Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

Merry Christmas!

Setting for Christmas dinner - ©TimeLine Media

The shopping, shipping, wrapping, and cooking is almost done! Merry Christmas to all of the supporters of our photography – blog readers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and everyone else that we have photographed this year. We are celebrating the season by giving gifts, spending time with family, making more photos, and enjoying the very COLD weather! We hope all of you are doing much the same.

Nikon Christmas gift - ©TimeLine Media
Nikon Christmas gift – ©TimeLine Media

This is a present from my mom to herself! Yes, I did help her pick it out. It has a nice snap to it’s shutter (like the all have) and lots of good upgrades over her old D40. My mom just wanted it because IT’S RED!! Plus, she wants to shoot video along with her photos. I guess I will be giving her the gift of photo lessons for the foreseeable future. I am sure that many of those will be future blog posts. The gears are already spinning as another year of blogging starts soon.

Setting for Christmas dinner - ©TimeLine Media
Setting for Christmas dinner – ©TimeLine Media
Just baked ginger snaps - ©TimeLine Media
Just baked ginger snaps – ©TimeLine Media

I have already eaten too much for this holiday, but I have been enjoying it! All the houses are full of the smells of the season. Too bad that cameras cannot capture that along with the pictures. I will do my best to capture some memories, but take a lot of time away from the camera to get more to eat! Merry Christmas to you and all of your loved ones!

Good timing! - ©TimeLine Media
Good timing by the photographer! – ©TimeLine Media
Santa Claus - ©TimeLine Media
Santa Claus – ©TimeLine Media

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703-864-8208

Christmas at Arlington National Cemetery

Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery - ©TimeLine Media

It’s Christmas Eve! We will be heading out to spend the day visiting with family, have a nice meal, and exchange presents. We’ll repeat that with the other half of the family the next day. Needless to say, it is a great time of year! I enjoy the time off, and the freedom to make new family photos. So many families make new photos this time of year, and we will do the same. It is such a blessing to have our families close so that we do not have to travel far to see them. We hope that all of you have a safe holiday, and get to relax with some time off too.

Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery - ©TimeLine Media
Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery – ©TimeLine Media

There are many major roadways that pass the area of Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, DC. The sprawling burial grounds for service men and women is decorated for the holidays at each marker. Wreaths are laid onto each grave site by donations and with the work of many volunteers.

Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery - ©TimeLine Media
Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery – ©TimeLine Media

The wreaths are nice remembrances for all those that have served, and passed. To honor them, I spent a quiet morning walking the grounds, and discreetly taking a few photos. I walked from the Visitors Center all the way to Section 8 which is across the highway from the Pentagon, and near the Air Force Memorial. No section was missing wreaths from the sections bordering the roadway, all the way to the top of the western hill.

Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery - ©TimeLine Media
Christmas wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Washington, DC – LDS Temple at Christmas

Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints - ©TimeLine Media

Kensington, Maryland

In looking for the best places to view Christmas displays in the Washington, DC area, the Temple of the Latter-Day Saints in Kensington, MD is always on the list. This beautiful church building was set on a promontory that is easily visible to travelers on the Washington Beltway freeway. The temple spires seem to rise up out of the trees as cars head west. The white marble and golden spires make this an easy landmark to locate, but it is somewhere that I have never been before this year. 

Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints - ©TimeLine Media
LDS Temple of Washington DC – ©TimeLine Media

My mother visited here with some friends, and she really enjoyed the display. There are many trees and bushes on the grounds of the temple that are illuminated during their Festival of Lights. A Nativity scene, and other programs in their visitor’s center are available for groups that are there to take in the season.

Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints - ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints – ©TimeLine Media

There were so many cameras there too! It is understandable with all the colors and the modern architecture on the grounds. Timing for photographing Christmas lights can really help make the photos better. The best tip I can offer, is do not wait until the sky is completely black! The really dark contrast makes the decorations seem like they are in a vacuum. It does not place them in a context that is familiar. The human eye sees much more in darkness than the camera. So even though it seems like it is completely dark around you, your sensitive eyes can still recognize people, objects, and things that the camera cannot pick up. When you go back to look at photos with a black sky, these elements are missing, and takes away from the photo. Make these images at or close to sunset to keep some of these background elements and details visible to the camera. They make for much better images!

Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints - ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Temple of Latter Day Saints – ©TimeLine Media
Festival of Lights at the DC LDS Temple - ©TimeLine Media
Festival of Lights at the DC LDS Temple – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

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