Blog - Page 12 of 16 - Lonnie Dawkins

Photos: Obama’s 2009 Inauguration-Huge crowds and excitement. Ever again?

Early morning crowd packed the metro station enroute to Obama inauguration — Crowd on the Metro headed to President Obama's inauguration.

By far the largest and most exciting crowd I have ever been in is the huge gathering in Washington, DC for President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January 2009. The excitement and the “I got to be there” feeling was rampant despite the freezing cold weather. People had gathered from all over the world for the occasion and were excited to be there.

The crowd was so large on the Metro system and the National Mall viewing the ceremony that it was almost literally impossible to move. Fortunately, the crowd was respectful and everyone was cordial. No known issues arose.

After the ceremony the strategy was to get to an area where you could simply move in any direction. These images show people who had gotten to a major highway that runs through DC and turned it into a sidewalk and eventually made their way home. In order to leave the highway pedestrians had to climb over large barriers. People assisted each other over them. Late in the evening the highways became highways again.

What a day!

Now, we are within a year of the next Presidential election. Do you think there will ever be another inauguration with the level of excitement and “got to be there” feeling? If and when President Obama is re-elected what do you think the turn out will be? What are your memories of the day and traveling to the inauguration?

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5 Suggestions for a better photography session.

I have been shooting models, actors, families and others for a number of years now and have 5 suggestions that I think will be helpful for those considering a shoot especially for the first time.

1. The Appointment.
Sit down and discuss with the photographer the purpose of the photography and what you expect as far as location, looks, wardrobe, delivery, usage, and any special requests. Ask questions and decide whether or not the photographer can deliver and expect to pay a professional price for professional pictures. If you come to an agreement, decide on a date that you know you can keep, sign the contract, make your deposit, and be sure to keep the appointment. Final payment is expected on or before the day of the shoot.

2. The Wardrobe.
Bring the clothes that were discussed but also bring a few additional backup items in case the key wardrobe items that you brought don’t work. Make sure the items you bring fit properly and are flattering. Oversize clothes or clothes that are too tight can ruin your look. If you are doing a variety of looks I often ask people to include a basic pair of jeans and a basic white shirt as one. Also, have your clothes organized so that you can quickly change from one look to another. When you change clothes, keep all your things in one place so that you are not likely to live anything behind.

3. The Hair.
Make sure your hair is behaving and is the way you like it. Guys, get your hair cut or make sure that you are comfortable with it. Don’t get to the shoot and be surprised at how it looks. Ladies, make sure your hair is manageable, and that there are not unattractive loose hairs sticking out or other issues. If you get to the shoot and you decide you don’t like the way your hair looks that can be a real downer. Unless you have made some arrangements there won’t be a hairdresser on the set. You can not expect the photographer to edit your hairstyle unless you are prepared to pay extra.

4. The Makeup.
With digital photography everyone except for young children need makeup. This includes men. This makeup should be applied on site by a makeup artist who understands photography. Having this makeup artist on site allows whatever needed changes that need to be done. It also allows the photographer and makeup artist do a check in the photographer’s light before the shoot begins. The photographer is responsible for the final image and is not going to want to try to digitally correct makeup his team did not apply.

5. The Fun.
Photo shoots are work but should also be enjoyable occasions. Come rested, bring music if you like, and be ready for a fun occasion. Relax, trust the photographer and don’t be nervous about how you are going to look in the pictures. It is the photographer’s job to have the pictures turn out the way you discussed. He or she will make suggestions that will help and will check with you to see if you’re headed in the right direction.

Congratulations! Be happy that you have taken the time to create images that you, your family, organization can enjoy for many years.

I would love to know if you have any other suggestions.

http://www.lonniedawkins.com http://www.facebook.com/LonnieDawkinsPhoto

Headed to the Chapel. Engagement Photography

Jameal and Doug, a wonderful young couple, announced their engagement. We met at a beautiful location in Maryland and took pictures. Wishing them many years of happiness!

www.lonniedawkins.com Lonnie Dawkins Photography on Facebook

The Beauty of Fruit and Vegetables. Edible Art.

