Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence happens a lot. It may just be small shove or a full out assault, it's wrong.

When I worked for the District Attorney's Office in San Diego County many years ago, I recall working on cases in which domestic violence occurred. It's not often that these cases go to trial either. Why? Because often the person who has been victimized won't press charges against the person who did the abuse! Where we might think it is the natural progression to move forward to stop the abuse, surprisingly, many do not do it.

I once went to take photographs of a domestic violence victim as ordered by the Deputy DA assigned to the case. The DA investigator and I arrived at the hospital and I took all the supporting photographs needed for the case. The victim was telling the investigator about what had happened. She was beaten by her husband. It wasn't pretty.

After we were done and we were heading down in the elevator, the investigator said to me, "Thanks for taking the pictures. But you do realize it will probably never be used, don't you?" I asked why. "Well, the case most likely won't even make it to court because the victim is probably going to go back to her husband and drop the charges."

I couldn't believe it! After taking such a brutal beating, the victim would drop the charges? But it was true. It never made it to court. The investigator knew that often, the victim will go back to the abusive relationship. It's just hard to comprehend.

However, in some cases, the victim does go forward and presses charges. Some also will divorce the abuser too. To me, that makes the most sense. Don't be afraid. If you are being abused... do something about it. Don't wait until it's too late.

No Vacancy

My brother-in-law came over this morning to help me build and install a screen to fit over the attic fan opening where our furry friend the squirrel had entered in the past. So now it's "NO VACANCY" for squirrels looking for a free place to stay.

We built a frame out of wood secured by metal corner L brackets and then covered it with a metal screen. The final product was then jammed into the opening of the vent area.

Not a bad job, if I say so myself! Thanks Ed! :)

Deportation or Relocation?

POE (Point of Entry)

The vent on the other side of the house

Recently, we had a visitor who decided to make a home in our attic.

We could hear him walking around in the attic. At first, he would stay directly over our bedroom area. Then he got braver and moved further because I could hear him walking around over one of the other bedrooms.

No matter what I did to try to scare him off, he stayed.

I'm in no condition to go up into the attic. Besides, we had blown in a lot of insulation in there just a few years back. I didn't want to deal with that mess. Besides, I didn't know what the visitor was... it could have been anything. Ghosts? Nah... Animal(s)? Most likely.

I called several animal control companies and the cost was pretty high to get them to remove an animal. There's an initial cost to come out to inspect and set a trap... outside. None of the companies seemed to want to set the trap inside! Then there's another fee to remove the animal once it's in the outside trap. We'd have to monitor the trap daily and then call to get the company to come out to remove the animal.

I thought long and hard about whether to hire one of these companies to come out to set a trap... but in the end, I could not get myself to pay so much money to take out a single animal. My gut feeling was that it was a squirrel. The opening by our attic fans is only large enough for something the size of a squirrel or smaller could get into.

Well, I had trapped several squirrels in the past who had gotten into our eves by chewing through our roof tiles and the old plywood. The roof was old and it needed a full tear off and replacement which we did less than two years ago. We saw the damage those animals did too. Luckily, it didn't go into the attic itself. But this new intruder got into the attic. Most likely, he crawled in through the attic fan area of our home, on the side of our bedroom. The other side, looks like it's totally sealed off as you can see in the photo above, but the one near the bedroom doesn't seem to have anything covering it. So on Friday, my brother-in-law and I are going to seal that opening up.

I set the trap on the ground near the attic fan area, and in two days, I had a squirrel. I baited this squirrel and the ones in the past with peanut butter. If you ever need to bait a squirrel use peanut butter. Works great!

Once he was inside and stepped on the trap release, the door closes behind him and he's trapped. It's the most humane way to do it. Each of the squirrels I've trapped have been relocated (or deported if you want to look at it that way) into the forest preserves a couple of miles from my home. Once you open up the trap door, they usually run to the nearest tree. This one was no different. I should have taken a photo of the trapped squirrel, but I was too anxious to get him out of the trap and totally forgot to take a photo of him. Sorry!

Afterwards, I had to wonder if I caught the right animal because the trap was set on the ground, not 14 to 15 feet above ground, where the attic fan is located. After several days of listening, I don't hear the sounds of anything walking around up in the attic, so I'm pretty sure we got the right culprit.

