Brandon and Lindsey are two great friends of ours, so when Brandon asked if I would take some family portraits for them, I didn’t hesitate to say “yes”. The fact that Brandon is frequent companion for various photo walks, and a collaborator on our work with 202.photos, sealed it.

When scheduling the shoot, Brandon was quick to suggest a part of Rock Creek Park that I was not familiar with: Peirce Mill. Built in 1829 by Isaac Pierce, the mill was incorporated by Congress into Rock Creek Park in 1890, and operational until 1897. It served briefly in the 1920s as a tea room, and in 1936 the National Park Service restored the mill and its grounds to its historic layout, which is how it appears today.

The mid-October Saturday morning we chose for the shoot was a bit on the chilly side, the mill and its surrounding park land served as a picturesque setting for a session with this wonderful family. Taking into account the weather and the kids’ appetite for being outside, we made the most of our time, aiming to complete the shoot in a brief, but fruitful 30 minutes.

I’m quite happy with how these images turned out, though with subjects as photogenic as these, I’ll admit that the credit goes to Brandon, Lindsey, and their two kids for making the shoot a success. I hope they enjoy their images as much as I enjoyed spending the morning behind the camera with them.

SessionsMark TegethoffNovember 17, 2019Photography, Family

“1-0”

16 months ago, we got to attend a victory parade in Washington, DC for the first time in a long while.

Yesterday, on November 2, 2019, it happened again. This time we got to gather along Constitution Ave to fete the victorious Washington Nationals, Major League Baseball’s 2019 World Series Champions.

Of course the racing presidents made an appearance. Here’s George on a Capital Bikeshare bike.

The DC Police Department led things off.

With a 162 game regular season schedule that unwinds over 6 months, a city’s baseball fans are given the opportunity to witness a new story every year. It begins in February when pitchers and catcher report to spring training, and comes to its conclusion sometime in October. Most years, the story ends in disappointment, tragedy, or some combination of both. For the Washington Nationals in 2019, it ended yesterday in a triumphant parade.

Juan Soto, Victor Robles, and Fernando Rodney

Much like the Washington Capitals in 2018, the story of this Nationals team was one of struggle, of “fight”, of a silly song for toddlers, and of doing the impossible. The team famously started 19-31 in their first 50 games, and were summarily written off (rightly) by nearly anyone that was paying attention.

Anthony Rendon basking in the glow of a championship.

Sean Doolittle swings his light saber to the delight of the crowd.

Then a funny thing happened: they went “1-0”. Again. And again. And again.

They went 1-0 often enough that they found themselves in the playoffs again. Then they kept doing it, until they went “one and oh” on the last day of the season; winning game 7 of the World Series in Houston.

Brian Dozier in one of the few moments during the parade when he had a shirt on.

This story had a lot of heroes: Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, Howie Kendrick, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, and Ryan Zimmerman, just to name a few. It also had more than its share of exciting chapters, punctuated by important strikeouts, clutch hits, and invaluable defensive plays. Mostly though, the story was about fighting hard, refusing to give up, and trying to win each day before worrying about the next.

Ryan Zimmerman holding onto the Commissioner’s Trophy while sharing a laugh with Davey Martinez

The story of this championship team had plenty of ups and downs, plenty of dark moments, and more than its share of near misses, but when each day had that goal of “1-0”, there was no individual setback was too big. No obstacle that could not be overcome. Each chapter did not end with a victory, but it did end with the opportunity for another chance, and ultimately the last chapter ended with a trophy and this parade.

It’s a story that I’ll remember fondly for many years to come.

Mike Rizzo, victory cigar in-hand, waves to the crowd while the trophy is held aloft behind him.

StoriesMark TegethoffNovember 3, 2019Sports

"Freeze time all winter."

Thomas Boswell has been a columnist for the Washington Post for almost as long as I've been alive. There was no column I wanted to read more this morning than his:

In baseball, they always say, “Wait ‘til next year.”

