Kids at Twilight Part 4

Kalen is always fun to photograph.  He is always trying so hard to be a good kid...and like his Dad can lose it a bit.  Sorry son for the bad trait I handed off!  He gets very serious or very silly at the tender age of 10, not much in between.  Age appropriate for sure.

In this photo I opened the lens way up to f2.  I can go up to F1.4, but I wanted both eyes in focus, just like on Julia.  So if you did blow this up, you would see those eyes are both tack sharp, but I start to get bokeh pretty quickly thereafter.  Nice lens from Fuji at 35mm for sure.  I still am drooling over the 23mm and now 57mm though to give me a 35mm and 85mm equivalent fast glass.  Only got to save up a ton of money for those two!  But dreams are what we need to have to drive us forward.

-ehw

Kids at Twilight Part 2

Who's letting this kids grow up?  Just yesterday she was pushing her dollies around in the stroller!

Really, snapshots like this really make me think about how fast life flies by...guess that is why I need to enjoy every minute.

-ehw

Kids at Twilight

A quick series of the Kids at Twilight.

I just needed a photo fix, so I went out and did something very hard.  Tried to get my own kids to pose for the darn camera!

These are a quick set of photos.  For a few I really pushed the fast side of the class to se what the depth of field would be like at F2 to F2.4. Some others I pushed to get larger depth of field so I could get a moving child in focus.  One on one I played with manual focus so I could get my moving child in focus...

It will be a busy week for me...so I'll post these ahead of time.

I hope you like them!  I know they gave me some smiles while I worked them up.

-ehw

Two years of Joy!

How fast can two years go?  For child number four, my precious Kellie Marie it is like a stroke of lightening across the sky.  Here are just a few highlights....

Thank you God for every minute I have with each of these incredible people you graced my family with, and charged me to care for.  I can only pray I am doing right by them, and get to do it for a lot longer before you call me home.

-ehw

Return to Old Car City

My son and I braved the cold to visit Old Car City yesterday.  The temperatures started at 24 F and moved up to 41 F over the course of the day.  The owner greeted us and said, he could not understand anyone coming up to shoot on such a cold day!  We started the day with great winter light, and then had clouds come in to add one more challenge to the self-assignment.  Despite these challenges, the two of us had a great day together talking and walking several miles through the 4100 cars on the 600 acre lot.  Having my son along was part of his education, and the only way I can show him how I work with others...my day job just does not allow that.  It was my first return visit since last March when I toured the grounds with Bill Fortney and the His Light Crew.

This scene shows you the entrance to Old Car City.  The owner and his crew made a number of changes to the front part of the City, and it was nice to see the growth of the yard to keep it fresh.  I like this photo a lot better than the bicycle shot I captured last year.  I think it has a little more charm, and tells a better story of the environment of Old Car City.

For this adventure I went in only with my Fujifilm X-E1, my shoulder bag, and my heavy tripod.  I also made the test decision to take everything in jpeg, since I was going to make HDR photos with my captures.  The data in an HDR is massive just because of how they get processed, and I think it ended up working for me.

Over the next few days I hope to show you some of the work I did...and yes I already have them ready to order and grace your walls!

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with the 18-55 Kit lens...the only shot in the series from the kit lens.  I switched over to primes for all but one other series for the rest of the day.

Capturing a sunbeam

Yesterday afternoon I had a couple fun experiences with my girls.  First I got a hours of time with my big girl, we went out to lunch.  We talked, and talked and talked.  It was fun, and a good time to be a Dad.  After we arrived home, Mom had to depart for WalMart leaving me in charge of the house.  After a mere thirty minutes my little one found herself startled out of a good deep sleep.  When this happens you have two choices, let her go with a minimal nap and watch her feel ugly all night...or hold her as she tries to sleep.  Well this Dad scooped her up, and held her close.  She did what we all do when we want comfort, put her head down and listened for my heart to calm herself down.  After getting her calmed down and almost asleep, I put her in the big bed and she fell asleep on my arm.  This resulted in forcing me to get a good nap too!

Ok the point of this is that after we awoke, the sun was shining in the way only a winter afternoon sun can into out living room.  We both had energy now, and could really enjoy playing with the sunbeams.

Thankfully with my camera at hand, I was able to capture a sunbeam in the eyes of a happy little girl.

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with 60mm Macro at F4.5, 1/150, ISO 800, -.5 EV.  Minor edits in Aperture using the RAW file.

