I shutter To Think

2011-06-23T14:43:00.003-04:00

Website features my shot on their blog:

The folks over at wearephotographers.com feature one of my photographs. My friend Gary Fong does a critique of the shot on the site. Here's the link.

2011-06-06T09:53:00.003-04:00

Magazine assignment to cover Atlas Ministry

I was on a recent assignment for World magazine. They asked me to Photograph Atlas Ministry in Greensboro, GA. The ministry works with families that are committed on setting their lives on a healthy and productive path. Atlas stands for Attaining Truth, Love and Self Control. Shown above is a staff portrait I did while standing on a chair in the parking spot located in the street in front of their building. I used a Nikon SB800 flash backed off for fill.

Nikon D700, Nikon AFS 17-35 f/2.8 lens, ISO 400, 17mm, f/8 @ 250 sec with Nikon SB800 flash for fill

Volunteer Leader / Development, Rebecca Epps, shares a moment of laughter while conversing with Kalen Chooun.

Nikon 24- 120 AFS VR 4 lens, ISO 5600, 105mm, f/4 @ 1/160 sec.

Kalen tosses a Frisbee while chatting with Rebecca Epps.

Nikon 24- 120 AFS VR 4 lens, ISO 2200, 30mm, f/4 @ 1/160 sec.

2011-05-30T18:20:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day in Roswell, GA

A large flag adorns city hall during the Memorial Day celebration in Roswell, GA.

2011-05-30T18:17:00.000-04:00

A vet wears a flag on his cap.

2011-05-30T18:15:00.002-04:00

Watching the event.

2011-05-30T18:13:00.002-04:00

A detail shot of the bronze memorial.

2011-05-30T18:12:00.000-04:00

The event ends with a procession of bagpipers.

2011-05-30T18:09:00.000-04:00

A vet displays his patriotic Converse All Stars.

2011-05-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

Stacking the chairs after the event.

2011-05-27T11:25:00.004-04:00

Graduate performs

For the last several years I have photographed graduation for the Galloway School here in Atlanta. Yesterday I photographed the graduation for the class of 2011. Shown above is a shot of Michael Groome playing his guitar during the student performance portion of the program.

Nikons D-700, Nikon AFS 80-200 lens, 120mm, ISO 3600, 1/320 sec @ f / f2.8

2011-05-13T12:46:00.005-04:00

Website picks up my blog posting

My friend Gary Fong over at wearephotographers.com picked up my recent posting about Vibration Reduction. Checkout the website. They have a lot of good things going on over there.

2011-05-10T10:47:00.002-04:00

Vibration reduction - just how low can you go?

(click on image to enlarge)

Yesterday I trekked up to Minnehaha Falls in northern Georgia. I had visited there in the fall but was looking to see what it was like in the spring. Before I continue, I should say that no self-respecting nature photographer would do what I was about to do, but the curious part of me decided to give it a try. Most all nature photography always involves small apertures for maximum depth of field and that nearly almost always obligates you to select a slow shutter speed on the camera. The only realistic way to accomplish this is to use a sturdy tripod. Of course the key word being "realistic." I decided not to be "realistic" and try hand holding my camera to the slowest possible shutter speed without causing any loss of sharpness in the "non-moving" portions of the frame. To do this I chose to use my Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens. The lens is unique in that the Vibration Reduction technology actually enables the user to hand hold the camera below conventionally acceptable slow shutter speeds. Other camera manufactures have similar technology built into their lenses. Canon calls this "Image Stabilization."

Knowing that the desired effect of blurring the water could only be achieved with a slow shutter speed, I made my adjustments and hoped for the best. This shot was taken while I was in a crouched position. I held my breath as I squeezed off an impossibly low shutter speed shot. I glanced at my camera's LCD after the shot but knew that the only way to confirm sharpness would be on my large monitor when it came time to edit. To my surprise, I was able to get several sharp shots during my experiment. This one was taken at 1/5 sec. at f/14. In the end, while I don't advocate this type of technique for nature photography, it does go to show you just how effective Vibration Reduction technology can be in extending the slow shutter speed boundaries of a lens.

Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens, 31mm, ISO 400, 1/5 sec. @ f/14, exposure compensation -.03

2011-05-04T18:11:00.002-04:00

Fishing and fog on the water

The early morning fog was still burning off the lake water's surface when my son Joel and I went fishing this morning. Unseasonably cool temperatures made for very comfortable fishing weather. Joel and I headed out early and I took a few shots of him fishing off a friend's dock before we paddled off in the boat. We had a blast and managed to catch quite a few fish including the big one Joel caught (see below). I decided to take my Canon G-10 with me to record the action. It turned out to be the best choice for the occasion.

2011-05-04T17:59:00.001-04:00

Joel proudly displays his large catch to the camera. We guessed the weight to be somewhere in the 6 pound range. Joel caught the fish after proclaiming "this is my last cast." Of course neither of us wanted to stop fishing after he landed this one. The fish was released back into the water to be caught by someone else on another day.

2011-05-04T17:57:00.001-04:00

Joel strikes a funny pose while holding the small fish I just caught. Although we each caught three fish, Joel's catch far outweighed mine.

2011-04-28T23:27:00.004-04:00

Photographer friends gather for photo after dinner

Tonight I got a voice mail message from my friend Bill Bangham (peeking out from behind the sign). His message was "call me right now." I was completing a 45 minute walk and had my phone on mute so I actually didn't answer the call until 15 minutes later. A while later I met my friends at a local restaurant. They were in town for a conference.

The photographers pictured above are folks that I have known and worked with over the years. They all are great individuals and I am thankful for their friendship.

