Remembrance

There are no words, no pictures, that could touch the remembrance of this day.  Yet they are there.  I will never forget.

There is so much to think about…so many events and lives intertwined and changed forever.

As I remember the impact of that day, my heart is filled with sadness, but rests in hope.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35, 39

My prayers rest with our nation…beginning with those who lost loved ones that day, to the heroes who put their lives on the line in the wreckage, to the men and women who continue to make sacrifices.  Because even though the evils of that day will never make sense on this side of Heaven, God is still with them, with all of us.

God bless America.

*Julie

July 12, 1861

I just re-learned some things about the Civil War.  Maybe I forgot, or maybe I wasn’t paying attention in history class!  But, did you know that some supporters of Lincoln were saying Indian Territory should be split up among the white settlers after the war?

July 12, 1861, the Confederacy signed treaties with members of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes.  The tribes had been expelled from the very states they were now supporting not that long ago…but their contempt for the Federal government and the Union had them seeking that alliance.  What a mess.

What does this have to do with photo stories?!

I can’t go back and use pictures to tell any stories from the Civil War, but I do know some people that created the context for re-experiencing it!  History can provide just the right inspiration for pictures sometimes.

And in this case, photos almost seemed to leap out of a history book!  Special thanks to Joe Toledo for sharing these great pictures, and letting me have some editing fun.

Here’s the 21st century photo:

And here, we went back in history!

Doesn’t this actually look like it could be the Civil War?  Those re-enactors did a great job with their uniforms and period pieces!

I look at these photos and I’m sobered by the catastrophic loss of life over differing opinions in our country.  And I am also so glad that these United States emerged victorious on the other side.

On a less serious note, another reason for the polarization of states came out…

Thanks again, Joe, for letting me have fun editing your pictures!  It prompted me to look up This Day in History, and I learned something new!  (Check the full story on July 12, 1861 here).  Who said you can’t learn anything by taking pictures?  Inspiration is waiting, even in history books.  🙂

Do any of your photos seem to beckon from another time?  I’d love to see them!  Post to my fan page on Facebook, or e-mail me julie@gaylerphotography.com

*Julie

Happy Birthday, America!

Are you going to see any fireworks tonight?

 Special thanks to Brandi Unrein for this great shot! 🙂

Here’s some quick tips for better pictures!

* Check to see if your camera has a fireworks mode!  This is the quickest cheat of all!  (If you’re not sure, flip through the index of your camera’s manual).

* On a point-and-shoot camera, set your focus to landscape.  (It’s the mountain).  This will help your camera stop trying to focus on the sky! 😉

* On an SLR, set your focus to infinity.  (On the Manual focus ring, it looks like an 8).

* USE A TRIPOD!  If you don’t have one, try whatever is very steady nearby.  A fence, cooler, or back of a chair.  The more still the camera, the clearer the fireworks will be.  (This applies to even camera phones!).

* Experiment with shutter speeds.  One that is longer than a second will usually take great shots.  This means you need to hold the camera as steady as possible until you hear the “click” of the camera stop!  (If possible, use a 1-second self-timer so you don’t bump the camera at all).

* Watch your battery!  Experiment for a while, but if you don’t have a spare, be sure to rest the camera before the grand finale!  I’ve missed a couple of amazing opportunities for being too shutter happy! 😉

* Check out Photojojo’s Tip Page for more in-depth tips to getting the perfect shot!

* Head back to my Facebook page and share some of your photos!  Or tag me when you upload them!  You can also e-mail me photos at julie@gaylerphotography.com.  I’d love to see your 4th of July celebrations!

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On this day, I’m extra thankful for this beautiful country I live in.

I look at these photos of my children wearing red, white, and blue…and my heart is full of happiness for the freedoms we can experience.

It’s a blessing and a privilege to wave Old Glory in the sunshine!

Words won’t capture the thankfulness to the men and women who serve, who will serve, and who paid the ultimate price.  It’s all been said before, all I can do is repeat…THANK YOU!

Happy Birthday, America!  May God bless you and keep you free!

*Julie