MexiPickle

Your Face Will Freeze That Way

2010-12-18T21:03:00.002-05:00

...at least, that's what she used to tell ME!

I snapped this of my mom during Thanksgiving dinner. She probably won't like this one, but I think it's fun and shows a little of her fun, playful side.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Waiting

2010-12-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

Master of All He Surveys

2010-12-07T20:56:00.000-05:00

from Help Portrait
© 2010 Mexipickle

Up Against A Wall

2010-12-06T20:53:00.000-05:00

...and now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

That is, more of the senior portraits from a couple of weeks ago. Not too many left, but I do like some of these.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Pain - Joy - Frustration

2010-12-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

The day I got my new camera, J wanted to stop at the soccer field and play. We ran around and kicked for a while, then I took a break (and a few shots) while he kept practicing.

Can you tell that he is emotional and expressive? Love my son!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Shane

2010-12-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

When setting up the lights, you have to take several test shots to make sure the lights are aimed properly, the camera settings are accurate, and so on. It always helps to have a "model" to provide that real-world feedback and sample photo.

Thanks Shane!

Strobist: SB600 1/4 power through shoot thru umbrella camera left at about his elbow. SB600 1/2 power camera right just above head high through shoot-thru umbrella. fired with cyber syncs. 1/125, f8, ISO200

© 2010 Mexipickle

Evil Eye

2010-12-03T20:43:00.000-05:00

Playing around with my wide angle lens during our recent "senior portrait" shoot. We had fun!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Golden Girl

2010-11-29T20:39:00.000-05:00

More from our senior portrait outing. She was in the shade, but the brick wall was getting full setting sun.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Pan-O-Rama

2010-11-27T20:36:00.000-05:00

More from our senior portrait outing. I kind of like the panorama crop.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Senior-itis

2010-11-26T20:34:00.000-05:00

More shots from my outing with my daughter, in search of a senior portrait.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Senior--BW

2010-11-25T20:31:00.000-05:00

Senior

2010-11-25T20:26:00.000-05:00

So, my daughter is a senior in high school this year. As part of all that, senior portraits are a big deal. My friend has told me for years he wanted to do her portrait, but our schedules have not cooperated. My wife said "Why don't you give it a shot? If you don't get anything good, we'll come up with another plan." So, today was the day. We went to the town square and spent an hour or so. I am fairly pleased--we will have to pick one, but I think we have a few to choose from. This is one of the better ones, I think.

© 2010 Mexipickle

New Gear Always Brings A Smile

2010-11-20T20:22:00.000-05:00

Today was the day. I met up with Dan and bought his D300. Looks like it was new in the box, though it has about 15K shutter activations. Then, J and I went to the soccer field and kicked the ball around. I took a break near the end and tried some shots with the new rig. It 'll take some getting used to, but so far--me likey! ;)

© 2010 Mexipickle

Fun with the 12mm

2010-11-07T16:19:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, our family went out for dinner. I was really wanting to shoot some photos, but didn't want the old, boring, "sitting at dinner" portraits. So, I put on the 12-24 zoom lens and cranked it to 12mm and put it as close to everyone's face as I could. Then, we got silly....and I got some fun photos!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Owsley Reservoir Church

2010-10-09T23:35:00.000-04:00

We took a little exploratory drive before our hike a couple of weeks ago. We found the Owsley Fork Reservoir, which was only being visited by a couple of fishermen. This church overlooks the reservoir. As you can see, there was just a hint of Autumn in the trees.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Friends are the Masterpiece of Nature

2010-10-04T23:33:00.000-04:00

I put this montage together for our friends that let us stay at their little getaway.

Thanks, Ralph, for the tag line!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Come Set and Rest a Spell

2010-10-03T23:30:00.000-04:00

The last few shots I've posted have been from our visit to Kentucky, and here's another one. This perspective gives a better idea of the wonderful setting and peaceful nature of our little cabin.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Rock and Roots

2010-10-02T23:27:00.000-04:00

During our hike last weekend, I was presented with this tableau. I love the way trees grow out of rocks and the lighting was a bonus.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Fall Retreat

2010-09-30T23:25:00.000-04:00

Last week, my wife and I got away for a few days to Berea, Kentucky. This is the cottage our friends loaned us for our anniversary vacation.

Cute, huh?

