Brandon

Brandon and Danita, featuring Nina Renee~ Couple's Maternity Session

I had the opportunity to be a part of Brandon and Danita's maternity session. They were a joy to interact with and we came away with some great photos. Here are a handful of my favorites!



Sparkles

Cool Coworkers

Our training class went out to lunch. These are my fellow classmates!

Eduardo

Ortiz Family

I'm going to include a couple more photos from the photo shoot now, and then come back to them in a little while. I love these three because they have a dreamy, nostalgic quality to them. Enjoy!

Ortiz Family Photo Session

A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of making photos for the Ortiz's. They are a fun-loving family and photogenenic to no end! We started downtown and made our way over to the Riverwalk. Once there, the sun slowly started to set. These are three of the photos they kept; three of my favorite photos as well. I'll be posting more soon!

Camera Testing

Another couple of test photos with color film to make sure the camera was working properly. 

The girl was kind enough to strike a pose for me! 

Cool Kid Swag

As usual, feel free to live a comment or say hey!

An Opportunity (Long Story)

My wife and I get out of the car at Wal-Mart, just another day. I look up and see an awesome classic car sitting all by itself. I have my film camera with Tri-X, the perfect pair to capture this fine automobile. I walk up, inspect the best angle with a nice, clean background. I set my guess for the exposure, bring the camera up, and click up the metering button. With a gentle "snick" I cock the film lever and press down the shutter. To my everlasting dismay, the mirror came up and did not come down. This shot was ruined. Snick.. nothing. Snick.. nothing. No luck. We walk around the store and I'm on my phone searching the internet for what the problem could be.

Once we get home, on exposure 30 of 36, I have to remove the film. I mess with the camera and it manages to starting 'firing' correctly. So, I used this opportunity to start fresh with a color roll to make sure the camera is still working. With this in mind, I decided that I would shoot the roll as fast as I could (versus a couple of months of being super selective). And because of this, I got photos I would never have gotten but wanted to try something different just to get the photos made.

I'll be posting a photo every couple of days showing what I ended up with, so make sure to check in to see what's new!

JapanFest

I'm a realist and a dreamer. This difficult dichotomy permeates how I interact with others and my photography. On the one hand, I like saying things how they are. My choice of words are blunt; the image I may make has no underlying statement. Likewise, I also want to hope for the best and create images that move others; to create images that make me proud to have created them.

With that said, visiting JapanFest was a chance for others' words, actions, and art to move ME. Part of it was the welcoming culture. As if I were a close friend, the people there gave off a positive vibe. Their body language was kind and comfortable. Their smiles were genuine. It was a completely different pace than most day to day encounters. Most people, even at work, barely notice your "Good Morning" and "How are you?", let alone even acknowledge you with a response; so I was at ease being submerged in this setting.

And the art, wow. I don't mean art in the quote-unquote drawings and images. It's... style. The way one man shot an arrow at a target. How, with care, vendors made and served food. Kids dressed in traditional clothing while their faces were painted as Japanese cartoon (anime) characters that would bring an instant smile to my face. Then there were the photos of the devastation in Japan. It was, honestly, surreal. They inspire me to document what I see. They inspire me to appreciate what I have and move past what I've lost.

I had a wonderful experience at JapanFest and hope that next year my wife and I have more time to spend there. Whether you go for the color, the culture, or the culinary delights, it's worth the trip.

Lemon Drop

Smiles and Bokeh

A handful of photos from a recent Quinceañero.



Mr. Uncle

My wife's uncle: Marathon runner, social guy, idealist.

The Youth of Today

Once, whether now or years ago, we're all young. We laugh at ourselves, play in the sand, and we depend on our parents. Everything is beautiful and the problems of the world cannot touch us. Years go by and we become afraid. Fear grows as insecurities, dislike, and a lack of purpose. Mistakes are made and not learned from. Creativity dwindles as our childlike ambition becomes bitter reality. The world takes shape not as what we had hoped for, but as a place where our childhood monsters take shape.

I saw this little girl and her mom sitting together at the park. It was something simple and inspiring. A parent and her daughter enjoying a sunny afternoon. The kind-hearted, sunny days of the present are the sweetest memories of the future. And with this one chance at life, all we can do is try.

To all of those who grew up too fast, those with regret festering in their heart, and to those who are in dire need of a moment of peace, know this: we're all in this life together. Let's make the most of it. We're all important, and we can all make a difference.

Restaurant Portrait

I met this young lady at a resaurant here in town. She was very kind and had a gentle smile. I'm glad she was nice enough to let me photograph her.

streamofconciousness

Somewhere between hope and sadness lies a man's heart. Strength and silence bond as a pessimistic alchemy. Love becomes a past tense word left meaningless without purpose. The purpose of which man becomes whole, strong, and beyond abstract thought is woman. Caring, alongside the slightest hint of torment, molds man into something more than himself; into someone he no longer regrets being.

Young at Heart

I often think about what the future holds and hope that it's a pleasant one. There's so much to look forward to; there's so much to be done now. It's everything I do today that will end up as either fond memories or bitter regrets.



It's fiery, youthful eyes like these that make me hopeful for the future. I'm glad I'm here and now, trying to make the most of my time. The future will come and I plan on giving everything I have for as long as I can. Years go on as they always will- time will be your old companion.
Where do you see yourself 25 years from now?

A Little Fashion

It's Sunday afternoon at the park. The sky is clear and the sun is warm. A soft breeze glides through leaves and grass. Children swing and slide, parents gossip, and the weekend warriors jog unknown stretches. My beautiful model watches the going-ons while I drive through the park. I almost give up hope in finding a good portrait spot when my eyes find an empty area. My hands steer toward the turn before my mind realizes what's going on. Call it fashion photography, portrait photography, or just photos of a pretty girl. At the end of the day I don't know what to do except for make photos. These are my favorites.

Taking photos of people is a scary prospect for me. Gesture, the way skin reflects light, and all my photographic skill all come into play. Using 35mm film really pushes my thought processes while slowing me down enough to appreciate each shot. I used a $10 lens with a pretty big blemish for all of these photos, so this is  proof that you need to use what's at your disposal. Whether it's using a pencil instead of paint, a George Foreman grill instead of Oneida, or a cellphone instead of a laptop for blogging, don't limit your art because of your tools. Maximize your tools in ways no one else ever thought of. Then your art is truly yours.

Thanks in advance for stopping by! As usual, comments are always welcome.

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Three's Company

While walking around with my wife, I saw this gentleman and his wife feeding the ducks. I noticed the two ducks close to him and took this photo. They look like long-time friends!