Stern Views

Nikon D50 | 12mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/1250 exp.

Pictured above is the Old North Church in Boston, MA. From the belfry of this church the Sons of Liberty watched as the British invaded America. As Henry Longfellow Wadsworth’s poem goes, lanterns would be hung “one if by land, and two if by sea” to signal how the British were advancing towards the mainland.  Two lanterns, in the end, were held high to warn those early Americans that their lives would soon change and one of the first battles fought to free our country from British rule would soon ensue. My trip to Boston was a reminder of how much has happened in America in the last 500 years. I find myself, at times, daydreaming about Europe where, as Eddie Izzard says, “the history comes from” and I realize that I’m longing for a connection to something older, something more legendary perhaps. Seeing the Old North Church and many other sights in Boston helped to firmly place the stories of American history in my mind and served as a reminder of how much has been done to keep America a free country. This post is dedicated to the earliest of soldiers who fought for our freedom and those who still find themselves fighting to keep our country free.

Nikon D50 | 19mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/1250 exp.

The balcony of the red brick building pictured below is where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the early Americans. As a side note, the photo was taken from the spot where the Boston Massacre occurred. To this day, the Declaration of Independence is read to a large crowd every 4th of July.

Nikon D50 | 13mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/500 exp.

I hope that the three photos posted will remind you of what has been done for America over the years. Let us live in gratitude of what others have done for us and look forward to what we can do for others now and in the future. In the words of John F. Kennedy,

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.  My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Nikon D50 | 16mm | f/22 | ISO 200 | 1/25 exp.

I had few expectations of Boston, other than that I knew I would see great architecture in a wide variety of styles. I knew there would be very historic buildings and very new buildings. Little did I know how blown away I would be by the juxtaposition of new and old. As pictured above, Trinity Church, built in the 1600s stands just across the street from Hancock tower, built in 1976. The tower is a beauty of glass and steel while the church is a beauty of masonry, artisanal sculpture, and stained glass. It is a beautiful reminder of where this country has been and where it is going. Over the course of the next few posts I hope to show some of the things I loved about Boston, this Juxtaposition just being one of those things. Enjoy.

Nikon D50 | 12mm | f/4 | ISO 400 | 1/1000 exp.

Nikon D50 | 24mm | f/4 | ISO 200 | 1/160 exp.