L-R: Bob Carey - Immediate past president of NPPA and professor at Gardner Webb University, Mark Sandlin - Director of Photography Operations at Southern Living Magazine, Bill Bangham - Director of Photography at IMB, Kent Harville - Photographer at Lifeway, Jim Veneman - Professor at Union University, Stanley Leary - Freelance Photographer. I used to see most of these guys several times each year but it has been several years since we all have been together. It was great seeing them again.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens, ISO 6400, 1/40 sec. @ f/4

2011-04-26T20:32:00.002-04:00

What the bird didn't know

I was at my friend's house today when he told me to check out the action at the living room window. Four of their six cats were clustered around the window as a bird continually threw itself at its own reflection. Eventually all six cats joined in to watch as the drama played out for hours. We could only guess as to why the bird behaved that way - perhaps it was being territorial over the the hedges where a future nest might be built. At any rate, the reflective coating on the window prevented the bird from knowing who was really watching him the entire time.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens, ISO 2000, f/5.6 @ 1/160 sec

2011-04-25T10:30:00.004-04:00

iPad Man

My friend Bill Bangham checks his iPad during our get together at a local restaurant. Bill is in town for the Baptist Communicators Association meeting.

Today's cameras enable photographers to take shots at ISO levels that once were seemingly unimaginable. This shot was taken at 6400 ISO and yet shows no sign of digital noise. The image stabilization within the lens also helps to steady the lens during slow shutter speeds necessary in low light situations. Not too long ago I can remember shooting assignments using 100 ISO slide film. It made me a better photographer but I also appreciate what technology has done for us.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens, ISO 6400, 1/30 sec @ f/4

2011-04-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

Azalea in full bloom

Nothing more than a quick shot of a beautiful azalea in full bloom during today's nice spring weather.

Nikon D700, Nikon 300mm AFS f/4 lens, ISO 1400, 1/2000 sec. @ f/5.6

2011-04-04T21:56:00.001-04:00

Walking through the grass

A few days ago I was contacted by a former coworker and asked if I could photograph her granddaughter. It seemed that just yesterday that I had photographed her sons and now one of them is married and is the daddy of 18 month old Luca. It was fun photographing Luca running around in the grass in the late afternoon light. I was able to throw the background out of focus with my Nikon AFS 300mm f/4 lens.

Nikon D700, Nikon AFS 300mm f/4 lens, ISO 400, 1/2500 sec. @f/5.6

2011-04-01T11:22:00.002-04:00

Memory card failure - not if, but when...

I vividly remember one particular self assignment in the eighties. I was at a nightclub where there was live music being performed. The rim lit sax player was belting out tunes to the mostly college student crowd. Not only was the music great but I was particularly engrossed in the stage lighting. I was shooting with my newly acquired Nikon FA loaded with Kodak Tri-X black and white film. I didn't have much money at the time so I had to limit myself to just one roll of film. The shoot went well and I exited the club and made a beeline for the darkroom where I planned to develop my film. I popped open the camera and to my horror there was no film in it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing (or wasn't seeing). From then on, I was particularly careful to check that my camera was loaded with film.

While most of us no longer (or ever have), shoot film, there are still valid concerns with today's digital cameras. Rather than film, today's images are saved to some sort of memory card. The memory cards tend to be very reliable but there is always the chance that images might become corrupted and non recoverable. For this reason I always try and head off any potential problems by purchasing name brand memory cards. Sure, there are great memory card buys out there, but in the end I would prefer to lessen (notice I said lessen) my chances for card failure by at least starting with a good card.

In the previous paragraph I used the word "lessen." Even when purchasing a name brand card, failure can occur. Take it from me, I have had name brand card failures in the past. Yes, it has been several years since my last memory card failure, but I have developed (no pun intended) the mindset that I might as well plan for failure and then have a game plan for what can be done next.

My game plan is to have PhotoRescue software installed on my computer. PhotoRescue is an inexpensive program that is available for Mac or PC. It is very user friendly and has enabled me to recover "lost" or "unrecoverable" images in the past. The recovery process does take time and you may find that not all images are able to be retrieved. Keep in mind that PhotoRescue is not the only image recovery program available but it's the one I use for now.

Finally, if you ever do have memory card problems then take it from me, it's best to just toss the card after attempting to recover your images. It's really not worth the money to keep a card that you no longer can rely upon for safe storage of your precious images. Most cards manufactured by reputable companies will come with a warranty. Keep those when you first open your card from it's original package. You just never know when you may need it for a refund.

Happy shooting!

2011-03-28T11:28:00.005-04:00

A woman wipes her eye during a visit to one of the makeshift 911 memorials.

Emotion - a visceral response.

I watched in horror as the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers unfolded on the television. I remember telling my wife that I thought I would be traveling into the city for some sort of photographic coverage. A few hours later, myself and other members of a media team headed out with the goal of arriving in the city by the next morning.

Arriving in the city after our all night drive from Georgia was a surreal experience. Gone was the traditional view of the once majestic NYC skyline and in its place was a smoldering fire billowing out from a void in the skyline. We settled in miles away and yet could still smell the the fire. NYC had also become a no fly zone and the overhead skies were uncharacteristically quiet and free of aircraft.

I took this shot of the NYC skyline a few years before the 911 attacks. It was

originally shot on film and later scanned into the computer.

Smoke billows from the area where the Twin Towers once stood.

A crowd gathers around a flattened car that was brought out on a truck.

My next assignment became to tell the story of what was happening in the city. I knew how important it was to remain calm inside but also knew how important it was to connect with what I saw. My main objective for the first day was to remain awake, get my shots and transmit the photos for distribution through Baptist Press. After being up nearly 40 hours I was able to finish transmitting the last of the first day's worth of pictures. I was exhausted and we had only just begun.

Over the course of the next several days I visited makeshift memorials and one of the Fire Houses (Engine 54), Battalion 9, that had lost so many of it's men. Plastered all over the city were copies of photos of missing family members and loved ones that had been in the Towers at the time of the attacks. Many of the photos were hard to take but I also knew from years of being a photojournalist that emotion was a key element needed to convey the impact to the viewer.

