Friday, December 17, 2010

The Mecca of Christmas Lights


I had an assignment to capture some Holiday illumination this week, so I had to take a journey to 34th street in Hampden. Here are a few classic scenes from a classic street where miracles happen everyday. Happy Holidays!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Why, you ask?


... Because the 1650m is a really long race - @ F&M Swimming.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

A True Beauty


As soon as I walked into the room Mariyah started posing for me … all smiles - radiating the innocence held with these kids; they melted away that silly protective life shell that was weighing me down and I didn't know it. It's fun to be a photographer, just for the experience.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Is this Awesome?


Maybe ... though it isn't exactly what I was going for. I can tell over the last couple weeks my journey indoors is going to be slow; as I transition from 9 frames per second to One (generally) with strobes, and I readjust my timing ... fun stuff ahead.
Marymount Swimming 11/13

Hey, it's my one year(ish) photo-blogging anniversary! ... Awesome = )

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Really?


I had to ... = )

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A little transition ...


Some people want change, some are living on hope, I just want a little more truth & honesty and some selflessness in this political climate … I guess that's wishful thinking on my part : )

Be heard! Happy Election Day!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Gettysburg Football 10/30


I'm confident in stating that for most in attendance, Saturday's meeting between Gettysburg College and Susquehanna University was one of the most amazing football games to bear witness to. The game was dominated by offensive fireworks; with a combined 111 points and 1,162 total yards; and a first quarter brawl! Gettysburg mounted a 34 point comeback in the final 18 minutes of the game to win 61-50 in their first match since 1922. Yea, there were few opportunities to capture some peak action.

Here's the full coverage.

Friday, October 22, 2010

McDaniel Midnight Madness!


It was all smiles as McDaniel College opened their Basketball season Tuesday. Late night games and celebrations welcoming the 2010-11 Basketball teams by faculty, students, and fans were a slam-dunk.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Cue Monarch ... and ACTION!


10.10 Mount Saint Mary's Soccer

Friday, October 8, 2010

Do you ever wake up …


… from behind your camera, and see everyone staring at you … waiting … wondering … Who are you, what are you doing, why are you here?

Maybe it's just me.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Friday Night's Homecoming


I discovered that I missed that classic Friday night High School Football game a little bit. I so often took them for granted in the past. Having the chance again last Friday, I was able to appreciate a game in a small town on Maryland's eastern-shore. The energy on the sidelines & in the stands, the optimistic vigor of the kids & parents, and the late golden glow as dark took over a cool early-fall afternoon. It's a nice taste of our Americana.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Taste of my own medicine


I did a private party earlier this month, when I had this sense that I was being watched = )

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Friday, September 24, 2010

Out of the Darkness ...

You need a smile?

I've got a couple here for you. You may need some earplugs ...

I think some of these call for captions.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Balance


This image struck me as I combed through my Gettysburg Football coverage from this weekend. I was trying to cover the defense. I had noticed the intensity in this guy's face earlier in the game, and as I was following him through a play this wonderful symmetry happened. It was one of those things that you really can't plan, and luckily just falls together. This is my kind of pic; I really like its balance, his expression, and the action unfolding in the foreground.

I love this time of year.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Soccer Days

Here are some top pics from Tuesday & Wednesday's Soccer matches. F&M, McDaniel, & Gettysburg respectively ...

Monday, September 13, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Monday, September 6, 2010

“In Her Element”


Louisa Anne Meekins owns and operates L.A. Hair Salon and second hand clothing shop in Paradise, a community in Catonsville, Maryland.
These are images accompanying my Focus on Business piece, a continuing series of independent projects for the Paradise Community Association.

Yea, another Volleyball post

Friday, 9/3, was a Volleyball holiday for me ... here are some Gettysburg images ...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Penn St. Behrend Water Polo


I'd never dipped into Water Polo photography until this morning. It was more than I expected. Here are my rookie attempts to wet your whistle.

Franklin & Marshall Football 9/4


Here's the full coverage.

McDaniel Volleyball 9/3

Monday, August 30, 2010

Gone Crabbin' 8/28


I was invited to go crabbing Saturday. It was my first experience pulling crabs and I had a blast. I have a new found appreciation for the high level of labor involved in getting a bushel of crabs to my table. We spent a full day in the shallow waters of the Middle River and the Chesapeake near Miller's Island. We worked our tails off for a bushel of heavy crabs that we enjoyed well into the evening.

Many thanks to Ryan Murray and his father Charlie.

These are some pics from Saturday morning. Please excuse the preset experimentation. Images of me pulling my first crabs are by Ryan.

8/27 Mt. St. Mary's Women's Soccer



Back at it = )

Friday, August 27, 2010

Monday, August 9, 2010

Mountain Mama


We escaped the humidity to the mountains of West Virginia this weekend. My good friend RD brought another Missouri gal to the east coast. This a sequence of images from their first dance that made me smile.

Here are some of Mr. Murray's pics (post one & two). Here is his is full coverage of the day.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

WHY YOU LITTLE! ...

