Photo of the Day - Into the clouds:



Welcome back! I swear I had a post ready to go for yesterday but it has somehow disappeared into the blogosphere. Can't find it anywhere. Really weird I know. Today was another full day with our last doctor appointment before the due date. Man time has flown! Feels like just yesterday we were hearing his heartbeat for the very first time. Everything looked good and we may be ahead of schedule but you never know with these things! I'll keep you posted!

I'm back today with another Pacific Northwest themed shot. I promise I didn't just take shots of sea planes while on our trip and hopefully I will be able to show off some other shots from the region that don't have a plane in them soon. The above shot was taken as we were heading out to sea. It may not be the best shot but I think it has a cool feel to it with the mountain and active clouds in the distance. Weather can change in a split second up there and it is a really interesting thing to watch (and sometimes dangerous). Though I did fly in one later in the trip I was glad I wasn't on this one flying directly into the weather!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you are having a great week. Tomorrow is Friday and then the weekend! Have a great day & see you tomorrow!

Photo of the Day - Atkinson Lighthouse:



Whew crazy busy day today and I am just eeking this post in but wanted to do it before Thursday! The above shots is one of my favorites that I took while cruising just outside of Vancouver of Atkinson Lighthouse. I saw the sailboat approaching as we were cruising out and managed to time it just right and work both subjects in. One of my favorites of the trip and I took it 30 minutes into the cruise! Sometimes that's the way it shakes out! Sorry for such a late Wednesday post but be sure to check in again on Thursday. See you then!

Photo of the Day - One year ago...



There are certain times of the year in my life that I will remember. Most are important family dates, birthdays, and holidays but there are a few other dates that always bring back memories each year. The last Tuesday and Wednesday of February each year will always bring back interesting memories and strong emotions since a year ago today (and tomorrow) was when I sat for the Florida Bar Exam. I won't get into all of the trials and tribulations of the preparation and stress I went through from December 2008 to February 2009 but it is a period in my life that I will never forget. No matter how much stress I may be going through I can look back to these two months and know that if I made it through that and managed to pass, I should be able to fight through just about anything.

If you're interested in reading my blog posts about the bar exam it is a 5 part series Part 1,Part 2,Part 3,Part 4,andPart 5. That should keep you busy for a while!

The above scene greeted me when I arrived in Lakeland before heading to Tampa for the test. My mom always has a way to help lighten the mood and this was just what I needed! The below shot is of my survival kit that I brought with me to have in the hotel room in Tampa to bring a smile to my face and help cut the stress just a bit.



Well all the preparation and rubber chickens must have worked because here I am a year later as a member of the Florida Bar. I know I couldn't have done it without my great family and friends and I am so thankful for you all! I do know some sitting for the bar tomorrow and I wish you all the best of luck and know that if you have put in your time preparing you will pass with flying colors! If you're not sitting for the bar today and tomorrow be thankful and chances are regardless of how bad/stressful your day may be, there are 5,000+ others who are having an even more stressful day.

Thanks for stopping by today and be sure to stop by again tomorrow for Wednesday's photo of the day! See you then!

Photo of the Day - Canadian Lighthouse



Had a great weekend but as usual it was too short. One thing that was nice about this weekend was that I didn't have any big plans at all so I just went with the flow and for the most part relaxed. One of the things I did this weekend was work on some questions for another upcoming guest blogger while also making contact with some possible future guest bloggers. It's really exciting to know that it was interesting and more photographers and others are interested in contributing. I also made time to re-read Thursday's guest blog entry and if you missed it be sure to click here and check it out!

The big news from last night is USA Hockey's victory over the home team Canada last night! What a game! Watching these elite athletes on this stage is really what the Olympics is all about. As I mentioned a few posts ago I love Vancouver and we had the chance to leave from Vancouver on our northbound cruise to Anchorage. I have yet to share many of the photos from that unbelievable trip here so I figured I would do so during the Olympics to show how amazing that area of the world truly is. The above photo was taken from the top deck of our ship as we traveled out of Vancouver on our way north to our first stop in Alaska. I loved the small lighthouses and other scenery that was there for us every day as we cruised north. Even in the cold it was hard to go inside with the constant beautiful views.

