Homecoming Weekend

Speaking of Norman Rockwell, I spent the afternoon filming and photographing a real-life "Homecoming." Two soldiers returned to the Berkshires after being deployed abroad, and we held a grand ceremony at Norman Rockwell Museum. 

"The Homecoming," 1945, Norman Rockwell.
Oil on canvas, Private Collection.
©1945 SEPS: Curtis Publishing,
Indianapolis, IN.

Since Rockwell created so many patriotic illustrations during World War II (i.e. The Four Freedoms), our Museum seems perfectly suited to serve as the backdrop for such events. Rockwell's 1945 painting The Homecoming is on loan to the Museum for a short-time, and we tied the arrival of this artwork in with the already scheduled program. 

The Here at Home Committee, who planned the event, contacted CTSB-TV, where I do some video work, to see if there were any videographers free to film the event. Since I was already working the event, it made sense that I would film it for the station. This also gave me a chance to try out their Sony NXCAM HD camera again. In some respects, it's sort of like learning to ride a bike again, and I'm discovering all of the subtle nuances with a tapeless format and new camera controls. I'm sure I'll get there, but after juggling this HD video camera and the Museum's Canon EOS 60D digital still camera, I'm exhausted... this one-man band thing can get a little old sometimes. Anyway, hopefully I got some usable footage... I have the camera until Monday, so maybe I'll take it around for further testing over the weekend.

Right now I'm off to Old Songs, a yearly folk festival that has become a tradition for Sarah's family. It will be nice to unwind and listen to some live music, at the foot of the Altamont's mountain area... and not far from where our wedding will take place!