Free at last!

I finally got a break from everything going on in my life and was able to get out and have some fun.

I got to take a few pictures of my girlfriend Tara today. She loves taking picture but usually hates the outcome.

I dont think I did too bad today though :) Here are 2 from today.

7 Years later

It doesnt feel like it has been that long ago since America was attacked and damged forever in our hearts and minds.

The city of Norfolk along with neighboring cities held, what they call a "Freedom Walk" in rememberance of the most tragic day in American history to date.

A have a few pictures that I snapped to share with you all since I have not shared much in a while. Please take a moment end enjoy, remember, reflect.

The big surprise

So for the past week I have had my girlfriend wondering what big surprise I had in the works for her. Well what else can you do for a girl inlove with giraffes but let her get up close and personal with those beautiful animals. I arranged for her to get a behind the scenes tour at our local zoo.







Meet Billy. He is the only male giraffe at our zoo and stands just over 16' tall.





As you can see, Tara was very surprised.





I think she fell inlove with Bully.





And I think Billy's girlfriend fell inlove with me. She was really checkin me out!





Even I got in on the fun!





Billy was very friendly and wasn't shy about getting right in your face.





This was a day that neither of us will soon forget.



Thank you very much to Lori at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk Va. for making this happen for us and a special thank you to Aubry for the wonderful tour.

Just relax

So as most people I have a stressful job. Some days are better than others but today was not one of the easy days. I wouldn't mind having a stressful job doing something I love though. I'm not in love with my current job however It's holding me over till that big break comes. If it ever does.

There is nothing like coming home and being around the ones you love and just being able to relax.

My mom grabbed a quick picture of Austin and I just before we lost daylight.

4th. of July...

Has come and gone and I'm a few days late with posting these. I should have no excuse as these pictures were taken in 2006. Our fireworks were cancelled this year due to bad weather on 2 separate days so I hope you all don't mind me sharing a few oldies but goodies.







And the finale.

Concerts...

Everyone remebers their first concert, and who could blame them. The excitement of seeing one of your favorite bands up close and live. Getting to buy a t-shirt to prove you were there and maybe having the chance to get your new shirt signed by the band!


Well I still remember my first concert but as I was going through older photographs and came accross my first concert I ever photographed. They werent a well known band but they were my friends and as soon as they werre able to play at the Norva they felt as thought they had reciever a little break. Alizon Device asked me if I would photograph their big night and I agrreed with excitement. Having never photographed a concert before I knew I had to be on my A game.

Above you will see my 2 favorite pictueres of the night. I think they convey the raw feeling and power af a good rock concert.

Congratulations Austin!

You guys are going to have to bear with me here because I think this just might be the longest post yet! Rightfully so, because words can not describe how proud I am.

My son Austin's first year of school is finally over!!!

Today he graduated from his Pre-K class at Sherwood Forest Elem. School. Pre-k class of 2008!


As you can see he was ready to go. He was very excited to be going into kindergarten next school year.





We showed up to the school right at 8am and Austin wasted no time in getting ready. He was the only one to wear a cap and gown. A proud grandma (my mom) just could not see a graduation taking place without a cap and gown, so she had a gown made. Austin wore my cap from my high school graduation and it worked out perfectly.

We left Austin in his class and went to get the best seats we could find in the auditorium. It seemed like it took for ever for the kids to get there but they soon arrived walking right down the middle isle in a single file line!





There was a song that had to be sung before the ceremony took place. Austin didnt wear his cap and gown for the song however.





After the song, the ceremony was ready to take place. My mom pulled Austin to the side in order to put his cap and gown on before she rushed him back to his seat.


I wasn't too sure how good these photos were going to turn out because the whole time I was taking pictures I was pretty teary eyed. Its hard to believe that this was his first year in school much less that it was already over. Parents always say, they grow up so fast, but I don't think a person can really understand that until they themselves are parents.





After getting his diploma his smile grew even more.


After the graduation it was time for a little celebration. What better time to hang out with your friends and share the excitement of the day?





After all the excitement of the morning wore off, it was time to go home and relax for the day. After all the hard work Austin put into this school year, I think he deserves a little break before getting ready for the new adventures of kindergarten that await him in just 3 short months.





I know your not going to read this right now Austin, but when you finally do, you will know how proud I have been of you since the very beginning.


I love you buddy,
~Daddy

A boy and his kite

Some times the smallest things will make you feel like a kid again. Today was a wonderful day to go fly a kite. So that's just what we did.

It was nice to get away from everyhing, even if just for a few hours, and remember the joys of being a little kid again.

A photo a day for 18 years.

I do not have a photograph to share with you all today. Instead I will share 6,697 Polaroids, dated in sequence. The photographs are of a man named Jamie Livingston, his friends and his everyday life.



He began taking photographs on April 23, 1979 and stopped on October 25, 1997 — his 41st birthday. The day of his death.