So I was photographing a portrait of Kiara, when her brother came crashing through the frame! Well, it was a little more orchestrated than that ...

Here are some more from the session.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Familiar Americana


Ever since I was a kid I have been wandering under the canopies of Emory Grove. The Baltimore County summer camp has been part of my family at least four generations. This fourth of July was again a staple family experience. We gathered, paraded, twirled, sung, played, sweat, sat, ate, laughed, and wandered. Here are some internal images of Emory Grove family and friends.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To the persuit of Happiness ...

And to toast some newly provided time (obviously) thanks to my new friend Eyjafjallajokul, I thought I'd revisit some relatively unseen pics from my fall 2008 trip to Southern Europe. Here are some images from the first cemetery of the City of Athens. Opened in 1837, it became a luxurious cemetery for famous Greek people and foreigners … and it helped put things into perspective for me.

I hope I can post some new images and adventures again soon.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Centennial Championships ... 4/30-5/2

A little something to wet your whistle.

So, I don't want jinx anyone … but, there's going to be some darn good Women's Lacrosse this weekend in Gettysburg. So for all those fanatics, here's a little something to wet your whistle before Mr. Murray's much anticipated post(s) stemming from this upcoming weekend's pickups. These were from a Gettysburg vs. F&M meeting on 4/21. The final was 8-7 Gettysburg ...

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Paradise ... Oh Thank Heaven!


Joe and Pam Chilcoat are owner's of the Paradise 7-11 and longtime Catonsville residents. Here are some images from Focus on Business, a continuing series of independent projects for my Paradise Community Association.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Ferguson's Flowers



Ron and Nati Young's Hardware store comes to life every spring. The colorful bounty attract patrons from all over southwest Baltimore county. The revenue generated from their spring flower sales help carry them through tough times.

One in a series of independent projects for the Paradise Community Association.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Awesomely Accidental

We've had a long hot weekend in Swarthmore ... here are a few fun shots that weren't planned. My favorites will follow when the mass edit ends and I cool off.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

We've got the world in our hands … Happy Earth Day


Well, I admit it was kind of an accident - one that I really liked. As the sun sets and artificial lights take over, a white balance transition is rapid and kind of dramatic. So, this one stuck with me made on Earth Day eve … whether this image is pseudo art or a pragmatic task - it created a mood for me that represents the power and responsibility we have as individuals living today on Earth. Happy Earth Day!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Barnstormed


F&M's Baseball squad had a friendly exhibition with the local professional Lancaster Barnstormers on Tuesday afternoon. Smiles were plentiful despite the 7-0 loss, heck they even got a hit.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

"The Great White"


I stumbled into some world class squash last weekend. Franklin & Marshall College teamed up with US Pro Squash to host a weekend of clinics and professional competition. Competitors included F&M head coach John "the Sultan of Swat" White, a former World #1, Scottish National Champion, and holder the world record for hardest hit @ 172 mph.

Images here consist of White vs. US's #2 Chris Gordon and F&M Freshman Guillherme de Melo vs. Germany's Jens Schoor.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

F&M Crew


I went out with F&M's rowing team this morning. It was a clear, cool morning with a beautiful sunrise. The light was fantastic, and the blues in the sky and the waters of the Susquehanna were rich - I'm lucky I cleaned my sensors last week.

It was my first time photographing Crew. Some of these shots might be Crew cliches, consider it my foundation. I love heading out to a job that is completely new for me. I had that fear and excitement of not knowing what's ahead, having only a sense of what kind of images I'm about to create. Then going through the completed job, it's amazing to see these stills that I had no concept of 12 hours ago. It's one of the greatest things about photography for me.

Here's the full event.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

A few weeks of Lacrosse

Awesomely Accidental ...


So with Track & Field on my mind these days, I couldn't help revisit this image from the 2009 Centennial Conference Championships ... I get some flack about it, but I LOVE this image and where the focus point landed. Yes it wasn't intentional, and I'm OK with that.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Awesomely Accidental ...


... hopefully, the first in a continuing series of formidable fortuity.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Huh?

Here are a couple images from today's Gettysburg Lacrosse that I thought were kind of funny ... and a bit confusing.

Friday, March 19, 2010


Susquehanna Softball

Thursday, March 18, 2010


Haverford Men's Lacrosse

Monday, March 15, 2010

A couple week's worth of Lacrosse


Thank God (and the American Indian) for Lacrosse. If it wasn't for Lax this time of year I'd be in the bread line.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Boy it rained hard today ...


Note to self ... Monsoon + War Paint = Pain

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

I Need A Caption ...

Peak Action ... of what, I'm not really sure.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

"Please ..."


The challenge of trying to break through.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Monday, February 22, 2010

Spring opener - Mt. St. Mary's Lacrosse


It's good to be back out in the elements again ... breathing some fresh Catoctin air early this week.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Friday, February 19, 2010

Remote Success!

Ryan Murray ...