This time, don’t say it. Freeze time — for now. Freeze time until Saturday’s parade. Freeze time all winter.

The Washington Nationals are World Series Champions.

I can't wait for the parade.

LinksMark TegethoffOctober 31, 2019Sports

Inside the iPhone 11 Camera, Part 1: A Completely New Camera

The work being put into improving the iPhone's camera year-after-year is astounding. Continued improvements to Portrait mode, Night mode, Deep Fusion, and the new user interface are all great, but the fact that Sebastiaan has concluded that this year's version finally holds up to enlargement like bigger cameras is truly a testament to the engineers at Apple.

LinksMark TegethoffOctober 30, 2019Photography, Technology

Sometimes

Sometimes... You plan a camping trip in June, and its 93 degrees of sweaty summer heat. Sometimes you even get a thunderstorm on top of that. You leave Northern Virginia with a goal of catching sunset from Crescent Rock Overlook in Shenandoah National Park, but traffic delays arrival until well after the moon has risen. You wait for the night sky to reveal a wondrous starry night sky, only to have clouds roll in, obscuring the Milky Way. You plan to hike to up to the top of a mountain with some of your closest friends, but life gets in the way, and you're relegated to, "Wish I could, but some other time guys!" You aim to build, "the biggest fire the North has ever seen," but run out of dry firewood by 9 o'clock, and end up cold in the dark.

But this time... The campfire burned through the night. We shared laughs over a picnic from a summit with an incredible view. The clouds part, and the Milky Way shows itself to the naked eye. Traffic eased enough to allow us to see all of sunset's beautiful colors in the valley below. Days of humidity melt away, and we were left with a perfect weekend in June.

VignettesMark TegethoffJune 24, 2019Travel, Land & Sea

Edinburgh

Scotland’s capital city, and the country’s second most populous, Edinburgh is an enchanting city with the uncanny ability to transport visitors back in time via its narrow closes, medieval buildings, and lush gardens. Having been inhabited by various cultures, clans, and monarchs since as far back as the Mesolithic, the city (and especially its Old Town neighborhood) has a rich and varied history. It has been home to kings and queens, and holds Scotland’s Crown Jewels to this day. It’s been described not just as the Athens of the North, but also as “Auld Reekie,” a city of loud, crowded pubs and decadent restaurants. To us, it was home for four days in late May.

We arrived via train, by way of London late on a Sunday afternoon. Our Accommodation was a lovely little mewes apartment in Stockbridge (it seems it must’ve been a carriage house and garage at one point). After the long journey, we found it prudent to stay local for our first evening, and explore the neighborhood. A short walk downhill took us to the nearest thoroughfare, and after a pint at one of the local pubs (Stockbridge Tap, whose pints made up for what it might have been lacking in atmosphere), we found ourselves at The Scran & Scallie. Having been recommended by multiple friends who’d been to the area before, S&S was our introduction to the food of Scottish Chef, Tom Kitchin. It was a wonderful first impression. The Sunday Roast was phenomenal, and we left with full bellies and tired bodies, but ready to see the city.

Monday morning was a quintessential Scottish morning, chilly and gray, and the forecast had us worrying that rain might be in our future. Luckily the weather held, and after a bacon & egg “butty” and coffee at a little coffee & wine bar called Vesta, we set out to see Edinburgh’s Old Town.

The view down Princes Street form Calton Hill

Our first stop was in what are probably Edinburgh’s most famous gardens: Princes Street Gardens. Covering 29 acres, the parks were created following the draining of what was once loch used as part of the city’s defenses. Today, the parks are home to quite a bit of green space, an amphitheater, as well as numerous statues and memorials. As we moseyed through the parks, we noticed a bit of crowd gathering, including men and women in uniform. Unbeknownst to us, one of the memorials in the Princes Street Gardens is a Scottish-American War Memorial, at which, soldiers from both Scotland and the United States were presenting their respective colors for an annual US Memorial Day ceremony. It was quite a nice surprise.

