Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper

Lately I have found that I am pulled in a few different directions. I really love doing my photography and I also love spending time with my family. There are times I cant do both. There are also times that I feel like I need to be doing more, working harder, giving people what they really want. What I realized is that they want me. They want what Im offering, thats why they are coming to me for it.

So I make time. I spend time with the family because I know that if Im really good at taking pictures that great pictures will be there waiting for me to take them.

I have also found that the more I do what I feel great about the better things get! Thats why in the last few days I have been focusing on the positive and helping others to see their greatness.

Theres an old saying that there is always going to be someone greater then you... My view on that is this, someone is going to be the best and why cant it be me ( Im not saying that I am yet but it doesnt mean that I cant get there ) And also if there are thousands of us that have our own style why cant we all stand united as the best at what we do?

No matter what you do in life follow your dream! Never let anyone tell you how your life is going to turn out! And take time each day to love yourself and those around you!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Do you love what you do?

One of the questions I get asked the most is " I like to take pictures but Im not very good at it. What can I do to be better? ". The answer is be yourself!

Lots of times Im out taking pictures and I think will this sell? Will people enjoy this? The answer is yes! If I like it and more then that if I love it people will too!

There are tons of photos that I have that people arent crazy about... For that matter Im not crazy about them myself so it kinda figures. There are some that Im crazy about that some people dont really care for but the people who do are nuts about them too!

Months ago I had a gallery show that I was going to do and in trying to decide what to bring I chose one of my favorite pieces. Its a kind of abstract flower water picture! Its very soothing and comforting to me. What I found is that Im one of the only people that likes it. But what I was told is that even though the people didnt like that one they love my style and this said to them that I am comfortable with my own style and going against the norm! This is the truth 100% I want to be me and show who I am and what I love!

Do what you love and of course whats right and you cant go wrong!
( For the record I love all of the photos displayed here. )

Friday, December 3, 2010

More of the Rapids that are so Grand!

So here we are back to the amazing trip to Grand Rapids. This time we start by looking at what seems to be an insane act performed my my friend who joined me on this epic adventure. We went to the top of a parking ramp and looked at the beautiful city. All around we saw amazing buildings and incredible water ways. We had noticed a beautiful church while we were cruising through the city looking for an advantage point for the perfect skyline shot. As we stood atop a parking ramp I peered over the edge and saw this incredible church at the end of the street. I thought I have to get this shot but how? For a moment I pondered the thought of standing on the ledge to take the picture and then in the back of my head I heard a voice... If you get up there I will be soooooo angry! Was it my conscience or maybe it was my wife. Any how I knew I had to get the shot but how. I decided to try something crazy. I would set the camera up to take the picture and then as it is mounted to the end of my tripod set the timer and extend it out over the abyss. The drop was well over seventy feet! I was terrified of dropping this tool of my trade. What would it do if I dropped it and it splintered into a million pieces?

The good thing is that it worked. I extended the camera over the edge while the time ticked away. And then I heard the shutter and pulled it back in. I looked and loved what I had accomplished but I wanted a better shot. I did it again and loved the results and then I thought what about a timed exposure? As I thought about setting it up I thought why tempt fate? I love the picture and the events that lead to its existence make it one of my favorites of all time! I knew that people would want to see what it looked like for me to take pictures that way so while Melik took his I snapped a picture of him hanging his new camera over the edge.

While on top of the parking ramp I looked in the direction of one of the first buildings we saw when entering the downtown area. What I saw on top of it made me wonder what it would be like to live in or visit a building siting on the top of the world. OK its not the top of the world but if I lived there Im sure it would feel that way.

One of the last pictures in this series is my version of a few of the downtown sky scrapers.  I like to call them sky strokers because they hardly seem intrusive. They seem to blend with the sky like nature and metal merged into one. I loved the elegant curves of these buildings and how even though in this picture there are three buildings the almost seem to be one.

Last but not least as we were leaving the city we ran across the reason why Grand Rapids is so unique. Little do people know that it is the people in the town that hold the city together. In this case hold the building up. I snapped the picture while driving and could hardly contain my laughter! It was later explained that this young lady was having her picture taken and this was the chosen pose. I personally think that she was trying to move her city forward ha ha ha!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Shooting deer inside a public park.




During this time of year I really like to get out and take pictures of deer wandering around. As you all know I have had some great success taking pictures of these elusive creations. This year would be the most intense so far! This picture was taken at a local park during a walk with my son. We rounded a corner and I noticed someone looking at us. It was a medium size buck sizing us up. He didn't snort or stamp his foot so I felt relatively safe and started firing away with amazing results!


