Raise a Veteran

    The theme for the day is to honor veterans for their service, both those who died and those who continue to serve.  In its original form, Armistice Day recognized the War to End All Wars.  Americans and Europeans moved into isolationism, turned inward and also sowed the seeds for the next war.  Free nations cast down their arms, and allowed others to prepare the engines of war to enslave them until it was almost too late.  Today we see the same problem around the world.  Engines of tyranny now spin up and prepare to pounce when weakness reaches its most critical point.

    As a historian, and man of Christian faith, I cannot in good conscience follow that example today.  I know there are good people in this world.  I also know there are those who give into evil.  Those people seek to either turn me to sin as an accomplice or make me their slave.  The enemies of freedom will never rest.  The enemies of building the Kingdom of God will never cease adapting to our transient strengths in their attempts to tear it down.

   In a nation of almost 350 million we have only about 1.5 million under arms today.  The nation's recruiters cannot get enough young men to join the service due to lack on interest, poor fitness, and (frankly) intellectual incapacity.  Many men get rejected due to gang affiliation and drug use.  So the administration is actually trying to bring foreigners (legal and illegal) into the ranks to defend this country.  As a reminder of history....when every great nation began to commission others to defend their statehood they fell.  Just look at the history of Rome.  Republic to tyranny.  Native sons to mercenaries.  

    So today please consider something a little different for Veteran's Day.  Don't just thank a veteran, raise a veteran.

   As a parent myself I can now feel the fear and angst felt when the child raises their hands to say, "This I will defend."  Despite the angst I know my life is but a transient one.  My days of quality service as a front line fighter now extend far into my past.  If my children want to be free, and give that gift to their children, they must one day put veteran somewhere on their resume.

    It is time we all realize it is not enough to just thank someone else for the gift of freedom.  It is time for each man to serve where able.  Service in the active duty military, guard, and police, fire and rescue all keep us safe.  It does not have to be a career...just a portion of life holding the line against the terrors of the night makes you a worthy veteran in my eyes. 

    So today do more than thank a veteran.  Raise a veteran.  Your grandchildren will thank you one day for giving them the gift of liberty.

-ehw.

The '68 Shelby Cobra

   The ability to shoot fantastic people, things and events is what keeps me coming back to this hobby.   I seek out lots of challenges, and they help me grow both as a professional and personal.

   This '68 Shelby GT500KR was a hoot to be around.  It is one of four that year to have both an automatic transmission and an air conditioner.  It sounds real pretty when it is running as well.

   During this shoot I learned firsthand the value of speed, efficiency, and technical skills required to provide top tier products.  I realized about 25 things in my last accounting of to improves from this shoot.  The biggest one I can mention now is the value of shooting in a good lighting window or creating your own good lighting.

  As I created these images I could understand the technical masterpieces so many artists create with good strobes, reflectors and scrims.  On the day of this shot I did not have a large enough scrim...say about 10x20 feet... so we moved the vehicles all around to make this work out in good lighting.  Try as I might the 46 inch circular just did not cut it no matter what we did.

   Despite all that I still produced a some really nice images I am happy to share!

-ehw

PS. As will all my images they are available for sale, and 10% of the sale price will go to charity.

Stepping Outside the Norm- Blue Knights

    As a high schooler I so longed to escape the drama and pressures to simply conform to popular culture.  I had no desire to participate in underage drinking, running the edge of the law, or disrespecting my parents.  I had no real love for the show described as funniest of the times...the Simpson's.  Here we see the prototypical popular culture Hollywood wants us to accept: A dunce Dad who worships beer and donuts, the Mom who is good hearted, the girl who always knows best, and the little boy who is a bratty idiot bumbling through life.   Any number of shows continue this tradition today.  

   I thought then being an adult would allow me to just be...me!  Then came college and adulthood.  That pressure to conform to popular culture just nevers stops.  I was watching football one Sunday last year, and noticed the commercials were just a rehash of everything of those years but even worse.  Dumb men, women on display, worship of bear and stupid stunts by young boys.

    I finally realized the reason I kept being targeted like this was I refused to come inside the "normal" range of tolerance for this behavior. Where most say that this is simply harmless, silliness I could not in good conscience allow my children to see it, before they had the Armor of God to fend off the vices.

    So I've been supporting this little boys club at church, called Blue Knights ( www.beholdpublications.com). In fact a friend and I founded the parish club for our boys.  Since then the group remained small, not for lack of marketing...simply because it competes with so many other things out there.  I pulled my eldest from the last part of two baseball practices last year to attend these meetings...yep we're not the norm.  We shut off broadcast TV, and screen what we see on Netflix.  Radical?  To most yes. However only the beginning of what I must do as a parent.

