After The Rain

There is something about the time just after a rain when all things look as if you are seeing them they way they were meant to be seen.

Sweet Rides

Nothing like a well kept car, especially one that is 50 plus years old. I am always so intrigued by some of the work put into the engine compartments of these beautiful classics. I hope you enjoy my take.

Playing with the new camera

A few weeks ago I got my new camera in after quite a wait for it to be in stock. I even had to wait for two weeks for the extra battery to become available. I got a Canon 5D Mark II to go with my almost three year old original 5D. The 21.1 megapixels are a little taxing on the editing process, but i will put up with it for the extra data :)

I have shot two paying jobs with it so far and have really enjoyed it. I have two wedding in the next 5 weeks and the extra camera with different lenses attached will be so helpful. The images are probably no better than with the 5D, but the size and cropping options are incredible.

There is nothing special about these captures; they are just some fun testing of different lighting situations and processes. Hope you like something.

Engagement Shoot / Michael and Rebekah

I have been a little busy lately with multiple shoots and a lot of personal things to take care of, but here are few shots from Michael and Rebekah's engagement shoot. I have two weddings coming up in the next 6 or so weeks, and I just finished a portrait shoot yesterday. I will post some of those images when I can. The client bought the shoot as a gift and I must wait until after it is given so they don't accidentally see it.

BTW, I got my new camera a couple of weeks ago to supplement the arsenal. The new body is a Canon 5D Mark II. I used it this weekend on the job and just love the outcome. It's 21.1MP so my files have more than doubled in size. Lightroom coughed every now and then when doing extensive processing, even with a 4GB Ram Macbook Pro. It seems to be well worth the extra clock tics though.

More Maine

More examples of the beauty of the Maine Coast. On a couple of the days we had some heavy fog roll in off the ocean, and what I first seen as a problem turned into some interesting opportunities.

Maine Coast in Color

My main purpose in shooting the Maine Series was intended for Black and White long exposure as featured in earlier posts, but I did get some nice color images that I have been enjoying a lot more lately. I thought I would share a few occasionally as I had time. This is one of my favorites taken on a rainy day at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. It was very cloudy, but I still worked with a ND filter to get the waves to crash a few times and get that smooth surreal effect I have been doing for quite some time now; enjoying the challenge of capturing motion in a still frame. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Take the opportunity to click the image to get a closer look at the water effect and the mist that permeates the image.

Take a Drive

Sometimes you just get bored and need to hear the shutter release to calm the nerves. You never know what you will see; it does not have to be earth-shattering, but just look.

Storm of 2009

Starting last Monday we got 4 or 5 inches of snow followed Tuesday night by an inch of ice followed Wednesday morning by another 4 inches of snow. We missed three days of work and were in the house for days. Fortunately we had power which is more than I can say for 200,000 plus households in the area. As of this morning (Sunday) there were still more than 90,000 without power.

Gabriel

My grandson Gabriel is now 4 1/2 months old already. He has PaPa wrapped around his little finger. His dad and I sat around and tied flies for fishing this afternoon and I was fantasizing about the day I will get to teach him to fly fish. He looked so cute in his winter outfit and toboggan I just has to try to capture it. I have only taken about 800 pictures of him so far.....poor guy. Click this one for the full view; he's such a doll!

Another View

Here is another view from the same spot but filtered for a longer exposure and a more intimate view of the precipice.

Niagara Falls

Ever been to the falls? Its just a tourist trap now I know, but it really is an awesome display of nature's power. I shot this from the Canadian side this summer. I was happy we had some drama in the sky that day; it added some depth to this ever so often seen view.

Children of Africa

After looking at the dirty air and the harsh living conditions in Ghana and Nigeria I have shown, I thought I would show you one reason why these places have a way of endearing themselves to you so easily; and especially why they did me.

Children are children the world wide, but the children of Africa are special; no matter what their lives may be like, those smiles tell you they are still children and can enter your heart in an instant. Long after your trip is over those faces will be seared into your memory and your soul.

Legos Nigeria

Legos may be one of the most polluted and populated cities in the world, but there is something about it; I'll never forget that visit. Don't get me wrong, I would not suggest living there, but the people have a way of getting into your heart. I used a selective tilt shift technique here to give this image that almost toy city look. Like it?

The Gatekeeper

I was in Ghana, West Africa driving along a road when we turned into a driveway to speak with a man about the use of a truck the next day. We pulled up to the gate and the driver honked the horn prompting the gate to open moments later. After exiting the van I noticed the gate had been opened by a Muslim man working for the home owner. This face made me want to know everything about this man, the weathered skin, the kind eyes with more that a touch of mystery; I just wanted to sit and have him tell me about his life. A few minutes later we were pulling away after setting up the use of the truck for a video shoot the next day, so my fantasy interview was thwarted; but I did get a picture with his permission.

Assorted Inspiration

Sometimes a subject just jumps out at you, almost begging to be photographed; other times you must have your minds eye open, ready and willing to see what may normally go unnoticed.