An Accidental Lesson

Today I made an accidental study in under exposure.  See I was shooting away, in what I thought was aperture priority mode.  Well I accidentally also moved the shutter speed from Auto to 4000/sec.  As a result, the vast majority of the shot became way under exposed.   The most highly exposed parts of the photo, did expose properly and created some beautiful colors.  Obviously the contrast between dark and light came out fantastic, with a bit of a magical air to it.

The mistake I made reminded me of a basic need...to make sure I sometimes learn what creative possibilities exist by working around the metered perfect.  It can teach me why "right" is "right," and what happens when you push the boundaries to sometimes make some magical air.

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with 60mm obviously underexposed!

The camera you have with you

The old saying is that the best camera you have is the one you have with you.  Here is an example in point.

During mass on New Years Eve Kellie was not being bad, just demonstrating she had more energy than the two parents sitting with her in the pew.  She also had more curiosity in everything around her than the next fifteen people you could find in the adjacent pews.  So of course I had to take her out to the narthex for most of mass.  While we were there, she of course found the nativity scene fascinating.  Not having time to get good angles, or my good camera sitting in the pew...I grabbed my iPhone and snapped two frames.  Then like a hawk I switched into protect the church property mode, and became the hover parent.  Meanwhile one of the deacons from the parish sat behind me, laughing with his whole family.  He just looked up and said, I've been there three times myself!

So I would not have an image to share with you of her sweet doting on the nativity set without the small little camera I had with me.  If you want an image you have to have something to capture it.  You have to know the tools you have with you as well...so it should behoove me to learn a little more about the darn thing as well.  I guess I should give it some of the attention I normally reserve for my "good" cameras! It just might pay off when I capture the moment I would otherwise lose to unrecorded history.

-ehw

P.S.  iPhone in Program mode using the standard camera program.  Post processed in Perfect Picture Suite 8 and Nik Define to reduce some noise.

Happy New Years Eve!

On this evening I found myself in pleasant company leaving work...the three people I said farewell to are headed the same place I am in a few minutes...to church. I felt warm in knowing, contrary to popular culture, that some people out there still believe the evening is about more than a simple drinking fest..it is about thanking God for another tour around the sun!

Today's scripture reading in the Divine Office from Colossians 2:4-15 hits that point on the nose: "See to it that no one deceives you through any empty, seductive philosophy that follows mere human traditions, a philosophy based on cosmic powers rather than on Christ." It is to God that we owe thanks...not the maker of Miller, Jack Daniels, or whatever else there is.

The homily by St Leo the Great reminded us, "For every believer regenerated in Christ, no matter in what part of the whole world he may be, breaks with that ancient way of life that derives from original sin, and by rebirth is transformed into a new man. Henceforth he is reckoned to be of the stock, not of this earthly father, but of Christ, who became Son of Man precisely that men could become sons of God; for unless in humility he had come down to us , none of us by our own merits could ever go up to him."

I'm not implying we need to forgo a nice glass of wine, but we need to forgo the culture and philosophy of worshiping those earthly things for the sake of themselves. In many ways, abuse of anything takes our eyes off the prize. It could be internet addiction, money, sports, you name it...anything pulling too hard will hurt our time we should rather be spending to build up the kingdom of God. Just watch a few minutes of commercials during a bowl game or the parties tonight and you'll see what I mean in spades!

So there is my resolution. Get control of things that distract and get God put back in charge.

I hope you have a noble resolution as well!

Happy New Years Eve!

-ehw

A child's eye silent night

A great photographer I met once, and listened to often, Scott Bourne once said to explore the world creatively you need to see the world from the mind of a five year old.  Well I've been doing that with my now six year old. Today I reviewed photos he took over the last four months on my old Canon P&S.  My wife mentioned several times he imitates me when he shoots...he was actually doing quite well!  He does video much better than I do!  Well in his photos I did see the sense of wonder I often miss as I get older.

So tonight I set the tripod up and looked at the tree from the level of my two year old.  I just fell into the wonderful world of bliss.  I saw the lights, the shiny ornaments, the dark spots, the smiles on faces, the tassels and beads.  It was fun.  It was like my first memories of Christmas growing up...and when I made up the HDR images I just had to capture the feeling of the moment of when I can remember looking at my family Christmas tree a the age of four or five at Fort Devens, Massachusetts in 1974 or 75.

