Pride of Baltimore II at the Francis Scott Key Bridge

A nautical scene shot from the seawall at Fort McHenry

The historical replica ship, the Pride of Baltimore II, is seen under sail at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The location of Pride II is close to where Francis Scott Key, the lawyer, was held captive on a British Ship during the Battle of Baltimore of September 12-14, 1814, one of the culminating battles of the War of 1812.

Pride of Baltimore II

It was in the morning of the last day following the night of bombardment when Key say the American Flag flying in the dawn’s early light. He then penned the words of the poem that would later become our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.

The American Flag Flying over Fort McHenry

Link to Fort McHenry Gallery: https://uspictures.com/collections/fort+mchenry

Jigsaw Puzzles by Independent Artists

Photographs by Bill Swartwout are now available on Jigsaw Puzzles.

These premium jigsaw puzzles are available in two different sizes: 18″ x 24″ (500 pieces) and 20″ x 28″ (1,000 pieces).   Each puzzle is made from premium 0.200″ thick card stock and includes a custom-designed box containing the puzzle with artwork by Bill Swartwout Photography.

Jigsaw Puzzles by Bill Swartwout Photography
More than 700 Jigsaw Designs with images by Bill Swartwout Photography.
Representative Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces to Illustrate the High Quality of the Product

Challenge yourself and your brain with a jigsaw puzzle designed with imagery by Bill Swartwout Photography. These puzzles are made from premium 0.2″ thick paper stock and include a semi-gloss coating on the top surface to make the image really stand out. The puzzles are available in two different sizes and piece counts: 500 pieces at 24″x18″ and 1000 pieces at 28″x20″. The puzzle pieces are unique and contained in a sturdy puzzle box with the image printed on the top. Care instructions include keeping the puzzle in the box when you are not “puzzling” and store it at room temperature.

Jigsaw Puzzle of the Indian River Bridge at Twilight
Jigsaw Puzzle of a Crowded Beach at Ocean City, Maryland

These are produced and fulfilled by Fine Art America/Pixels and have a 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee. In addition to the 700+ offered by Bill Swartwout Photography there are over a million designs by created by other independent artists. CLICK HERE to get started.

Jigsaw Puzzle of French Fries Not Judging You
This puzzle design always evokes a laugh.

World’s Largest Bat at Louisville Slugger Factory

The World’s Biggest Bat! Made of steel, this bat weighs 68,000 pounds and stands 120-feet tall, towering over the 5-story Louisville Slugger building in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. I was there with three friends on our annual minor league baseball trip. One of the highlights of this trip was our visit to the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum in July, 2014.

World's Largest Bat at the Louisville Slugger Factory and MuseumLouisville Slugger is likely the most well-known brand in all of baseball land. They have been manufacturing bats for 140 (or so) years and supply bats to players on every major league team. The factory tour was fascinating and I had the opportunity to capture some interesting photographs.

The iconic bat at the entrance to the factory and museum is a scale replica of the 34″ bat used by Babe Ruth, himself. However, as good as The Bambino was, I doubt he would be able to swing this bat – that would be more of a feat for the likes of Paul Bunyan. 🙂

To see more of my photography visit BillSwartwoutPhotography. com