© 2010 Mexipickle

Cheesy Goodness

2010-09-27T23:22:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, my wife and I got away to a small town in Kentucky, which happens to be where we were married. We celebrated our 21st anniversary Thursday by having dinner at the place we say we fell in love--a little pizza joint on the square. This shot gives a little flavor of the place, though no photo can do justice to the garlic bread or pizza!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Smoking Kills

2010-09-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

On a hike over the weekend, we went down by the reservoir, where we found this poor fellow. Obviously, he hasn't been reading the surgeon general's warnings about cigarette smoking--he was laid out in the middle of the rocky path he'd chosen, dead to the world, flat.

Gone before his time.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Teaching

2010-09-18T22:26:00.000-04:00

Way back when, after I first graduated from college, I worked as a volunteer for the Christian Appalachian Project . As the youngest on both sides of my family, I had absolutely no experience with children. So, they saw fit to place me as a teacher in a child development center, where I taught 3 year old kids (and 4 and 5 year olds, too). It was perhaps the hardest job I've ever had, and I loved every minute of it. I am still learning from those days.

This picture shows me holding the child I most connected with, Jason. Jason came from a poor family and suffered from neglect--he didn't know his own name at the age of 3 because no one ever talked to him. Though it seems a small thing, he and i connected so he started to have a self image, getting to know his name and even a nickname, as well as his colors, numbers, and some interpersonal skills.

If you're looking for an organization to support with your time, prayers, or money, learn about CAP . And don't forget to talk to your kids and take time to listen to what they have to say. Their ideas and thoughts are so inspired and inspiring!

Thanks, Jason, for teaching me so much.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Three of a Kind

2010-09-06T23:16:00.000-04:00

During our snack at The Yogurt Tap in Decatur after the book festival yesterday, I noticed the table top--great green!--and the shapes of some of the missing paint. I doubt this is random peeling, but it looks cool nevertheless.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Long Legs, Great Seat

2010-09-05T23:14:00.000-04:00

After the Decatur Book Festival Sunday, we had a bite at Raging Burrito and some dessert at The Yogurt Tap. While I declined the dessert, I did take a couple of snaps, including this shadow of the nearby stool.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Wren's Nest

2010-08-21T23:12:00.000-04:00

Joel Chandler Harris wrote the Uncle Remus stories while an editor of the Atlanta Constitution. He lived in this house, which was converted to a museum just a few years after his death. This is a Sears house, believe it or not. Read more about it here: www.wrensnestonline.com/ . I encourage any residents or visitors to Atlanta to visit it. And, just down the street, you can watch Krispy Kreme donuts being made and have a hot, fresh, now donut.

My daughter has been working with the Wren's Nest and a group of teens on editing a book. That book will be unveiled durnig the Decatur Book Festival on Labor Day weekend. Put it on your calendars!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Nothing Like The Beach

2010-08-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

Dipping into the photos from our trip to Hilton Head earlier this summer. I used the flash to light up the flowers to give some interest in the foreground of this shot.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Sunrise In The Sand

2010-08-01T23:05:00.001-04:00

As the sun was coming up at the beach, the sand was bathed in a gorgeous purple hue...

© 2010 Mexipickle

A

2010-07-20T23:00:00.000-04:00

My son is J, my daughter is A. This is J wearing a hat with a big A on it....;)

Actually, he's trying to get away from me taking his picture, yet again. But I like this one! He's not as big a Braves fan as I am, but he fakes it to make me happy!

By the way, this was shot with my SB600 with a Fong tupperware with the flash turned down 3 full stops (if i remember correctly) and shot straight up into the Fong.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Beach Acid

2010-07-12T22:57:00.001-04:00

The title is from the "Urban Acid" action I used on this picture of my son, riding his chopper bicycle on the beach at Hilton Head during our recent vacation.

This pretty much captures his essence! lol

© 2010 Mexipickle

Pondering

2010-07-11T22:56:00.000-04:00

My daughter is entering her senior year of high school...and I find myself pondering her future more every day. I think maybe she does, too--along with the realization that she's moving from childhood to adulthood and that time is short. We all make that transition--some more successfully than others--but that doesn't mean it's easy or fun. Heck, I still wish I was 10 or 12 or 14 years old again! But, my daughter will make an excellent adult--better than me!--and I'm excited to know her then. As much as I am excited and pleased and proud to know her now.

