"TRIAL AND ERROR" PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION!

Over a decade ago (August 15, 2011), I published a blog about Crystal Cove State Park on California's Pacific coast, that included several photos and comments about the assortment of colorful beach umbrellas, that sprang up from the sand like springtime flowers. Here is one of the photos I included in that blog:

That blog was picked up by Hearst Publications, so it made me realize that I am not the only one who finds pleasure in seeing these "made for shade" devices in photographs!  Since I live in a land-locked state with no oceans, I had never thought of owning a beach umbrella.  However, on a recent trip to the Florida coast with family members, I purchased one of these umbrellas (as well as a beach chair), and brought it home with me to Arkansas, with the goal of doing some photography "experiments" with it.  

Before carrying the awkwardly-shaped items to the actual location I had in mind (which required crossing two creeks, while carrying the items under my arms), I did a "trial run" before wading the creek, to see if I was able to get the umbrella to stand up in the gravel.  An internet search before I started showed that plastic bases can be purchased to serve as an anchor for beach umbrellas.  Knowing this, I also had with me a collapsible bag that I could fill with gravel and use as a base, in case the umbrella pole would not stand up on its own.  Fortunately, the small gravel at this location worked quite well for supporting the pole!

I was successful in wading across the two creeks carrying these items to my desired location, which was an outcropping of flat rocks on the second creek.  It does not take a genius to figure out that a pole is not going to stand up by itself on top of flat rocks, so I had to find a little patch of gravel between the rocks to use as a base. 

Once I saw that the umbrella would stand up on its own, I stepped back to get a photo of the umbrella and chair, with the small waterfalls in the distance. 

 

Out of curiosity, I also took a photo of the chair by itself, facing the waterfalls, and the umbrella not in the picture.

Then, I waded across the creek, and shot a picture with mostly creek in the foreground, umbrella on the right, and waterfalls on the left. 

 

Standing beside the waterfalls, I took a photo of the chair and umbrella in the distance.

 

The next photo was intended to show the rock "bridge" that crossed the creek at this location, creating the one foot drop that caused the waterfalls 

While I was spending all this time on the flat rocks,, I noticed they had some similar attributes to the "Turtle rocks" I have photographed at Petite Jean State Park in Arkansas.  (See blog dated April 16, 2015 for info on that state park visit)

Here is a photo of the placard at Petit Jean State Park that tells visitors about the turtle Rocks:  

My plan was to come back to these turtle rocks on another trip, and bring my tent, for a photo shoot. (After all, a tent is basically an umbrella that goes all the way to the ground!)  I have always dreamed of taking a photo of a tent after dark, with it glowing from a lantern that was on the inside of the tent.  Knowing the logistics of such a shot would be a challenge for me, because it would involve hiking in the dark, carrying a tent and lantern on my back, while wading across creeks, I thought perhaps I should do a "practice run"  of such a photo, closer to home.  The first step is getting the tent set up:

I managed to get it set up, and did so in the daytime, so it would be easier.

 

My "TENT IN THE DARK" photo is less than stunning!

 

 

Even though I was not at all pleased with the photos in the dark, it was a valuable lesson.  I learned that mosquitoes will find me and bite me at twilight, even though it is February!  One reason I was doing this photo experiment in the winter is because ticks and chiggers are less likely to bite me then.  So it did not occur to me that I should have put on mosquito repellent if I was going to be outside at twilight .  Also,  I realized that there is no need to carry the tent the long hike to the waterfall , because the waterfall would not show up in the dark, without some special effects such as "light painting" that I have heard renowned photographer Tim Ernst discuss.  If you Google "How to take a photo of a glowing tent at night", there are numerous video/text tutorials that give details on obtaining such a photograph that could be used for advertising or gallery exhibits.  They were more than I wanted to tackle, as all I wanted to use was my iPhone and no tripod!

Another thing I learned by spending the time outside on this unseasonably warm February day, was that it was a good time to look for a "root" photo, that would be a visual aid for me to learn one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses.

Sycamore trees are prevalent along the creek, and often their roots are exposed, as they cling tenaciously to the bank, to keep from falling over 

The verse I am trying to memorize is from Revelation 22:16 of the New Testament, and says

I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

Can you see in the photo below how an "offspring" is coming out of an opening in this ancient sycamore tree??

The bright light shining though the top of the photo can remind me that the verse includes the phrase "bright Morning Star"  .    Even thought this photo shoot did not produce any particularly stunning photographs, it was such an enjoyable day to be outside in God's Great Outdoors, and it gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia

SIGHT AND SOUND EXPEDITION!

The Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, Missouri, opened in 2008.The theater is so expansive, that I could not get all of it to fit into my iPhone photo frame!