Next on the itinerary, was Calton Hill. Right in the city centre, it’s impossible to miss, as it’s topped by Edinburgh’s own Acropolis. Not nearly as ancient as its namesake in Athens, Scotland’s version was also never finished, as funds ran dry during the 1822 construction of what was once called the “National Monument,” leaving only a facade complete. Calton Hill is also home to an old observatory and to Nelson’s Monument, but its true attraction is wonderful views of the city, and of the nearby Arthur’s Seat. Despite the cloudy day, the views were great, and it’s a spot that I’d recommend to anyone visiting Edinburgh. The Hill would be a great spot for a picnic lunch. It is easily accessible, not too crowded (though there were quite a few people there), and not a very difficult climb.

The colorful storefronts of Victoria Street were J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books.

Our afternoon took us to the heart of Old Town in Edinburgh for a tour of the city’s centerpiece: Edinburgh Castle. The castle sits atop Castle Rock, overlooking the Royal Mile. It has been home to monarchs, military, and now tourists (fun fact: it is actually still an active military installation!). We joined one of the castles guided tours, and were glad we did. Our guide provided just the right amount of context and history as she showed us around the site. We explored the Scottish National War Memorial, toured the Great Hall, gazed up on the Honours of Scotland (amongst the oldest Crown Jewels in all of Europe), and walked through what used to be the castle’s prisons (seeing what is one of the earliest renditions of an American flag, dating back to the American Revolution).

As the resident history buff of the group, I found the castle fascinating, particularly the story of the Black Dinner, which is said to have inspired Game of Thrones’s infamous Red Wedding. As a historical landmark, Edinburgh Castle is certainly one of the city’s must-see landmarks, and I think the opportunity to spend some time walking around, learning about the Scottish capital’s history was well worth the price of admission.

Our first full day in Scotland concluded where the previous evening did: in Stockbridge. Lauren and Caroline’s cousin Joanna was scheduled to arrive via train after dinner, so we made sure to grab a bite at local pub (The Bailie’s fish and chips really hit the spot!) before embarking on a pub crawl of sorts, with a stop for a couple of pints at Hectors on our way back to The Stockbridge Tap for a second visit in as many nights, where we welcomed Jo to the traveling party, and wound down our evening.

Tuesday began as Monday did, with a walk through the heart of Edinburgh over to Old Town. This time, our destination was a tour of a different sort at Mary King’s Close. A historic close located along the Royal Mile, Mary King’s Close has become something of a tourist destination (maybe even a tourist trap). An old street of partially demolished and buried tenement buildings (the city’s Royal Exchange was built on top of what remained of the buildings), the close has a history of hauntings and is the subject of many urban myths. Today, it is a historical tour that takes visitors on a journey through the old buildings’ remaining rooms and through time; telling tales of sewage in the streets, residents falling to their deaths from rickety ladders, and the horror of the plague. While elements of the tour were fascinating, I’m not sure its a tour that would top my list of recommendations for future visits.

After spending a morning in the dark and dusty remains of a buried street, we emerged into the fresh air; making our way to the nearby Leith for the highlight meal of the trip at The Kitchin. Showcasing the best of Tom Kitchin’s ideas, the restaurant is one of eight in Scotland showcased in the Michelin guide (with 1 star), and one that showcases the country’s ingredients. Highlights of our meal included an ox tail appetizer, guinea fowl main, and the wonderful cheese cart. The Kitchin is not to be missed when in Edinburgh.

The Scott ladies pause to pose on a sunny Edinburgh afternoon.

As we left the restaurant, we found ourselves in the midst of a bright sunny day, and took the opportunity to take the scenic route back to our accommodations with a stroll along the banks of the Water of Leith, a meandering little river that connects Edinburgh to Leith. Along the way, we passed numerous cyclists, residents out for an afternoon walk, and of course a number of westies being walked by their owners.

