"Place, with a trace of humanity" Photography/Photo of the Day/Pittsburgh

Posts tagged “high school

City County Building Hosts Pittsburgh Carrick High School Art Show

Update:  5-13-13   

Just added this gorgeous  panorama photographed by Instructional Team Leader for the Fine Arts Department -Michael Dean.

Panorama Pittsburgh Carrick Art Show

 

 

The Pittsburgh Carrick High School student Art Show is hung and waiting for the Monday opening reception at 5:30.
Anyone who works in this magnificent building will get a sneak peek during the day. There were ten of us working most of the day Saturday to hang the art and place the tags by each piece.
Awards ceremony is Monday evening at 6:30 PM. Sponsored by CITIPARKS!

How about those Tiffany columns? The marble, the windows, the painted ceiling? And all the student artwork? Wow!

I can’t wait for the students to see their artwork on display in such a wonderful setting.

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There will be refreshments at the reception.

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Everything looks great!

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You have to see it in person to get the full experience.

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If you are in the city, please come see the amazing student artwork.
(Parking downtown gets cheap after 5)

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P.S.
Remembering our mothers every day of the year

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Inspired by Christopher Boffoli Miniature Food Work

When I saw photographer, Christopher Boffoli’s work, I thought that this was something we could do in the digital photo classroom.  He has really perfected the art in this department of miniature food scenes.   And we tried to recreate one of his ideas at school. The miniatures are so appealing.Miniature Food Scene

Only problem is 6 mini HO scale figures run almost 14 bucks at Esther’s Hobby Shop  so that makes it pricey.          They’re fragile too but oh so fun.

The Oreos were on sale at Giant Eagle.  But they don’t last, either.   I took in beans and rice and we had some Cheerios but it just wasn’t feasible for more than 120 students to get satisfactory results.

This is one of my practice shots.  The students liked the little figures.  I had some larger plastic dogs that they photographed, too.

Thanks Mr. Boffoli for the cool inspiration.  It isn’t that easy to do it as successfully as you’ve done.

I’d photographed a model railroad mother hanging out the wash before but not the whole scene with props.

Be sure to check out his picture show at this link cause his creativity and imagination is endless.


You Can Submit a Photo of a Photo to Dear Photograph

Today I received an email from my son’s FIL, Donald,  about a photo concept and website- take a picture of an old photograph in the same location where it was taken.  He must have seen it and knew it would be something I would enjoy looking at.  Boy, I’ll say……………..

The website is Dear Photograph and now that I’ve gone and read about it all, I must be the last to hear about it.

Dear Photograph is all over the news. It was even on  the TODAY show.  There’s a book of photographs using this concept that the young author/photographer Taylor Jones has authored.  Simple and satisfying.  Touching and fun.

So I looked at what was done and thought I would dig out a few photographs and give it a try.   I just skimmed the tip of the iceberg as I limited my search to one box and a single framed photo – the one of the family in front of the house is Fall 1991, the year we moved into the house.  Laura was in the third grade, Matthew fifth and Mark a Sophomore in HS.

And then I tried it. I found it tricky to hold up the photo and shoot with one hand. These are shot with the iPhone camera. I’m sure with a bit of balancing and practice the outcome could be improved but it was fun and I enjoyed trying to capture the photo of the photo.

Here are the results.  Thank you Taylor Jones for the cool inspiration.  I know the blogging community probably knows all about you  and your website already but I’m glad Donald sent me the link to your website this morning.   See what you can come up with using your old photographs. Having moved9 times in 16 years, there are a lot of photos of places I can’t return to and take the shot.

kids in front of house

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My pans have changed a bit from the Farberware to the All-Clad.  Not totally but the rack is the same. Different stove. I still have the vase, too.

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A Vapor Trail, the Moon and Thursday’s Sunrise in the High School Windows

Tuesday’s dawn was beautiful.  Two days later, the view on the way into school included the  moon and the vapor trail of a jet. A gift to start the day!  The shot on this day has a bit more of the scene too- the parking lot, the sidewalk, the corner of the school.view at school


Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry

for Mr. Swanger……

The weekly prompt  suggested a tight crop, an abstract, perhaps some architectural lines of buildings.  Hmmm.  Here is my series in response to geometry.

 

I’m thinking parallel lines never meet.  And then the intersecting lines, plotting points.

I loved geometry and the love of it came from the teacher whom I remember so well this evening as I write this post: Geometry.

I’m thinking of one of the best teachers I ever had- Mr. Swanger, in Morristown High School, New Jersey. I’m sure you have memorable teachers whom you remember, too.

Did a quick search and found this wonderful tribute in the Morris Educational Foundation publication.