He was an amazing artist who's project seems to have captured the hearts of tens of thousands of people on the Internet since the website was discovered by Chris Higgens from http:///www.mentalfloss.com



Livingstone's picture diary started at Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College and though some photos have gone missing from the collection, 6,697 Polaroids remain. The collection, dated in sequence, has been organised by his friends Hugh Crawford and Betsy Reid into an exhibit at Bard College called "JAMIE LIVINGSTON. PHOTO OF THE DAY: 1979-1997", which opened in 2007.




It is easy as a photographer to get cought up in all the technical aspects of the art, but photography is only truely about one thing. Telling a story. I took the time to look through each and every image posted on the following website and not once did I think about composition, lighting, sharpness, or color balance. Instead I was cought up in Mr. Livingstons life.



http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com/

Congratulations Ana and April

I first meet Ana through my girlfriend Tara who used to go to school with Ana at VCU in Richmond. It wasn't long after I met Ana that I was introduced to her girlfriend April. We have been in touch here and there for the past few months trying to plan a photo shoot around our busy schedules.

Well today we finally got some time to get together and make a few memories. From state troopers on the interstate, to snakes in the flowers we had our fair share of scares today. The wonderful temperatures and sunny skies were a welcomed sight though, especially since April and Ana drove down from Richmond for the day.

Well once again, I would like to say, congratulations and I wish you both nothing but a lifetime of happiness.

Yellow

I have been very busy the past few weeks with my other hobby. My saltwater fish tanks.

I havent had any time to get out and shoot so I thought I would show a picture I took on one of the first warm days we had this year.

Welcome May

I had a little free time tonight so I decided to check out the sunset.

I was only accompanied by 2 other couples who rode their bikes there to watch this day come to an end. Together we sat and exchanged some small talk but over all it was pretty silent and peaceful. The silence was only broken by the sound of my shutter opening and closing as I captured image after image to make sure I had just the right one.

Above are two of my favorite images I captured tonight.

Spare!

Tonight was not my typical Tuesday night. I normally help out at girlscout meetings for a local troop that my girlfriend used to belong too. She has long since been out of the troop but still helps her neighbor who is now the troop leader.

Every other Tuesday night we meet at a local elementary school for the hour long meeting which involves games and crafts. Well tonight we meet for a 2 hour long meeting at the local bowling alley.

Home

I though you all might like to see my home. Testing out a new lens gave me the opportunity to capture this image today.

Dinner Time

It's that time of day again. When the whole family gets together and sits down at the dinner table for a nice, warm, home cooked meal.

Who am I kidding? I cant remember the last time we actually used the dinner table to eat.

It is a pretty rare sight now a days to see families sitting at a table, sharing a meal unless its in a restaurant. Families just do not have enough time in a day anymore to spend quality time with each other.

Colors

With warm temperatures and plants heading towards full bloom here shortly, we are seeing more and more color in gardens up and down the streets. For the time being, green is he dominate color. However all that will soon change, once more color emerges from the green as more and more flowers begin to take over. Spring is a welcomed sight after such a mild winter this year. We have been lucky with temperatures this winter but always look forward to the warmer seasons.

Today we remember

Today marks one year since the tragedy that took place on the Virginia Tech campus.

I was asked today, by a local Virginia Tech graduate if I would be attending the local memorial being held tonight to honor the victims and if I was going to be photographing the event. I simply responded by saying that I will not. I told him that I'm sure there will be plenty of press coverage there and that I would not feel comfortable intruding on such a memorial with my camera.

I am not a Hokie. I have however been to the campus and know many people who attend and have attended Virginia tech, they all know that today I am a Hokie, I am here for them.

Today I will remember those 32 people who lost their lives that day. I feel for the families and friends who will not be able to see what fine and upstanding citizens those 32 people would have grown up to become. Who knows what those lawyers or doctors could have done for this world.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all Hokies tonight. For today, we are all Hokies.

Toys for photographers

What is it that makes photographers see objects in a completely different way than the average person? Probably the same things that make kids see the same way we do. Photographers have to have an eye for the unusual, the strange, and the down right cute and beautiful in order to be successful. You have to find a style that sets you apart from others if you want to make it anywhere in this business.

About 2 weeks ago I bought this nice big tea cup to use for some baby portraits I have planned. So far its been sitting on the my dinning room floor collecting dust. Well after dinner tonight Austin decided that a tea cup makes a wonderful hat, although it can become quite heavy when you're only 4 years old.

Light

Light comes in many forms, the sun, a flame, a bulb. Light quite literally lights our lives every day. Does anyone over stop to think that without it we would be lost?

Sitting here as I type this, I see the light shining from my laptop screen, helping me get some work done. I see the floor lamp in the corner, lighting the room with a soft glow. The bright picture on the TV screen brings us entertainment, just as the light on my fish tank brings life to the corals inside.

Light helps us in many ways yet for some reason we never pay attention to just how much.

Foggy Friday

For the past two days we have woke up to a grey world. The rain has passed, for now, and the temperatures continue to rise. With such delightful weather throughout the past few days, I guess a little fog in the morning is nothing to complain about.