USA Photo Safari Magazine

03/28/2019

My first national photography award:

01/15/2019

Are you stuck between “I need to save money” and “you only live once”? If so, take a look at this 12-day itinerary and guess my total cost, including subway, commuter rail, gas for my car (driving from Weymouth to the T in Quincy and back) and admission fees.

#1- Handel & Haydn Society concert at Boston Symphony Hall (Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, Haydn’s Symphonie No. 99, Haydn’s Mass “Harmoniemesse”)

#2- Harvard Natural History Museum in Cambridge, followed by panel discussion on Feminist Economics at Knafel Center, Radcliffe Institute

#3- New England Philharmonic concert at Tsai Center, Boston University (Bruckner’s Symphony #3 in D Minor; Melinda Wagner’s Proceed, Moon; Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos & Orchestra)

#4- Handel & Haydn Society concert at Boston Symphony Hall
(Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5)

#5- Weekend commuter rail (Weymouth-Boston-Salem-Boston-Weymouth) and Peabody Essex Museum in Salem

#6- Weekend commuter rail (Weymouth-Boston-Rockport-Boston-Weymouth) self-guided photo safari in Rockport, including Motif #1

#7- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, followed by Mass. Historical Society reception and Visual Culture of Suffrage exhibition lecture

#8- Handel & Haydn Society concert at Boston Symphony Hall
(Mozart’s Requiem)

#9- Arnold Arboretum and Forest Hills Cemetery
#10- Weekend commuter rail (Weymouth-Boston-Wellesley Square-Boston-Weymouth) and Mass Horticultural Soc. Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley

#11- Weekend commuter rail (Weymouth-Boston-Lincoln-Boston-Weymouth) and Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm in Lincoln

#12- Adams National Historical Park in Quincy – tour of birthplaces and Peacefield

Even if you can’t replicate my exact itinerary at my price, you can do something similar. Check out the free concerts offered at New England Conservatory and Boston Conservatory. And if you haven’t been to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, for a long time, go on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 9:45 pm, when admission is free. And go to your local library for discount admission at local museums. And if you're 65 or older, get your senior citizen T pass to save money.

Arnold Arboretum photo by Valerie A. Russo

12/11/2017

You may remember the March 11, 2017 program at Tufts Library in Weymouth, “Protecting Our Past: Women in Historic Preservation,” a panel discussion moderated by Michelle Coughlin, Abigail Adams Historical Society board member.
During this program, one of the panelists (Erica Lindamood) told us about Mary Hemenway, who helped save Old South Meeting House in Boston from demolition. Among Mary Hemenway’s other philanthropic endeavors was financial support for the first archeological research in the southwest.
In November, I visited Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, where an ancient Puebloan cliff dwelling was named “Hemenway House” to honor Mary Hemenway’s contribution.
The high plateau known as Mesa Verde is famous for its ancient Puebloan dwellings built into the sides of the cliffs -- such as Hemenway House, Spruce Tree House, Square Tower House and Cliff Palace. But this national park also has ancient Puebloan dwellings built on the flat surface of the mesa -- such as Coyote Village and Far View.
Photos by Valerie A. Russo

10/07/2017

Check out the Mass. Coast Guide Online. I have seven photos published in it, with more to come.

Massachusetts Coast Guide Online includes more than 1,800 sites along the Massachusetts coast that are owned by government agencies and nonprofits and open to the public—from long, sandy beaches and rocky shores to small rights-of-way.

10/03/2017

Sept. 30, 2017: The Society of Arts + Crafts organized a visit to the South End studio of Liz Shepherd to learn about 3 of the 5 types of print-making - intaglio (etching), relief and stencil (silkscreen). The other two, which we did not see, are planographic (monoprint or monotype) and lithographic (using stone). Photos by Valerie A. Russo.

09/28/2017

Sept. 23, 2017: Smithsonian magazine museum day live, when free admission is offered at a variety of museums. I visited two museums in Milton, Mass. - the Capt. Robert Bennet Forbes House and the Eustis estate. Photos by Valerie A. Russo.

09/19/2017

Sept. 19, 2017: A web of diamonds. Photo by Valerie A. Russo. I used this photo to create the following designs:

09/09/2017

New Haven, a Seasons magazine, has launched! Go to the website and read my two articles (plus great articles by other writers) at https://www.newhavenmag.com/
And, enter the contest for a chance to win a $100 Disney gift certificate (must be age 18+ to enter the contest).

08/16/2017

Aug. 9, 2017: Umbrella Girl, Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor. Photo by Valerie A. Russo, using Snapheal photo editing software.

08/07/2017

Why publish someone else's memes when you can create and publish your own original memes, with your photos?

07/30/2017

July 29, 2017: Wildflowers, Bare Cove Park. Photos by Valerie A. Russo.

07/30/2017

July 29, 2017: Pollinator on sweet pea, Bare Cove Park, Hingham. Photo by Valerie A. Russo.