Venturing into the New Year!

The sun has set on 2011 and the journey into 2012 has begun!

What do you fondly take away with you from 2011?


What adventures are in store for you in 2012.  (Of course, I am rooting for you to be the hero!)

I got these shots from the Swift Creek Reservoir in Chesterfield County, Virginia just as the year was ending as I met up with a friend from high school.  The lake was filled with seagulls and families were going out there with their kids to see them.

As I am starting this new year, I have been reflecting on the journey of my life as most do this time of year.  While I am celebrating the improvement in my health over the last few months, it is still frustrating not being at where I "think" I should be.

Embracing the Challenges
I have thought positively and set goals for myself to reach... but my body has fought me the whole way.  But as I thought about it, we all have challenges we have to walk through that we can't control.  When there are challenges that are just out of our control, it not about trying to avoid them or pretend they aren't there, but it's about making the most of what you have during these challenges.

I have always approached life with the attitude that we have all we need to succeed and move forward at any given time in life. There have been times that philosophy is hard to embrace, but that is what I have always allowed to guide me.

What Factors Can Be Controlled? 
There are a lot of things in life that just can't be controlled.  That's when it's time to look at what can be controlled and become a focus.  While I do not know entirely what the new year holds, I can move forward with what is working:

1. My small budget of energy, while not consistent, is growing and I find I can do more every few weeks.
2. My pulmonary doctor is excited that I am going out with my camera when I do my rehabilitative walks.  
3. It's kind of exciting to record my journey with photography with images that others are enjoying. 
4. As my energy grows, I will be able to share more and more of my journey. 
5. I still have a lot of images waiting to be loaded and processed.  I am really looking forward to viewing them.
6. Keep a strong hold of my goals and when they are realized, I will appreciate them so much more than I would have otherwise. 

Right now, I will often opt to get out an move over sitting at the computer.  After spending months and months on my back, I know it's the right thing for me to do for right now... for my body and for my mind and for my spirit. As I grow stronger, I will be able to incorporate more of the balance back into my life.

So what about you?  How will you embrace your challenges to move forward? 

When Challenges Present Opportunity

My first HDR (high-dynamic range) image - a technique that involves combining multiple exposures to create
more depth and detail in an image than a camera can capture by itself.  From Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
taken earlier this week.

I have to admit that the last couple years just don't feel real.  Seriously, who ever knew that it could take lungs so long to heal?  (Apparently, people who have suffered from lung issues don't seem surprised!)

But I am thankful that I am thinking more clearly these days and I can progress with my energy level.  Best part yet, the doc saw distinct improvement for the first time.  This time last year, I was trying to wish myself into health.  This year, I can actually envision it!

Finding A Focus
While this whole thing has taken much longer than I ever imagined possible, I have had one thought in mind... There is no way that I can let this time go to waste. I think making that decision early when I first got so sick has helped my attitude and perspective during this whole journey.  Even though there have been many days where I couldn't do more than lay down, I found a purpose to focus my thoughts on... photography.

Focus Efforts
With this purpose in mind, I started doing a lot of research and discovered a lot of resources that have helped me look at photography in an entirely different way.  I thought of new ways to challenge myself and learned some new techniques that I haven't seen used in my area very much if at all.  Having something to strive for during so many challenges has been such a gift. Yes, I wish I could be doing more than I am, but at least I am moving forward.

Keep Eyes Open
What opportunities have I been able to take advantage of?  I discovered how much I love sports action photography. (It will be a little bit before I can do that again, but it's a goal I look towards.) I got to meet some Olympians from the Vancouver Olympics. One, I got my first solo exhibition.  I have also have started getting to know some of my favorite photographers out there and little about there techniques. Most of all, helping my friends celebrate monumental events in there lives has been something I would never have been able to pass up.

There are so many challenges facing everyone now.  My challenge to you is to ask how yourself how to make the most of this time that you have, even as various obstacles come up.  What can you focus your energy on that will help move you forward in you mind?  Then, be amazed as you start looking beyond the problems to the object of focus and goals resulting from that.

