Friday, December 30, 2011

Shannon the Photo Gal's 2011 Year in Review

It's been an amazing year of incredible stories, from earthquakes to epic winter storms, and stories closer to home. I've taken thousands of photographs in 2011 and here is a brief highlights reel of the year in review as captured through my camera lens. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

JANUARY- In January 2011, we were singing "Ice, Ice Baby" with
brutally cold temperatures and treacherous ice storms that left
thousands stranded on Washington, DC area highways for hours.




FEBRUARY - While most east coasters dream of sunny skies and warmer
climates during February, Washingtonians who are more
theatrically inclined look forward to the announcement of nominees
for theatreWashington's annual Helen Hayes Awards. Below, Rick
Hammerly of Factory 449 and theatreWashington's Linda Levy
Grossman share a dramatic moment for the camera.




MARCH - While the New York City St. Patrick's Day parade is legendary
and larger than life, I'm a fan of Old Town Alexandria's celebration. Below,
two dancers take a well-deserved break in the courtyard of the
historic Christ Church.



APRIL - Who is that high-flying young girl? Why it's Margot, enjoying
a fantastic Easter Sunday moment with her dad, Chris.



MAY - It's a great thing when two friends come together and make a family.
For John and Tiffany that dream came true and the joy on their wedding
day was palpable.



JUNE - Homecomings come in all different varieties, and when David returned
to U.S. soil after serving his country in far-off hot spots, all he needed was a
comfortable tile floor at Dulles Airport and his daughter.



JULY - Summertime and the living in Washington, DC was anything but easy.
It's during times like these that a park bench and a shave-ice are your
only chances for relief, until your little brother attempts to pick off
of your cold treat!



AUGUST - Washington, DC's National Mall is a rarefied parcel of land that
has managed to avoid the slapdash architectural sprawl that can ruin a city.
So it was with great anticipation that Washingtonians awaited the
construction and dedication of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. national
memorial. When the memorial opened in August, neither DC's
outrageous humidity nor the swarms of mosquitoes dogging our every
step could keep tourists and locals away.



SEPTEMBER - In late August 2011, Washingtonians were shaken, not stirred, by
an earthquake and a series of aftershocks that made us all think we'd been
transported from the banks of the Potomac to the Pacific coast! All of that
rocking and rolling put some of the landmarks of the Nation's Capitol
at risk, chief among them being the Washington Monument. By September,
a high-flying team of inspectors repelled down the side of the monument,
a stunt you'd more likely see in a Nick Cage movie, and not in real life.



OCTOBER - For those of you who want to step up your Halloween game,
the annual High Heels Race in DC's Dupont Circle neighborhood is the
scene. The 2011 race marked the gathering's 25th anniversary and the
two divas below showed us why this ain't no simple game of dress-up!


NOVEMBER - For 2011, we kept the turkey, ditched the football, and picked
up the Jackman, actually, actor Hugh Jackman at his one-man Broadway show. After
nearly 40 rain-soaked minutes outside of the Broadhurst Theatre, my patience
was rewarded when the Jackman appeared!



DECEMBER - If you think there are angels hovering around, well then December
is the month for you! These little cherubim put on their best halos for an annual
Christmas pageant.



Sunday, December 18, 2011

A Christmas Pageant

An annual holiday tradition is the children's Christmas Pageant. Some pageants feature splashy lighting and production numbers that rival Broadway shows, while others opt for the homespun feeling of little kids deciding to put on a show. One of my favorite pageants takes place at Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia, with the children portraying Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds in the field, and the animals who shared the stall where baby Jesus was born. I can't think of a better way to get in a Christmas mood:)




Friday, December 2, 2011

November Sky


November Sky, photographed November 26, 2011 in Washington, DC by Shannon Finney

Sometimes the perfect photograph happens when you're busy doing
something else. That was the case with this photo. My husband and
I were driving through Washington, DC after a birthday party for my mom.
We were fighting heavy traffic when my husband decided to take a detour
home, up Pennsylvania Avenue. It was dusk and and the warm day was giving
way to a cooler night. We decided to take our detour even farther, ending
up at the west front of the U.S. Capitol, and that's when I looked to my right.
My husband barely had time to stop the car when I darted out, camera in hand.
Dozens of people were milling about but all was quiet. I think we were all
captivated by the dazzling November sky blanketing us from above, this
celestial sea of pinks/oranges/blues. In a city with so many amazing
landmarks and architectural splendors - the Washington Monument,
the Capitol dome, etc. - it's nice to marvel at a truly natural wonder.