Then I thought about the most important part of the evening...the arrival of Jesus.  A hundred thoughts started running through my mind.  I can see so much of the story rushing together, and my mind is just too slow to understand or explain it right now.  I turned my lens on the family nativity scene, and turned of the lights.  I felt a peace come over me as I worked the light and tried a few different angles.  I began to reflect, that on a night like tonight I don't think Jesus wants us to think too deeply.  He wants us to look at his arrival like a child who can feel something special in the air, and now that in the darkness of the night a child was born who gives peace to our souls if we but choose to listen for the sound of his voice.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1.  These are HDR processed in HDR Efex Pro 2..the second one got a touch up in Perfect Suite 8.

Lessons from the farm

So what does a farmer do when a baby lamb loses its mother hours after it birth? My second son's Godparents recently had this occur on their farm. A ewe carried her 10th lamb to term, and died shortly after the birth. If the lamb existed in the wild, it would simply be left to fend for itself immediately. No other ewe will care for it, preferring instead by instinct to care for its own offspring.

This farming family instead will feed the lamb ewe by hand until it can fend for itself. Extra work yes, but it is an example of proper stewardship of the world we live in. These Godparents let nothing go to waste if they have any say in it. I find it is also a little example of following the wisdom of God, and an example of what we saw from Christ. We are all fallen creatures, even if we have good genes we are all still flawed. Despite this problem of ours, he for came into the world as a child, and grew to become a man...the perfect sacrifice and example for us to follow so we too could be with him in heaven.

So as you prepare for the arrival of Christ tonight...remember that as hard as it is to fathom...he calls us to follow his example in largest, smallest and everything I between parts of our life.

-ehw P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with the 18-55

Getting Ready!

A few weeks ago I was able to walk around town and snap some images on a cold November morning.  Our town works hard to create an old city center worthy of visiting, and the business owners do their part to make it inviting.

In these final days of preparation for Christmas, don't forget the reason for the season of advent (and it has nothing to do with present lists or parties).  Do your best to ignore the last minute sale emails ,and focus on getting your heart ready for the arrival of our Lord!  Take a walk, dodge raindrops, and look at your fellow man for all the reasons he came to die for us!  Then ask yourself...have I made a home inside of me for him?  Have I risen to the challenge?  When I failed did I beg forgiveness and make amends?

Ok...time for me to get ready for church myself and get my own head in the right place!

-ehw

PS-Fujifilm X-E1 with 18-55mm.  Cropped in camera using the square framing option.  It is fun to see the world in different framing formats than the standard 2x3.  It think it really allows you to do some extra mental calculus, and come closer to making the final product in your camera.  If you spend less time behind the computer the better off you are!

Dinner with my sweetie!

Went to diner with my sweetie last night, sans kiddos. Of course we talked all about them though!

Lovely evening and some nice adult talk...of course about the family! After working for almost three weeks straight it was nice to have a short break, even if the holiday tidings are forcing me to figure out what I need to do next right away!

Nice restaurant...Chicago's in East Cobb County off Shallowford Road. My wife loved the menu, even with her restricted diet. The nicest thing was she said, "that was like a normal meal!" With her food allergies, it was great to see her enjoy herself. I'd recommend it if you are in the area.

-ehw P.S. This is an iPhone5s photo....edited in Snapseed on my iPad.

Wishing for My Someone

Last night I ran out with friends to grab a bite to eat and I was longing for my lovely wife to be with me. I knew she might enjoy the sights, sounds and a little treat...

Oh well just under 42 hours or so and I'll be with her and the four little people I love so much! Time does make the heart grow fonder...but that happens to me after 8 hours at work! I hope when I retire from my second career I can merge family and work a little better.

-ehw

PS X-20 with post in Snapseed. Fun composition. I did open up the shutter on purpose to get the movement of the cars. Snapsee continues to amaze me with fun tools and output.

Thoughts of a Father

Walking the streets of Seattle's business district is a study in contrasts. Historic buildings stand next to new steel structures, the working port competes with the white collar district for attention, trendy tech stands side by side with food vendors trying to work out a living, the mentally ill panhandlers walk the streets side by side with Bill Gates.

I saw this very nice store a block from the hotel while grabbing breakfast one morning. The wedding dress made me thing of my wife's wedding dress, it is something I could enjoy seeing my growing daughters shine for a night like princesses in.

I know the reality of my life trajectory will never let me give such gifts to my children. I would never begrudge those who can enjoy such things, heck they end up paying my salary! I just know I will never be "up there" with the big boys.

I just know that each person needs to dream good thoughts, and look for beauty in our lives. For some it will be those incredible dresses making someone a princess for a night. For others it will be the smile of children enjoying their favorite meal, made for them with the love of Mom. For still others it will be the act of selfless giving to those in need of help for their poor spirit or accidental misfortunes.

