Spring takes wing – Washington, DC

April 1, 2013 by Created by RCW

So, it seems to be the season of the sparrow this year as they were out in profusion across Washington, DC, although the starlings did their best to make an appearance or two.

The hardest part about getting some of these photos was keeping vacationing children on the Washington Mall from scaring potential subjects away.

: With the wealth of dried twigs and grass, she was often very difficult to find

: The meeting will now come to order

: Didn’t want to play your silly games, anyways

: Beautiful plummage for such an annoying bird

: Vainest bird I have ever seen…must have spent 10 minutes doing this

: Get in ma belly!

: She was so serene and beautiful, she just begged to be photographed

: Ahhh…so close to being an amazing photograph!

: These two hopped around each other for quite some time, so I’m assuming they’re bonded

: Like a film about the Serengeti, this puddle quickly became something of a watering hole for the locals

: It was bath time for this eager little starling

: A second before I snapped this shot, her buddy had dived into the can

: Getting a shot of this little guy was difficult as he hopped from spot to spot on the tree

: I really wish the lighting could have been better, but he was determined to get something from that branch elbow

Contrasts

March 31, 2013 by Created by RCW

Every once in a while you see a sign that seems so amazing, so eye-catching, that you have to wonder if the owners could really be so oblivious to its irony.

This was one such day for me, as I wandered past a little restaurant called Social Reform.

: The restaurant in question

: Your memories of Washington should be colourful

: Face to the ground was a common position for these men

: Relaxing outside one of the art museums

: This fellow spent quite some time trying to pin his cuffs up

: Because walking the streets all day can be tiring

: People lined up for a block to get into The Spy Museum

: This fellow packed light compared to some of his compatriots

: Her colourful clothing made her stand out against the browns and greys of early Spring

: A very busy food truck along Pennsylvania Avenue

: Completely organic and free-range

: Even when you’re relaxing, it’s important to keep up with the critical news of the world

: Social reform goes down nicely with a Riesling

By the way, I don’t necessarily hold myself above my condescension, walking by with my digital camera and full belly, but I do what I can to help.

Faces of Washington

March 29, 2013 by Created by RCW

For as much fun as someone can have in Washington, DC, there is a certain stoicism that residents have as they walk the streets, braced against the cold and wet of Spring.

I have tried to capture some of the emotions that ride just below the surface.

: Defiance

: Painful acceptance

: Confused agony

: Bemused correction

: Surprise

: Stoic acceptance

: Fight or flight

: Sleepy patience

: Defeat

: Bemused scrutiny

: Bored solitude

: Ancient wisdom

: Stern discipline

: Sad peace

: (She’s astoundingly beautiful, so I took two pics)

: Indecision

: Disappointment

: Confused fear

Travel within and without – British Columbia

March 27, 2013 by Created by RCW

It may sound ridiculous to say, but wherever and whenever I travel, I find symbols of my inner journey, the personal transit that extends beyond airline tickets, overstuffed luggage, and souvenir shops. And it’s often not until I arrive home to look at the images within my camera, that I see the patterns.

Am I imprinting meaning where none inherently exists? Does it matter?

Whether inherent or imposed, the imagining of a pattern changes me and the pattern becomes true.

The following are a selection of images from my travels last year through British Columbia, a break before I began on the next great journey of my life, and one I take alone.