SUMMER PHOTOGRAPHY IN FLORIDA

 

My friend Geoff and I wanted to take some pictures about a week(ish) ago, but as you may or may not know, Florida nights tend to be on par with aquarium hoods when it comes to humidity.  So, instead of sealing our cameras in vacuum food saver bags lined with silica gel, we decided to stay inside my nice, safe, climate controlled apartment. 

So, after a healthy volley of I dunno's and whaddayouwanna do's, we just started shooting. 

First, Geoff discovered that a long exposure combined with rapid panning and tilting can capture the cycling of the T.V.  This lead me to create some rather delightfully abstract compositions. 

 

Next, we took some key light shots on Geoff's camera, Chiaroscuro style.  I do not have those to post, but Geoff has kindly posted them on Facebook.  <- You can view the one's that I'm tagged in.

After that, we goofed around with different makeshift gels.  Anything from plastic bags to Eggo waffles were fair game.  Each providing surprisingly rich additive color.  This particular one was taken with an orange plastic Tupperware lid.  The green bottle, being analogous to orange's complementary color maintains much of it's integrity while everything else is washed with orange.

Lastly, the only technique we planned on using was explored.  They are called physiograms.  I learned about this nifty light trick from an e-book I downloaded a while ago.  You hang a light source from a string and swing it.  Mount or position your camera so that it remains still throughout the duration of the exposure.  Then pick a long exposure, I suggest bulb-ing it.   (Special thanks to Tyler for providing the materials and being the official string swinger.)

Here are the results.

(The center one was kind of a reverse physiogram.  I let the camera spin via it's strap.)

Anyway, I thought I would share my latest photo endeavors.  You can check out the rest of the photos from that particular night on my flickr.

Thanks again for bearing with my rather lengthy posts.
God Bless!

BUSY MONTH FOR EVERYTHING BUT BLOGGING

Hey, sorry I have been so skimpy on the posts this month.  It's been a rather hectic/trying last couple of weeks.

So let's get this recount rolling...

The Grandparents
So, my grandmother was recently diagnosed with cancer.  This came as a rather substantial shock to my family and me.  What started as a simple abnormality in her colon, turned out to be a rather substantial amount of cancer in multiple areas of her body.  This weighs heavy in me.  The thought of either one of my grandparents in pain just wrenches my heart.  That being said, I ask that you pray for healing in my grandma.  Seriously, I believe God heals today, just as He healed in the past.  If believers come together and pray healing, there is no reason we should doubt its fruition. 

Now, regardless of what the future holds, I am comforted by a simple fact: 

No matter the suffering we may endure here on earth, the Promise of God ensures restoration for those that are in Christ Jesus!  And I have the immense joy of saying, that my grandparents fall into that category!


I was able to visit my grandparents this weekend, and every time I am around them, I am awestruck by the love they lavish on others.  Kindness and genuine love just flow from them; you can tell just by looking at their faces.  And the love they have for each other has only grown stronger as they aged.  They really are two people who are madly in love with each other, and work as one to emulate the life of Jesus.  I wish I could explain what it is like to be around them, but it is just one of those things you have to experience.  They show a legitimate interest in you and what you are saying and make you feel like the most special person on the planet.  Pure.... Unadulterated..... Grandma and Grandpa love.


The Cody
Now, a few days after the news about my grandmother, one of my best friends, Cody (more on her in a previous post....scroll down) was admitted to a hospital in Guatemala with internal bleeding.  This was crazy scary considering 1) she was in a third world country and could not be flown back home due to fear of complications, 2) she only has an international phone with very limited minutes and a phone number/country code unbeknownst to me at the time, and 3) I had just talked to her on Skype (she was at an internet cafe) as she was being picked up for the hospital, and we both treated the situation rather flippantly.  

As far as the details of the whole ordeal, I will leave it up to the primary source.  Updates can be found on her blog.

Anyway, her best friend (Christine), my old boss/current friend (Scott) and I went and prayed at a prayer chapel the morning following our reception of the news.  I send out a mass text for prayer, as did Christine.  Cody needed prayer, and fast!

Now, earlier today, after a good five days of radio silence, Christine discovered Cody had updated her blog.  Our prayers have been heard! And God provided!  Cody is doing much better.  Once again, I'll let her blog post explain.

Now, I know there will be plenty more trials both my grandparents and Cody will be facing in the near future, and who knows what is in store for us others, but rest assured that God is a constant.  We can lean on his goodness and are assured of His presence and a future with Him!

Praise the Lord!

MARRIAGE PREP.....ENGAGE!

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

- Colossians 3:16            

So, last weekend my good friend and roommate (Chase) and his beautiful lady (Chloe [she's my friend as well!]) became engaged ...and I helped!™

You see, Chase devised a scheme to pop the question over the Forth of July weekend, while we were all back home in the Florida Panhandle.  Under the guise of your quotidian sunset beach-walk, Chase led Chloe to a predetermined location at which his family had written "Will You Marry Me?" in the sand with a flock of adorably dainty LED candles.  All the while, I was perched behind the dunes, neath the cover of a restaurant's beachfront deck.  

Now, I would have made a rather convincing bid for one of those creepy don't-have-a-relationship-so-I-satisfy-that-desire-vicariously-through-stealthily-observing-the-intimate-moments-of-others kind of guys, but I had camera with a 300mm telephoto lens with me.... yeah..... definitely alleviates the creepiness. 

Anyway, I was blessed with the task of capturing the proposal as it unfolded, unbeknownst to Chloe.  I was like a big, pervy sniper! 

So, here is the juicy part:

Now, I was way out of earshot, but I dabble in body language, and I think she was both surprised and ecstatic, and about 95% says there was a "yes" uttered somewhere in there.  In fact, they must have been two feet off the ground as they continued down the beach to meet with the family; took just short of a full on sprint to catch up with them after I left my hidey-hole.

After catching my breath and explaining mine being there, I did manage to snap off a nice gushy one of the newly betrothed.

 

All snark aside, I want to wish God's blessings over Chase and Chloe's relationship.  

I pray that their future is filled with love, encouragement and support for one another as they begin their journey as two people living as one, in pursuit of the righteousness and holiness bestowed in their lives through the life and love of Christ Jesus.  I pray that the Word of God saturate every facet of their relationship, creating a pouring out of God's love both between themselves and on to those around them.  I pray that God's will be earnestly sought and honored by both parties without hesitation and that God always be at the center of their joy and everything they do.

Congratulations you two!