My Childhood Christmas TreeOther than the Nativity scene representing the birth of Christ, the most noticeable figure of this holiday is the Christmas Tree. For many of us, we have childhood memories of decorating our trees each December. I remember the first year or two after getting married, how our new tree looked much different from my parent’s. But that’s okay, since both are very special. Looking back, I don’t recall having a nice photo of our tree from growing up. So on my recent visit to my parents, I sneaked in and stole a moment in time, before the carnage of unwrapping began. Whether this is the tree or decorations I grew up with is not that important. It will still represent the tree I had as a child and will help keep those memories alive.
If you ever find yourself as a tourist in London, you must surely take a ride on the London Eye. We were fortunate to take our ride right at sunset. It was a gorgeous time of day, but it did make it difficult to shoot anything facing west. Since the ride is constantly moving, HDR shots can be difficult. Looking out across the Thames was especially breathtaking, with many of the historic London sites in easy view. In this image, you can see Westminster Palace, and just behind it to the right, Westminster Abbey. The bubble you ride in can distort the image slightly, plus the reflections inside are horrific. Then add everyone else wanting to take the same picture from the same spot inside this bubble and it makes for a fun time.
Sunrise or Sunset? I once read an interesting article about sunrises and sunsets. Most people can't tell them apart. The only way to know for sure, is if you are familiar with the geography and can tell whether the image is facing east or west. The winter months can make it harder too, since the sun has a shorter path in the sky. Since I know you are about to burst wanting to know which one this is, I'll satisfy your curiosity. It's an early morning shot of the Pensacola Beach skyline. But the ferris wheel gave that away, didn't it?