Most people get to the theater long before the production starts, so they can stroll in the beautifully-decorated lobby, have food from their concession areas, and shop the gift shop:

The Moses production was one of the first performances I ever attended at this theater, and I was able to hear the actor that played Moses, reference this verse, that is one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses: "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today',  Exodus 14:13".  Although it is no longer showing in Branson, this photo shows the DVD you can purchase in the gift shop theater, or on line.

The gift shop also has a plethora of Queen Esther-related gifts, including a costume for Queen Esther and King Xeres "wannabes".

The costumes, when displayed on mannequins, show they are designed for children.  The photo below also shows there are coloring books designed for children, that reference popular Bible stories. 

The Book of Esther in the bible was originally written on scrolls, and replicas are available in the gift shop.

Megillah definition is also explained in the gift shop.  This blog will not tell "the whole megillah" of Sight and Sound Theaters, but I do want to mention that it had its beginnings over forty years ago, because Glen Eshelman had a passion for photography.  Likewise, this blog started about fifteen years ago, partly because of my passion for photography!

This Queen Esther mug, available in the gift shop, would feel good in your hand, as you sit down with a hot beverage and your Bible, to read (or re-read) the book of Esther.  I found it helpful to review the book of Esther BEFORE the performance, and then again after the performance.  When I read it afterwards, I could better visualize the sentences on the written page.

This Esther 4:14 artistic wall hanging is a reference to this verse:  "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"

A fun photo opportunity for guests, is to have their picture taken with something indicating their presence at the Sight and Sound Theater.  This year, it is a large banner, and I was able to get a photo with it:

On a previous occasion, when I attended the Samson production at Sight and Sound Theater with my grandson, he agreed to pose with the statue of Samson, to make his grandma happy!

There is a permanent statue inside the theater lobby (no matter the subject of the performance), you can use as a photo opportunity, if you have a hankering to be photographed with an angel:

I was trying to get my 10,000 steps in before the production, so I took the stairs (there is also an elevator) to the second floor balcony:

There are banners from previous productions up on the balcony:

The balcony gives you an overall view of lobby:

At the balcony level, you can also see a model of what the stage for the Noah production looked like:

You can also see the ticket box office from upstairs.  At the box office, one can purchase their tickets in person, or pick up a ticket one purchased on line with their credit card.  If you have a group of 15 or more, be sure to inquire about the group price discount.

Be sure to visit the rest room BEFORE the production starts, because the line is very long at intermission!  At intermission, the theater had female staff members inside the women's rest room to direct guests as quickly as possible to one of the dozens of stalls available, as soon as it became available.  But even with their help, the line seemed to go on forever!  However, waiting in line is a great time to visit with like-minded ladies who enjoy seeing the Bible come to life on stage!  (You might even make a new friend!)

About 45 minutes before the actual starting time of the performance,  guests can go inside the theater to their designated seat.  I liked where my seat was located, behind the sound board, with no one in front of me to obstruct the view:

One can request a listening device at no added cost, which I did:

 

While waiting for the performance to begin, a graphic was shown on the curtain, about the Sight and Sound Conservatory.  The purpose of the conservatory is to mentor  the next generation of Christ-centered performing artists through classroom instruction in acting, singing, dancing, and other relevant courses.  The conservatory also provides an opportunity to perform in Sight and Sound Theaters Professional Stage Productions.  Their overall goal is to cultivate a lifestyle of character, commitment, and competence, whether in the secular or Christian realm, of performing arts. 

Although no photography is permitted during the show, photos inside the theater are permitted at intermission:

These colorful lanterns are lowered from the ceiling, above the audience, during one of the scenes depicting nighttime, and they stay visible during the intermission.  I have been at previous productions at Sight and Sound where angels were lowered from the ceiling for a Christmas production, and also a gigantic whale, for the Jonah production.  You do not have to be a dramatic arts professional, to come to the realization that the scenes being portrayed before us, took a VAST amount of skilled and creative work to accomplish---engineers for lighting, sound, and animations; carpenters for set construction, costume designers and seamstresses/tailors; musicians; live animal trainers, concession workers; ushers; parking lot attendants, landscaping workers; box office workers; writers, website managers, etc., etc.!  Yet, at the end of every performance, they give all the glory to God, and have volunteers/staff available for anyone who wants to remain afterwards for prayer or conversation.  Just as these lanterns are providing light, Sight and Sound has the goal of providing light to a world in need of redemption.   

I am hoping these photos and this information will make you want to travel to Branson to see the Queen Esther production.  You can find out everything you need to know by visiting their website at www.sight-sound.com .  For information on other Branson attractions/lodging, check out www.ExploreBranson.com . Being a visitor  in this magnificent facility, and seeing a Bible story portrayed on a magnificent stage, by magnificent performers,  gave me magnificent "MILES OF SMILES"!! Tricia