Our Tuesday adventure wound to a close with happy hour pints on the patio at The Raeburn, a trip to the local Waitrose, and a light meal back at our AirBnB, where Caroline spent the better part of our evening introducing Lauren and Jo to the wonders of First We Feast’s The Hot Ones.

Looking out towards Arthur’s Seat from Calton Hill.

Wednesday featured a persistent light rain. Luckily, it was not enough to deter us from enjoying our final day. We continued our trend of moving around by foot, as we set off for Arthur’s Seat. Only about a mile east of the castle, the extinct volcano is a striking peak that overlooks the city of Edinburgh. It has been mentioned in a number of literary works over the years, and is thought to be named for the legendary King Arthur, as it may have been the location of the mythical “Camelot.” Our “hike” that day was more of a walk, as we chose to spend our time and energy exploring the base of the hills, rather than brave the wind and rain at the peak. Climbing to the summit will surely be on our list the next time we visit.

How many hands must’ve rubbed the toe of this David Hume statue for luck?

Lunch consisted of burgers, haggis, and a flight of various whiskies at Whiski Rooms. I quite enjoyed the haggis spring roll appetizer, but was less than impressed with the burger. After lunch, we spent the early part of the afternoon browsing various gift shops and boutiques. Caroline had a particularly fruitful visit to Scribbler, as she walked away with more than a half-dozen of their unique brand of greeting cards, while Lauren managed to find a Harris Tweed coat for Lucy that we just could not pass up. With no end in sight to the rain, we spent the remainder of the afternoon and early evening first at Bramble sipping cocktails against an early 90s hip-hop soundtrack, and then at Kay’s Bar milking a happy hour pint (and whisky).

After watching a less than satisfying Europa League final in a return visit to The Bailie, we squeezed in one last meal: a late evening dinner at Nok’s Kitchen. After a few days of delicious local cuisine and pub food, a bit of Thai spice hit the spot. We enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered, but the pad ka prow was an especially tasty choice. Following dinner, we made our way back up the hill from Stockbridge, and ended our time in Scotland with a well-deserved night of sleep.

Edinburgh is a gem of a city. It combines old with new in quite a unique way. Its history is enchanting, and it has a unique Scottish beauty to it. I’m happy to have spent some time in it, and it’s a city that I’ll look forward to visiting again. When I think back to our mornings and evenings in Stockbridge, and contrast them with our afternoons enjoyed downtown, it feels like Robert Louis Stevenson really nailed when he wrote:

“Half a capital and half a country town, the whole city leads a double existence; it has long trances of the one and flashes of the other; like the king of the Black Isles, it is half alive and half a monumental marble.”

StoriesMark TegethoffJune 19, 2019Travel

Steamboat Springs

It's easy to lose photographic motivation in the winter.

Cold, windy days. Short days. Long nights. It's a time of year that can be brutal for the outdoor photographer. The motivation to get out and explore can often go missing for weeks or months at a time.

Winter can also be beautiful though. Snow. Ice. Mountains. The warm colors of a dying winter sunset. These are some of nature's most beautiful creations. What better place to find all of these and more than the Rocky Mountains?

Earlier this winter, I had the opportunity to visit Steamboat, Colorado for the first time. The trip is one of Lauren's annual traditions, and after spending a week there, I can completely understand why. I made to pack my trusty O-MD E-M1 Mk II, a couple lenses, and promised myself, this would be a perfect opportunity to find some inspiration.

Steamboat Springs is one America's great ski towns. It has proudly produced more Olympians than any other town in North America (98 and counting), and the resort has gone as far as to trademark the Champagne Powder snow (6 percent water compared to the more typical 15 percent) that often falls on its mountain. The resort boasts 18 ski lifts, 169 trails, and spreads over 2,965 acres.