I normally only photograph people but recently did a photo shoot for a grocery store grand opening. The arrangement of the produce was beautiful and made wonderful images.

The produce display in the store was so beautiful that it was a shame for anyone to disturb it. Grocers became artists. Not being an art gallery the pieces had to be removed for purchase.

Edible art!

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Waldorf and Southern Maryland’s “Little Vegas” past. Gambling: Few Reminders today.

Waldorf Maryland – “Little Vegas”

Today many head home to Waldorf, MD and beyond on US 301 and have no idea of the history that they are driving past everyday. It was only this week while researching for a project for a client that I learned about this lively side of Waldorf and Southern Maryland’s history. This post is not about the pros or cons of gambling. Instead it is an attempt to point out some of the relics of a time gone by that can still be seen.

Stars

US 301 from Waldorf to the Potomac River Bridge was known as “Little Vegas” or “Slot Machine Alley” during the 1950s. Las Vegas had nothing on Southern Maryland as far as the number of slot machines and the revenue from gambling at that time. US 301 was known as Sin Strip — bright lights, lots of celebrities like Guy Lombardo, Paul Newman, Conway Twitty, Dolly Parton. They all performed on the Strip according to an article in the Baltimore City Paper. Waldorf Maryland was the Mecca of this Strip and was described in an article as a tiny little truck stop town along a major shipping route that hosted slot machines in every building and restroom along route 301. Casinos were legal in Charles County for about 20 years ending in 1968.

Waldorf Maryland Gambling Icons

There are two icons that can still be seen today and though many of us pass them few have any idea what they are. One is the sign for Wall’s Bakery with the Tepee on top and the other is the Waldorf Motel which is shown in the video above and one of the pictures below. Both are on the right side as you enter Waldorf from the north. Neither will probably be there much longer.

Wall’s Bakery known for its eclairs was housed in the Wigwam building after it closed in the early 70’s*. Gambling ended on July 1, 1968 when the last slot machines were hauled out of the bars, taverns, and roadhouses of Waldorf Maryland, piled onto trucks, and hauled away to be destroyed.1

The Wigwam

The Wigwam – originally opened as a Native American themed casino. The Tepee shaped building sported dancing girls, fine food, and performances by Doris Day and Brenda Lee according to Louise Lockhart, a former 18 year employee. The Wigwam/Wall’s Bakery building has been recently torn down and this sign is all that remains. According to Wikimapia apartments are planned for this site.

* “Waldorf 301 Landmark comes down: “Wigwam Bakery Being Demolished”

1-“Little Vegas: What Can Maryland’s Troubled History with Slot Machines Tell Us About the Odds for the future?”

Waldorf Motel

The Waldorf Motel was a popular gambling casino and motel. Today it stands empty though in recent years a Rip’s Restaurant occupied space in this building. It is probably one of the few casino buildings still standing.

Well, it sounds like Waldorf and the 301 corridor have changed quite a bit since the 50s and the many times I have driven to Waldorf never would I have thought of Waldorf Maryland as a Little Vegas. Never! What about you?

Lonnie Dawkins is Maryland Portrait Photographer

Photography: Children being children

As a photographer I usually don’t try to pose children. Give them a minute and they will give you a pose much better than you could imagine. Just be ready.

Life before Backpacks. How did we get our stuff to school?

Before you know it the school bell will be ringing again. As summer comes to an end parents are frequenting stores readying their children for the coming year and making sure that they have the essential back to school item — the backpack.