Now after we seal off the fan opening on Friday, if I hear any more walking around up in the attic, we'll have to call Ghostbusters, because I don't know how to catch one of those...

The Fairlanes Rock Gino's East

The Fairlanes took Gino's East - Lake Zurich by storm, rocking out tunes from the 50's through the 80's.

The group has an obvious following as witnessed by the numerous fans who turned out to hear them play. Not only did Gino's East have new patrons who may not have heard them play before, but an entire group of Fairlane fanatics were there as well. Obviously, there must be something to their performances that command that kind of dedication!

Also interesting is the fact that their drummer is a woman! Not often do you see or hear that, and drummer Gail Allen did not fail to lay down a solid backbeat for the rest of the band to play with. Keyboardist Dan Boulos, Guitarist Greg Nashan, Bassist Sam Mulvey and vocalist Jim Fletcher easily filled in the rest of the sound and together, they covered tune after tune of memorable music.

This group plays a lot... so get out there and check them out! (Be sure to click on each photo for a closer look!)

Etch-A-Sketch

Some friends and I were discussing Etch-A-Sketch recently. I thought it would be funny to show up to a wedding one day without my camera and just bring an Etch-A-Sketch and announce, "I'm ready to do your pictures!" I wonder how well that would go over... No? How about just showing up with a cell phone in hand and saying the same thing? Better?

My Best Report Card in Elementary School

This is my second grade report card. While you may wonder why someone who got so many "E" marks would be proud, consider that the Chicago Public School system (at least back then) didn't use the ABCDF system. Instead, they used the EGFU system. This means, Excellent, Good, Fair and Unsatisfactory. (Math and Reading also have grade levels which use an A through I rating... it's easy to confuse that with the grade, however. I think they should have come up with a different lettering scheme to differentiate it more.)

After second grade, I was "double promoted" into fourth grade. I skipped third grade.

I asked a number of my former classmates who had double promoted with me what they thought about being double promoted. Looking back, was it a good idea? It seems only I felt it was. Everyone else didn't.

Skipping third grade put all of us at a disadvantage both academically and also socially. A lot of foundational material in subjects like math and science is covered in third grade. And, being one year younger than everyone else, socially we may not have been ready as well. But for me, I adapted to the situation around the fifth grade. I did struggle in the fourth grade though. My grades dropped and for that I wasn't happy. But by the fifth grade, I think I had caught up. Socially, where others did not feel they fit in, I was ok with it. I didn't mind being a year younger than the other people in my classes, and quite frankly, most never knew either.

Would I do it again if I were given the chance? Yes! All of the others (so far) have said no. Would I allow my own daughter to do it if she had the chance? No. Double standard? Maybe. Although I was ok with it, that doesn't mean everyone would be. Why take the chance? (Be sure to click on the image to get a closer look.)

So Why Do Photos Cost So Much?

Look at the post I did below on Pro Shots versus Snap Shots.

If I were to sell the photo below, perhaps I might ask for $20 for an 8x10. Or maybe I'd ask for $50. Or $100. There is no set standard for selling a photograph.

So why do photos cost so much?

Well, consider this:

1. The equipment used to take that photo cost a lot of money. It was done with pro quality gear.
2. Training. I've had years of training which cost a lot of money. College classes, seminars, etc.
3. Experience. It took years of taking photos to know how to compose and expose properly.
4. Printing. Pro printing isn't necessarily all that cheap. Doing it at a drug store might be though, but the quality isn't always there.
5. Parking, gas, entrance fees. Sometimes this plays a factor in even getting the shot.
6. Access. Sometimes you need a pro photographer's credentials even to get the shot.
7. Time. Time is money and sometimes you have to wait around just to take the photo.
8. Advertising. Can't sell anything if nobody knows you are trying to sell it.
9. Other vendors. At times a stylist, hair dresser, or make up artist might be needed. $$
10. Other Overhead. Pros often have studios or offices that require rent. That is expensive.
11. Errors and Omissions Insurance. Costly, but protects the clients.
12. General Liability Insurance. Protects the pro, but also costs money.

These are just some factors as to why photos cost what they do. It's sometimes more than you might think. If you think, "It's just a picture! Why does it cost so much?" Now you know.

Can A Pro Shoot A Simple Snapshot?

St. Louis Science Center

Can a pro photographer shoot a simple snapshot? Sure! To me, this is a simple snapshot. But to others, this is a pro shot.

