July’s “Time Killers From The Web”

So, I know what I’m looking at.  What are you looking at? 

Blog wise that is… 

Tennessee Photographers
Alisa Whitley Photography:  My future sister-in-law suggested I look up Alisa’s work.  From her blog - I have been interested in photography since I was eight years old. My first camera was a toy, but it used real film! I took pictures of the mailbox, the trees, and just about everything else. When I was 10, I saved up my own money and bought my very first “real” camera, a Kodak Instamatic X15. I eventually traded my Kodak Instamatic for 35mm film, then later a digital SLR. I began shooting part-time in 2000. A part time hobby has become a full time love!

Snappers Photography:  I got to shoot with Greyson a couple of weeks ago at Old Stone Fort.  While the majority of the group focused on the waterfalls, Greyson journeyed out on her own, searching for nature…and she found it!  She’s got a great eye, so check out her photo's!

Lindsey Renee Photography:  I found Lindsey on Facebook one day, and fell in ♥ with her photography!  She has an eye for catching life as it happens!

Malcom MacGregor Photography: Another local photographer I have shot with recently.  I met Malcolm on the Shelby Street Bridge a couple of weeks ago while shooting downtown Nashville.  After searching up his blog, I was amazed.  What an inspiration her is.  In fact, he’s the one that inspired me to take an early morning walk around Radnor Lake this weekend.  If you get a chance, check out his weekly series “This Week At The Lake”.

Photo Inspiration
It’s not about me: I have been a follower of Bill Fortney for over 2 years.  This man not only inspires me, but forces me to look at the bigger picture.  Not only is this man a wonderful photographer, but also a fellow Christian who gives God all the credit and takes none for himself.  When I met Bill in person, I told him I wanted to be him when I grew up!
The Creative Mama: Talk about an inspiring site.  They just got through with a 2 week series on “The Creative Photographer”.  What an undertaking.  2 weeks of interviews with some of the most talented people I have ever read about!

Mika Beth Edwards Photography: Mika’s interview on The Creative Mama was a great read.  The way she uses the camera to capture life is truly outstanding.
Photo Education
Essential Knowledge for Photographers: Jim Zuckerman offers a lot to upcoming photographers.  His blog is full of thought provoking and useful tips.  So, what are you waiting for? Check it out.

Kent Weakly Photography: Now, here is a guy who really knows what learning is all about.  In fact, this last week I used no less that 4 of his tips.  My favorite, “How to use a plastic bag from the grocery store to protect your camera”.  How’s that for education?

Ron Martinson: Ron has been around for a while, but he just recently updated his blog, and thus got a new address.  So if you have been following Ron Martinson, you might want to check out his new feed.

I ♥ Faces Blogs
Smile Like You Mean It: It’s really nice when you see someone young make a decision where they want to be in life.  Alex describes herself as a 15 year old with a point and shoot from Wal Mart.  Does that matter?  No, her photos a phenomenal.  Way to go Alex!
Pamela Topping Photography: Another one of my I ♥ Faces finds!  Pamela has just started her blog, and she is off to a good start.  Jump on over and give her a little blog love today!

Marinda Fowler Photography: Now, if you want to find a photographer in the Indiana area, I’ve got one for ya.  Marinda does it all!  She’s a mom, a photographer, and a personal friend.  That’s right, I’ve actually met and shot with someone outside of Tennessee.  In fact, I’ve even volunteered to be Marinda’s 2nd shooter any time she does one of her gorgeous boudoir sessions.  The trouble is, I don’t think my wife would agree.  Head on ever and check out Marinda’s blog, you won’t be let down!

Photoshop
Morgan Kervin Photography: Morgan is a find I found at the Coffee Shop.  Morgan has a great spirit, and is pretty good at teaching dummies like me a trick or two in Photoshop.  Lord knows I need all the help I can get!

Lightroom
Lightroom-news: A nice little resource for all that is Lightroom!

The Lightroom Queen: If you ever need to know anything about Lightroom, this is the woman to go to!  I had some problems a while back, and posted what was happening on several Lightroom Help forums.  The only person to help me out was Victoria.  So, the nest time your Lightroom is dark, ha ha, check out Victoria Brampton, The Lightroom Queen!


Last but not least
I ♥ Faces : Now, if you’ve been around a while, you know I LOVE I ♥ Faces!  Well, they’ve moved their feeds and such to a word press blog. At the moment, they are still feeding information to their old feeds, but we don’t know for how long.  And I could not stand the idea of not having my ladies from I ♥ Faces around, so update, will ya?

Well, that’s about for this month “Time Killers From The Web”, C Ya !

Sweet Shot Tuesday

It seems I’ve been teasing you with a photo here and there a lot lately.  Well, that’s about all I got.  Work is really kicking my tail, and it’s hard to take away what little free time I have from my family, just so I can play with my camera.  Yes, I’m whining this morning, having my own little pity party right here in Nashville!

