The Request Granted

    Tonight I finished up a long deployment worth of work far from home.  I took a walk and for the first time was able to enjoy a few minutes of golden hour sun bathing the sights around me.  The Cathedral was already locked up tight, so I could not visit the Blessed Sacrament one last time before I went home (Mass was wonderful yesterday morning though!).  Then my little phone buzzed.  I saw a note from my friend, fantastic photographer and master marketer Kristi Church (Here is one of her current projects http://infinitereachagency.com/) while I sat at the corner of the street in front of the church (cool..Mrs Church sends a note while I am at the church).

    In the note she asked me to post my photo from a few days ago...well I looking at the light I said there has to be something new I can do for her.  So here you go Kristi!  A new photo session just for you!

    This photo goes to my Americana side of my artwork.  This statue sits in front of the Federal Reserve Band of Cleveland.  (You can find out about the Cleveland Fed at this website)  The statue reminded me of my youth, when John Wayne and my grandfathers seemed to me made of the same cloth.  A cloth of masculine strength and obedience to a power far higher than they.  The monument still bursts forth more symbology telling a story through timeless allegory.  Through the story I could understand the mission of the organization housed inside, and a mission greater than merely survival.  I could sense a call to greatness.

    Then I turned to some fascinating modern architecture adjacent to this site.  It was rich geometry, but devoid of character.  No story do they tell, and no greatness other than self importance do they speak to.  They also can change like the wind, by merely changing the sign you change their purpose and function.  In modernity I found no timelessness enduring story, only narcissism for serving a purpose here and now.   Sadly I could see in it those modern buildings a desire to replace the role models of my youth and American heritage with a one world order world.  A skyscraper here is the same as Dubai, Mexico City, Tokyo or Shanghai.  Scary thought, but the symbolism stood starkly there before me.  

    So here is the request granted Mrs Church!

God Bless

-ehw

Using Constraint to Grow

    Today I walked out on a perfectly dreary overcast day.  No lighting existed for making magical images the eye naturally follows.  Instead I found myself working towards composition to make an interesting photo.  I had on my camera a trusty 35mm prime lens (it is a normal 50mm equivalent on my APSC).  This is a hard lens for me to use.  I really see the world normally at more of a 23mm view (a 35mm lens on my APSC sensor).  I found myself already constrained twice, so I added another constraint to my day.  Compose everything for black and white as well!

   I should have felt depressed and boxed in.  Somehow that did not happen.  I found myself invigorated to look at the world in a whole new way instead.  The resulting shots were some I'd never thought to do if I was just plain being normal.  I grew, maybe, a little in my versatility and creativity because of this experiment.

    When you really think about it, it is the same in a lot of endeavors.  One of which I may get to discuss tomorrow night.  As for now, I hit the constraint of time available in a day.  It is off to bed with me now.

God Bless

-ehw

PS Fujifilm XT-1 with 35mm.  Fun gear!

Sense from Tragedy

    This week two sisters lost their babies in child birth on the same day in childbirth just hours apart.  One of the sisters, and her children, are friends of our family.  The loss struck home after our two miscarriages last year, and with our anticipation of Baby Echo's arrival in August.  We know of their pain, and pray for their families to weather the storm of emotion which comes with it.   The event brought back common question from a few people I talked to: "How can God let such pain enter the world if he is so great?"

    Maybe this can help explain a little bit...

    A little over a week ago some criminals broke into my car, and emptied it out of everything they could make money from.  I was mad, scared, embarrassed, the whole range of emotion.  I of course went to mall security, called the cops, and asked if they had anything which could help my situation.  As I walked with the security manager to my car we started talking.

   As we approached my car he identified how they crooks got in from previous robberies.  Then we waited for the patrol unit to arrive with a detective.  As we waited I popped the trunk and in it only three items remained.  One of them was a 14 year old army camouflage folding chair issued at only one place in the Army.