I suppose you can say that because the image is properly exposed and the composition is pleasing, there had to be some kind of thought made before the shot was taken. So does that qualify this as a simple snapshot?

Some people believe a snapshot is simply that... a quick snap of the shutter release. No thinking, no nothing. What typically is used for snapshots is a "point and shoot" camera... you know, the ones you can put in your shirt pocket. But what about this shot? It was taken with a Fuji S5 Pro digital Single Lens Reflex camera with a Tamron 17-50 mm f 2.8 lens. The camera was "set up" to optimize for ambient light photography... auto white balance, auto ISO, aperture priority exposure, fast camera lens.

So is this truly a snapshot?

With a point and shoot camera, most likely the built-in flash would have been used for a shot like this. That would have made the shot look totally different. A bright light in the front would have lit the kids in the foreground just fine, but the background would have been totally darkened. With this shot, the lighting is even throughout because the existing ambient light was relied upon. It looks natural and it looks basically like what the true scene was in real life.

So is this truly a snapshot?

To me, this is a snapshot. I shot it fast. I didn't think much about it. I didn't spend more than perhaps 3 seconds to stop, aim and fire. While you may argue that I was equipped with a camera with more capabilities than the typical person might have with him for a vacation shot, it's still a snapshot... to me.

If this is a snapshot, then what would this shot have looked like if it were a "pro shot?" Well, perhaps I would have hired professional models. Then maybe I would have positioned them in the photo so that each person had a specific reason to be there. Maybe I would have played with changing the lighting by adding additional lights or reflectors so that the kids in the front would not be so dark in the photo. And maybe I would have thought more about the composition.

With all that effort to take a shot, I'd consider that a pro shot.

This is a snapshot... to me at least. But it's not a bad snapshot at all, for 3 seconds worth of effort. It took me a lot longer to write this post than it did to take the shot. (Click on the photo to get a closer look.)

What Have I Been Up To Lately?

Since finding my former classmates on Facebook, I've been reminiscing about all the fun times we had growing up. It almost seems like we never were apart, but it's been something like 38 years!

I am excited at the thought of seeing them all again. We plan to do some kind of reunion soon.

While some of us had fuzzy memories, others filled them in for us and the memories came back. Still others had great memories and even remembered names of other classmates. Lots of stories have been told already and some even were a bit shocking.

Still the jokester, I could not help but insult each and every one of them. Luckily, they are all taking it well. No death threats against me... yet. :)

Recently, I had a problem with my knee and so I'm now resting and hanging out at the computer. With all that "free time" sitting around, I could not help but write a bunch of things on the Facebook site. Hopefully, none of it will come back to haunt me in the future because as we all know, things said in cyberspace stays there forever. And photos posted remain as well.

So that's what's been happening lately. Sorry, no photos to post today. When my knee feels better, I'll be sure to make up for that and post a bunch of things for everyone to see.

Friends from Grade School Contact Me!

Grover Cleveland Elementary School

Yesterday, I was contacted by two of my past friends from grade school! I have not seen these two old friends in something like 37 or 38 years! Being back in contact with them brought back so many memories.

You see, these two dear old friends and I had gone through most of our grade school classes together. We all "double promoted" from 2nd grade straight to the 4th grade. Essentially, we skipped 3rd grade and went directly to 4th. And yet another friend of mine (who also has been in contact with these two friends and me) skipped not only 3rd grade, but also 7th grade as well.

It seems the internet does indeed put old friends together again. I can honestly say that without the internet, I cannot think of another way to easily get back in contact with people. Technology is amazing!

Both of my old friends are people who attended Grover Cleveland Elementary School in Chicago. We grew up together and experienced the same things that only childhood schoolmates can. Just talking over the old times, I am remembering more and more about being at the age of 5 to 11. It's surprising how much I still remember from that time period. But my other friend Randy, has an even better memory... for names! Whereas I could remember the kids from my old class photos, he remembers their names too!

I hope that one day we can all get together again. One of my friends actually lives in the same suburb as me! We just have to get together one day!

I'm very glad to be back in contact with them. Who knows, in time, perhaps we can locate our other classmates as well. (Edit note: I was just in contact with yet another friend this morning! That's three in the course of less than 24 hours!)

Chicago Chinatown 5K Run - July 11, 2009

This girl has the right idea.

