From All Sides

My first assignment on Tuesday was to shoot the Knoxville Zoo's Aldabra giant tortoises. These giant tortoises, and by giant I mean weighing over 600lbs, are sensitive to cold weather and are locked in doors for the winter. After big Al, lifted a huge beam out of the wall with his shell and started banging on the door, the zoo decided it was time to let them out.
The zoo workers were super cool and let me go in with the tortoises for a few shots. Well, while I was in there a woman snapped a photo of me with big Al, and emailed it to me this morning! Ironically, her son was a volunteer at the zoo and the photo that ran was of her son! ha!
So, I just thought it was such a kind gesture of this stranger to think of me and send me a photo. It really made my day. In my eight years of shooting, this is the first time this has ever happened. Its a nice way to start the day for sure.
Here is the pic she took of me, and I found the frame with her shooting in the background, and her son is the gentleman in the blue, on the far right.

Melissa

Emily-Rose

Bump shot

Three of my best girl friends came into town this weekend. Melissa, who I have known since middle school, Emily-Rose, who I have known since college, and Ally, who I met this summer during my internship at the Florida Times-Union.
We took over Knoxville on Saturday night, just to sneak in two hours of sleep before getting up at 5am on Sunday to start shooting. We had such a great time. Ally was our driver extraordinaire, and Melissa and Rose swapped between being my poser/light stand and modeling.
I really appreciated everyone's help and effort they put into the day. And I personally love the warm-fuzzies that I got from letting my friends know how awesome, inside and out, they are.

Rossini Festival

I have a hunch that the mood you feel as a photographer is the mood your photos tell. I felt like a kid today, free, no worries, and just out to have fun. Its a good day.

M&M Outtakes

The Red Umbrella

I drove up to Kentucky this weekend to shoot Mike and Molly's engagement pictures. We had no idea what we wanted to do, but whatever it was it had to involve a red umbrella.

Birdies and a Bathtub

Adams

For the life of me I can not find this quote about Ansel Adams, but it was something along the lines of, "Our world is in decay and photographers like Adams are shooting rocks." I always found that to be quite the witty statement and something a documentary photojournalist would say. But I gave that quote some thought this past week.
I had the opportunity to cover the North Carolina side of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park for three days this week. Thursday morning I raced the sun up, and found myself in silenced awe. Seldom, if ever, have I found myself frozen by beauty. The sunrise in the mountains, the clouds whispering through the valleys, and the stillness of nature, I look at my photographs and just sneer at the disgrace they are to the view and experience that I felt looking over the mountains.
Adams had the right idea. Escapism. The world is in decay. It probably always has been and probably always will until the end of time, but to still find beauty is a true treasure.
Here are a few Ansel Adams quotes that I found while looking for the above quote.
“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment.”
“Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships.”
“A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into.”

Egg Fight

Friends, I hate to inform you that this may be my last blog post. Not because I am going to quit shooting, or simply quit blogging, but for the sheer fact that I might be killed for putting these pictures up on my blog. But there are times in life that it is worth the risk and punishment.
So, with that said, I witnessed my first food fight today, which, mind you, was ironically started by the adults! I guess there were too many hard boiled dyed Easter eggs to eat so, therefor, they became mini-pastel colored missiles being launched at grandparents, women and children, and other loved ones across the living room and kitchen. There were several attacked, but luckily no casualties.

Sunday

I found myself incredibly fortunate to be spending Easter Sunday with such good company. I had Easter brunch with my friends Shawn and Dale and then had Easter Lunch with my friend, Kohl's, family.
I first met Kohl's family Thanksgiving of 2007, and fell in love with them instantly. Their heart, wit and hospitality is unlike any other.

Slackers

Ink

I spent an hour or so searching the internet for visuals to base my next tattoo off of. Right now I am considering a birdcage made of dogwood branches. I decided that I wanted all of my tattoos to be based off of William Blake poems, and a birdcage or an old dandelion with the seeds blowing away are the last two ideas left to edit. My favorite William Blake poem is called "Eternity" and I figured having the word "Eternity" stamped on my body would only lead people to assumptions about me. Anyhoo, I was at my assignment this morning and there was a dogwood branch. I wonder if I should take is as a sign.
I am taking suggestions...

Eternity
He who binds himself a joy
Does the wing'd life destroy
He who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sunrise

Bang Bang

Seriously, how did I survive my college career with out a portable hammock. These UT kids are pure geniuses!

River Rescue

In the past year or so I picked up the center composition habit. I often fail by not having any depth or layers, so this is one of my current goals I am trying to work on.