For All Seasons

Often one of the disadvantages of being a photographer based in the Pacific Northwest is that my family on the East Coast does not get very many opportunities to interact with my daughter. This is understandable, especially granted the distance and the fact there is pretty much a continent between us. Yet one of the fun things I can take advantage of as a photographer is sending my family photos that I've taken of my daughter. Most of them I tend to tweak. Some more than others. But all of the photos are appreciated by my family when they arrive in the mail.

And then sometimes I end up with a photo that I love, but the picture needs a little something... more. Like this photo, for example.

Shot last month during a barbecue, it captures the exuberance and joy that comes with childhood. However, the dead grass and chain link fence don't make for the most appealing background. Certainly not something that I would feel content to send off in the post.

On top of that, one of the projects that I am working on for my parents is a photo montage that demonstrates my little girl in all of the different seasons that come with this Pacific Northwest weather. And since I like the image of my daughter playing (minus the background and dead grass) I decided to improve it a bit with a little bit of post-production work.

An image from the shoot I did in Point Defiance Park seemed appropriate for a new background. The image I had in mind was this one specifically...

Now I understand that I could simply take my daughter to Point Defiance Park and encourage her to play with her bubbles all over the scenic and beautiful lawn, but I doubt I could capture that same expression on her face. Some things simply can't be re-photographed. Children's expressions are one of them.

So with a little bit of ingenuity -and a lot of post-production effort with Photoshop- I was able to combine the best of both images, get creative with some layer masks and tweak a few elements here and there to achieve an image that I would be thrilled to send away to my family. This is the final image:

Definitely captures the fun of the brief summer season the Pacific Northwest grants us, and I can say this is truly a photograph that I'm more than enthusiastic to send to my parents and grandparents. I may not have too many opportunities for my daughter and family to spend time with each other, but as an accomplished Pacific Northwest photographer and post-production artist I can definitely Photoshop the right image to deliver a dynamic photograph!

Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments below. Cheers!

Sussurros pelos Olhos

So I've been using the lensbaby a bit more lately. I have some great ideas that I'd love to use for fashion portraits, especially with how the picture plane can be thrown out of focus. It's exciting to use and I've been having more success with each outing that I take the lensbaby with me.

Here are some photos that I've taken of Ophelia during attempts to perfect my technique with the lensbaby. I can't wait to shoot some more photos like these.

The last two are for another concept I want to pursue. It's similar to what JJ Abrams did while filming Star Trek, which you can read below:

I know what you're saying with the lens flares. It was one of those things... I wanted a visual system that felt unique... The flares weren't just happening from on-camera light sources, they were happening off camera, and that was really the key to it. I want [to create] the sense that, just off camera, something spectacular is happening.... There is something incredibly unpredictable and gorgeous about them.... It became an art....

So enjoy! Sussuros pelos olhos!

Patriotism Starts Best Young

I couldn't resist the opportunity today for another photo shoot with Ophelia. She is the cutest, calmest and most photogenic baby. If I had time to post all the pictures we've taken of her... I doubt there's space on the internet for all of them! The other day our neighbors stopped to visit and gave us a wonderful present -a patriotic outfit that our Baby Spoon happens to be wearing today. Today being the Fourth of July, I threw another quick little setup together to make the most of my free time before going out to celebrate the holiday with relatives. When you toss a happy baby, an oversized American flag, and a patient father together into a photo shoot... this is what you get. Enjoy! And have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

A Family Matter

I love being a Dad. It's the best because I get moments to shoot great photos like this one here.This past weekend we went to the Salish Lodge & Spa. It was a much-needed mini-vacation and we enjoyed ourselves. Now that we're home again, I'll be posting some images of the great waterfall that was right outside our room. So hang on to your pants, more vitamins for your optic nerves are on their way!

Aidan and family milestones

In the crazy rush of my own fatherhood, I forgot about an important milestone for one of my younger brother's. Aidan, my brother Matt's 1-year old son, took his first steps today! The last time that I saw the little guy was during my Eight-day a week trek from Miami to Seattle. My family had a celebration for his first birthday at a local park in Louisville, KY. Aidan is a very happy baby, and my family adores spending time with him. The little guy had quite the turn-out for his first birthday, plus an uncle photographer ready to shoot pics of the entire event. Here are some of the highlights from Aidan's special day:

You can easily see here how Aidan feels about paparazzi invading his space! Haha, it's actually Kat, his Mommy, angling for a good photo.
What everyone loves about Aidan is the little guy's personality. You can catch a glimpse of it here.

Although I don't have a good photo of Matt pushing Aidan on the swing, I do have this picture instead. Being in the swing was a highlight for Aidan's birthday party.

Here's a great shot of Kat pretending to be in the movie Up. 

Xander, one of my other nephews, teamed up with me for a few photos by the tree.
Here's Xander doing his best to get up into the tree. 

 One of my secret talents is finding four-leaf clovers. I found one for Aidan, but he tried to eat it. So I gave it to his Mommy for safekeeping.And this is one of the final shots I have of the birthday boy. He won't be needing this stroller for much longer now that he can walk! As excited as I am over my daughter's milestones in her new life, it's just as great to hear about those being reached by my nephews.