A few more for sale

I added three photos to square market you might like...Tuscon Monsoon Morning (above), Roswell Bridge and the DC Tidal Basin.  You can purchase them on square market.  If you want them in a different format...or see anything else in my Smugmug portfolio you like please contact me so I can serve you!

The EHW Photography store is open at:  EHW Square Market

View the rest of my portfolio here: EHW Portfolio

You'll also see some other gear I have up for sale there as well.  Some good gear not getting enough use.

As always 10% of the print profit goes to charity.

-ehw

A little Art in the Park

Just doing a little art in the park....I hope to see some of the great people I met today again!

Thank God for the blessedly great day, and to visit my friend Jack down the street.  I left him a photo of Christ on the Cross he immediately recognized....which is lovely since he is battling Alzheimers...

-ehw

Three Portraits

Up in Chicago I spent the last few days working on my portraits and marketing skills. One additional challenge I put before myself was to start asking people to pose for a portrait for me. In each portrait I wanted to try and start capturing a part of my subject's personality....and why they are such special people to God and me!

In the first photo you see my friend Richard. He was my table buddy during the group talks and we shared a few wonderful meals together. He is from Mayberry, NC..the real one. He and his loving wife worked hard for years as a husband/wife team in a two person law firm. Now he and his wife are retired...and he is now adventuring. I hope the photo reflects his wonderful, peaceful, calm and friendly personality.  I'll never forget the vegetable rolls he ordered the last night there!  Even when surprised he was so calm!

The second photo is Levi Sim; now of Portland, Oregon. I hope you see the energy in those eyes. He is a man of seemingly superman energy. Actually doesn't he look like Clark Kent?...well anyway the energy in those eyes is nourished by a wonderful wife and a little girl they are adopting. I loved seeing him well up over a child he loves so much...made me think of how I felt each of the four times a child entered my life. I hope you can see the joy in his life right there.

The final photo is of my friend Adrian. He and I were table buddies last year at Skip's. We renewed our friendship this week.  He is smart, direct, and one of the more encouraging people you'll ever meet. He is a U.S. citizen from Romania ... .and if he does not give you inspiration about taking a risk in a completely new land and starting with nothing no one will. He gave me help last year, and this year in the encouragement realm...thanks buddy.

Now I hope you enjoyed my little set of portraits. A little tip to the People of Calgary blog...he is inspirational at meeting and introducing interesting people up there...and one day I hope to add some more jock stories like this.

-ehw P.S. All with the fujifilm x-e1.  Edited in Snapseed while I waited for the airplane ride home.

A 10 year milestone

10! Updside Down of Course

Another milestone in my family...my oldest son reaches the ripe young age of 10.  His sisters insisted on the bow to complete his outfit.  He wanted pineapple upside down cake after Grandma made it for him last month...and his little brother insisted he have a police command truck for his lego collection.

He is so 10 right now.  Impossibly Big and mature one minute...thinking deep thoughts the second...and then a complete goofball the third.

Right now he is watching Star Wars Episode II for the very first time!

It is a great day for him and he was so grateful for every special moment.  It made me so happy to see him get hugs from his siblings, and the joy they all shared together in his special day.  He displayed great affection for all Mom did to make it so special as well.

I can only pray God gives me many more years to watch him grow in grace and wisdom.

-ehw

Portraits with Michele Celentano

Yesterday I had the joy of attending a class in formal portrait photography provided by Michele Celentano. Michele is a wonderful tea her who constantly through us into the fire...with a safety net. It was was wonderful.

The key lessons are simple, but the devil is in the details. Where I'm looking big picture she already was two steps ahead of me going into details. Not just any details but how a hand is laid down on a brother's shoulder, or if the whites of the eyes are too visible....these details are what makes her a master formal portrait artist.

I'd just like to say thank you to her for her dedication to the instruction yesterday. I'll be taking it home and putting it all to work as soon as I can so I don't forget the lessons learned....

More importantly I'll keep some of that passion for the craft she imprinted on me for a long time to come!

Wiley Coyote's last stop

Did you grow up on Road Runner and Wiley Coyote cartoons?  If not your missing a little bit of modern education.

