52 Variations - Variation Twenty-Four

Chef

Everyone will have to wait another week for the crafted shoot I did last week.  Yet again I came across a opportunity shot that pulled me in.

This week we had the pleasure of celebrating the second birthday of a dear friend's daughter.  In fact, he is Gustavo's Padrino, Mark (Godfather).  It was a wonderful day.  We were able to catchup with friends and Gustavo was able to spend some long over-due time with Mark.  One of Mark's skills includes creative culinary interests.  As a result, we had some wonderful fetta turkey burgers which Gustavo found himself mixing.

It was fun to watch.  Those of you that know my son know he hates dirty hands.  So seeing him dig into the Turkey, mixing the ingredients, messing up his hands.  It was great to see and when Gustavo began complaining about his dirty hands it was no shocker.  For my wife and I it was wonderful to watch.  Bonding moments like this just make me smile.

Have a great week everyone and treasure moments with friends and family, they are far too fleeting.

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As always go to the Flickr set for all project pictures by Clicking Here. You can also find a full explanation of the project along with an index of the shots by Clicking Here.

52 Variations - Variation Twenty-Three

Bummer

You've heard me say this before but I had a different plan for this week.  I even executed the idea and have it ready to process and post.  However, as life does, I had an experience yesterday that made me change plans.

Yesterday was supposed to be the Inter League soccer Tournament for Gustavo's AYSO team.  We had all been looking forward to the day as it was to be our first at the event.  Unfortunately, as happens in Chicago, the weather did not live up to the forecast and we ended up with rain.  Luckily we did not lose out on the entire day was were able to play one of the three scheduled games, but the below shows Gustavo's disappointment at the time when we thought the day was cancelled.

The handiness of the G11 proved it self again, as I just brought it along to capture the odds and end shot.  Very little processing went into the picture, a bit of drama was added to the sky and a little clean up to the umbrella.  However, in general this is how things looked.  Abandoned soccer fields and a sky boding rain. Another fun day in the midwest.

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As always go to the Flickr set for all project pictures by Clicking Here. You can also find a full explanation of the project along with an index of the shots by Clicking Here.

52 Variations - Variation Twenty-Two

Fore

Continuing a small series of Gustavo playing sports.  This week I submit him playing a new sport, golf.  This one is a recent interest, just beginning it late last summer.  We did some lessons together which I think helped me more than him, but solidified that he truly enjoys playing golf.

The above was taken with my walk-a-bout camera, my faithful G11.  It also exemplifies why I have a walk-a-bout camera, you never know when a you'll come across something worth capturing.

Please enjoy a bit of enthusiasm for a new sport with me.  I don't know if or for how long it will last, but I can't think of a nicer way to spend a day than with my son walking some beautiful greens.  Oh, and cross your fingers that he doesn't get too much better than me too quickly.  The kid seems to be a natural.

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As always go to the Flickr set for all project pictures by Clicking Here. You can also find a full explanation of the project along with an index of the shots by Clicking Here.

New Territory

Thank God for wives.  My son's soccer league was not going to have team and individual pictures this year so she volunteered me to take pictures of my son's team, the Blue Sharks.  So off I went, to take sports team pictures, woot, woot.

I have never done team or individual sports portraits.  I have done more game pictures than I care to think about, I've also spent endless hours in event and controlled portrait work, but never done onsite team pictures before.  As always, I learned a ton about how I must adapt as a photographer to this new photographic form.

So if you have some time, not too much needed, lets talk about what I learned and must now integrate into my photographic life.

What did I know going into the shoot.

• I would be shooting in mid-day sun.  Therefore I would need fill light to prevent harsh shadows.
• I knew posing would be challenge - kids like to slouch.
• Corralling 9 year-olds is very, very difficult.  Nine year-olds are fast.  :-)

As you can see, I knew some things that would be challenges, like getting the the kids to cooperate and dealing with the bright mid-day sun.  I felt prepared as I had done my research to address these.  I knew what I could know, but no more.

How did things develop?

• The consensus was to use a goal as the background.  Not my personal choice, but the right one given the streets and mall surrounding the soccer field.
• Using the goal caused issue with the sky.  It was a very bright day with no clouds or color, just sun.  No matter what I did, I couldn't get the sun under control.
• Challenges in posing showed.  Looked at the team picture in the memory mate above.  A few of them were wearing sun glasses.  A rookie mistake.  I did ask them to remove the glasses after a few pictures but every shot taken after that had a bad pose.  Closed eyes, looking at a passing car, etc.  Sadly, the above was the best of the shots.
• The most valuable thing I brought were weights to prevent my light-stands from blowing over.  I have scientifically proven that winds pick up as soon as an umbrella opens, and calm as soon as the umbrella is closed.

At the end of the day everyone seemed happy as was my wife, my most important customer.  Enough for now, as always, if you have any suggestions let me know.  Lets just say I'm glad I had the opportunity to do this shoot and look forward to doing more team and individual sports portraits in the future.

52 Variations - Variation Twenty-One

Futbol

With soccer season drawing to a close I had to make sure and get a picture of Gustavo playing the game he loves so much.  This sport has done a lot for him.  Gustavo, as many of you know, is a very gentle child.  At times this gentleness is manifested in a passiveness, not a bad thing, but a challenge for a soccer player.  Over this season I have seen him become more and more assertive, fighting for the ball, driving hard to contribute.  I couldn't be more proud of the progress he's made.

The above is a slice in time, a slice of the new assertiveness he developed this season.  For those of you with children playing sports I know you can understand the pride I have.  There is nothing like seeing your child grow and excel.  It is really quite wonderful.

So enjoy the above picture with me.  He didn't score a goal, but stole the ball.  All to often that is more important.

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As always go to the Flickr set for all project pictures by Clicking Here. You can also find a full explanation of the project along with an index of the shots by Clicking Here.