Shiloh

Pam and I took a day-trip to Shiloh National Cemetery, in Tennessee this weekend, while the weather was so beautiful. It was a great day for taking pictures and having a picnic. This first pic is a monument from Iowa. It had to have cost a fortune. The bronze statue was larger-than-life.


There were cannon everywhere.


All flags were at half-mast as this was two days after the killings in Texas at Fort Hood.

The dead trees were indicative of the somber mood here - the living among the dead.



As we were leaving, we noticed this beautiful ginkgo tree shedding it's leaves. It was huge.

Borden 2

On our way out, we stopped to snap a few more of the colors.


This is upstream from the last pic uploaded; same rocks from a different perspective.

Halloween

Top photo is from Borden Creek Bridge in the Bankhead National forest, North Alabama. The next photo is newlyweds - Crisco and Linda - celebrating Halloween.

Family Fun

Crisco's best friend, Super Steve, came over the other day and since the weather was so nice, we decided to have a shoot. (That's little Kyra in the last shot; future model)

The Wedding

Crisco and Linda were married Saturday, August 22, 2009 in Frazier Park, Decatur, Alabama. It is a small, secluded park with a Japanese theme. The time of day and weather were perfect for pictures and when I get the chance, I'll add some more.
In the second photo is Super Steve, Crisco, Linda, and Marilyn.
In the third photo, with Crisco and Linda, is Kyra, Linda's little one - she's a doll, and I'm her Poppa Mike!
In the fourth photo; just Linda and Kyra by the fountain.
In the next photo is Linda's sister Celeste and beside Crisco is Super Steve.
The last one is little Miss Kyra. It was a good day.

Amber Falls Winery and Cellars

The Pavilions

Old Smokehouse on the site

An old home on the way to the winery

Pam and I took a road trip to Tennessee again, this weekend, and wound up visiting a winery on Ridgetop road in Hampshire, Tennessee. If you're in the area, you have go by a check it out. Meet Tim, who was super helpful in allowing us an abundant test-testing of their fine wines. Pam enjoyed it so much, she forgot to add her last name when filling out the visitor's card! They truly are a "must see"!

(You can just "Google" Amber Falls Winery, and learn all about their operation)!

A Little Bit of My Work

My wife, Pam, is an artist, too, so one day we both felt creative and it resulted in this. She had been telling me of some work she had done before with body painting so she worked on herself and I set up some lighting and shot several shots. Just a little post-production (worked with her eyes) and there ya have it! (Click for larger view)

Glenda, a lady I use to work with, brought her grandchildren by for a family shoot. The little girl was shy at first, and when she had a reflective moment, I snapped this shot. It really was a good one for post-production work. (Click for larger view)

This is my niece, Anna, who came by for a Christmas-time portrait. I like to give most of my portraits an artistic touch at post-production time. (Click for larger view)

Crisco came home for Christmas and we had a father-to-son talk. (jk; this was an experiment with wireless strobes).

This was painted in '95. I call it Fruit & Friends. I bought the items, set the shot up with lights using my old Minolta XD-11 film camera, and worked from the print as reference. This was also gouache and pastels. The original is 18" x 24" and hangs in my mother's home. (Click for larger view)

I painted this one of my son, Crisco, when he was two. It is gouache and pastels. The original was 18" x 24". His mother has it framed in her home. (Click for larger view)

I've done quite a few house portraits in my career; this was a surprise birthday gift for a dentist from his wife. I had to shoot the reference pics (in winter; in fact, the fountain was frozen), mount the paper to the board and paint it in less than a week! I LOVE deadlines! Gouache & pastels.

Jeep Project - Posting #2

I started by working on the tires and wheels. Crisco had bought some used tires and wheels locally two or three years ago when we had dropped the lift. I liked the wheels, but didn't really care for the tires. My brother, Keith, had a set of tires he had taken off "Old Rusty", and had stored at our Mom's place. He let me use them as they were the right size - 15". It seems they set the Jeep off pretty well. (Click on pics)
Check out my other blog at zillion2one.blogspot.com for a step-by-step instruction of applying decals to this Jeep.

