09.April.2005This evening, I did some photos for three couples going to their Junior-Senior Prom. They showed up almost an hour after prime light time, so some of the shots were difficult to get. When I say difficult, I mean I had to work harder to make the photos look the way I had envisioned before the shoot. The photos turned out really nice, and from what I understand they had a good time at their Prom as well.
16.April.2005On Saturday, I took pictures of a graduation ceremony where new doctors of chiropratic were being hooded. Another photographer was handling the set shots, I was there to primarily shoot candids. The good part about doing candids is that it's an opportunity to capture the emotions of parents, spouses, friends, relatives and graduates alike. I caught many smiles and occasional tears. It was a very uplifting day.
14.May.2005This photo shoot was a surprise retirement party. The guest of honor had no idea that her children where planning a brunch for her. She was under the impression that she was going to take pictures, and hence, had to dress-up. Technically, she was. I captured many shots of her astonishment as she walked in the door, and after seeing all her friends and family, put together what was happening. It was a very nice morning.
19.May.2005I spent two wonderful weeks in Italy with two days in Switzerland. I was with a group of other Americans. We traveled from Naples, Pompei & Capri to Rome & Assisi to Florence to Venice & Verona to Lugano & Sirmoine to Luzern, Switzerland. The trip was a mixture of vacation and education, but of course, I spend half my time looking through the viewfinder of my camera. With so many breath-taking landscapes, acient architecture and interesting people it was difficult to put the camera down. I've posted a few of the shots from the trip on this site.
29.July.2005A family reunion is an event that requires a fast shutter finger, a constantly watching eye, as well as shot anticipation. The Hall Family reunion was a big success with many renewed bonds and strengthened connections. I was happy to be a part of the celebration and to catch the festivities in photograph.
10.August.2005Taking pictures for advertisements may seem more straight forward than people photography, but that is not always so. Today I took some pictures for a new limousine company. The challenging part was to reproduce the vision from the owner's head into photograph. The mission was accomplished and I would like to thank Tallahassee Limousine and wish them all the best.
11.August.2005This morning I had the fortunate opportunity to photograph a very beautiful and talented professional dancer. It took a few months of planning to work around her demanding schedule. Anticipation of body movement and position became very important on this shoot. Maria is embarking on a new phase of her career that will include more teaching and workshop orchestration in addition to her performances. As soon as her website is up and running, I will post a link. I would like to thank Maria for the opportunity and wish her much success.
20.August.2005I took a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains just over an hour north of Atlanta. The scenery up there is some of the most beautiful that I’ve seen. The cabin where I stayed was high enough on the mountain that there is no cell phone coverage. That fact alone added to the back-to-nature feel of the trip. Photography in the mountains is very interesting. I say this because it takes a little more thought to get a photo that is not just another picture of a mountain. I had a great time and even put my camera down long enough to do some motorcycle riding.
30.August.2005As I was riding by a park in Pensacola, I saw an old canon on display. It gave me an idea for a shot. I wanted a down-the-barrel perspective, but I didn’t want to convey the danger of looking straight down the barrel. So I used a very shallow depth of field to focus on the opening of the barrel and off centered it at the same time. I included one of the shots in the Black & White gallery of inanimates.
18.September.2005Mountain Biking is a very challenging sport, as are most sports where a participant may shed blood, sweat, tears or some combination there of. It is also a load of fun. MTB races are held annually at Tom Brown Park as a part of the Florida circuit. At this particular race, I was taking some photos for a local bike shop. The pictures of the expert class ended up being used, but my personal favorites were the ones of the little kid’s class. Many of the five year olds could teach the adults about sportsmanship.
29.October.2005New York provides endless photo opportunities. I was in the City for a Philosophy conference. I spent the most of the daytime in sessions and most of the evenings wandering the city taking random shots. One of my favorites from the trip was a series that I took of a young woman spinning balls of fire. She had fireballs attached to strings about three feet long in both hands and was spinning them such that they looked like continuous, fiery circles. Pretty cool.
