Boone, NC :: Ship Rock

I especially like this photo because I'm pretty sure I squint when I look at it. I give you permission to stare at the sun. Just this one. Try if you dare. This particular evening we hiked up in a furious gust of wind, but the payoff was priceless. Mountain sides of luminous color challenged our previous perception of reality. Seriously, it was gorgeous. Today, most of the color is gone. We are heading into winter and all I've got to remind me of those colors is this post... well, and a few other photos. Maybe if you ask I'll put up another.
*update*
Due to requests I've selected two more photos to post. There is always some sort of journey on your way to adventure and the first photo shows my friend Chad working through the underside of the beauty you see in photo two. Photo two was taken after the sun had dipped below the mountain to the left and the remaining light caused the trees to glow in a strange and beautiful way.

Boone, NC :: Fall, Fetch, Explosives

Kristen and I went for a walk with our dog, Chai, on a beautiful, foggy day. Seriously, we love the fog. Even the rain is fun for us. Our house is surrounded by woods and the mountains and hills serve as a pretty decent backdrop. Okay, it's amazing and we love every bit of it. Going for hikes through the woods is becoming a favored activity for us, and Chai continues to tell us she's pretty sure she is part Australian Shepherd. Seriously, Chai. She chases deer on a daily bases and has yet to be challenged. Her ego is huge. Today she posed on a ton of explosives kept in a vault in the woods. I think this whole outside dog routine is really getting to her.

Boone, NC :: Step Outside And Look Up

Sometimes I just have to step outside and look up into the heavens, take a deep breath, talk to God and jump back in to whatever I am doing. Late last night I wandered around outside our home, camera in hand. I have a thousand things I want to do, updating this blog being one of them, but through all the spinning items in my head I could not seem to focus on even one. Looking up into the vastness of the universe has a way of loosening the tightening strap around my list of things to do, my worries, my fears. Sometimes even my desire for the greatest endeavors get pushed into a box, and the once beautiful wrappings begin to take on a more ominous color, and the bows and ribbons turn into ugly vines. So many things requiring so much time I cannot seem to provide. "Stepping outside" seems to put everything back in to perspective. God is my King, I am his servant, whatever it is that I am able to do I want to perform for the service of Him. The heavens have a way of restoring my will and encouraging my spirit. Praise be to God for being such a wonderful escape.
Psalm 16:11 says,
"You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

WonderDog :: Boone, NC

I'm back from Boliva and am quite pleased with my first international assignment. I regret to say that, unlike what we would like to believe, it isn't possible to blog from every corner of the world; well, unless you can pay for satellite. Since I cannot afford the luxuries of world blogging the photos I have taken over the last ten days have added together to form a very large number. So, for now, I give you "WonderDog." Chai is capable of leaping over tall buildings and small people when on the prowl for tennis balls. Here is a rare capture of this athletic creature in mid flight.

Wedding :: Catherine & JM

Saturday was a beautiful day for love. Catherine and JM are two very sweet people who wear their hearts on their sleeves. It was a privilege to photograph their wedding day alongside the talented Matt Powell.

Assisting One of the Best :: Weddings

Matthew Morgan gave me a great opportunity to shoot two weddings alongside him as his assistant, and I am very grateful. These are a few frames, from my camera, that I enjoy the most. Thank you Matt for being very gracious with your knowledge, for teaching me the ropes when it comes to wedding photography. I admire and appreciate the way you serve your clients. Also a thank you to the pair of brides and grooms: Katie and Mark. Krissy and Daryl. Your days were beautiful.

Kristen :: the best smile

Millenium Park Fountain :: Chicago, IL

On this particular day, July 22, 2006, we all gathered in Chicago, IL to celebrate the year in which we were all in our twenties. It has always been a somewhat difficult task for all four of my siblings and I to gather in the same location. Life has a history of taking us in different directions. I am hoping for a pause. I hope that we can pause long enough to reacquaint ourselves with one another and live life side by side. Even if just for a while. Kristen and I will be moving to Wisconsin, in May, to do just that; to live with family we usually travel so far to see, to reacquaint ourselves with people we love.
This decision we have made comes with great excitement and wonder, but leaving those we have come to know and love has produced some of the most sobering moments we have known. To life and all of its adventures.

Through the Fog :: Off-Roading Part II

Through the Fog :: Off-Roading

My good friend, Troy, asked me to go four-wheeling in the mountains and I jumped in without hesitation. I hope to post a few more photos of our trip in hopes that you may also feel the absolute thrill of traversing gnarly terrain in one of the coolest jeeps ever...

John & Katie :: Branches

I am very proud of my brothers, and here to represent that pride is John. John and his lovely girlfriend, Katie, seek to live each day in focus with their savior, Jesus Christ; for that I am truly grateful. Jesus said in John 15:5 of the Bible, "I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much fruit. However, apart from Me you can do nothing."

Visitation Rights

Kristen and I have been able to carve out a few moments, among our growing list of things to do, to spend time with some of the most important people we know. Family. Over the next few days I will post some moments we have spent together and explain some of the details of our increasingly exciting life.
This photo displays some of the boundless energy shared (in great portions) by Kristen and our sister-in-law, Kelly. You find good help and they run off with your equipment.

My Sweet Valentine

My best friend. My bride. The moment we met, and I shook your hand, my breath was taken away and replaced with a joy that will never say farewell. By God's grace I will love you like no one ever has or ever will.

Storm Clouds

The last few days have been perfectly made for hot soup, blankets and a good book. There is nothing quite like the smell of rain and the sound of water splashing into puddles growing underneath the windowsill, but now I think the clouds are retreating. Sunny SoCal needs a good washing every once in a while. *update* It is Monday morning and the storm has returned. Yesterday's retreat was a major deception. The rain continues to fall.

Nicole and Scott

It was a great privilege to shoot these photos for Nicole and Scott Kruse. We only had a short window of time to capture a few, fun images but they jumped right in with some great energy. My wife, Kristen, and friend, Jon Troast, helped to make this possible by lending their new-found talent with reflectors.

San Clemente Pier

Old Mans

This photo is from a well-worn lifeguard tower that once overlooked the classic surfing break, "Old Mans" of San Onofre. Now it sits on a parking lot far above the beach it used to guard. Yellow tape drapes from its corners to caution us, I am sure, of this recently evicted tenant's displeasure. Much history has passed under its watchful eye, including my own. My first session was during the winter of 2005 when the water was a chilling 57 degrees and a constant pulse of waves hammered the very willpower of my desire. I confess I more or less crawled up the beach nearly drowned with exhaustion, but I wanted to go back. I needed to go back. Floating on the surface of the deep, faced with an immense, borderless horizon, hoping that a set will rise. It is striking, really. I am certain the tower remembers.

Sea Glass

I had the pleasure of taking pictures of a real treasure hunter. Once discarded trash is now collected and transformed into beautiful jewelry by metal smith, Monica Branstrom. Sea Glass. It's true! The coast was once a dumping place for refuse, but over time man saw the error of his way and cleaned it up. Some of what remained was broken glass. Time, sand and saltwater of the Pacific smoothed the rough edges and formed beautiful shapes of all colors and sizes. Please enjoy Monica's site which is dedicated to showcasing her unique, hand-crafted jewelry.

Footprint

The trash bin can be so therapeutic. Is it not? Ridding our lives of useless nick-naks, countless plastic bags, anything now devoid of any sentimental attachment that might be cluttering our personal space. And that man comes, you know, the one who's job we envy so much, and it all just disappears. Or does it? Maybe it's time for some of us to consider what type of impact our living is making. Are we being responsible with our consumption? Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.