Av8tqr's Xanga

Epic Tales...

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:38:42 GMT

Of Ballerinas and Road Cones....

Just got in a few days ago from a weekend trip to Atlanta, GA
to shoot Jeremy and Liz's wedding... Shockingly enough, this was
my 9th weekend on the go with just a few days at home between
them. It's been such a crazy summer!!

I'm home now for a few more days but I'm thinking seriously about
taking a car trip up the Coast toward Northern Cali, OR one down
South to Mexico... We shall see!

In the meantime... (And before I pass out from exhaustion)
Let me share a few images and a video from this weekend's shooting.
It was SUCH a blast! Plus, some of the images I captured I'd have to
say are certainly in my list of all time favorites.

I liked them so much in fact, that I made my first EVER video slideshow...
I think I'll be making a habit of this... Whaddya say, do you like it?

Pretty darn cool, eh?!

And now, the photo highlights for those of you who want to see
things a bit larger (in no particular order )

So Happy Together!!

All Smiles...
(And ready for her dress!)

See?
Told you she was ready....

And now for her close-up(s)...

Don't you just love her pointe shoes?!
But wait.. Let's see 'em in action.

As you can see, the Church had an awesome parking garage
attached... AND it had reasonably good light that was just begging
for a little contrast / off camera flash work...

A Bride with Attitude...

Doesn't she just look so stinkin' saucy?!
(She really is a bit of a sharp one It's awesome!)

As I looked around the garage we tried to find a few cool props
that might make for an interesting shot... We found 'em, though
they came with their own complications

Push!

The golf cart... I had this great, crazy shot in mind, but ya' see...
The Church was smart enough to pull the keys out of the carts
before they parked them, leaving our wedding party to push it up
the slope... (Luckily, they're all incredibly good sports, haha!)

And this is what came of it...

Other fun props...
"Dunces?"

I absolutely love Andrew (the groomsman on the far left)'s expression...
Priceless!

Of course the girls loved the Groom as much as the guys liked the Bride:

*Time And Location Swap = Over*
And yet, a few of them got this wild idea that it might be "cool"
to climb on the wires (in their high heels) - Who ever could have
given them THAT thought?!

See it Larger.

*Time Shift*
The best man happened to be the Groom's brother... Summarily:

"Brothers and Sisters - Husbands and Wives"

Pretty cool, eh?

Of course, I shot a bunch of headshots for everyone involved,
hmm let me pick a few:

Purty (and wonderful) people!

*Time And Location Jump*
The reception was held in a beautiful little art gallery in Marietta, GA.
Was a perfect venue for this crowd too

We had lots of fun
"Peanut Butter Jelly!"

Departure:

"Oh ya' the rings"

And this was the first time I've ever been asked to shoot the Groom
carrying his new Bride across their threshold... Was a cool shot, and
well worth chasing the limo into Atlanta I think

(But then, I just love the mirror!)

And that's all for now folks....
Could really use your prayers for Wisdom, endurance, love, hope and kindness
in my life right now... How can I be praying for you?

P.S. Alright... Fess up... Which was your favorite photo?!

Man Oh Man...

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:49:56 GMT

You're Missing Out!!

Unless you're already subscribed to my BlueShoePhoto
site... I've been posting there lately, and I plan to post there
even MORE often in the near future.

Eventually, I may merge the two sites... But for now, I just
encourage you to take a look right away... I just posted a
bunch of BRAND NEW photos over there and I'm certain
you'll enjoy 'em!

So Here's The Deal:

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:55:23 GMT

What I've Been Up To...
(this week)

Sunday, I promised my readers over at BlueShoePhoto a post...
A real one this time, and one that would reveal all the mysterious
tales behind this photo:

And, well... here goes nothing

Since my last post, life has been a bit of a blur...
I've taken up surfing, and golf, as well as traveling coast to coast... Twice.

See, since July of last year I've dabbled in currency trading to augment my
other investing and since the beginning of the year and the wild swings of
the markets I've been putting more and more of my time into it. Why should
this matter?

Well, one of my best friends and mentors is a full time currency trader, and
he lives here in Sarasota, FL with his wonderful family so I've been doing
all I can to soak as much market knowledge as I can into my lil' old brain...
Not just once in the past two months, but twice!

It's been a blast, I must admit... Golfing, playing poker, taking photos, and
trading like a mad man... Quite a time!