It is making me think. I don’t recall ever having a backpack – grade school through college. In fact I don’t even remember having enough of anything to need a backpack! I know I had a big notebook with a zippered pouch inside for pencils and erasers and I had some books. Evidently I just stuck them under my arms and started walking. Later in middle school and high school we had to bring athletic shoes which we weren’t allowed to wear to class along with a pair of shorts, a T-shirt ,and a towel for gym class. We must have had a bag for that.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not knocking backpacks because it is a great convenience and kids today have a lot more to carry back and forth to school than I ever did. All students need backpacks today. Education is a lot more complex and there are more books and accessories needed in addition to supplies that schools no longer provide.

Power to the backpack! I just never had one or can remember how I managed without. What did we do before backpacks and when did they emerge on the scene as the must have item for school? And for those who are wondering…. yes, there was a time before backpacks.

My Elementary School is still open after all these years.

Illustration depicting thought. — Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes it doesn’t take a whole lot for me to get excited. For some reason I was thinking about elementary schools today and I started thinking about the one I attended for first grade. I hadn’t been back or seen it since I left there many years ago. I attended the school for only one year because my father was in the army and we moved a lot.

What I remember about it is that it was in walking distance from our house, that the classroom had a closet with a door that pulled open like it belonged on a garage, and that the school had what I thought was a strange name– Halls Cross. I also remember the Dick and Jane Readers with the See Spot Run stories. That will tell you how long ago it was. The school constructed in 1943 according to its website appears to still be going strong and doing well. It is amazing that it is still open since many schools have opened and closed since then. Actually the correct name is Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary and it is Aberdeen, MD in Harford County.

Next step is to go there and see the school for myself and take pictures. I am wondering if it will jog any memories and also if the house that we used to live in is still standing. I still remember the address after all these years.

If you been out of first grade for more years than you can believe what do you remember about it and have you been back in recent years? Is it still open?

Here is where they used to live. This house was home.

Once upon a time there were two houses filled with large families, busy, loud, noisy. The people rose early, worked in fields, sometimes in other people’s homes and then gathered in the evenings to share meals. Bed time came early. It was more radio than TV. They lived far from town, owned no cars but then a lot of people didn’t own cars. They sent their children to school by foot for many years until buses took them way on the other side. They made do with what they had. Had some good times, had some bad. In some ways they were poor and in some ways they were not. However, the house was home.

That was then and now the people are gone. Their houses are almost too.

The rules of renting (blogs.confused.com)

Is it hot enough for an egg to fry on the sidewalk? Don’t know and it’s too hot to find out!

I was trying to think of something to blog about today and thought I would do the “Is it hot enough for an egg to fry on the sidewalk?” thing. Definitely it felt hot enough in the DC area as it was supposed to be over 100 degrees. Should have been a no brainer!

First, I was going to just crack an egg on the sidewalk but then I knew I would not want to clean up the mess. Also one has to think about how one looks trying to fry an egg on a sidewalk. I knew the trash had not been picked up yet and was wondering what the guys on the truck would think if they happened to come by and whether they would call the men in the white hats on me. I decided to use an iron skillet and if the men in the truck came by maybe they could just be part of the photo. Clever, right?

I grabbed an egg, a little oil, some salt and pepper shakers for photo aesthetics and headed outside. I decided to place the pan on the street as it was darker and appeared to be hotter than the sidewalk. My guess was that the preheat process needed about half an hour. I retreated back inside the house but kept an eye on my project. Upon return I was surprised at how hot the pan had gotten so I went ahead and cracked the egg and watched for a while. I stayed outside watching for about 15 minutes and saw that the egg was beginning to cook. Good for the egg but the heat from the sun was too much for me and I was soaked with sweat. My interest in finding out the fry ability of an egg on a sidewalk had burned to a crisp and at that point it no longer mattered. End of experiment!

Bottom line. An egg may or may not be able to fry on a sidewalk in the Washington, DC area on a day like today. I was too hot to care and I had a mess to clean up. Plus, I wasted a good egg.

Photos: Obama’s 2009 Inauguration-Huge crowds and excitement. Ever again?

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5 Suggestions for a better photography session.

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Headed to the Chapel. Engagement Photography

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The Beauty of Fruit and Vegetables. Edible Art.

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