Say cheese!
You hear the phrase a lot when you spend time with David, a resident at Gabriel Homes.
For decades, David has been an archivist of his travels with his photography. David has photographed hiking trails, campsites, coasts, and monuments with his phone or camera.
“My interest in photography started on its own,” says David. “I started by taking still photos of nature, and then I took family photos. I used to care about how people looked in the photo, but now I care more about them smiling.”
Among the thousands of photos he’s taken, here David's five favorite photos:
1. Disney World and Universal Studios
Many of David’s favorite photos date to the 1990s. For trips like Disney, David also keeps the old tickets from theme parks. Photos and keepsakes form time capsules of his trips in his photobooks. David’s photos preserve older Disney landmarks, like Snow White’s Scary Adventures, before new rides took their place.
2. Mount Vernon
David’s most treasured family photos show him and the group at the historic home of George Washington. Before taking family photos, David often arranges everyone to frame the shot. The result is a collection of some of his favorite family memories.
“George and Martha Washington were buried at Mount Vernon, so I put a flag by his grave. I put a flag at every president’s tomb to pay my respects to them.”
3. The M.S. Chi-Cheemaun
David rode the Ontario-based ferry over 20 years ago and took a picture of the ship to remember it. The ferry travels along Lake Huron on a two-hour route and stops at small towns along the way. On the ship, David said his favorite part of the voyage was looking out at the horizon.
The name Chi-Cheemaun translates to “big canoe” in the indigenous language Ojibwe.
“The boat looks much different than when I went,” said David. “There’s now a painting on the front of the shape done by Native Canadians. I’d like to see the artwork one day.”
4. Childhood Landmarks
Photography is also how David preserves family history. For those who have passed away, David’s pictures keep family stories alive.
“My grandfather Edgar built these steps,” said David. “We wanted his work to survive, so we renovated the steps by adding flat rocks to the ends of them. Getting inside the house was easier afterward.”
5. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Of all the sights David has captured, lighthouses are by far his favorite subject. A shot of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest base-to-tip lighthouse in the country, is framed for all to see at home. David says the 200-year-old beacon is still going strong as ever today after surviving its move from the Outer Banks coast.
“The sea was going to wash away Cape Hatteras if it wasn’t moved in time,” David said. “The lighthouse is now a quarter mile from the shore, and I still try to see it whenever my family and I visit the Outer Banks.”