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As a child, I loved to lie on my grandmother’s dining room floor and look at the old albums – you know, the kind with black pages and paste-on corners. I could do that for hours – and if I was lucky, grandma would get down on the floor, with me, and tell me who everyone was – even though I’d memorized them long before. When you hire a wedding photographer, you really aren’t hiring a photographer – you are hiring a storyteller – and the camera is just a tool. The end result is the album. Still, you wedding album doesn’t have tremendous value, the day you receive it. Oh sure, you are excited to see it, but, after all, the wedding was just a few weeks ago, you where there, and you probably remember some of it Your wedding album begins to have value when a ten year-old climbs up on your lap and says, “Mommy, you looked so pretty”. …and your album has real value when that ten year-old says, “Grandma, you where so beautiful”. You see, I’m not your photographer – I’m your storyteller! In fact, I don’t even work for you – I work for those, as yet, unborn generations with whom you will share your story.![Changing the way photographers connect. Join The [B] School Today!](http://www.shareasale.com/image/bs-728x90.jpg)
About the challenge
YOUR VOICE. YOUR PHOTO.
The Challenge
Take a photo that completes the phrase Democracy is… and share it with the world.
*FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF RULES AND REQUIREMENTS VISIT: http://www.democracyphotochallenge.america.gov/rules.html.
Democracy is ... personal
Democracy is... costly
I know, I promised infrared, but I went back to the mission at San Juan Capistrano. This time, I used a Nikon D700 with a 50mm 1.4, for most of the images. After awhile, Joe Photo and I traded lenses and I shot with his 20-35mm 2.8. Joe and I are both members of the {b} School.
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I don’t normally use this blog to make political statements. However, I live in a beach community, in Southern California. Beach communities have to do a balancing act. On one hand, they want to provide a safe and fun atmosphere that will attract visitors and serve their needs. Economic growth is important to all communities. At the same time, they need to insure the quality of life for the town’s permanent residents. It is not always easy. In recent years, I’ve seen the Huntington Beach City Council stray away from it’s previously approved plans, ignore the recommendations of it’s own Planning Commission, and disregard the concerns of it’s citizens.
Last night, I had the opportunity to attend a campaign kick-off and fund raising event for long-time Huntington Beach resident, and Planning Commission Chairman, Blair Farley. If you are a member of the Huntington Beach community, or even a regular visitor, I recommend that you visit Blair’s website.
Photos are available at: http://pauledward.smugmug.com/Politics/Blair-Farley/
Of course, politicians always kiss babies 
Some friends of mine are planning a trip to photograph the mission, in San Juan Capistrano. I dug through the archives and found some images from 2003 and 2004. All where shot with a Nikon D100. I still have that camera, but it has been converted to infrared only. I’ll post some IR images, next time.
Friday afternoon, I had a visit from Sophia. I took her pictures just after she was born, and now it was time for her six-month session — and she was prepared with big brown eyes, one new tooth, and expressions that ranged from happy to perplexed! Both Sophia and her mom are beautiful. Here’s a sample — taken at Lake Park, Huntington Beach. If you look closely, you can see me in the reflection from the sunglasses.
There are another 200 photos here: http://pauledward.smugmug.com/Children/Sophia/ so if you know the mom, ask her for the password.
Sophia & Mom -- Lake Park, Huntington Beach
The outdoor images where taken with a Nikon D90, 50mm/f1.8 lens. Bellow, are the indoor images which where captured with a Nikon D700. Lenses where Nikon 24-120mm/f3.5-5.6 @5.6 and 85mm/f1.4. I did a little ‘freckle removal’, from mom’s face, in Photoshop CS4. Otherwise, except for some cropping, all photos are straight out of the camera, then a little ‘punch’ (LR preset) applied in Lightroom2.
Up at 6AM for breakfast at IHOP. It’s my wife’s birthday, but we have full schedules today, so this was the birthday party and she paid!! But, last Sunday, we celebrated early with a trip to Descanso Gardens. She loves flowers, so this was the perfect day.
All shots are with a Nikon D700 and Nikon 24-120mm lens. Many people put down this lens because it is ’slow’ at f3.5 to 5.6 — and not a constant aperture. I love this lens! This is my second one, over the past nine years (dropped the first one in the Pacific Ocean). It is a ’street sweeper’ — a perfect photo journalistic lens because you can shoot wide for an establishing scene, then zoom in for a close up. In fact, as you can see, in some of the following, it is a near macro lens, as well. The majority of these were taken in aperture priority, with the lens wide open for minimum DOF. All hand-held.
Really been slackin’ with the blog, lately. Went to an Army recruiting thingie, on the beach, in Huntington Beach, on Saturday. Ah, to be young and so full of energy.
OK, maybe they weren't all so young!
Dr. Laura Schlesinger
Dr. Laura was barely in the photo, but she was definately in the battle!
Some images from the 10th Annual Beachcruisers Meet, in Huntington Beach. I noticed that most of the men were in their sixties, and wearing Hawaiian or Surf motif shirts, that probably fit them better, a few years ago.
Breachcruisers Come in All Sizes
Infrared
Photowalks are a great way to get out and challenge yourself, yet have a relaxed day of shooting — relaxed in the sense that you have no client to satisfy — just yourself:-) A great way to recharge the batteries!! Yesterday, the challenge was to use just one lens — more accurately, one focal length, if you where using a zoom.
The location was the Crystal Cove State Park, between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach (So Cal). I decide on an 85mm, attached to a full frame camera (Nikon D700). Most of my captures where at f 2.8, but I stopped down to f5.6 on a couple occasions. The following three images show what you can do with a single focal length, yet illustrate a vast difference in composition.
This was a good weekend. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of teaching another Album Design class at the Calumet Photographic, in Santa Ana, CA. I love it when half the class stays more than an hour after the scheduled end. Oh, I was assuming that meant they where interested and that I was engaging — maybe I’m just too slow getting the information out
On Sunday, I spent the day in San Diego. I hung out with two fellow [b] Schoolers: Kristina Juodyte, from upstate New York, and Eric DosSantos, from Northern California, but studying in San Diego. Changing the way photographers connect. Join The [B] School Today!
I took my infrared only Nikon D100. I had it converted, almost tow years ago, when I bought the D700. Here are few shots from Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. OK, the first one, obviously, is not IR. The others are. I did a custom white balance off the green leaves (green looks white). After importing them, I desaturated and increased contrast, just slightly.
Kristina, Paul, Eric -- photo by Christine
Street Musicians in Balboa Park
San Diego Skyline from San Diego Zoo
Giraffe
Gazelles
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by Paul Edward
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