• bees,  Self-portraits

    Happy New Years

    The New Years Eve Party
    The New Years Eve Party

    Here’s a self-portrait of the party animal. Lights were out by 10:23 and blankets were pulled up around my neck due to the sub-freezing temperatures. This is what happens when you’re facing your 65th birthday in 2015, carry an extra 15-20 pounds at the waistline and have a difficult time staying awake past 11:00. I stopped trying to stay up till midnight and welcome in the new year a few years ago. I figure I’ll see it in the morning feeling refreshed after a good nights sleep. In my past I did not need a holiday to party and drink, any day worked. I actually was more interested in the “four” bowl games on New Year’s Day. We’d set out unhealthy snacks and overdose on both all day long. When the kids were younger it was fun to make them a big breakfast and watch the Rose Bowl Parade. I hope everyone has a blessed 2015 and Happy New Years!

  • Black and White,  People/Portraits,  quotes,  Self-portraits

    Dark and Mysterious

    One Light Portrait
    One Light Portrait

    “There’s just something unsettling about studying your reflection. It’s not a matter of being dissatisfied with your face or of being embarrassed by your vanity. Maybe it’s that when you gaze into your own eyes, you don’t see what you wish to see—or glimpse something that you wish weren’t there.” 

    Dean Koontz, Deeply Odd

    I again called upon the older guy to model for me as I played with some exposure and lighting effects.  Shot this in the afternoon with window light only. I wanted to use the camera and flash to darken the background. I set the camera on manual at f2.0 and a shuter speed of 400th of a second.  This darkened the background while I used off camera flash, set on manual, and powered at 1/64th to light only my face. It is through using myself I learn about flash and how to play with it. It takes longer to experiment. After I feel comfortable I can then use a different model. Black and white conversion was done in Silver Efex Pro.

  • Black and White,  quotes,  Self-portraits

    A Glance

    Self-portrait

    “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

    Gautama Buddha
  • People/Portraits,  Self-portraits

    Morning Coffee

    Morning Coffee
    Morning Coffee

    “Gaze into the fire, into the clouds, and as soon as the inner voices begin to speak..surrender to them. Don’t ask first whether it’s permitted, or would please your teachers or father or some god. You will ruin yourself if you do that.” – Herman Hesse

    The inner voice suggested I use the window light for a self-portrait. I listened. It felt good. I think we all need to do that more often.

     

  • Self-portraits

    Starting a Trip

    Yours Truly

    My grandkids are beginning to have some doubts about their grandfathers stability when they see me setup the tripod and take a few self-portraits. They deny it but I can see it in their eyes. No matter, I think a self-portrait is the best thing to do when you’ve just trimmed the beard for my trip I start today. Gonna fly up north to Wisconsin then to DC on the east coast and crawl into bed late in Kansas City. Then up before dawn and head back to DC. Turn the plane around and fly to Omaha for the night and take off my shoes. The last day is back to Denver where we pickup another plane and fly to Dallas then back to Denver. Done at that point so I drive home and sleep in my own bed on Sunday. Four days off and do it again. It’s a lifestyle. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

  • People/Portraits,  Self-portraits

    Happy Friday

    New Hat

    No I did not take this image. It was taken by one of the pilots I flew with a couple weeks ago. We were waiting in our hotel lobby to head out and indulge in some fine Kansas City Bar-B-Que. The post eating shot would have sauce all over me face. 🙂 And, yes it’s a new hat. Happy Friday!