Daily Photos

< April 2024

April 1, 2024
They crossed with the light and stayed in the crosswalk, which is more than I can say for a lot of human beings. Kinda rainy, kinda dreary. Where are the repairmen when I need them (see February 24 and March 4, 2022)? Other people`s photo shoots. I eat meat, but it`s a rarity.

April 2, 2024
It really wasn`t moving very fast. A butterfly hit me in the face a few days ago, but this is my first photo of one this year (see March 26, 2023). The sky is crowded over the birthplace of aviation. I am a rock. I am an island. PAUL SIMON I occasionally take a photo that impresses myself.

April 3, 2024
Today`s ambulance is better than yesterday`s. I`ve always wanted to work for a radio station (see February 1, 2024). Patriotism, near and far. People with cameras make me nervous. Ohio is in that limbo period between winter and spring.

April 4, 2024
Parking garage decor. The pickup truck that tried to kill me today (part of an ongoing series). I guess I should`ve never gotten rid of my cassettes. Today I was impressed by another photographer`s work. It was either this or another ambulance.

April 5, 2024
The river was raging and I was grateful for the levee. Ready for opening day (see March 20, 2024). Before every party, there`s a lot of hard work. A ragged daffodil. Out to lunch.

April 6, 2024
Color guard season is nearing its end. Today was a regional championship. Some teams performed for the final time this year. Other teams will be back in action next week. The color guard world championships begin on Thursday.

April 7, 2024
If I mow the grass, would they let me live here? Who knows what these are? Anyone? The morning buzz. There was a portrait shoot going on, but I ignored it. If you`re a worm, be very quiet and don`t move.

April 8, 2024
While everyone else looked up, I was looking down. It was like a picnic or a festival in downtown Dayton. One guy isn`t concerned about an astronomical event. This is what I was looking for today: photos of people. At this point, I didn`t hear any strange animal or bird sounds, but the people around me went a little crazy.

April 9, 2024
It flew away 0.25 seconds later. Today was cold, dreary and anything but springlike. Army nurse. Keeping the levee clear of debris. Ready for the Color Guard World Championships!

April 10, 2024
It`s so hard to choose just one. I had to duck for a goose. Fortunately, I`m a pessimist, so I brought my umbrella. My camera wasn`t set for squirrel speed. It`s time for some new balloons (see April 5 above).

April 11, 2024
After 18 years of photographing color guard, I think I`m starting to get the hang of it. This was the first day of the Color Guard World Championships. I took photos for 12 hours today and saw 67 shows. Today I took 8,885 photos of color guard. Here`s one. Please note she`s spinning a flag while her arms are constrained by a rope. Try it sometime.

April 12, 2024
It was an easy day and I shot only 6,532 photos of color guard. I`m lucky because every year the best color guard teams in the world come to my town. Teams traveled to Dayton from across the country and across the ocean. It`s the end of the season, and for some teams or individual performers, today will be their final show. I sit right at the edge of the performance floor, so I do pretty well with closeups.

April 13, 2024
Thousands of people dropped in to the UD Arena for the final night of WGI`s color guard world championships. Spectators paid for tickets, and I sat in front of them. I saw 30 color guard shows tonight: some I`ve already forgotten, but there are others I will always remember. The competition went on for hours, but the place was full of energy and enthusiasm so it seemed to go quickly. Strength, athleticism, coordination, teamwork, dancing, acting, and mod outfits.

April 14, 2024
After the color guard competition ended, the awards and celebration continued into the early morning. Fans and family members cheered from the stands. Taking home an award makes the trip to Dayton worth it. Not only did their team win the gold medal (which is apparently edible), they also got the highest score ever. Until next year, WGI! Well, until next weekend, actually.

April 15, 2024
I need to turn this space into a photo studio -- today. Step one: I got the lights working. I brought one old light out of retirement for this shoot. I can squeeze someone in here between the clutter. But if the person is a pianist, I`ll have to put them here.

April 16, 2024
Almost ready for this morning`s photo shoot. Gotta work on focus. I`ll take a photo of a pianist today. Gotta lift the lid. That`s a sidewalk, not a waterfall. It must be spring: the fountains are running. Maybe if I hold really still, a bird will land on my head.

April 17, 2024
Welcoming a new employee. It looked like tornado weather today. Reflections on downtown Dayton. Some people enjoy urban apartment living. Ear plugs and memory cards: getting ready for another weekend of WGI World Championships.

April 18, 2024
Last weekend I shot the WGI Color Guard World Championship. Now it`s the Percussion Championship. Percussion ensembles traveled from all over the country to perform in front of my camera here in Dayton. Of course, there`s a broad definition of percussion. Prizewinning percussionists play passionately. They deserve a prize just for getting those people and all that gear onto the floor.

April 19, 2024
I take a lot of boring pictures before a good one comes. I love splashing paint (see April 20, 2013)! I recognized her instantly from last year (see April 22, 2023). Youthful enthusiasm. My job as a photographer is to find the exceptional performers and then catch them being exceptional.

April 20, 2024
On Thursday, I took pictures from 10am to 9:30pm. On Friday, I took pictures from 11am to 8:45pm. On Saturday, I took pictures from 9am to 1am (Sunday). During this weekend, I took 12,958 photos of percussion. And I went through lots of pairs of earplugs.

April 21, 2024
After the competition ended, it was time to celebrate. I make a memory of them making a memory. Cue the confetti! Remember when people wouldn`t stand by each other? Congratulations, and see you next year (well -- maybe).

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