I had the opportunity and priviledge of watching Shuttle Atlantis take off on its final mission, and the final mission for the shuttle program in general, from New Smyrna Beach a couple of months ago.  I have lived in Central Florida for 7 1/2 years now, having moved down from Syracuse, NY.  It just so happens that we can see the launches at Kennedy Space Center from our house.  I can walk right out my front door into the cul-de-sac in front of my house and watch anything and everything NASA launches rise up behind my across-the-street neighbor’s house and disappear into the sky.  I remember when we first moved down here, this was one of the coolest things going, and it still is.  It was such a novelty.  When we lived in Syracuse, the shuttle launches were sort of like hurricanes; something interesting that you saw on the national news and that always happened someplace else.  Once we got here, we couldn’t believe that we were actually watching the shuttle launch from the comfort of our own street. (We also couldn’t believe that we had 3 hurricanes come right over the top of our house the first year we were here, but that’s another blog in and of itself).  Anytime a launch went off, any neighbors that were home would come out to watch.  It never got old. 

When I first saw Atlantis launch in June of 2007, I had my first digital point-and-shoot camera, and got some photos.  It was a beautiful day with a bright blue sky. My camera had very few megapixels, and not nearly enough zoom to truly see the capsule, but the contrails were a tell-tale sign that something amazing was happening.  Seeing a launch with your very own eyes makes you think about all the things that are going on far above your head high in the sky, and all it takes to make these things happen.  It’s very humbling, and has a tendency to make life on earth seem very pedestrian and small for a moment.

 Shuttle Atlantis Launch June 8, 2007

The next time Atlantis launched, on May 11, 2009, I was at work auditing charts at a physician’s office that was much further away from the launchpad than I would have been had I been home.  Again, it was a deep blue sky with only a few wispy clouds in it.  I had gotten my bigger DSLR camera by this time, but did not have a tripod, or if I had one, I certainly didn’t bring it to work. I ran outside quickly just to catch the shuttle launch as best I could.  I was, after all, on company time.  You can barely see the flames at the tip of the contrails, but it was still an awe-inspiring sight.

Shuttle Atlantis - May 11, 2009

I’ve taken photos of launches as I could over the years, but there never seemed to be any urgency, and if I didn’t get good photos, I just figured there’d be another one, and I’d get better photos “next time.”  Along the way, I have been befuddled by scratched launches, overcast skies that obscured my view from my trusted observation point on the cul-de-sac, uncooperative tripods, and my own brain totally forgetting about a launch on a gorgeous day right at the time when there is the very best light. You can be sure there were some choice words that came out of my mouth when my husband called to ask if I had gotten any good launch photos, and I realized that in the course of my everyday “busyness”, I had totally forgotten about it. Again, I fell back on my old mantra - “there will be another launch, I’ll get a good shot next time.”

As we approached the final shuttle launch, it began to sink in that there wasn’t going to be another launch, and there might be no “next time” to get a good photo.  My brain had known it all along, but the shuttle program has been such a big part of life down here in Central Florida that my heart just didn’t want to grasp the finality of it all until the bitter end.  My procrastination had led me to a point of no return.  Gotta get this photo or else.  Talk about pressure.  I wish I could say that the sky was blue, the sun was shining, I got a phenomenal photo and that it all ended up okay in the end, but it would be an outright lie.  It was a very cloudy day, and the sky was a total gray-out.  As a matter of fact, we all thought the launch was going to be canceled right up until the final seconds.  I went to New Smyrna Beach, and with my camera and very best lens perched upon my tripod, I waited with the rest of the world for this very special moment to happen.  I did get a photo, and you can actually see the capsule in this one.  The flames shooting out the back of the capsule look bright and hot, even through the haze of clouds, and the contrails are clearly there. It’s not the greatest photo in the world.  I’m not sure it’s even a “good” photo, though I did capture all that was visible that gray day.  But I was there, in person, actually seeing this historic event with my very own eyes, again knowing that something amazing was happening far above me up in the sky.  

Now that the shuttle program is done, it seems quieter down here.  The big focus that was directed toward the shuttle program has turned to other, smaller rockets being launched, and what’s next for the Space Coast.  I have mixed feelings about the end of the shuttle program.  It would be good to know that we have the means to keep the International Space Station (ISS) supplied, and a way to get our astronauts there and back, but it seems that that is something that could, and should be taken care of by the private sector now.  The technology is there.  I think the science and exploration should absolutely continue on the ISS. That’s why it was built in the first place, and I think valuable discoveries will come from it.  But I’d like to see us working towards the next big thing, uncharted territory, big discovery, whatever that may be.  Hopefully NASA will have vision and focus for the “next big thing” very soon.