Photos of 15 firemen from Engine 54, Battalion 9 who lost their lives.

Emotion is a powerful thing and many of us can experience different emotions after viewing the same image. Emotion does not necessarily have to be present in a photo for someone to experience emotional feelings. For example - the photo of the "intact" NYC skyline that I took just a few years before the September 11 attacks may evoke certain emotions in the viewer that another photo of the grieving couple at one of the memorial for the victims may not. Emotion tends to be "visceral" in nature in that we really don't have to think about something too much for those feelings associated with a situation to well up inside of us.

This shot was taken through the side window of a van showing a half - mast flag with the Empire State Building in the background.

As much as I love to take "pretty" pictures of things I also know how impacting images can be that have a strong emotional element to them. Many times it is difficult to connect with our own emotions when we have a camera in front of our face. For this reason it's best to challenge ourselves and try and capture those shots that exhibit "feeeling." Those "feelings" can include joy, peace, happiness, sadness, humor, frustration, contentment, jubilation, solitude, isolation, pride, anger, awe, shock, love, nostalgia, etc.

A couple comfort each other at one of the make shift memorials in the city.

To wrap things up - as we get more in touch with our own feelings we will become more aware of others' feelings and the strength that capturing and conveying emotion in our photographs brings to the viewer.

A woman is overcome with emotion at one of the candle lit memorials.

I took this from the base of the Twin Towers. Originally shot on film and later scanned into the computer.

All digital images shot on Nikon D1X, film images shot on Nikon F100

2011-03-24T01:12:00.006-04:00

Remaining thankful

(click on photo for enlarged view)

The other day I was having a conversation with a good friend. The topic of conversation was about being thankful for what we have. We both arrived at the same conclusion and that is that we are very blessed and have much to be thankful for. After the conversation my mind couldn't help but wander to all of the death and destruction that has occurred in Japan.

It's easy to grumble and complain when things aren't going our way and then suddenly loose our sense of perspective. What really is important in our lives?

I took this photo in 1997 while on assignment in New Orleans. It was already two years after hurricane Katrina devastated the area. While driving through storm damaged neighborhoods I came upon this house. The abandoned home was being overtaken by local plant growth. It was longer habitable. The lettering on the left side door was made by FEMA.

I have so much to be thankful for. Even though life may not always turn out the way I want, I will always be grateful for a roof over my head and the basic necessities of life. So many in this world do not have them.

Nikon D200, Nikon 12-24mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500 sec.

2011-03-21T11:10:00.005-04:00

Supermoon

A friend of mine sent me a text message on Saturday letting me know there was going to be a great moonrise. I thanked him and then much later went about editing a commercial assignment that I was on deadline to complete. It was about 1:30 AM when I finally finished editing my assignment. I wasn't sleepy and decided to get on the internet and that's when I noticed an article about the supermoon. I headed outside and low and behold the moon appeared bigger and brighter than I had seen it. I went back and retrieved my camera and tripod and spent the next half hour photographing the moon. Most of the shots were taken in the "mirror up" mode to avoid vibration which would have been exaggerated using my long lens. A cable release was also used. The lens was a Nikon 300mm AFS f/4 lens with a Nikon 1.4X teleconverter attached to increase the focal length to 420 mm. I can't say that my shot is really that great. There is no context to the shot. It's just a moon shot after all, but still it's fun to look at it and see all the detail that the naked eye would not be able to make out.

Here are some quick facts about the Supermoon:

The moon was the closest to the earth it has been in 18 years. It appeared 14 per cent bigger and 20 per cent brighter. Its total distance from earth was just 221,566 miles - 31,000 miles closer than at its farthest point (orbit) from earth. The last recorded supermoon was in 1993.

I pulled back the focus in this shot to capture a silhouette of the trees in my backyard that are starting to leaf out.

Top shot: Nikon D700, Nikon 300mmm AFS f/4 lens, Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter, ISO 1000, 420mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 sec.

Botton shot: Nikon D700, Nikon 300mmm AFS f/4 lens, Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter, ISO 6400, 420mm, f10, 1/1000 sec.

2011-03-17T22:10:00.006-04:00

Punchy colors

Yesterday I was out and about to run some errands near the Silos Park in Crabapple, Georgia. The Silos Park is a cluster of silos preserved from by gone days. Over the years the silos red caps have become weathered and sun bleached. I glanced up at them and noticed the deep red of newly painted surfaces contrasting against a deep blue sky. I spent some time there just shooting from different angles until I got the composition I wanted. Patience paid off. I've been using my newly acquired, and very sharp, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens. It's been a real pleasure to use and the vibration reduction is great.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR4 lens, ISO 400, 86mm, f/18 @1/400 sec.

2011-03-17T01:00:00.001-04:00

Family

Tonight I needed to take care of some unfinished business and photograph my son Joel in the basement studio. He wanted some different looks so we chose just to keep the background the same and to vary the attire. The one above was very simply lit with a softbox and then converted to black and white in Lightroom 3.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 VR4 lens, 95mm @ f/10

2011-03-16T12:06:00.012-04:00

Getting the junk out

I tend to be a neat person. Neatness and order provide me with a sense of peace. When things are out of order in my life then I lack that peace that I need to perform well. Such is the case with taking pictures. Images that are "clean" and easy to read assist the viewer in enjoying the picture more. They also make it easier to discern what's going on in the shot. Many times our job as photographers to to take "messy" situations and make sense of them to the reader. The use of cropping can effectively reduce or emphasize key elements in a photo. I discovered the building in the first picture during a drive through Dawsonville, Georgia. After passing it in the car, I returned to stop and check it out. Someone was very clever to use old rusted tools to spell out the words on the wall of the building (please "click" on the shot for a larger view). After looking at the shot on my computer, I felt that there were actually two images within the image. I opted to "Get the junk out" with a crop. The image below is a totally different look and a "cleaner" one in my mind. What are your thoughts?

