Dancing Water

Last week at Art in the Park us photographers were having fun with the park fountain.  The objective was to both capture and display motion in one shot.

To accomplish this I used my telephoto lens, pushed it out to 175-200mm.  I switched to manual focus (something I am still learning with my new focus peaking feature) and tried to watch my focus zone so I had enough depth of field to have the drops in and out of the focus zone.  I used a series of shutter speeds from 1/1000 to 1/600 to capture the drops.

Lots of fun...and you only get better with practice!

-ehw

Over the last few days I've worked with my sons to review the christian concept of hope.  Hope in God and his goodness is what prevents us from falling into despair.

When I looked at these trucks, I realized my boys have had a lot of hope for the last few years.  They dig, and dump, discover and learn day after day in the same spots with the glee a only a boy can get by playing in the dirt.  They are happy with each dig and dive into the dirt of life.

So keep up the hope and drive on to expand your knowledge of faith, hope and charity...it will keep you from deep despair in the groundhog days of crazy politics, and distraction from the prize.

-ehw

-X-E1 in the yard with the 35mm

Sights around Art in the Park

We had a slow. but lovely weekend at Art in the Park...so that left some time for us photographers on scene to play and make some art...and admire the work of others!

Please enjoy the photo essay that follows, and know we were working hard!

-ehw

PS  All taken with my X-E1 with a variety of lenses...

Urban Jungle

Walking through an office I saw a plant reminding of the phrase urban jungle. Quick shots, catch good light and frame in camera the best I could... Then snapseed and done.

Just a reminder watch for a weekend sale on the store!

-EHW

iOS Travel Photography

I am mad as heck at myself...I ran out of the house to beat the rush and forgot my lovely X-E1 in the house on my desk with two charged batteries. So when I got he photo bug I had to turn here to my iPhone. I know, I know everyone is doing it nowadays. I am just resistant to it. I'll use live view and all the modern conveniences but at the end of the day I just want my real camera.

Well I had the bug to shoot something, and I found myself at a rest area. I got a quick shot with a little morning sun. Problem was the flowers were definitely starting to fade...some flowers were downright depressing for what I wanted to do. So I came back to my room and played with the photo...first in iPhoto and then on Snapseed. Snapseed gave me some fun options I liked and knew how to use from my extensive experience with the product....and iPhoto is on its first run with me in its current regeneration.

The bottom line is that even when you have what you feel is little to work with, in today's world it is a far cry from what we had just ten years ago. I made a pretty interesting piece...or so I hope!

Stay optimistic, and drive on to making some art!

-ehw PS iPhone camera on auto, edited in Snapseed.

Art in the Park in Alpharetta Today! October discounts!

Hello!

It is the last Art in the Park of the year in Alpharetta today and tomorrow!  I need to sell off my inventory so if you come down to the show expect up to half off on matted prints.

If you like any of the photos in my store or in my portfolio I have a deal for you!  I am offering 10% off all photos, even special orders you start this weekend!.  Use the code "Octoberfest" in the Square Marketplace.

I hope to see you there.  I'm as always excited to help you decorate your life with some of images of His Glory!

-ehw

Season Finale

Today was the season closing game for Roswell Little League Fall Ball.  We had a nail biter of a game.  The Royals put on a furious rally in the bottom of the 5th, scoring five runs...but our very last available pitcher fought for the final three outs and got the save.  With the save came the division title for our Astros.  I think we ended up second in the league, but I'm not sure if that was part is official yet.

It was a great season, I can't say enough for the good coaches and families that made it so enjoyable for all the boys.

If you want to see a compilation of the year please feel free to click right here...

Roswell Astros 2013 11-12

It was a long day...so this will be brief and I'll close out with just a few more images from today.

Just a reminder that if your in the Atlanta area and would like something like these products made up for your team please let me know.  I'd love to help you out!