    My wife in her spiritual journey learned the thing we will each be judged on by Christ will be how we did my our children in terms of bringing the faith to them.  I learned contemplative faith is a gift of God given to some, but not all.  As a result, whatever we do for our children to raise them as children of God requires us to provide each child the unique skills and rules necessary for them to traverse life's turbulent seas.  

    My Father repeatedly said the same as I grew up, "I love you the same.  I just love you differently."  As a child I did not understand it as well as I do now. Of course I also wish the English language would use the proper words for types of love more freely.  What he said really echoes the bible parable about the workers coming in at different times...or being given different amounts of talents.  To each God loved them the same (unconditionally). However God gave of himself to each differently based on the man before him.

    Some children will never pass the stage of the Fear of God (doing what is right as to not disappoint God).  This is fine, because if they keep the Fear in their hearts, they will always live inside the boundaries of natural law. This takes them towards God's Kingdom with their fellow men.  Other's given the contemplative gift, well maybe they will be quiet enough to listen and heed God's word.  From that personal message I pray they develop a Love of God, where they make God's ways their own freely without reservation.  Either way, as a Father I would be happy to one day have them beside me worshipping God in heaven for all eternity.

    Society has no interest in you making it to heaven.  The world we see on TV wants you to buy this good, pull the election lever for their candidate, or pull you from others and focus on your personal pleasure.  So to each of you out there contemplating the road you will travel with your family, don't be afraid to step outside the norm.  Homeschooling, one parent employment, staying up every night working late in charity for your public school child, finding the right worship methods for you, finding the right role models in faith....each journey is custom built for you.  

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."   

    -Robert Frost

    Happy praise God Sunday!

-ehw

P.S.  These photos are what you can do if you turn the norm on its head....Halloween should be looked at for a Christian as the eve before All Souls Day when we praise those of virtuous living!  We should pray for our family, friends and selves to be on the same road to heaven!    

The Hand in the Sand

    On this Sunday morning, with the two youngest kiddos on my lap, I read the Divine Office of Readings for today.  The reading was about Ester.  Here she was a young woman being rounded up, just because of her beauty and taken into the harem of the king.

    I cannot imagine the thoughts and fears she had on that fateful day.  She was nothing more than a pawn, in fact she was less than a pawn at that moment.  She was a grain of sand in a vast desert.  However, inside that grain of sand we know as Ester something stronger and more significant was ready to bloom through the grace of God.

   See Ester had the seeds of faith planted inside that grain of sand through the gift of faith.  Through the events unfolding around her she would receive the choice to stand fast with her faith or cover her face in fear.  Her free choice to sacrifice herself for her people is a foreshadowing (one of many) of the type of life Christ led on his way to the cross.  

    As a parent Ester's story only tells part of the story's lesson.  Her foster father Mordecai fulfilled his parental and priestly duties towards Ester by first forming her in faith, and then continually reminding her of God's covenant through to her people.  A covenant which only survives if each generation embraces it freely in their hearts and deeds.  That is why Mordecai continued to remind his adopted daughter of God's commandments and covenant until the crisis peaked.

    The challenges we face in this world today are no different than those Mordecai and Ester faced.  The way to overcome those challenges are also no different than their responses.  Parents and children must respond to the hand in the sand, the love and wisdom of the Holy Spirit in all that we do.  

    Parents and clergy must form their children with wisdom and the fear of God (that is the desire not to disappoint God) so they can evolve their faith into Love of God (where we make his will our own).   We parents can never stop living our lives calling out both ourselves and our children to holiness.  We must never stop praying the gift of faith is given to our children.

    Children must understand as early as possible, they have a great inheritance.  The covenant of God passed down and expanded from God through Abraham, through David, through Christ to each of us.  Through this covenant we bind ourselves to follow his law, and obtain the rewards of eternal unity with him in heaven.    Their basic choice in life is to chose virtue over vice each day of their lives.   Whether they choose to do it from fear or love will be their own, and a decision they must understand accountability falls on them alone.

  Have a blessed Sunday while remembering how Ester and Mordecai listened to the hand in the sand.

-ehw

Fingers in the sand

Today someone drew in the sand a little story.  The lines left behind still drew me into an enchanting world of mystery. I may understand parts of the story, but I will never grasp the whole story!  I am sure of this since it was not my hand drawing out the tale.  It immediately made me think of God's handiwork I see around me, and the mysteries of God I will never comprehend.

Did you have an adventure from fingers in the sand today yourself?  