P.S. Yesterday's blog post had over 220 hits! Thanks for viewing this site.

Nikon D700, Nikon 24-120 AFS VR 4 lens, ISO 400, 24mm, f/6.3 @ 1/800 sec.

2011-03-15T09:57:00.002-04:00

Faithful to the end

About a mile from our home is a pond where ducks and geese congregate. Next to the pond runs a road. Yesterday a vehicle claimed the life of one of the geese as it tried to cross the road. I saw the mate standing next to its fallen companion. Three hours later the bird was still at the dead bird's side. I only can guess what the animal was feeling or how much longer it remained there. The situation impacted me. It reminded me of how much I value faithful friends. I have several faithful friends and am very thankful for their friendship - especially during difficult times.

Nikon D700, Nikon 300 AFS f/4 lens, ISO 400, 1/2500 sec. @f/4

2011-03-14T10:59:00.005-04:00

Capturing what we don't see

(Click on the image for a larger view)

I came across this image as I was thinking about what I would write today. The shot was taken 5 years ago during one of my son's basketball games. The person in the shot is a teammate. Like I frequently do, I will take several shots of a player during his attempts at the free throw line. Those types of shots are usually not very exciting but allow me to a least get some easy takes of the player. The lighting in the gym was just terrible and at the time I did not have a camera that could record action at high ISO settings (good low light capability). I chose to light the gym with some of my strobes and this gave me some nice even illumination. With all of that said, I have to confess that I never planned this shot. I was just shooting off some shots at a slow cycle rate because I had to wait after each shot for my strobes to power back up. I really thought that I had missed the shot because the ball had come to his face. When I got home and started editing the pictures, I suddenly was pleasantly surprised at the discovery of the "missed" shot. I later sent the coach a copy and he said he had never seen anything like it. I confessed that it was more by chance than intent.

The lesson in all of this is to be sure and carefully check all of you shots on your computer. There may be a hidden gem among the group that just glancing on your camera's LCD screen may not reveal and possibly prompt you to delete it.

Taken with Nikon D200, Nikon 80-200 AFS f/2.8 lens, ISO 400, 155mm f/4.5 @ 1/200 sec.

2011-03-11T09:08:00.002-05:00

Added dimension

I spotted this worn American flag sign mounted behind a chain link fence at the post office. The inclusion of the fencing adds the dimension of an overlaid grid to the photo.

Speaking of dimension - I once heard that a well known newspaper photography editor would ask photographer's during an interview the following question: "what is that you like to do when you are not shooting pictures for a living." If their answer was "shoot more pictures", then that candidate was less likely to be hired for a staff photographer position. The photography editor's point was that he was searching for people that had that "added dimension" to their lives. He understood that while he needed talented people on his photography staff he also needed photographers who had a life outside of photography. He also understood that a life lived with diverse interests would help to refresh and enhance a photographer's productivity.

I've struggled with this need for balance in my own life and realize that it is all too easy to become entangled in photography so much so that I neglect my other interests entirely. I loose "dimension" in my life. As a teenager I participated in an Outward Bound course in Colorado. During that time I backpacked for 21 days in beautiful and remote wilderness. It was one of the most impressionable experiences of my life. This past week I had a magazine assignment to photograph a woman who plans on hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail with her dad. My prior backpacking experience in Colorado enabled me to connect with the subject.

"Dimension" not only brings more of you to an assignment but it also allows for time of refreshment and a recharge of our creative energy. What are you currently doing to add "dimension" to your life?

Taken with a Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 lens, ISO 400, 55mm, f/5.6 @1/400 sec.

2011-03-10T09:34:00.008-05:00

Lens filters - protecting your investment

This past week I was blessed to have sold one of my lenses on Ebay. Never having had any prior experience selling an item on Ebay, I was a little apprehensive about the process. With assistance from a friend I was able to walk through the process and successfully sell my well cared for item at the end of the bidding period.

My posting today is not about Ebay - I'm still a rookie at that and hope to be able to do future business on that site. But rather, what I want to briefly discuss is about protecting your investment using a lens filter. While photographers have debated the pros and cons about placing a permanent filter (in my case a sky 1A) on the front of the lens, most would agree that the front element of a lens can be quite costly to repair if damaged during use. In my instance this is compounded by the fact that my front element on most of my lenses is 77mm and therefore more costly.

I have several considerations on whether I use a protective filter or not:

1) How deep is the lens shade? - a deeper shade is more likely to prevent scratching to the front element than a shallow one.

2) Is the lens shade "fixed" or retractable? Retractable shades offer less protection to the front glass.

3) Will I be shooting inside or out:? Inside use in the studio offers less potential hazards to the lens. Blowing sand, grit and bad weather are factors to consider.

4) Do I want to keep my lens in perfect condition for a possible future resale? This question (for me), takes priority over all the others. After several years of use on assignment, my recently sold lens still had that "new" look to the glass. Absent were scratches, abrasions, chips and removal of the lens coating. When potential buyers inquired, I could respond back without hesitation and say that the glass was in perfect condition.

To wrap things up - we all have our favorite lenses that we use on our cameras. Some of those we may keep for a long time and others we may just decide to resell for the next upgrade in lens technology. What we're offered for resale will (at least) be partially dependent on how we have cared for our equipment.