But... all this is only a prologue to the tale I must relate to you next.

Some of you know of my "past life" as I call it.
Growing up, all I really cared about were airplanes, flying, and doing
whatever it took to get my head back in the clouds.

I guess it makes sense, really... After all, I AM a third generation pilot, and
I grew up living 100 yards from a little airfield... But I must admit, I took it
to an extreme there for about 5 years... I lived flying. I sold airplanes, I became
an instructor pilot, I started test flying, I flew skydivers... I even built planes.

It was a rush!

But then, somewhat tragically (but obviously within God's will) I got in an
accident that took my mind of flying for the past 4 years and left me with a
broken back... Of course that opened the door to building my photography
business, motorcycles, marketing and even more traveling. But in my heart?
I REALLY miss flying

That's why I was ecstatic when I heard that I'd be back in Florida in time for
the annual Sun-N-Fun fly in... See, this event for YEARS was my favorite
time of the year. A full week of flying, selling, and hanging around thousands
of airplanes and tens of thousands of pilots... Way cool!

Luckily, I was able to talk my cousin into flying down to Sarasota to pick me
up for a day or two, it sure felt nice to be calling "my" private plane

A short while later, we arrived back at my family's place in Lake Wales
and the festivities for their annual Pilot's bbq had already begun... Nearly
a dozen antique aircraft roared around the pattern, several of them giving
rides, and a few biplanes could be seen off in the distance practicing their
aerobatic routines.

So, without further ado... Here are a few of my more favorite photos from
my 48 hour caper

Break Away....

Upon entering the pattern over the Chalet, my Uncle joined up with
us in his aerobatic Pitts Special for a few moments before breaking
away for a bit more fun.

Another...

Almost looks fake, doesn't it?
I LOVE the clouds in Florida

Cousin "It"...

My cousin Audra was excited to see me, lol.
She's actually moving to New Zealand this next week, she'll be
stopping by California for a few days to visit with Bri and I

"Jr's First Airplane Ride"

Did I mention the rides they were giving?
Each year they become a bit more of an attraction... As this little one
can soon attest too, getting their first ride in a friend's '46 Cub.

In The Family...

35 years ago, my Uncle had his very first solo flight in the
exact same Cessna 140 you see above. About ten years ago
he found it stashed in someone's barn. A whole heck of a lot
of work later and you get to see his son flying it like mad!

And Your Point Is?

Talk about a priceless expression to go with that shirt, eh?

Priceless....

There's nothing like a 70 year old airplane taking a young person
on the ride of their life [Check this one out LARGER, it's lovely!]

Then, I got to shoot a few quick portraits of some beautiful friends...
They're so stinkin' cute together

But now it's time to...

Wrap Up...

The flying for the day... Tomorrow's going to be a long one....
(And the next day is even BETTER - Here's a little preview )

Topsy Turvy....

See You Here Again Soon?

P.S. I'm traveling tomorrow, but I'd love to know which photo
was your favorite... Fill me in!!

A Bit of A Random...

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:13:39 GMT

Photoblog...

Lately, I've been editing a TON of old photos... Some older than
others, to be sure but bunches of shots none-the-less.

And now, as it's getting late at night, and I've already lost this post
to Xanga's evil monsters once and I'm running a bit low on the energy
I'd need to combat them after writing another epic length post, lol.

"Hunter Museum of Art"

Taken during one of my trips back to Tennessee
sometime around August or September

You simply HAVE to see this one Larger!

"Insane Graffiti"

Or perhaps something a bit more risque?

Insane eh? Haha

Christmas with the Farewells....

(And the rest of our family... Caroling!)
We've had this ongoing tradition for as long as I can
remember, dinner with the extended family at the Chalet
then a march all the way through the dining room with the
entire family in tow, singing at the top of our lungs!!

My lovely Aunt and Cousin (From Christmas Eve also)

Bri finally made it!

After an incredibly difficult journey Bri arrived two days
after Christmas to meet my folks... I dare say they loved her

"A Perfect Ten"

Shot this one and the next at a friend's engagement party

Emilie...

Has absolutely incredible eyes, and just so happens to
be the Groom's sister

And Bri loves water "almost" as much as I do.

Okay, lets jump around a bit.

Sarasota, FL

Lunch & cigar time!

With one of my finance mentors

And then?
Chattanooga, TN

Off to Atlanta... With snow!

