A Walk In The Park...
The predicted rain showers did not appear this Saturday morning so I went to my first
Tai Chi In The Park session.
This local MeetUp group meets monthly in, well, in a park.
Last month it was in Azalea Park in Summerville.
The January outdoor training event will be at the Battery, in White Point Gardens, next to the gazebo.
With benefits including movement, balance and healing. Tai Chi is a good way to stay active I have been told.
Turns out I was the only first-timer there today.
One lady had attended once before but the rest were very agile and much smoother in their movements than I.
I saw a squirrel in Park Circle that outperformed my efforts.
It was much more activity than I anticipated.
It was NOT just a Slo-Mo type of line dance, these people broke a sweat as they performed the ritual steps, dips, twists and hand movements.
Later Saturday, North Charleston would have a celebration at Park Circle, officially opening the festive holiday season lights.
Cars will slowly drive around the circle as riders ooh and aah at the annual Christmas spectacle.
As the Tai Chi session ended, the leader had added leg kicks. I was using muscles "in my core" that I had not really thought about before.
He encouraged us to "float" with the motions as we "went with the flow" or "pushed away."
My muscles are feeling the effects now. In a good way.
It was suggested that I get some books about Tai Chi to be better informed and I will. I also have found some DVDs online that demonstrate the "first four positions."
Another mentions the "first eight steps" so I don't see this as a fast education. It seems like a healthy discipline worth learning.
I'll leave all the technical and background explanations to people who have studied this internal martial art that is practiced for both defense training and for its health benefits.
When I was in San Francisco, I saw groups like this outdoors and admired the slow movements and feeling of calm and mental clarity.
We all can use some of that.
(Click on the photos for more detail.)
Thanks for stopping by.
It was a nice day in the Park (Circle).
Drive by at night to see the lights.
Stay limber.
Labels: calmness, Christmas lights, go with the flow, meditation, North Charleston, Park Circle, Tai Chi In The Park, well being, Yin and Yang
But, seriously....
Went to Home Team BBQ to listen to the
Joe Taylor Group.
I've seen them before and really like their sound.
My new camera had not been tested yet in a dimly-lighted music venue.
Uh oh, I remembered it has a Fish Eye lens effect. That was the end of serious photography for the night.
At the break between sets, I spoke with Joe and apologized that my posting about his band was going to look weird.
He laughed and said he appreciates ANY coverage.
We'll see.
The first picture is during the drum solo.
The others step to the side so the player with drum sticks is the center of attention.
Well, the camera sure helped make THAT happen.
Later I was reminded that Taylor moves around a lot, bobs and weaves, ducks and leans...makes it a challenge to catch a good photo in poor lighting.
Let's see his reaction to these two shots.
Like most people with a "long" lens, I did my first Moon Shot.
I'm impressed that a camera about the size of a deck of cards can reach out with such clarity.
Over the last 10 years, I have bought 5 small digital cameras known as P/S Point & Shoot.
The latest is the
Canon PowerPoint sx260 HS..
It is the first that offered more than a 3.8x zoom lens.
I've already talked about the long lens and some features.
It was fun doing a photo walk around the Battery to use the camera in the field.
A friend joined me with his big, bulky camera and we sought those magic few minutes of the "golden glow" near sunset.
We both were snapping away and
"Chimping" the back of the camera after each shot.
The light was fantastic as the shadows grew longer and textures appeared in the cross light.
Two happy, smiling camera carriers.
I slipped into Fish Eye mode for a few shots.
The 1962 "Dancing Girl" bronze statue was a gift to the city by sculpturer
William Hirsch.
It was fashioned into a water fountain, set on a low granite base so small children could easily sip some water.
Cannon balls stretch widely out of shape with this lens effect.
A stretch of the Battery grows large in the center and tapers off on each side.
I call that
"A bend in the (Ashley) River."
*Chimping means looking at what you just shot and showing it to other people who make Yeah, Uh, Oh and Ahh sounds.
The Christmas lights and decorations alongside White Point Garden caught my eye.
They became bright and more festive as it grew dark.
Up til now I did not have extra lenses to pop on and off so I would have missed this warped effect before.
I still have a lot to learn about my newest camera.
You might say I'm a
"loose canon."
(Please click on the photos for more detail.)
I expect to hear some feedback from Joe Taylor.
Hope he liked the shots.
Labels: bronze water fountain, chimping photos, Christmas lights, Dancing Girl by William Hirsch, golden glow at sunset, Joe Taylor Group, moon shot, White Point Gardens
