In the darkest of times...where people keep faith in God they will find hope he placed in our hearts by the same God to do the works of charitas needed to build a foothold of his kingdom on earth, and earn entrance to his kingdom in eternal life.
If we loose the faith...the darkest of times becomes a very dark eternity without hope, and a complete isolation of self from others and our creator.
-ehw
God blesses us from time to time with people in our lives who call us out and inspire us to new heights of growth. My son, and family, were blessed to know Father Austin Fogarty at St. Thomas Aquinas Church from 2012 until his death. My Kevin would never allow Father Austin to leave the church without a high five during the procession. In 2016, two years after Father passed, my son went to cry some more at his graveside.
It was therefore a great deal of happiness yesterday, we were able to enjoy a good bit of Father Austin's handiwork at St. George Parish in Newnan, Georgia. Based on what Father did at St. Thomas Aquinas to repair and beautify the sanctuary, we could feel his handiwork all over the church. We even found notes to the parish sacristan with reminders for care of chalices with his name on it.
It made me ponder how our material works can still help the living after our passing. I realize we cannot take anything material with us beyond the grave. However, if what we build with our hands and hearts is rooted in God's Law we can leave a living memorial capable of inspiration far beyond our death to generations beyond. I know this was true here, because my Kevin shed no tears yesterday. He instead marveled at the works of this fatherly priest, and how he urged him to live a life for Christ.
So today we will pray for our beloved friend and priest, Father Austin Fogarty. I pray he finds himself wrapped in the love of Jesus, at rest from his pains endured here on earth. While we miss you, we will not let that selfishness keep us from living as you asked us to here on earth with the people of God.
John Paul
Things going a little crazy right now? Election got you in a funk? Well how about a dose of happiness? This is John Paul's version of a pick you up smile!
Catching babies and children is a hard task, but a little flash and quick thinking help. In this case John Paul was happy since he was on a swing, and making it go very very fast. The flash caught the action in freeze frame where it counted most: the eyes. The flash also put a sparkle in the eyes which gives you a sense of life in a frozen frame. His natural smile completes the moment without the typical childhood squint and cheese.
This is what great family portraits are all about...making art where the going is rough!
The commisioning of priests and institution of the Eucharist...two great gifts
The beauty of Holy Thursday never escapes me Last night as even more beautiful because of the lessons taught to me by so many God seeking people over the last year. Lessons from people who past over 1800 years ago, and lessons from those living amongst us now filled my mind, heart and warmed my soul as we heard the liturgy of the word and celebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist
Father Tri, of St Brigid Catholic Church, reminded us the story of each life is what makes the church breathe the world. The story each life brings to the church helps pass on its's lessons and beauty from generation to generation These stories allow the priesthood of the family to connect with the priesthood of the Church. To make this occur we all must listen, observe and react to the wisdom of God as it works its way into our lives throug everyone around us.
The Holy Eurcharist is the foretaste of heaven, the perfect mana, needed to nourish our souls with the grace to navigate e challenges of a fallen world. When taken in concert with reconciliation it enables us to stay on the path to heaven. It keeps Christ within our very blood...commingling a bit of heaven with our life here on earth..as we go about our day. So when we say take Christ with you wherever you go, if we partake of this holy nurishment we can do exactly that. No other God before or since offered such a gift to mortals. In fact no other God offered to make lowly man part of himself, and join in perfect communion in heaven, for all eternity if we choose to do so.
Pray for our priests that they may lead all souls to heaven. Pray for our priesthood in the family, that each man will be willing to lead their family to the best of their ability to the altar of God. Pray each mother makes their home a place where the stories of old, new and the future will enable The word of God to reach fertile ears and move those souls to Christ. Pray for the religious, that by their concerted life they make offerings the rest of us cannot for the salvation of the world.
So let us begin our Triduum journey, and honor the sacrifices made to bring us all the way to heaven.
-ehw
Kalen helping bring the gifts forward with our Decon in formation Randy Ortiz
Boys like their summers filled with wonder and awe...and this year both found fulfillment in home based fireworks over the Fourth of July! If you remember your childhood, I bet it was moments like this you remember for a lifetime. I know memories like this are seared in my mind!
