This is My Town by alophoto

This is My Town

I took this shot last night on top of a van down by the river (anyone remember the Chris Farley SNL sketches). I could not get a good pov with the tree framing the city how I wanted it, except by pulling my van where I wanted to stand and climbing on top of it for a few quick shots. Otherwise cars and people got in the shot. Sometimes you gotta take matters into your own hands.

Besides the recent yoga pose between the legs shot, this is perhaps my craziest position for taking a photo. I was pretty pleased with the result, especially because I was shooting handheld. I'm getting steadier thankfully.

The meet up, though small, was nice and I got some good skyline shots, too. And here is a shot of my partner in crime photobombing, yet making the shot: http://365project.org/amandal/themes-challeng/2013-07-28 (love you, Katie:).

And the song that gave me the title (though not entirely accurate as I've only been here a year or so): http://www.metacafe.com/watch/sy-40199091001/montgomery_gentry_my_town_official_music_video/

And for a not so steady version that is rather abstract and includes a funny story see here: http://365project.org/amandal/themes-challeng/2013-07-29

And one more link, here was Chris Farley in one of his finest sketches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaoM0FyLmGY
@katiebrenkert Hey lady, here was the van shot. I was really torn between two of them, but I liked the framing and sky color here best. Can't wait to see your shots! I'm gonna upload your photobombing shot now as I kinda dig it!
July 28th, 2013  
FAV
You did this hand held? I'm impressed. Now where were you. I would have taken you to Covington where you can get right down on the water. I want to go on a Friday night Red's home game as they have fireworks after. The next one we will be in Indiana to see my son and grandson. Have to look at the schedule.
July 28th, 2013  
very beautiful shot! love the night lights and the composition of this picture! the tree's silhouette added to the picture :)
July 28th, 2013  
@cdonohoue Handheld and standing on the roof of my Odyssey. I felt so hardcore. Thank you, my friend. Devoe Park, I think. Pretty cool pov! I tried shooting at the bridge in Covington once and couldn't get a good angle. My lens makes it tough. I'm finally getting decent handheld. I used to shake like a leaf or at least that is how my photos looked in low light.
July 28th, 2013  
Great city shot - fab composition and love those city lights against the blue.
July 28th, 2013  
Wonderful night cityscape!Love the framing,great detail and tones!I admire your creativity and unconventional brave approach!FAV!
July 28th, 2013  
Fabulous Amanda, those lights are incredible.
July 28th, 2013  
Perfect timing and a marvelous vantage point. Love the use of the tree to partly frame the image. Lighting and detail are fantastic. FAV !!
July 28th, 2013  
Really gorgeous picture and hand-held, wow! When we caught a sunset in the Tetons, the other woman photographing had like a specially built van with a platform up on top for photography. Total craziness.
July 28th, 2013  
@archaeofrog Hmmm, sounds intriguing. I may have to look into something like that;-). thanks, friend!
July 28th, 2013  
This is absolutely gorgeous! +F
July 28th, 2013  
@skipt07 Aw, thanks so much, my midwestern friend. Thanks for the fav. I think that it didn't take, though. Maybe you pushed it too eagerly;-). Any chance you could ever make a Cincy or midwest meet up?
July 28th, 2013  
This is a really pretty shot. I love the dark blue sky and city lights. I especially liked how you framed the pic with the foliage, like you're peeking in on the city.. Nice pov.
July 28th, 2013  
i love the clarity and color and envy your steady hand!
July 28th, 2013  
Very nice! And, hand- held?? I'm jealous..I'm way too shaky for that. This is really awesome and I love the tree coming over the top of the buildings.
July 28th, 2013  
this is fantastic! beautiful view and love all those lights! fav for me!
July 28th, 2013  
lovely capture, perfect tone
July 28th, 2013  
@amandal - It might have been that I pushed it too eagerly or it might have been that I am becoming more absent minded! You know, from the time the thought entered my mind to fav it to the time I moved my hand to the mouse I forgot what I was going to do! :) It has a new Fav now!
That would be great to be a part of a meet up had the circumstances that has befallen my family not occurred. Right now there are so many things that need dealt with that the government bureaucracy is seemingly doing everything in its power to not allow to happen. We are at the end of the governments fiscal year so money is scarce and on top of that the American people are suffering from the president and Congress bringing this sequestration upon us because of the political games. Should things dramatically change I'd love too. Keep me posted if a date is set.
July 28th, 2013  
Handheld? Wow... fav..
July 28th, 2013  
@fishy While standing on top of my minivan! Thanks, man. Really appreciate it as you are such a great night shooter!

@wind_of_the_sothern_sea Thank you so much, kind sir!! Loved the view!

