Moment

Current Reading: South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
Current Music: Life in Slow Motion by David Gray
Mood: Cheerful
Smells: Odorless but I will be making coffee soon.
Sounds: Silence
Temperature: 85 degrees w/ thunderstorms
Thoughts: I lost a pair of pants in my own home?????

2 ½ yr Old & Cloning

Cloning – What happened to the idea of cloning humans???

If I had the power to clone, I would clone my 2 ½ year old daughter and keep a cloned version of her with me at all times. Two and half is the age of angels, just old enough to talk but not old enough to ask questions that I can’t answer. Old enough to enjoy running around all day and still young enough to go to bed early. At 2 ½ the biggest horror in her life is that we run out of bananas and the greatest joy is hugging her Daddy. That’s me…Daddy. I am sure hugging mommy is also of great joy but mommy is not writing this so I get to be the greatest joy of my daughter’s life.

I see cloning as a win-win. My daughter, the non-cloned version, gets to grow up and have a fulfilling life packed with all the glory and splendors that life has to offer. I get to keep a 2 ½ year old angel with me at all times for the rest of my life that is left on this planet.

Photography & Authenticate Time

(Before reading: Click on the photo to view an enlargment)

Photography documents authenticate time. Human, by default, cannot see time. We experience instant after instant that when stitched together we call the ever-present moment of now. Time is an abstract perception, a judgment of how we relate split seconds of now. The above photograph is 15 seconds of time. It’s impossible for a human to have the understanding, the physical and visual experiences of what this photograph is showing. The human eye, by construction, is ever-changing to fit the environment. The camera has an omnipresent eye. Photographs may be the only way to understand a poetic version of how God may see the universal present moment of now.

Recommendation

- Check out this new blog for some Insanely Useful Photography Tips.
Radiant Lite Photography
Beginner to Intermediate Guide for Digital Photography

Saturday Night

Photos taken at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Photographed an event there this past Saturday night, wonderful space.

Photo of the Week

Camera: Nikon D70s
Exposure: 2 sec (2)
Aperture: f/10
Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

Marcela + Adam {married}

I loved photographing these two! Adam totally adores his bride and Marcela is so lovely in so many ways. It was exciting to me that they were cool with all of my location ideas. Check out how many kids where in the wedding party! There were 15 and they were all so well behaved. They also all made it down the aisle! Congratulations again Marcela and Adam and thanks for having us at your wedding.

my girls {up at the cabin}

My husband's family has a cabin up north and we get up there once or twice a year. It is always nice to take a break and just spend time with my girls and husband. I haven't taken photos of the girls lately so I made it a goal to do so when we were there. Nora was so cute when she found the bubbles.It is fun to see Sara get so independent now that she is 5 years old. She spent so much time in the water just hanging out on the inner tube. I really love the ages my girls are at. They are still babies, but so independent too. They don't need me to do everything for them anymore.After time in the lake they cleaned up. Sara wants to be just like mommy so she asks me to wrap her hair up after she is clean. These photos just make my heart melt. What a beautiful face. Nora, however was a bit of a different story. I love capturing my kids' fits; it just makes me laugh. Little miss independent didn't want any help getting her pjs on and then of course once they were on she was daddy's little girl. I love seeing how small she is to my husband; if makes him look even more like a protector.

Plants, Meditating and Journaling

Plants can eat light, fish can breathe water. I can meditate and write in this journal.

If a day goes by that I do not meditate or write down my thoughts, I can feel the difference. Comparable to a day that you choose to skip hygiene, you just feel it. You may not have odor or look unkempt, but the feeling of “not doing” stays with you.

Meditating and journaling do not make you a better person. No more than showering makes you acceptable in public. But they are real to me. Time spent writing and time spent sitting on a mat are as real to me as hygiene, food preparation, household cleaning, walking and love.

In life first we strive to achieve, then we struggle to deconstruct to the simple. Through meditation and journaling I am awake, aware and conscious of this process.

I've been published.... again!!!!!

Front page at www.wedfog.com!!!

I have some great news to share with you!!! I have some recent publications featuring my work and my advice.

Here are some links to some articles I wrote for WedFog a wonderful online resource for brides and grooms...

What is a proof? What are the advantages to online proofing?

What are some of the latest trends emerging in wedding photography?



I was also recently featured in Luxury Living magazine, the Appleton Post Crescent, the Green Bay Press Gazette and in the latest edition of Wisconsin Bride Magazine!

Next Year's Photography Project

I am starting to think about next year's photography project. The current themes that have been going through my head are:

- Obscure portraits (see this)
- Pittsburgh at sunrise
- Motion & stillness (see this)
- Abandonment architecture

My gut is pushing me towards the abandonment subject matter. Pittsburgh is a town that is half a ghost town and half a town of resurrection.

The previous works have been "City Night" photography and "Ambient Art" photography, both topics I could easily stay with. My ambient portfolio is not completed as of yet. I still have the autumn season to document. Further, I have enjoyed the idea of removing the subject from a photo (the storytelling aspect) and leaving the viewer to have more of a visual experience when considering the work (see this). Photographing rock images has also been calling me but I feel it would be too similar to the ambient.

What’s your pick?

Moment

Current Reading: The Man Who Forgot How to Read by Howard Engel
Current Music: Shine by Joni Mitchell
Mood: Wide awake
Smells: Apple and Oranges
Sounds: Back ground conversation
Temperature: 74 degrees and humid
Thoughts: Never, ever pay someone in full before the job is completed, never.

Engaged! :: Slideshow

Jessica and Jerrod engagement session...

I'm trying out some new code to post a slideshow here on my blog...

here goes!!!!!!


View Slideshow



Enjoy.

Sarah + Dax {bridal session}

Sarah and Dax got married a few weekends ago and my friend Melissa Louise photographed their wedding. Melissa invited me to the "trash the dress" session that next Monday. We had so much fun doing all kinds of different things. I love that they brought the all star shoes. We also got to do some really great flare stuff with Sarah. Thanks again Sarah and Dax for letting me come along, I had a blast! If I am ever in DC I will have to call you up because I am sure you will know all the fun happening things to do. Congratulations on your marriage!

Some of the ideas of these images came for Images Found. Check them out they are awesome!

Lori + Jason {married}

Lori and Jason's wedding was a lot of fun and we got so many really great photos. We started the day by meeting in St. Paul at Rice Park and also stopping in the Landmark Center. I really enjoyed seeing how their love for each other is so solid. Congratulations again Lori and Jason!