-ehw
P.S. Always a challenging shoot when darkness is involved, and you will not use the flash. The rewards for catching the special moment of light are immense.
The hour is almost here!
Are you ready? Easter is. Day on the calendar, but the challenge to your faith in the one true God could come at any time. Are you ready to carry your cross?
I can only hope and pray I will not fail my Lord when my time comes. That cross looks heavy to me!
-ehw
This cruxifiction moment the world changed, but the miricle did not end with that moment. It benefitted those who passed before it, and those who passed after. Each of us get shot at eternal life with God because of it.
As we said the Rosary last night, we reflected on the Sorrowful Mysteries. It brought me back to recently read a chapter from St Thomas Aquinas, reminding us that God exists outside time. God can use this past moment to inspire and save us now in this moment. To God now is no different than if we stood at the foot of the cross then.
In the midst of our prayers, I tried to place myself at the foot of the cross. I kept asking myself if I would be brave enough to live my faith out in the face of the threats around me. Would I have faith looking at pagan Roman soldiers, to whom I have no value except as a slave? Would I be cowered in fear by the vengeful crowd who reject the law of God? Would I stay silent knowing the enemy has spies ready to bear witness to their lords about my adoration for the man on the cross?
I found myself wanting. Still afraid, but slowly growing in the strength of faith for the tests that lay ahead of me. I can see in this land this land today, those same threats faced by the fathers of the faith growing in strength. Surely you can see the new tests arising for Christians everywhere as well.
What can you say for yourself? Are you ready for your coming moment?
Happy Easter!
The world fell silent on that Holy Saturday. The Lord who lowered himself to become a mere mortal man, in death went even lower. As he opened the gates of hell, we could not see his preaching and the legions coming to the sound of his voice and the promise of salvation.
This thought from todays Divine Office sermon in the daily Office of Readings made me think a lot differently today. The rain here last night stopped baseball and sports in its tracks across northern metro Atlanta. My day went from overfull to silent in outside activity. We were able to do what my heart really no desires, focus on preparing for the big religious celebration tomorrow.
I spent time with my father collecting a few final supplies for the big Easter feast. It was busy out in public, but the time we spent together reflectively. The children were at home with my wife, mother and sister prepping the house and the easter cake (A two foot tall bunny cake). When we arrived home we all decorated the eggs made with care in the morning by my mother, dad and I. My wife was checking out the clothing for Easter Sunday, and making sure we had enough of the vitial things like dark socks cleaned and folded. Then a final treat when my Dad took us all out for dinner...before we shuffled everyone off to bed.
Now the house is quieting down...only the two year old remains calling for anyone to get her out of the crib to play a few more hours (this kid does not sleep enough...GO GO GO).
I'm now reflecting on the incredible challenges we overcame, the love of friends helping us in deed and prayer through those challenges, and finally the growth my family went through spirituallyin the 40 days of Lent.
I am happy the world went silent today. It gave me the time to now go to bed with a long list of thanksgiving prayers I need to say.
The first to the Lord for his suffering and final victory. The rest to all those who followed his teachings to lift us up when we were down.
-ehw
One of the things about being the Dad with a camera in Little League is you have to learn to be an observer...and nothing more.
See if you capture the critical play and know the umpire got it wrong..you'd better stay quiet. It is the umpire's field, he called it the way he saw it, and he's the authority not you. To kick, shout or throw a tantrum is to dishonor your team and status as a photographer. It will also get you asked to leave and not come back! Anyway the umpires called a good game, excellent strike zone and kept it all moving. Besides if you focus on your craft, you capture a moment and show how to be a good relaxed Dad.
My son did well. Pulled in a fly out in right, grounded into an infielders choice, and caught for an inning. He got settled down and did well behind the plate. He had a great play guarding the plate...but I will refer back to the lesson in silence and not tell you the call! See whether he got credit for the out or not it did not matter for the purposes of me getting to stay on the field! He hauled the ball in, got a tag on the runner, and improved during his second tour behind the plate this season. I got to see all this without a fence in front of me, and with a 60-250mm (90-375mm with a 1.5 crop factor) telephoto lens! HEHE!
