Battened Down

Just like this boat I'm battened down and ready to crash for the night.  Wonderful day...full of work, travel and a photo to close it out.

-ehw

Making Music with a Lens and a rant

     While I am out and about I sometimes see an image immediately drawing me home. This was one of those moments.  Walking down the sidewalk I saw an unmistakable symbol of music, and my thoughts turned homeward bound.  Over the last two years the ability to bring music back into the house, and into the lives of the children, through the Joyful Noise Homeschooling music program enlivened the family.  Initial cat gut screatches became music I can recognize.  Scales firmed up with practice.  Now both older children can teach me theory I never knew.  The little guy sung the Gloria at church with his two best buds with gusto this Sunday..  All very cool!

     So this image made music in my lens... 

     I also wanted to point out something about street photography as I see it.  While I was out walking a college age couple were shooting the streets.  Sitting on the side walk was a mentally ill man.  He was dishevelled, talking to himself incoherently, but otherwise not bothering anyone.  The lady in the couple thought he made a good subject.  So she switched to live view and took some hip shots of the poor soul.  

     Being in a public area means a photographer needs no consent to photography you.  However a photographer should exercise some level of respect for the man.  If the photo will be provided to people looking for him great..otherwise I worry that this is exploitation of personnel morbid curiosity.   In many people's ciricles today this is just a chance to get a little self promotion on Twitter and Instangram.  It is an opportunity to exploit for themselves, not elevate humanity.  There are plenty of people on the street (such as street performers) who are interesting subjects, and more than willing to pose for a small tip.   

    If I photograph a person I have either their consent or they are doing something themselves to gain attention of passerbys.  For instance in Miami I photographed a skateboarder doing flashy tricks in a highly visible area on purpose.  A chef I photographed nodded yes when I asked to photograph him.  

    I know someone out there will say they are doing a social justice peace.  I just don't buy it.  If you are doing social justice work you'd also be taking him to dinner. 

     With all that said...have a great night and PRAISE God!

-ehw

PS For you techies this is the Fujifilm X-E1 with 23mm at 1/210, F8 ISO 800.   I used the film simulation of Velvia and applied a slight crop, small sharpening effect and vingette blur in Nik Snapseed.  My 23mm F1.4 is my current favorite Fuji lens...and it really wants a 56mm in the stable next to it!

Travel into the wild...

Yesterday I met a young photographer and she showed me some of her urban explorations....pretty cool stuff.  Well talking to her I also made me long to get out a shoot myself.  You know work and play often don't mix it up very well...and the client projects I did make over the last month were for internal release only!

So after we got home, fed the kiddos and enjoyed a quick date night out I realized I still had some daylight left.  Instead of urban exploration I did some deep forest exploration from my backyard.  I spent the rest of the night playing with development settings, Aperture, Capture One, OnOne, Nik Suite....just to see what I could do.  This is one of the three I liked.  I wanted it to make me think I was really deep in a mysterious woods. I hope I fooled you!

So the moral of the day is..as Bob Coates would say...take some time to play and imagine.  Sometimes it unlocks doors you would not know existed.

-ehw

PS Fujifilm X-E1, 23mm, tripod mount, Capture One and Silver Effects Pro2.

The benefits of Social Media in reverse

     Oh tonight I had to laugh at irony.  See in our house we have two thoughts on social media.  I use it to connect with people, but I do try to be pretty careful with where and what I publish.  I know that it is probably not going to go away in my lifetime.  So I just try my best to deal with it.  My wife hates social media.  It can all burn in hell for all she cares.  She likes her cave, and the telephone.  Give her a call or set up a visit is her motto.

    Well tonight a family friend reconnect via some social media.  We've been out of touch, and our two families had a pretty busy couple of years.  So by luck she finds me on one of those blasted social media sites, requests to be linked up, and we share numbers.  Since this is my wife's good friend I send the number and tell her just minutes later.

    Now I sit here 70 minutes later and the two friends are still going strong on the phone.  I am sure I will go to bed and be followed when I am fast asleep.  To be honest I am happy she is on the phone.  Just a few nights ago I was enjoying a conversation that took me back to my highland home in N.Y. twenty two years ago.  So it is a good event we should be joyous for.   I just hope she remembers it resulted from that blasted social media.

    So the motto for the night is social media is ok when used in moderation.  The power of a friends voice is a timeless remedy for many of the trials we face in this journey.  So do yourself a favor, put your life in reverse and connect with an old friend.  Share your journeys, pray for them, and I am sure you will sleep with a smile on your face tonight.