While there are times that my frustrations simmer up to the surface, I am so glad that I have my photography to help me get an overall perspective on life and the goals that result from that.

Photography is something I have always put on the sidelines, but maybe this is what I needed to put it into the foreground of my life. 

Romantic Fun in the Fall

With Christmas upon us, it's hard to believe that we experienced the fall colors for most of the month of November.  I was able to do three portraits sessions of some good friends to take advantage of the season.  I am so glad I did them, but it is very clear that I am not quite strong enough to start doing them again and give the kind of service that I like to provide.

But I had fun, and it was so nice to start getting back into my photo groove again.  (I am looking forward to doing them again.)  And I love it when the photographs are in celebration of an accomplishment.

This is the first of the three sessions I did.  Although I was only able to shoot for about 15-20 minutes during this session, I was so happy that I could help Shannon and June celebrate Shannon's recent weight loss of 40 lbs.  And Shannon did look great... along with June, of course!

Here are a few of my favs from our time at Deep Run Park in Henrico.

Eye Candy Anyone?

Only in your dreams baby!

Eye Candy...


Such a hotly debated topic on the web.  I noticed that on Google+, there was quite a discussion by Mike Elgan about the appropriateness of eye candy postings on the streams.

As I was going through my images, I ran across this shot in my archives.  I started giggling.  I mean... in the horse world, wouldn't this blonde beauty qualify?!

I wish I had hair that good!

Please don't get mad at me with the offensive nature of this post.  ;-D

First impression of Sony Alpha NEX-C3 Consumer Camera

PCmag.com is currently featuring the Sony Alpha NEX-C3 digital camera on it's camera page which typically sells for about $600.  My attention was drawn to it since I heard the PCmag.com editor talked about it being the hot camera this season and referred to it as an "almost-DSLR."  Yup!  Even though the camera has been out for a little bit, that statement caught my attention.

Sony Alpha NEX-C3 from PCmag.com review. 

I haven't seen this camera in person or played with it, but since this camera is geared towards the everyday person, I feel a need to share some things to consider before purchasing this camera.  That way, if you do purchase this camera or another one, you will be more likely to be happy with your purchase for the long run.

The Pros

• Interchangeable lenses - Offers more options, especially when trying to capture an image that's a little farther away or that you can't get to. 
• Small size - Easy to stow away.
• No small eye piece to look though  - It has a tiltable LCD screen that you look at to take the picture. 
• It has a variety of Program and Manual modes to choose from. 
• Has settings that are good to use in low-light settings.
• Minimal shutter lag - You won't be standing around waiting for the camera to take a picture, which also means that you will be more likely to get the picture you want... not the "after."

The Cons

• Requires additional maintenance than a regular compact point and shoot camera - Since the lenses come off, it will need periodic professional cleaning. 
• A camera in the $125-$200 range may meet your needs - Think about what you typically use a camera for.  Many of these cameras do offer control over settings.  Do research to see what lower priced cameras have to offer.  Why overbuy when you don't have to?
• Editing software has come a long way!  If you purchase a basic point and shoot camera with Lightroom 3, you will actually save money and get more camera power to boot!
• No camera upgrade available - If you should decide to get more serious about photography and ugrade your camera, you will have to start from scratch with the body and the lenses. 
• Can be hard to handle - Due to the small size, some of the settings and the larger lenses make the camera a little harder to take a picture. 
• It could take more time to get the picture you want - With the small body size making some of the settings hard to manage will slow down how quickly you could respond to get "that" picture.
• The price of beginner SLR's are comprable to the Sony.

Is A DSLR It Worth Buying? 

Investing in a camera system is more about investing
into a lens system.  Lenses are the biggest investment in
DSLR cameras. This is a photo I took in the mid-90's with
basic point and shoot Pentax.  It has won a number of
awards and appeared on the front page of the Flair section
of the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Is there a chance your love for photography can blossom and bloom into something more serious.  If that is the case you may want to consider buying a beginner DSLR body.  However, do you want to spend the money in order for it to sit on your shelf?

