Blog Absence....

To all my followers and friends who have enjoyed my blog I must apologize.  I am sorry for my absence.  Let me share some things with you though.  I am a photographer.  I take photos of anything that interests me.  I take a lot of photos for my own enjoyment and most are not seen by people at all I just put them in a folder and watch the slide show and remember the locations.  I recently watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and can so relate to the statement Sean O'Conell makes as I have been in many a situation and did not press the shutter at all.  Well that being said I am back and hope to start posting again!

Now the reason for my absence.  Yes I like showing my work off do not get me wrong.  But I mainly created my blog so my mom in Texas could follow and see what I had been up to.  We would talk about it during our phone conversations.  Well in July 2013 she joined my father in a much better place than here with her passing I had lost the desire to blog.  Thanks to all that have encouraged me to get back and share what I do.  Photography is a very personal thing to me.  I turned to it to help with a divorce and photograph things that I like.  It is not an art or a way to make money for me.  It is a way to meet some incredible people, see things not seen, enjoy God's playground and wonder at all that is here for us.  That is why I am a photographer.

I recently transferred with my company and have relocated to California and am enjoying the sights in this location and have made some fun images.  I have finished the moving process (well as much as possible) so hope to be able to show you more of what I have been up to lately.  As there are a lot of things to see in this state.  As always if you would like to purchase prints of any of the photos just email me and I will be more than happy as it funds my adventures.  If not you are more than welcome to enjoy them electronically!  I hope my absence has not turned y'all off following me.  If it has I am sorry and do apologize but this is just my growth as a person and a photographer as I hope you will see in my images.

Something Sunday --- You got to ask...

Recently while on my travels some good advice from an awesome photographer mentor and friend came to mind.  He has always said you will not get the photo if you do not ask.  Now granted for some this is not a problem but for others of us it can be hard to disrupt a persons life and plans for us to take a photo.  I for one am glad in this case I did.  A couple was out snapping photos.  The fun part was the woman was pregnant and they wanted to record that.  As I watched them an idea for a photo I have been wanting to try came along.  I asked if they would be interested in my idea.  I explained it to them and let them do it but I wanted to try as well.  Here is the result!

 

 

I thank this couple for trying my idea and allowing me to take a few of my own.  I also thank Levi Sim ( http://www.sdesignsphotography.com/ ) for his post a while back about asking: it is how we improve our skills and develop the ability to shoot in any  environment.  

Something Sunday --- Otter Creek (Friday Night Concert Series)

Wow I am still floored by the talent we have been able to see but more importantly hear this year.  I am also thankful the performers allow me to photograph them.  It is not the easiest venue to photograph for sure due to the lighting, but for a person that thrives on the dark side as I do it is fun.  Now let me explain the dark side.  I enjoy like and have fun shooting in the dark.  I do not have issues with going to a 3200 ISO or higher if need be.  Now granted means you have to do some post process work but it is a challenge that I really enjoy.

But I digress!  Welcome to Otter Creek if I was half a computer whiz I would put a link in so you can hear them play.  This duo was amazing.  The instruments both played (each had several) and the harmonies were tight.  Thank them for coming to the Brigham City Fine Arts Center and participating in the Friday night Concert Series!

Something Sunday --- California Trip Struck Gold!

Well I finally returned to California I had not been there since my college days... not a bad thing in my mind as the first trip was not a fun experience (Californians love volleyball and do not like to lose either!).  But I finally realized what I had been missing.  Here are some of my favorites from the trip.

A theatre in Downtown Tracy California.  It brought back such a nostalgic feeling just standing across from it.

I have a thing for trees and this one caught my eye as I crossed the mountain range from Tracy California headed to Clayton California. 

Yosemite Valley...  What an amazing place God has created a lot was closed as I was too early in the season so I am planning a return trip

I have been visualizing this shot for a while now and did a lot of hiking to find the exact spot I wanted.  Then I waited for the proper time Golden Gate Bridge supporting San Francisco in the background wow.

I definitely am headed back to several places now that I have an idea of what California has to offer and I am not talking about the gold nuggets found there!

Something Sunday --- Leaping Lulu (Friday Night Concert Series)

Celtic Music is amazing.  I do not understand how it can be so mournful but yet happy at the same time.  One of the best groups I have heard is Leaping Lulu and they were in concert at the Brigham City Fine Art Center.  It was a difficult shoot as they used the whole stage but I did get some amazing shots of the individuals! 

Once again This series ends soon for this year so check it out Brigham City Fine Arts Center Friday Night Concert Series!


Porch Pounders will be there this coming Friday 19th come join a blues filled night!

Something Sunday --- Friday Night Concert series Alex Bevan

Oh my goodness time does fly when we are having fun right!!!  But I have still been busy for sure taking photos.  It has been a journey all right.  I would like to highlight Brigham City's Friday Night Concert Series in this post.  I just find it amazing that you can hear and listen to world renowned talent in Brigham City Utah a small town in northern Utah.  I am so looking forward to the Blues this coming month as well, but here are some of the photos taken during Alex Bevan concert.

Here is Alex Bevan having a grand old time.  He could sing play and even tell a good story to boot! 

There are more to come for sure and if in the area look it up Brigham City Fine Arts Center Friday Night Concert Series there are still several more to go this year!!!

Still Alive!!!

