Campbell arrives: He ain’t no soup!
This has been a great weekend ! I had the pleasure of spending some time with Sara and Troy and their first addition into their family – Campbell. He is such a handsome little boy. Both Troy and Sara are very proud and happy new parents. Recently, Sara and I had been discussing a maternity shoot before his birth. Before the plans could be finalized, Campbell decided that he should arrive about three weeks early. So we never got the chance to do the shoot.
I am so grateful that Sara and Troy gave me the opportunity to capture their son in my studio.
Here are some of my favorite shots of my new friend. It was hard to pick just a few of these images when you have such a great subject!
Campbell’s father is a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. I like this scholarly contemplating look. He must get this from his dad. I can not be positive though as Sara is one sharp lawyer in her own right.
Campbell hanging with Dad! This is nothing like snuggling with your new born.
Mom needs to love too! Here is Sara sharing a smile, a laugh, and a snuggle with her son.
These shots just scratch the surface. The entire image gallery can be found here.
I have been fortunate to have known Sara from many years. We will keep the actual number of years under raps to protect the innocent and the potentially aged. I witnessed and captured some of Troy’s and Sara’s wedding as a wedding guest and friend photography. It was my privilege to witness and enjoy their wedding that marked their new beginning. I am very flattered to be asked to capture Campbell as they embark in the beginning of their parenthood.
Here is a brief video that covers both occasions. If you so not see the video embedding below, click here to see the video.
See you all soon! Thanks for stopping by!
Can you take me back to a place called Oregon Street?
Well, I had this huge cardboard box that I have been moving from place to place since since the very early 1990s. I knew it had some of my childhood stuff in it including some 1000s of sports cards(baseball, basketball, football, Brazilian soccer). I have been putting off rummaging through this box for years because I knew it would take some work going through the cards and determine their value and what future they should have with me.
Finally, my procrastination ended and I unsealed the box and took a look inside. As I thought there was quite a few sports cards in it but also several other items that I did not expect. These items take me back to a time where a small and skinny young boy spent his time focusing on school, wrestling, electronic hand held and homemade baseball games, and card collecting in his childhood home on Oregon St. in Racine, Wisconsin.
Here are some of the examples of items that I found:
- A Muhammad Ali autograph scribbled into a Allen-Bradley notepad that I received after briefly shadow-boxing with the champ in O’Hare airport as we waited for our delayed flight to take off to London on my first trip to Europe in 1977.
- A 1969 Chicago Cubs spring training (Scottsdale, Arizona) official press- radio roster book that was given to me by my junior high vice principal Al Widner who knew I was really into baseball at that time.
- My 1979-80 Junior high year book from Mitchell Junior High.
- Some of my player sheets for the baseball game I made using player statistics and dice roll probabilities.
- Who’s Who in Baseball books.
- Some sketch books that included my drawings of KISS band members faces.
- 1978 junior high team wrestling picture with a few programs from the wrestling meets.
- The Milwaukee Journal Times from March 30, 1981 that contained the headline “President Wounded: Reagan undergoes surgery; listed in good condition”
- Not to mention all my cards.
- The list goes on.
So my mind was back in Wisconsin. This was a place that I had not lived since 1981. This year is a milestone where I have now lived in south twice as long the Midwest. Thank god my mother, sister and brother still live there and I have these things to remind me of my roots. Things I can pass on to my children to help them understand their father childhood and their family history a little better.
The time between Christmas day and New years 2009 was spent in these old stomping grounds with my mother in Racine, Wisconsin. This is the first time in many years that my family has spent the holidays with her. Usually, it is other times of the year, that we head to cheese land. My wife came up with the idea of this trip for the holidays. Here is brief video of our recent trip. This time sharing my roots with my precious children.
If you do not see embedded video below, click here for the blog video.
I want to ride my Bicycle. I want to ride my Bike….
Everyone goes through various firsts in their lives. Sophie is no different. We have been trying to teach her how to ride a bike for quite some time now. This weekend grandma Carole finally was able to trigger success in Sophie. I had been telling to “keep going” which in my mind meant “pedal Sophie pedal!.” Well, it apparently had not been clear to Sophie. Carol urged her to "pedal Sophie pedal!” and off she went. It was like a light switch!
Early on she started with her helmet as she gained confidence.
Her confidence grew quickly as our circle became a circular race track. She is steady as a rock and fast too! Speed racer eat your heart out!!! I thought when I learned I was wobbly for a week. Maybe I just do not remember what happened almost 40 years ago. Great job Sophie!
Jackie took Sophie to a local park to ride around a lake! Sophie has been suggesting this all day!!!
See ya soon!
Selling Lip Gloss in a Blue World
“Psssttt…Hey you c’m here… would you like to buy some of my special $50.00 lip gloss ? “ said the little girl in the blue world.
“I really do not need any lip gloss.” said the busy working executive who models blue jean jackets on the side. From the look on her face, you can tell she does her own make-up also.
“With this economy, what makes you think that you can get $50.00 for that lip gloss anyway? I think you are crazy! “ she said.
“I will use my sweet innocence and special selling smile!” said the little girl.
“If that one does not work, I will use this variation!”
7 going on 15
The followers of this blog probably know by now that this is my oldest daughter Sophie. You may not know that Sophia has a great big heart for the people around her. She is always looking for something sweet and special to do for someone. The “Think World Peace” shirt above definitely fits her personality. She worries about the world and our planet’s future. The above image matures her past her seven years. If may be an early premonition of what a teenage Sophia may look like.
Yesterday, since we had snow falling in Raleigh, we played around in the studio a bit. Sophie had dressed for the day in the outfit in the image. I just provided my “Rasta” cap to top off the outfit.