-ehw

Shelby Cobra 67-500

This Shelby Cobra is the last of the 67's.  Number 500 in fact!  I saw the documentation and original window sticker to get all the proof I could need.  

So it is also the last of the Cobras in the original Mustang body style.  As you can see the car also wears a special badge signifying the good work of the owners to maintain it in original form.  Yes it still has that wonderful throaty engine sound.  It has about 14,000 original miles on it (well if I remember accurately).

This photo is available for sale if you'd like to have it adorn you wall, christmas cards or coffee mugs....please contact me at www.ehwphotography@gmail.com!  It will help me pay for the website!  Let me know the size you are looking for, and I will get you a price quote!

-ehw

A Different Day

A different type of day today.  It is a Federal holiday, so I had the day off and wrote up a busy schedule for myself.  However it was a still a school day for Regina Caeli Academy so the four kiddos with the momma got up and at it in the early morning light.

Nine days out of ten...well 95 out of 100...I am the guy up first and out the door while they enjoy their warm blankets for another hour or so.  So to be roused by my wife's alarm, and the sound of lots of other feet is a game changer.

Today you can see the Silver Bullet headed out the door on its mission.  As it left I found myself reading the news alone with my coffee.  I found myself experiencing the same fears I had in my bed last night at 2 and 3 and 4....Ebola, TB outbreak, Flu type 68,  ISIS, Russia on the move worldwide, China on the move in the South China Sea, a disarming US, Bishops in the middle east and Africa reminding their people they need to defend themselves, and a blatant turning away from natural law this country was founded on on every page.  

Now fear is not a good state to live in, instead it is an emotion that should push us to new work to right the situation.  So I made my list for the day, heard the divine office, read the morning prayer, and moved out to 9Am mass.  During mass I listened and fell deep into thought.  I wanted to ask God where he was.  I wanted to ask him to do something about this madness around me, to help my family survive the coming turbulence.  In the silence of post communion I my head rang with words from so many other sources me like a piece of lead dropped from the roof.

"Son I did do something about all this.  I made you."

With that I got myself into motion working on preparation for Blue Knights tomorrow night (6 new boys coming in for the first time making their shields), meeting with a friend, and saying a few prayers along the way.  I guess the big guy reminded me, to do what I can, where I can to build his kingdom.  So I better get a little busier!

-ehw

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Morning Coffee with a few Legends

This morning, before the raindrops came falling down around us...I got to spend some time with two legendary cars (as well as two younger siblings).  Yes I visited a Shelby Cobra collector and it was fantastic.

These are a '67 Shelby (number 500) and a '68 Shelby KR.  They are wonderful automobiles.  True museum pieces if I ever saw one...except these are working samples.  Both got back inside before the rain started coming down to protect their original coats of paint.  Hearing the engines was also a wonderful experience.  I wish I could give you a sample of the sounds along with the photos.  The owners were fabulous hosts!

I'd just like to extend my thanks to the owner and his family for welcoming me into their home today.  I am excited to return soon and complete the job on a drier fall day. I'd also like to thank them for letting me add these to my public portfolio! 

Thats right, the work you shall see in coming days is now part of my portfolio, and therefore available to you through EHW Photography.

-ehw

Our old Bug

My parents were not hippies (not my Army officer Dad!), but we did have this type of camper back in the 70's.  Since the statue of limitations is over I can tell you we sat five in a car with only three seat belts for several years.  My sister and brother both slept on a hammock over the driver's seat as toddlers.  I can't remember if I was in the tent or not.  I think I did, at least once.  We also went to see the first Superman movie at the drive through in this big bug as a family.  That was a fun night.  I also remember holding the check from the back used to pay for it...and as an adult I drove past that spot and memory every day for two years 30 years later.

This automobile may not be a horse, but it does foster bonds between who we are today and our past.  Maybe it is because we associate travel with growth and freedom here in the USA.  I know this is a poor way to explain an American and their automobiles.  I just had to get those stories out.  The car made me do it!

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with HDR Efex Pro2, Slight color treatment in Nik Color Efex 4.

Classic Lines

This car sat right next to my booth on Sunday.  It was screaming to be photographed.  This is one of my favorites from the car.  The light and reflection of trees in the chrome makes it almost magical.  Well in my opinion!  I hope you agree.  Any feedback is appreciated.

As with so many cars at the show this one brought back memories for my childhood.  This was the car of the Rich and Famous in my teen years.  I could never hope to own one (still can't) but they were very refined and lovely cars for their day.  Today they are just plain old classy.