  He looked at it and said, "Were you an OC in the desert?"  Well yes I was...  Soon I found out he was Sidewinder 39 Ancient, and he found out I was a Cobra 13 Ancient at the Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.  He threw artillery fire, and I chased armored companies across the desert floor.  We roamed the desert  for two years together, possibly only meeting at a dinner or two for mere minutes...but we effected each other's work and knew the call signs. 

   I asked him how he liked the tour, and he responded it was a tough tour.  During their tour out in the desert he had a stillborn baby in 2001.  It was then my heart sank, and I knew the other side of a story.

  Almost 14 years ago in a desert far far away in 2001:

   When my wife had our first pregnancy her blood pressure spiked greatly.  The doctor scheduled extra checks, and on her week 38 visit the blood pressure was still at the same spot...high...as the week before.  The doctor then said abruptly, "One way or another this pregnancy ends today."  Just the tone of her voice put chills in our hearts, and the words sunk into our heads like lead weights in water.  After a quick trip home to get our hospital bag we had our baby girl in our arms just four hours later.  My wife's blood pressure ended up causing no problems, and quick action by the doc kept the cord around my girl's neck from causing lasting harm.

   As we held our baby a few hours later I asked the nurse if the doctor was always that curt in her bedside manner.  The nurse said no.  My wife however matched the profile of a women who lost her child in the clinic earlier in the year.  The doctor would take no chances with this pregnancy, and wanted to protect the baby at all costs.  This was why the doctor was so focused during our delivery day.

Ten days ago...

   I put my hand on that Security Chief's arm, and told him his baby saved my baby's life.   I know my words can do nothing to ease the pain of such a loss, but I had to say them.  I was happy to then hear his other children are now strong adults.  He is proud of them, as he should be.  I did however remember him and his family in my prayers at some point in the days since that moment.

    So here is the answer to the question about pain and suffering in this world right under the nose of an all powerful God.  We live in a fallen world feeling the effects of original sin.  Fallen worlds have sickness, death and people doing their selfish will rather than working for unity in God's will.  Through all of this God, still gets the last laugh.

    I know babies born without the breath of life go straight to the embrace of God.  Then you have incidents like the losses of these three families.  I know the crooks got away with my stuff, but in their evil I met a man thousands of miles and years later who's family's sacrifice saved the life of my lovely oldest daughter...my Desert Rose.  What will come out of the losses of these sisters today?  I do not know yet, but I know there is seed sown for great and redeeming works of grace which may not bloom for decades.  When it blooms the name of two cousins will be on it, and they two will rejoice in its bloom as they dance with the Lord.

    Until the day this new grace blossoms, I will enjoy the dancing of my blooming Desert Rose as I reminisce on this chance to see how God works his will through both the good and the bad.

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Leading us to the Cross

    Walking by this statue of Mary, something told me to stop and look again.  So I did look again.  Suddenly a message screamed out at me, "FRAME A GOOD SHOT!"  I am not going to call it divine revelation by any means, but my inner artist saw something it just needed to capture.

    Take it for what you want.  See what you want.  I just saw Mary reminding me her Rosary leads us to study her Son, Jesus Christ.  When our moment comes we'll choose which sinner to imitate.   By studying Christ's mysteries though meditation during the Rosary, we will find ourselves better prepared for that moment.

-ehw

P.S.  Fujifilm X-T1 with a little fill flash to even up the scene a tinny bit.  Processed RAW in Capture One 8.  So far it all just works and is a lot of fun!

My Valentine Loves

    Somehow Valentine's day came and provided us a good bit of time together, while we all worked a number of projects simultaneously.  Of course the Daddy was able to distract a few with donuts for a while!  While three kids got a donut with Daddio (who only drank a cup of decaf)...the big girl enjoyed some peace and quiet with her mother for two hours.  

    I know some may say we're crazy for having all these kids, and I have to admit when I look at the daily calendar I almost think they are right.  When you have children you know who runs the house calendar most days of the week.

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Kevin full of heart

   Then I look at these photos.  I remember the smiles, heartaches, experienced frustrations, lessons going both ways, and the love spelled agape.  The moment I work through the memories and reach the agape though I must pause in awe.