I have not been away from my clan like this for quite a while. While the work is good, I can see it on the faces of myself and colleagues the longing for the comforts and love waiting at home.

I can only imagine if my longing for being with family and giving them gifts is this great, how much greater is the longing and love of the Father above for each of us to be one in communion with him? Imagine the cloaks of glory and food he has prepared in a house of joy....I guess it is time to really enjoy waters of life he offers.

-ehw

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Hat man's delight!

I you ever met me you know I enjoy a good hat. When I was 16 I became the only guy to ask for a fedora for Christmas, probably in the history of the planet...but I did. That hat served me for ten years, only to be crushed when my household goods came home from Germany.

Well this store has my name written all over it. I so want to go in and get me a good hat...but unlike Seattle I'd definitely need a winter hat and summer hat in Atlanta!

Oh the choices only get harder don't they!

Ok story for the shot is that I had a few minutes and did a recon of the local area around the hotel. This store came up, and if tried to get a good shot with X-E1 in with the few minutes I had left before my shift started. I edited it this evening after shift completed in Nik's Snapseed on the iPad.

So now I am going to crash and sleep well after a hard day's work and a moment of relaxation dreaming about being a pro businessman making photos for a living.

-ehw

Through the Looking Glass

Full day of travel and meetings...and this is what I see from my window. If I was not so tired I'd be walking with the tripod snagging a few shots. Instead I'm going to crash!

Besides I've been reading a lot about the Theology of the Body and I have a lot to pray about...it provides so much to learn and apply in my family life that my head is bursting from that as well!

-ehw

P.S. X-E! from the hotel room with a couple tweeks in Snapseed.

Signs of Fall

A few signs of fall appearing around the town of Roswell, Georgia the last few weeks...and I finally got to enjoy a photo walk win town to capture a few of them. I particularly enjoyed how the leaves gave a sense of closure to the season as we zoom quickly to the dawn of winter. This bench was very interesting to me. I enjoyed the rich textures, contrasty color, and detail. So I tried to capture it faithfully.

If you've followed the blog for any length of time you know I enjoy shooting in the fall. The afternoon light is so warm and enticing. Funny thing is this photo does not get that full treatment due to placement of the bench! Oh well a few more days of this light before a business trip will take me for a spin way out west!

I've become increasingly self critical of my work. I think it comes with the higher expectations I have for myself. That is good because it drives me to improve my game, it is bad because it gives me greater pause before I shoot and share. I'm still learning the needed balance between shooting for fun, sharing and living. What a wonderful journey life is...who knows where it will take me or teach me in the days and years to come.

-ehw

Model A goes to town

My Dad and I went for a ride in the Model A yesterday, just to take out the trash in town....and of course the truck demanded a short photo shoot! Luckily we had the historic school and some clouds to make the shot a little more interesting!

No crazy thoughts today...other than I hope you had a great weekend! I start a long road trip home tomorrow with the family in the "Silver Bullet." So if you see a big van running down I-81 to Ashville, NC that would be us!

-ehw P.S. This is little X-E1 with an appearance of the 14mm. I really enjoy that lens! Edited in Snapseed on my IPad.

Feel the heat!

The competitors lined up their forces and studied their opponent. They peered into each other's eyes Looking for weakness. In the last twelve months each grew in various ways, the younger one practicing each week with new sparring partners to take on his mentor. With hardly a sound the hounds of war slashed across the field of battle, slaying with precision cuts and discipline the enemy who was careless in his positioning. After fighting for twenty minutes and new sound crossed the battlefield....

A young boys voice said, "Is a horse stronger than a castle? Who is winning? How do you know?"

What fun to see one son dueling with his Uncle Steve, and the other loving on him as soon as the game was over to get his own special time. It is an annual event now each boy looks forward to. It is a special time to watch them bond, and see how my sons grow to appreciate, in new ways only a boy one year older could, the good man my Uncle is.

I've known for years how great a guy he is because he takes such good care of my Aunt, and my Dad's youngest sister who is only 10 years older than me. She and I were pals when I was a kid..and on Thanksgivings she often came home from school to find me sharing her bunk for the weekend! That is what happens when you have a family of nine and a whole lot of kids/grandparents pouring in! No space is scared! Well I only want the best for her, and Uncle Steve definitely is the best medicine God ever dropped on her!

Yes it is one of the best memories a man can have in life...the knowledge that good lessons and memories are now passing through three generations.

-ehw P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with 18-55