Off Grid Images

The Raging Great Falls of the Potomac River

admin — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:49:17 +0000

Standing at the observation point above the Great Falls of the Potomac River is a frightening scene, witnessing the uncontrolled raging river crash over massive boulders following several days of fairly steady rain. The sound covers the entire audio spectrum, and then some. The high-pitched hiss of mist together with a sub-sonic roar of millions of tons of water. The ground shakes. (Click all images to enlarge)

The Great Falls of the Potomac River.

These photos were taken at Great Falls National Park, a wonderful park to visit on the Virginia side of the Potomac.

I took the photos with my iPhone 5 and processed the digital images in Lightroom 3.

Ancient Castle in Bavaria

admin — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:33:58 +0000

The ruins of a 15th century castle have been partially restored in southern Bavaria. It is one of many such castle that spot the landscape. This particular castle overlooks the village of Eisenberg, Germany. Austria is beyond the mountains.

This image was made from two photos stitched together using a program called DoubleTake. Shot with Fuji X100.

The centuries-old C&O canal at Georgetown

admin — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:11:17 +0000

While the streets, sidewalks and eating places in Georgetown are often choked with locals and tourists the nation’s capital, the most tranquil place is often along the centuries-old C&O canal.

[[Show as slideshow]]

Built in the early 1800s, the canal connected shipping and commerce from Washington – and Alexandria, Virginia, across the Potomac – with the West as the nation grew. Mules pulled canal boats from lock to lock for nearly 185 miles as the canal paralleled the Potomac, from the nation’s capital westward through rough and hilly terrain.

As I took these images, I thought about it … that this canal is nearly as old as the United States and all of the events that have shaped the nation. It’s been here from before the Civil War through the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the growth of Washington, D.C., from being a dusty mostly Southern town even as recently as the 1950s into a modern world capital.