The question has been asked of me recently are you still doing photography?  Well to answer that it is a resounding yes!!!  But there have been a few things that have slowed me down.  First as most of you can tell by now I am a Texan always will be and due to this I do not deal with cold well at all.  We have had a cold snap that drove me inside now since before Christmas it seems like.  We warmed up today to 35 and I was out in a Polo shirt only enjoying the warm day.  Secondly there is a new little lady in my life so with her being with me blogging just does not seem to be well lets just say top priority.  But yes I am a photographer and will be the rest of my life.  Here are some of the things I have been doing the last month.  Enjoy and look forward for more to come.

Meet J need more be said she puts up with me... and "volunteered" to be a new model for me.

Baby B here at about 4 days old.  Ahhh the things she will see and experience

H visited during the Christmas break and our tradition remains strong due to weather we had to be inside.

Self Portrait and a funny moment.  She did not realize I had the remote still going and I was having fun.

You know it goofing around during a clothes change!

I am learning some new techniques as well and hope to have mastered them enough to share soon.  Awesome National Geographic type stuff IF I can get it right.

Something Sunday --- Heber Cowboy Poetry

I love photography!  It is so fun to capture certain moments of time and be able to share them with my clients, friends and family.  But every once in a while sometime I take my camera to an event that I want to enjoy without a picture in mind.  This is one of those events that I speak of:  Heber Cowboy Poetry Gathering.  Such musical talent characters and fun packed into 3 days.  My friend J invited me to join them this year.  I of course accepted got tickets and took the camera along.  I was not expecting to get any shots but these I really like!  Enjoy and be safe this Christmas season!

Ernie rocks the house so to speak!

Premier poets spinning their yarns...

Many strings the first music I heard at a Cowboy Poetry gathering.  I have followed them a couple of years now enjoy their music and the fun they have.

Hello I'm Johnny Cash.

This entertainer did the Ultimate Tribute to Johnny Cash.  He was very good at it his concert was a lot of fun.  Makes me wish I had been able to see Cash perform in person!

I am often asked if I am staying out of trouble.  Well in case you do not know me well trouble follows me around for some reason.  Here is photographic proof!

I guess he thought you shoot me I will shoot back!!!

H Football

Every once in a while a purely lucky thing happens.  This is one of those things.  While taking pictures for a friend I happened upon a Church leader who happened to be a coach and his son was playing on the team.  When I found out I could not resist here are some of my captures of the day.

Coach and father does it get any better than that!

Lets get some yardage from this punt return.

Going down...???

Defensive player as well!

Something Sunday --- Favorite People Photos

It has been said that I do not photograph people.  Let me set the record straight.  I do photograph people and enjoy doing it in certain situations.  I am still learning a lot about how to capture the true emotion a person has and posing well we will not even go there...  My largest group so far has been 386 folks yes in one photo (got to love the church photo right).  The smallest has literally been a just born child now that was fun.

I was asked recently why I do not photograph people as I said and I was shocked.  Now I must admit on the blog and I think I may have said this before I usually do not post them for folks to see.  It is a moment in time between my clients and me and I do not have the right to post them that is up to the client as they see fit.  I have seen photos I have taken on Facebook and it just makes me smile that they thought enough of their pictures to share it to the world.  I have taken some fun ones lately and would like to share with their permission of course so enjoy.

This is the son of some great friends.  He recently was in the play Fiddler on The Roof.  Here is one I captured of "The Rabbi" that I liked

This is M when I heard it was going to be her birthday I think I set a post processing record to get this one done and it is posted first.

Sometimes in spite of my shortcomings natural beauty just makes the shot happen.

Here is A about as natural a smile as can be even though I think she was cursing me under her breath it was a little cold don't let the moon and sun fool you.

Here we have another A.  I wonder when I see where she is looking what plans they have for me...

Meet Dr T.  He told me a while back he was a rock climber and it always stuck.  With learning HDR and some other techniques I wanted to try something different for him.  I like it!

 

Something Sunday --- More Sports

Wow in an effort to become a better sports photographer I learned something new...  I know can you believe it.  I now know what a Jammer is and a Blocker or the Pack.  Yes I am speaking a foreign language but thanks to a great person I was invited to the Junction City Roller Derby match.  It was incredible as I did not know what to expect!  Here are some of my favorites of the evening.

This is C an amazing photographer he helped me understand what was going to happen and how to photograph this event

Keeping the other team from scoring!

Ref is not saying anything so that must be a legal play???

Lot of action going on in this shot nothing else needs be said.

Something Sunday --- Sports

Thank you Thank you Thank you that is for all the veterans past present and future, of which my father was one, that have sacrificed something if not all to protect the freedoms we have today!

I love certain sports playing volleyball for me is just down right fun!  I like watching basketball and have been known to be at a football game every once in a while.  So to take two things I like enjoy and put them together was just flat awesome.  A friend volunteered her children for me to do some football shots.  Thanks to S for letting me do it I walked 4.2 miles and got some awesome shots.  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Turning the corner!!!

Looks like he is going down right.  Not so ran on...  Please note the advertisement for Wilson help support my family just kidding.

About to get the party started on this one.

You are going down.

Great example of team tackling he was down.

Incredibly fun day.  Enjoyed and had a lot of fun shooting this day!

Something Sunday --- H

I know my best looking and willing model.  I do not see her as often as I would like to, but when she does visit we have a shoot! She has been asking for the photos from our last shoot while she was visiting.  I know I know I do not post a lot of people pictures but I do enjoy them and wish I could learn and do more!  Here is the beautiful H.

I can still hear her say my photos are good cause she is so beautiful...

She is probably right but we sure have fun spend time together and have the photos to prove it!