I'm Moving..............

Thanks to a wonderful Birthday gift from my friend Paul. I'm moving to my own website that he created for me, polkphotostudio.com is now up and running. This came as a total surprise because we have touched on the subject of websites a few times in the past but that was about it. I must say that it was a very nice and heartfelt gift and truly a surprise. Thanks again Paul. I've had a few people tell me that they were having problems leaving me comments on this blog so this came at just the right time. It's nice to have new people stop by to visit and its always encouraging to hear words of support but here lately I think they were having the same issue. So, come on over and visit me at my new home I look foward to blogging with your there.

Don't take life for granted

Yesterday I heard of the death of a co-worker that seemed to be a very nice guy in pretty good health and only 35 years old. He had a heart attack at work and died at the hospital within hours. It really made me think about the way most of us probably look at life as we go day to day complaining about our job, relationships or any other negatives in our life. Sometimes we can't wait for the work day or the week be over, rushing our lives even closer to the end. I think we tend to start to focus so much on the negatives in our life that we take a lot of the positive things for granted. Each day we are given is truly a gift and should be treated as such because you don't know when your ability to open those gifts will be taken away. So today I thought it would be fitting to post some flowers to share with all of my friends and family while they can still enjoy them. Flowers at a funeral are simply an expression of sympathy from people who cared about an individual but did not have time to share them with the individual when they could enjoy them. In this life it is really all about the little things you say and do to the people around you that you care about that makes all the difference in the world. I would like to take a moment and tell my wife thank you so much for all that you do for me and our family. I knew 20 years ago when I met you it was truly the day that God smiled on me, you are truly a blessing that I'm thankful for everyday. I would encourage all my friends to take a minute and think about those around you that you care about and think of the last time you told them you appreciated and loved them? The title of this post speaks for itself.

It's been a long time cont...

Here are a few more b&w photo's from my trip to the zoo. If you haven't been in a while or animals aren't your thing i would suggest from a photographers perspective that you just give it a try. It can only help you improve one of the most important skills sets of your photography which is patience. That is the one thing that all photographers have in common when it comes to getting very good shots. Once you learn the patience to endure the waiting, the kids, and the mosquito's; shooting people should be a breeze.

It's been a long time

I thought this would be an appropriate title for this set of images due in part that is has been a very long time since I've been to the zoo. I recently received an assignment/challenge from my friend Paul who is sometimes referred to as "The Teacher" to get some shots from the zoo. He has shot a lot of good images at the zoo in Carolina and gave somewhat of a field guide of "How to" shall we say get good shots there. He knows how i feel about challenges so i quickly accepted this assignment and headed to the zoo. On his field guide he put everything you needed for a good day of shooting accept he referred to the kids as sometimes "unruly". Well the kids at my zoo were a step beyond that, it took some real "patience" to get some of these shots. I thought that as long as i stayed away from their territory the "children's petting zoo" i would be ok, but i quickly found out that the whole dang zoo is their territory. I'm sure my kids were the same way the first time they saw an animal that they had only seen in books or on television. However i do know that as a parent i would have made sure that they observed the don't push or step on the photographer sign. All in all it was a good day of shooting and i appreciate the "Teacher" for challenging me to step outside the box and focus my lens at the animals. Enjoy.

Back from D.C. cont...

Here is the picture of Paul aka "31 points" I eluded to in my last post. There is also a shot of a boat cruising on the Potomac River under the Memorial Bridge, Washington Monument and a few more eagle black and white shots taken in D.C.

Back from D.C.

Well, I made it back, a week long trip for training in McLean Va. I did manage to get out to take a few photograph's but it was not the same when you don't have your own vehicle to explore and find the shots you want. My job had a van it loaned to the class but you would have about six guys to share it with. Trying and get six guys to go to with you to take pictures is just not gonna happen. I did meet a really cool co-worker from N. Carolina named Paul nicknamed "31 points" (pictured above) that was nice enough to take me to some area's to get most of the above shots but we were pressed for time before it got dark and traffic is horrible in the D.C. area. The other times that I was able to get out the traffic was so bad that by the time I got to where I wanted to shoot it was too dark. I didn't have my tripod and release cable for night shots so I did even bother to post any of those photo's. As you can see i did get a few of the hots spots like the Capital, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lady Bird Johnson Statue, a biking and running trail along the George Washington Pkwy and a very welcomed treat in getting to photograph a bald eagle in the wild ( I can't see him in Texas). I love to travel but there is truly no place like home.

Just a beautiful place

I think it will be quite a while before I stop posting my pictures taken in California. The views of the coastline and the golden sand are still fascinating to me. In Texas you just cant get the the shots that Cali provided. I love this picture and the birds flying off seemed like the perfect shot for today. I will be flying out to Virginia today for work and I will return on Friday so I won't be blogging this week, but as soon as I get home on Friday night I will be sure to hit every ones blog.

Hmmm.........