Doesn't mean I have to like it!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Birds of a Feather

2010-07-10T22:54:00.000-04:00

Shot from the dolphin tour boat during our vacation on Hilton Head, these birds were just hanging out--probably waiting for something to eat to happen by.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Approaching 88 MPH

2010-07-08T22:53:00.000-04:00

just messing around with some filters in Photoshop. This is a pretty cool bike--chopper and all. My wife found it at a yard sale at the end of the street!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Clouds In My Coffee

2010-07-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

The sunrise on Saturday, our last day on Hilton Head Island, was spectacular. I have quite a few shots, all very different from each other. Hope y'all aren't getting too tired of them.

© 2010 Mexipickle

I Wish I Could See What He Sees

2010-07-06T22:49:00.000-04:00

My son is now ten years old--seems like just last month we were picking him up from Thailand just before his first birthday. As he has grown up, he has developed his own opinions and ideas, as he should. His viewpoint is sometimes quite different from mine, as I guess should be expected.

Sometimes, I wish I could see things as he sees them, with the fresh eyes of a ten year old boy, where all things are possible and most things are new.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Red Sky In The Morning

2010-07-05T22:47:00.000-04:00

More from Saturday's sunrise. The red only lasted a few minutes, so I think the old sailor's rhyme that ends "sailor take warning" really didn't apply--the day was gorgeous.

© 2010 Mexipickle

My Son The Model

2010-07-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Again, Dad (me) takes the camera to the dinner table--this time during our vacation. I put the 50 mm on and turned the flash down -2 stops as it was a little dark (still had the flash on camera but I think I used the Fong Dong) and started shooting. It took quite a while to get our food, so J decided to start modeling for me.

Made me smile! :D

© 2010 Mexipickle

It's Gonna Be Another Great Day

2010-07-03T22:43:00.000-04:00

Last day of vacation I got up about 6 a.m. and headed to the beach for the sunrise. I think it was the best day for it (of course, I didn't see the other days' sunrises) because the overcast was gone but some clouds were still hanging around. It was windy, but cool. The colors cooperated and I feel fortunate to have captured them.

16mm hand held

© 2010 Mexipickle

Crabber J II

2010-07-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

We had a very nice evening at Shelter Cove last night--dinner "al fresco" with a nice musician adding ambiance, then walking along the marina, another musician doing a fun show (Shannon Tanner, if you've ever been to Shelter Cove he's been entertaining for over 20 years), then some Italian ice while we sat by the dock. I snapped this near the dock while we were eating ice cream.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Salt Marsh

2010-06-30T22:32:00.000-04:00

Vacation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. After a nice dolphin-watching cruise, this was the walk back to the mainland.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Focusing On The Challenge

2010-06-23T22:30:00.000-04:00

J took swim lessons earlier this summer. I visited on the last day and took a few shots, like the last one I posted. Here, he's getting instruction on one of the strokes.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Kilroy

2010-06-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

My son took his annual week of swim lessons this past week. Saturday was the final class and I was able to make it (I didn't get to any during the week). I took a few shots of him trying the different strokes, as well as standing by the pool. This is one of my favorites.

© 2010 Mexipickle

My Son's Recent Step Toward Adulthood

2010-06-05T22:25:00.001-04:00

During our dinner out last week, my wife and I enjoyed a beer (Asahi for me, Tsing Tao for her) with our Asian cuisine. For some reason, my son (age 10) REALLY wanted to pour the beer. He explained to us how important it was to tip the glass while pouring...I have no idea where he learned that as I always drink my beer out of the bottle!

Sometimes I worry about my son's teen years (or me, during those years!).

© 2010 Mexipickle

Birthday Girl

2010-05-31T22:24:00.001-04:00

Saturday was my daughter's 17th birthday. What a blessing she is!

As part of her day, we ended up going out to "Noodle," a local restaurant that has all types of Asian food. I shot this while we were waiting for our food to be prepared, then added an "aged photo" action in Lightroom.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Breakaway

2010-05-22T22:22:00.001-04:00

My son started a breakaway toward the goal in last week's game. I don't think this resulted in a goal, but they did the the hard-fought contest 5-4 last week, against a previously undefeated team. Today's game was 5-0--a good season with only 1 loss and 1 tie.