    See the agape moment is the connection I have now with my parents and in-laws.  My Mom just sent me a note telling me she made my Dad's favorite dinner...meatloaf...and I remembered meatloaf dinners she made for my birthdays.  I know the stories of my in-laws scrapping pennies to save up for a nice trailer, and camping trips with their family they never forget.  Those are moments of selflessness we are meant to live for.  Those selfless acts are what connects us from one generation to the next with fondness.   I have yet to see a selfish act do the same.  

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The boy with a golden touch with children..and their greatest defender

    In that agape moment His Glory shines through...and I must capture it with a click of the shutter.  I hope you can see His Glory in these captures of time as well.

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The oldest soul amongst us...with a gift of kindness in all things

-ehw

P.S.  Fujifilm XT-1 with electronic shutter enabled...and a whole lot of experimentation going on!  Processed in Capture One Pro 8

A big step for a little boy towards God's grace

    Yesterday was one of those milestone days in our family.  Our third child, Kevin, went to his first confession.  He's been asking to go for the last month, and yesterday was the day set up for a third of the second grade classes to attend.  The true milestone though was Kevin asked to go to confession over a month ago.  We parents only had to facilitate the sacrament.  I believe this is is a sign God sent the gift of faith to Kevin.  

    As parents, my wife and I believe the greatest judgment God will put on us is whether or not we did our best to bring the word of God to our children.    Please note I did not say successfully bring the word, attend at church strictly, ensure memorization of text or anything like that .  I said God will judge us our efforts at doing our best in evangelizing our children.  

    At this point of my spiritual growth I fully recognize the gift of faith is one I cannot bestow on myself.  If I cannot bestow this gift on myself, I also cannot bestow it on others!  All I can do personally is develop my fear of the Lord into love of the Lord.  Where I lack skills in evangelization for my children, I must look for other places for children to find them.  After all the yapping is done, the real work still rests with God.  God bestows the gifts of the spirit, as needed, for us to accomplish the tasks he gives us.

    Over the last year we just did our best to help Kevin learn his act of contrition, talk to him about forgiveness, repenting, and repairing damage made by our sins.  My wife and I also constantly work to provide the children a somewhat peaceful environment around the home.  There God can speak to our children without undue distraction.  We are glad our travels, orchestrated by God, led us to be with many others who believe in the same parental mission.

    We fully recognize God's hand guided the course of events inside Kevin's heart.  Those events led the little boy to accept God's gift of grace yesterday at confession.  It bodes of so much potential grace to follow in his life, if he continues to move on the same path into manhood.  

    Today however, I will use these photos to remember the moment this little boy took his first step into adulthood as a Catholic.  It is wonderful and overwhelming to see God working in our midst.  That is after all why I started carrying the camera in the first place...

-ehw

Capturing his Glory!

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Kevin signs the book of the elect with his own hand.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

    St. Thomas Aquinas wrote millions of words in his lifetime.  Today was St. Thomas Aquinas' feast day.  So my picture tonight is of his last work, the Shorter Summa.  I must say it is a masterpiece.  It says more in a paragraph than I can muster with a novel.  I am slowly working my way through it.  I can handle one chapter at a time.  Then I have to really meditate on what he said, because see I am just an old infantryman not used to such big thoughts.  Once I get it though, I am inspired for weeks.

    Been working the real job a total of 15 out of 16 days straight....so I'm a little tired but also creatively needy.  So when my patron saint's day came up today, I just had to take a few minutes to enjoy it in my own special ways.  First I got to be with my kids, watch a few minutes of a movie, say a rosary with my daughter, and then grab the camera of course to remember the man for what he was most famous!  No I will be off to bed for a long winter's nap!

-ehw

PS To get the effects I experimented with gels on my flash.  It was quite fun!  Processed in Capture One 8, my current favorite editing suite.

Turning Three

When a child turns three it is a magical day...a day to play with new toys, enjoy your new clothes, take a nap, eat your spagetti, and enjoy your cake.  It is quite a fun moment in time for Dads too...

