In blog #82, I mentioned on my way to the Great Bridge reenactment event in Chesapeake, VA, first stopping for a few hours in Colonial Williamsburg. I hadn't visited for years, so it was exciting to see my "Happy Place" again. When arriving, I first went to the Visitor's Center. I stayed briefly and drove to Merchant's Square in the western section of town close to the College of William and Mary. 

I spotted this photo opportunity walking east on Duke of Gloucester Street. It was late afternoon, sunny, and prominent shadows were developing. I first noticed the white picket fence and then the bricked path, which showed good leading lines to the buildings in the back of the house. This image was one of my first shots of the day. I felt good being back!

One key component in post-processing that I haven't mentioned much before in my past blogs is the power and magic of cropping my images. I crop about 90% of my original photos either slightly or, in this photo, dramatically to focus on the subject! I usually decide quickly if the print should be an 8 x 12 or 12 x 12, but occasionally, I'll crop to no specific standard size. An excellent example is this picket fence photo.

As I strolled the town late afternoon, shadows were visible on everything, including this picket fence. The original shot shows more of the fence, including a distracting bush, which I knew needed removal. When reviewing in post-processing, I noticed these wonderful patterns, almost making it an abstract and even different shades of B&W. I really like this finished photo! The star in the top right corner adds a nice touch!

Many of my favorite photos just happen. You have to be ready all the time, react, and shoot. That's what happened with the photo of three Native American kids. I was near the Governor's Palace when I saw them pass me. It happened, it feels, in a second. I turned and took a few shots.

This one is the best for a few reasons. I cropped the image to follow the leading lines of the fence. The kids' attire is colorful, and by pure luck, they are in height order. I've said this often: being prepared always is the key to capturing that next great shot!

As I shared in the fence photo above cropping is such an important aspect of creating a good photo. Of course, the subject here is the shadow of Marquis De Lafayette. To understand how much I cropped this photo think of a post card. This image was cropped to the size of a regular US stamp! The original shot without cropping doesn't provide the same impact.

Simple is best with many photos like this one. While strolling Duke of Gloucester Street, I spotted these three reenactors (odd number in photos is best) sitting on this bench. It was chilly, especially since the sun was setting, but the light was good. They appear to be chatting. I'm wondering what they were discussing.

Here's the link to the photo gallery!

A few days after I arrived home, I learned something funny. My friend Sutler Ron Mehalko, whom I interviewed in blog # 14, was in Colonial Williamsburg at this time. It would have been amusing to run into him then!

Thank you for reading! Blog #84 will be posted on March 15, 2025. Be safe & well!

Ken Bohrer