@tonydebont You are so kind, Tony! Thanks so much! I was so glad to get the tree in there. I had to make it happen, though!

@skipt07 It took! Thank you. I'm forgetful, too. So much to think about. I will keep you posted. Take care and hope that your family is held up in this time!

@my_photofun Thanks so much, kind lady. We had a fun time together. So nice to be out with photo people who get you!:)
July 28th, 2013  
WOW...AMAZING FOR A HANDHELD SHOT TOO!! Fav
July 28th, 2013  
Wonderful shot! So crisp for handheld, especially at that low speed! Well done!
July 28th, 2013  
Wow -- this is wonderful! And fun to read how you managed to get into position to get it.
July 28th, 2013  
Wow, this is such an amazing shot and hand held. You and your camera are becoming one, Amanda. I can see you on top of your van as all of us do what we have to in order to get a great shot. So nice to have a meet up. Envious. FAV Too bad someone was not there to take a photo of you standing on your van.
July 28th, 2013  
I like the pov
July 28th, 2013  
I am a sucker for a nice city skyline at night. Wish I could do the handheld thing well but I am not getting any steadier with practice! FAV!!!
July 28th, 2013  
This is a great picture and it looks like a great city but I so admire your determination to get the shot. Would have loved to see it :-). All worth it though and amazing handheld shot, you are steady!
July 28th, 2013  
Love the foreground on this capture also Gorgeous
July 28th, 2013  
Lovely!
July 28th, 2013  
awesome Amanda! Glad I suggested standing on a car! ;) Definitely made all the difference getting that extra few feet up!
July 28th, 2013  
wonderful night scene
July 28th, 2013  
A worthy effort to get your shot,a wonderful nighttime cityscape!! Just hope you didn't dent the roof!!
July 28th, 2013  
Wonderful light and composition. I love it. Fav for me! So cool that you are willing to climb on your car!
July 28th, 2013  
fab night cityscape. well done!
July 28th, 2013  
wow looks much bigger than I thought. Great and detailed capture of all the lights.
July 28th, 2013  
Beautifully done :)
July 28th, 2013  
Meg
Wow beautiful....fav
July 28th, 2013  
Oh!! I can't stop looking at this. Magnificent!!! The lights the clarity, the reflections, the colors, the image!!! Just fabulous. Lucky you! FAV!!!!
July 28th, 2013  
Gorgeous! Fav! And yes, I remember the van down by the river routine!
July 28th, 2013  
Wow...great night skyline! Looks like a fabulous place!
July 28th, 2013  
Lovely! And so cool that you stood on the van. Well done.
July 29th, 2013  
Kev
Top shot, Amanda. Fav anyway, but I'd fav it twice over if I could for the climb on the van escapade! You and I are going to have to have a most ridiculous/brave/stupid photoshoot position competition.... I had a couple more crazy ones this weekend....
July 29th, 2013  
@snaggy Love your comments, Kev. Can't wait to see your crazy. Hopefully we are not being too foolish/dangerous. I was pretty safe up there. So appreciate the double +fave!! It's fun to be a little on the edge, huh?
July 29th, 2013  
@squamloon Thank you, Jim. So fun to do, too. When do you ever get that chance?

@kwind Thanks so much, Kim!!

@kareenking Aw, thank you for the sweet words and fav, kind lady. Loved that series of sketches!

July 29th, 2013  
@camim Thank you so much, kind lady!!

@annethomson Thank you, Anne. I loved the blue sky!!

@masosy I loved them, lady. Thanks so much!!

@fauxtography365 Love your comments, Ms. T. Thank you. It's not Manhattan, but I still love it.

@catwoman2 Sometimes it's not so steady. I had many bad shots, too. I think that I am just getting better (especially when I don't have caffeine coursing through my veins:). Thanks, Mary!
July 29th, 2013  
@melody2289 I can be very shaky. I had many shaky shots, too, but I did get a few crisp ones. I guess that I just take a bunch and hope for the best. Thanks, kind lady!

July 29th, 2013  
@anzere03 Thanks so much, man. Really appreciate the fav (handheld and on top of my vehicle!!). It was pretty fun to do!

@darsphotos Katie may have. I'd love to see it if so. Thanks so much, my friend, for the kind words and fav!
July 29th, 2013  
@thirtysevenways I just shoots bunches and some are bound to come out clear. I had many duds but a few great ones. That's all it takes I guess. Thanks so much for the kind words and fav, Andy!! I think that it helps when I don't shoot right after drinking my coffee. Those are a mess.