As expected, life down here feels a little different to me now.  I will miss the shuttle launches, and will always pine for that “awesome picture” - you know, the one that got away.  I will especially miss the sonic booms that you hear upon the shuttle return.  Another thing that we Floridians are acutely aware of - feeling your house shake, hearing your windows rattle, thinking for a split second that an electrical transformer blew somewhere close by, and wondering why your power is still on - and then realizing that the shuttle just re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, and breathing a sigh of relief that your family member has made it safely back home.   But I will be forever grateful for the lesson in the “perils of procrastination.”  Never again will I think that there will always be a next time or another chance to get that photo, take that trip, contact that friend, or whatever the important task may be.  That “next time” may never come.  If I find the uncertainty of it all a bit disconcerting, I just stop and think about hurricanes…there will always be hurricanes.

My name is Gail.  This is my very first blog.  I’ve been trying to write it for about 4 days now.  I wanted to have a blog on my web site because I am easily inspired by the world around me, and wanted a place to share my musings with whomever might be interested. Now that I have this forum with which to share these profound thoughts of mine, I find that I’m at an utter loss for words! All you friends and people out there that know me can get up off the floor now and STOP LAUGHING!! I’ve never been one for brevity, but I’m seriously working on it. Since this is my blog, I really don’t have to worry about it. I hadn’t really thought of that before, but what a great thing! I think I know what’s causing this sudden lack of captivating thought and idea.  I have told a couple of musician friends to think back to the very first time they stepped onstage in front of a live audience. They’re not just jamming with some friends in the garage now, they’re putting it out there for the whole world to see and hoping that they’re good enough. Well, welcome to my world, because that’s where I’m at, both with my photos and my words.

 If you are reading this blog, then you’ve probably already been to my website; www.gailfinck.com. If not, you should go check it out. Humor me - I’m a nice person and it’s the right thing to do. It’s a photography web site at first glance. But it’s so much more than that to me. I’m fairly cerebral and very perceptive. I am also wild and extremely fun-loving. When my webmaster extraordinaire, Billy Floyd, and I first met to discuss my site, I knew that I wanted it to be not only a place for pictures, but someplace that I could share my musings, discuss my inspirations and aspirations, tell my story through pictures and words, and just…share my world. I have a lot of fun in life, and I want to share that with people.  But first, I’d like to introduce you to my site, and my thoughts behind the galleries.

Truthfully, if someone had told me last December about all that went into creating a website - how long it would take, the decisions to be made, the details to be figured out - I think I’d have been out of there like lightning. It’s probably best that all these things didn’t come to light until I’d already taken the plunge and it was too late. Honestly though, I’ve been thinking about doing this site for a while. I happen to be a very detail-oriented person, so, it wasn’t all that bad. Billy was wonderful about keeping me on track with the next thing, the next decision, the next detail. Of course, I made a point of being involved every step of the way. Apparently, that’s not the norm, but I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. It is, after all, MY website. My name is in big letters at the top. If I’m not making sure things are the way I want them, who is??? So, between the 2 of us -me, with many questions, anxieties, and perfectionist tendencies, and Billy, with wonderful skill, a fantastic attitude, and GREAT patience - a website was born. Sounds like it would be a nightmare, but actually, it was a match made in heaven. I will always be grateful to Billy for his talent and artistic vision, as well as his kindness and encouragement. All very important qualities when taking on a venture like this, or should I say, like ME.

I am a passionate person. When I do something, I do it with gusto. I love to travel, I love music, I love to go fun places and meet people, I love hanging out with my family and friends, and I LOVE to take photos. I often indulge the latter passion while engaging in all of the others, meaning, when I’m traveling, watching a great band, out at a fun event, or at a family function, I’m usually taking pictures. And usually, the people that are there with me, friends and strangers alike, all want to see the photos when all is said and done. I can’t tell you how many strangers have asked where they’d be able to see the photos I was taking at any given event. Until now, the answer was “you can’t!”  Unless I want to spend valuable time emailing photos to strangers, which I don’t. I also can’t begin to tell you how many disks of photos and emails with pictures I have sent to family and friends over the past few years, but the number is HIGH. My family and several of my friends have stopped bringing their cameras to events when they know I’m going to be there because they know that I’m going to take photos. So, it seemed logical to have a site that would allow me to share these photos, and my passions, with everyone. It allows me to indulge my creative side, while making it easy to share my photos with everyone and anyone that wants them. Sounds like a win/win to me.