-ehw

P.S. Pentax K-5 from 18 months ago.  I reprocessed this one in Capture One Pro tonight.  I really like what that program can go out of the box.

Change of Perspective

Just a quick post as we all head past the top of the week...

Just a quick play with light and depth of field here in our Blessed Sacrament chapel a few weeks ago.

It is very peaceful in the chapel, and the soft lift, and lovely rose window let one sink into the presence of our Lord.  

Like most people I found myself drawn to the largest light source...and after a few minutes I realized the Lord was there in the quiet shadows waiting for us all.

-ehw

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The Coming Moment

     This cruxifiction moment the world changed, but the miricle did not end with that moment.  It benefitted those who passed before it, and those who passed after.  Each of us get shot at eternal life with God because of it.  

     As we said the Rosary last night, we reflected on the Sorrowful Mysteries.  It brought me back to recently read a chapter from St Thomas Aquinas, reminding us that God exists outside time.   God can use this past moment to inspire and save us now in this moment.  To God now is no different than if we stood at the foot of the cross then.

    In the midst of our prayers, I tried to place myself at the foot of the cross.  I kept asking myself if I would be brave enough to live my faith out in the face of the threats around me.  Would I have faith looking at pagan Roman soldiers, to whom I have no value except as a slave?  Would I be cowered in fear by the vengeful crowd who reject the law of God?  Would I stay silent knowing the enemy has spies ready to bear witness to their lords about my adoration for the man on the cross?

    I found myself wanting.  Still afraid, but slowly growing in the strength of faith for the tests that lay ahead of me.  I can see in this land this land today, those same threats faced by the fathers of the faith growing in strength.   Surely you can see the new tests arising for Christians everywhere as well.

    What can you say for yourself?  Are you ready for your coming moment?

Capturing a musical note

     Oh old horns are such a hoot.  I have two myself and I enjoyed them for years.  Now I have other passions...and besides I never got the coordination down.  I became a much better singer over time than I could ever play!  No hand, eye, finger, breathing muscle movements!

   One challenge to always watch for on these lovely subjects are reflections.  If you can keep them as controlled highlights I think you can really appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of these musical instruments.  So if you cannot get a good shot full or partial shade bring scrim into the photo shoot to reduce the lighting's dynamic range to something your camera can capture fully.

    Well now it is time to get the big kids off to their music lessons!  One Violin and one Cello need exercise!

-ehw

A Good Day

     This weekend my family joined a co-op hybrid school (part school, part homeschool) at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new campus.  The event was simple and awesome.  Why?  Because they opened in thanksgiving, reminded everyone that the core mission of the school is to build the Kingdom of God, and we prayed over the people and facilities for God's grace to reign down on them.  

     I worked as the "official" photographer.  I hope I did well enough that they ask me back! I told my wife that I felt great that I could be a part of the communinty by working.  She just smiled at me and whispered, "I know" as she smiled rubbed by head.  That wife of mine is a keeper.  (She's at teacher orientation today!)

     One of my favorite moments was watching the lonely playground quickly fill with over a dozen children.  Here I caught just a second of the fun, but you can clearly see my son loving the fellowship of new and old friends.  It is a moment of joy I want to hold on to for a long time in my heart.

 -ehw

P.S.  For more information on this community of faith please go to the Regina Caeli Academy homepage  http://rcahybrid.org

Looking for guidance?

    Well this weekend I had time to read two books!  Both books were gifts and I enjoyed them immensely!  I could recommend both to you without reservations.  Just a warning to you though, you might come away knowing you need to do some deep thinking.

    The first was a "gift" from my son on Father's Day.  He "re-gifted" me a school book.  He put a lot of thought into it, and he made a good choice.  I read his fourth grade book called Saint Dominic by Mary Fabyan Windeatt.  Wow,  he was a giant of a man in the life of the church, and is credited with providing us the rosary after receiving a vision from Mary.  I knew his story in general, but not enough to be inspired by St Dominic.  Well I am now inspired.  It inspired me so much that my wife and I said the rosary tonight..and I think this will be a more common occurrence.  Actually we'll also be learning the Latin version as well to help the children with schoolwork.  (This will be hard on me...as all my foreign language teachers will tell  you I was very hard on them!)