Out of order, but:
St. Augustine, FL

And that's all for tonight
Hopefully more to come very, very soon!

Let me know if I can be praying for you...
I haven't asked in a while, but I'd be blessed if I can.

What Was Your Favorite Photo?

________________________________________________________

Attention Brides!
As of today, I only have 6 more spots left for the 2008 wedding season.
And only three left at my current rates. After that, I will have 3 additional
spots but rates will be raised to a new $6,000 minimum.

All complete packages include a wedding album, second photographer,
engagement session and a carefully created slideshow.

You can inquire by sending me an email: Eric [at] BlueShoePhotography.com
Or giving me a call directly! 423-227-0070

Eric Buys A 5D...

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:13:05 GMT

And LOVES It!!

So, way back in December I got a wild hair and finally bought
myself a Canon 5D. I'd been searching for months and finally found
"the one". It's owner put it on a plane with a flight attendant the next
day and a few hours later I picked it up at Long Beach airport

Of course, as you might imagine... This is far from my first camera,
in fact it's the fifth in my current stable!! (You might even call me
a bit of an addict, haha) But... Outside of film this was my first FF
camera and I must admit, I'm an addict.

The depth of field is incredible, here... Let me show you a few photos
from my very first day with it

"First Shot"

This is also a first look at my new digs here in Laguna...
You're looking out the window from my little office desk
and over all my Pre-Christmas trash if you stare REALLY
hard in the top left corner of the "view" you can see the ocean
about a block and a half away

I met Matt and Mary downtown for a quick shoot which
turned into a rather full evening quite rapidly!

Greenpeace?

I think Matt might have even signed up.

I also bought a new surf kayak...

But no, that's not me... Haha.

Did I mention the depth this camera offers??

70-200 Shot @ F2.8... Not even a prime!

Mary liked the fact that I could now let her use my 30D...

Got to Love the Chrismas Season

And then I got to capture Matt doing what he does best... You have
to see his last posts with the images from this shoot!

"Pink Sunday"
(Thanks to Scott for the action!)

He's totally in his element there.

The moon rose just before sunset, and it was beautiful!

And then.... My first crazy sunset shoot with the 5D

And that's all for today folks...
The whole point is that I like my new 5D very much...
Though I cannot WAIT for an update, I NEED better AF sensors!

What If...

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:27:07 GMT

....I Posted (Practically) Everyday?

Would life as we know it cease to exist?
Would Ron Paul win the election? (I wish)
Would your head explode from frequent viewings of my photos?

Let's find out, whaddya say?

Yes?

Announcing my new "daily" blog... BlueShoePhoto

A place for me to avoid posts of epic length, and the 5-6 month
delay so commonly associated with my posts here... Not to mention
all the quirky comments, stories, and thoughts I'd never even think to
post before

So... Go Subscribe!!

I'll keep posting here of course, this one's just for more rapid sharing
of my photos and tales!

Can't wait to see you there

Coast to Coast....

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:15:58 GMT

And Back Again!!

It was a shockingly cold morning in Southern California
when I took off for Florida way back before Christmas.
I walked down the jetway with everything I'd need for the
next 30 days packed into two extraordinarily heavy carry
on bags.

(I *refuse* to check baggage, it feels like something ALWAYS
goes wrong, lol)

Now, I'm reaching the end of those thirty days, and my bags
are bursting with new camera toys and heavy coats. I've been
in a half a dozen states and taken a plethora of quick business
trips and adventures here on the East coast. It's been awesome!

That said, I'm typing this from my latest desk... Near Cumming, GA
where I'm photographing a winter wedding that has the potential
to REALLY become a "Winter Wonderland" as they're calling for
a second series of snow flurries and a low in the 20's!

I'm about to head out to shoot a lovely Bridesmaid luncheon so I'd
better cut this short... But not before I post up some of the photos
from my recent "Two Bride Experience"

Blair and Elizabeth are both married to wonderful men.
Liz for nearly 6 years, and Blair for nearly two... And yet,
they both had a horror story to share with me about their
wedding photographers.

Pictures that looked awful, mean personalities, even
photographers so loud and ubiquitous that they "stole
the show" from the bride and groom.

So... After all that time, they were finally going to get the photos
they'd always wanted!!

But here's the kicker - Elizabeth is my sister, and Blair is my cousin!

So *I* not only got to take pictures of beautiful brides, but also had half
my family's Christmas presents figured out

Just Like.... Her Wedding Day.