Taken with Nikon D700, Nikon 85mm f/1.8 lens, f/13 @1/200 sec, lit with overhead softbox

2011-03-09T15:20:00.009-05:00

Portrait of Dad

I recently visited my dad at his Cape Cod residence. Before I left he asked me to do a portrait of him. Dad is a musician and composer and needed the photo to appear on the CD cover. I choose to make the shot using available light. A gently sloping skylight in the upper level of his timber frame home provided just the look we wanted. Because the light was very directional, I had dad turn and face slightly upward and toward the light. To reduce depth of field, I choose to use my Nikon 85mm f1.8 lens stopped down just a bit to improve sharpness. I later converted the image to black and white in Lightroom 3.

Nikon D700, Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens, ISO 2000, f2.8 @ 1/125th sec.

2011-03-09T13:49:00.009-05:00

Blue Angles

I had an opportunity to photograph the Blue Angles during their performance in Atlanta this past fall. It was an ideal day with a blue sky that couldn't be beat. I chose to use my longer telephoto lenses (Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 and Nikon 300mm with 1.4 x converter) for the shoot. This was my first effort with the new 300 mm lens and it didn't let me down.

Nikon D700, IOS 640, Nikon 300mm f/4 lens with Nikon 1.4x teleconverter, f/8 @ 1/3200 sec.

2011-03-09T12:51:00.006-05:00

Jimmy Carter speaks at the Galloway School

In March I photographed former president Jimmy Carter speaking to students at the Galloway school as part of their guest speaker series.

Nikon D700, Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 3600, f/4 @ 1/200th sec.

2011-03-09T12:01:00.011-05:00

In your face rugby

I've photographed all kinds of sports over the years including professional football, basketball, the Indy 500 and the Kentucky Derby, but I've never shot rugby. My son Caleb decided to give it a go and so I went along to capture the action (no this is not Caleb above). That day I did most of my shooting from the sidelines, choosing to shoot from a kneeling position rather than standing. Weeks later, I would try shooting from the end of the field. For that vantage point I chose to use my newly purchased Nikon 300mm f/4 lens. I frequently added the Nikon 1.4x teleconverter to the lens for additional tightness and isolation of the action. Overall, I was very pleased with my results.

Shot taken with Nikon D700, ISO 500, Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 lens, f/4.5 @ 1/1250th sec.

2011-03-09T11:15:00.017-05:00

Getting back into the flow

I'm probably like a lot of bloggers in that I have a "love/hate" relationship with my blog. I love to photograph but many times I hate the time and effort it takes to maintain blogging. Well, after a long hiatus and posting to another blog location, I've decided (for various reasons), to return to this location. The answers for that are not so simple and are not so complex either, but suffice it to say that I will park myself in this sector of the blogosphere for the time being. It's my hope and desire to be more regular with my postings. Thanks for stopping by.

Shot was taken at Minnehaha Falls in Georgia. Nikon D700, Nikon 17-35 F/2.8 lens, ISO 400, f/7.1 @ 5 sec.

2010-04-09T12:20:00.011-04:00

High pollen count!

For several days I've tried to take an unusual shot depicting the amount of greenish yellow stuff coating just about everything outside. This morning I found my shot when I noticed grains of pollen sticking to the oily residue of a fingerprint on my son's car. I had my handy Canon G10 hanging from my shoulder and quickly swung it into action for this shot. Local media report that Atlanta's pollen count is fast approaching record levels set in 1999.

2010-04-09T11:09:00.010-04:00

Straighten up

This oddly shaped tree is a familiar site to those hiking the trail to the top of Amicalola Falls. For some reason the tree had grown down and then upward. Shot taken with a Canon G10.

2010-03-23T22:53:00.019-04:00

Hawk's nest high in our backyard trees.

I was working on my computer when my wife gave me a shout that one of our sons had discovered a hawk's nest. I walked out onto the back deck with camera in hand and looking up, saw one of the birds still guarding the nest. The male was off looking for food and the female didn't stay too long before she too went off to look for dinner. I had taken notice of the nest of leaves several weeks ago but figured it to be a squirrel's. In reality it is much longer and flatter than the ones we have previously seen.

Later in the evening I went back to my computer and processed the image with the newly released Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta 2 software. I have to say that Adobe has made some really nice changes to Lightroom and can't wait for the final release to come out in June.

This shot was taken with the Nikon D700 with a Nikon AFS 80-200 mm f/2.8 lens and Nikon 1.4x teleconverter for an effective focal length of 260 mm. The exposure was 400 ISO at f/ 7.1 and shutter speed of 1/1000 second. (please click on the image above to enlarge it)

2010-03-19T19:43:00.050-04:00

Photograph the prismatic effect of a CD. Easy Challenging!

Many moons ago, I purchased my very first digital camera. After using the camera for just a few minutes, I was swept away with "instant photographic gratification" (getting to see the results right away). Anyway, one of the things that I toyed with photographing, was a CD. I loved to tilt the disc in different directions - letting different colored prismatic effects skitter off of its polished surface. I vowed, that one day when I owned a better digital camera that I would try and improve upon the results. Today, approximately 10 years later (and no, it hasn't taken me that long to buy a better camera!), I try to repeat my results.

You would think that going about recording those intense colors would be easy but I soon found out that my original idea of photographing a rainbow reflected onto a white surface couldn't be accomplished with the low angle of the setting sun this evening. So onto plan "B" - I next try to get a decent shot capturing the colors coming directly off of the compact disc. Easy right? Wrong! The first thing that I notice is that my exposure is all over the place. I finally determine that for this setup, I need to dial in a minus 1.3 exposure compensation to get in the ballpark. That seems to help but one of the things that I notice is my colors are not as great as what I see with my eye. Suspecting that the auto white balance is the problem, I next dial into my Nikon D700 an adjustment for the daylight white balance setting. That seems to do the trick and suddenly the colors just start to "pop." Well it still wasn't that easy. After dozens of shots, I finally got several that I thought would be publishable.

Next, after a brief edit in Photo Mechanic, I took my selects into Adobe Lightroom where I made some subtle adjustments. It would have been tempting to just say "I'll fix it all in post processing" but I really wanted to challenge my ability to get this shot "in-camera", as they say. The final shot had just a slight black adjustment in Lightroom and a little bit of contrast tweaking.

