back to the lake

We took my second to the same lake/park to get his pictures done yesterday. Being two years old, I didn't have my hopes up to high, but he did great! He'd stand where I told him to, wait for the flash, then run off as soon as it fired. I had to keep urging him back to the same spot for 'one more, just one more.' I'm just happy we got something. These are a few of my favorites.

This was greatness! I couldn't leave without posting this one. There was a play ground at the park that we visited once we finished pictures-it was Mom's idea to bury Aidan. We had a good time.

pinhole photography

What fascinates me the most with photography is that when you get right down to it, all it is is just a hole in a box. That's what makes a camera. I have recently re-kindled an old interest I had in making pinhole cameras out of old Altoids mint tins. The first trials I had were largely unsuccessful, but recently I rigged up a way to attached a roll of film-thread the film through the tin-into an empty film cartridge on the opposite end. It is kinda' hard to explain so I plan on posting photos of the actual pinhole camera I'm using in the future. But today I exposed a roll of film and this was my favorite from the bunch. Not the best subject matter, but I was just shooting a test roll to run it through and see if they even turned out. Now that I know it works, a whole new plane of alternative photography has opened up for me.

The photograph that's shown is largely untouched. I corrected the exposure just a bit in photoshop and then added the thick black sloppy border.

scenes from a backyard

The temperatures have been very spring-like lately, which means more time spent in the backyard; our little square of nature. This past Tuesday I took some of the family just doing their thing. Being a photographer, and being with my kids day in and out, some of the best shots I get are during these times. Their guard is down and I just simply play and snap a few when I can. I put this composite together for fun just for the blog.

snow top

Sorry I haven't posted anything new lately, but I haven't been shooting. I had a three day weekend-which is rare-so I decided to take it. For today I'll post one of my favorite images from my last trip to Louisiana. I'm working on a project documenting the people and places that exist in Livingston Parish, the Parish I grew up in. Eventually I'd like to see it in book form, but for now I simply keep busy making trips back home, and getting the images I want. It's an ongoing project I've given myself three years to finish, but I think I may extend my own deadline to four to five, simply so I get the opportunity to photograph everything, and everyone I want to. So, here's a sneek peek at one of the images from the project.

holy black jack bat-man!

This photograph deserves a caption of some kind. I thought of "Did I leave my costume on again?!" or "What would Superman do in this situation?" but I'm sure some of you could do better. Anyway, this is from a 'guys and dolls' dance (a.k.a. casino night) I was shooting this evening. The seniors at the high school dress in costume every year. So, actually, this felt less like work and more like entertainment. Tonight I photographed Sunny and Cher, Mrs. Piggy, the Ghostbusters, as well as Santa and Mrs. Clause. The costumes were great!

frost

The title pretty much says it all. It was 18 degrees this morning as me and my son sat in the car letting it warm up before he went to school. Frost covered the car in tiny little snow flake crystal patterns, I grabbed the camera and took a few from inside the car.

three brushes

I conjured these shots up while remodeling the studio. We finished painting the walls and the floor today, it looks like a completely different place! Anyway, I sharpened these a lot in photoshop to give it a hard, intense look, and added a bit of contrast. I wanted the brushes to look gritty and worn. Then I used a hasselblad film border (I know it's cheating, but it just looks so much cooler) on each photograph and then fused them together to make a compilation image. The result is a paintbrush portrait, complete with traces of sets, backdrops, and props that it has helped to create or maintain.

o brother-in-law, where art thou?

My brother-in-law contacted me a few weeks ago for some portraits. He said he was really just looking to take some updated pictures. I had other things in mind, and I think he got more than he bargained for. The session went really well though. I had a good time...the locations worked out great...and the rain held off one more day just for us.

just before dusk

I'm always looking around for a good photograph. Just a stroll from my front door is a park that extends through pretty much the whole neighborhood. I pass these trees often as I drive home from work. I've always wanted to photograph them and finally, one day, mustered up the initiative and did. I like to shoot a lot of my fine art photography on film. So this originally was captured on film, scanned, and uploaded onto my computer. I doctored it up in photoshop wanting to increase the mood of the photograph, and give it more of fine art or painterly look. It was almost sunset, but had I waited until actual sunset, I couldn't have captured the sun hitting the tops of the trees.

at the lake

Sorry it's been so long since a post, but my internet was down for a few days. I'm happy to post with some recent pictures of my son. The last time I did "professional portraits" was Easter...almost a year ago. These were taken on the edge of Lake Worth. I had forgotten about this park, but glad to have found it again. My favorite is the bottom one.

on the ol' plantation

I photographed bridals at the Houmas House, a plantation home in south Louisiana, this was actually the middle of last year. But, I'm currently updating and re-tooling my portfolio and have been processing images in photoshop for that vintage look of the old tintype photographs that you see in old books about the west. I am especially happy with how this picture turned out, taken on the porch of the old plantation.

running circles

Jennifer, a co-photographer, was running circles during our shoot today to stay warm. We were shooting a high school baseball team out on their field and it was about 32 degrees with a bit of a breeze blowing. I snapped these two after we had talked about how good a cup of hot chocolate would be!

snow day

It snowed today! But not for long, and it didn't stick...this picture was actually from early this year when it did. I didn't really get out and get a picture of it today, so I posted this one instead to mark the occasion.