In this case a real estate agent sent a photographer to one of my friends houses to take photos for the listing online and the brochures. While the photographs were probably adequate to some they certainly were not going to get people to come look at the home. In general the photos were washed out by the mid day sun and taken from odd angles that could have been chosen more carefully. In the end my friend asked me to come in and try and take some photos that showed the house literally in a better light. One of the keys to online listings is having wonderful photos that will catch someones eye and get them to consider making a visit to an open house; This is especially true with high end homes in todays housing market.

HDR imaging is accomplished by taking three pictures at different exposures and blending them together in a program like photoshop. This gives you the maximum dynamic range possible. This technique is not always applicable because of the need of a tripod and a still subject. Newer video cameras employ a similar technology where the lens actually splits the light and sends it to three sensors one for red, blue, and green. These 3ccd cameras have a much better image quality than most with just one.

Thankfully spring break has been a blessing in the sense that it has provided me with much needed time for rest and recuperation. Part of that process has been hanging out with friends but the biggest weight off of my shoulders is getting to work ahead on some of these projects that have been nibbling at my toes for the last few months. I will continue to update my website with more pictures and galleries as I can but there is only so much I can do at one time. Next on my list is compiling a gallery for all of the sports photos I have taken in the last 6 months. And for those of you who don’t know it would amount to almost 25,000 still frames. Of course I wont post them all but there are plenty that fit into my favorites category. I am very excited for this summer and the opportunities a head and I cant wait to work with you all more. Thanks for your support!

Most of the shooting was done by me, Steve is our master editor, Timmy was the main character and audio guy and Jef was our villain and general supporting mastermind. All in all it was the craziest 24 hours I have had in a long time. Any feedback is welcome :)

What exactly the book is about I am not sure yet but I know that I need to participate in more personally motivated work to instill more creativity into my wedding photography and beyond. I have had a few ideas for books but I am not sure if they have been completed yet. I would like you guys to vote for your favorite ideas and let me know if you want to help at all or be featured in it. So here are the ideas:

1. What is your greatest desire? The feature photo for this entry was taken during one of my Visual Communication classes in College. The assignment was to have a short conversation with someone about their greatest desire in life or their greatest goal and to convey that in the photo. Pretty interesting stuff. I think I had about 10-15 really interesting portraits using the cardboard method suggested by my teacher. I think I might keep using my friends and family to keep building an interesting group of photos. In this case I had Pete Boysenpose for probably one of my favorite photos of all time.
2. Time Perspective This one is a bit harder to explain.. And possibly a bit more ambitious as well. Basically I am interested in how things change over time. But this is not limited to time as we know it. I was also thinking about exploring Day and Night and the 4 seasons. So basically I would take the same photo at the same location at two different times / seasons / or conditions to demonstrate the power of our planet and mother nature.

I know I had a few other ideas but I cant remember them right now. I will add them as I remember. As always feedback is always appreciated

My goal this summer is to help myself understand how I work. Why I feel the way I do and what I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. So much of my life has been focused towards others needs that I have severely neglected my own. Even in the past where taking care of myself was a weekly assignment from my boss called “sharpening the saw” I seemed to find a way out of it. Or use a lame example that wasn’t true to myself. I think at the end of the day there is only one thing that will allow me to keep doing what I am doing.. Vacation. Now my father probably won’t be all for this idea but I need to start living my life instead of letting it slip through my fingers. I plan on spending a great deal of time outdoors and taking photos for myself and my business. Keep in mind it won’t be all fun and games. In the evenings I plan on working with High School Seniors on their Senior Photos and also taking photos for local amateur sports teams. Summer leagues should provide ample opportunity to make some money and relax at the same time.

Now about the photo. One of my favorite memories from the last year was going kayaking with my good friend Andy Hamilton on the Mississippi River near Winona Minnesota. This photo was taken with an old Mamiya 645 Medium Format camera and a 35mm lens. The spots and specks you see on the film itself is residue from the river when I fell in camera and all. After this day I got insurance on all of my equipment and decided to be a bit more careful when getting out of the water. Thanks again for stopping by. Keep looking for more updates.

While these things are a great inconvenience at times I know that it still could be much worse. I just recently started the Nursing Program at Winona State. That means they think I am the best of the best and there is no turning back for the next year and a half. The workload is ridiculous and I chuckle when I think I am paying them to do this to me. I am working on getting things organized in my life and consolidating all of the commitments I can. I am dedicated to photography but I need to turn it back into something that I crave. I can’t let it become a stressor for ever again.

The photo you see above was taken outside of a little community restaurant near Winona. The photojournalism club had gone hiking last year through a state park nearby and afterward we sat down to enjoy a nice relaxing dinner and sunset. I miss having time to myself. If you care to leave a comment on this post describing something I should try and do to relax and enjoy my time in college. Thanks again everyone for all of your love and support. I would not be where I am without it.

I really think that Andy enjoyed being able to be that close to nature and to this little bird. We tried to show the young boy that lives next door to us but by that time the bird had caught its breath and felt comfortable flying off to its home.

In case you had not heard this year I was hired as the athletics photographer for Winona State University. So far this year I have covered events such as soccer, football, indoor volleyball and rugby. I am really looking forward to attending more softball, gymnastics and basketball now that the seasons are starting again. As I have the chance my portfolios online will be updated. I am trying to make sure that I keep updating content so people will stop back. As always I appreciate the support! Feel free to comment as well.