© 2010 Mexipickle

A Few of My Favorite Things

2010-05-18T22:20:00.001-04:00

When I was a kid, the only thing I wanted was baseball--watching it, playing it, reading about it, practicing it, collecting cards about it--anything. I always had my glove on my hand, a PitchBack in the yard, or was tossing pop flys to myself. We played baseball or cork ball or stick ball or wiffle ball--anything as long as we could throw and bat.

This may be my favorite shot of me. I was 6 years old and my dad was playing softball (fast ptich, or course). I always sat or stood at the fence, watching everything. Dad was the pitcher, and man, could he throw! By this age, I was already catching (with gear) for my older brother's Little League team, even though I was too young to play (back then, they didn't let you play until you were seven). I even had an old fashioned "calculator" that I kept score with--the kind that had like 8 columns and you used a stylus to move a track of numbers and it would add/subtract/mulitply/divide automatically.

I still love baseball, but I don't play anymore. But gosh, this photo puts me back at that field and with that passion all over again!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Independence Hall

2010-04-30T22:18:00.002-04:00

Id est quam volvam

2010-04-29T22:13:00.002-04:00

My daughter, poised to be the charioteer as her friends are the "horses." They did okay, but they didn't win.

"Id est quam volvam" = "That's how we roll."

© 2010 Mexipickle

If This Were A Video, You'd Hear A Grunt

2010-04-28T22:11:00.000-04:00

During my son's soccer game today, I shot photo, as I usually do. This is J's best friend who is also on his soccer team this season. Here he has chased down a ball and is returning it to his offensive field.

So far, the team is undefeated and un-scored upon this season. Yeah, we've got a stacked team.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Cheez Whiz, That's a Good Cheesesteak!

2010-04-27T22:07:00.002-04:00

During our visit to Philly ventured to the south end of the city for a (Philly) cheesesteak from Pat's. Pat's King of Steaks, to be exact.

I personally went with the provolone on my sandwich, but I think the authentic 'steak is made with CheezWhiz. Thankfully, they had a generous supply of it!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Chariot of Fire--Down in Flames

2010-04-26T22:03:00.001-04:00

My daughter ~~is now~~ was a junior in high school and is finishing up her third year of Latin. The Latin 3 class suggested to their teacher that they have a chariot race, with the students forming teams of charioteers and "horses."

So, Tuesday was race day. My daughter was one of the charioteers, pulled by two of her friends. Of the 5 teams in the race, 2 failed to finish (one shown here--the driver fell out of the chariot and was DQ). A's team did finish, but did not qualify for the final--so that's a 3rd place finish. Not bad for homemade and all by the 4 girls on the team.

Replete with Olympic music, an announcer, and a large crowd on hand, this was the first annual chariot race event. Next year's is already being planned!

© 2010 Mexipickle

God Wants Us To Be Happy

2010-04-24T21:55:00.002-04:00

During our time in Philadelphia, we went to lunch at City Tavern, which has been around since the 1700s. "Back in the day" the Continental Congress hung our there, imbibing from time to time. So, we did too. This sampler of beers had four brews made with recipes dating back to the founding of our country. Pretty tasty, too.

© 2010 Mexipickle

She Couldn't Leave Her History Behind

2010-04-22T21:52:00.001-04:00

So, my daughter is a good student. Part of our Spring Break trip was used to visit colleges--4 of them, to be exact. As part of her current curriculum, she is taking A.P. (advanced placement) U.S. History. Her teacher offered extra credit to any student who took their text book on break and got a picture of it in a historical spot. With 4 days in Philadelphia, that was a snap for us! That book went to Independence Hall, Christ Church, the Liberty Bell, and Elfreth Alley, among others. Bonus points here we come! Whoo Hoo!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Shaftway

2010-04-11T23:15:00.000-04:00

Walking down the street in Philadelphia, I noticed this assortment of doors, windows, and signs. Especially intrigued by the "shaftway" sign, I clicked the Nikon.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Set for Breakfast

2010-04-08T23:14:00.001-04:00

After another day of sight seeing and college visiting, we thought we'd end with dinner at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. Well, we walked in at 5:59, unaware that they closed at 6:00. We picked up a little produce and then headed across the street to a sports bar/grill for a bite. Before we had to hustle out, I got a couple of shots. I think it was nice that there wasn't anyone else around. I thought it was really nice that they were already set up for breakfast!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Pat's King of Steaks

2010-04-07T23:12:00.001-04:00

While in Philadelphia, one has to have a cheesesteak! We headed over to Pat's in South Philly, the creator of the Philly cheesesteak. Geno's was right across the corner, but we stuck with Pat's. It was yummy, but next time I've got to add the peppers....ah, lessons learned!