This shot was taken with a Nikon D700 and 35mm f2.0 lens set at @ f5 for 1/125 second at 640 ISO with an exposure compensation of -1.3 dialed into the camera. (please click on the image above to enlarge it)

2010-03-18T18:12:00.014-04:00

Jackson's not feeling well.

Jackson is my son's welsh corgi. He hasn't been feeling well for the past several days. A recent trip to the vet showed that he's had a fever. He is quite an active dog but lately has been spending much time in is crate. This shot of him was made through one of the air slots in the side of the opened crate. Taken with Nikon D700 and 35mm f2.0 lens.

2010-03-18T18:07:00.014-04:00

Waiting for someone to come home.

Jakester is our yellow labrador retriever. His favorite activity when he is bored is to put his chin on the window in the living room and watch and wait for someone to return home. Taken with Nikon D700 and 35mm f2.0 lens.

2010-03-18T18:02:00.038-04:00

Ring around the nose spells trouble.

Our third dog - Peetsie, is a golden retriever and was part of the breeder program for a local service dog organization named Canine Assistants. She had four litters of puppies and all survived. She is a great dog and at times loves to explore in the backyard. Today I discovered a black line ring around her nose. She's not talking but I'm thinking that she's been into something again. Taken with Nikon D700 and 35mm f2.0 lens.

2010-03-17T21:33:00.009-04:00

Spring flower in the woods.

I love the change of seasons. Our home is situated on about an acre of land and on one part there is a woods with lots of trees. I've been peeking over into the woods for the last 2 weeks and watching as flowers have started to poke up through the fallen dead leaves. Their color contrasts starkly with the grays and browns of the ground. Today I ventured into the woods and tried a few random shots with the camera. I can't say I'm much of a nature photographer and I'm sure my technique used for this photo leaves something to be desired (get down on my knees and hold the camera out in front of me and let the auto focus and motor drive fly). I still had fun taking it and for today, this is my image. Shot was taken with the Nikon D700 and 35mm F2.0 lens.

2010-03-16T22:58:00.012-04:00

My older sons and adult basketball league.

I can tell that my oldest two (of four) sons are getting older (me too), when after all these years, they're no longer playing with the kids, but now the grownups. Jacob, 19, (in the background), watches as Caleb, 18, dribbles past a defender during their adult league action. Both of my older boys have played basketball together for years. This year marked the return of Caleb to the court. He had been hampered by knee pain for some time. After dedicating himself to months of physical therapy, he finally was able to return to the court healthy and ready to compete.

This shot and the others below were taken with my Nikon D700 set at ISO 6400. I really was shooting just a little below the optimal shutter speed necessary to stop the action. Next time I will probably increase the ISO just a wink to give myself a faster shutter speed. The camera recorded "cycling" of the gym lights - a color shift occurring in about 2 of 7 frames per second when using my motor drive set at its highest frame advance and photographing under sodium vapor type lights. It is not perceptible to the human eye and this effect can be avoided by lighting a gym with strobes. I have done this before but for this situation it just wasn't practical to set up lights. My solution was to convert the images to black and white in Adobe Lightroom. Besides, under the right circumstance, I love black and white photography.

2010-03-16T22:55:00.004-04:00

My sons' teammate, Cesar, reacts as his opponent tries to save the ball from going out of bounds.

2010-03-16T22:52:00.002-04:00

Jacob grimaces as he prepares to make contact with his defender.

2010-03-16T22:43:00.008-04:00

Joel's face is framed by his hooded sweatshirt.

This was a quick portrait of my third oldest son using my new Nikon 35mm f2.0 lens. I love the lens because it has a sweet bokeh wide open and is very sharp. Lately, I've removed the battery pack from my D700 and just kept this prime lens mounted on the camera. I love the idea of just going light with this and another prime lens stashed in my Mountainsmith hip pack.

2010-03-11T17:34:00.005-05:00

Publicity shots for quartet

I know the guys with First City Quartet and they approached me about doing a publicity shot for them. We chose to do the shoot on white seamless. As the shot progressed everyone started to settle in to their personalities and relax. This shot was our favorite and we ended up sending an order to the lab for their first 100 copies. All in all, a good time was had by all.

2010-03-11T17:29:00.006-05:00

Galloway School alumni event

Visiting alumni raise their hands in response to a question posed by a faculty member during participation in a class hosted for them at the campus.

2010-03-11T17:22:00.006-05:00

Actor and model portrait session.

I photographed Brian Wesley Turner for promotional shots that he needed. Brian is a very talented guy and has done commercials and acting. He needed for me to photograph him with several different poses. We chose a relaxed and animated one for his portfolio. The shoot was a lot of fun.

2010-03-11T17:20:00.004-05:00

Brian in a more animated pose.

2010-03-11T17:13:00.007-05:00

Truett Cathy at the Chick Fil-A Parade.

Truett Cathy, founder of Chick Fil-A, waves to the crowd during the Chick Fil-A Parade in downtown Atlanta. The parade occurs during the day of the Chick Fil-A Bowl. This past year's game featured a matchup between Virginia Tech and Tennessee. Virginia Tech won 37-14.

2010-03-11T17:05:00.008-05:00

Fans and face paint

Fans in the background whoop it up as another has the final touches applied to her cheek during the 2009 Chick Fil-A Fanfest. The event occurred just prior to the start of the Chick Fil-A Bowl featuring Virginia Tech and Tennessee.

Oh - I almost forgot to tell you....there was an umbrella located at each face painting station. I got the idea to take my off-camera flash and aim it up into the umbrella and use it like a photo umbrella to diffuse the light onto the foreground area. The resulting effect was soft - evenly diffused light for the shot. Small systems lighting on the go can be fun and imaginative.

