us

We don't take pictures of us (Sherri and me) together very often.  Mostly because I am always behind the camera.  I do have plenty of the "arm-length" pictures.  I just have a couple of small problems with the "arm-length" pictures.  When I take them that close, two things happen; I get 2-3 chins and my forehead becomes bigger (more forehead showing = less hair showing).  Needless to say, Sadi took this one for us.

maci & tyler

Love taking those last-minute quick pictures right before we are heading out the door.  Maci, Sadi and Sherri know exactly what I am talking about...  When I see that everyone is "all dressed up" and ready to go, I can't keep myself from asking if they want a picture before we (or they) go.  Most of the time I get the "NO DAD!"...  So if I get even the slightest maybe, I jump all over it.  Of course Maci and Tyler were running late, but I thought I should at least ask.  They must have felt guilty, because they let me take them out in the back yard for the picture.  Really like this one of them...

never know what you will find while shopping...

On the way home from Dallas the other day, Sherri wanted to stop at one of her favorite places to shop for bargains.  Apple Store, Cooter's Camera Village or Arlington Camera and I will jump out of the car while it is still running to go in.  Big Lots...  I chose to stay in the car, since we had Sophi with us :)...  As time passed, I got really bored and decided to walk the parking lot and the surrounding area and take pictures with my EP2 camera.  Not exactly a lot of items that are picture-worthy in a Big Lots' parking lot.  This one seemed to be the only keeper.  I really like the contrast of the REALLY RED bench to the faded "no parking" sign that is supposed to be red.


So Sherri comes out with only one item.  A large hard-backed photo book that she bought for me.  It was only $1.  Not that I am endorsing Big Lots, but we went back to this store on another trip to Mesquite and came out with 8 more books (4 photo books) for $11.  Almost embarrassed to say that it was a Friday night.  All of these books are taking away from my blogging time...

grimaldi's

I find myself always wanting to travel somewhere so that I can see new things, and take pictures along the way.  What I sometimes forget is that I have many places that I haven't even seen in my own back yard (ok, maybe it is stretching it to consider Dallas my own back yard).  Sherri and I have eaten at Grimaldi's in New York (Sherri has eaten there multiple times now).  We have wanted to try the Grimaldi's in Dallas for quite some time now.  Finally, we can say that we have eaten there.  Let me tell you, if you make the trip to eat there, you will not be disappointed.  The Dallas Grimaldi's is wood fired pizza at it's best!!!  Of course, I took my EP2 camera along with me.  I still haven't bought a flash for the camera, because I have two very fast lenses.  Makes the camera very portable and easy to use.  Another neat thing about the camera is that you can change the aspect ratio.  I decided to shoot everything on this trip in the 6X6 aspect ratio (square).  I have tons of prints that I have had developed at Adorama in NYC in the square format.  I love this aspect ratio.  It seems you are seeing more and more frames that accept square prints.  If all else fails, I just get out my mat cutter and frame it under a mat.  Back to the trip to Grimaldi's...

This is the sign outside (duh...)

Looking inside at the entrance.  Looks like everyone is busy.  Notice the subway signs above the cooks...

This pizza looks very appetizing!  I love the bokeh (out of focus foreground and background) of the picture...  This is the EP2 camera with the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 lens at it's finest.

I think they like the drinks...

I can't believe I am posting this one, but it does show you that I really liked the pizza.

Finally...  Desert!

sadi self portrait

This may sound weird, but I love it when Sadi takes my camera without letting me know...  But hold on, here is the rest of that statement.  The reason that I love it is because she usually takes some pictures while acting crazy and doesn't delete them all.  Almost as if she thinks nobody will see them.  Many of them will be great pictures to put in the paper (if there is such a thing) when she turns 16, 18, 30, 40, etc (you get the picture...).  Anyway, this one is not necessarily crazy, but all that I can say is like father like daughter...  Thank goodness I don't actually post all of the pictures of me taking pictures of myself in the mirror.  Sherri just rolls her eyes when she sees them on the computer.  Maybe someday I will post an album of all of these.  It would be a good way to show the progression of my hair loss...

i like...

For some reason, I really like the grainy black and white setting on my PEN camera. I can't explain why, but this has definitely become a fun camera to take with me everywhere.  Well, I didn't have to go far to take this picture.  It was a picture of my favorite vehicle taken with my favorite camera on my favorite setting.  I would have to say that I like all three.  Stretching it with the text, but at least there is a picture with the post...

wilco

You guessed it...  More pictures with my EP2 camera.  They mostly turn out right out of the camera so it reduces my time in Elements.  Wilco seemed to just sit still for me, so I snapped a few pictures.  The first one has the artsy pinhole camera effect turned on.  The second one is in full manual mode.  Poor Sophi hasn't had a picture in a while.  I will try and take some soon.

birthday dinner

Sadi had her birthday dinner at Applebees with Heather and Anna.  Maci, Tyler and Sherri were there also (not in the picture, refer to previous blog below for explanation).  Happy 14th birthday to my little girl!  This was another picture taken with my new camera inside the building with no flash.  So far, I am very happy with the results.

turning the whole world upside down

Note:  no animals were injured while taking this picture...