Sometimes it's fun to try and figure out some of life's little secrets. Like why as you get older does the hair in your nose start to grow as long as the hair on your head? Why do women have to go to the bathroom together? Have you ever wondered what hummingbirds do when they are not humming? Well if you have today is your lucky day. While at the Mission in Carmel this little secret was revealed. I was working deligently to get a shot of one of these little guys doing his thing with the flowers but they are sometimes just to fast to photograph. I finally got a shot but it only made me want another, so I followed him very quitely and then I saw it. He was "perched" inside a huge rose bush. I dont know what made me think these little guys just hummed around all day and never stopped because surely at some point those little wings have got to get tired. So the second picture shows that these little guys like to hide from us inside rose bushes (secret hiding place revealed). The third picture shows what happens when a pesky photographer gets to close and the hiding hummingbird hears the click of his camera and see's the flash and knows his secret place has been exposed.

No More Restrictions

This is another one of those pictures that evolved from another picture. It's really kinda cool to see something come alive right in front of your eyes that was not part of your vision initially. I think I have found and avenue to let go of those creative juices in my mind and let them be with no restrictions. When I look at an object, person or thing now I don't even try and question why I'm taking the shot because now I see the answer will be revealed to me later.

My Secret Garden

There is a place in Dallas called the Dallas Arboretum it is an absolute treasure chest for photographer's. I stopped by there on Saturday close to noon to shoot a little bit and I think it was after 3:00 when I left. There is so much there to see that time seems to just ease by. These photo's taken Saturday give you just a taste of what I'm talking about. I like to go there often and there will be many more postings from this wonderful place. It has become one of my favorite places just to shoot and interact with people and nature.

9/11/2007

Although the flags in my picture are not flying at half mask I think this photo illustrates the feeling and the mood that we all may have in our hearts today. When you reflect upon the tragedy that happened 6 years ago it doesn't seem to have as great an effect upon you as years past. But if I take just a moment to place myself in the shoes of a person that lost someone that day it would seem the pain in my heart would never die but only diminish until that yearly reminder comes around again. So I thought this photo and a moment of silence would be fitting on such a sad day that should never be forgotten. I think for those of us that did not lose a family member or friend it would be a good day to pick up the phone and let someone know just how much you love them today.

The other side

Every now and then I seem to see things in a very different light. The pictures that I sometimes locate in the view finder transform into something totally different when I get them into my computer. I almost believe there is always a picture within the picture in my mind. This picture happens to be one of those and as my blog continues I'm positive there will be a lot more. I almost think there is a small war going on deep inside my head between the photographer and the artist. Sometimes I think they colaborate and there is no true winner.

Peaceful Journey

There is something about this shot that just for a moment puts the world at peace. This was the first time that I have ever been to a mission but I can truly say it was a peaceful journey. As I walked around taking pictures at various locations in the mission. It really seemed that all my thoughts became very clear, even the statues that were in the yard seemed to exude peace and protection from this cold world. I found lots of things to shoot in the Mission but the thing that truly astonished me the most was the feeling that nothing else really mattered during the time that I spent there. Absolutely no worries or stressful thoughts. I cant wait until my next visit.

California Deaming

This is a shot that I got at Rocky Point Restaurant on the outskirts of carmel. The food was a little pricey but the view was spectacular. Living in Texas there are just not any places that I could get a shot like this. These type of moments make you think hmmm I could get used to this and move here. However reality steps in and slaps you upside the head and reminds you You Cant Afford To Live Here....duh. So I tried to capture as many moments like this as possible to keep me going until my next vacation. I think the gentleman in this picture is involved in some really deep thought. I'm sure there may be two that I can think of if I were him. 1) Why the hell did I climb up here to think 2) I definately don't want to get down faster than I came up ;)

Do things always appear as they seem?

Sometimes I wonder if there is a place within our brain that likes to play tricks on our eyes? I'm sure you have probably seen those pictures were they ask you to find a character or object within the picture. Sometimes depending on which side of you brain is working it could take a really long time to find the object or thing thats right in front of your eyes. While on my trip to San Francisco it seems that I created a picture like this. I'm sure it did not happen purpousely or did it? When I took the picture , I really did'nt know why I was taking it. Maybe that day area X in my brain saw something right in front of me that my eyes did not see. So let's try your eyes, see if you can see the monkey facing the old man in this picture or the face looking at the reindeer?
draft

My golden gate interpretation

With the pleasure of having one of the greatest San Francisco guides you could find I was able to capture this shot. John (our graciuos guide) actually apologized for the weather in the city on friday and for the lack of view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but I told him that ther ewas no need for any apologies as where he positioned me to shoot the bridge was perfect . There may be many shots of it but not many photo's taken of like this. Thanks John.

Ok I'm here ?

Because of some heavy encouragement from some very persuading old and new friends that I met on my trip to Carmel, Ca I have joined my first blog. It's not often in life that you meet people who's hospitality make's you feel so good to be around them that it's almost like you've known them for years. But I had such luck this weekend with John and Will Wilson. I know that I said thanks for a great time more than once but I really want you guy's to know just how much I appreciated everything. If you guy's were described as a section in an aircraft it could only be classified as first class. Thanks. ............and Thank you Paul for having such good taste in cool friends. No time to edit any of the images posted I will repost later when time is on my side. Time for bed now. later