-ehw

PS  Two photos taken by My Pentax K-5 with the 60-250 and one from the Fujifilm X-E1.  Edited in Aperture using a Sarah France Holga Color preset.  I used the preset to make the photos across the video as consistent as possible even while taken across different days and with different cameras.  I think it worked for that purpose...let me know what you think.

Home Stretch

Last two games of the season coming up for the Roswell Astros (11-12 year olds).  During a season you can get a lot of good action shots, but a team portfolio is not complete without some ambiance shots.  During night games here I don't have the full frame and F2.8 lenses needed to capture quality action shots.  So instead I switched up my gear to use my FujiFilm X-E1 and my fastest prime lens...my 35mm F1.4.  Just walking around the dugout you can usually find some interesting if you open up your eyes and switch gears from action to environmental shooting.

This is my son' s hat, glove and batting glove.  It was his inning to sit the bench while the team was in the field.  So they were stacked up while he waited his turn to head back out.  While the available light may be awful for moving subjects, the same situation may be interesting and add nostalgia to an environmental photo.

-ehw

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

Big kid baseball! (Finally)

Just before the start of my son's game on Saturday I was talking to a parent, who was very happy with my work for the team.  I said thanks, but I really did not feel I've been at the top of my game so far this season.  I had a few keepers, but I knew I could do better...and with that resolve I set out for the field.  Armed with my K-5, 60-250, monopod, and knee pads I got myself to work.

I picked up the standard nice to have shots, but I was hungry for good shooting for the first time in a while.  My head was clear, my fingers dialed in and I was shooting the best I could in bright 2PM daylight.  Yep 2PM harsh shadow pain in the neck daylight.

Since I was hungry I started looking for the good shoot I looked where I had not looked yet this season.  It is a fun season to watch.  My son is 10, but playing with kids over 12.  The difference in capabilities and skills these kids have is pretty fun to watch.  They are now picking up the fun parts of the game.  Distracting the pitcher while base running, getting base runners into pickles, and pitching hard right into the strike zone with some consistency.  It is even more fun when you have a good set of coaches like ours...they know the great range of the kids in capabilities.  They respect that each kid's dream is to play...and they make sure they all play and respect each other.  They do not give up on any of the kids.  I have not seen my son this happy playing ball in years, and that only made my desire to shoot well bigger than me.  I wanted something to give back to those helping my son enjoy the game of baseball.

The final trick of the day was in post processing.  Harsh sunlight really makes for ugly photos.  However, my camera was consistently under exposing by over 2/3 a stop.  So I fixed the exposure (yes I shoot RAW just because of that) and then went for a retro film look.  I used the same preset for all the photos for consistency.  It really did the trick, and I think the photos came out pretty well.

It was also nice that while I was processing these...my son and I had the National League Championship Series on in the background.  What a baseball filled day!

-ehw

PS  I told you all my tricks I can share for right now!  I'm going into settings on the camera and will have them fixed up shortly.  I'm sure it is something that I did when fiddling with presets on camera a few weeks ago!

In everything give thanks...even the rough times in life teach you a thing or two.  Come to think about it, the rough times probably force you to learn more out of survival needs than anything else!

I've got a healthy family, roof over our heads and a good camera or two...got to love that!

Anyone looking to hire a photographer this weekend here in the Atlanta area?  I can handle portraits, cars, events, and sports!  I would love to help you out!

-ehw

Set for Dinner

I was out on an overnight for work last night...and got the photo bug in my ear. The restaurant crew thought I was crazy, but I wanted to get the table setting. The light was just too interesting coming through the window and on to the table settings. Unfortunately I could not get the glass exactly where I wanted it in the light no matter which table I went to. So this became my next vision...a little contrast study between the light and the dark.

As with most of my travel photos I did the edits on my iPad using Snapseed and for the first time did one retouch with iPhoto for a secular highlight in the wrong spot.

-ehw X-E1 with the 35mm! Great glass when I have the time to use

Surviving Monday Morning

Ok it is Monday...we are all back to work (or I hope we are).

