Yellowstone

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to go to yellowstone and shoot some photos for my stock portfolios.  I got some really nice shots, and I wanted to share them here with you all.  Let me know what you think, and which are your favorites.  I love to get feedback on my photos.

Dustin and Morgans Wedding

Last weekend I had the opportunity to help out my good friend Nate Allred of Treasure Photography shoot a wedding in Utah.  The bride was absolutely beautiful, and the couple was so excited to be getting married.  Even the 100 degree plus weather didn't hamper the party. 

The bride had a beautiful boquet.

The flowers on the arch over which they were married.

Beautiful floating flower arrangements in the pool.

The bride and groom enjoy their wedding cake.

The KISS!!!!

After the reception, the bride and groom as well as the rest of the bridal party ended up in the pool.  Hope they get their deposits back on the tuxes.

Lincolns Birthday

I had the opportunity to shoot a birthday party down in San Diego for a friend of mine from high school.  It was his sons fourth birthday, and it was a superhero themed party.  All the kids got to make their own super hero capes, and had a great time.  Not a detail was overlooked, event he food had superhero names.   I had a great time, and got some great shots.  Let me know what you think of them.

Teen Identity Pledge

Teen Identity is a program put together by Atlanta Photo/Video team Tasra Wyatt Dawson and her husband/filmmaker Ron Dawson which is designed to give teen girls a positive, wholesome self image.  It is best said in their words:

Our Mission: Provide teen girls with a positive magazine that is uplifting, empowering and encouraging. A magazine that believes beauty isn’t all about appearance and looking sexy, but instead celebrates the true beauty in every teen girl.
Our Goal: Unleash the true beauty in teen girls by equipping and empowering them to find their voice, expand their vision, and achieve their dreams. 

Our company has taken the Teen Identity Photographers Pledge, promising to uphold the ethics and mission of this great organization.

TEEN IDENTITY PHOTOGRAPHERS PLEDGE

As a Teen Identity network photographer/filmmaker, I agree to uphold and promote these ideals:

1. I will provide a photo/video session experience with teen girl clients designed to elevate their self esteem, make them feel beautiful and empowered.
2. Any photos and videos I (or my studio) create portraying teen girls will be done without over-sexualizing the subject. Photos and videos will be created tastefully, preserving the “innocence” of youth, yet at the same time striving to reveal the true personalities of our subjects.
3. Each year I (or my studio) will donate whatever time I can afford towards a Teen Identity approved organization or project designed to raise self-esteem in teen girls, empower teen girls, or address some issue of social injustice facing teen girls. This may include, but is not limited to, pro bono photo sessions for teen girls in economically depressed neighborhoods; teaching photography and/or video workshops on behalf of Teen Identity; acting as a photography/video coach for teen girls in my local neighborhood.

This video was made by Ron Dawson, and illustrates a major problem which often goes unspoken in our society.  It is a vivid and disturbing look at a grim reality.  But hopefully by raising awareness we can bring an end to this.  

Abram 45th Wedding Anniversary

This weekend I had an absolute blast shooting the 45th anniversary of Richard and Velma Abram.  The entire evening was a wonderfully fun party, and they graciously welcomed me into their family to share this most special occasion with them.  We began the evening at their home shooting some family portraits.  It had been such a long time since they had a family picture taken, that their youngest of nine children had not even been born.  This was the first picture with the entire family.  We then shot a three generation family picture with all the kids and grand kids.  We then moved to the Country Club where the reception took place.  Family and friends from across the country had gathered to share in this day with them, and it was a celebration not to be forgotten.  There were songs, games,  lots of laughs, and even a few tears shed.

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this celebration.  It was a day I will not soon forget.

 One of their beautiful granddaughters singing for them.

And there was dancing!  Lots of dancing!

Even the little ones got out on the floor

A beautiful cake which tasted as good as it looks.

More of those wonderful grandkids.

Their son served as emcee for the evening.  He was VERY entertaining.

What a handsome man,

and his beautiful bride.