Jeep Project - Posting #1

I'm starting a new project on an old item. Namely, an 1985 Jeep CJ7. I had purchased this Renegade in '99, and it was in relatively good shape. Replete with certain amenities as wide 33" tires, 2" body lift, hard top; it was eye-candy. The large tires proved it's undoing, however. Right after buying it, my son, Crisco, came to live with me. Being 15, he had contracted the driving bug, so guess what? He had only driven automatics up to this point, so the 4-speed took some time to acquire a proficiency at handling the beast. It didn't take long for a toll-taking on the rear end resulting in a broken axle. He developed a feel for it after a while, but after he and I had moved to Decatur and he was attending Austin High, the motor slung a rod. After a rebuilt-motor, removal of lift and large tires, it was cheaper and easier to handle. But looks-wise, this is what it was reduced to. Crisco got a job and moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama and had a more-dependable car, but needed more money than he was making down there. He called and wanted me to see if I could sell the Jeep. I didn't want to let another one get away from me (this is the fourth one I've had), so we bought it back. So, now I'm attempting to return it to it's former state of glory, little by little. I will try to keep you informed of my progress with pics. (Click on pic).

Out The Front Door

I'm a little late in getting this out, but this was after the storm we had back on March 10; golf ball-sized hail you can see there in the front yard (Click on pic). You are looking at the storm as it is moving away, toward Decatur.

Azaleas

This shot of my Mom's azaleas was taken on Easter, 4/12/09. (Click on picture for a closer view)

Lense

Playing around with Illustrator and Photoshop. Lense was done in Illustrator with a series of gradients and then imported into Photoshop.

Steph's First Prom

Steph's boyfriend, Jeremy, was a senior this year, and it was her first prom. We had plans on going to the park on the river in Decatur, Alabama to shoot some outside shots. As plans usually go awry, and in the commotion and hustle and bustle that is the confusion in such instances, time ran short and darkness fell. We did not have time to go across town to the park. Luckily, I had brought a couple of strobes and wireless transmitter; but no tripods. So, two sisters-Steph's mom and Pam-held the strobes for me, and we shot in their apartment. Background of some flowers in Texas was added later and Photoshopped a little. They were pleased with the result.

DCA III

Crisco's brother and his wife commissioned me to paint a portrait of their son, Trey. I think the photo they sent me was when he was around two? This was also an 18" x 24" mixed media - gouache/pastel. I've heard she's pregnant, again.... Congratulations!!

Crisco At Two

This is an opaque watercolor I did of my son, Crisco, at the age of two (he's now 25). His half-brother and sister had had portraits made at about the same age by an old gentleman in Florence, Alabama. He did them the old-fashion way; much like old senior portraits were done at that time. A black-and-white printed on a canvas board, then tinted with oils made to resemble an oil painting. I couldn't afford the price at the time, so I painted one myself from some pics we had made from a photographer in Decatur. Crisco's mother has the original 18" x 24" framed in her home.

Once A Home

I shot this pic back in '02, I think, in North Alabama, close to the Tennessee River. It has since been torn down. It stood the test of time for well over 100 years, but driving by one day about a year later, I saw it had vanished. I wonder sometimes if the photos I took are the only ones ever taken of it's life. In my childhood, this was a common sight in Alabama; Times, they are a'changin'. (And not for the better, I'm afraid)

Essence Of Innocence

Glenda, a lady I worked with once at a print shop, brought her grandchildren over for Christmas pics last year and this little one made for some memorable shots. As I've stated before, a camera is just another art tool; a means to an end. Each shot should evoke something from the viewer; hopefully, this one does.

Fruit & Friends

For those who don't know, I thought I would give a small sampling of the things that interest me. "Fruit & Friends" was created in '95. All this stuff was purchased, and set up on the kitchen table. A work light was set up to the left and the burgundy backdrop was a bedsheet. I took the shot with my old Minolta XD-11, then worked from the print. This was a mixed media - opaque watercolor (gouache) and pastels. For traditional artwork, this is my favorite media.