Antietam National Battlefield Memorial Illumination

On Saturday, December 1st, 2012, Antietam National Battlefield held it's annual Memorial Illumination.  23,000 candles were set up and lit by volunteers.  One for each soldier killed, wounded or missing during the 12 hour battle on September 17th, 1862.  This was the highest casualty rate in any one day in American history.  This battle ended the first attempt by General Lee to invade the North.  It also led to President Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.



Please click on image to enlarge.

My panorama shows only a small portion of the total number of candles spread out over the battlefield.  The visual effect really brings home the shear number of casualties.

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer based in Alexandria, VA.   Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Happy Birthday Marines!

Would like to wish the United States Marine Corps a very happy 237th birthday!

Semper Fi!

Todd A. Smith, SSgt., USMC (Ret.)

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Retouching Images

Making adjustments to images in post production is critical for showing properties in their best light.  The architectural photographer's goal is to enhance without misrepresentation by removing visual distractions to the particular composition.  Below are three of my recent projects:

Shipley's Grant in Ellicott City, Maryland's Clubhouse.  My post production included patching the burnt lawn and removing the distracting signage in the foreground and the construction equipment in the background:

 

Before:

After: 

Annapolis Towne Centre, Annapolis, Maryland.  Here my post production included removing the construction crane and correcting the color in the very mixed lighting of the scene:

 

Before:

  

After:

 



909 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.  Here my post production included adding in detail I saved from a scouting shoot. When I first scouted the site the swimming pool was open.  On shoot day, the pool was closed for the season.  So, I went to my archives, found the scouting images and rebuilt the image as follows:

Initial scouting image:



 Day of photography image:

 

Initial scout and photography day combined and distracting light poles removed in post production:

 

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, Washington DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Washington, DC Panorama

Photographed this dusk panorama of Washington, DC from South East, Washington for a client.  The image is being used to show potential residents of an apartment building their view at dusk.

Please click on image to enlarge.

My client was absolutely thrilled when they saw the image.  The marketing director stated, "This is why we pay more for professional photography".

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Remembering 9-11



 

 

Pentagon Remembrance

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Jet Skis Flying in the Surf

After photographing a seaside wedding in Spring Lake, NJ with my wife, Tracey Attlee on Saturday, what better way for two photographers to unwind and relax the following day then by photographing for ourselves?  We wanted to photograph surfers on the Jersey shore, but for some reason there weren't any.  Just as we were about to give up, two guys on jet skis came by and spent about 15 minutes trying to go airborne in the surf just off Manasquan Inlet beach.  Here are my three favorites images.  Please click on images to enlarge.

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Space Shuttle Discovery's DC Fly Over

On April 17th, 2012, NASA flew the Space Shuttle Discovery over Washington DC.  Below are some of my images taken from a high vantage point overlooking Washington, DC.  The location was carefully scouted the day before along with other promising locations.  I decided on this one for its expansive high view.  Please click on images to enlarge.

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA and Spring Lake, NJ. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Presidential Salute Battery

Recently, my wife Tracey Attlee and I spent a morning walking through Arlington National Cemetery.  While we photograph Full Military Honors funerals at Arlington several times a month, we like to visit the cemetery on occasion to look for unique views to photograph.  This time we photographed the US Army's Presidential Salute Battery firing for a Army Brigadier General's funeral.  Please click on images to enlarge.

The battery. 

 Detail of the blanks.

FIRE!

 Soldier securing one of the 75mm cannons.

Soldiers securing one of the 75mm cannons.

Moving out.

History of the Presidential Salute Battery.

Todd A. Smith is a No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer based out of  Alexandria, VA. Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his architectural photography.

Todd A. Smith Image Published in British Journal

Woodrow Wilson's favorite fireside chair is the subject of a recent still life I photographed for the Woodrow Wilson House Museum in Washington, DC.  My image went on to be published internationally in the British journal "Textile History", Volume 42, Number 2, November 2011 in an article titled "Textile and Time: Reactions to Aged and Conserved Textiles in Historic Houses Open to the Public in England and the USA", by Dr. Margaret Ponsonby.

Please click on image to enlarge.

Todd A. Smith is an expert No. VA, VA, DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY architectural photographer with offices in Alexandria, VA.  Please visit www.tasphoto.com to see examples of his professional architectural photography.