Welcome to Shady town
Recently, I continue to play around with controlling and manipulating ambient and flash/strobe light sources to achieve different looks in my images.
This first image below was taken with the ambient(background) a little underexposed(darker) than the flash unit that is exposing Sophie’s face from the upper right hand side of the frame. Notice the background has a shelf and some pictures that would make a Green Bay Packer fan proud. I included this image in this series to show the room that I was working in for these images.
If I was using a regular point-and-shoot camera, I would not typically have hardly any control of the image exposure and the light would be flat(coming straight from the camera axis). The image may be acceptable but it would not the have the dimensional look afforded by the off-camera flash unit.
Not everyone is a Packer fan like Sophie and me. So I decided to remove the Packer influence from the image by making the background black. I adjusted my camera settings so that when I took a “flash-less” shot in the same environment the image became black. The same ambient light in the first photograph is still present in the room, but my new camera settings make it where this light has no effect on my image. In essence, I killed the ambient(room) light. Now, it is just a matter of lighting my subject(beautiful Sophie) with flash unit and keeping as much of its light from hitting the back wall. If the light hits the back wall, it will show up in the image.
Here are a couple of the final results after a little work in Photoshop.
Till next time!
That ain’t funny
There are definitely some good and bad things about being the children of a photographer. If they like modeling, they pretty much can have unlimited photo shoots. All they have to do is ask. Sometimes. however, they simply do not have a choice. 
They become the “askee” not the “asker.”
I am constantly looking for ways to improve the creative and technical aspects of my photography. Last night before dinner was no exception. I snuck out back of the house and set up a couple of flash units(Canon speedlites) on some light stands near our playground/playhouse. Yes, I could have used the early evening natural light for these shots but using flash units allows me more creative flexibility and control. I have potentially three light sources to play with instead of just one.
One flash unit which was gelled with FULL CTO was placed on a light stand instead the playhouse. It was positioned to serve two purposes: a background light and warm hair light. The light pointed at an angle to to reflect off an inside wall for the background light and also through the window for warm hair light.. Outside of the playhouse another flash unit with an shoot-through umbrella was placed on a light stand for the key light. I chose to use a 60 inch umbrella to provide a large soft light for the faces that would be soon look through this playhouse window. I triggered these units using the new Pocketwizard wireless radio mini TT1 transmitter(on camera) and Flex TT5 receivers with the flash units in manual mode.
So now all I need are some faces. Wonder where I can find a couple of children to model for me? Hmmm… Sophie! Savannah! I need to borrow you for a brief princess shoot! I thought to myself what little girl would turn down a princess photo shoot. I knew I could get them to at least a few minutes. That about all the time I had before we were called in the house for dinner.
First up, two girls rimmed in warm light and framed by the playhouse window looking off into the direction of the key light.
A new and different angle. The look on Savannah’s face is just like her. You can really see the effect of the CTO(yellow) gel on the flash unit inside the playhouse.
Now, a solo shot of daddy’s “original” model. If you look closely , you can see a little bit of the blue slide and ground texture in the left of the frame. I chose to reduce/cut-out the ambient light from the scene and rely primarily on my flash units for a more creative look. In reality, I could have done these shots with the ambient early 5 PM evening light. I did not entirely cut out the ambient light with my camera exposure settings.
Now, this one is what prompted the title of this post. It appears Savannah is telling her older sister a joke that she does not want to hear. I title this image “That ain’t funny!”
Till next time, take care!!!
My new friend Daniel
The other night while attending the Hilburn Family Fitness night, I made a new friend. At least I think I did. I am still trying to determine if he liked the flash of camera or me. Anyway, here are a few shots of Daniel. Facial expressions can say a thousand words. What do you think he is thinking about?
Hanging with his uncle.
A raspberry wave with mom.
Larger sizes version of these images can be found in the My New friend Daniel gallery.
Hilburn Fitness Night
Recently, Hilburn Drive Elementary school had their annual family fitness night. This night encourages and teaches students and families about exercise, fitness, and nutrition. Two certified trainers including Chris Mitchell from O2 fitness were on hand to lead the exercises and discuss nutrition and overall wellness.
The parents and children go for a group stretch.
I love the intensity in the young girls face as this trainers lead everyone in an exercise drill.
Chris Mitchell leads the discussion on food pyramid.
The interactive overall health and wellness discussions were interesting and interactive between the students and the trainers.
Even younger family members not quite older enough to attend Hilburn got into the exercise act. 
The entire family fitness night gallery can be found here. For those interested in more Hilburn galleries, please navigate to Hilburn Elementary section in my galleries.
Rats Nest, a Balloon, and a Nannah
When I was kid, my mother and grandmother used to call our uncombed morning hair a “rat’s nest.” This morning, we sitting at the breakfast table all with our own version of a rat’s nest. Savannah’s hair was particularly “nesty” this morning. Even with her hair in that state, she still makes a nice subject for the camera. Nothing like balloons and some smiles to perk up a breakfast sitting.
The Excitement of Receiving
Do you think she likes Uncle Dave’s Christmas gift? Give me your thoughts.
Dining with Dads
This week was “Dining with Dads” week at Hilburn Elementary. I was happy I could take a break to have some lunch with my daughter Sophia. From her smile and excitement, I gathered that my lunch surprise worked. Also, the PTA was looking for some images to capture this week for the yearbook. I volunteered to help out. So I killed two birds with one stone. I really love the support for my photography that I get from Sophia. This day was no different. She is one of the most thoughtful people I know. So mature beyond her years. Man, I am so proud of her in so many ways.
Anyway, here are some shots of some other dads that probably feel the same way about their children.
This child gives these dads the thumbs up.
Here is Sophie and her friend enjoying their lunch.