In one final bit of news, our son, Riley is due ONE WEEK from TODAY! Wow. That's crazy to type but I know we are as ready as we can be which in reality, isn't that ready. Either way we are excited and cannot wait to welcome him into the world. Hopefully sooner than later! Thanks for stopping by today. We have a big week in store here and I hope you stick around. Have a great day and hope to see you tomorrow!

Wow what a great guest blog yesterday! Thanks to Doug for being our first guest blogger and thanks to everyone who stopped by. Hopefully some of my new readers will stick around for a while! Last night was a busy one as we headed to Gainesville for the UF basketball game vs. Auburn. It was a great game but kind of sad since it may be my last of the season. Whether it is my last game or not isn't up to me, but is up to this guy:







We had another ultrasound to check up on things earlier this week and everything came back looking great and we even got a couple more 4d shots to add to our disc. Can't believe he is due a week from Monday! Thanks for stopping by for such a busy week here at the blog and if you missed the guest blog entry yesterday be sure to check it out in the post just below this one on the main page. Have a fun and relaxing weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!

Photo of the Day - Guest Blogger #1:

Above image by Jessica Acox, Art by Emmie Duval

Welcome back and happy Thursday! Today I welcome one of my great friends and an amazing photographer Doug Levy as my very first guest blogger. I can't wait to share the interview with all of my readers (and some of his)! Doug is one of my best friends that I have never officially met. We crossed paths a few times while I was living in Jacksonville while he was in town for work. I will leave the rest of that explanation for him in some of the questions below. I was bouncing around ideas to increase the blog readership and my photography web presence and Doug helped me with this idea and what direction to take so it is fitting he is my very first guest blogger!

Doug is my one stop encyclopedia when it comes to photography. Just last night I shot off an email asking for advice on what ball head to buy for my tripod and within 10 minutes he was already back with an answer and guidance. He's such a great resource and friend and at times I hope that I am somehow doing my part to reciprocate as a friend. Either way Doug has stuck around and put up with me and I couldn't be more thankful. We'll see how long he sticks around once I'm done assaulting him with questions. Welcome Doug! I know I would not be the photographer I am today without his help and guidance and I am so honored and happy to have him as my first guest blogger! Enough with the soft stuff...on with the interview!

The Basics:

How do I know you?

I met you in 2007. I was umpiring professional baseball (in the Southern League) in Jacksonville and you'd seen some of my photos and hit me up for some tickets (and got some sweet shots of me working).

Where are you from?

Sharon, MA - about halfway between Boston and Providence.

Something or some things that most people don’t know about you?

Hmmm. Photographically? I've never used a meter, never owned a "real" film camera (my girlfriend bought me an antique Brownie for my birthday last year), and really think if I had to shoot film I'd find a new job.

Where’d ya go to school?

Syracuse - graduated in '03 with degrees in Finance and Journalism.

When I met you, you were doing something COMPLETELY different, what made you decide to make the big leap into professional photography?

The move toward working professionally for me began in the fall of 2007 when I shot my first wedding. I look back on those images now and wince - I want to call the couple and give them a full refund! They paid me $800 to shoot and give them a disc, and I cringe now at the quality of work I was doing at the time - John and Min, I'm sorry!
I can't believe I'm sharing this, but here's one of the terribly over-Photoshopped images from that first wedding. (I think I applied about a dozen actions. Seriously.)


Did you go to school to become a photographer?

Nope.

How long have you been shooting?

In 2006 I was umpiring in the Florida State League, and before the season began there was a bit of a labor issue between baseball and our umpire union. To make a long story short, baseball was threatening to cut off our health insurance and I had started saving money to pay for coverage. Two days before the bill was due the strike was resolved and I had an "extra" $1k in the bank. I promptly spent it on a Nikon D70s and 18-70mm lens.

Why did you get into photography?

I've always had an interest electronic toys, and at the time I just saw a nice camera as another fun toy to play with.