The goofball in the window waited on us at the steak ordering window and he was a great guy. Head that way when in Philly!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Elfreth Alley

2010-04-05T23:05:00.001-04:00

Our Spring Break includes visits to Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Our first day in Philly included the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Christ Church, and a bunch of other sites important in our nation's history.

Elfreth Alley is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited residential areas in the country, dating to the early 1700s. There are a couple places for rent or sale if you're interested!

© 2010 Mexipickle

Agrumi

2010-03-13T23:03:00.001-05:00

Walking down the street in Virginia Highlands (neighborhood in Atlanta), I had my 50 mm lens on the D70. This display was in a store window (I really don't remember what store it was). I was digging all the orangey goodness, even if it was tangerine, not orange.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Stripes

2010-03-12T23:02:00.001-05:00

After dinner the other night, while eating a little gelato, my daughter put her feet up on the bench in front of me. What better excuse to take a photo? ;)

© 2010 Mexipickle

Jack

2010-03-11T23:01:00.001-05:00

Virginia Highlands Dark Lord

2010-03-01T22:59:00.001-05:00

Saturday night, my family went to dinner with my brother and his wife. Looking for something better than the chain places, we ended up at Highland Tap Room in Virginia Highlands. I'd never been there, and enjoyed it. The food was great, even though the lighting level was WAY low. After dinner, we walked down the street and bough the kids gelato. This was shot while we were eating the frozen treat.

Do you see the Dark Lord part? Look top/center-left.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Snow Bird

2010-02-14T22:58:00.001-05:00

It's taken me a while to get the shots from our snow experience out of my camera. While my landscape shots are just so-so, I do like this shot of my son, taken just after he made a snow angel. Doesn't he look like an angel? ;)

© 2010 Mexipickle

Farmer to Be?

2010-02-12T22:56:00.001-05:00

Over the Christmas break, we visited my brother in law and his family. This is his granddaughter, my niece's daughter. A cutie!

I used a Fong LightSphere on my flash, mounted on my camera, to light this. I know it's just a Tupperware, but i think it does a pretty good job.

© 2010 Mexipickle

I Think the Path Is Clear

2010-02-01T22:54:00.001-05:00

During Christmas vacation, I took a walk around the town near where my in-laws live. It was cold and snowy, but they had the sidewalk clear.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Fate

2010-01-17T22:53:00.001-05:00

As I look at this shot, I think..."Why did my foot land where it landed? Why didn't this leaf get crunched into bits? I barely missed it with 2 feet...this leaf must have some unfinished business on this earth!"

Weird, huh?

© 2010 Mexipickle

Cornerstone

2010-01-16T22:51:00.001-05:00

During a walkabout in PA at Christmas time, I found this cornerstone at the local college.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Duskiness

2010-01-16T22:49:00.001-05:00

Out to dinner last night with my son, we were sitting at an eating bar at Willy's Mexican watching the sun set. This, with a little cross processing, was the scene as we watched the day end. Good times.

© 2010 Mexipickle

2 Crush

2010-01-15T22:45:00.001-05:00

Hanging out at the pizza joint Saturday night. My son had an Orange Crush with dinner, and the restaurant used this number 2--also in orange--to identify our order. I figured it was meant to be, so I took a pic.

Just a few days after we ate here, the restaurant burned down, along with most of the rest of the old city block!

© 2010 Mexipickle

The Secret Agent Eyeballed The Target

2010-01-14T22:42:00.001-05:00

This is my nephew (the son of my niece--whatever that relationship is). During our Christmas trip, we visited at their house, where a play was put on. Only a few of us got to be in the audience--the rest were players!

shot using SB600, on camera, using a Gary Fong sphere, which helped light up his eye.

© 2010 Mexipickle

I (Heart) Spencer

2010-01-12T22:37:00.002-05:00

Split Rail Snow

2010-01-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

Outside my in-laws house in Pennsylvania, they have an out building--just a shed to store the mower and other tools--and this split rail fence. The trees are wonderful, and back to the left of the shed is the garden. Their garden produces some of the best-tasting veggies I've ever had! Not so much in the snow, but the freezer keeps a lot of it fresh for the winter months.

