Dance

[slideshow] Dance poses a photographer great challenges, especially if shot during a performance.

You have to choose action, pose or some of both.  You have to search for the decisive moment, and catch it in rhythm.  You often have to watch out for rapidly changing lights and exposure.

I love the challenge.  I love the excitement of trying to get "the shot."  After a year off from the recital circuit because of the move down south, I can't wait to see my little lady back up there though my lens.

After watching her practice a few times in the last few months I've been amazed.  She improved her dedication to learning dance, and now observes things about her movements she did not in September.  She is ready to join the "big girls" in her mind, and that means growing up in body and mind.

It also poses a lesson for me to follow as a photographer and as a Dad.  I cannot reduce my attention to detail because I am comfortable with my skills and gear, but to increase attention to detail in all things.  I have to pay better attention to my children, to my wife and the environment we live in.  I also have to continue to mature and grow in faith to be the best role model I can.  I'll never be perfect, but if I put in the same type of discipline to my faith life I will be calmer and more effective for them in all things.

I cannot take for granted that I am seeing more details in the viewfinder than I did a few months ago myself.  I must focus harder, an conceive my photographic vision earlier.  I must remember the fundamentals faster, and recognize them as they appear in the scene before me.

A lifetime of learning lays before not just before my girl, but each of us as well.

-ehw

Final 2012 Veteran's Day Tribute

I am always emotional on Veteran's Day.  This year even more so since I was not with my brother Knights of Columbus in Virginia executing a Flag Retirement.  In the past we hosted over 120-140 people.  We'd provide flags to veterans, police and fire flown around the world at memorials and cemeteries.  As I am now living in Georgia, I could not be a part of that great event this year.. Tonight my Cub Scout Den held a Veteran's Appreciation Ceremony for John 'Jack' Dehaven.  We sang him songs, I gave him restored photos of him in WWII, listened to his stories and made it as special as possible for him.  He sits behind my family at church, and is the most gentle guy you could meet.  I laughed when I realized how he crossed paths with my grandmother in the Boston USO, and my Mom's family in the Leigh Valley of Pennsylvania (He is from Allentown).  It really is a small world.

I've made it a habit to review my old photo collection and some old books every Veteran's Day.  I was taken back by the power of photography to be 12 watching my Dad at Camp Zama, Japan, a 17 yr old cadet at West Point, 23 yr old LT again in Germany, 25 yr old Executive Officer in Bosnia, 28 yr old Commander in Kosovo...and the memories of the men and women I grew up with came back as a tidal wave.  I love my life now with four children and a good job, but those days really helped me become the man I am today.  They made me dream, gave me drive to succeed, care for people and a life full of experiences to take with me on my next set of journeys.  I was blessed to serve, but never called to serve like my brother or recently retired Bradley crewmate SSG Thornburg of Phoenix City, Alabama.  They gave so much more than ever asked of me, and I am humbled when I tally up the days away from "normal" life they racked up over the course of their careers.  My commanders don't know how much I learned from them...I served under some pretty darn good men.

So here are some of the photos I shared tonight.  They are a fraction of the photos I reviewed.  A fraction of the memories and family history of service...a fraction of what is needed to keep us free.  Even though some may not be in uniform...know they served with honor and distinction.

[slideshow]

Perfect Suite 7

The family did some yard work yesterday and the Little Red Wagon was calling me to make a portrait.  I liked the rich fall light, and it just suckered me in.

I am testing the Perfect Suite 7 for editing.  It is a very powerful set of utilities, in a convenient package for round tripping in and out of Lightroom and Aperture.  The "unique" thing about Perfect Suite is that it is layers for the rest of us.  Photoshop is extremely powerful, as it is pixel level editing.  The terminology of Photoshop is that of digits, and not necessarily traditional photography. Some of us out here in the real world have trouble with the multiple languages required to think Photoshop vs Photography.  Perfect Suite is a lot more photo centric, and for me personally easier to grasp. For others who are new to editing maybe it does not matter as much, but it does for me.

I used Suite 6, and I am finding a number of the new Suite 7 tools are easier to access and work with and visualize how they will make their effects.  Another thing those on a budget will appreciate is the loyalty program.  Perfect Suite updated everything at one time, and you just pay once for all the updated tools for the year.  I love Nik, but the incremental update policy means I am still spending more to updating the suite costs more than the initial purchase.

On average I can save a lot of time by using Perfect Suite when I need heavy editing.  I can do here in under two minutes what it would take ten or more in Aperture or Lightroom.  When editing my big assignments, this is a big deal.

