swimming – Decaseconds

Swimming at Mohonk

2023-Apr-212023-Apr-22 adohertyhLeave a comment

Far in the distance of last Friday’s post was Mohonk Mountain House’s swimming area; I thought it deserved a closer look. The glacier-formed cliffs, tall trees, and array of wooden structures reminds me (oddly enough) of a Shinto shrine—though obviously without the spiritual aspect.

Bench Overlooking Lake

2023-Apr-14 adohertyh1 Comment

In my last post from Mohonk Mountain House, I talked about the importance of seating to develop a sense of welcoming and place. The same technique is employed outside, as well as in. This rustic love seat overlooks the lake and its swimming area on the far side.

Like a Turtle Among Fish

2018-Feb-23 adohertyh1 Comment

I’m not sure quite what the title simile means, but this picture from our trip to the Cincinnati Zoo does speak to a certain lack of elegance on the part of the reptilian half of the relation.

Swanset

2016-Jul-26 emceehammrLeave a comment

Seattle Summer

2016-Jan-282016-Jan-28 emceehammrLeave a comment

When it gets hot out (or hot for Seattle, at least) many will head for the beach, in this case Alki beach.

The Fall and the Pool

2014-Jun-25 adohertyhLeave a comment

A year ago, I stood atop this waterfall in the corner of Connecticut, relaxing and hiking in the last few days before I traveled north to Canton to begin the faculty life. There are three things that this image captures:

So many waterfall pictures use a long exposure to smooth the water into some blurry, surreal, Platonic ideal of flow. The effect might be pretty, but that effect is also a lie about the true experience of the crashing and splashing. Let’s get some spray in here!
Poetically standing atop a waterfall in a wood, with a calming pool nearby, seems to me less a cliché than something that is consistently authentic across the American experience.
Nostalgia may power a lot of my images, but it’s a force that only works retroactively. I would feel very different about the image if I’d promptly slipped and trashed my camera. Can that “dodged danger” exist within the image itself?

The Perfect Summer Afternoon

2013-Jun-30 adohertyhLeave a comment

I cooked up a bonus Sunday post: from the same waterfall on Mt. Riga where I took last week’s picture,another shot of the lovely swimming hole (and perhaps a broader perspective on what makes it such an incredibly lovely place to relax on a muggy summer afternoon.)