© Mexipickle 2010

Morning Walk After A Snowy Night

2010-01-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

We spent an enjoyable week in northwest Pennsylvania, visiting family. We enjoyed a few snowfalls, replete with snow ball fights and snowman making. Of course, the last one that started during the drive home was less fun. I hope we make it home tonight and that the WV roads aren't too icy.

This outdoor basketball court seemed to speak volumes about winter up here and that it's time to move inside for the winter.

© Mexipickle 2010

Season Over--See You In Spring

2010-01-06T20:43:00.000-05:00

Her Favorite Christmas Gift

2010-01-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

So, despite all the pretty clothes, the new Ipod, and the gift cards, my daughter's favorite gift this Christmas is this hat. She wears it in the house, outside, all the time. Oh, and the gloves that go with it.
Sometimes, it's the simple things in life!

For lighting, I used a setup I read about on Strobist a long time ago. I recently bought a set of CyberSync remotes for my flash unit (SB600) (don't have the 2nd flash, yet). I put the flash on a tripod and set it in the corner of the room. It served to light up the room and everyone's faces without worrying about hitting them from the camera. I shot manual, f/5.6, ISO 400, 1/100. Flash was about 90 degrees camera left, pointed up and bouncing off the ceiling. I have a high, vaulted ceiling--maybe I should've put the Fong on?

© Mexipickle 2010

Team

2010-01-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

Indoor soccer season started Saturday. This is the first time we've done that. Due to a scheduling snafu, the other team didn't show up. That worked out well, giving the team a chance to learn to play on the indoor field. There's no 'out of bounds'--you play the ball off the boards. Different, but fun! The kids get totally worn out since they never stop running.

© Mexipickle 2010

As Summer Slowly Floats into Winter

2010-01-03T20:32:00.003-05:00

I was on a business trip to north Georgia back in late September when I heard the call of this little river access on the Chestatee River. I actually made a U-turn and went back to check it out. The big parking lot was empty, but indicated that this is a popular boat-launching spot in Summer. The day I was there was a perfect early Autumn mid-morning. I could still feel the warmth of Summer but also got a taste of the looming Winter. If it were closer, it would make a great vantage point for shots during all of the seasons.

© 2010 Mexipickle

Gotham Waited for Batman to Appear

2009-12-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

While traveling in North Carolina recently, I had a hotel room that opened up to this view. The night was foggy and misty and the lights around the building reminded me of something Gotham City might look like when they needed Batman!

© Mexipickle 2009

Three Faces of E

2009-12-01T21:17:00.000-05:00

During lunch on Saturday, I kept snapping pics of my dad, until he got mad at me and asked me--no, told me--to stop. So I did, mostly. Of course, I missed a really good shot of his "mad face," which would've been a nice member of this triptych.

My dad is the smartest man I've ever known, and talking to him is something I treasure. He never ceases to surprise me with his analysis of things.

My dad is a junior, my grandfather was the senior and my brother is the 3rd. Just FYI. :)

© Mexipickle 2009

Red Rule

2009-11-30T21:15:00.000-05:00

My dad, brother, and I spent Saturday afternoon having a long, leisurely lunch at Tap, a restaurant in Midtown Atlanta. Our server was a very nice young lady, pictured here. Jessica's flaming hair was a remnant of her Halloween costume. She plans to go blue next!

"The Red Rule" states "if you see red, shoot it"--so i did. ;)

© Mexipickle 2009

Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge

2009-11-29T21:13:00.000-05:00

Y'all are probably getting tired of seeing picture after picture of my son...oh well, like there are all that many folks looking at my pics! I was playing around at the mall and J was entertaining himself by making faces. This was shot with my 12-24 mm lens (Tokina) at 12 mm.

© Mexipickle 2009

Smiley

2009-11-28T21:12:00.002-05:00

Thailand is called "The Land of 10,000 Smiles." My son is from Thailand, and in the few years I've known him, he's given us at least that many! Here's one from our play time on Sunday

Strobist: SB600 speedlight on the table, camera right set to 1/64 (I think)...fired with Nikon CLS using pop-up flash on the D70.

© Mexipickle 2009

At The Mall

2009-11-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Sunday (a couple weeks ago) I got to "hang out" with my son, including playing football at the high school stadium and then lunch at the mall. While we were wating for my wife/his mom to join us, I entertained myself by taking his picture. He asked me to take a "half face" shot, and then he took mine. Of course, he's a much better looking model than I am, and this is my photostream, so there won't be any shots of ME....