2010-03-11T16:55:00.008-05:00

Canon G10 and my son's new Martin guitar

My son Caleb has had his eye on a new Martin acoustic electric guitar for some time. He finally made the purchase. It's great listening to him play on it. This detail shot was taken with my Canon G10 and lit with a Photoflex softbox. Goes to show you, that even a point and shoot camera can yield great results when used properly.

2009-10-02T10:53:00.006-04:00

Neighbor finds tiny snake on his property.

Just when I thought that "critter week" was over with on this blog, I got a call from my neighbors. They found a baby snake with a bright colored underbody. They wanted to know if I could identify it - I couldn't. I'm just not that familiar with the creatures. Anyway, I went over and took a few shots as Greg held the guy out on a stick in front of the camera lens. His wife plans on taking it to the nearby nature center to have it identified.

2009-09-28T11:25:00.005-04:00

I locate "turtle sees his reflection in our front door kick plate."

Alpharetta, GA

A few days ago in my "snake posting", I made mention of a visit we had with a turtle. Well, I found the image while going through some old files on my laptop. Here's a shot of the guy looking at his reflection in the brass plate at the base of our front door. The visit happened back in 2006. I told you life was never boring when you live near a woods.

2009-09-26T22:02:00.008-04:00

Evening light illuminates WinShape Retreat buildings.

Mt. Berry, GA

WinShape is a Retreat located in the middle of 26,000 acres. Many of the buildings on campus were part of a former dairy farm. The facility is absolutely gorgeous and very peaceful. You can read more about it by clicking here.

2009-09-26T21:50:00.011-04:00

Stanley photographs sphere panoramics at WinShape Retreat.

Mt. Berry, GA

I assisted my friend Stanley Leary during his photo assignment at the WinShape Retreat. Here Stanley is shown composing a shot in the amphitheater on the campus.

2009-09-26T21:41:00.009-04:00

Ken Touchton stops by for a visit.

Mt. Berry, GA

Successful photographer and friend, Ken Touchton, drove up to watch Stanley do the sphere panoramic photos. Ken is from the D.C. area but was in town for a visit with former colleagues. We were all heading for the cafe (in the background) during a downpour, when I shouted to Ken "hey let me take your picture." Ken turned around with tripod in one hand and umbrella in another.

2009-09-26T21:34:00.008-04:00

It must be reptile and amphibian week for the blog : )

Mt. Berry, GA

Someone noticed this bright green tree frog clinging to the screen door of the cafe at the WinShape Retreat. Of course I couldn't resist taking its picture. Who knows what creatures the next five days will bring with them.

2009-09-25T08:43:00.003-04:00

"Dad, there's a worm-like animal in the foyer."

Alpharetta, GA

That was the response by my son Micah last night when he noticed some resistance to his broom from an object stuck under the thin crack between the baseboard and the flooring in the foyer. I too couldn't tell what the critter was until I was able to dislodge it about a minute later. The little guy was tiny and thin and needed a better place to live than our home with the dogs (smile). He's photographed here in a dustpan on his way outside to the nearby woods. Several years ago we had a turtle come to the front door and stare at his reflection in the brass kick plate. Life is never boring when you live near the woods.

2009-09-22T17:38:00.004-04:00

"Gotcha"

Alpharetta, GA

My friend and fellow photographer Bill Bangham displays the photo he just took of me with his iPhone. Bill was in town today and we got together for breakfast. It's been several years since we've seen each other but we keep in touch by phone and email. Bill manages the photography department of the sister agency counterpart for which I once worked. As directors of photography we used to see each other a lot more often. I miss those days but time marches on. Anyway, Bill has been a good friend and he's the guy, who over a year ago, encouraged me to start this blog. BTW - Bill, thanks for taking care of the tab this morning. : )

2009-09-22T17:27:00.005-04:00

Bill with his Leica M8.

Bill has used a Leica for as long as I've known him. I told Bill that I could send the camera back to him in the mail but he declined.

2009-09-20T19:19:00.011-04:00

New present "falls" into the water (15 year old son pranks his mom).

Alpharetta, GA

Yesterday was my son Micah's 15th birthday. He had been asking for a "tactical" flashlight for a present. I decided to order him the new light from 4 Sevens. The light has amazing output for just (2) AA batteries. The secret is that it uses a Cree LED instead of a conventional incandescent light bulb. Anyway, back to the story..........once Micah found out that his new light was waterproof, he decided to play a joke on his mom. Yelling to his mom "come here quick", she raced into the bathroom to discover that the light had "fallen" into the water-filled bathroom sink. After he got the reaction that he was looking for, then Micah "fessed up" that he had pranked his mom once again.

2009-09-12T12:27:00.007-04:00

Victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks remembered.

Milton High School - Alpharetta, GA

Thousands of American flags adorn the front lawn of Milton High School as part of a Never Forget Project displayed by a local group honoring the victims of the 9-11 attacks.

2009-09-12T12:17:00.001-04:00

A young girl poses among the flags while a parent takes pictures.

2009-09-12T11:48:00.002-04:00

A girl stops to tie her shoe during her walk among the many flags.

2009-09-12T11:32:00.006-04:00

Eat Mor Chikin.

Atlanta, GA

Photographers Greg Thompson, left, and Stanley Leary pose with a Chick-fil-A mascot during a recent assignment that we did for the popular restaurant chain. Greg is with corporate communications at Chick-fil-A and Stanley is a successful freelance photographer based in Atlanta.

2009-09-12T11:19:00.007-04:00

Start of the new academic year at The Galloway School.

Atlanta, GA

Fourth grade student Max Palisoc gets a boost from a step stool as he speaks about individuality during the opening ceremony marking the start of the new school year. A cameraman from a local television station provides coverage while Max speaks.