-ehw

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Calm in the Storm

    The four hour trip, planned afternoon meetings, getting a work out....the plans of man.

    The morning storm in the nation's capital...three inches of snow...two cancelled flights (one after I was on board!), the broken luggage carousel adding over an hour to bag recovery, cancelled meetings and arriving after thirteen hours in the dark on a cold blustery night revealed the plans of nature.

    I kept my calm...almost completely...read two good books by Scott Hahn and most importantly when I thought I was just going to be beyond frustrated for the day found the place to say my rosary.  See I needed calm, and the big glass windows overlooking the tarmac and runways called me.  There I stood in the long Atlanta winter sun, the warmth making me relax, and my rosary called. 

   Today I said the Sorrowful Mysteries (Agony in the Garden, Scourging at the Pillar, Crown of Thorns, Carrying the Cross, and Death on the Cross) and it put me right into my place.  I thought I had a bad day?  That was a bad day!

    Suddenly tonight as I was preparing for bed I knew Christ had provided my daily photography inspiration.  I could not pass it up, or fail to share right away.  It was the what the spirit wished me to do to give back some glory to the Lord for my safe travels.  

   Vivat Jesus!

-ehw

Busing Tables for Charity (Knights of Columbus)

    I have to say my boys did well today.  Up at 0615 and out the door by 0640 to bus tables for the Knights of Columbus (KofC) Pancake Breakfast at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church here in Alpharetta, Georgia.  After a quick wake up call I found them highly motivated all morning, and they never stopped moving.  They were great Blue Knights!  I think the key motivator was all you can eat pancakes....Kalen (11 years old) served 0730 mass..and Kevin (7 years old) and I sat in the pews.  Then it was right back to work.

    A great thing about helping out the KofC is that these events are pretty well run for years.  So putting a new body into the system at an entry point job, like the three of us busing tables, is easy as cake.  If you attend enough times, I promise you'll get promoted to kitchen duty.  Money raised goes to charitable works in our local community, to disaster sites, local food anks, parish members in need of assistance, special family focused events, ultrasound devices for children and their mothers; and even abroad.  

    Working with my boys at an event like this, also gives me a chance to see them growing up.  See Kalen blended right in, ready to be with the adults (and learn the skills needed to work with them).  Kevin was a cute second grader, but totally focused on doing a good job with a smile.  I kept hearing from my brother Knights about how well they were doing.  No goofin off, just Both are better customer service people than their Dad.  They each consumed and sold the hot chocolate at every opportunity.  I was glad when they did not break the bank on refills.

    Oh it was a wonderful time to be with my sons!  Made a me a happy Dad!  

-ehw

P.S. This is why I love my style of photography...I get a chance to capture a moment when His Glory Shines through a person and makes the world a better place.

Kalen buses up the table before the big rush

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My ever growing boys

Bigger than who?

The '68 Shelby Cobra

   The ability to shoot fantastic people, things and events is what keeps me coming back to this hobby.   I seek out lots of challenges, and they help me grow both as a professional and personal.

   This '68 Shelby GT500KR was a hoot to be around.  It is one of four that year to have both an automatic transmission and an air conditioner.  It sounds real pretty when it is running as well.

   During this shoot I learned firsthand the value of speed, efficiency, and technical skills required to provide top tier products.  I realized about 25 things in my last accounting of to improves from this shoot.  The biggest one I can mention now is the value of shooting in a good lighting window or creating your own good lighting.

  As I created these images I could understand the technical masterpieces so many artists create with good strobes, reflectors and scrims.  On the day of this shot I did not have a large enough scrim...say about 10x20 feet... so we moved the vehicles all around to make this work out in good lighting.  Try as I might the 46 inch circular just did not cut it no matter what we did.

   Despite all that I still produced a some really nice images I am happy to share!

-ehw

PS. As will all my images they are available for sale, and 10% of the sale price will go to charity.

A Different Day

A different type of day today.  It is a Federal holiday, so I had the day off and wrote up a busy schedule for myself.  However it was a still a school day for Regina Caeli Academy so the four kiddos with the momma got up and at it in the early morning light.

