Happy New Year ! Memphis Photography
January 1, 2010 | Filed Under Business, Personal | Leave a Comment
Goodbye 2009! Hello 2010!..It’s fun to think about all of the new and exciting adventures 2010 will bring. It’s also interesting to reflect on all of the changes that have occurred in the past decade. I can remember New Years Eve 1999 just like it was yesterday. Undoubtedly in the upcoming year, I’ll have the chance to meet many more unique and special people through my photography. Beautiful wedding couples, loving families and unique high school seniors. Everyone, please have a safe and exciting New Years Day. Good luck in 2010!
Tracy-contact me
Left Shoe Photography | Memphis Wedding Photography
A View From Our Side of Lake Michigan
June 23, 2009 | Filed Under Artist's Gallery, Personal, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
We showed you the Chicago skyline but the view from the Michigan side of Lake Michigan is just so peaceful and serene. Charlie and I took a trip to Orchard Beach State Park for our anniversary and from there a day trip to the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. My only regret is that we didn’t have a camera with us on our kayak ride down the Little Manistee River, what a gorgeous ride we had! Lake Michigan is impressive at any time, but it’s particularly beautiful at sunset and I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want to share this gorgeous view with more. I Love you Charlie, Happy Anniversary!
This was our anniversary night on Orchard Beach. While the sun was setting the fish started jumping out to feed on insects. We must’ve seen over one thousand fish jump out of the water. It was so cool!
I love this picture because you can see all the yummy shades of blues in the water.
We sat up here and tossed rocks into (or almost into) the water.
I love playing with natural light in photography, lens flares are my favorite!
Here’s my man checking out Lake Michigan under an overlook viewing platform.
The Orchard Beach sunsets were as gorgeous as ever…
We ended each night with a stroll down this beach. Pretty views as far as the eye could see! I’m already looking forward to next years Anniversary camping/hiking/kayaking trip.
Cooling off in the heat! | Child Photography | Metro-Detroit, Michigan
March 1, 2009 | Filed Under Personal, Weddings | Leave a Comment
I was in the process of reorganizing some of my personal pictures from last year and I came across one of my forgotten favorites!!! Tracy and I were shooting a wedding out of town and were hanging out with our daughter for a few final moments in the hotel room before we had to say goodbye and go photograph the bride and groom and all their preparations before the wedding ceremony. It was already shaping up to be a dreadfully hot day and all of us were trying to stay as cool as possible while we went through the final checks of all our camera gear. We had cranked the air-conditioner in the hotel room up to full power and it was finally starting to kick in. That’s when I noticed my 1-year old smiling a huge goofy grin while standing next to the air conditioning vent and enjoying the cool air. The vent was pumping out air big-time by now and whipping her hair into a frenzy, making her look ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! I quickly turned and composed one good candid photograph before she noticed.
Not something I’d necessarily enlarge to a 20×30, frame and mount on the living room wall, but every time I see it it makes me laugh!!! It also makes me appreciate how the simple things in life can still put a smile on your face, even if your not 1-year old anymore.
-Charlie
Are we done taking pictures yet?
January 4, 2009 | Filed Under Children's Portraiture, Personal | Leave a Comment
One of the great things about having kids if you are in the business of taking pictures of children is that you always have an available model on hand to try out new equipment, lighting, poses etc.. Even better, they are under permanent contract - at least until they turn 18 - and they have to do what YOU say! That and they take cookies and suckers as a form of monetary payment….The only downside is when something “more important” comes up they quickly evince their loss of interest, as this picture of my 2-year old will attest.
Anyways it wasn’t even a fair competition - the Wonder Pets were on! How am I supposed to to compete with a pet duck, guinea pig and gerbil that have speech impediments, can fly a rocket-powered toy sailboat, wear impossibly fashionable head-gear and save the world from imminent destruction on a daily basis?…..Exactly!