@happysnap Thank you so much for the kind words and fav, Linda! Really appreciate it, lady!!
July 29th, 2013  
@fueast It is big. Not NYC, but a pretty big city. This isn't even all of it. Thanks, Alison.
July 29th, 2013  
@megmills You are almost here!!! yeah! Thanks so much for the fav of your new town! You will love it here!!!

@eyesmile I always love your comments, Gena. You are such a sweetheart. Thank you so much for them and the fav!!:)

July 29th, 2013  
@sugarmuser Thanks so much, Sharon!!

@aleksandra I used my normal ISO and it was working so I left well enough alone. The secret is shooting lots and something is bound to come out, right?! Thanks, lady!

@taffy Aw, thanks, Taffy. It was so fun to stand on my van! I hope that Katie got a shot of that:)!

@twr Thanks, Timothy. I had to make it happen:)!

@roseolivia Thank you so much, kind Rachel. It was fun to be a little unconventional to get what I wanted. And glad that my hand is getting steadier. The unsteadiness that I have sometimes might be due to caffeine. And this was a pretty quick timed shot...not such a long exposure which helps.

@nesspix Thanks so much, Vanessa!!

@bpaquette Thank you, my friend!

@katiebrenkert You girls really helped me get a good shot. Thanks for all of the great suggestions. I wish you had joined me up there. Did you get a shot of me being crazy? Such a fun time! Love your photo and how we got such different shots again!

@alisonp Thank you kind lady!!

July 29th, 2013  
@carolmw That's what my hubby said. I'm pretty small so hopefully not. Thanks, Carol!

@jaynspain Thank you, Jayn!!


@dreamatrix Thanks, Paul!!:)
July 29th, 2013  
FAV*lous :)
July 29th, 2013  
@jodimuli Thank you, my friend. You rock!
July 29th, 2013  
That is an amazing hand help cityscape! and a fav for you cause you don't let people get in the way of your photo!
July 29th, 2013  
Gorgeous night shot! Love the colors, lights and framing. Way to do what it takes to get your shot!
July 29th, 2013  
@amandal Who is katie? She may have taken a photo of you taking a photo on your van? Let me know.
July 29th, 2013  
What a really beautiful skyline! I love the water and all the lights in this one.
July 29th, 2013  
Defo a fav
July 29th, 2013  
@zambianlass Thanks so much for the fav, lady!!
July 29th, 2013  
@darsphotos Katie is my local friend here her address is: @katiebrenkert

I'm not sure if she got one, but she said that she was going to take one. She's really talented and also a fellow mama of 3 and a runner. I loved that she lives close to me and we can get out for photo dates occasionally.
July 29th, 2013  
Fantastic night time city shot and very impressive for hand held too!
Fave for me also :)
July 29th, 2013  
@darrenboyj Ah, thank you, Darren. I used to be dreadful shooting low light handheld and am happily improving (or maybe it's that I take bunches of shots and get some good ones here and there).
July 29th, 2013  
This is awesome! Fav...for the photo, the van climbing, being handheld, and the SNL reference! I just had to pul it up on YouTube...still one of my favorites!
July 29th, 2013  
@tryeveryday I loved him, too. I should link it. Thanks for putting that in my mind and for the fav!!!:)
July 29th, 2013  
@adamj @michaelelliott You all toured me around yours, now getta load of mine. What do you think of my skyline? It's no Manhattan, but not too shabby, eh?
July 29th, 2013  
It's gorgeous and a Fav. Really nice positioning on this shot. I did not realize how big a city you had there.
July 29th, 2013  
@adamj And this is not even all of the skyline. It's pretty big. Thanks, man. Do you like that I stood on top of my van to get this shot? What a nutter I am. But I was safe and it was worth it.
July 29th, 2013  
@amandal I expect nothing less than the maximum effort from you Amanda ;)
July 29th, 2013  
Its a beautiful capture Amanada - Fav!
July 29th, 2013  
Wonderful night time skyline Amanda - looks like a great 365 evening!
: ) fav
July 29th, 2013  
@michaelelliott Honored by a fav from the master of skylines. I still need to shoot yours someday.

@adamj Always.
July 29th, 2013  
FAV! stunning night shot
July 29th, 2013  
@rennes Aw, thanks, Miss Lisa. See what you missed out on! Appreciate the kind fav. It was a great night out!
July 29th, 2013  
@colie Thanks so much, Colie. Really appreciate the fav. So glad to have been able to capture this pov.
July 29th, 2013  
Fav Amanda! Can imagine you atop the car!
July 29th, 2013  
What a beautiful view. A fav.
July 29th, 2013  
@amrita21 Thanks so much for the sweet words and fav, lady. I am hoping that Katie got a photo of me up there. It was so fun to do and made the pov work happily. I think that your fav didn't take for some reason, wanna check the button again?

