The day arrived. My oldest daughter was getting married. This story has nothing to do with riding. Well, almost nothing.
I did ride the Triumph Speed Triple to Portfolio in Boalsburg at 8am last Saturday morning to shoot a picture of her having her hair done before the 10:30am ceremony. It would be the only riding I would do that day but I suppose one has to make sacrifices for their children. And I earned the right to not be the photographer save for a few snapshots I made with a little point-and-wait camera. It was a nice day.
Time flies. Seems like yesterday that I held my little girl in a warm bath minutes after she was born. A few months ago she was being fitted for a wedding gown that languished in the store most likely because few women wanted or could wear such a long dress. It reminded me of Cinderella.
Hannah endured a few pictures while she and the stylist worked to figure out what to do. I didn’t stay for the entire session and would wait until later that morning to see the results.
The wedding took place in Eisenhower Chapel on the University Park campus of Penn State. Dwight D. Eisenhower laid the cornerstone of the chapel some time after he finished with World War II.
I photographed two weddings their myself back in the 1970s and it has remained largely unchanged to the casual observer. A Bosendorfer grand piano has replaced the more pedestrian one that was there in the 70s. I sat watching Hannah and Jason enter marriage in a simple, elegant ceremony. She has been and continues to be a source of pride. Don’t ever tell her I said that.
Hannah and Jason invited guests to have dinner at the Gamble Mill in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. It was perhaps the most pleasant and relaxed wedding I have ever attended which for me is saying a lot. I have to admit that I shy from social events. Aversion or phobia. Chose one. But this was fun. I caught my 3 Prints Project friend Gordon Harkins photographing them. Gordon was the official photographer.
The picture above is an impressionistic interpretation of the bridal couple.
Jason and Hannah paused to let me make a picture of them with the beautiful flowers that were at their ceremony. The only grumbling of the day came from me wishing I had a real camera and didn’t have to fiddle with my point and shoot at ISO 1600. I knew I would end up with a noisy image but I planned to tell everyone that the picture is an impressionistic interpretation of the bridal couple.
I only shot 200 pictures so I can’t show any more. These are the only ones that turned out. Unfortunately I can only photograph scooters or motorcycles. Hopefully Gordon’s pictures will turn out. I’ll have to drown my frustration with my pictures and the nostalgic chords being struck seeing my little girl married with a ride. I wish her grandparents could have been with her. Maybe they are.
Until then, congratulations Hannah and Jason. All the best wishes for a fine life together.
And you should think about ditching the mountain bikes and get scooters.
Steve, congratulations on your daughter’s wedding. I am a little disappointed in your photos (first time!) as I was expecting to see a picture of you in a CE armored Joe Rocket or AlpineStars tuxedo.
Anyway, may God bless your daughter and her new husband with decades of happiness.
Doug
Dear Steve:
Your daughter made a beautiful bride. Your son-in-law looks competent and confident enough to make a good husband; and smart enough to follow instructions in good natured silence. (These are the qualities of an uber husband — combining the traits of Beowulf and William Powell.)
The first former Mrs. Riepe, and the mother of my only daughter, once said to me, “Your child will only be five once.” She neglected to tell me how quickly that time would pass, and how I would miss it.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
I loved your pictures, as this last batch had a lot in common with the kind I generally take. I’d say your skills are improving.
steve, a beautiful tribute to a lovely daughter and a handsome couple. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed your photos.
Steve:
Congratulations on the addition of a new son-in-law and may they find true happiness. It’s amazing how time flies. At a blink of an eye they are children; then adults
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Reminds me of what my mom said when she saw our firtsborn “Tomorrow he’ll graduate from highschool”. Time does fly.
Seems a pretty good ISO1600 pic to me. What camera?
Yeah Steve, a big congratulation to you, your wife, and to the Bride and Groom. A splendid beginning for a wonderful future and may all your wishes come true. Get out and ride.
Phil
Hey Dad!
Congratulations Father of the Bride.
I shed a tear for you, Scooterman. What a beautiful wife and handsome husband.