Presque Isle Lighthouses | Up North, Michigan
October 19, 2008 | Filed Under Personal | Leave a Comment
It’s October in Michigan which means it’s time to get our butts Up North to enjoy the autumn colors!!! We stayed a couple nights in Atlanta, Michigan hoping to see some elk - it’s supposed to be the elk capital of Michigan, but we struck out. The highlight of the weekend was our car ride across M-32 to Alpena, which has the nicest Big Boy I’ve ever been in by-the-way, and up the Lake Huron coast to the Presque Isle Lighthouses. We had heard that the old lighthouse was haunted so we wanted to check it out for ourselves.
The more “modern” lighthouse.
This one took some sweat to climb up, but it was well worth it. I think we picked the perfect week to come, the views of Lake Huron and the fall colors were breathtaking.
-Tracy
Ionia Free Fair Photography Contest
August 5, 2008 | Filed Under Personal | Leave a Comment
I’m so glad to see that my young daughter is inheriting my love of photography! She bought her first Canon this year from money she received at her first communion party and she is already putting her new equipment to good use. Every year the Ionia Free Fair sponsors a photography and art contest for amateurs and professionals and I’m proud to say that my daughter won an award in the youth photography division this year…way to go!!! We were all so proud of her! I just love to admire all the creative talent that is on display every year. Some of the paintings this year were absolutely breathtaking! I’m so jealous, I wish I could paint like that!
Here is the photo my daughter took:
If anyone knows what kind of mushroom this is I’d love to know…I couldn’t figure it out. She took it during one of our hikes at Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan.
Ionia Free Fair 2008
July 30, 2008 | Filed Under Personal | Leave a Comment
The Ionia Free Fair is here again so in addition to enjoying all the rides, shows, animals and people watching I’ve been stuffing my face full of elephant ears, fried twinkies and fresh squeezed lemonade - I’m salivating just thinking about it. For those of you that haven’t been, the Ionia Free Fair is held every year at the fair grounds in Ionia, Michigan. It’s great fun and my kids absolutely love it. We walk down pretty much every night to watch the Circus. Circus Pages does a great job!
Here are some pictures I took at the fair this year:
I felt so sad for this little chick…He must have been so cold sleeping all alone.
Cool facepainting!
I’m love taking pictures of the rides at night. They always turn out so interesting!…Just thinking about riding this makes me feel nauseated.
Ionia Free Fair 2007 | Ionia, Michigan
July 25, 2007 | Filed Under Personal | Leave a Comment
-Tracy
Backpacking Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
July 2, 2007 | Filed Under Personal | Leave a Comment
Just returned from a backpacking/photography trip to Isle Royale National Park. What an amazing place! Isle Royale is the least visited National Park in the United States-lucky for us!-due to its remote location in the middle of Lake Superior. We drove all the way to Copper Harbor, Michigan at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula and took the Isle Royale Queen IV over to the island. It was a great choice considering some of the dilapidated-looking boats some of the other groups motored in on. Thankfully the lake wasn’t too choppy, although a few passengers still suffered some reversal of fortune…BLAH! I was amazed how cold it was in the middle of the lake. The air temperature was easily 40 degrees colder than on land and the middle of lake including the island was covered in a veil of biting fog.
Although I’ve taken pictures all over the United States, Isle Royale is easily one of the most picturesque of the national parks. With all the breathtaking vistas, northwood forests, and wildlife it is a photographer’s paradise. We had a great time trying out some new gear that Tracy won in a photography competition. Here are some of our favorite exposures from the trip:
Departing Copper Harbor for Isle Royale on board the Isle Royale Queen IV.
Mom and her baby moose. These three woke us up as they swam across the bay towards our campsite. This picture was taken the following morning.
Fresh wolf tracks!!!
Things we loved:
1) Loon calls in the afternoon.
2) Solitude
3) Baby moose
4) Bright stars
5) Lapping of the Lake Superior Surf.
6) Flaming Sunsets
7) Howling wolves
Tasty Perch
9) Eagles fishing
10) No BEARS!!! I met enough of those in Glacier N.P., Montana.
Things we hated:
1) Loon calls at 3am.
2) Quarter-sized blisters.
3) Heavy Packs.
4) Backpacking food – Thank God for microwavable bacon and cheese!!
5) Leaving the island.