This site at the top of Pike's Peak seemed to be the inspiration of all those falls Wiley Coyote took...Track runs all the way up to the edge and then...well it is a 2,000 foot drop.  Good for getting home in a hurry if you are not worried about arriving in one piece.

It was a fun part of the trip.  Everyone had to remember to work a little slower because it was not hard to get light headed up there in the thin air of 14,000 feet.

-ehw

P.S.  Mr. Fuji made this trip up the hill.  A nice story teller told me once that if you can get an interesting angle, like the top shot that can be the grabber.  The second shot finishes the story you wanted to tell.  So depending on the purpose of your post, share either one or both.  I thought both would work better on this little story of our trip.

Watching you!

Keeping children entertained on a 90 minute or so train ride through very dense clouds s not an easy task, but that is exactly what we did climbing up Pike's Peak.  Did you know then Captain Zebulon Pike attempted to climb this mountain in November?  He waned to do this while wearing a summer uniform back in 1806!

Kevin here took the time to enjoy the company of his grandfather for the ride up the mountain...and peppered him with questions and little "figgity" games you would expect of a six year old.  Grandad tempered Kevin's energy with his wisdom so they did have a fun journey together that taught Kevin a few good nuggets of information along the way.

I personally was imagining Captain Pike's First Sergeant looking at him just thinking he could get a tiny bit up that mountain...oh the burning eyeballs!

Looking through the eyes of a child, or in this case into they eyes of a child, can really charge us with both a fresh perspective AND energy to explore the world.  This type of energy propelled the great creatives and explorers of history.  Creatives who temper that youthful exploration with introspection are those that use their adventures to enrich the lives of those around them.  Those young creatives who don't get a safe guiding hand...well they end up frozen on Pikes Peak...with their talents wasted in the alpine air.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with the 18-55 "kit" lens.  Make no mistake...this is not your typical kit lens.

At the foot of the altar

Stunning artwork and symbols even at the foot of the altar in Grand Lake......one aspect of churches I truly enjoy are those which teach the faith through art...

I'll have a treat in a few days when I show you the Cathedral of the Plains.  The parishioners there really made art and faith sing...

Since this was a circle the square frame seemed to be the best choice for the selection.

-ehw

Wow...twins!

Today will be a full day...so I am happy to share this simple composition of a little flowers shining in morning light....

-ehw

P.S. When shooting flowers outdoors I highly suggest wind breaks and diffusers. One keeps your subject still. The other helps control the highlights by making harsh light bigger.

Places to Worship and Pray

During our trip to Colorado we went to St. Anne's Catholic Church for Sunday Mass.  The building fits right in with its rustic, mountain feel with the rest of the church.

That Sunday we heard a sermon from a traveling priest, who ironically my wife alone heard two months ago in Atlanta at the Seton Homeschooling Conference.  His sermon was a great call to action about the need to evangelize a culture of life from conception to death worldwide with all our hearts and minds.  I will use my pictures to illustrate one point he made about the horrible confusion we suffer in our society right now on this topic. (See this website for this additional information: Humanlife International)

This week, CNS News Service showed a short video where college students signed a petition for "Fourth Trimester" abortion.  Yes Fourth Trimester...there are only three Trimesters....so much for education in world class colleges...basically these men and women are convinced a woman should have the ability to kill their offspring at anytime.  Horrible, chilling, and if you pardon me sickening thoughts.

Based on the demographics and polling in the last election, the same people probably support enhanced environmental protection laws.  Laws which already make it illegal to touch an endangered bird species egg, shut down damns so fish can spawn in cold mountain streams, or to kill a doe out of designated season.  The same groups often also sponsor animal rescue missions at fantastic costs to help injured animals heal up for return to the wild.

The evangelization the priest talked about is that we need to show people the disconnect between the two concepts.  If we recognize a eagle inside the egg is the same eagle that will one day soar through the sky, how can we also not rationalize the child inside the womb is not one who could care for your dignity in old age?  We must evangelize with somber reminder that some of the greatest leaders of faith, had horrible sins in their past.  St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Augustine...and coming close to home I even know my own sins....all needed an awaking.  Some had a lightening bolt.  Some had a gentle calling.  All came home to live within a culture of life, one which they bestowed on us with more tools to build up higher with our own generation.  We are called to provide each of us sinners a chance to live out their conversion with good deeds inside the church of God.

