Picture of the Day: All in a Day's Work



Photograph by Shannon Finney, November 6, 2011, Alexandria, Virginia

A "must-see" event in the life of a church is a baptism. While this is a sacred rite of passage, in churches where children and infants are christened, this solemn moment is sometimes punctuated by the unexpected and the humorous, as in the photo above. Rector Pierce Klemmt of Christ Church in Old Town Alexandria, VA, though, handled this temperamental tot like a pro, and soon she was all smiles.   

The Stars Come Out: theatreWashington's 2011 Star Gala and Benefit Auction

theatreWashington celebrated it's official launch this week with a gala and auction benefiting their ongoing efforts for the Washington, DC theatre community. Jaylee Mead, benefactor extraordinaire of Washington theatre, was presented with the "Helen's Star" Award and Eleasha Gamble, actress and star of Arena Stage's production of "Oklahoma!", gave Star Gala guests a marvelous musical send-off.

Molly Smith of Arena Stage and Linda Levy Grossman

Ari Roth of Theatre J

Helen's Star award recipient Jaylee Mead along with Victor Shargai

Jaycee Haywood with Victor Shargai

The Picnic Theatre Company

Michael Bobbitt of Adventure Theatre with Dorothy McSweeney

Eric Schaeffer of Signature Theatre

Felicia Curry and Eleasha Gamble

Victor Shargai

Highflying Moments at the Washington Monument

Photograph by Shannon Finney, September 29, 2011, Washington, DC

We've seen it all here in Washington, DC, from hurricanes to flash
floods to political parties locked in conflict, and even the odd Presidential
Inauguration, but this past August topped all when an earthquake,
centered an hour down the road, hit the area. While most of us
were spared major devastation, several iconic structures, including
the National Cathedral and the Washington Monument, were damaged.
This week, engineers took to the skies, repelling down the sheer
face of the Washington Monument to assess the earthquake damage,
and we're all taken out our cameras to capture this very rare sight.

Life's a Beach: The Wild Wave Riders of Spring Lake



The Wild Wave Riders of Spring Lake, photographed August 2011 Spring Lake, New Jersey
by Shannon Finney

The trip to Spring Lake, New Jersey is an annual summertime ritual for my family.

It's a special time, with all day sessions in the sands and sea on the Jersey shore.

It's a Snooki-free day at the beach where my nieces and nephews are the stars

of the show. This is one of my favorite shots from a perfect day at the beach.

Life Is a Beach: Hot Sand, Blue Sky

From the Life Is a Beach series, photographed August 2010, Spring Lake, New Jersey by Shannon Finney

The sun, sand, sky and sea often combine to make the most interesting

pictures. I know that shooting in the bright, midday sun is usually viewed as

an exercise in frustration. The best books on photography characterize a

photographer's relationship with direct sunlight as adversarial, so I decided to

embrace the sunlight in this photograph. It's a lot of fun to break the rules,

and it seems that there's no better time than while on vacation:)

Life Is a Beach: Beach, Bucket, Baby

Photograph by Shannon Finney, Summer 2008, Spring Lake, New Jersey

While most of the United States is in the grip of one of the

worst heatwaves in history, it's nice to be reminded of cooler

times and ocean breezes. This is one of my favorite

reminders of the joys of summer:)

The Boys of Summer 2011

Photographs by Shannon Finney, Shot on location, July 5, 2011, Washington, DC

Summer in the city is usually a series of mad dashes along the crowded, fire-hot sidewalks into the crisp air-conditioned cold of an office building or the sticky

steaminess of a subway car. But for the city's smallest citizens, summer time is

the time for endless days, swimming pools, and the intense delight of a sudden

downpour. Children see summer through ice cream cones and frozen pops, and the

feeling of fresh, wet grass under their bare feet. On a trip to the National Zoo

the other day with my nephews, I forgot the boiling hot sun and simply enjoyed a

day filled with shaved ice, amazing animals, and memories of my own carefree

summer days.