What do you shoot most? What kind of photographer are you? Feel free to add photographic evidence as you see fit!

I think it's really difficult (and dangerous) to pigeon hole oneself as a photographer. That said, a lot of clients like to hire photographers who have a specialty. Think about it - are you more likely to hire a dedicated basketweaving photographer for your homemade wicker baskets? Or someone who shoots NFL football? For me (someone with the attention span of "a flea" as a friend likes to put it, I shoot people, and I'm always trying to capture expression. I think my twitter profile is basically my elevator/napkin pitch. "Moments + vision + emotion = photos"

How often do you shoot?

Weekly, if not daily. If I'm not shooting for a client I'm shooting for myself. I very much subscribe to Nick Onken's ABS theory of things, "Always be shooting."

Show me your top 3 favorite photos of all time and explain to us why you like them so much:

First I have to say that this changes weekly, if not daily. And second I assume you mean photographs I've taken, because it would be impossible to narrow down all the photos I love so much to 3. But here's a few of my personal faves.





Lets see some more of your work!















Whose photography inspires you?

I'm a big fan of both Nick Onken and recently, music photographer Danny Clinch, both of their work is both inspirational and inspiring.

What event or person have you not yet photographed that you really want to shoot soon?

As for what I want to shoot soon..."I'd love to shoot Boston from a helicopter, and I also hope to have some more time this summer to do more street portraits, like I did when I was in LA this past fall (http://www.dougblogs.com/2009/10/13/los-angeles-street-portraits-in-santa-monica-venice/). I'm not sure how that might play out on the East Coast, but I think it will be cool to find out. I think people on this side of the country are a bit more reserved, so it will certainly be a challenge. In LA, I think only 3 people said no when I asked if I could take their picture - I think the numbers will be significantly more against me on the East Coast."

How do you learn while you shoot?

When I started it was all trial and error (the beauty of digital, no cost per click). Now it's a matter of building an ever-expanding library in my head of what works and what doesn't and being able to quickly apply what works best in varied situations, quickly.

The Equipment:

Nikon/Canon/Something else?!?!?

Ah, the list. Here goes:

Nikon D700 and D300 bodies

Nikon SB-800 and SB-600 flashes (I also have one Alien Bee 800)

Lenses (all nikon): 10.5mm fisheye, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.4, 70-200mm VR1

Random accessories: Pocketwizard Plus II's, remote camera cable (used most on the D300 at events), tons of color correction and effect gels for the flashes, Honl grids, Lastolite Tri-Grip reflector, Lastolite Ezybox (looooove this), and a ton of random umbrellas, brolly boxes and other light modifiers.

Are you a gear hound? What's on your photo gear wish list?

Honestly? Not much on the wishlist at the moment. I'd love a set of Elinchrome Ranger lights, but I'm really trying to push myself creatively, and I think if I can't make awesome images with the gear I have it's my brain's fault, not my gear's.

What is your favorite piece of photography gear other than your camera?

This is a toss-up between the Lastolite Tri-Grip and Ezybox, both are so portable and versatile - I never leave home without either.

Like the golf challenge where you're only allowed to use one club in your bag, if you could only use one lens for a shoot which one would it be and why?

I guess this really depends on the job. I could shoot an entire wedding with the 24-70 if I had to, but in terms of which lens do I love the most? Definitely the 85 1.4.

How do you light? Au naturale? Artificial light? On camera or off? Big strobes?

I'm the kind of guy who walks into a room and my first thought tends to be, "Where should I put the lights." It's a mindset I'm trying to move away from actually to focus more on things like moments and expression in favor of letting the light accentuate the subject, instead of the reverse.

What digital darkroom software do you use? Any other software important in your work flow?

Nothing fancy here, just Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4.

What digital darkroom tools, plug ins or presets do you use the most?

For Photoshop I use a small number of homemade presets, including one I wrote for LAB color (for more info check out this guest blog I wrote for my friends at LensProToGo). I also do occasionally use the "Pro Retouch" action from Totally Rad Actions.