So I encourage you today to recognize that the guidance I heard from the pulpit, is derived from the same holy words I heard as I sat in the cathedral of the mountain stream that afternoon.  Proverbs clearly state the Wisdom of God streamed before the first ray of light, the first breath of wind and bubbling brook of water.  So for those in doubt, I call you to listen to the call of life in a house of God or in grand creation itself.  As our Founding Fathers knew, natural law is the one source of wisdom which can bind people of all faiths into one people to respect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of each other from conception to natural death.

-ehw

P.S. The priest closed his homily with a reminder that following a the Lord's calling will result in suffering and rejection from those who reject the teachings and desire to force your acceptance of their own selfish cause.  If you chose not to follow my postings anymore...I'm sorry.  You must however understand that my photographic calling directly manifests itself from my faith.  Since I respect the dignity of every person, don't post shock photos or sexed up visions of men and women.  I look for beauty where others may not.  I look for a capture which expresses a manifestation of wisdom in this earthly life and appreciates God's beautiful creation.  I seek to unify through charitas, not divide.  If you liked photos I capture, it is because of what God calls my heart to capture.  In the end, each and every photo I capture must past the family room edit test where my computer rests...and so must the words and lifestyle I chose to live.

Wildlife

After a full day of exploring (remember my version of exploring with a family ages twelve to 17 months old is not what the twenty something with no children crowd calls exploring) my almost ten year old showed disappointment .  His Junior Ranger book was called for him to see a few more animals.  I knew, and he knew, midday on the mountain near the road was not the time to see large animals interested in safety.  So I proposed a dusk big boy expedition with Grand Dad looking for big game!  As you can see we were successful!

We saw lots of caribou, one moose in the far distance, and three sunsets as we again climbed the mountain looking for the elusive mountain goats with no success.  Our little adventure resulted in rich discussions, and a chance to experience the wonders of the world through the shutter clicks and voice of an almost ten year old boy.  His seriousness on completing his ranger mission made me proud.  He is a boy focused on accomplishment, with a heart sensitive to caring for others along the way.

Those moments on this little jaunt up the mountain will be long remembered and cherished.  It is why we must struggle from time to time to separate ourselves from the daily struggles of workplace survival, to reconnect with those around us.  Even Jesus did it by walking up mountains to pray closer to his Father without the distractions of crowds and disciples!  I know my moment of appreciation would only be a shadow of what the King of Kings would feel, but then again my burdens are a fraction of a shadow of those he bore.

So as I finished this day I was happy with a few good frames, the growth of my eldest son, and generosity of my father-in-law.  It was an excellent day in of photographic discovery.

-ehw

PS This is Mr Pentax K-5 with 60-250mm at 98mm (147mm in 35mm equivalency) , F8, 1/250 and ISO 800.  Close lady caribou huh!

Tenacity of Life

At the top of the mountain, I captured a wonderful vista with my children descending off the peak.  In this seemingly desolate space, just a few feet away was this cluster of small flowers.

Throughout my trip one theme arose before my eyes time and time again, it was the tenacity of life.

On this windswept mountain, these little flowers stubbornly cling to the thin soil in the brief Rocky Mountain summer just a few feet from my position in the first majestic photo.  In the plain states it was large trees owning the low ground, avoiding the windy peaks.  In the high prairie we saw how grass and cactus eked out survival on little water.  In each case life was present and thriving where it was not easy to achieve basic survival.  Yet as you can see, the beauty and power of that little life is just as moving as places rich with plants and animals.

Today's Gospel reminded us that life here on Earth is a struggle...and every moment of success we get should be savored...and every hardship we experience should help us revel in the beautiful moments a little more.

-ehw

P.S. Fujiflm X-E1 with 14mm top and Pentax K-5 with 60-250mm below...

Back on line

Back on line...finally!

Our Uverse cable was physically cut at the junction box down the road! Took four days for AT&T to find it. So the sun is up again over the Wojo Clan and it is back to work!

-ehw

P.S. this photo is a reminder to take your gear with you...Grandad took us on an unexpected expedition up the mountain and I did not have my flare resistant primes with me...so the photo was not what it could be...