My Lovely Sister...

Crazy.... Depth.

Have I mentioned how much I love my new 5D yet?
The depth of field, and contrast it achieves straight out of camera is AMAZING!

Our location of choice was once again the Inn where I was born and raised...
The Chalet Suzanne. These next few photos were shot atop the dining room,
over the lake.

Detailed....

A "Marilyn Moment...

Blair let me shoot Elizabeth first, and played "Maid of Honor" while
we explored the Chalet the first time... Then she ran home and we took
a few of just her, and the two together!

Of course, I got Blair to model a bit even without her wedding garb

Liz...

....Being Liz

My Mother even came down to see how things were going...

Details...

THEN, we went back up to the rooftop... See, Blair had changed,
and we simply had to shoot up there again. I think you'll see why :)

A bit of an artistic edit...

Can't decide if I like this one or not, lol.
The next one however is one of my new all time favorite images

"Mystery"

Seeing a trend in locations??

They really got into the whole "spinning" thing

See?

I love their dresses in this one....

Time to Re-Primp...

And here's the last one...
The first thing BOTH Brides asked me, was whether or not we
could shoot in the Chalet Bar... And I'll admit, I was initially not
very into the concept... I'm so glad they talked me into it!

And now it's rehearsal time, I'll talk to you all again soon,
SO many more photos and stories to post

Please be praying for us as we travel and work this weekend,
we need it!!

Many Blessings

It's My Birthday...

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:53:44 GMT

No Crying Required!!

I'm working on a more thorough update, but today is my 22nd birthday,
and I've had a more than a few people insisting I post

My last year was a great one, and I have a feeling that the next one will
be even better... God Willing!!

Blessings to each of you... (More) photos to come.

Onward... And Upward!!

Do You Have ANY Idea...

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:03:06 GMT

How Much Time A Year End Recap Would Take?!?!

I'll admit...
I thought about it.

I considered the humbling, arduous, and somewhat daunting task of
creating another post of "epic" proportions... I could display a few
of my favorite photos and tales from the past year, and yet...

Somehow the thought of churning through nearly 200,000 images
excited me far less than processing some of the photos from today's
"double bride" shoot, lol.

And so... Here we stand; it's 1:25AM in lovely South Florida.
The temperature is dropping (finally) to bearable highs that remind
you there is snow somewhere on the planet, and the last of my family's
94 guests have (finally) departed after last night's New Year's party.

Once again, my commitment to you... Dear readers, wins out over the
seemingly foolhardy need to sleep.

And so, though I still am FAR behind on my posting, I think I'll start
working to keep things up a bit more often... I'm traveling for the next
twenty days, but I may have a bit of time to catch up!

Without further ado... Here are the photos I captured YESTERDAY,
during a wonderful engagement shoot at the Chalet Suzanne where I
was born and raised...

Katie & Sam... To Be Wed... 06.07.08

Every time I come home, I'm instantly swamped... See, I make it home
a couple times each year so I always do my best to plan photo shoots our
in advance, with plenty of time to visit, in between...

Yet, somehow.... More always seem to come up!
This visit has been especially crazy, but it's definitely a good kind of crazy

This was one of those shoots we'd planned in advance,
and WHAT a fun shoot it was! Initially it was supposed to happen
on the 27th but the day before, found me on a quick trip, SICK as a dog
up to North Carolina with a "secret" new client... (more on that as soon
as I'm allowed to announce it

So, we put the shoot off to yesterday, and am I ever glad we did!
The light was wonderful! (And I felt better too

Sam is one of my many cousins, and as he's sure to point out,
the only one taller than I am (He's a whopping 6'7")!

Did I mention that she's only 5'2.5"?
*She'd probably have me killed if I forgot about that half inch*

They are hilarious, and wonderfully cute together...

The above image was shot in the Chalet's "Little Swedish Bar"...
One of their favorite hangouts.

Moments Later....

We made the trek outside, and Katie went on to prove how cute
she was... (She's standing on a step, and wearing big heels to try
to make up a little of the difference, lol).

"From Good Stock"

Seeing as we're family, I'd better believe he's from "good stock"
goofy and gawky too, lol.

Their Preferred Mode Of Transportation....

He literally scoops her up and carries her as often as possible.
It may be deemed a bit silly by the world, but it surely makes
for some great photo opportunities!!