Have you ever had any disasters while shooting? Lose or have equipment break? What happened?

I've been pretty lucky in this regard. Nothing too horrible has happened to me on a shoot. The most common "problem" if you can call it that is that 30 minute shoots turn into 15 minutes, and 10 minute shoots turn into 3 minutes. That seems to happen weekly!

Dreamland:

If you could shoot with any professional photographer dead or alive who would it be and why?

Oh man, not a short list. At the moment I'd love to just follow Dan Winters, Sam Jones and Platon around for a month (or longer if they'd have me). Each have such unique ways in which they use light to communicate with their subject and viewer

Where would be your dream shoot?

I've had an image of a ballerina at sunrise in front of this background in my head for a year and a half, I just haven't had things come together yet where I can pull it off.

If not a photographer or umpire, I would have liked to be…

I am what I want to be. It'd always be nice to be busier and tackling more expansive and comprehensive projects, but I wouldn't change a thing otherwise.

First thing you would do if you found $10 million dollars?

After the boring stuff like paying off college and my car? Sign up for one of Andy Biggs' African photo safari's (andybiggs.com) and take and invest in a medium format system to take with me.

Movies, TV, Music, Books & Mags (oh my!):

Favorite movie?

So cliche, I know, but probably "Field of Dreams."

Favorite TV Show(s)?

24 - I'm totally an addict. I think my dad and I watched the first 3 seasons on DVD in about 2 weeks.

Photography publications you subscribe to?

Oh man. There's a ton (but I think I get the most inspiration out of GQ and Esquire - amazing images every month). I have a thumbtack board with clippings from magazines, most of them are from GQ and Esquire. But I subscribe to: Digital Photo Pro, Photoshop User Magazine, Rangefinder and American Photo.

Other Magazines you subscribe to or get on the newsstand:

GQ, Esquire, MensHealth.

Best photography book you’ve read?

The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally

Best non photography book you’ve read?

There are a bunch, but I'm partial to anything by Jeffrey Archer.

What’s next in your book queue?

I should probably get one...

Favorite kind of music?

Springsteen - though I've been on a country kick of late, especially Randy Rogers and the Zac Brown Band.

Favorite musician or group right now?

New music? Haha. I think my Ipod is full of old rockers - Springsteen, Tom Petty, Zepplin, I'm boring, I don't have many new artists on my playlists.

What's playing on your iTunes right now?

Digital Photo Radio (I know, I'm a dork.)

Websites, Blogs, Tweets & Tips:

Have any favorite websites or blogs that you check regularly?

My Google Reader tells me I'm currently subscribed to 155 blogs and I've read 908 items in the last 30 days. That said, I do have a "Favorites" folder including the following blogs: Strobist.com, Chase Jarvis's blog, Vincent LaForet's blog, and Joe McNally's blog.

Belong to any professional photography associations/groups?

I'm a NAPP member (www.photoshopuser.com) as well as a member of a local group of photographers, the Boston Photographer's Guild

How do you market yourself and your work?

I make liberal (I think my girlfriend would say too much) use of my Facebook page, my Twitter page(@douglevy) and my blog

Do you advertise?

Not beyond social media. 90+% of my business comes via word of mouth from other photographers and past clients.

Do you have a website or a blog? Hit me with some links!

My Website

My Blog

Any must follow twitter accounts?

@nickonken
@emilieinc
@asmp

Is your website/blog a big part of you getting clients/meeting other photographers?

Having a web presence is so so so important. Having a consistent one even moreso. That's why you won't find me blogging about babies and maternity shoots or tweeting about my favorite restaurant.

What is the best way to get more people to view/talk about your work?

Shoot better photos, and show more people. Seriously. Think about it, if you're not getting enough work it's because either your images aren't good enough or they're not being seen by enough (and the right) people.

The Future:

What goals do you have as a photographer?

I think if I keep on the path I'm on, things will work out. What does that mean? I think building a brand and a business is such a linear process - you have to walk before you can run. Goal-wise I'm just trying to make better images than I made yesterday (and to spend more time behind the camera and less in front of the computer).

