Grey weather trip to Leavenworth
Sunday was a dreary, cold, windy, snowy day....perhaps not what some would think of as a good photography day, but I was determined to get out of the house for a while. With three kids in tow, I headed to Leavenworth - just because we hadn't been there before!
It turns out there are a few notable places in and around Leavenworth that offered some nice, grey weather, photo opportunities.
First up was the Leavenworth National Cemetery. The striking contrast of the rows of thousands of grave honouring the past soldiers against the grassy background and grey skies was beautiful and powerfully moving. I did my best to capture it in the images below, but I recommend heading out there to see it for yourself.
Right next door is the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center. Still in use today, it's been in operation since 1886! While the main hospital buildings are great, the older disused areas were what caught my eye. The wonderful little gothic chapel and the ominous building 13; it was a mixture of the decaying buildings and style of architecture that seemed to match the weather.
Next up was Fort Leavenworth. It's steeped in history and has wonderful promenades of old brick buildings, but I didn't stop for many photos. It just didn't seem to fit the day...apart from this memorial honouring the mighty Buffalo soldiers. The snow gently falling around him seemed to fit the pose the sculpter chose.
On our way home we stopped at a little riverside park at the north end of Leavenworth. The imposing abandoned grain silos with the bright white door a juxtaposed against the slowly crumbling concrete makes quite an impression (another slideshow).
On our way out of Leavenworth we dropped in at the University of St Mary. It's a wonderful place with grand buildings and a lovely red brick road leading up to the main hall. The feature that really took my eye though was the simple, life size wooden cross...the white cloth blowing in the wind...Christian or not, the cross is a powerful image...
Bleak days don't have to be non-photoghapy days. The weather can add drama and emotion, bringing a bit more meaning to your images.
