Day Three is in the books. What an amazing day it was…

Rain falls on the people as they wander and 

remember those that were fallen during the 9-11 attacks.

 September 11 Memorial and Museum, Lower Manhattan, 

New York City, October 4, 2014.

(Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Digital Photography Blog.)

Editor's note: The second-year Lambton College Digital Photography students are on a five-day work study visit to New York City.  Follow our daily blog about the adventure.  Each day two students will share their thoughts on the experience.  Please join us as we experience New York City.

By Jessica Dillon and Lorraine Kraayenbrink

The morning was a wet rainy one, but it set 
the mood for our first and most memorable experience for me of the trip thus far.  The dreary rain added to the somber and life-altering encounter ground zero and the 9/11 Memorial gave us.  Even though the majority of us were too young to remember this tragedy or understand it fully, it hit close to home for me, Jessica Dillon.  As a firefighter on the Chatham-Kent fire Department, Station 14 in Erieau, I fully understand.  Seeing again how the events of that day played out was emotional to say the least.  Not just the people who were there first hand, but also an entire world will forever remember these happenings.


But that was not the tone of the entire day.  Just as the rain set the mood in the morning, soon the clouds broke and the sun shone through and we continued on our epic journey.

New York City is not new to me.  Having visited before, I have had a taste of what this metropolis offers.  It is never enough.  Just as I found the first time, there is ever-changing scenery as the busy pace is still eminent.  There have been new memories that have been created as I experience them for the first time with an amazing group of people.


Visiting the city now, as a photographer and not just a tourist, we really begin to see more of what this city is and watch it flourish.  We notice details that were not as important before.  Art is everywhere, from the largest building to the smallest detail.  It is inspiring to say the least. Everywhere we look there are shapes and lines, all going somewhere, drawing us in and around the entire city and surrounding boroughs.  As we trek on through New York City, we see just the effect it has on all of us.  Not much time goes by before one of us is lining up a shot to capture it with our camera and burning that second copy to our minds forever.

No matter where we have been or where we are going next, a park, church, historic building, skyscraper, tourist attraction, it will always be different.  This program has encouraged us all to look outside of the box, look beyond the ordinary and see deeper into the beauty and culture that is around us everyday.  New York City has put our senses on overdrive and made seeing the beauty in the details easier.

Names and notes were written on the I beam to thank and remember those who risked and lost their lives to help the victims of 9,11.  September 11 Memorial and Museum, Lower Manhattan, New York City, October 4,2014 (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

Rain drops surround the truck name Ladder four to remember those who lost their lives during the rescue of the 9-11 attacks, September 11 Memorial and Museum, Lower Manhattan, New York City, October 4,2014 (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

A rose is placed near the name of each victim, on their birthday date to remember. September 11 Memorial and Museum, Lower Manhattan, New York City, Oct 4,2014, (Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Lambton Digital Photography Blog)

The Freedom tower left illuminates the sky as we searched for our directions to the Hotel.  Lower Manhattan, New York City, October 4, 2014, (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

The Beautiful Architecture found in the National Museum of the American Indian is depicted in this photograph taken of the staircase.  New York City, October, 4, 2014, (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

A section of the Brooklyn bridge frames the Statue of Liberty during the sunset.  New York City, October 4, 2014, (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

The lines of the cables on the Brooklyn Bridge reflects the beauty of the bridge’s architecture, New York City, October 4, 2014, (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)

The setting sun’s glow on the Brooklyn Bridge highlight its beautiful architecture.  Lower Manhattan, New York City, October 4, 2014, (Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Digital Photography Blog)

The sun’s glow on the Empire State building as viewed from the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, October 4, 2014, Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Digital Photography Blog

The architecture of this door is portrays the beauty that is found through the interior of the church.  St Pauls church, Lower Manhattan, New York City, October 4, 2014, (Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Digital Photography Blog)

A family comes to pray and reflect at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Lower Manhattan, October 4,2013, (Lorraine Kraayenbrink, Digital Photography Blog)

The Moon shines as we walk to our dinner in New York City, October, 4, 2014.  Photographed through a telescope set up by an astronomer on the street for passers by to have a look. (Jessica Dillon, Digital Photography Blog)