I think that Maci would agree that her new dog Wilco has turned her world upside down.  This particular day he was very calm (because he wasn't feeling good at all).  He was in her arms and then he ducked his head under her arm and before you know it he was upside down.  He just stayed in this position, almost like he liked it.  Of course, I had my new camera and got the shot...

maci & wilco

So here is a picture taken with my EP2 camera at a track meet.  This is a picture straight out of the camera that was taken at night.  I bought the camera with a very fast lens (f1.7) and without a flash, because I wanted something small and capable without any accessories.  It has an artsy black and white grainy setting.  Cool picture of Maci and her new yorkie Wilco.  Also, didn't notice it at the time, but the ring adds alot to the picture.  

opportunity knocks

Took this snapshot the other day using my new camera (Olympus EP2).  The camera has been a real sore subject around our house for a few days, but I think I am safe to blog about it now (more about this later :)).  Don't get as many opportunities as I would like to take pictures of mom and the girls.  Not because I don't have enough cameras.  It always seems one of the three doesn't want their picture taken because of some random reason which usually has something to do with hair.  I just try and take the opportunities when I get them.

amazing

This one was taken a couple of years ago at the Oshkosh airshow in Wisconsin.  It was a picture that I had put in my delete folder, but just never deleted.  Not the best photo in terms of focus, but the content seems great.  This is one of those moments that the actual feeling could never really be captured in a photo.  If you have ever seen an F-22 at an airshow, you will understand why.  I can remember that the noise and the vibration in my chest was so overwhelming during this low pass fly-by.  They call this overwhelming noise/vibration generated by the F-22 "the sound of freedom" and I would agree.   What an awesome show of engineering at it's finest!  The F-22 is coming to the Ft Worth airshow this fall.  I look forward to getting the chance to take more photos!

one more colored snow picture

this one is a little blurry because of the falling snow, but the leaning building and the door set it apart as a keeper.  was driving around the neighborhoods in north greenville looking for something interesting to photograph.  saw this building in the back yard of a house behind a chain linked fence.  had to stand up in my rover through the moon roof to get my camera above the chain link fence line.  i guess it goes to show that you sometimes have to do something different to capture the image (especially when you are short)...

colored snow...

Not your normal colored snow...  Noticed a few things while driving around in Greenville's white winter blanket today.  The colors really stood out!  I was by myself in the rover, so I stopped often and took pictures (yes, I keep a camera in my rover)...

no peeking...

Started looking at some pictures that I could use to practice on to show off my new Photoshop skills.  Sometimes I think I tend to overdo it...  Or maybe I have the creativity of a rock...  I really liked this picture and I thought it would be neat for it to have the appearance of an old poster hanging on the wall with the image superimposed in it.  Tried the background in several colors and settled on black & white.  What do you think?

happy trails...

A picture of me and the girls leaving Childress on Sunday afternoon and coming home to Greenville.  Boredom had already set in about 10 minutes into the trip, so I started trying to set the camera on the dash to take a picture (using the camera timer).  Unfortunately it worked the first time, so it didn't take up too much time.  I have to keep reminding myself that all trips are great trips compared to the Christmas Eve disaster when we slept in this same vehicle stuck on hwy 287 (still need to blog on this one someday)...

sunset in washington...

A picture of a sunset in Bellingham, WA taken in December 2009.  Been there many times on business and I have taken many sunset photos.  This one catches my eye because of the composition.  Not too much water or sky because of all of the elements that are part of the image (masts, shadows, grass and docks).  I framed the image using a new plug-in from photoshop elements.

A daughter's love...

Sherri will absolutely kill me for even thinking about putting a picture like this on my blog, but the more I looked through these pictures that I took the other day in Childress, the more I got to thinking about how wonderful she actually is...  To me this is the perfect example of how a dad would want his kid to turn out (and notice the blurred image of Sadi intently watching her mom take care of her grandpa). Makes me get emotional just thinking of what is going through all of their minds.  Sherri's dad has been getting progressively worse over the last year, but he somehow continues to defy all odds.  I would ask that if you are reading this that you would pray for Chauncey's comfort/peace and that you would also pray for Sherri, her sisters and the grandkids.  They are all going through alot right now, but it makes me realize how much we need each other and a God who absolutely loves us and has it all under control... 

Sadi & Mikayla

Got them edited and wanted to post them before Sadi gets them on her facebook.  Lots of fun trying to find new places downtown.  Had so much fun on the last try of "Best Friend Pictures", thought I would try it again.  Wish I could be more creative with the poses, but creativity is not my strong point.  Mostly, I just look for the moment and snap the picture.  Unfortunately, the majority of the time, I overthink it and the moment passes...  Here are the ones that I caught!

Sadi 2010

Took some pictures of Sadi and Mikayla downtown Greenville again today.  Couldn't resist posting this one of Sadi...