2009-09-12T11:12:00.005-04:00

Balloons drift upward

Thousands of balloon are released as part of opening day festivities at The Galloway School.

2009-08-11T09:32:00.008-04:00

Church planter and lead pastor Noah Oldham.

St. Louis, Missouri

Several weeks ago I was on assignment in St. Louis. While there I photographed Noah Olham, lead pastor of August Gate Church.

Technical data:

I first set the camera's meter for the background and then slightly underexposed, then I filled in Noah with light from my Nikon SB 800 flash extended off to the side with an SC-17 TTL cord.

2009-08-08T12:01:00.007-04:00

Mike Acker is a welder who does custom iron work.

Alpharetta, GA

Mike is a friend of mine. We photographed him this morning at his shop. The shots will be used on his updated website. Mike fabricates indoor and outdoor wrought iron railings, driveway gates, aluminum railings and gates, wrought iron decorative pieces, and custom creations. Mike's number is 678-641-7141. I'll include a link to his website when the site update is complete.

Technical data:

The blue background was created using two gels placed on an 800 watt Alien Been monolight and shot against the metal garage door of Mike's shop. Mike was lit with another 800 watt Alien Bee monolight reflected off an umbrella to the side. The camera was placed on a tripod to stabilize the camera during the slow shutter speed necessary to record the sparks produced from the grinder Mike was using. The exposure was for 1/6 second at f14.

2009-08-06T13:43:00.013-04:00

Photo appears in WORLD Magazine

Clermont, GA

Kathy Woody-Demming holds a letter sent to her by Conerstone Ministeries essentially telling her that they had run out of money. She lost several hundred thousand dollars. The photo accompanied an article published in WORLD Magazine.

Technical data:

I lit her with one 800 watt Alien Bee monolight light powered by a Vagabond 2 battery pack. The light was shot through a medium size Photoflex softbox. The softbox was placed off to the right and a white column (off camera and out of the frame), served as a source for bouncing some fill light back into the other side of her face. Here is the link to the online article: http://www.worldmag.com/articles/15736

2009-08-01T16:51:00.002-04:00

"No more photos please."

Caleb asks that I stop taking photos as he prepares to get sunscreen applied to his face prior to the dolphin watch boat trip.

2009-08-01T16:48:00.000-04:00

The Osprey we are about to board for our dolphin watch tour along the coast.

2009-08-01T16:42:00.002-04:00

Captain Mark Collins of Blue Wave Adventures, Murrells Inlet, SC.

Mark transports the group on the Osprey to the location where the dolphins are swimming. They could be anywhere so we must keep a keen eye out for them. If you ever visit Myrtle Beach we would recommend the tour. You can book reservations by calling 843-340-7713 or on the web: www.bluewaveadventures.com

2009-08-01T16:38:00.002-04:00

Pod of dolphins.

We were about 20 miles away from our start when our son Joel spotted the first dolphins. Captain Mark swung the boat around and that was pretty much where we stayed for the duration of the experience.

2009-08-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

This dolphin was missing part of its dorsal fin.

2009-08-01T16:27:00.002-04:00

A boy tosses his skim board into the water as he prepares to jump onto it for a ride.

2009-08-01T16:25:00.000-04:00

Man's imprint with nature.

2009-08-01T16:24:00.000-04:00

Peggy wades into the surf.

2009-08-01T16:22:00.001-04:00

A beach chair is partially covered with the drifting sand.

2009-08-01T16:20:00.000-04:00

Peggy and our sons check out the surf.

2009-08-01T16:13:00.002-04:00

Thick dark storm clouds blow into the area.

Even though this photo looks as though it was taken in black in white, it actually is a color rendition. A rapidly moving storm complete with dark clouds drifted over the area and blotted out the light.

2009-07-30T19:44:00.002-04:00

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

We are in the middle of a much needed family vacation. Somehow we were able to pack a family of 6 into a very small set up on the 9th floor of a 20 story beach side hotel. Air mattresses and flexibility enable us to enjoy the only room we could find during peak season.

2009-07-30T19:35:00.003-04:00

Shadows lengthen on a trailer park that is much too close by.

We picked our hotel sight-unseen. When we arrived, we never expected to see this sight.

2009-07-30T19:33:00.000-04:00

A couple enjoys time in the hot tub.

2009-07-30T19:31:00.000-04:00

A mother tries to coax her child into the pool.

2009-07-30T19:29:00.001-04:00

Caleb and Joel check out the view from the balcony.

2009-07-30T19:26:00.000-04:00

Peggy and I outside the River City Cafe.

Photo by guest blogger Caleb Frazeur

2009-07-30T19:23:00.001-04:00

A 15 second time exposure taken after midnight on the beach.

2009-07-30T19:21:00.000-04:00

Portrait of Caleb among the support columns at the outlet mall.

2009-07-30T19:19:00.001-04:00

Micah, Joel, Caleb and Jacob outside the Nike store at a local outlet mall.

2009-07-30T19:16:00.001-04:00

A flower on some landscaping at an outlet mall.

2009-07-30T19:11:00.002-04:00

A beautiful evening rainbow graces the sky.

It was about 6:00 P.M. when I looked out the window to see a beautiful rainbow about the same time that Joel came through the hotel door to tell me about it.

2009-07-30T19:09:00.000-04:00

A vertical shot of the same rainbow.

2009-07-30T19:05:00.001-04:00

Joel goes for a swim as seen from the 9th floor of the hotel.

2009-07-30T18:41:00.002-04:00

Caleb releases a crab from his net.

When the sun goes down, the crowds dissipate and calm and serenity is restored. That's when the folks with flashlights and small nets come out in search of an opportunity to catch and release a species of crabs that come close to the shore during the night.

2009-07-30T18:39:00.002-04:00

Some of the many crabs the boys caught and released during their night time activity.