So that takes me to today...first game I was able to shoot all season from start to finish. I vowed today to make sure I did as little as I could in post production. So I shot RAW + JPEG, set the camera to vibrant, worked the exposure settings between shots to get the best one, played with highlight and shadow controls in camera...and worked it as well as I could. Big thing in post is cropping, and then some extra highlight controls (it was very bright!). By working hard, and getting the JPEGs right I got the work done quickly today. If something needed extra work it would only take a few seconds to switch to the RAW and try to recover a few more highlights of shadows to enhance the shot. Today I did not have to do that at all.
So in a few minutes I'll share the photos with both teams (the other team's coach was my son's coach last fall)...and head off to bed...job all done!
Now all I need to to get paid for this sometime!
-ehw
P.S. Mr Pentax K-5 with 60-250F4 all day long
Today was two days in one, so please forgive me if this is a confusing.
We had one of those days around the house which makes you appreciate each person in your family and close friend circle a little more than when you woke up.
We had the little boy praying for his favorite pastor, now in heaven, the night before surprise me with the things he learned about faith, hope, love of God, and respect for authority this year in Blue Knights (and his catechism!).
We had a friend race over to help us and another storm heaven with prayers, as Mom and Dad had to make an unexpected trip...and we saw how deeply we love the lives of our children...and the new one on the way...before any saw the first light of day.
I had two big kids step up and grow up just a little more when faced with a challenge. I love them lots. Much more than words or photos could ever show (well no one really gets photos of me with my kids since I'm the photog!)
And then my youngest daughter fell asleep on my shoulder in church tonight while two boys sang in the children's choir (of course now at almost 10PM she just wants to party!).
This photo I played with seemed to fit the day's adventures. A lovely red blossoming flower surrounded by by busy texture. That was today...life unfolding surrounded by the texture of confusion, noise, friends sustainment, and warmth.
All in all it was a day when we could say God is good to us in ways we could not fathom at the first light of dawn. A day reminding me to say thank you to God for all he did in so many little ways and lives to sustain us. A day which makes me say thank you for having one more day tomorrow to recover and praise his name again.
-ehw
Today was two days in one, so please forgive me if this is a confusing.
We had one of those days around the house which makes you appreciate each person in your family and close friend circle a little more than when you woke up.
We had the little boy praying for his favorite pastor, now in heaven, the night before surprise me with the things he learned about faith, hope, love of God, and respect for authority this year in Blue Knights (and his catechism!).
We had a friend race over to help us and another storm heaven with prayers, as Mom and Dad had to make an unexpected trip...and we saw how deeply we love the lives of our children...and the new one on the way...before any saw the first light of day.
I had two big kids step up and grow up just a little more when faced with a challenge. I love them lots. Much more than words or photos could ever show (well no one really gets photos of me with my kids since I'm the photog!)
And then my youngest daughter fell asleep on my shoulder in church tonight while two boys sang in the children's choir (of course now at almost 10PM she just wants to party!).
This photo I played with seemed to fit the day's adventures. A lovely red blossoming flower surrounded by by busy texture. That was today...life unfolding surrounded by the texture of confusion, noise, friends sustainment, and warmth.
All in all it was a day when we could say God is good to us in ways we could not fathom at the first light of dawn. A day reminding me to say thank you to God for all he did in so many little ways and lives to sustain us. A day which makes me say thank you for having one more day tomorrow to recover and praise his name again.
-ehw
My little girl Kellie her was reading like her big sister bookworm, and I just had to capture the smile...so I did.
Now in this little photo I found myself able to teach myself the value of a feature, and to remember an RC (as in Raphael Conception) rule.
I knew the had a high contrast scene, and to use the zone metering would make everything 18% grey (aka blah). So for this photo I slipped into spot metering (my spot metering is aligned with my focus point). This means my focus point will be exposed properly, and everything else will be exposed relative to that value. As a result you get all the blown highlights above my daughter, but I accepted that since I wanted it to be light and airy. Had I used zone metering the camera would attempt to meter different segments of the photo to have as much properly exposed as possible. Normally that is great, but it would take the pop out of this photo and make it flat. So my desired light and airy feel would be gone.