My galleries are broken down into 5 different categories. The “portrait” photos are my most beautiful photos. They are from far off lands and my own back yard. Some are carefullly planned, and some are more spontaneous. You may find the same individual photos in other galleries, as they may be photos from a vacation or an event that turned out really great, and fall under one of the other categories. The next category is events. You’ll find photos of any fun event that I’ve been to in this section. The “Friends and Family” gallery is for my personal photos, and may contain password-protected galleries. This is the section that keeps me from having to make all of those disks and send all of those emails. It’s a great way to get everyone that was “there” to see the photos, and share them with other people as well. Share that password with your friends folks, the more people looking at photos, the merrier! The Travel section is a place for me to share my adventures. I LOVE to travel. Sometimes I’m with others, sometimes I’m alone. I’m never alone for long - there are just too many amazing people out there to meet, and they all have a story to tell. I would venture to guess that my blogs will include some travel writing. It’s something I truly enjoy, and as I said, it’s always an adventure. I ALWAYS have a good time. I view it as my own responsibility to make sure I have a good time, and I take it very seriously. Of course, enjoying meeting and chatting with people, being rather easily entertained and amused (a true blessing if you ask me), and my firm belief that life is short, and each day should be lived to the fullest all certainly help. Check out my photos of the Narrowboat cruise on the canals of England; one of our most unique and fun vacations. Just a warning, but no apologies - I can’t promise that I will be able to select my vacation photos without succumbing to the emotions that go along with the wonderful memories I have of a particular trip. When selecting my portfolio photos, I try very hard to ignore the emotions and memories, and look with a critical eye. I ask myself, “Self - would you like this photo, would it be interesting or captivating to you if you were just seeing it for the first time on someone else’s site, and had never been there before?” Basically, does the photo stand on its own merit, or only in conjunction with the memories that are attached to it? It’s sometimes hard to detach those memories from the photo. That’s why I have a separate “Travel” section. I envision this section to be the place for me to share my travels through my photos, captions, blog, and links.  Lastly, you’ll find my “Music” section. What can I say? It feeds my soul. Those of you that know me know how I feel about music. I have traveled great distances to hear good music, or see a great concert. I have made so many friends all over the world, and I mean SO many friends, because of my love of music, and that shared love with others. I am a HUGE Beatles fan, and have been for a very long time. I couldn’t even begin to tell you the profound effect my love of The Beatles has had on my life. That is a blog for a whole other day, and I already have some photos to go with it. I also have many friends in the music business, and it’s very important to me to support them, as well as the local talent in my own community. You’re going to see some bands and people you don’t know in the music section of the site. Keep an open mind, check them out. Some may have their own cds out, some may just be local entertainment. There was a point in time when nobody knew who The Beatles were - think about it. Your own personal “great music discovery” might be right around the corner.

In addition to this blog, there’s also a “links” tab at the top of my page. This will be for links to musicians and bands, other interesting web sites, any articles that I find interesting, perhaps pertaining to my photos (I’m just thinking of one now that would be a great link). And anything else that I find interesting and want to share. I’ll try very hard to keep the blog entertaining, once I get over my cold feet. This one was good for starters. It might be kind of dry, but it let me tell you about my site, and let me get my (cold) feet wet! Yuk - cold, wet feet. Sounds gross!! This might also be the place where I include some photos that may not be website worthy, but that are cool nonetheless, and would fit in well with whatever story I’m telling.

So, this is me and my site in a nutshell. I hope you will enjoy it. I’m sure it will continue to morph, as I see what direction I want to head in. There are many photos still to go up. It was incredibly time consuming to get a sufficient quantity of my photos uploaded and get the site ready to go. So, for those of you whom I have photographed within the past couple of months, please know that I have not forgotten you.  Your photos will be going onto the site, and things will be more timely once I have gotten caught up. Like I said in the beginning, if I had only known, I’d have bolted! I hope you enjoy my site. It is a labor of love, and I know I’m going to have a great time with it. Please feel free to leave comments, or contact me through the contact page if something inspires you or tickles your funny bone. I’d love to hear from you.  Thank you for visiting.