But all in all, it’s OK, cause I have a great wife who allows me to devote  time to my passion.  A son who understands that Papa works hard, and needs a little me time with his camera.  Then I have some really cool friends who encourage me and support me.  What more could a man ask for? 

I tell you what more…more photos like this one!  Just another tease from a shoot I did for a family member a couple of weeks ago.  This is Lexi, a 6 month old cousin from Minnesota who made a trip through Tennessee, just so I could take some photos.

So, that’s it, my “Sweet Shot Tuesday” entry this week.  Make sure you head over to My Life with 3 Boybarians and check out the other entries this week.  Darcy has a wonderful weekly theme going called Sweet Shot Tuesday where you can enter  a photo  a week.  I ♥ it!

 

Sweet Shot Tuesday-LAU

LAU-Late as usual!

“Can you believe they’re making me sit here for another photo?”

Sweet Shot Tuesday…on Thursday!  I’m late as usual, so what’s new!  Been slammed this week at RIP (my work), lot’s of kids, lot’s of challenges, lot’s of stuff. 

This is a shot from a shoot I did a week or so back, so more should be up this weekend.  Make sure you head over to Darcy’s blog and check out the rest of the “Sweet Shots”!

I Heart Faces Baby Challenge~

 

A week ago, I had the pleasure of taking photos of a cousin of my wife’s little girl.  What a joy, and just in time for the I ♥ Faces Baby Challenge.  So here is my entry this week.  Make sure you head over to I ♥ Faces and check out the other entries this week as well. 

I guarantee it will be cuteness overload!

Time Killers From The Web!

Just a few new additions to my blog reading this week. 

As if I didn’t have enough to do!  ☺

Photoshop Links

Dave Cross : One of the Photoshop Guys. A wealth of information and worth while browsing!

Addy Lane Photoshop Actions : I use her Eye Got The Blues action for removing the blue tint from eyes!

Kim Klassen Cafe : A nice site for textures and tutorials!

I ♥ Faces Links

The Arthur Clan : I have no idea why I haven’t added this site before.  Angie is one of the nicest people I have ever met.  I guess Amy would be the other one!

Mosaic of Grace : I just adore Talysia and her family.  Especially since they live right here in my hometown!

My Two Seasons : Michelle is an avid contributor of I ♥ Faces as well as the co-founder of OpenScrapbook !

Photo Education

Elizabeth Halford Photography : Elizabeth is a regular on I ♥ Faces, but also delivers a lot of information to Digital Photography School as well!

Drive By Shootings!

Hope the title of today’s blog doesn’t scare you away!  That’s right folks, I live pretty close to an area of Nashville that has had it’s share of “drive-by shootings”.  I guess we’re as safe as can be expected, or safe as anyone else for that matter. 

 So, yesterday morn, around 4:30 a.m., I decided it was time for me to do some “drive-by shootings” myself!  I mean, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”.  Right?  Just kidding!

I’ve come up with my own style of “drive-by shootings”.  I get in my car, grab my camera, and drive…that simple!  I drive until I see something I want to shoot (with my camera), and I do just that. I shoot it!

 

Another addition I’ve made to my “drive-by shooting” arsenal is our Tom Tom gps.  We’ve had it for over a year, but have never used it, until recently.  When I drive, I just drive until I get tired.   Then I turn on my Tom Tom, input my home address and start home.  Now of course, if I see something I want to shoot, then I do!

Hope you enjoy a few shots from yesterday!

Barns and Mohawks!

This has been the first day I have been able to shoot in quite a while, and man oh man, I miss it! 

My good friend Melinda and I decided that it was time to grab our cameras and head out.  I mean this is the first weekend since “The Great Flood of Nashville”, that it has not rained.  My wife gave me her blessing because she said, “Go, you need this, and so do we”.  I wonder what she meant by that?  I think I know!  Taking photos recharges me, hopefully it will recharge my attitude as well.

I left my house around 5:30 with fear that it was not going to be a good day.  The fog was thick, and the sunlight that I desperately needed was no where to be found. I picked up Melinda, and we headed toward Starbucks.  Come on, you don’t think I could start the day without my coffee did ya?

 

I drove, and Melinda navigated.  She had spotted a few barns and other assorted photo ops earlier in the week.  So we headed out with cameras in one hand and Starbucks in the other.
 

A couple of things stood out from this trip:
    

One was  Melinda talked about a rock formation, and when she described it, I knew exactly what she was talking about!  She called it “The Mohawk”, because she said it looked liked the top of a Mohawk hair cut. The scary thing is, I understood.
 

The second thing was the amount of knowledge she knew about this tree.  It was amazing how passionate she was.  I have to agree, the tree was full of character!  It was almost as if it was one of the “Tree People” from The Lord Of The Rings!

I just love this pic.  I know it’s kind of funky, but the layout almost makes it look “toy like”.  Almost like a tilt shift photo!  The statement “Beauty is in the eye of beholder” is about right here!

All in all it was an enjoyable day shooting with a friend!  Oh yeah, just for you Melinda…I lied, I did take your pic!