I had to work overnight this weekend, and it went from 9P to 4AM...yep I'm smoked and fading fast here at the desk.  I guess that does not count the chaperoning a middle school party at church Friday, helping the Blue Knights and Knights of Columbus with a Soccer Challenge, and then church and a baseball game for Kalen today.  Yes I go to work to relax a bit.  Just don't tell that to my boss would you please?

So I just wanted to share how I plan to survive my Monday morning...with large amounts of Joe!

Smiles everyone!  Good Luck this week!

-ehw

P.S.  I took this with the Fujifilm X-E1.  I've read a lot lately about this camera not being all it was claimed to be in marketing and the rest...well my advice on any camera is don't read the marketing.  Get a hold of it and shoot.  Every camera has compromises, and if you like the ones the designers chose you're in great luck!  If not find something else.  For me this camera gives some of the best B&W out of camera I've ever seen.  It has the cleanest high ISO shooting for an APS-C camera I've ever seen.  I know because I compare it to a champ of APS-C...my 16MP Sony sensor powered Pentax.  It also gives me a nice analog quality in my prints I enjoy.  I accept that it is not a fast focusing, child chasing tool.  I don't use it for that all the time.  I have Mr Pentax for that in times it matters.  I also accept that fact that the unique output from the camera, the feel of the images is a result of a complex data processing not all image processors do well.  In the long run, a new dame of a camera comes in every week...just like a movie star.  Just enjoy the one you brought, and remember it is a tool not something to worship!  Use the one you need, and enjoy the choices of others as well...if we all did the same thing and made the same choices the world would be pretty damn boring.

Saturday Morning Light

If you are a normal person...living the normal life of 7 to 5 at the job...shuttling kiddos from 6:30 to 9 around the city...taking the call from work once or twice on a crisis...paying bills and hitting the sack at 1045 only to get up at 530 to do all again.... then this photo is for you.

Not all of us really have the talents to do what we want to do and make a living.  Some of us do what we have to do, where the talents we have can pay the bills. I'm one of those type of people.  I do it because when I get the bills paid I can give the best life possible to the five I support with all my heart.

Proverbs clearly tells us this is the rule of life, not the exception.

So my photography hobby, the part time job, is really my respite from all that.  I truly believe this is what real life is for most of us.  It is also why when we see a moment, a moment that we worked so hard to reach, needs savoring and thanksgiving.

This morning with my Saturday morning coffee I saw the light, and knew it was time to act.  The kids were fed, shoes were on, and they could walk out into the yard with me.  So surrounded by happy voices, tricycles and a neighborhood cat I savored the moment with shutter click after shutter click.   Between clicks I thanked God for the moments of golden fall light and a simple subject.  I tried new combinations, I explored my camera...and when I came in I liked two images.  This was one I liked best.  With 30 seconds of post processing I said, done for today...more work to do around the house...church events to attend.

So enjoy your day!  Hopefully this makes it a little brighter!  Remember God sent such moments to remind us that all of life is hard work....but the rewards for the honest hard work are eternal moments like this little golden one.

-ehw

PS Fujifilm X-E1 with 60mm Macro, Raw processed in Aperture.

The DeSoto-Up for Sale

This weekend I participated in my second art show in Alpharetta.  I came to the event with three new large prints for sale.  The one which garnered the most interest was my 10x20 metallic print of the DeSoto at Old Car City.

Over the last few months I've realized how nice real prints are compared to screen shots.  To see and touch a photo is to have them come alive!  I really don't now how to describe the feeling I get when I see the photo come out of the box.  The closest word I can use is magic.  I first felt this when I was 16, and my Dad took me over to the photography store to meet our favorite printer at Twinbrook Photo!

If you are interested in sharing some of the magic in this print, I found a nice way to work out the deal!  As with all my sales 10% will go on its way to charity through our church.  The rest balances out the checkbook so I can make some more art!  I know shameless...but you have to pay the bills.