The other rule, RC's rule for kids, is in full force here. I had to take three photos with Mr Fuji to get the combination of smile, head tilt and light I wanted in the final product. RC is right that you can get good photos of kids...you just need to take lots of photos to get the one worth keeping. I can say for sure this is not luck, it is perseverance. (RC is often on the video blog Photography Tips and Ticks, Kelby One and his website www.aboutrc.com)
Just one point here about how lucky I've been so far in my short photography career. Even though I'm just a little guy, sold only a few photos, have so much to learn...I've had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest people in the business. I've met and briefly worked with big industry names like Skip Cohen, Michele Celentano, Bob Coates, Scott Bourne, RC, Bill Fortney, Jim Begley and they all gave me the time of day deep respect as a person. I've also met great photographers I count as friends like Adrian Ciolacu, Fran Ruchalski, Bret Watkins and many others who inspire me and helped me with things like finding a good print shop. I actually I hope I don't insult anyone who I run out of space to mention....
I think the thing that makes them so special is that they know how to approach a crowd with multi zone metering...and when given the chance to meet you one on one switch to spot metering. As a result they speak to you, treat you well and make you want to take care of them as they do to you.
So look them up, and enjoy their work. I'll try to get a link in to each over the next few weeks so you can see the wide range of talents that inspire me...and maybe you too!
-ehw
I don't know about you, but this almost feels like we're going to have a year without a summer! The flowers and blooms though are trying to come out and enjoy the sun. Just a quick shot from the yard in the fading spring light this weekend. These flowers are very graceful for a day at most, then they get twisted, and lose a lot of their appeal. So if I want a shot of them, I need to photograph them as soon as they open. So the lesson of the day is to take the shot now, because you never know if it will be there tomorrow.
Good lesson for life as well.
-ehw
P.S. Fuji X-E1 with 60mm close up lens. (This is not a true macro as it will only do 2:1, not the full 1:1 a traditional macro will obtain)
A quick post for today. I love photojournalism. In this genre I find that the key to a photo to to capture the story and emotion in one frame.
It is a great challenge to have!
If you want to see some great photojournalism check my friend Fran Ruchalski out! He is a great artist and photojournalist! Here is his webpage! Fran Ruchalski
Well this is my son at the closing concert of an orchestra one day intensive. He was intense as they played their patriotic songs and those of God's glorious nature!
The shot was as captured in camera. One advantage of my Fujifilm camera is that the film simulation modes have some easy customization features. As a result putting a curve into the photo, and then using EV compensation eyeballed through the Electronic Viewfinder shortens my time in post on most family shots...and many jobs.
-ehw
P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with 50-200
God's Not Dead!
If you have not yet seen the movie, I suggest you do!
It lets you know you are not alone in your faith and love for God. In today's day and age, that is a message we all need to hear whenever possible.
The Holy Spirit sent a message, and the movie makers did their best to let God's word sing.
Do to subject matter I would take your children high school and up. It would be a great conversation starter, so they can understand what challenges awaits their faith outside your home's protective bubble (well maybe they are facing it is in public school already...)
Here is a link to the website so you can find out more, and a movie house playing it! God's Not Dead
-ehw
A fun part of Old Car City is hearing people point at a car and say, "That is my first car!" I also hear people say, " That car took my family everywhere when I was a child." Since I did not find any International Scouts, Volkswagen Vanagons, or Japanese market mini-vans (the only forgiegn cars are a few Volkswagen Beetles) I had to laugh at the first car that made me think of one from my youth.
When I was five or six I was being a brat while visiting my Babcha and DjaDja (Polish for Grandmother and Grandfather). In particular I was not eating my vegetables. So my DjaDja said, "That's it. Eric Come with me." My Dad's other eight brothers and sisters with the other first wave of grandchildren (My Dad was the second oldest) all said in various ways, " Your in trouble! Going with the Dja to get fixed!"
Well to that level of doom I marched all the way to the attic behind DjaDja. Once in the attic he said something to the effect of "Where did I put those ..." After a few minutes of rummaging he exclaimed that he found them and came over to me holding two plastic cars. One was a red version of the car in the photo. He said that if I behaved and ate my vegetables one of them could come down. Not wanting to pick one, I of course wanted both. I gallantly offered to eat everything on my plate all weekend if I could bring both down. He accepted my offer. DjaDja explained to me that I had to look very dour when I came downstairs so his mean reputation would remain in effect.
