Beautiful Eyes

Beautiful Eyes

I shot this pic at my first commissioned work this past weekend. This Little girl has the most amazing eyes. I also enjoyed how the background fade out to Black.

Ducks Ducks Ducks

Ducks Ducks Ducks

What is it with ducks at parks that follow you everywhere you go, looking for a free hand out. My favorite part of this pick is that one of the ducks is landing/Taking Off not sure which, but his wings are spread.

Spring is Here

Spring is Here

Shot this at a local park of my Daugther! So glad spring is here! I just love power hour, nothing like soft natural sunlight for the perfect pictures!

Blue Eyes

Blue Eyes

Well I noticed I had not posted anything at all for March. So I dug up a shot from this month and posted it! Had some great natural outdoor light in this shot to help light up my Daughter's face!

Inspire

This photo challenge, with Ed's Photography and Milestones, was to take individual photos representing each letter of "Inspire".

INSPIRE

For this image of Inspire all but the letter 'N' came from signs in Downtown Holland, MI. It wasn't till after returning home I realized I needed a letter 'N'. So I rushed down to our local mall to find an 'N' and got lucky to find a Younkers.

I have done this before using architecture to make up letters of peoples last names which was way more challenging. Using letters from signs was a lot easier, although less creative it was still a lot of fun.

I still find capturing the letter I difficult due to how narrow the letter is so in these images I just cropped the I. The first I is from an illuminated Exit sign and the last I is from a music store specializing in guitars called Firehouse Guitars. As for the rest of the letters I'll let you guess where they came from.

Classic Guitar

Classic Guitar

I shot this picture shortly after I received my canon 50mm f/1.4 for Christmas. Rather than shooting the whole guitar I was trying to capture the natural beauty of the wood grain as it ran through the body of the guitar. I was also looking for more of an artistic shot. Taking my time up front and imagining how I wanted this to look before I started shooting helped me to achieve my goal.

I enjoy what I will call "playing" my guitars. I have 1 acoustic pictured here, 1 6 string electric and 1 4 string electric bass.

Cootie Bugs

This photo challenge, with Ed's Photography and a new photographer from Milestones, was to take a photography representing "Toys".

Cootie Bugs

My daughter got the Game Cootie from Santa Claus this year and I thought what better to shoot a picture of then this classic game.

I shot this on my new Denim Background I got for Christmas using a external flash mounted on camera. I placed a white cloth over the the flash to try and soften the light. I also bounced the flash off a white ceiling. There was some ambient halogen lights in the room as well. A little post processing to brighten the colors helped as well.

Special thanks to my Wife, since I don't have a good way to hold the background, she lent a few hands.

New Background

New Backgorund

Shot this with my new toys from Christmas. A new background and my 50mm f/1.4. I also tried a new trick where I placed a white cloth over the flash to try and soften the light. I really like how that worked and at this time I don't have many other options.

Blue and Red

Blue & Red

I came across this photo as I was going through some old photos. They eyes really grabbed me into the photo and the Red pole in the background provides great contrast to the over all image.

Fall Color

Fall Color

This week's photo challenge with Ed's Photography was to take a photography representing the Fall Color.

This was taken in my yard of my Maple Tree just as the sun was setting. The light from the sun really intensified the reds of the leaves.

I really enjoy fall and consider it my most favorite season. I have taken many fall pics this year and it was hard to choose just one. Since I limited my selection to just this past week for this assignment, this was my favorite.

Don't forget to check out Ed's blog and see how he interpreted the assignment.

Autum Family Photo Shoot

Autum Family Photo Shoot

When to a park near Lowell, MI this weekend and shot some family pics. Above is one of my daughter I enjoyed. Fall is just the pretty season here in MI. I enjoy when it comes and hate when it goes!

1st Day of Preschool

1st Day of Preschool

This was on my daughters 1st day of preschool outside of her school. I know its posted a little late. So far so good she is really enjoying it!

Had to do some post processing to this photo, I needed more fill light for her eyes. Next time I may try a flash to brighten her eyes more, thank goodness digital photos are inexpensive.

ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/320 sec
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 47mm
Flash Used: No

Martial Artist Champion

Martial Artist Champion

This was one of my 1st on location photo opportunities. I tagged along with a fellow photographer to shoot this young Man. He is 14 years old and just won a world championship!

Anyway this location was extremely difficult. There where mirrors all over this room and no matter where you stood you couldn't get away from your self or some other obstacle in the room. The balls and other clutter behind him where very aggravating, but overall I enjoyed the experience. I felt this was one of the better photographs from the shoot.

The 7 Pins

The 7 Pins

This week's photo challenge with Ed's Photography was to take a photography representing the Number Seven.

First off I must say this isn't my best work. Any amateur with a pocket camera could of taken this shot. So lets look deeper.

The minute I saw this I knew I had my representation of the number 7! This was my daughters first time bowling and here we see what is left after my daughters 1st attempt in a frame. So not only is it special that it was 7 it is special cause it was my daughters first time bowling.

Sometimes the best pictures don't have to look the best to be the best.

Don't forget to check out Ed's blog and see how he interpreted the assignment.

My Girls

My Girls

Above is a shot from a photo shoot of my Wife and Daughter in Spring Grove Park. My daughter was being very uncooperative, but hey that's why I love her.

Passion of the Game

Passion of the Game

This week's photo challenge with Ed's Photography was to take a photography representing the word passion.

Here we see a scene from our local minor league baseball team, West Michigan Whitecaps. All of these guys are playing for the passion of the game. Each one passionately ready as the ball is hit in to the outfield! None of them are kicking the dirt, talking to their neighbor or wondering when they can get that Hot Dog and Beer. They are all focused with passion on winning this game!

Don't forget to check out Ed's blog and see how he interpreted the assignment.

Sunset Silhouette

Sunset Silhouette

Last weekend my Wife and I set out to Grand Haven, MI for a date. We picked up Subway and had a picnic on the beach and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/4000 sec
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 56mm

Granite Street

Granite Street

This was taken down a ally in Portland, Maine. Along this stretch of Granite Street where shops selling clothing and tourist junk, as well as restaurants and pubs. What amazed me was the that not only was these portion of downtown granite most of the curbs in the cities in Maine are made of granite as well.

ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/640 sec
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 70mm

Worn Watch

Worn Watch

This watch was photographed on top of piece of green mat board with an external flash bounced off a white door to the right of it. Post processing was done to achieve that vintage aged look.

ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/125 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 135mm

Famous Light

Famous Light

Here is my submission for this week's photo challenge "Door Knob" with fellow blogger Ed.

We use door knobs to open and enter our way into a room. Similarly ships in the water use light houses to open and enter their way into the channel and back to a dock.

The above light house is off the cost of Portland, Maine and is call the Portland Head Light.

ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 160mm