Doug: I’m too shy and reserved for any wedding theatrics like that. Though I did once dress as Tampon Man at a bad dress Xmas party.
Thanks for your well wishes.
Jack Riepe: The time with children goes far too fast. My only hope now is for grandchildren…
emmceedee: Thank you for your kind words!
bobskoot: I feel fortunate not only for a new son-in-law but also for the fact that they live only two miles away. I think of how many people I know that have children living far, far away…
Richard: I used a Canon G9. The pictures are extremely noisy compared to what I shoot with the Nikon D700 which is virtually noiseless at the ISO setting.
I’m spoiled.
Pvino: I’ll take your advice and ride tomorrow morning. I have to help set lights for an Ag Progress Days exhibit so I can ride the Vespa to the site in the morning. I’ll ride the long way and try and take some pictures. I’ve sort of forgotten the Vespa the past couple weeks.
Tall ‘n Big68: Thanks!
Anonymous: I have a lot to be grateful for. No need to shed any tears.
Congrats to your daughter and freshly minted son-in-law (and you too)! May they have a wonderful life together.
I expect that I’ll be in your same spot of acquiring a son-in-law not too many years from now. And I know when I get out to do my Father’s dance with her, I will only be able to think of the time when she was about 2 or 3 years old and I held her in my arms as we swung around my friend’s dining room floor “dancing” to the tune of “Sooner or Later” by Alan Parsons. That is also the distinct image/memory that comes to my wife’s mind whenever she hears that song now too.
Just like that Street Triple zooming down the highway under a generous amount of throttle….Time Flies!
tochaman: It’s nice to have memories. Part of my obsession with photography and journaling is to hold on to as many as I can. And sort out what has happened. I made a video some years ago about memory and photography’s role in them. It’s posted on Scooter in the Sticks:
RIDING AND MEMORY.
Hannah and I didn’t dance to Alan Parsons but I do remember lifting her over my head when she was a toddler flying around the house calling out “Space Baby”. I seem to remember a cartooon of that name.
She would laugh and laugh. I did it until she got too heavy to lift safely in the air like that…
Steve, the statement about remembering when your daughter was little and you held her…really got to me. How do they grow up so fast?! I imagine you looking at her and seeing that little girl (a scene from the remake of Father of the Bride) in a grown up wedding dress. My daughter is 25. I don’t know how that happened…even as I celebrate…
I like the impressionist pic! It made you a father that day more than a photographer.
Many Congratulations to you and your family. Looks like it was a wonderful and beautiful event. With a possible wedding occurring in my family in a year or so, I am just hoping I can scrape up enough cash to help pay for it.
My best wishes to your daughter and her new husband, not to mention you and your wife as well.
Congratulations!
I can only echo the warm thoughts and well wishes already proffered by others. Despite that, I wanted to be sure to be present in the crowd!
My daughter is our oldest offspring. She is pregant with her first child and our first grandchild. The photographic skills you are inspiring me to reach for will come in handy.
Tonight I will hoist a beverage in a silent salute to you, Hannah and Jason, and to extended family.
Isn’t it funny how it works? Spreading love out over more people doesn’t dilute. It somehow makes it all that much stronger. May you and yours experience it to the full.
Beautiful, Steve! I’ll be doing the same in October with my elder daughter, and I’m nowhere near ready emotionally.
– Joe at Scootin’ da Valley
Sojourner rides: Memory is a powerful part of living. And for me so much of it is made up of images. For others I know it is aromas and fragrances and sounds. But I keep seeing things…
Evan: thanks!
irondad: The Web certainly makes it possible to create a community across great distances.
I appreciate your warm sentiments. And congratulations on the approach of geezerdom, I mean grandfatherdom. *grin*
I suppose the number of riding images will decline significantly!
Joe: My experience with the wedding was so smooth and easy that I wonder what all the fuss was about.
But then I have to remember that Hannah and Jason did all the heavy lifting and organizing so we could relax.
What nice kids!
Good luck in October!!
cpa3485: So many readers seem to have children getting married. Good luck to you and your family as the wedding approaches!