So down we went, hiding the cars around the corner from the dining room where they could not be seen by the room full of family. I ate my food all weekend, and raced cars up and down the house to my heart's delight.
Oh well, such are the adventures of Old Car City as you stroll through memory lane.
-ehw
P.S. X-E1 with 60mm Macro. Processed in HDR EfexPro 2
I received a blessing from God today...I went out to fellowship and take photos with the His Light Workshop Crew.
If you have a few minutes I suggest you take a look at the work of Bill Fortney ( http://billfortney.com/) and Jim Begley (http://www.wowphotoshdr.com/).
What you will find are stunning images of life. You will not find subjects created for shock value or pure sex appeal. You find written word and art which lifts you upwards...toward an appreciation for God and all his wonders. Bill is fond of saying he loves texture in his photos. I also think he is very good at helping you appreciate the textures God adds to your life. Jim makes High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos which knock your socks off in content, technical excellence and message. When you talk to him, you can see feel his love of God coming out in the same manner of an HDR photograph where something we think is too dark for perception reveals itself and the composition makes sense so the message takes root in your heart and mind in equal parts. How do these men do this? By actively listening to you, and letting God work through them in a very humble manner.
See if you come to a His Light Workshop, you better be ready for God to speak through its many members. You need to understand that when you join the crew, they will care about you more as a person than as a photographer. The funny thing is when they do this, they offer more of themselves to you as teachers than most others ever will if they did the reverse.
I saw many examples today of agape love in HDR. People freely giving of themselves to care for others, offering a prayer for others in need, and providing an environment for people to engage in the sharing at a level their personalities and life texture permits. It is not loud, it is not outlandish...it is quiet and subtle..it is the sound of the Holy Spirit working his way through people bringing Christ where needed for their sustainment.
So why the title? Well we all have many choices in life for everything we do. In choosing friends and services I think we also have a choice...we can chose Premium or Regular friends. A regular friend will be with us as we travel through life, but when a challenge arrives they'll just walk on their own trying to help you with a man's knowledge. A premium friend with walk with you, and when the time comes not be afraid to invoke God in the discussion of how you shall overcome life's challenges using his revealed laws of nature and scripture.
The men and women of His Light...they are Premium.
-ehw
PS X-E1 with the 35mm Prime
I took this photo on Saturday, and when I took it I immediately thought about Lent.
One of my goals this lent is to work on accepting God's love myself in my personal life. I've noticed over the last few years that when I accept more of his agape (self gift) I can give more of me to them than I could before.
I know it sounds funny, but it really is true. I see this in the lives of many saints. Little Mother Theresa is a giant in what she she accomplished because of this very lesson. So if I can do this on even a small scale in my life, maybe this could help my family more than I ever could going it all alone.
So even though the world crushes us with all it has to make us harden our hearts towards God, we have to fight that. We have to get a peace in our lives that can only come by keeping hearts unlocked to his spirit's love.
Might be a neat idea for you to try as well!
-EHW
PS Pentax K-5 with DFA-100WR, post in Aperture. I used a combination of global contrast, definition and brushes for detail, and polarization.
Imagine the sorrow a parent feels when death stands at the doorstep of their child's life.
I personally get rather sick at that thought, and feel a sudden panic to account for my children wherever they are.
Now imagine you are Mary the Mother of God incarnate. You chose the path of God your entire life. You accepted the saving grace of your son before you could understand what it meant! Then after 33 years of raising this man you see your son unjustly condemned. He then walks past you beaten and broken as his final mission...walking to his death on a tree. Yet in her sorrow, she still watched her son Jesus become the ultimate passover sacrifice.
The Bible says Mary kept these types of things in her heart from Jesus' earliest days. I wonder when it all came together for her, when she understood the events she witnessed.
How I'd like to hear her explain how her simple childhood wisdom carried her through these burdensome times! Or what she thought when she realized the earth shattering gifts her son obtained for us!
When I think about it, I can only say that I've got it so easy compared to her right now...she is definitely a role model to follow as we take the journey towards her son.
-ehw
PS Fuji X-E1 with 18-55, post in Perfect Effects 8