There are a lot of compact point and shoot cameras that have a range of controls you can use to customize your settings.  Learning to use these settings and what they can do can help you decide if you want to make the leap into a DSLR camera body.  If for some reason you lose interest in learning photography, then you will know this is a camera that will be able to use just for fun and creating memories.

If you want to buy a DSLR, Canon and Nikon are the most popular and both are good cameras.  They will allow you to grow into your passion at a pace you can handle.  The first camera can always serve as a back-up to future cameras you may purchase and the lenses will be interchangeable.


I shoot with Nikkon myself, and I love the system.  However, due to the floods in Thailand causing shortages of Nikon products, I do recommend going with Canon since those products are more available.

If you love getting fun pictures and like quality, but really don't care how you get there, then I would personally check into less expensive compact cameras than the NEX-C3, mainly so I wouldn't have to worry about changing lenses or the maintenance that comes along with that.  But it is worth the time to compare the features and the feel of the different cameras to see what will suit you best. I have seen a lot of reviews out there saying that sometimes the camera is hard to work because of the small size, especially with the larger lenses, but in the next breath, folks express how much they love the camera. 

Worth Noting:

Anytime you buy a camera where the lenses come off, be aware that these cameras will need occasional cleaning of the sensor by a professional which can range from $45-$75.  How will you know if you need a cleaning?  You will start to see those nagging dust spots in the same place in your photographs. You can try to clean it, but the sensor is easy to damage and expensive to repair.

Where Can I Buy DSLR's? 

If you would like to make a leap into the "real" camera world, it helps to have someone knowledgeable to speak with who is glad to help you get matched up with the right camera. You can either check out the local professional camera stores in your area.  In most cases, they are happy to help beginners find the right camera to fit your needs and they will take time to answer your questions.   If you don't have a store like that near you, there are two place who have very knowledgeable photography professionals who you can call and they will be able to answer your questions.

B&H Photo
Adorama

I have found that it is rare for professional camera retailers to over-sell a product to someone. I have no ties with either company mentioned, but I have benefited from their knowledge when I couldn't find the answers I needed elsewhere.  Also check to see if they have used cameras in stock. You could get a good deal and know that the camera was serviced by a reputable company who stands by its product.

Do I Have to Buy a Fancy Camera?

In short no!

To take great pictures, you don't have to have a fancy camera... There are some fabulous digital compact cameras that provide nice quality, shorter lag times and a little bit of control without the extra care an maintenance in the $125-$200 price range.  Do your research, ask questions. Figure out what qualities are most important to you in a camera. 

Think about this... If you get something like Lightroom 3 and buy a basic point and shoot, it is actually cheaper than the fancier cameras.  The editing software has come such a long way and correct a lot of the issues that you may run across. 

Bigger is not always better.  Learning what makes a great picture is like learning your ABC's and it's not about the equipment. It comes down to how you use the camera to compose a photograph and capture lighting.  Buying a more expensive camera will not make you a better photographer, but it can make you poorer.  And the truth be told.. one of my favorite shots ever came from a point-and-shoot camera! 

Share the Christmas Magic

For the first time this year, I am offering a line of Christmas cards for the first time, coinciding with the Grand Opening of my new online store that makes ordering so easy.  Not only can you chose from a choice of cards, but you can order fine art prints and wall hangings.  One thing I love about this set-up is that it lets you see the customizations you choose as you choose them.

I would like to offer you a coupon that will allow you to save 25% off on your purchases during Black Friday weekend.  The coupon is good from today through - Monday, November 28 at 11:59 pm EST -  Coupon Code: MSJMAL


Click on the Fine Art and Cards tab above to visit the store!

Stop by the store and let me know what you think!

Feeling the Fall Rush

The last two falls, I haven't been able to get out to get any photographs at all which drove me crazy!  This year, I was so excited to be able to get out some to capture the fall colors.  I did get some more traditional leaf shots, but there was some frustration that I couldn't spend more time on it. Since I was running short on time, I decided to do a little experiment and see what happened.

These are the results.  I am calling this series Fall Rush!  In case you are curious, I took these with a slower than normal shutter speed to capture these painterly effects.  I am very glad I tried this out!