Here is an excerpt and a link to the information about Saul Swanger Fellowship for New Teachers 

“its purpose is “to encourage effective, innovative new teachers to pursue a lifetime of excellence in public education through the award of professional development fellowships, which help them to explore a professional passion, to pursue a course of study and/or undertake activities which would not otherwise be possible.” 

The Legacy of Saul S. Swanger

Whether it was flipping the chalk over his shoulder onto the top rim of the blackboard, his tests with humorous problems about Stanislaus and his incorrigible younger brother Whatalouse, the sweet smell of his pipe smoke, or the warmth with which he embraced all of his students, Saul Swanger is remembered fondly by many generations of MHS alumni.

Mr. Swanger began his teaching career in 1938, teaching English, Ancient History, American History, Sociology, Latin, Spanish, Algebra, and Geometry in a schoolhouse in Claytonia, Nebraska, which was home to students in grades K-12. He came to MHS in 1944 and remained for forty years, thirty of them as Chairman of the Math Department. Immediately prior to his retirement in 1984, the MHS Honor Society changed its name to the Saul S. Swanger Chapter of the National Honor Society.

When asked about his proudest moments, Mr. Swanger said, “Because I continue to live in the same town where I taught, hardly a week goes by without my meeting a former student whom I taught (or whose children or grandchildren I taught), usually to exchange warm and often humorous memories. At times like these, I remember the words of Henry Adams:

‘A teacher affects infinity. He can never tell where his influence stops.’”

In a speech before the Middle States Evaluating Committee, which was reviewing the continued accreditation of MHS, Mr. Swanger spoke of young teachers as “noble and radiant with hope for the future.” He went on to speak of

“teachers who have been able to produce shafts of light,illuminating the darkness…to communicate their love of learning and enlist their students in what they consider the glorious lifelong adventure of learning.” 

 

 

 


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What I Saw When I Got to School


Francine’s High School For Sale

Schenley High School

 

on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was Andy Warhol’s high school
(And fellow blogger Francine’s high school, too! Here is her bloglink)

It’s been closed a few years now.

Well, the yellow sign says RELOCATED but that was temporary.

It’s gone now.

When I drive by this building it feels sad.  When I drove by today it was raining and I saw the For Sale sign out front.  If you want to see a magnificent aerial view of the building and where to send your bid to buy it, click here

I went to high school in Morristown, NJ so it isn’t my Alma Mater, but the empty building evokes a sense of loss.

There’s whole list of notable alumni but here’s a link to a photo of Andy Warhol’s homeroom class 1944-1945


Almost Same Scene Shot from Inside and Outside the Building

After school I drove to a training in another high school and as I left the building I saw the scene through the windows.  An autumn afternoon.  Shot with the iPhone.  When I got outside I could see a vista with the houses perched on a distant hill.  But when I looked at both views, I felt the one through taken through the glass windows was the more interesting image.  And what was that I said about ALWAYS carry your camera?

Hmmmm. I just don’t seem to be able to follow my own good advice. Maybe I can return when the leaves fall from the trees.


Flag Spinning Skills Take Practice

Here we are in Aunt Linda and Uncle Frank’s front yard.  Murphy resting in the grass.

Abigail was a flower girl in Mark and Erika’s wedding almost exactly ten years ago and now she is going into high school.  Here she is demonstrating how to spin a flag- there are butterflies and figure eights and she has to do it left handed and right handed and toss it in the air and catch it. Anna and Maura were watching and I know I couldn’t do it.  Even with practice.  Her silk flag flowing in synchronized motion will add a lot to the half time show come fall.


Korean BBQ at Kim’s Restaurant in North Philly- Guest Post

You know how happy I am to hear from my grown up kids.

They’re busy with their lives (and families of their own) but when the little ding sounds on the phone, I am like Pavlov’s dog and I salivate with expectation to see what tasty morsel they have sent over the net. I love the updates, the communication, the pics.

When Mark was on business in Philadelphia last week, he met up with his high school friend, Prem, and the two of them enjoyed an authentic Korean BBQ at Kim’s. Mark said it was delicious.

Here is what he sent over the phone.

I enjoyed seeing what they are eating and I like the one he took of himself and his friend at the table.

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Airborne Skateboarder at UCONN

Coming back from the Co-op Bookstore, I saw three young men testing their skills on some stairs.  I watched a few jumps and then asked permission to photograph and post.  Landing on  a concrete sidewalk, even on the board, did not look inviting to me but they kept at it to improve technique.  Very cool to watch up close.  Way cool skateboarder jumping off stairs after a running start.Today’s post marks the one year blogiversary for my blog.

I went back and realized on my first post I did not insert a photograph!


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