinking vacancy signs lighting up the night.
We're visiting my grandparents - good southern people who will make me eat loads of gumbo and banana pudding, and with whom I will watch the pre-recorded 6 o'clock news at 8 o'clock at night. I will smile as Granny pulls a half-used tissue from some hidden spot up her shirt sleeve, and laugh as Gramps asks me once again how to operate his brand-new digital camera.
Before the trip is over, I will walk with my family along the beach by the ocean, very careful to step over both sand castles and broken glass. I will also take a guided tour of Biloxi, a town we always visit, but have never really known much about. I will slurp a cheap sno-cone from a vendor on the beach, and get tired of it halfway through.
I will do all these thing, and leave, never once giving thought to the possibility that this town I'm so familiar with - this town my grandparents have always lived in - might not be there when I return.
And now it isn't there. It's gone - almost all of it. Watching the news these past few days has not only made me very sad, but a little apprehensive as well. Are my grandparents still okay? Why wouldn't they just evacuate when they were supposed to? How will the town survive? Who will be able to live there now?
The last I heard, my grandparents are alive, and their house (about 3 minutes from the beach) is still standing. Yes, they have plenty of yard damage and debris, a tree through the roof of their garage and one blocking their driveway, and some water in the house, but they're alive. And for that I'm grateful.
We're visiting my grandparents - good southern people who will make me eat loads of gumbo and banana pudding, and with whom I will watch the pre-recorded 6 o'clock news at 8 o'clock at night. I will smile as Granny pulls a half-used tissue from some hidden spot up her shirt sleeve, and laugh as Gramps asks me once again how to operate his brand-new digital camera.
Before the trip is over, I will walk with my family along the beach by the ocean, very careful to step over both sand castles and broken glass. I will also take a guided tour of Biloxi, a town we always visit, but have never really known much about. I will slurp a cheap sno-cone from a vendor on the beach, and get tired of it halfway through.
I will do all these thing, and leave, never once giving thought to the possibility that this town I'm so familiar with - this town my grandparents have always lived in - might not be there when I return.
And now it isn't there. It's gone - almost all of it. Watching the news these past few days has not only made me very sad, but a little apprehensive as well. Are my grandparents still okay? Why wouldn't they just evacuate when they were supposed to? How will the town survive? Who will be able to live there now?
The last I heard, my grandparents are alive, and their house (about 3 minutes from the beach) is still standing. Yes, they have plenty of yard damage and debris, a tree through the roof of their garage and one blocking their driveway, and some water in the house, but they're alive. And for that I'm grateful.
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