I thought man can this day get any better? We heard and then saw tons of deer running all around us snorting and carrying on. I told my son to be very careful and if a deer starts acting aggressive to get behind a tree to be safe. As a side note for those that don't know deer can be very dangerous! They normally have a calm and scared demeanor. But during this season when they are hungry and scared of hunters and looking for mates they can be quite aggressive!

We continued on despite the crashing all around us. We arrived at the dock over looking the small pond and stood for a few minutes when suddenly we saw a buck chasing two does all around the fields in front of us.   I got my camera ready! I was prepared to take pictures of a chase but had no idea that it would be so spectacular! They came out of the woods and leaped across the pond in a splash of fur and sparkling water!  It was amazing!

So now I have taken some great shots and its time to go, but in the back of my head Im thinking I need to get back out here soon! 

Two days later I would get that chance. It was later in the evening ( summertime hours 4pm ). Everyone is doing their own thing so I decide to head back out to the park and see what I can get. I arrive and immediately Im seeing deer left and right. Im hoping to get another shoot like I did in my prior trip. Then I see her, hanging out in the trees enjoying a snack. I take aim and press the button. Im so excited because she's beautiful and the lighting is great! I love it! 



As much as I loved the shot I really wanted something a little more spectacular! I wanted something like the deer jumping the pond but bigger. Bigger is exactly what I would get...

While I was out a family passed by me accidently startling a small group of deer eating in the bushes. They apologized profusely and offered an olive branch in the form of a suggestion. We saw a huge buck in the woods over there one of them said. I thanked them and quickly headed in the direction pointed out. As I neared the area I slowed my breathing and really started to focus on the sounds around me. Crack, snap I heard the sound and turned toward it and there they were two bucks following each other behind the trees. I tried to focus but I couldn't see the deer for the trees.  I followed them as they headed back in the direction I just came from. As they slowed their walking I realized that there were probably 10 more deer standing in the same general area. I was very excited because this would surely give me more chances of taking great pictures. How right I was! 

Just like in the movies I had my eyes focused on the deer in the back ground ( picture the scene in Jurassic park where the park guy is watching the lose Raptures ) Suddenly I feel eyes watching me and I change my focus and see the biggest wild deer I have ever seen! His neck was as wide as my body and I am not a slim small guy! He was standing in a lower area then me and I was still looking at him eye to eye! I immediately changed the focus of my eyes and my camera. I was now tracking him solely. I was terrified and he wasn't even concerned. I followed him back and forth until finally I decided that I would cut him off to get pictures of him facing me. There was a bend in the path up ahead and I knew that if I beat him to it I would get my shot. I moved quickly but was careful not to startle him. I reached the bend but in my haste didn't realize that he was already there. 

I stood there knowing that if I moved directly in front of him there would be less then 10 feet between us and there was nothing keeping him and his giant horns from showing me why he has survived so long except maybe my quick feet and my tripod... I knew that if I missed the shot that I wouldn't feel like a real photographer. I moved into position. I was now standing face to face with this giant! I had no where to run and nothing to hide behind. He was so close that my telephoto lens was almost to long to take his picture with, but I decided that I didn't want to chance pull out my other lens and scaring him into charging. 

While I stood there I prayed non stop! I prayed that he stay calm, that he know that Im not a threat, that God protect me and that everything around me could feel my peace and well wishes. As if I had asked a question I suddenly got tons of answers. There were wild turkey that had been hanging out watching this whole thing unfold and in an instant they acted as if someone had invited them to a party. They were everywhere and very, very close! There were some that brushed my pant legs as they walked by. For the record I also worry about wild turkey. I have seen them in their aggressive state and knew that I never wanted to tangle with one. So now I have turkey all around me and my version of the king deer in front of me... What was I to do? Take more pictures! I took at least 100 pictures and the whole time I was praying. 

As quickly as the whole situation began it ended. The turkey flew into the trees to get their sleep ( which I had never seen ). The king deer meandered off and didn't look back and I felt like I could breath again! I knew that with the lower light from the setting sun that the pictures weren't going to be perfect. But I also know that this is just the beginning.

For those wondering about the fence in the background, I took these pictures inside of one of the parks in Lansing and it is indeed surrounded by a fence. I cant say what park because these deer might be illegally targeted by hunters... This is a real concern right now because it is hunting season. I was at another park early in the day and actually heard gun fire very, very close. If you are going to go out anytime soon to go hiking or nature watching please wear bright clothing and know where you are. If you see someone with a firearm in a park report them! Don't take chances with your life. 

And now back to Grand Rapids pictures.