HOW I GOT THE SHOT: I am a photo opportunist,
which is to say wherever I travel, including sometimes to routine local
assignments, I invest a little time curiously wandering in search of new
pictures. On the heels of a job at a local synagogue, I peeked into the
sanctuary and discovered the bimah had been specially adorned for Independence
Day. The unique design of the Israeli flag allows manufacturers to create flags
of any length by elongating the dark blue stripes. Throughout the country one can
see single flags which hang five stories or more on hotels and skyscrapers. Here,
soft, diffuse light poured into the room from a wall of windows off to the left
of the photo, offering plenty of light for a handheld exposure at a slightly
elevated ISO. I composed the image with the flag off center to allow the
inclusion of all the additional blue-toned fabric drapes.
The
Israeli flag evokes special pride in me, not only because of its beauty and the
rich symbolism of its design, but also because of the deep integrity of the
nation it represents. As we move from mourning to merriment during the annual
Memorial Day-Independence Day observances, Israelis can take great pride in our
nation's continuing strength and ongoing contributions to the spiritual and
material welfare of the entire world.
TECHNICAL DATA: Nikon D700, handheld,
manual exposure, evaluative metering mode, f4 at 1/100th sec., ISO 800. Raw
file converted to Jpeg. Lens: Nikon 50 mm fixed focal
length. Date: June 1,
2011, 9:27 a.m. Location: Beit Knesset Tifferet Avot, Efrat,
Gush Etzion.
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