After Hurricane Irene: Hatteras Island

Hatteras Island found it's only conduit to the mainland washed out after the sound flooded over the land and back into the ocean following hurricane Irene. The damage on the north end of the island seems total; houses washed out, a disaster relief shelter serving hot meals, and the only way off the island is a ferry that funs 24-hours a day but the wait to get a spot can be wildly long. We waited nearly five hours to get on a ferry that took two hours from Stumpy Point to Hatteras. Though the southern parts of the island are open for tourists, the north remains cordoned off. What kind people, though. As you might imagine, everyone is helping everyone else back onto their feet.

9.11 Memorial, Flag Themes

For the members of Boy Scout Troop 1, 9/11 is a particularly complicated holiday; the troop, which is the oldest in Virginia, was chartered on September 11, 1911, and held a flag-raising ceremony commemorated the troop's 100th Anniversary while paying respect to those who died on 9/11. It was so hard to avoid the constant American flags everywhere. . . and for us in Norfolk, we remembered the bombing of the USS COle, which was anchored in the Elizabeth river behind the downtown ceremony.

Whaleyville

I drove into the small town of Whaleyvilled for an afternoon of portraits and features . . . two goals difficult to accomplish in the rain. I thought of a recent conversation with Rachel Mummey about knowing when the light is good and using it to your advantage. Shooting outside at those golden hours and then shooting inside where windows and shade and reflections and all kinds of other modifiers will occur naturally and make shooting a response to light, instead of a struggle against it. The light was never going to be good that day, but the rain was what I had so the rain is what I used. I think knowing and using cliches is okay sometimes (raindrops/windshield/school bus anyone?) if it lets you stay longer and play with a situation you can't change.

First Day

Even though I was up earlier than I wanted to be, it was a thrill to be at the first day of school.