-ehw

P.S. jpeg HDR conversion, nine shots +/-3EV.  Done in HDR Efex2 by nik.  Color Effex4 chrome correction, and finished in Perfect Effects 8.

A Happy Girl

    Going to the library in this household brings sounds of joy.  Here is Julia caught reading a book, just to check it out.  It was a Daddy and Julia outing.  Well she had to be picky, she did check out the absolute limit of books.  To waste a selection on a poor book would not be good.  She even sacrificed one of her precious books for each brother.  Believe it or both they both hugged her with a super hug when they saw her selections.

  Well it was a wonderful smile, and moment that just needed a capture for my book of life.

-ehw

P.S.  This is an example of a straight from camera B&W from the little Fujifilm.    The film emulsion settings are amazing.  When I get it right, I have little to do but crop and share.

A Shelby Day

I'm very excited.  My son and I had a great time at Caffeine and Octane on Sunday morning.  I cannot reveal the details yet, but lets just say this photo is practice for an upcoming project.

Although we had many challenges as a family this weekend, it turned out alright.  Now I'm getting ready for another good work week with great people solving problems.  I can only thank God for the opportunity to care for my family and others whenever possible.  Jesus is the greatest example of selflessness in history...and I hope I am living the calling he set before me.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 post in Nik Color Effex4..and a touch of sharpening in Aperture with a brush.  As always if you want to know what I did, contact me and I'll share.  

Caffeine and Octane Tomorrow

EHW Photography will be at Caffeine and Octane tomorrow morning from 7A-11AM at 12600 Deerfield Parkway, Alpharetta, Georgia.  I'll be selling photos, and hopefully capturing a few new ones to share!  Over 600 people and their autos usually attend.  So if you want to see classics, hotrods, and modern special editions come on down!

-ehw

Techie Wednesday

Today is Techie Wednesday is about color, or lack thereof...

Today we have a lovely photo where the color of Blues and Greens provided a nice compliment to each other.  However I wanted a bit more...I wanted contrast of the blue on grey to make the blue really pop on the screen while the leaves provided context without distraction.

So remember that!  Black and White focuses the eye on the structure, patterns, form of the photograph.  Color can sometimes enhance this, but many times will detract from it.

In this case I wanted to place each element where it would help me make an image with impact.  So I used both to the best effect I could.

Hopefully if you like these little techie moments I'll make sure they get out to you more often.

-ehw

Words and deeds

    This week's readings and homily at church brought to light a concept of our faith as Christians.  It was that God's ways rule, not ours.  Simple concept, making perfect sense, if you accept that God is perfection in every way.

     In our lives, however, the natural cycle of things is we are born narcissistic looking out for ourselves.  As such it would be only natural for us to think that whatever we need, want or think gets our desires covered is the correct course of action.  Good parenting knocks that silliness out of us young.  We can start seeing how selfishness actually causes separation from our brothers and sisters.  Only by working with others, and caring for them as much as ourselves do we build the friendships needed to survive in this world.  This basic understanding of friendship is the antidote to narcissism.  Friendships allow us to  succeed as a husband, father, coach, soldier, businessman, farmer, or priest.

    The Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) today told us the story of the two brothers.  One brother said no to his father's commands, but went out to follow them anyway.  The other brother said yes to his father's commands, but did not heed the instruction.  One was in the right, and one was in the wrong at the end of the day.  For the man who repented and did the right thing, salvation awaited him.  For the man who talked the talk, but walked away life would end.

    Obviously we would rather say and do the right thing all the time!  This would surely be the easiest way to unity with Christ in word and deed!  We are however fallen creatures, made with weakness and stubborness.  As such we are very capable of failing in word, deed or both! 

    Thankfully our perfect God knew this, and provided us many paths towards redemption from our birth until the very end of our earthly lives.  It is truly the only way we could be saved given our original state of mind.  I guess it is just one more way to understand why God's ways rule, not ours.

-ehw

A night out in Roswell

The last week was a crushing one around the house.  Two boys in baseball (at different fields for four nights in the week), dance four nights a week for the eldest daughter, homeschool bowling league, Blue Knights for the boys, American Heritage Girls for the eldest, Lego Robotics Club for the older son....can you identify a few of these event occur simultaneously?  Oh and the two year old always has something going on!  So please forgive the slow photo blog postings.  It just will not happen when the first time I sit down at night is 9:30PM...and 5:35AM looks too close to the dial.

Friday was a treat thought.  I took the Mrs. out to dinner using a little saved up cash from the weekly allowance.  We talked about the children of course, while they made pizza at home.  Oh the joys of having a responsible teenager and eleven year old working together!  

