Waking Up Alone and Cold…

This morning was very difficult for me.  Its cold here, really cold, and the wind never stops blowing.  I really don’t know anyone out here, so this is a completely new and different kind of adventure for me.  I have been a lot of places, and know a lot of people, but this is new, and I am almost alone.

Its very easy to not be motivated with your work when you are uncomfortable with your surrounds.  Today I didn’t not think was going to be very different.  However, as I opened my eyes to see another overcast, cold, cloudy day; my sunshine came through… holding a teddy bear.

Children make you want to start life over.  ~Muhammad Ali

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring.  ~Liz Armbruster

Relocating

Hey everyone! Hope you all are well.  I need to sincerely apologize from my absence. I was getting a little bit bored of NYC so I decided to pack a few things and spend the rest of the month in Chicago.  Ah yes, the windy city, I have not spent much time here at all.  After all who says “Im moving to Chicago”.  However Chicago does happen to be the 3rd biggest city in the United States, so I figured maybe I would come and find some new subject material for my photography.  I have only been here a few days so have not been out and about too much.

To pay the bills I am constantly doing commercial photography, and professional photo editing.  I had a client (who will rename nameless) that commissioned me to do a few pieces for him.  I decided I would post it so you all could see.

Commercial photography is not for the faint of heart, it involves many hours of tedious photo editing, logo removal, and general perfection of an image.  Here is the first piece I put together today.  I will give you the before and after shots.  Let me know what you think, and any feedback you wish to share would help me better my work!

Again I am glad to be back, and will surely be posting more now that I am a bit settled!

P.S. Is anyone on here in Chicago, wanna shoot? Drop me a line!

Before

After

Whispering Winter Flow

Today I set out to photograph a rock that I had seen on a website about 50 miles outside NYC.  I knew that it was going to be a bit of a hike since it was off the beaten path, so I geared up with my walking boots, and down jacket, as today wasn’t the warmest of days.

Needless to say, I was less than excited to photograph some rock, which was only famous for being about 25 ft high, and the only rock within a 5 mile radius.  The website was wondering how it got there, and why it was there. I thought that the theories were kinda interesting, so I thought, “what the heck, you are just gonna sit inside again today, go get some frost bite”.

As I left my jeep, and entered into the coordinates to the gps, I set out on foot to find the place, maybe I would get lucky and be able to photograph the supposed aliens that left the stone there.  About 15 minutes after walking, I heard a very faint whisper.  It was extremely quite out, the wind wasn’t blowing, and there obviously was nothing around.  I put the gps back in my bag, and decided to trek out towards the sound.  The whispering grew louder and louder, and I began to fill with excitement, as I knew what that sound was.  The whisper was no longer whispering, but now it was roaring in my ear.  I came across a hidden water fall, just as the sun was going down.  The falls weren’t big, but the discovery made me feel special and warm, like I had discovered something special, something that many had not seen.  Im sure that is probably not the truth, but in my dream world, its only matters what I choose to believe.

I processed the images several different ways, and I would love to hear your feedback on which you like the best! Thanks in advance for your help and input!

BTW…I never found the rock I was looking for lol.

For you photographers out there who are wondering how to achieve this effect, use a really slow shutter speed!

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Sweet Dreams are Made of These

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

For all those of you who are following my story, yes this is one of my boys

Manipulation

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space.  It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe.  It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.  ~Michael Strassfeld

*Sometimes It Hurts* A self portrait…

I know im not supposed to cry. I know im not supposed to hurt. But sometimes it hurts, it hurts bad…

I used to stay away
I used to stay away from you
Such a funny thing
The liars in us do.

I used to stray away
I used to stray away from truth
I cling to confliction
Like the battered and confused.

You’re a guilty pleasure..

I used to tell myself
That I would never change a thing
Now I’m someone else
And I can’t remember me
And now I know you well
I know you well enough to say
What they call love
Is just another twisted game.

Look To The Sea

Through the many adventures I have shared, both through photography, and just every day life, one of the most difficult, yet rewarding has been raising my two boys.  For those of you who don’t know yet I am a single father, so it has been a very difficult and trying two years for me.

Losing one you love hurts, and sometimes it hurts bad, sometimes it takes something beautiful to pick you up, to make you go on, to bring a smile back to your face.  To all you single parents out there, this one is for you!

This photo was taken on just a family outing at the beach, we split our time between New York and Miami, because of my work.  The beach is nothing new to my boys, but on this day, when I was uploading pictures from the camera, I caught something beautiful, and unique… I managed to catch pure innocence.

The One Man Band

Hey everyone happy Friday.  I don’t know where you are, but in my neck of the woods its bitter cold, and the wind is making it just about unbearable to do anything outside.  Today I swapped my camera for a good book, a hot cup of tea, and a flat screen tv.  Tomorrow I will be out shooting some engagement photos for a couple who are completely in love, I should get some good material from that so I am super excited.  As soon as they are processed you all will surely be the second to see (the happy couple being the first).

I just wanted to give a shout out to all my new followers, and people who have liked my posts so far.  If you haven’t guessed, blogging is kind of a new thing for me, kind of a new adventure.  I am so happy that you all followed early so you can see what transpires, and follow me on my journey! (I wish I had started this blog earlier, I literally have thousands to post).

Anyways, I needed to take a break from watching episodes of criminal minds, to kind of lighten the mood.  All that murder and death can get to a person.  I was looking through some pictures to find something fun, and light hearted.  Happy Friday you all, enjoy it, after all how many Friday the 13th do you get?

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.

William Shakespeare

The Eye of the Beholder

Although beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, the feeling of being beautiful exists solely in the mind of the beheld.

When I originally took this picture I had plans on processing out the imperfections in the models skin, adjusting contrast and brightness, and saturation.  Then I stepped back, and I saw how the mystery, and natural beauty just came through to the viewer, and decided it didn’t need to be touched.  There is something very special about natural beauty, very special.  I kinda feels like when someone is in there truest natural state, you get a little glimpse into their heart and soul.

Either way this photo is high on my favs list.

Reach For Him…A Holocaust Memorial

Back in Miami, there are not a whole lot of monuments and things to go visit.  Let me correct that, there is a lot to see if you know what you are looking for, but they are not a big selling point of the city.  However there is a monument set up on Miami Beach, near the convention center, which gives tribute to the victims of the holocaust.  The monument is actually quite beautiful and well maintained, with two main sculptures as well as a wall of names.  The monument has two parts, the statues and the corridor.

This next photo is entitled “Light at the end of the Tunnel” If you look really hard at the larger image, you can actually see that in the center of the opening is the base of the statue above.

This is actually one of my favorite images, just the color of the brick and the way the end of the walkway “glows”.

The final element to the memorial, is a giant hand reaching into the arm, which is actually the top of the first statue pictured.  Any ways it made for some really good composition on this day.

Like I said I was void of things to write, and I didn’t shoot today, so I spent the day going through some older stuff which has yet to make it to my blog.  Hope you all enjoy, check it out if you are ever in the Miami Area.