It does have a 30 day free trial, so you can try it out for yourself.  Their information on the website explains everything in detail. Perfect Suite 7 Website

-ehw

God Bless our Veteran's

[slideshow] God Bless our Veteran's of past and present.  May this generation raise up a new and valiant set of defenders who will keep our honor bright.

A special thanks to those I served with across the world.  And another thanks to my immediate family who served:  Dad, my brother Karl, Sister Sonja, DjaDja, Great Auntie Josephine, Great Uncle Walter, Uncle Joe, My Father-in-law, Great Grand Dad (in-law), and of course the lovely Army nurse I stole from the ranks at Ft Benning...my wife.

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Joy of Creation

Six months ago my family my wife an I intended to take some of the reduced cost of living in Georgia and devote it to music lessons for the children.  Little did we know we'd get a bonus, a complete homeschooling orchestra!  But wait there is one more deal!  A children's choir at church!!

The joy I've watched as my children learn to play and sing goes from my 11-year old through each of the four children down to the baby.  Big sis plays cello for the baby during girl's time.  Kalen is getting serious by asking questions, and in the last few weeks gained a basic understanding of "perfect practice makes perfect."  My youngest son is singing and liking percussion instruments at the introduction class for kindergartners.  Kalen wanted to sing as well, so he joined the children's choir and is growing into the role very well.

The thing I really enjoyed was not just music returning to the home, but the creation of music in the home.

It did get me thinking about what is so special about God.  God created everything including the laws of physics that give us music.  Yet with each new generation born there is no symphony with their name on it until that generation creates it.

Seeing and hearing my children strive and struggle to create music reminded me of our journey towards faith and communion with God.  Each of us struggle with wrong notes, missed codas, taking a note outside of the designated pitch, good days and bad.  Over time, and with great self discipline, we can create professional performances even on our worst days that will inspire.

I am looking forward to seeing their results at a beginning orchestra concert this Friday, after just three short months of work.  On Sunday I will get to see Kalen sing in front of the church, moving out of the family pew on his own spiritual journey as well.

The pride I have must be an fraction of the joy God feels when we create a life and acts moving us towards his plan.

It gives new meaning to the Prodigal Son, and the stories of the sinners turned saints, when you see and hear this creation with your own eyes and ears.  It also reminds me how much further and harder I have to practice my faith to be a good man in God's plan.

-ehw

PS I hope you like the photo.  I tried to make it as "timeless" as possible.

His Glorious Light

Over the last few days I've felt lost.  I literally feel like the country I was born into, and raised in is gone.  I can literally see challenges threatening what I once thought was universally sacred, my choice of religious expression.

I thankfully read a post from "the Pilgrim" Bill Fortney (www.billfortney.com) and my outlook changed a good deal.  He wrote about a tough old Pinon Pine tree he stood standing tall in very rough ground.  In a place where it should not grow, it stood steady.  A guide told him it was because it had a tough bark, or skin, to protect it from the various harsh weather threats in that part of the valley.

The passage, and bible verse that followed reminded me of a book I read by Scott Hahn called A Father Who Keeps His Promises.  It reminded me that while natural law always existed, and revealed God's plan, his explicit compact for our salvation started with just one man's family.  The one family wandered amongst the great nations of the world for a hundreds of years before it formed itself as a nation.  And it was hundreds of years after that before our savior came and spread the message to the whole world.

After reading Bill's words, the Bible psalm he selected, thinking of Scott Hahn's message, and counting the people around me who believed in the law of God like me; I finally realized the obvious.  I would not be lost if I followed God's plan and not mine.  God, thankfully, put me in a time where there are others who believe and live as virtuous life as possible.  I needed to reach out to people who are role models for the life I want to build.  If I work with those people, it can be a tough skin of friendship I'll need to keep my family moving towards God's graceful light.

So today at lunch I walked, and picked up a challenge to see what I could get in the harsh light of mid-day that would be somewhat reflective of that theme.  And yes, thankfully see some of his light came through and struck my lens and sensor with his glorious light.

-ehw

Reflections

As an exercise I was watching reflections in mirrors and glass for how they interacted.  With that in mind I saw my son playing with my youngest daughter through the glass.  It made me think of a special effect in a movie.  So I grabbed a shot.

Glass causes a lot of interesting possibilities, and this was a simple fun one.  In this case a classic home moment of two children playing together with hint of through the looking glass. -ehw