“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” - General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Command in Korea
For me personally I have always found the Korean War Veterans Memorial one of the most profound and at the same time saddest memorials on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It may have to do with the fact that it is often overlooked by the nearby memorials of the ever so popular Lincoln Memorial and emotional Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Korean War has been nicknamed, “The Forgotten War” since it has been overshadowed by World War II and the Vietnam War. It is unfortunate that most Americans still overlook this period of our history.
The memorial consists of nineteen stainless-steel soldiers on combat patrol marching through rough terrain. It was dedicated in 1995 to honor the nearly 37,000 Americans who gave their lives in the 1950-1953 war (or conflict as some may call it).
As a photographer I have alway found it difficult to photograph the Korean War Veterans Memorial from an artistic point of view. It doesn’t have the grand Parthenon-inspired architecture like the Lincoln Memorial nor does it have the majesty of the World War II Memorial. Also, the lighting on the statues can be very contrasty and not consistent from statue to statue. I have been at this memorial many times and I have always had a hard time looking for a creative angle. One morning I walked down to the memorial before sunrise and circled around the soldiers before I eyed this composition.
I was playing around with Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 and I came up with this unique color scheme. It reminded me of those old Korean War film footage that were shot in black and white and later converted to color.
2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the ending of the Korean War. In light of the Memorial Day holiday, which in the United States is a day to honor and remember the fallen who have given their lives in service to their country, I wanted to pay tribute to these soldiers and let them know they have not been forgotten.
Honor the Fallen!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Showing posts with label Sculpture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sculpture. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Photobombing Thomas Jefferson - Tidal Basin, Washington DC, USA
Photobombing Thomas Jefferson - Tidal Basin, Washington DC, USA, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
For my friends and for those for some odd reason who follow me and my second rate photography, know I love to shoot in saturated colors. So what is this black and white photograph?
I love going out to the Jefferson Memorial because it is not swamped with tourists as other memorials and it has gorgeous views of the tidal basin since it sits on prime real estate. Besides, Thomas Jefferson is considered one of America’s most intellectual president, just showing up at his memorial makes me that much smarter.
I love this anecdote of President Jefferson. Reflecting on Jefferson’s broad-based knowledge, President Kennedy once welcomed a group of forty-nine Nobel laureates to the White House with these words:
“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” (Address to Nobel Laureates, Dinner for Nobel Prize Winners of the Western Hemisphere, 29 April 1962.)
The inside of the memorial has very dull colors so I went with black and white to give it more of an artistic flair. I jumped into the frame of this long exposure shot at the last minute. I just love photobombing Tommy Jefferson!
I’m Sam Antonio and I approve this photograph.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Friday, January 18, 2013
Do you know about "The Three Servicemen" in Washington, D.C.?
Do you know about "The Three Servicemen" in Washington, D.C.?, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
Did you know that The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed by a 21-year old Yale University architecture student, Maya Ying Lin from Athens, Ohio out of a total 1,421 entries received as part of the design competition.
Did you know that "The Three Servicemen", unveiled on Veterans Day, 1984, was designed by Frederick Hart, who placed third in the original memorial design competition.
Taken with my iPhone 4s.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
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