• Camera Equipment,  Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits,  Photography

    Riley

    January 4, 2012
    Riley

     

    “If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you’re not out there, you’ll only hear about it.” – Jay Maisel
    I’m reading a book where the author suggests doing an exercise where we put our digital cameras down and grab a film camera then shoot a few rolls of film through it. His suggestion caused me to wondered where I could find a film camera for such an exercise. But, I just put the suggestion on the shelf and forgot about it. Well, later on that very day I unintentionally discovered my old Nikon FG-20 camera with a Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 lens attached. I’d forgotten I even had this camera. Not sure it works so, I’m going to search for a battery and try it out. Of course I’ll try black and white. Hope this does not inspire me to search on ebay for an M6.
    This is Riley taken at a coffee shop last December. She now has a camera with one fixed lens and is on her way to developing her craft. I think she already has a good eye. I also enjoy framing a pretty young lady in my viewfinder.
    Read More
  • architecture,  Candid Portraits,  Cityscapes/Urban,  People/Portraits

    Walking the Streets

    January 3, 2012
    Walking the Streets

    I only know how to approach a place by walking. For what does a street photographer do but walk and watch and wait and talk, and then watch and wait some more, trying to remain confident that the unexpected, the unknown, or the secret heart of the known awaits just around the corner. – Alex Webb

    I did not wait long for this man to walk into the scene, it just took on its own life. I was drawn to the sign and boarded up windows. He just happened to walk into the frame as I raised my camera. If I’d not been ready, this scene would not exist. One  of the traits a street photographer needs.

    Read More
  • Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits

    Happy New Year

    January 1, 2012
    The Coming Changes

    The coming year will have many changes in my life. I will be moving into my retirement years. I will start drawing social security. Uncle Sam says we can make up to $14,000 per year before the amount of our benefits begins to decrease. I’m not sure I will want to stop working so I will take some steps to provide a small income with my camera. I’ve just placed some of my images for sale on a website called Fine Art America. I have also decided to venture into more portraits. I’ve joined a website called Model Mayhem with the intent to expand my portrait photography. I’ve always questioned whether I have the personality to work as a portrait photographer. I also want to travel but not necessarily by air. Hitting the road in the new wheels with a tent, sleeping bag and camera sounds more inviting. I would like to slow down and spend more time in nature, camping does that. I’ve also been hearing a whisper within asking me to use my photography to help our struggling world, the worlds of nature and society.

    I may sell my condo and move to one of the 55+ communities, which most are located in warmer climates. Phoenix sounds good and would be near my parents and a sister. I will embrace all the changes, even the ones I do not expect.

    We all have changes. The above image is of Sebastian who is due around January 3rd. Talk about changes! This little one is about to change his parents lives in the coming year and beyond. Heck, he could already be here. And, you know his parents will embrace all the changes he will bring! So, I say bring on the changes. Let life surprise us and live it.

    Happy New Year to everyone!

    Read More
  • Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits

    Winter Solstice

    December 21, 2011
    The Lovely Maddie and Grandpa

    The winter solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet’s polar hemisphere is farthest away from the star that it orbits. Earth’s maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26′. More evidently from high latitudes, a hemisphere’s winter solstice occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the sun’s daily maximum elevation in the sky is the lowest. Since the winter solstice lasts only a moment in time, other terms are often used for the day on which it occurs, such as midwinter, the longest night or the first day of winter. But, the best event to ever happen on this day was back in 1996 when my youngest granddaughter was born. Happy Birthday Maddie!!

    Read More
  • Candid Portraits,  People/Portraits

    Strange how that happens

    November 9, 2011
    Waiting

    A couple years ago I read a very good book by David deChumin called Within the Frame. The other night while thumbing through the book an image I had taken four years ago came to mind. The image was taken when I was exploring the streets of Alexandria, Virginia on one of my days off. I have no memory of what I thought at the time or what prompted me to take this image. I believe it was her patient waiting. I just composed the scene in the view finder and pressed the shutter. Now four years later, something David wrote in his book about telling a story prompted me to revisit it. Strange how that happens.

    Read More