Nine days out of ten...well 95 out of 100...I am the guy up first and out the door while they enjoy their warm blankets for another hour or so.  So to be roused by my wife's alarm, and the sound of lots of other feet is a game changer.

Today you can see the Silver Bullet headed out the door on its mission.  As it left I found myself reading the news alone with my coffee.  I found myself experiencing the same fears I had in my bed last night at 2 and 3 and 4....Ebola, TB outbreak, Flu type 68,  ISIS, Russia on the move worldwide, China on the move in the South China Sea, a disarming US, Bishops in the middle east and Africa reminding their people they need to defend themselves, and a blatant turning away from natural law this country was founded on on every page.  

Now fear is not a good state to live in, instead it is an emotion that should push us to new work to right the situation.  So I made my list for the day, heard the divine office, read the morning prayer, and moved out to 9Am mass.  During mass I listened and fell deep into thought.  I wanted to ask God where he was.  I wanted to ask him to do something about this madness around me, to help my family survive the coming turbulence.  In the silence of post communion I my head rang with words from so many other sources me like a piece of lead dropped from the roof.

"Son I did do something about all this.  I made you."

With that I got myself into motion working on preparation for Blue Knights tomorrow night (6 new boys coming in for the first time making their shields), meeting with a friend, and saying a few prayers along the way.  I guess the big guy reminded me, to do what I can, where I can to build his kingdom.  So I better get a little busier!

-ehw

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Morning Coffee with a few Legends

This morning, before the raindrops came falling down around us...I got to spend some time with two legendary cars (as well as two younger siblings).  Yes I visited a Shelby Cobra collector and it was fantastic.

These are a '67 Shelby (number 500) and a '68 Shelby KR.  They are wonderful automobiles.  True museum pieces if I ever saw one...except these are working samples.  Both got back inside before the rain started coming down to protect their original coats of paint.  Hearing the engines was also a wonderful experience.  I wish I could give you a sample of the sounds along with the photos.  The owners were fabulous hosts!

I'd just like to extend my thanks to the owner and his family for welcoming me into their home today.  I am excited to return soon and complete the job on a drier fall day. I'd also like to thank them for letting me add these to my public portfolio! 

Thats right, the work you shall see in coming days is now part of my portfolio, and therefore available to you through EHW Photography.

-ehw

Color Finds a Way

One of the great arguments about photography is whether it is an art or merely the capture of something that already exists...

I bet you can guess come down on the side of art!  Well I'll also add in there that there is a bit of science and art in photography.

See the art is the composition, light and shadow. The science is the math of aperture, shutter, ISO.

In this photo I added selective color just for fun.  Well also because flowers deserve some color to show off their glory.

I think all of life is a mix of science and art.  We have science that defines physical interactions, and art that defines how we use science to effect perception.  The moral compass that keeps the art and life on track?  The Bible.

-ehw

Travel into the wild...

Yesterday I met a young photographer and she showed me some of her urban explorations....pretty cool stuff.  Well talking to her I also made me long to get out a shoot myself.  You know work and play often don't mix it up very well...and the client projects I did make over the last month were for internal release only!

So after we got home, fed the kiddos and enjoyed a quick date night out I realized I still had some daylight left.  Instead of urban exploration I did some deep forest exploration from my backyard.  I spent the rest of the night playing with development settings, Aperture, Capture One, OnOne, Nik Suite....just to see what I could do.  This is one of the three I liked.  I wanted it to make me think I was really deep in a mysterious woods. I hope I fooled you!

So the moral of the day is..as Bob Coates would say...take some time to play and imagine.  Sometimes it unlocks doors you would not know existed.

-ehw

PS Fujifilm X-E1, 23mm, tripod mount, Capture One and Silver Effects Pro2.

The benefits of Social Media in reverse

     Oh tonight I had to laugh at irony.  See in our house we have two thoughts on social media.  I use it to connect with people, but I do try to be pretty careful with where and what I publish.  I know that it is probably not going to go away in my lifetime.  So I just try my best to deal with it.  My wife hates social media.  It can all burn in hell for all she cares.  She likes her cave, and the telephone.  Give her a call or set up a visit is her motto.