Rocky Mountain Colorado

The final push to our Rocky Mountain campsite took about five hours. The kids were surprised that they got the treat of seeing the Rocky Mountains up close thirty years sooner than their Dad...

They fell into their grandparents arms, Kevin (boy number two at age six) moved out of the trailer immediately to take up residence with his gran parents, and we settled down for a delicious dinner. I was thrilled to simply know I had no driving ahead of me for a few days.

Since this is Sunday I thought I'd share my wife's choice for a vanity plate on the van. It says "You're life has an owners manual" with a picture of the Bible.

-ehw

Kansas

We stopped after a long drive in Goodland, Kansas for a night on the high prairie. The KOA there is run by a lovely team of husband and wife. Alicia immigrated from Poland about 30 years ago. She was the second person in over forty years to say my name correctly!

The prairie of Kansas is incredible during the summer. It really can call to you...and make you forget about the cold winter ahead if you are not careful. The people are hardworking, the entire state seems cultivated, oil co-exists easily with wheat fields, and everything seems down to earth. In general it seems like a place that really works the land for a living and manages it carefully.

During our stay she was running the camp herself, as her husband was back in the old country attending to the funeral of his loving and kind father. She had here hands full as the park filled up, but she keep a great attitude towards everything, and longed for her husband's return. We were under a storm threat all night long, so the clouds were dramatic, the winds strong, and my worries a little higher than normal.

In the morning the sun rose with lovely color, and I captured the state flower in its glory! I told Alicia I would post that photo for her, as a memory to here kindness and hospitality.

-ehw

P.S. Evening photo with the X-E1, edited in Snapseed. Morning photos same camera but with the 60mm close up lens.

Missouri

We travelled hard all day and arrived at the KOA in Independence, Missouri...aka the East Kansas City Kampground. It is summertime, so it was of course very hot and muggy! So after setting up shop we launched into the pool to cool off as a family.

I guess for so many of us, our best memories of summertime were around a pool, lake or ocean. We loved the hours we spent in the water, making castles or learning to dive to record depths to recover diving sticks. We cared little about what we looked like, or what others would think. We just lived those golden summer moments for all they were worth, our attitudes matched the wide grins on our faces, and those memories remain strong with us today in a lovely glowing memory.

So my photos from this day were very, very few. They were however designed to capture those golden memories, the magical grins, and fleeting moments of summer past and present. I hope Normal Rockwell would be pleased.

-ehw

All three photos from the Fujifilm X-20. Top photo is the OOC JPEG, no edits. Second had a Vignette added in Snapseed, the last one had a little drama added in Snapseed to bring back the contrast in the fading light.

Body of Christ

On this Sunday a little beauty from our Church, and a an image to meditate on!

From the sacrifice of Christ beauty springs eternally, in both thoughts and deeds, if we chose to accept the gifts he gave.

-ehw

Working with Dad

Here are the boys with me last week out shoot our cameras.  Kalen got some pretty nice shots with that telephoto on my Pentax K200D, and Kevin did fine with our family's heirloom HP C618 digital camera.  (It was my first digital...and yes Pentax made the glass for it).  We had a great time going around town, into the woods taking photos, teaching each other to slow down, reading maps and sharing our photos later. Times like this I just don't want to forget.... -ehw PS These were shot with my new Fujifilm X-E1.  I am really enjoying the deep rich colors and perfect skin tones.

Little Big Boy?

Just before bedtime little guy always gives his Mom love..and then requests she tuck him in.  Tonight I caught his ritual in my lens, and it just reflects the real bond he has with her.  Moments like this are why I shoot.  Isn't it the real reason to live to enjoy moments like this?

-ehw

On Main Street Roswell you can pickup a front row seat here to watch the world go by with a cup of joe...oh that is cappuccino in the fancy neck of the woods.  People sitting hear have however also been known to bring up some coffee and a Krispy Creme from down the street though!

Well Monday is here...and I rather be there instead of work.  Oh well...got to earn a living!

-ehw

This is another example of post processing done in Capture One.  I continue to find the tools are very sophisticated, and attack problems a bit differently than Adobe or Apple's solutions.  I'm liking them a lot!  Speed is also pretty darn good on my rapidly aging (in computer years) iMac.