19.November.2005Engagement photos are very important. It’s a part of the process of announcing to the world that two people have decided to spend the rest of their lives together. This particular couple wore matching outfits. The white shirts made for good B&Ws because they provided a good contrast with their skin tone and hair color.
25.November.2005Today I took some pictures of a young woman in a beautiful park in the greater Orlando area. She wanted some photos that were a little more serious than the snapshots her friends take of her with cell phones. She brought three outfits and we used them all. One of her favorites was a shot of her smelling a flower. I included it on this site in the B&W gallery of people.
31.December.2005New Year’s Eve parties can be really fun, and this one was. Indoor, low light venues always make for challenging photography. Catching the action and getting candids without being intrusive is the name of the game. And of course there’s the occasional set-up shot where people pose.
14.January.2006The city park was the venue for the engagement pictures that I shot today. It was a little colder than I would have liked. Not just because it’s a bit uncomfortable, but because the couple’s noses and cheeks were getting quite rosy. It is a pleasure to take pictures of a couple that really want to be together, it makes the poses and the spontaneous shots that much better.
19.February.2006There is a mountain/cross country bike trail in Reddick, FL known for its high degree of difficulty and challenging lay out. Every February, a 12 hour bike race is held here. Taking pictures during the day time was quite fun, as there were interesting subjects at every turn. At night, it got even more interesting. I took some slow shutter shots of some of the riders coming in and out of the check point. Some riders are in the pictures are clear and crisp while others appear as a long blur accented with a streak of illumination coming from bar and helmet mounted lights.
27.February.2006Thought the beach in Pensacola makes for a good portrait location, Downtown offers a few very unique photo opportunities. Today a photographed a young woman with an absolutely radiant smile. I was tempted to shoot every shot with her smiling from ear to ear.
11.March.06Everyone wants her/his special day to be perfect. A great deal of behind-the-scenes work goes into making a wedding a success. On the other hand, with the right group of family and friends, sometimes all that is needed is a general idea, a loud voice and loving guests. Today’s wedding was a lot of fun. I shot everything from the Bride’s make-up session to the Best Man helping to construct the archway on the beach. The napkins at the reception read, “eat. drink. be married.” What a great couple.
17.March.06Today I took pictures at a birthday party. This wasn’t the kind of birthday party with cake and ice cream. Instead it featured jazz and cocktails. Though different, there are some similarities with respect to timing. One calls for the right moment while the candles are being blown out, the other calls for catching the right moment during the toast.
27.April.06 I thought of an idea for a photo while reading an essay on feminism. Next, I needed a subject that would represent the idea in my head. The woman that posed for this shot was perfect. I’ve included this photo in the Black & White gallery that features people. Her fist is in sharp focus, while the rest is not. I have my own ideas about the meaning of this shot, but I like to hear other people’s interpretations.
19.May.06Motocross is growing as a sport and many riders of all ages are getting involved. I took pictures at a motocross park in southern Alabama. I was not there in an official capacity, I wanted to take shots of the riders flying over jumps and spinning up dirt. Though the camera didn’t like all the dust, capturing the action more than made up for all the cleaning I had to do later.
09.June.06Dancing, food and fun. Tonight I took pictures at a sorority ball. I was not in an official capacity, but was a guest taking shots for friends and fellow party goers. At most balls you can bet that before the night is over, the Electric Slide will commence. This one was no different and I captured many variations of the dance as the night progressed.
03.July.06Because I am the photographer in my family, it is my responsibility to take pictures at all major family events where I am not other wise obligated. This year on Independence Day, my late uncle, a Vietnam Vet was being honored with a flag raised on his behalf in the downtown memorial in Tarboro, NC. It was my honor to capture this event on digital "film".
12.July.06The Tallahassee Museum is a great place for pictures. I took my Goddaughter and her friend to the museum to see the animals and participate in the arts and crafts. This kind of environment is wonderful for candid photos of all the excitement sparked by learning and doing. The two of them were especially intrigued by the 1800’s farm community set-up that the museum has.
Future shoot? .
Future shoot? .