5 years from now I will be...
Making better images than I am today. Not to sound overly simplistic, but if I can make more complex, more meaningful images the rest will take care of itself.

10 years from now...

Maybe I need a 10 year plan, but 10 years ago if you told me I'd be doing this today I'd have said you were crazy. I think I'll just enjoy the ride.

#1 on your bucket list?

I should probably start a list so there could be a #1...

Wrapping things up:

Is there anything you would have done differently during your photographic career?

I wish I'd owned a camera before I was 25, but that's not so much something I'd change than a bit of a regret.

Is there anything you are still learning either in your profession or in life?

Always. Small steps. I'm just trying to make better images than I made yesterday.

Which five words or phrases would your friends likely use to describe you?

Loyal. Inspiring. Motivated. Tireless. Persistent.

Any advice for fellow photographers that we haven't already discussed?

I think we've just about covered it. Shoot more. Show more people.

I’ve learned the most from…screwing things up and trying to avoid making the same mistakes twice.

Well, that finishes things up for our first guest blog ever! I've learned a ton and I am sure you have too! Thank you so much to Doug for putting up with me and my questions and for joining me as a guest blogger. If you know Doug be sure to make a comment and give him a hard time and if you don't know him still feel free to leave a comment and either give him a hard time or show your appreciation for his posting a blog entry instead of me. I imagine all of my regular readers were pleased to have a break! Thanks to all of my new readers that stopped by today to check out Doug's entry as well as my regulars. If you're new here I hope to get to know you all better and hope that you stick around for a while! If you're still wondering who the hell I am and why I am doing this check out my interview and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter and check out my web page! Hope to see you again tomorrow for Friday's edition of the photo of the day and be sure to stay tuned for more guest blog interviews in the coming weeks. See you tomorrow!

Photo of the Day - Havin' a Ball:



Monday night I had a ball and I mean that figuratively and literally! Admittedly we have not been the best at taking maternity photos to document the progression and changes in Britt's body as we move further into her pregnancy. I blame myself for most of that because I am really not that great of a portrait photographer, I am still learning to work with multiple off camera flashes, and I'm really not that hot on the genre of maternity photography in general. With that said however, a lot of that changes when it is your wife, and your baby on the way but even then I can't make myself a better photographer. Finally it hit both of us that time is running out for maternity shots and it occurred to me that if she's willing to be in front of the camera (which she normally NEVER is) then I need to be willing to come out of my comfort zone of landscapes, wildlife and sports and take some portraits.

We both really went into it with the right mindset and really had fun with the whole shoot. Some of the outtakes are so funny that I may share some with you all once I finish editing the set of keepers. All in all I had a great time and our relaxed and happy mood really set the tone for a great night. It's hard not to be happy with all that we have to look forward to!

Here are a few more from Monday night:





Speaking of things to look forward to, tomorrow is the big day, and we have our first guest blogger EVER! Tomorrow I will welcome, and relentlessly question my good friend and fellow photographer Doug Levy. Be sure to check in and read what he has to say. It will be an interesting and informative read and I can't wait to share it with you all! See you tomorrow for the big day!

Photo of the Day - Family Tradition:



Sorry for the late Tuesday post! I will have Wednesday's post up and ready to go for you all bright and early tomorrow so be sure to check it out! Busy night last night full of getting caught up as well as a special photo shoot but that's reserved for tomorrow's post!

The above photo is one of the few that I have managed to edit so far from this year's Daytona 500. Once I got home I was so wiped out I didn't even have the energy to import the shots from my memory card and Monday wasn't much better so hopefully I will get around to working through some tonight. If I do I'll update this entry with a link to the gallery.

Anyway, as the title of the photo indicates, the Daytona 500 has kind of become a family tradition for me and dad over the years and honestly I don't even remember how many we've been to. I know we've been going for well over 10 years and have always sat in the same seats. We've had some amazing experiences (meeting Dale Earnhardt after he won), seen some unbelievable tragedies (watching Dale Earnhardt's final lap), and some unbelievable racing. It's always an adventure and something we have always enjoyed doing together. I even went last year with less than 2 weeks left before the bar exam - brought my books with me to the track and everything but the best part of that day was just getting away from it all and being with Dad. A year later, not much has changed and as always the race (even with all of the delays for track maintenance and crazy traffic) was a blast!