You can purchase the photo on the Square Marketplace, and I will have the item shipped right out to you!  If you are local here in Atlanta I might even be able to bring it on over!  Just click the link and head on over to the Square Store

DeSoto

Thanks for looking!

-ehw

PS This was Mr Pentax K-5 with the 15mm prime, tripod mounted doing their thing back in March 2013

Time with my son

On of the benefits of "working" a show like Art in the Park is my children get to come with me.  Yesterday my eldest daughter came, and today my son.  I enjoy having them with me.  I don't to take them to my real job, so this is where they get to see me relate with people and be a professional.  It is an extra classroom for them, and a place for me to be a Dad by introducing them to the world outside of the home.  It also gives a me a few moments to catch that glimpse of my children Mom gets everyday in homeschooling.  The glimpse of the real child of mine.  What good kids they are!  They each endured several hours of slow times, but they engaged other adults with conversation.  They learned a great deal, and were very courteous and respectful to all they met.  They even did a good job talking to people about the prints we had for sale.  We also had some time to laugh and talk to each other...all in the warm golden light of early fall.

To celebrate afterwards I snapped a few images of Kalen this afternoon.  I had nothing current of him in my collection, and I really was missing that.

Got to celebrate the good times...for in just a few years they'll be out and on their own!

-ehw

PS Fujifilm X-E1 with 18-55 kit lens F4.5, 1/180, -1EV ISO200 @55mm.  Post in Aperture with a few simple adjustments.

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

Art in the Park! Alpharetta, Ga

This weekend I will be selling my photos at Art in the Park in Alpharetta, Georgia.  Saturday 9-4 and Sunday 11-4.

I have a portfolio selection matted and ready for framing, and four ready to mount works ranging from metallic prints to two varieties of canvas wraps!  The photo of Tater (not Matter...this is his brother) above is one of my collection you can see!

I will also for the very first time offer portrait sessions as a service.

I am very excited to participate in the show for a second time...and I'd love to see you there!

As always 10% of my sales go to charity.  Last month I was able to help a child participate in a faith formation group for a year at our local church (we got him most of his supplies).  Hard times are all around, and he needed just a little help to keep growing in the ways of God

If you are far, far away and still would like to pick up a photo from my portfolio please contact me at either ehwphotography@gmail.com or use the form below.

-ehw

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Guest Post: Kalen and Kevin

Here is a guest post from Kalen and Kevin!  Two weekends ago we started preparing for our first Blue Knights meeting.  This is not the motor cycle gang, it is a Catholic Youth Formation group for boys!  Our first year is building the armor of God, and the first thing we had to make were the shields of faith.

So the boys got to play with power tools as we cut up the shields for them and their pals.  During our "cutting up" each of the boys took turns grabbing a few photos.  Here are a few from their work...

We'll be painting them this weekend with symbols of faith.  We talked about St. Peter and St. Stephen the night of the meeting, and they worked on their memory verse.  The whole purpose of this program is to encourage and enable fathers and sons to grow together in faith by providing each other the foundation needed to a a life time of service to God.

So far so good...

-ehw

P.S. This is the little Fujifilm X-20 going to work here.

Fall Ball

Everyone needs practice...and I mean everyone!  The boys on the field and Daddy behind the lens.  I'd been working out Mr Fuji for a while...and I almost forgot where my buttons were on Mr Pentax!

Today I'd like to make a pitch to really get to know your gear.  I know I've said that many times before, but I really mean it!  I'm looking for ways to reduce post processing time, and the best way to do that is getting the shot right in camera.  And oh by the way these cameras have a ton of features we can maximize and use if we so dare!

So today I worked on using high dynamic range and I actually played with the color settings.  Yep I took it off Neutral and played with the Dynamic setting with some curves thrown in.  Well worked pretty well, except a few were too dark from over contrast.

So get out there and enjoy the fall light!  It in an of itself is a wonderful thing to enjoy and play with!

-ehw

PS Both with Pentax K-5 using the 60-250