Did I Mention....

That they were a little silly?

And Cute?

Oh, and the whole family LOVES Katie too... She fits right in!

This Shot...

I particularly like... For the leading lines, and the fact that the sky
opened up JUST at the right moment to get that gorgeous blue.

Note To Self...

To stimulate hilarity and creativity with future clients,
just add cold water!! Katie and Sam REALLY wanted some photos
of them playing in the water, but just couldn't take the chill above their
ankles.... But they made up for it with spirit!

They're Naturals...

I love it when I don't even have to give a couple exact direction,
they're completely in love, and completely comfortable when sharing it
with me... Especially when they can't wait to get out of the water

Though Occasionally....

I may have taken them by surprise

I Don't Think...

They minded though

And that's all for me tonight folks...
I pray for blessings on all of you in this great new year...
May God show you the things He wants you to learn, bless you
abundantly, and give you the strength to grow through each trial.

2008 Is already proving to be my best year yet... Make yours even better!

________________________________________________________

P.S. If you're interested in having truly unique images at your wedding,
or you know someone who might... Drop me a line! We're currently
booking for 2008 and 2009 with prime dates being snapped up fast,
so don't miss your opportunity... I'd love to capture the special day!

Also, if you help me book a wedding I'd LOVE to make it worth
your while... So remember to tell your friends... It pays!

Email: Eric [at] BlueShoePhotography.com
www.BlueShoePhotography.com

Alas and Alack...

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:00:35 GMT

So Many Entries Begun...

Only to jump ahead, because I simply MUST share my experience
at Scott Robert's workshop last week in Pasadena.

See, I've never before had the opportunity to learn anything about
photography in any kind of classroom setting. All of the advancement
I've made these past couple of years has been through intense immersion
within the photography world, and hard work at understanding light and
exposure... And my how far I have come!

I was straight up AWFUL in my early days, lol.

Let me be honest.... I really wasn't sure what I would learn from Scott,
I thought I had a fairly good understanding of light, post processing, and
posing, but GOSH was I wrong!!

Scott is the MASTER of looking for reflected light, using architecture,
and posing people in a manner that looks natural, comfortable, and
gorgeous. I had the opportunity to follow him around and shoot over
his head (he's just the right height ) during an engagement session...
What an eye opener!

Before this workshop, I'd see a location I liked, and try to make the light
work for IT. Now, with Scott's secrets crammed in my little head, I do
my best to see the light first, and plan locations around IT.

I think we'll be seeing a drastic improvement soon
But first, on to the photos!!

The Lovely Abigail

Learning, Shooting and (Obviously) Having A Blast...

Scott Teaching "Hotel Room Strategies"....

He has some brilliant techniques and explains them to each of
his students extremely well, I encourage you to take one of his
classes as soon as possible, and tell him I sent you!

Aimee...

Playing with my off camera flash... And just bought yet another flash
unit, lots to learn and play with!

"Finding Light"

Did I mention that Scott is the MASTER of finding light?
This stairway was practically pitch dark, but the reflected light from
the foyer was absolutely amazing, as you can see.

Pasadena = Incredible...

I'm quietly planning a weekend trip back to Pasadena sometime
soon, the possibilities for freaking sweet photos are incredible!

The Lovely Linda...

Tones...

The Glorious "B"...

A talented fellow student from the UK

The View From His Perspective...

Crazy eh?

Processing Time...

Shot with Scott's 5D and 50mm F1.2L
This image inspired me to buy a 5D, I picked it up today
Next up? 50L methinks...

Well, I started writing this post about 14 hours ago, and I've
been going nuts! 2 photoshoots, 1 new camera, and 162 new emails.

Plus, I'm flying back East for Christmas, Friday morning so I really
should get to packing and planning!

Soon, I'll update you on where I'm living, what I'm doing, which
5 States I'll be in over the next 30 days, and each of the dozens of
photoshoots and experiences I've had lately... I can't wait!!

________________________________________________________

P.S. If you're interested in having truly unique images at your wedding,
or you know someone who might... Drop me a line! We're currently
booking for 2008 and 2009 with prime dates being snapped up fast,
so don't miss your opportunity... I'd love to capture the special day!

Also, if you help get us booked I'd LOVE to send you a big check!
So remember to tell your friends... It pays

Email: Eric [at] BlueShoePhotography.com
www.BlueShoePhotography.com