Category Archives: General

The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

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Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, 1800Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, 1800

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

From the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson (1762-1826). 3rd US President (1801-09).

More images (including Thomas Jefferson’s original draft and George Washington’s personal copy) and the complete text follows the break.

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Favorite Photo, June 29

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Sunny in the moonlight, Columbus Ohio. June 29, 2012.

There was a power outage in our part of town, so it was a perfect night to do moonlit photos without the intrusion of city lights. The three lights in the yard run on batteries that are charged by small solar panels during the day. The remarkable thing about this photo is how little our dog Sunny moved during the 30 second exposure. He was patiently waiting for me to finish what I was doing so we could get on with our night walk. This is my favorite photo for this date.

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Favorite Photo, June 24

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Melissa, Columbus Ohio. June 24, 2017.

My lovely wife Melissa wanted a portrait, so we picked a nice location and went there on a day with nice, soft light – ideal for doing portraits. This is one of her favorite images, and a favorite of mine too. This is my favorite photo for June 24.

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Favorite Photo, June 10

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Orange Poppies, Nederland, Colorado. Tuesday, June 10, 1997.
Orange Poppies, Nederland, Colorado. Tuesday, June 10, 1997.

Bob, my brother-in-law and photo buddy, were driving through Nederland Colorado when we spotted these orange colored poppies in front of the Presbyterian church. We stopped and took pictures. This is my favorite photo for June 10. If this feels a bit like deja vu, I also drove through Netherland June 9, 1997 on my way to take what ended up being three of my favorite photos for that date.

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Dewitt Jones: Celebrate What’s Right with the World!

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CWR Website The Film from Shervin Communications on Vimeo.

Life (and great photography) is about inspiration as much as it is about information. Whatever it is that moves you to do things is just as important as knowing how to do it. If you aren’t inspired, all the information in the world won’t help you very much. But if you are sufficiently inspired, you will move heaven and earth to find the information you need. It is about vision! This 22 minute video is about finding the kind of vision that inspires your life and your photography.

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Video of Ronald Reagan’s Speech On the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

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President Reagan’s 13 minute speech at the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc is considered to be one of the great speeches in American History. In addition to President Reagan, these world leaders were present: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.

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The Text of Ronald Reagan’s Speech On the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

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Ronald Reagan, 40th Anniversary of D-Day

President Reagan’s 13 minute speech at the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc is considered to be one of the great speeches in American History. In addition to President Reagan, these world leaders were present: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.

The text of Reagan’s speech follows.

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How to Shoot and Protect Your Camera Gear in Hot Weather

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Covered camera during a shooting break.

Summer is here and that means hot weather. So it is time for a “save your camera gear” reminder. Camera gear has a temperature and humidity rating. A top of the line Canon camera body has a limit of 115°F and 85% or less humidity. A black camera on a hot day can easily exceed that limit. Less expensive cameras of any brand have lower limits so it is important to protect your gear.

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Favorite Photo, May 29

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Blue Jay, Whitefish Point, Michigan's U.P.
Blue Jay, Whitefish Point, Michigan’s U.P. May 29, 2017.

It was a rainy, drizzly day at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but photographers and bird watchers were everywhere. I was leading as photography field trip. This curious Blue Jay got closer and closer and was eyeing me carefully. I kept clicking the shutter as the jay got closer. This is one of my two most favorite photos for this date.

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Favorite Photo, May 22

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Danielle, Columbus Ohio
Danielle, Portrait, Columbus Ohio. May 22, 2008.

Danielle and I were creating portraits in my studio for both of our portfolios. In this image I was going for a classic look with minimal contrast. As you can see from the catchlights in her eyes, I used two studio lights aimed at her face. The main light was up and to camera left and the fill light, which was only dialed down a bit, was up and to camera right. A third studio light is behind her and high to the right, putting a highlight on her hair. This is my favorite images for this date, and one of my all time favorite portraits. I made display prints of this image in several sizes from wallet size up to 16×20 inches.

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In Remembrance

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Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Washington D.C.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Washington D.C. Click for a larger version.

Richard Duane Klug (the name just above the rose) was born January 26, 1946. He died in Darlac Province, Vietnam, November 14, 1967 at the age of 21. He is one of over 58,000 American soldiers that died in Vietnam, and one of over 1.1 million American soldiers that have died in all American wars (almost half of them in the Civil War). It is with a profound sense of gratitude that I reflect on the lives of those who “gave the last full measure of devotion” on behalf of their country.

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