Thanks for stopping by today and like I said I will update with a link to the gallery as soon as I get through the shots but will try to hold off on making it another NASCAR photo of the day. Speaking of upcoming photos of the day you can't miss the rest of this week! Tomorrow I'll have a few shots from last night's photo shoot and then on Thursday you've gotta stop by for our first ever guest blog entry! I'll announce who it is tomorrow so stay tuned! See you then!

Photo of the Day - 500 miles and 17 hours:



That was the total amount of time from door to door yesterday for our trip to the Daytona 500. What a whirlwind! I'm STILL tired! Traffic is always tough getting back from the race and unfortunately there were some major delays during the race due to the condition of the track. Still, it's always a great time and worth the long day! The above photo is of the 2010 logo. Haven't had time to go through the rest of my shots but will as soon as possible. Have a special photo shoot tonight so not sure when we'll get to them. Be sure to keep checking in this week - lots of big things coming up including our first REAL guest blogger, I swear it's not me this time! See you tomorrow and have a great day!

Photo of the Day - Let's Go Racin!



It's that time of the year again and that time isn't Valentine's Day. It's time to go racing! As you read this I am either on my way to or already watching the 52nd running of the Daytona 500. I'm not sure exactly how long I have been going but I know my dad and I have been going well over a decade and it is always a blast. We have some amazing seats and have seen some amazing races. The concert before the race, the fly over and everything else that goes on during this action packed day. Since I have been shooting I always have a great time getting a few shots during the race as well. Though I don't have the best vantage point like some of the photographers that are credentialed but I do pretty well from the seats (and get to drink beer with dad). If you haven't ever watched it's definitely more exciting than it usually gets credit for. Here are a few more shots from last year's 500 and expect more after Sunday!







Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you back here tomorrow for our regularly scheduled weekly photo of the day programming!

Happy Valentine's Day!



Thank you to all of my followers who check in and help me make this blog what it is! Hope to keep it going in the right direction. Love ya all!

Photo of the Day - Vancouver:



Welcome back! Like I said yesterday I decided to make a couple of weekend posts since this is a pretty full weekend. As we all know the Olympics is just now cranking up and whether it is a Winter or Summer Olympics I love watching all that goes on. It's really an amazing thing to imagine these athletes training so hard for so long to only have the opportunity to participate on this stage once every 4 years and usually no more than 2 or 3 times in their lives. To be able to perform at that level with that kind of pressure is amazing and makes for a great couple of weeks of sports viewing!

I'm especially excited about this Olympics since it is taking place in one of my favorite cities! During the summer of 2008 my wife and I flew into Vancouver which was the starting point of our cruise to (and around) Alaska. We got to Vancouver a few days early to make sure that if there were any travel issues we would still have a buffer before the time the boat was scheduled to leave and we wanted a few days to be able to explore Vancouver. What a beautiful place! It was definitely a great start to our trip and we really wanted to make the trip back up to Vancouver this year for the Olympics but we've got bigger things on the way. Besides it will probably be a much more fun visit without all those crowds!

The above photo was taken from our cruise ship as we made our way out to sea. I loved watching all of the Sea Plane action in and out of the area and it was fun to shoot from the deck of the ship. During this Olympics I may post a few more shots of Vancouver and Alaska to commemorate this amazing trip:



Thanks for stopping by for a special Saturday edition of the photo of the day and be sure to check in AGAIN tomorrow for another special weekend edition of the photo of the day!

Photo of the Day - Father Daughter Dance:



Welcome back! Like I said in yesterday's post I am sorry that I wasn't able to post a photo of the day for Thursday but it was a full day and when I got home I had the chance to talk to and work with our first guest blogger. We are really close to finishing up the first real guest blog entry and after reading it all I can say is WOW! Totally impressed and I am so pumped up to share it with the rest of the world! Be ready because next week that's exactly what is going to happen.

