Back in Black

The decision to wear a black shirt was a rookie mistake. It was the kind of thing I would have relentlessly ridiculed someone else for doing a few years ago.

Yet there I was.

It was August. It was hot. I was standing on a football field, lugging around camera equipment and, yes, wearing a black shirt.

Stupid. Bush league. Sweaty.

And that's when it hit me: I'm off my game.

Putting Yourself Out There

A busy Thursday saw me running from one assignment to the next with little opportunity to slow down. With the hectic schedule, I had to remind myself several times to think outside of the box when it came to taking photos.

Fortunately for me, one of my assignments inspired me to do so. The young man pictured below is putting himself out there this weekend, delivering a sermon in a church his family has deep roots in. With him taking on such a personal challenge, I couldn't fall short with my photo taking. Luckily for me, he and his father were both willing subjects.

Different Types of Light

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to shoot photos under several different circumstances. An assignment to get mug shots of local football players meant an early alarm clock on Saturday, but the early morning light made for nice shots.

And away we go...

A good friend of mine recently set out on an exciting, new adventure in life. An adventure that will allow him to pursue his true passion: photography.

And, while I wish him the best in his new venture, I'd be telling a lie if I didn't admit that I was going to miss him — both his friendship and his amazing talent behind the lens.

But, instead of wallowing in my self pity about this professional loss, I've decided to turn it into a personal challenge. I have no aspirations of reaching the level of Don J., but I do hope to improve my own photographic skills.

My goal is to take and post photos on a regular basis. Feel free to comment. Feel free to criticize. More than anything else, feel free to offer advice.
After all, the goal here is to get better.

With that said (or should I say typed), away we go...

About A Boy

It's not the first time The Boy came into my life that I really remember.

It was the second.

One of the toughest aspects of being a foster parent is the letting go. You open your home to a child in need, welcome them into your family, make them feel loved and hope that you're making a difference. It's only natural that over time they feel as if they belong. It feels as if they may never leave. Of course, gnawing there at the back of your heart and mind is the knowledge that they will leave at some point. You tell yourself it's what you are meant to do. Break the cycle. Help the child. It's all part of the process. You tell yourself you won't let it bother you.

In other words, you lie to yourself. 

Enjoy It

"Nothing exciting ever happens to me."

When I hear someone say that, I always cringe a little bit. I mean, after all, it's an underwhelming way to look at life. We all have something exciting happen, even if we may not choose to acknowledge it.

As children, we had lots of exciting things happen to us. One of the joys of parenting is watching my children make new discoveries whether it be learning to ride a bike for the first time or suddenly realizing that Han Solo and Indiana Jones are the same person.

Dark & Gloomy

It was a dark and stormy night...

Yeah, I know that's not really that original of prose, but it pretty much summed up Tuesday evening around these parts. While the National Weather Service is still trying to determine exactly how many tornadoes touched down in north Texas on Tuesday, the fact of the matter is the storms that swept through the area left a trail of devastation in their wake.

A View From The Porch

No wit, wisdom or deep thoughts today. Instead, just a little view from my back porch last night.

The storms that blew through Kaufman produced plenty of wind and a fairly spectacular lightning show, but little rain. Fortunately, the noise didn't wake up the kids.

Chasing Miracles

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." — Albert Einstein


My favorite part of being a father is watching as my children experience the wonders of life. Each moment is truly a treasure as they discover the world around them. This past Sunday, my younger son turned 5. As you can see from the photo above, he made the most of every minute of that day.


That is the way kids approach life — realizing each day is a new gift, a new miracle.

Getting Into It

Needless to say with four five kids in my house, I have plenty of photo opportunities.

I've found what always proves to be a golden opportunity is the end-of-the-year elementary school program. I'll admit, my children are somewhat timid while on stage. Fortunately, though, there are plenty of children who aren't.

When shooting photographs at these events, I always have two goals:

1. Get plenty of good shots of my kids.

2. Find a shot for the newspapers (duty calls you know).

While shooting my oldest daughter's end-of-the-year second grade program at Monday Primary School, I was able to do both.

First, a nice shot of my daughter doing a rain dance.

And then a nice shot of one of her classmates getting into his role.

Have a great weekend.