Outside of the mountain, the town also boasts quite a bit to do. There is ample opportunity for cross-country skiing in the winter, more than a few delicious restaurants and bars, and an abundance of hot springs. In fact, the town's name of Steamboat Springs is a callback to the "steamboat-like sound" that early trappers heard coming from the hot springs back in the beginning of the 19th century.

Our week in Steamboat featured a little bit of everything, including the launch of an attempted world record firework (alas, it was unsuccessful). A camera was never far from my grasp.

We spent parts of three days on the slopes (Lauren on her snowboard, myself on a pair of rented skis) enjoying the views, the powder, and the cold mountain air. I enjoyed my leisurely descents down the mountain's less challenging routes, but I really looked forward to our daily lunch at Tbar, a local spot just off the trails. Their Pork Belly BLT was an especially good choice.

We also spent some time on flat(ter) ground, as one morning, we strapped on Nordic boots, and tried our hand at Cross-country skiing (it was my first time). We mostly had a blast, despite the final quarter of our route featuring heavy legs and a few falls (I am certainly thankful for the industry-leading weatherproofing on Olympus's O-MD series).

Even when we weren't skiing, we certainly weren't bored. Our visit coincided with Steamboat's annual Winter Carnival, which culminated in an evening combination ski & fireworks show featuring the "lighted man" (a prom king of sorts, who skis down the mountain covered in LED lights, with fireworks shooting out of a backpack), ski jumpers, local ski club kids, and the aforementioned record attempt (An attempt was made to launch and detonate the world's largest firework. It unfortunately was a dud; fortunately, no one was injured). We also spent more than one day traipsing around the town of Steamboat Springs, checking out the shops, having a vacation beverage or two, and generally just enjoying our time in the mountains. Outside of town, we made sure to spend an afternoon of R&R at Strawberry Park, a local hot spring that offered a hidden oasis for us to rest our tired muscles.

I don't think we ate a subpar meal the entire week. Some of the highlights included the french onion soup (and everything else) at Harwigs, the sauces and perfectly cooked meat at Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill, and tinga (and margaritas) at Salt & Lime. It would be a crime not to mention the decadent breakfasts at the Paramount and Creekside Cafe, where it was made clear that sausage gravy is the perfect sauce for chicken and waffles. I'd also highly recommend any of the brews at Storm Peak Brewing Company.

By the time we boarded our flight back to DC, I had a fully belly, sore legs, and a camera full of images that I'm proud of. Almost since the first time we met, Lauren described Steamboat as one of her "happy places," and I can now see why. It's a wonderful town in a picturesque location, and I look forward to my next visit.

StoriesMark TegethoffMarch 19, 2019Travel

Super Blood Wolf Moon

I’m far from the first person in history to find the moon to be an interesting subject but there’s something fascinating about the earth’s baby sister rock, that circles our existence, lights up our nights, and follows our journeys around the sun. Whether the day has been a good one, a bad one, or one that falls somewhere in-between, it’s always there. There’s something comforting about that consistency.

That’s probably why, when Earth began to pass between the sun and our moon on the evening that connected the days of January 20 and 21, I ran upstairs (much to Lauren’s surprise), grabbed my gear, and found myself out in my neighborhood’s parking lot setting up a tripod with quickly numbing fingers.

I took a few test shots at varying focal lengths, played with exposure settings to varying degrees of success, and ultimately snapped a few frames in hopes that one or two might turn out.

VignettesMark TegethoffJanuary 25, 2019Land & Sea

Darkroom for iPad: Faster. Easier. More Powerful

The best photo editor on iOS gets better.

Check it out

LinksMark TegethoffDecember 18, 2018Photography, Technology

What I listened to in 2018

This was a big year.

I got engaged & married, watched (and celebrated) the Capitals win the Stanley Cup, and did a whole bunch of fun stuff in-between. These songs are a great representation of what I listened to throughout the year.

PostsMark TegethoffDecember 11, 2018Music