... has crazy UPs.
Example

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Franklin & Marshall Squash

McDaniel Basketball

Remotely Successful


I attempted remotes this weekend, and again, I was challenged. I'm striving to balance the multiple variables that accompany photographing "off person". Camera control and image quality through protective glass just aren't the same, but remote work provides a fresh angle. I'm most satisfied with the Women's basketball backboard remote where cinefoil was in place improving contrast and reducing glare. I was unlucky in the Men's game when the officials immediately balked at the black block; I had to remove the foil but fortunately was allowed to keep the camera in place. Squash in a cinefoiled protective box was an improvement. However, box position, subject focus, and battery life came to haunt me. I'm looking forward to a final winter remote opportunity this Wednesday with a backboard remote fixated above the board onto the shot-clock support. Wish me luck.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sure Things

Death, Taxes, 7-11, and the Bar

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Snowed In


Just like everyone else in the Baltimore/DC metro area, we're snowed in bigtime. And just like everyone else life slowed down a bit. Friday night we opened the blinds in our front sunroom, lit some candles, and just watched the snow fall onto Paradise.

Life was different with so much snow. It wiped clean all other priorities and demands. And when the sunrose there was only one focus, freedom. The quantity of snow was overwhelming, but it helped bring my neighborhood together. It was nice to just work, outside, with people, no cars, no TV, walking on Frederick road, and snow above my knees. I was sad a little when it stopped snowing early afternoon Saturday, I knew the simplicity was fleeting. I like breaks.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Santorini Sunset


I've been nominated as a finalist by Canon's "Explorer's of Light" panel! My image "Santorini Sunset" has been selected to be exhibited in VisArts at Rockville’s Points of Departure exhibition opening February 19, 2010 at 6:30p. Come out to see some great photography!

The photograph was made November 1, 2008 on a cliffside trail hike on the Greek Island of Santorini. My wife and I were on our honeymoon backpacking through Europe. That day we were exploring a few different areas of the island by bus, taxi, then foot. We had decided to do a sparse trail between the towns of Ia and Thira at Sunset. Naturally I didn't give us enough time and we ended up hiking back mostly in dark. But we had a good adventure, a little precarious at times, and we met up with a cool little dog we named Jack who thought we were made of food. Fortunately, he had taken the route a couple times.

D700 & 17-35mm @ 26mm, ISO:1000 - 1/80th @ f/20 and slow breathing.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Ferguson's Hardware


I spent the afternoon with Ron Young at his hardware store in the small Catonsville neighborhood of Paradise. It's been in his family since the mid fifties and there's still a taste of the period when you walk through the door. Classic, nostalgic, eclectic, I heard some great stories about the neighborhood, travel, life, he even showed me how to tie a Tugboat Bowline. Next to the gorgeous ambient light, I couldn't ask for much more.

This is the second in a series of independent projects for the Paradise Community Association.

Shooting Squash (with a remote) is Hard!


This was my first squash remote of 2010. Following a box shattering experience in December, I had to make a new one over the holidays. To say the least, I think I made it strong. Inside, I used the D700 with a 20mm and pocket wizards (and fresh batteries across the board). Settings of 1/320th (which wasn't fast enough) @ f/8 and ISO 6400. And happily (cough) a custom WB on each of the 6 courts.

There are all sorts of additional variables to remote work that can be kind of maddening even when you get there 3 hours in advance. Looks like I could have started with the basic stuff like leveling the camera first! Just shooting action through glass can be frustrating as you have to pump contrast & saturation to make it look OK. Next time, I think I'm going to remove the back plexiglass wall and fit the installation with some cinefoil to help with the internal reflections. Oh well, small steps.

Here's a link to the full coverage.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Abra-Cadabra!


I heard someone shaking a locker behind me and I turned around to this fellow struggling then casting a spell on his. He "hocus-pocus'd" it then "open sesame'd" it and it kindly opened right up. Amazing. Kids these days just don't get enough credit. I love doing candids at Hogwarts.

McDaniel Wrestling

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

Thursday, January 14, 2010

McDaniel Wrestling 1/13


It has been nice to shoot in the same facility regularly this week. I was able to work on some white balance details and spend some time tweaking the bodies a little with their new firmware. I like the mobility of shooting wrestling without lights. But the exposures on the shadowed faces can often be lost, and the grain is more noticeable.
I adjusted the new Custom AF (A4) focus tracking - down one from Normal. I used the 51 point 3D tracking AF for the first time in a while. They were in a small enough area that the AF tracking was pretty accurate and I was overall satisfied. Wrestling is tough to stay locked on the face, if you're wide open and are focused on the chest, it easy to lose the face. I basically used the same settings as the previous evenings. I'm going to use Standard Picture Control more often because Vivid has been burning me on yellow and too intense primaries. I used +1 contrast, and +1 saturation @ ISO 6400 mostly @ 1/500th f/2.8.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

McDaniel Men's Basketball 1/12


Trying to beat the Yellow; thanks to RM I went with Standard/+2 contrast/with 2 notches of Cyan added.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Friday, January 8, 2010