Saturday came, and with it about five and half hours on ball fields for me.  A drizzle of rain in the morning game, and a glorious afternoon of high seventies.  Both boys had to get hit by pitches though.  For Kalen it was the fourth time this year...the boy is a ball magnet!  Since the youngest had a special trip with Dad to the park a few weeks back, the oldest daughter needed a treat.  So I took her downtown last night to Roswell, and found some relatively inexpensive food.  It is wonderful to talk with her about the book she is writing (and I'm the editor of), school, life and the scene around us.  If I don't take those minutes she'll be out the door and I won't even know who she is!

The nice part of being with her though, is that she is a budding artist.  So I was able to pull out the little camera, set it on multiple film types and show her the color of Roswell at night Fujifilm style!

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The Old porch at night...

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A reception house set up for a wedding 

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Julia's catch

If you followed me this far...enjoy this last shot.  Julia saw the moon rising over the church and asked me to see if I could capture it in the photo. 

So after a day praising God we're back into the thick of it!  Two more weeks of baseball..then it is serious Lego Robotics....then the holidays...thank God I can enjoy this life with such a wonderful family!

-ehw

3rd Place!

EHW Photography took home 3rd place in the 2D art category at the Roswell Art Festival! There were over ninety vendors total, and over twenty outstanding 2D vendors.  So I am thrilled to receive this recognition for the hard work of my little crew.

It was a good weekend meeting great people.  Our next show I hope will be with the ROMEOS on the first Sunday in October in East Cobb, and then Octane on Caffine on the third Sunday of October.  I will also be setting up personal car shoots with many people I met this weekend.  I hope to show you that working the coming months!

Much more later...but for now I'm still excited and recovering from the long weekend.

-ehw

Roswell Art Festival! Start your engines!

The Roswell Art Festival is on Saturday and Sunday!  Come on down and enjoy over 100 vendors selling just about everything from lemonade, paintings, metal works and pictures like mine!  I'm also a little nervous since it is a festival with a set of judges looking for best of show.  Don't know how I'll fair there.

Take at look at the homepage and you'll see my Fall Portfolio.  If there is a gift you need for Christmas...you just might find it!  Check my online store and you'll find everything you need!  

Something not in the portfolio?  Is it in the archives?  Well call me and I'll make it for you!  You want your own car, family or event photographed?  Give me a call!  It would be darn fun to make something for you!

-ehw

Memories of Childhood

Walking through Old Car City an International Harvester pickup sat thinking of glorious days long past...and I thought of shifting my first gears at the age of 7 or so...

See we once had a 1970 Scout, made by IH.  It was the fancy model with dual gas tanks and a four speed manual transmssion.  It ran on anything according to my Dad.  It was pretty smooth going to school down Poverty Lane (yes there is such a road in West Lebanon, N.H.)  It was so smooth in fact that my Dad could drink his coffee in an open cup while changing gears!

I know you are now asking how do you drink coffee nicely when you are driving a stick shift?  Well that is of course easy when you deploy your optional automatic child transmission to shift on command.  I think my Dad was WAY ahead of his time.  I mean this transmission was voice activated!  "Second! Third! Fourth!...slowing down now Four, Three, Two.......stop...First!"  Google car eat your heart out!

I was the proudest second grader on the planet when I got to school.  Not only was my Dad the ONLY Army officer in the state, the only one to understand how to build a Army standard bunker...but I was the ONLY child shifting gears of an automobile!

-ehw

P.S. As for the image this is my first image in the Fall Collection.  After reading the HDR Book by RC (www.aboutRC.com) I went back to work on several older photos.  Using new ideas, tools and skills many images found themselves re-invented...and much improved.  That is the beauty of digital and art...it can grow with you if you challenge yourself from time to time to not live on your laurels.  This will be available for purchase on 12x12 metallic floating mount for $115 by the end of the week.  Larger sizes available on request...I promise you will not be disappointed..Why later?  I am awaiting the proof copy right now to make sure it is just the way I want it!

A Rocky Stairway of Life

    Life poses challenge after challenge.  It is sort of like this rocky stairway.  You get there, but steps can be unevenly staggered, too smooth, worn, overgrown...and downright dangerous.

    God never promised us an easy life...he just gave us life.  As our license plate says, "Your Life does have an instruction manual"...The Bible.  

  I am sure you too can find many a good example of people who live it out with love, compassion and toughness allowing them to climb the rocky stairs of life honorably before God and man.  Those good people are the ones to emulate, be mentored by and befriend.  The company you keep pulls you up or drags you down.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1, Velvia simulation, 23mm lens..Savannah waterfront district