The above photo is one of my all time favorites from the professional golf events I have had the opportunity to shoot. When you assist other photographers in this kind of setting your focus for the majority of the time must be on assisting the photographer you are working with and your shots are way down the priority list. Towards the end of the tournament last year that focus completely changed when the tournament was coming to an end. There were assigned positions on the 18th hole which restricted the number of photographers allowed in each area and the angles of the shots that we were able to get so it was key to get the best shot from each angle to bring back to the media room. Unfortunately we didn't have enough people working the event to have a photographer at each location so after some strategy it was determined that I would be manning one of the spots near the green to try to get the best shot possible.

Wow - my first sports assignment when I least expected it and when I was the most fatigued after walking mile after mile for the first 3.75 rounds in the summer heat and now I was going to have to gather it all up and find a way to make it happen. I was also pretty fired up that day because there was a stock of loaner equipment that the Times-Union was given for this event and there just so happened to be an extra D3 lying around. Once everyone had headed out it was still there and one of our editors offered it to me. I tried to act casual and paused a bit before answering with a resounding "OH YES!" So this is one of my favorite shots since I had the opportunity to use some amazing and very expensive gear that is not my own.

As the champion Henrik Stenson's group made it down the fairway I was in my assigned area ready to go with some amazing sports photographers from all over the country. After he had finished his round and began to celebrate his daughter ran out to him and that amazing moment happened while they were celebrating such a special moment. Her hair was lit up by the setting sun and their expressions say it all about a father and his child's relationship. Definitely one of my favorites and one that I think back to and smile about often. I'm lucky enough to work with my dad and see him every day and we often have these kind of moments but I'm just a bit too heavy to pick up these days :-)

Thanks for stopping by on your Friday morning for this edition of the photo of the day. Like I said big things are happening and our first real guest blogger and one of my great friends Doug Levy will be stopping by for his interview next week! Stay tuned and have a GREAT weekend! If you are around tomorrow and want to stop by there may even be a special Saturday edition of the photo of the day. Happy Friday!

Photo of the Day:



Oops, almost missed today's post and it's so late that I figured I should just hold off on a huge post and give you one of my favorite pictures for tomorrow's post. Had a busy day and finished it off by heading out to an Emerge Lakeland speed networking event. It was kind of funny since I am a photographer and volunteered my services to take a few shots at any Emerge event that I am at I was holding it while participating in the "speed networking." A lot of first comments to me were "oh so you're a professional photographer" and I would have to let everyone know that I have more than one profession. I seemed much less interesting to everyone once I started talking about being an attorney. Oh well :-) What a great time and what great people - I met so many! I'm really proud to be a part of this group and the events committee.

Sorry if I let you down with a no picture Thursday post but be sure to stay tuned for Friday's post! Big things are happening!

Photo of the Day - Near Miss:



Hello again! yesterday was another work day and the above photo is kind of fitting and since I was working with it last night so I figured I'd post it! The day wasn't THAT bad, but it did feel like a near miss. Just a lot of potential to be really great and get a lot done but just didn't get there. The good news is even though yesterday was a near miss there's always hope for tomorrow (the next hole in the round).

The above shot was taken during the third round of at last year's Players Championship. Kevin Na had a birdie putt on the 7th green and his reaction says it all. I had a great time following his group for a bit during this round and he is an exceptional professional golfer! I love the shot and it really sums up some of the emotions involved in the game of golf at any level. This shot is also an interesting lesson in sports photography - sometimes the best shots come after the action when the athletes react either positively or negatively based on the result. Never chimp too soon, the shots that have already been taken aren't going anywhere but the action or reaction in this case will pass you by if you're checking to see what you got too soon.

Here's hoping today is the exact opposite of a near miss! Thanks for stopping by today and if you missed it - be sure to check back to Monday's post for my very first "guest" blogger! Be sure to stay tuned for another guest blog entry soon! See you tomorrow!