Lisa Cirincione, APSA, PPSA, AFIAP  

Gates of Time by Lisa Cirincione, APSA, PPSA, AFIAP

November 2026 - Gates of Time

About the Image(s)

This photo is from a trip to Oklahoma City, in April 2024. We were able to visit the site of the Oklahoma City bombing. It is a very sobering monument. This photo is of one of the Gates of Time, 9:01 am. The other gate is 9:03 am. Those time frame the time of the bombing, which was 9:03 am.

I would think this would be a good subject for Photo Travel. This was on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, taken at 9:06 pm. 1/15 sec, f/2.8, 3200 ISO for the low-light conditions.

Memorial
The Oklahoma City National Memorial in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, serves as a site of reflection and education honoring the victims, survivors, and rescuers affected by the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. Located on the site where the federal building once stood, the memorial includes an outdoor space open to the public year-round and an interactive museum that details the history and aftermath of the tragedy.

5 comments posted

Zhicai Ren   Zhicai Ren
This should be the biggest terrorist attack before 9/11. Are there two such doors at the outdoor scene? Symmetrical composition, reflection, and characters are the finishing touch.   Posted: 11/12/2026 07:42:43
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
Yes, there is another gate with the time of 9:03, with a reflecting pool the entire length of the footprint of the building.
The caption should say the time was 9:02 that the bomb went off.

The Gates of Time: monumental twin bronze gates frame the moment of destruction - 9:02 - and mark the formal entrances to the Outdoor Memorial. 9:01, found on the eastern gate, represents the last moments of peace, while its opposite on the western gate, 9:03, represents the first moments of recovery. Both time stamps are inscribed on the interior of the monument, facing each other and the Reflecting Pool.   Posted: 11/13/2026 20:44:30
Carolyn Todd-Larson   Carolyn Todd-Larson
(Group 5)
I applaud you for going there at night to capture this. The morning view of this memorial is not nearly as dramatic especially with the lights shimmering in the water. Nice work. I do think this should do well in photo travel.   Posted: 11/13/2026 20:40:32
Lisa Cirincione   Lisa Cirincione
Since it is a short walk from the hotel we were at in OKC, it was easy to get there at night. I went a few times, and spent a day in the actual museum. It was fascinating and sobering. I remember that awful day…   Posted: 11/13/2026 20:45:42
Jen Fawkes   Jen Fawkes
This is wonderful Lisa, both from creating something original by visiting at night, but also in the way you have composed and framed the image. Without your explanation I probably don't understand the location, but I can see it's a special place. I love the cental figure that adds scale to the image as well as the contrasting reflection.   Posted: 11/14/2026 23:40:11

 

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