    The other book was a fabulous book called The Pope and the CEO by Andreas Widmer.  In it  Widmer describes his encounters with Saint John Paul the Great while he served two years with the Swiss Guard in the 1980's.  When I looked at the title I initially thought, "Ah huh?"  When I started reading the book I realized it was exactly what I needed at this point in my life, and I did not put it down.  What makes the book special is the format.  He tells a story to explain his leadership lesson, then he sets a list of activities for you to do using that lesson, and finally asks you to reflect on your life experiences in the view point of the lesson.  As I began the exercises, I must say I find myself changing a little here and there because I am now looking through leadership more in line with God's intent not mine.  I'd encourage anyone to read this book, and do the most important action it recommends....PRAY and then PRAY SOME MORE!

    So there you have it.  Two books with potentially life altering ideas.  Well I am off to pray a bit more.  With this much reading in one weekend, I definitely need to think it through some more.

-ehw

Back to School Sale!

Tomorrow will start my last visit to the Alpharetta Art in the Park show for the summer.  I'll be in the park Saturday 9AM-4PM and Sunday 11AM-4PM with samples of my work, and I hope you will stop by and visit.

For my loyal readers and visitors I am offering the promo code SUMMER and get 20% off this weekend.  The link to the market is https://squareup.com/market/ehw-photography  All items ordered will be fulfilled and mailed directly to your home.

I will also extend this offer to any item you see and like in my online portfolios (both my website and Smugmug!   I can make anything on my website a print suitable for your home.  You can access my other photos through my website www.capturinghisglory.com.  In addition to several galleries, you can also view my blog and select from something here!

And finally, some of you requested photos of family cars or photography lessons.  I will have some openings next week to do those as well!  I'd love to assist you in a special project or gift for a loved one.

Thank you for your interest in my photography, and I hope to see you tomorrow!

-ehw

Job Interview for Kevin

Kevin tell your father there may be a job opportunity for you.

-Bishop Talley, Archdiocese of Atlanta

-ehw

P.S. Kevin was the perfect assistant photographing the new Pastor's installation mass.  He was the light of the party, and made everyone feel right at home with him and his little camera. 

A little prayer for the day

      Ok time to sound crazy...but I'm still very sane.

     During my drive into the office today I heard a few messages delivered from the Lord in a timely manner by the Divine Office of Readings.  (You can read them online at www.divineoffice.org) 

The reading was from Second Book of Chronicles 20:1-9, 13-24 (Click here to read the Bible passage) about God offering help to Jehoshaphat save Judah from swarming enemies.  And God does just that when he follows directions properly.

The final prayer would at first seem to be contrary to the reading at first and it goes as follows:

O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honor.

Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever

-Amen

     On reflection it does not contradict anything.  For all that we witness in the world today, we still must remain well armed like Jehoshaphat.  He was a sinning man like all the rest of us, and did not always listen and follow the Lord.  He did walk mostly the right way though!  

     That is why we must always pray for the light of truth to shine on us and the rest of mankind when we go astray.  It can bring us home to unity with Christ if we follow it.  Once home with Christ, we must then willingly welcome still more sinners home.  Our continuing mission will be to pray for and reach out to all to people to come home with Christ.  For unlike government services...God's party never runs out of the goods and we can all be happy!

Called to the light

Today's Gospel describes the challenges we face both externally and internally after we accept the call to follow Christ.  Will be be shallow soil?  Will we wilt under the thorns?  Will we make ourselves good ground for the word of God.  So as we face East and fix our gaze on the light of Christ what ground are we standing in?  What do we need to do to grow well?

A good thought for tonight. 

-ehw

Homeward bound

It was a great week in Miami learning a lot about the town...now it is off on the plane heading for home!

Slowing Down

     I will take a little time to enjoy the family today....so I'll leave a minimum wake on the web!  Enjoy your loved ones and worship The Lord today!

The Skateboarder

     The weather broke wonderful this afternoon in Miami.  I could tell the locals were loving it.  The lonely benches were full, men and women dressed up to go out, boats started moving in the marinas, and families were back in the park walking.  I was loving the break in the weather myself as the breeze kept me cool and comfortable in the afternoon sun walking to dinner.

     Today I wanted to catch a few people in "street photography" mode.  I got two keepers.  The first was this skateboarder.  He was having his fun here near, using this launching pad six to eight feet from three lanes of traffic.  He was quite good with his tricks.  To him they were just warm ups.  If it was me on the board, it would be death defying.

     Home tomorrow!  I cannot wait.  I know it will take more than a few minutes to get used to the noise of five extra bodies running around with their own agendas, but that is what being a Dad is all about right?

-ehw

The Three Block Alternate Universe

     This building on the Bay in Downtorn is massive, modern and very interesting.  Yet just three blocks away is historic downtown Miami...are buldings just as interesting in different way! 

