My First Maternity Shoot
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Wrestling!
I got invited to an amateur-league wrestling match and there was no way I could turn that down. Since I was just spectating, I kept my shooting gear at the barest minimum, my D7200 and my 50mm lens. I hoped the sensor quality and the wide, 1.8 aperture would be enough, to take on whatever the environment. Even then, it was a stretch. The event was in a gymnasium, which means low light that casts in a color that’s a massive pain to white-balance. Plus, I had to stay in my seat, so I wasn’t free to find better vantage points.
But, that’s technical stuff, and the rest of the event was spectacular. Everyone was suitable over the top, and there were a handful of wrestlers who felt equal parts El Santo, and Kamen Rider, which is AMAZING. I think I may be hooked, and can’t wait to see more of this.
Holiday Card
Another of my freelance projects. Some friends of mine were looking to send out their first holiday card as a couple and I was excited to help them out. We started with with photos of them and their adorable pets, then I designed the card from scratch for them. It was good to have the chance to stretch my graphic design muscles again.
I’ve Been Busy
Do I have any followers left? I know that my posting has been sparse, but that’s primarily because my focus has been on freelance projects. In a way, finding more professional work and building my portfolio is exactly why I started the site to begin with. But, after building up my web presence for going on three years now, I can’t help but feel a sense loss if I’m not updating. For now, my life seems to be settling down enough that I can slowly start working on personal projects again.
In the mean time, I’ll be updating my online portfolio galleries, and posting some of the work that clients have given me permission to share. First up, I have my friends Tegan and Brian with one of my favorite weddings I have shot ever. The venue was gorgeous, sporting a beautiful church, amazing gardens, and a freaking playground for swashbuckling!
Kent Fest
It’s been a long, draining week so I decided to skip most of Kent Fest this year and opted to take some much needed time to recharge at home. I did eventually make it down in the evening in time to devour some disgustingly satisfying festival food and shoot the fireworks. Fun fact, nothing makes a person feel more attractive than when they’ve single-handedly devoured an entire funnel cake in the span of 10 minutes.
A couple’s car died and they got a jump from the icecream stuck.
This was the crowd I had to battle to get my amazing/terrible festival food.
At least I got to play around with photos of the fireworks.I tried a technique I found online, in which I set a long exposure then adjust the zoom on my lens while the shutter is open. I think something longer than my 24-70mm would have been better suited, so I’ll try my 70-300mm next time. I’m happy with what I have for now, but want to try again before the holiday weekend is over.
Day of the Cicada
I don’t know what the overlap is between sports fans and fans of this blog, but apparently some Cleveland fans were so happy with the season finale of Basketball over the weekend that some people got Monday off work. One such person was my friend, Alyssa, who invited me along for an afternoon of berry picking and wine tasting. The best part? Every moment of the rural excursion was juxtaposed with the soothing sounds of the majestic cicada. But, the wonder of these creatures was not limited to the auditory. They clung to almost every surface, littered the ground, flew straight at the moving car window, and occasionally tried give us their insect-cuddles . We must savor these moments, as it will be 17 years before we are graced with their magnificence once again.
Free Comic Book Day 2016
How could I ever let such a hallowed tradition as Free Comic Book Day sneak up on me? Probably the fact that it’s finals week at grad school. I’m still glad I made time for this though. It’s just what I needed to destress.
Cloud Reflections
Why did I ever think that trying to start doing daily updates again this close to the end of the semester was a good idea? Oh well, shooting is helping me de-stress. See if you can spot what’s wrong with one of the photos.
Crab Salad Sandwich
I love to cook, but I am usually way too self conscious to share photos of what I come up with in the kitchen. More often, when I cooked for others, I would tell them, “I won’t post this online…but that doesn’t mean that YOU shouldn’t…” But, I feel like that may be even more self-serving.
So, you know what? Forget modesty. I’m dynamite in the kitchen. I love whipping up an awesome dish and sharing it with the people I care about. I love seeing people’s faces light up when I show off a carefully prepared plate. I especially love coming up with new recipes for my vegetarian friends so that they don’t have to miss out on a solid meal in favor of settling for another boring salad.
My buddy, Kyle, happens to be one such friend, and is the most frequent beneficiary of such concoctions. Since he can eat fish, I whipped up one of my favorite creations: a sandwich with (imitation) crab, avocado, and homemade aioli.
In summation, I rock at cooking and I can take cool photos of that food, so expect more culinary posts in the future.
Happy Birthday, Jordan!
I’m taking some time today to wish this spectacular lady a, Happy Birthday. Jordan was a regular model on the site for a while, and she’s always been great to work with. We’ve done shoots in studios, graveyards, a river, and frigid cold, and she’s never been anything short of stellar. Hopefully, we can collaborate again soon.
Jordan shows up in a lot of my favorite shots of the year. She’s a fantastic model, great to work with, and I am so bummed that she moved so far away.
Jordan and I got to take over a local Harley Dealership for about an hour.
Reale Media 