@bristolrose It was a really gorgeous overlook (for a skyline anyway:). Thanks so very much for your kind words and fav, my friend. How are things going for you these days?
July 29th, 2013  
Fabulous night shot! Beautiful scene! Love the blue with some pops of orange!
July 29th, 2013  
This is beautiful. I love night shots of buildings. Fav!
July 29th, 2013  
Maybe, I forgot to press the fav button... done! :-)
July 30th, 2013  
@amrita21 You rock, my friend. Thanks. I do that, too:)!
July 30th, 2013  
@amandal Thank you for the info on Kate, Amanda. You are lucky to have people to get together with and take photos on occasion. Also nice that you both have kids so you each know how busy life can be. I will see if I can find a photo that she took of you.
July 30th, 2013  
Wonderful photo.
July 30th, 2013  
@daisyjuds Thanks so much, Judith!!

@mittens Thank you kindly for the fave, Marilyn. I was so happy to capture this!
July 30th, 2013  
Cincinnatti? Great skyline shot.
July 30th, 2013  
@frankhymus Yes. Good eye. Thank you!!!
July 30th, 2013  
Beautiful shot, the lighting and framing are perfect.
August 1st, 2013  
@malc Thank you, Malc. It was fun to take this shot on top of my vehicle to get the pov and framing just right.
August 1st, 2013  
One more fav! Yay for Top 20!
August 2nd, 2013  
Fantastic cityscape Amanda, fave and congrats on Top 20!
August 2nd, 2013  
Congrats on TT Amanda! awesome shot!
August 2nd, 2013  
@rockinrobyn @grizzlysghost Aw, thanks so much, my friends:)!!

@wind_of_the_sothern_sea An honor to be up there with you, my friend. Congrats on #1!!!:)
August 2nd, 2013  
Woo-hooo! TT -- well deserved!!
August 2nd, 2013  
High 5 on TT :):):):):)
August 2nd, 2013  
@jodimuli Right back atcha, my friend. Thank you!!!

@taffy Thanks so much, Taffy!
August 2nd, 2013  
Brilliant!!! So delighted to see this on TT! Many congrats Amanda, you must be delighted! Have a great weekend! : ))
August 2nd, 2013  
A beautiful skyline shot, Amanda! Wow, you nailed it. And TT, too! :-0
August 2nd, 2013  
@rennes Pretty happy! It's so weird how TT works sometimes. The first week of the year I had a shot with 37 faves or so and it didn't make it up. I was glad that this one did, though. FRIDAY!!!:)

@roadshow Thanks so much, Miss Gloria. I was so pleased to get this shot and that it was well received.
August 2nd, 2013  
Congrats on well deserved TT Amanda!
August 2nd, 2013  
Super shot Amanda a fav for me too. Many congrats on the TT and thanks for your good wishes and follow. Very happy to follow back and see more of your super images.
August 2nd, 2013  
Congrats on the TT, Amanda!
August 3rd, 2013  
Beautiful cityscape. Well done on TT :)
August 3rd, 2013  
@happysnap @pflaume @abhijit Thank you so much, my friends!

@paulaw Appreciate your kind words, fave and follow back. So glad to meet you!:)
August 3rd, 2013  
Congrats on TT! This is gorgeous work - fav!
August 3rd, 2013  
@soboy5 Thank you, kind friend. I was so happy to get a cityscape with my good camera finally!
August 3rd, 2013  
@amandal - I agree with you Amanda for choosing this as your favorite photograph for the week! However, I'd live to see a picture taking this picture especially with you standing on top of your van! :)
August 3rd, 2013  
@skipt07 Oh I would, too! Thanks, Skip. She said she was going to get one, but didn't:(.
August 3rd, 2013  
Absolutely wonderful. Congrats on the TT. Well deserved.
August 5th, 2013  
Well done you --- finally got round to looking at the TT this week - I love this shot :-)))))
August 7th, 2013  
Fabulous capture, love all the blue
August 12th, 2013  
After all the moaning and groaning you've done about not having the opportunity to shoot in a big city. ;-)
Girl, you make it sound like your town is a speck on the map. LOL
You have a fine big city there. Ok, it may not be NYC, but you have skyscrapers, and bright lights and people and traffic. :-)
I don't know how far you live from downtown Cincy, but it looks like a fine way to get your 'city fix', when the 'burbs leave you restless.

This is a fabulous shot. Even more fabulous that it's handheld. I am impressed. Sure would have liked to see you up on top of the family van, taking this shot. LOL
August 17th, 2013  
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