California Senior Games

For the past week I have been down in Carlsbad CA shooting the pickleball event for the California Senior Games.  Now if you are like me, you are asking yourself "what is pickleball?"  It is a game played with a wooden paddle and a wiffle ball, on a miniature tennis court.  It is a fast paced and exciting game.  I had never heard of it until I was asked to shoot it, but after spending the week shooting the tournament, I am inclined to get a couple of paddles for my wife and I, and find some local teams.  I had a great time meeting the players, and spending the week in beautiful Carlsbad.   On Tuesday night, Carrie came down and we went to dinner at the harbor in Oceanside.  I had some fish and chips and watched a sea lion swimming beneath us in the harbor.  It was a great week, and a fun event.  Enjoy some of the photos from the event.

Jerry and Jackies Wedding Day

I got a last minute call last Friday, to shoot a wedding in Norco the following Saturday.  I had the day free, so I took the opportunity, and had an absolutely wonderful time.  Jackie was absolutely beautiful, and a little nervous, before the ceremony, but once she came down the aisle, she was beaming.  Jerry on the other hand was playing it cool the entire day, however I  could tell he was as proud as can be to have Jackie as his wife.  They had the ceremony in Jerrys uncles back yard, which was along side the golf course.  It was a picture perfect location, and a perfect California spring day.  It was a beautiful service by pastor Adrian Pressley of Campus Hill Church, followed by a wonderful Bar-B-Q dinner by Creative Events by Glenn .  Once the sun set, the weather turned a little cold, but dancing on the patio and a delicious Caribbean rum cake made by Jerry's aunt helped warm everyone up.  By the end of the day, my spirit was lifted, my belly was filled, and my heart was full of love from my new friends.  Thank you Jerry and Jackie, for inviting me into your family to share this wonderful day with you.

The centerpiece vases, lit from behind by a strobe.

The beautiful bride.

This is the one and only picture of the cake topper.  Seconds after being placed atop the cake, the wind blew it off, shattering it into pieces.  Glad I was there when they put it on!

The beautiful centerpieces made by their family.

Orchids

My wife got some orchids for Mothers day from her Grandma, and they have been sitting here in the house tempting me for long enough.  Well, this evening I had a little spare time and decided to shoot them. 



Here's how I shot them:   I used a single 75watt flourescent (equal to 300 watts on a regular bulb) bare bulb light to camera left.  The flowers were about 5 feet from a black backdrop.  I shot it with a 70-200 f/2.8 lens zoomed out to 200mm, at f/11 and an exposure of 1 second.  I then imported it into lightroom, turned it to a black and white, then used greyscale mix to get the right look.  I then added a little vignette, sharpened, and adjusted contrast. 

It is one of my personal favorites, and I hope you like it too.

One a day Challenge #34 and #35

The first image here is part of a project I was shooting for my mom.  She was needing some pictures of womens hands.  I shot this one of my wifes grandmother.  I wanted the contrasty black and white with grain, so I shot it at ISO 3200  and an aperture of f2.8 for a shallow depth of field.

The next one isn't very artistic, or even very interesting, but it has already made me money.  I shot a series of these letters for stock work, I had them approved this morning, and already sold three of them.  So there is obviously a market for these photos.  There are lots of things out there people need a picture of, which aren't the classic portraits, or even very glamorous, but it provides a source of revenue for someone willing to shoot them.

One a day challenge #33 Happy Mothers Day.

I couldn't think of a better photo for mothers day than a beautiful purple lilly.  Although it looks like I may have photoshopped this image, the bokeh in the picture is straight out of camera.  For the non photographers, bokeh is the soft out of focus background area.

I did bring it into adobe lightroom and increase the vibrance, and a little clarity, but other than that, it is straight out of camera like this.

My wife decorated the master bedroom in purple, so I shot this image to match.  I am giving her a framed print to hang in the room.  I hope she has a great mothers day.  I got up and made her scrambled eggs, bacon, and my cajun hash browns for breakfast.  Next we are headed to church with her mother, then dinner.  I sent my mom a nice little something, but I am afraid the mail man didn't get it to her.  Great!!!  Maybe she can celebrate Mothers Day on Monday.  I sent my son something to give to his mother, and it didn't arrive either.  I guess you shouldn't expect too much for only 44¢ in postage.

Happy Mothers day to all the Mothers in my life!!!