This was done entirely in Lightroom 1.4 and I used the Dragan 4 cross process preset.

© Mexipickle 2009

Dedication

2009-11-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

These 2 kids are on my son's soccer team. After about 8 weeks of rain (or so it seems), with more today, the soccer games today were played on quite a muddy field. Their team won 5-0 mainly because the other team didn't want to play in the mud. As you can see, this team had no problems with that!

© Mexipickle 2009

Gold Altar

2009-11-13T21:02:00.000-05:00

This is the main altar/tabernacle at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. The intricate gold is astounding and stunningly beautiful. Go see it!

Well, what are you waiting for?

© Mexipickle 2009

Sky Dome

2009-10-29T20:59:00.000-04:00

This is one building I never get tired of shooting, and an angle I never get tired of using--the admin building at the University of Notre Dame, the famed "Gold Dome".

Redeeming Grief

2009-10-26T13:31:00.000-04:00

This is a section of a sculpture at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. It is the removal of Jesus' body from the cross. I felt the artist did an amazing job of capturing the facial expressions on each person in the scene. The man behind Jesus particularly intrigued me, and the grief is evident on his face. Imagine the look on his face 3 days later, when they found the empty tomb, or after that, when Jesus appeared to the desicples in the locked room.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Basilica

2009-10-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

This is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. It is absolutely gorgeous and hard to capture in a photo, at least when I left my tripod in the car. I also feel very self-conscious when shooting in a church. One can feel the Spirit in this church, and there are many people there to pray or just spend time with God. I don't want to distract them from that, nor do I want to be disrespectful in the church.

But.....

the colors and majesty are absolutely stunning and beg to be shot.

This is the main altar (lower right), the tabernacle (center), and the rear of the church (with side altar) to the back of the tabernacle.

To read more about the Basilica, go to the basilica's home page.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Party Animal

2009-10-24T16:30:00.001-04:00

Meet my mom. Last weekend, my brother invited us to attend the Notre Dame-USC football game at Notre Dame. So, the kids and I, and my mom, headed up there (my wife had to work). The six of us had a great weekend, which included a tailgater before the game.

This was my mom's first college football game (or so she claimed!) and first tailgater (again--she claims). As you can see, she has great form and seemed to be an old pro!

(To be fair, this was my son's football and my brother's beer--mom didn't have either!)
© 2009 Mexipickle

Grrr-V

2009-09-08T21:23:00.000-04:00

You never know what you'll see driving on the freeway in Atlanta.

Today, I was riding with my brother up I-85 heading to Lake Lanier when we happened upon this pick-up/dog pen. I'm not sure what's going on here....could be that the driver doesn't like the pit bull in the cab with him, but doesn't want him jumping out of the bed of the truck....could be that he's moving and wants to keep his dog safe....could be that he's homeless and this is how he cares for his dog. I don't know why I only know that it made me look more than once!

© 2009 Mexipickle

Self Portrait?

2009-09-07T21:19:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was on the road and bored and had my tripod and light stand (ghetto) with me. I thought I'd try some self portraits.

Y'know, that's a lot harder than it looks.

This is the best shot I got. You might notice something missing...like "self" in this "self portrait!" My flash was malfunctioning...I'm not a good portrait sitter...I have no clue what I'm doing....so, this is what I got--a test shot!

Maybe someday I'll try again.

© 2009 Mexipickle

California Boy

2009-09-06T21:17:00.001-04:00

Recently, my family had the pleasure of a visit from my first cousin and his grandson. They are both true Californians. My cousin Mike still surfs most days (at 60 years old) and takes his grandson, Adam, with him regularly. Adam is the prototypical California kid--blond hair, green eyes, gorgeous smile, and a great tan, all with a lovely personality and attitude. At 12, he has a great balance of respect and joking around that worked well with my 9 year old, me, and my dad. It was my pleasure having him here and I hope they both come back soon.

Hang ten guys!

Oh, this was processed using the high bleach bypass from Lightroom, and that's about all.

