What is it with Chuck Miller and shooting from the roof??

Maybe it’s just my attempting a new perspective, a new angle, a new tilt with my camera gear.

Which would kind of explain why I’m precariously hanging off a roof in the Town and Village of Green Island.

Let me explain.

Yesterday, the Town and Village held its Memorial Day Parade, which coincided with the newly-dedicated memorial at the Legnard-Curtin American Legion Post 927. It’s a very beautiful and serene monument, and it honors those Green Islanders who gave the ultimate sacrifice in times of battle.

And first off, it was a very nice parade. The kind of parade you’d enjoy in small-town America. Marching band, Scottish pipe and drums, the local Little League teams, the local Heatly School students, various dignitaries, the whole nine yards.

Okay, now I need some place to really set up for the ceremony. Unfortunately, the reviewing stand was on the western side of the street, meaning anything in my camera’s viewfinder would be blown out by the sun.

Well, it’s too late to do anything about it now …

Hey, wait. What are those people doing on the roof? Why are they brandishing rifles?

I asked one of the Legionaires what’s up. “They’re going to use their rifles and salute when the monument is dedicated.”

Chuck, whatever you’re about to say … remember, you’ve got two diabetic feet and you’re 58 years old and if God had wanted you to go on a roof, he would have given you the proportionate powers of a radioactive spider.

“Is there a way I can get up there and photograph them as they’re offering the salute?” I said as quick as I could.

The man quickly ushered me into the Legion hall. “Go up those stairs. And watch your step.”

I did as was told.

There I was. On the roof with five American Legion sharpshooters. After a quick conversation, I discovered they would offer a three-gun salute upon the dedication of the monument. So long as I was not in their direct line of sight, or being distracting or dangerous in any way, they would let me take their photo.

I carefully leaned along the edge of the roof. This way, I could stay out of their direct line of fire AND get a shot of all five marksmen.

Ready. Aim. Fire. Shots went off. Dang those shots are loud. They reloaded their rifles and shot again. And did it one more time after that.

The six of us then left the roof. I quickly chimped my camera to see if I picked up some good shots. By the way, in photographer slang, “chimping” is when you quickly glance at your digital camera’s screen to see if you got the shot, and if you did, you normally go “ooh, ooh, ooh,” as if you were a babboon. Or Arnold Horshak.

Okay. Went home. Uploaded some of the photos to the Green Island community Facebook page.

Then I checked the shots from the riflemen.

Especially shot CTW-4863.

I got the shot … but did I get more than the shot?

Quick. Process this photo.

And when I finished processing this photo …

Oh my God I got muzzle flash! I GOT MUZZLE FLASH!!!!

Quick, Chuck. Save this photo. Short pile. Let’s consider this.

And this was taken on the roof of Legnard-Curtin American Legion Post 927 in Green Island. On the roof. On the freakin’ roof. One wrong step, and that Memorial Day monument would have had a 6’1″, 215-pound addition to it.

Yeah, I’m keeping this one for Competition Season. Most definitely.

Oh, and if I ever get the temptation to climb a roof to take a photo again …

You have until the count of five to stop me.

And I’m starting the count at four. 😀