    Well tonight a family friend reconnect via some social media.  We've been out of touch, and our two families had a pretty busy couple of years.  So by luck she finds me on one of those blasted social media sites, requests to be linked up, and we share numbers.  Since this is my wife's good friend I send the number and tell her just minutes later.

    Now I sit here 70 minutes later and the two friends are still going strong on the phone.  I am sure I will go to bed and be followed when I am fast asleep.  To be honest I am happy she is on the phone.  Just a few nights ago I was enjoying a conversation that took me back to my highland home in N.Y. twenty two years ago.  So it is a good event we should be joyous for.   I just hope she remembers it resulted from that blasted social media.

    So the motto for the night is social media is ok when used in moderation.  The power of a friends voice is a timeless remedy for many of the trials we face in this journey.  So do yourself a favor, put your life in reverse and connect with an old friend.  Share your journeys, pray for them, and I am sure you will sleep with a smile on your face tonight.

-ehw

P.S. Pentax K-5 from 18 months ago.  I reprocessed this one in Capture One Pro tonight.  I really like what that program can go out of the box.

Missing my Kiddos →

What does a Daddy miss on a trip?

How about the youngest playing in sand by the lake?

Or the lovely, thoughtful girl writing up her dreams in her special spot?

Or the good son who always tries to please and grow into a responsible young man way to fast?

Or how about the funny boy who always provides us wisdom in words as sharp as diamonds?

And of course the Momma who builds a warm home where love can grow.  (If I posted her photo without permission she'd kick my butt)

Funny how some time away always makes you long for home...and you forget about potty training, the work of cooking for six, someone's sniffles, and the lost this or that...

Well time to head off to work...I bet my feelings are the same as those shared by every good Dad on the way to work...

-ehw

P.S.  Three taken with the new X-E1 and various lenses...and one taken by a six year old Pentax K200D..yep it still takes good pictures if treated nicely! 

Looking Up

     I've had a heck of a time photographing these roses.  It always seems that I get too much light on the red while the greens get properly exposed.  Then I'll fix the red and the green gets so dark you see no detail.  Oh it drives me nuts!  However the beauty of the rose just continues to call me to try and get it right.

     The photo you see above is one of my better attempts.  In this case I shot the rose using backlight in the shade.  Everything seems ok because the shade and the backlight made let the subtle details and colors come out.   To get this photo I had to crawl between the bushes, avoid stepping on other lovely flowers and then get low looking at an unusual angle...upwards.

     We all have something that drives us crazy as we try obtain that perfect rose photo.  We will often fail in the individual attempts, but those failures do not have to define us.  We just have to keep improving and learning...and not failing so catastrophically that we lose the resources to try again.  If we keep going we can navigate around the obstacles and get the next shot at the rose.

    Rough week at work?  I know all about it...just maybe keep this in mind.   Keep looking up!

ehw-

Georgia Travel

Just a few from last weekend...nothing fancy and no heavy thoughts.

I just took a few minutes to enjoy the kids inbetween cooking various meals, hiking and swiming at Red Top Mountain.  Of course to me enjoyment also includes looking for a lovely ray of light or expression...

It is wonderful to see the kids enjoy the long summer days, not get upset with the heat, thunderstorm interuption, and tight sleeping quarters.  it made me smile.

I hope you too get a moment to enjoy the loved ones in your life.

-ehw

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Oh the joy of a juicebox!

Missing two front teeth..

Most of us started out in photography to record the wonderful moments of our family lives.  I am no different.  So amdist the deeply contemplative shots and thoughts are photos like this one of no less importantance.  My boy who just lost his second tooth in three days holding his minon namesake with his customary happy grin (minus the two front teeth).

I guess the moral of the story is to never get so lost in work or the hobby that you fail to enjoy this once in a lifetime moment between you and your family.  For as with the rest of life it will be gone in a blink of an eye and never come back.

-ehw