Photolearningism

LIFE THROUGH A LENS Sometimes I feel like the world through a camera takes a different shape. It's more than just a moment you're capturing. It's more detailed than colors, lines, and shapes. The image is deeper than a feeling. It's an expression of the heart. A seeking of meaning and understanding. It's an exploration. It's an adventure. It's (always) a learning experience. It's why I sometimes twist myself sideways or upside down.  PHOTOLEARNINGISM I imagine my branding of "Photolearningism" causes some to raise eyebrows with a moment of quizzical fascination. It's not a word you'll find in any dictionary (except maybe Wikipedia some day, if that counts - It's not there now, I checked! LINK to Wikipedia Search  ), but it's the thesis of my photo journey. Let's break it down: PHOTO (or Photograph) =  "An image of an object, person, scene, etc, in the form of a print or slide recorded by a came...

After taking historical pursuits for a bit, I found myself missing landscapes, and really wanted to find a location with some space. There's a good spot along Route 376 that I'd been telling myself would be a good place to shoot. Today was the day! I'd shot in a marsh before, but never gone this deep into one. I was glad to have my boots and knock-around jeans. The water never accumulated more than three inches, but made some shots a little "juicier" than others. It took me a a bit to find the kind of angles I was looking for, as there some houses off the in the distance on one side, but I did manage to pull a full frames that made me proud to take home. One of the stops was Emmadine Pond, which I'd never visited before and a quick search didn't reveal much regarding the name (or reason there for). Regardless, it was a nice place to visit and walk. I'd reccommend it for anyone looking for a quiet morning or afternoon retreat. For th...

I've continued to research the Livingston family, as they have a long, intricate history within the US. Unfortunately, outside of Locust Grove and the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, it seems that a good bit of driving would be necessary to visit any remaining locations pertaining to the "Lords of the Livingston Manor", as they were so deemed when settling here in America. Some day, I'll venture further out (The next closest location I could visit is Clermont in Germantown, NY), but for now, I'm doing my best to keep trips within twenty minutes, to ensure my adventures don't get in the way of seeing my family. Almost a Hospital I changed venues and decided upon Vassar College this morning. I researched the school history to get my bearings and began to learn of Matthew Vassar, a self-taught gentleman who made a fortune as a brewer. I learned that as he advanced in years, he wished to leave a legacy behind. He never married, and had no heirs to leave his fortun...

The Elusive Trail I've been alluding to the Dutchess Rail Trail again and again, hoping to dig into what it was. It's oddly a subject minimally documented, and almost avoided. A bit of research revealed that the trail is also referred to as the Hudson Valley Rail Trail (HVRT), with intentions of local government and groups to continually expand it's length in the years to come. A very brief history is provided on the HVRT web site, noting that at least part of the current trail was in fact, a railroad line for a time. It fell out of use in the 1970's, due to a fire on a the Poughkeepsie Bridge (Ref -  http://hudsonvalleyrailtrail.net/about.php ). As I like to do, I cross checked the information and came upon a Wikipedia article, corroborating this information, but also adding some interesting details, which I haven't been able to to locate elsewhere. Here's a quote (Ref -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Valley_Rail_Trail ): "The Hudson Valley Rail ...