Today is Memorial Day in the United States as we honour and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country.
Thank you to the dedicated men and women of the United States armed services and those who came before them and laid down their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy each day.
Here's wishing you all a safe, happy and healthy Memorial Day.
This is my fifth blog post for the WE35 Research Project. Expedition May's assignment was to photograph a local gathering, celebration, or festival and tell its story using three images, all shot at a 35mm field of view (FOV). I used my AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 VR lens, set the focal length to 24mm and taped it in place. On my Nikon D5100, that focal length has a FOV that approximates a 36mm full-frame lens.
The three images are of a totem, a moment and a portrait. The totem is a photograph of an object of significance for the event. A creative goal of this project was to remove the barrier between the photographer and the subject. The Expedition hopes you get involved in the event by making a portrait of someone and not standing on the sidelines. The final part of the Expedition was to choose one moment that genuinely illustrates the event's spirit. I think I captured those images, plus a few more.
Meg Martin and Jim Campi at the Civil War Trust and Jeff Griffith, one of the Creative Directors for the Civil War Trust, invited me to photograph the Spirit of Princeton Memorial Day Parade on Saturday, 27 May. I had plans for the day and initially declined but then decided that I would have more fun spending my morning in Princeton instead of at Target and Costco.
I got more than I expected.
The parade started at 10 am on the corner of Princeton Ave., and Nassau St. Parade marchers walked the length of Nassau Street south to Princeton Monument Hall on Stockton Street. The parade was a gathering of local organisations, including veterans, Princeton Cub Scout Pack 43, Princeton First Aid and Rescue, MacGregor Pipe Band, Colonial Musketeers, Veterans and Assorted Military Vehicles and many others. After a brief ceremony at the hall at 11 am, the Civil War Trust, the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line and the 43rd Regiment of Foot went over to Princeton Battlefield Park.
"[The Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line and the 43rd Regiment of Foot]" (http://www.243regiment.com/index.html) is a non-profit educational organisation created in 1966 to accurately depict both sides of the struggle for America's independence. The group is involved in living history programs and historical interpretation of the Battle of Princeton.
The dedicated members of our growing and dynamic group strive to portray the men and women involved in the armies of the American Revolution with fidelity and to bring the past alive at historic sites, commemorations and battle reenactments throughout the region and beyond.
I had the opportunity to chat with members of the group. They were enthusiastic, and I could tell they took their work seriously.
The group performed a historical interpretation of the battle at Princeton Battlefield Park. The booming sound and smoke of rifles and cannons filled the air.
The Photo Frontier's #WE35 is a global visual survey and creative research project by explorers worldwide. The goal of #WE35 is to push your creative boundaries, share in each other's artistic development, and forge friendships that will last a lifetime. All of this uses nothing more than a single 35mm lens.