I've never seen a perfume store this large before!  Of course I probably could have used this store to hide my sweaty self!

There were also other veteran buildings to enjoy....

Classic architecture!  Love it...I just hope the electrcal gets updated to keep up with modern technology Walgreens will want to cram into that store!

     You'll also find neat little eateries tucked in like this cafeteria right across from resturants I could not afford to eat at!

     And four blocks south of the cafeteria is this across the canal...modern wow factor.

     Miami is an amazing city in many, many ways! 

-ehw

Midday Prayers →

Gesu Catholic Church

     Whenever I travel have a little game..its called make a pilgrimage.  Today as I finished up the daily session, I looked at the weather and it said thunder storms due in town by 3PM.  Since I could fill out my homework anytime, I figured I better make the pilgrimage sooner rather than later.  

     The weather held up all of 15 minutes after leaving the hotel.  I then ducked into a resturant and got lunch.  I waited for a break in the weather to make the final dash up and over four blocks to the city's oldest Catholic Church, Gesu.  As I walked up I could see all the symbols of my faith on the outside.   I entered the door and felt myself overwhelmed by a sudden feeling of being at home while being away from home.  I was happy to have a wonderful environment to focus on Jesus, the blessed sacrament, and have the story of salvation envelope my senses.  This was a wonderful gift people made a hundred years ago for us today.

     As I left out the door for another adventure I said a thank you prayer to those who labored and freely gave to make this sanctuary.  I prayed that others may also come and find the Lord's lessons here in the stained glass, the lives of saints presented, and the sacrament of the Eucharist.  I also...yes...left a little contribution so it will be there for the next soul who seeks refuge for a few minutes from the wild world outside. 

-ehw

P.S. I did a little experiment today and edited as much as I could with my camera for color, contrast, and sharpness.  I did a little cropping in Snapseed.  Interiors worked the 23mm out, and outside I used the 18-55mmm zoom.

The old and new altars in the Sanctuary

An amazing baptismal font

I always try to find and photograph St. Joseph...what a good example of a father he is.

Everything has meaning, everything presented beacons one to join Christ on the Cross.

Love a Rainy Night!

     I love a rainy night...ok twilight!  The rain was very, very light but the open ground was soaked!  So that of course means dark, contrast filled colors if captured right! 

   The mood was pretty somber as well.  I thought the taxis would get busier (and therefore happier), but the rain was so light it actually felt good in the humidity...sort of portable Miami air conditioning in an old school manner!

     Even the park benches were quite lonely.

Maybe some sun tomorrow?  Oh that is another song...."The Sun will come out tomorrow! Tomorrow! You can bet your bottom dollar...."  Ok I'll be quiet before security comes up and makes me an offer I cannot refuse.

-ehw

P.S. For you gear heads all these came from my Fujifilm X-E1.  Today was zoom day. I travels with my standard zoom (XF18-55 F2.8-4).  Nicely made lens, and it did allow me to reach out and grab a few photos without moving my feet.  I will say that the biggest thing it did for me was the mild telephoto effect.  The second and fourth photos show what happened when I racked it all the way out to 55mm...or a short telephoto of about 78mm Full Frame equivalent.  The telephoto allowed me to compress the elements in the frame, and they seem closer than they would with a standard focal length.

     Something else I learned is that I got the shots in low light by increasing my iso to 3200.  However this also made much the photo very bright, approaching daylight scenes.  So I went back into the camera and applied negative compensation to bring the scenes closer to what I saw.  I did not want a night vision goggle effect here. 

    Finally these are almost exclusively out of camera jpegs.  Your camera probably has a very powerful RAW converter.  Use it, save variants and shoot some more.  If the product is good, variants will help you explore the what if's of your camera's potential.

Missing my Kiddos →

What does a Daddy miss on a trip?

How about the youngest playing in sand by the lake?

Or the lovely, thoughtful girl writing up her dreams in her special spot?

Or the good son who always tries to please and grow into a responsible young man way to fast?

Or how about the funny boy who always provides us wisdom in words as sharp as diamonds?

And of course the Momma who builds a warm home where love can grow.  (If I posted her photo without permission she'd kick my butt)

Funny how some time away always makes you long for home...and you forget about potty training, the work of cooking for six, someone's sniffles, and the lost this or that...

Well time to head off to work...I bet my feelings are the same as those shared by every good Dad on the way to work...

-ehw

P.S.  Three taken with the new X-E1 and various lenses...and one taken by a six year old Pentax K200D..yep it still takes good pictures if treated nicely!