© 2009 Mexipickle

The Elijah Cup

2009-07-25T22:56:00.003-04:00

Our church has a program called "The Elijah Cup." Each week, a family takes a chalice home from Mass and, using that as a focal point, prays for a week for vocations--for priests, deacons, brothers and sisters. We also pray for the ministers that are currently serving, that they are led by the spirit and buoyed by the people they serve. It was nice spending time each evening after dinner with my son and daughter (and my mom, too) praying and thinking and remembering all of the ministers who have served us over the years. I have moved quite a bit, and always attended Catholic school, so there was a long list of priests and nuns that emerged from the cobwebs of my mind during this week of prayer.

The name of this program comes from the story of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17:7-15. In that story, the Lord ensures the widow, her son, and Elijah have food during a drought for a year, with the oil and flour never running out. It took me a while to figure out why this passage was chosen, but then it occurred to me--just as God didn't let the widow's groceries deplete, He will not let the supply of priests and other ministers deplete, despite the drought of young people committing to this type of service. And so, we pray for the young people called to serve, and we pray for their friends, that they will encourage following this call, and we pray for their families that they will support their sons, daughters, brothers and sisters as they work to live up to God's call.

Forgive the sermon, but it's been an interesting week. As we've been praying for vocations, my wife has been following in Jesus' footsteps during a 2 week pilgrimage to the Holy Land...very powerful stuff! I can't wait to hear all the stories.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Mother and Son

2009-07-12T21:02:00.000-04:00

Friday was my brother's birthday. The number doesn't matter--the fact that he's STILL 2 years older than me does matter! ;)

My mom is giving my brother a big "happy birthday" hug.

I love my family!

© 2009 Mexipickle

New River Gorge Bridge

2009-07-04T09:52:00.002-04:00

The longest arch bridge in the western hemisphere is over the New River on US Highway 19 just north of Beckley, West Virginia. The road is 876 feet above the river...enough to put the Washington Monument and 2 Statues of Liberty and still have room left over!
© 2009 Mexipickle

Wettin' A Line

2009-06-22T21:57:00.000-04:00

At the church picnic Saturday, J wanted to try fishing. The first time he tried was about 2 weeks ago, so we tried again yesterday. We haven't caught anything yet, but it's really more about the casting than the catching at this point.

After spending about ten minutes detangling the line after one of his more creative casting motions, I gave him the rod and reel. First cast....another knot, this one requiring cutting the line and starting all over again.

Of course, everytime he casts he expects to hook a huge fish within, oh, 3 seconds of the hook hitting the water. That hasn't happened yet, although a couple of folks with us did catch a couple of bass. I hope we get a chance to really whet his fishing appetite. It's not one of my big hobbies (I think Flickr/photography are in the top spot), but if he likes it, I'll help him.
© 2009 Mexipickle

Bridge to...

2009-06-19T21:44:00.000-04:00

the New River Gorge overlook and view of the arch bridge. The bridge here is the longest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. I really was pleased to see the woods were still in Spring green, not the dark green and hot temperatures of Summer.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Moss Covered Rocks

2009-06-18T22:13:00.001-04:00

This tributary feeds into Slippery Rock Creek near McConnel's Mill State Park near Butler, Pennsyslvania.
© 2009 Mexipickle

Who's That Behind Those Foster Grants?

2009-06-17T18:55:00.000-04:00

My daughter, during our vacation. She's a big 16-year old now, and a beautiful young lady. The best part is, she likes a lot of the pics I take of her!

© 2009 Mexipickle

Tinker's Bridge

2009-06-16T21:04:00.001-04:00

Near the campsite where we stayed in Pennsylvania was this closed bridge. It had been replaced with a newer one, that was being re-worked, just down the river. There was no date on the bridge, unfortunately.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Vroom Vroom

2009-06-15T21:01:00.000-04:00

For some reason, this shot looks to me like it ought to have a sports car--blace Mercedes or red 'Vette or something-- racing down this road, which is where the title comes from.

I haven't been shooting much lately, some because my camera was in the shop for about a month. I don't seem to like anything I take these days, so I'm not fired up about tripping the shutter. I think I need to shoot MORE, not less, to get through that. Need to find time to do that, or make it more of a priority, I guess.

© 2009 Mexipickle

Stepping into Adulthood

2009-03-29T00:37:00.001-04:00

My daughter's best friend celebrated her "sweet 16th" birthday recently. I did some pre-ceremony shots and then helped Julie with the formal shots. This was in the suite prior to K getting ready. In a symbolic part of the ceremony, she changes from tennis shoes to heels, signifying her move from childhood to adulthood.
© 2009 Mexipickle