Too funny ! Camera Nerds Unite

 

Happy Monday Y’all !

This was just too funny, and I thought it was the perfect way to start a long and busy week…laughing!

 

 

 

Blue Hour With KW-Daddio

 

Most of you guys know I’m all about learning.  If I take a class and I’m able to walk away with even a smidgen of info, then it was a successful class.  I mean come on, we can learn something new everyday of our lives.  Heck, when I’m on my death bed, I want to be able to say, “Wow, I didn't know that, thanks for sharing”!  Well, a couple of months ago I was able to take an online e-class with Kent Weakely that was phenomenal!  If you get the chance to take it, you better!  If not, I’m gonna hunt you down and…we won’t go there.  LOL!

Any who, this E-class dealt with Night Photography.  Taking photographs with the absence of light, come on, what was I thinking?  Well, this class actually caused me to look at sunrise and sundown in a whole new light.  LOL!  As much as I love my sunrises,  I’m falling more in love with sunsets and the beauty that explodes as the night sky encroaches. 

Sunrises for me are all about color.  Just look at the oranges, reds and purples that abound in a sunrise shot.  Come on., these colors are drop dead gorgeous.  But then you start looking at the colors of an evening sky.  WOW, I must say, cobalt blue is beginning to be one  my favorite color of all.

5 shot panorama – F13 - ISO 100 – 11mm

This past week, I got the chance of a lifetime.  A once in a moon opportunity to shoot with a great teacher, a mentor and more importantly someone I call a friend.  Kent Weakley came through Nashville on his way to St. Louis to help out with one of his son’s robotic team.  A week or so before, he had sent me an email asking if I wanted to do a night shoot of Nashville.  WOW, he asked me to shoot with him!  My wife said I was walking around like someone with a school girl crush.  I guess I was :~)

Nashville in the round-A whole new perspective

The above pic is one that was inspired by a photo Kent posted on his blog a couple of weeks ago.  Over dinner on the night he was in town, Kent and I were talking about Photoshop and different editing techniques.  He mentioned a tree in his neighborhood that he has shot numerous times and how he tries to look at it from different angles and perspectives.  Kent talked  about how he used Photoshop to give the tree that different look.  He walked me through the steps, but I’ve got to tell ya, the Rueben sandwich I was eating was really good, and that’s about all I remembered when I got home.  Sorry Kent, it wasn’t that your explanation was boring, it  was the fact that the dang Rueben was so good!

So I got to thinking of all my photos of the Nashville Skyline from the Shelby Street Walking Bridge.  You know me, I can’t leave well enough alone and I had to try it!   Nashville in a whole new perspective.  I’m going to post a how to later this week on the technique used in the Nashville in the round photo. 

 

Blue Nashville - F11 - ISO 100 – 11mm – 30 second exposure

During our shoot that evening I learned a lot about Kent, and how he got started in the business.  Being the learning sponge I am, I took everything he said to heart.  Even the thought of changing my white balance to fluorescent to help pump up the blues during blue hour was a cool little tip.    Just remember to set it back to your normal setting, or that next model shoot has everyone looking like Smurfs!  LOL!

When it comes down to it, I was anticipating some magic that evening.  Some direction on what to do with my life as far as photography goes.  A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about standing on the edge of a cliff, wanting to take that next step with my photography.  Well I came away from that dinner and night shoot with Kent filled with excitement, anticipation and a willingness to continue on.  Am I ready to due this full time?  The answer is a resounding NO!!!!  But am I ready and willing  to take on whatever this old world has to offer.  Why?  Because of people like Kent who teach and motivate me on a daily basis!

I guess this post serves double duty, because I am including it as my Sweet Shot Tuesday post as well.  See, this is how I met Kent, through Darcy over at Life with 3 Boybarians.  So if you get a chance, look her up and check out the other inspiring and motivating Sweet Shots from around out little planet we call home!

Kent, THANK YOU for all you do, for all you teach, and for being a friend!!!!!

And if you are interested in taking your photography to the next level, let me recommend you look into Kent’s E-classes.  Right now there are 2 classes on Night Photography, and one on Composition ( I took that one as well).  Over dinner Kent shared that there are several more in the works, and I can’t wait!  Jump on over and take a look, I think you will be pleased :~)

Also mark May 24th on your calendar as well for the next Twitter Live PhotoChat with both of my favorite photography related bloggers Darcy and Kent !

OK, that’s it…I quit :~)

Scripture and a Snapshot

 

Sweet Shot Tuesday, The Unknown

 Have you ever felt like you were standing on the edge of a precipice, knowing that you needed to take that first step, but were afraid?  Well, that’s where I’m at right now!

As of last Wednesday, I was told that the job I love would no longer be. This was a job that changed my life, my families life, and plainly, the way I treat people.  I started this job 10 years ago when my family was having some problems with my then 2 year old (he’s 13 now) and his behavior.  We went through the program, and then I was hired as a parent staff case manager.  All of our case managers are parents who have graduated the program.

So for the last 10 years, I have been helping families learn to be better families using positive behavior management.  Teaching has always been a passion of mine, but this program gave me more than an outlet for that.  It gave me a sense of being, a sense of how to relate to people.  To see the smile on the face of a 3 year old that has never been told something positive, instead of a scream, is truly rewarding!

So that leads me to where I am now, standing on the edge of a cliff…waiting, wanting, and praying.  I’m really not worried about a job.  I work part-time at Home Depot, and the chances of going full-time there is really good, so I know my family will survive! 

The scary part of all this is the path I’m being led down.  For a long time, I have felt the urge to take my photography to the next level.  To be able to do something more with this passion that I have found.  Well not only have I wanted that, but a lot of people have been encouraging me in that endeavor as well. 

So fast forward to Thursday morning ( the day after my job loss announcement)  where I awoke from a really pitiful night of sleep.  In my mind this was the image I saw…I’m standing on the edge of that cliff, scared to death, trembling, frightened, and I hear a voice in my heart, mind and soul saying…”Take that step, snap that photo, and I’ll take care of the rest”!

Where is this all going, I don’t know.  But I do know this, I have a God that loves me, cares for me, and protects me, all I have to do is believe, and believe I will!  So keep this ole country boy in your thoughts and prayers while I believe.  And since this is Sweet Shot Tuesday, I thought I would leave you with some shots I took last Saturday with some photography friends!

In this beauty of Spring and resurrection from a cold and harsh Winter, I can’t help but see God’s loving face!  Make sure you head on over to Darcy’s blog and check out the rest of the Sweet Shots this week!

 

 

 

Is this Gotham City ?

At least that’s what my wife said!

Sweet Shot Tuesday - Home, Sweet, Home

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to catch some early evening shots of my fair city.  My wife was away on a business trip, my son was spending the week at Grandma's house, which by the way is not over the hills and through the woods, and I was FREE!!!

So I thought I would pop down town and get a free shots of an upcoming storm over Nashville. 

This is what I ended up with, so I hope you enjoy.

 

Hop on over to Darcy’s place and  check out the other Sweet Shot entries! 

Good luck to all those that enter, cause the winner from this week’s challenge will receive admission to Kent Weakley's new E-class on composition.  I had the pleasure to win a class from Sweet Shot Tuesday that Kent taught on Night Time Photography.  The results of that class are some of the photos you see here! 

I’ve already signed up, so we will be classmates.  Maybe we can grab a cup of coffee after class one night…C Ya!