This is the only way that I could do a 5K run too..

Being pushed in a stroller!

Don't leave after the main race. The kids have one of their own!

(Photos from the July 11, 2009 Chinatown 5k Run are now on-line at www.russlowe.instaproofs.com)

It's been a couple of years since the last Chicago Chinatown 5K Run was held. I had the opportunity to photograph one in 2005. Today, I got an email announcing that this race will once again be held in 2009! Besides the big race for grown-ups, they also hold a quarter-mile Youth Run for ages 6 to 10.

This year's prizes include a Ninendo Wii and Apple iPod Nano.

I've been to two of these races in the past. No, I didn't run... but I did help out. It's fun to see everyone getting ready before the race and then standing right up in the front to take photos of the runners at the starting line. Then, as the race progresses, it's just a short wait before we see the first runners coming in to the finish line. Wow! These guys are fast!

If you've ever wanted to try a race, this is a good one to do. It's 5K, so it is relatively quick. As a spectator, you aren't waiting around a long time for the runners to return either. And the best part? Well... hey, it's Chinatown! After the race, think about all the great restaurants and shops you can go to afterwards! :)

Click here to see the details of the upcoming race! Photographers... how about meeting in Chinatown to do a photojournalistic coverage of the event? Who's up for it? Currently, I'm not booked for a wedding that date. So there's a good chance I could be there this year!

Tutoring Sessions Going Strong

I never realized that so many people wanted help with their photography until I put a small ad on Craigslist to see if anyone wanted my help.

I don't charge a lot for this help... and it seems that my students have all benefited from this little bit of help. I had a couple of my students tell me that they had learned more in one 3 hour session with me than some full day seminars they attended. I think that's because I concentrate on areas that my students need the most help. And, they are getting individualized attention.

Too often today, many people who buy a digital camera want to become a professional photographer. You wouldn't believe how many people come up to me and say, "I just bought a new digital camera and I'd like to get some business taking photos for people!" Unfortunately, I've seen some of the photos that these "wanna-bees" produce and they are far from professional. That's not to say they can't be improved. A little training goes a long way.

Still, some others who buy a new D-SLR don't want to be a pro, they just want to be able to take good photos for vacation or other family events. That's great! I'm always glad to help someone try to take better photos.

If you or someone you know could benefit from some training, email me or call me. I'd be happy to see if I can help. While most of my students have preferred to get one-on-one training, I'd like to see if some others might want to save a few dollars and try a classroom training of perhaps 4 or 5 people instead. Spread the word!

John Hersey High School Orchesis - Feb 26-29

Images taken with a Nikon D3 and Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens

Starting tonight, John Hersey High School Orchesis will be presenting their annual dance show.

I had the opportunity to photograph them this year and got some great shots! During their practices on Monday and Tuesday, I shot nearly 4000 images. Why so many? Well, the first day was done for me to get an idea of what to expect during the show. Many of those shots were done "wide" so that I could review the images and see what to shoot the next day. So on Tuesday, I shot "tighter" and got more close ups.

Often in events like these, a lot of images are taken. That's not to say all images are good! We're looking for the few that stand out and often that's done within milliseconds in timing. So while a grouping of images are taken of a given scene, perhaps one will be a "keeper" out of the bunch.

These two images are examples of what you can expect to see at the show. Come out to Arlington Heights, IL and see the show yourself! The shows startat 7:30 PM. My daughter choreographed several of the dances too!

St. Louis Science Center

This museum reminded me of a combination of the Museum of Science and Industry and The Field Museum (both from Chicago.) In fact, the "Sue" dinosauer exhibit was being shown here when I went to visit last week. Well, the real Sue is probably still in Chicago, but a traveling version was in St. Louis last week.

Definitely a facility designed more for children perhaps in the middle school age, the Science Center still had interesting things in it for the adults too. Lots of hands-on exhibits besides just static displays, the Science Center offered a lot for free. Parking was $8, but that's still reasonable.

All images were taken with a Fuji S5 Pro camera and a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens.

Godin - Multiac Grand Concert Duet

This is the guitar I usually go to when playing a solo live.

I prefer to play nylon-stringed guitars when playing smooth jazz tunes and the Godin works great in a live setting. Since there isn't a large sound hole in the guitar, the chance for feedback is slim. But this guitar is "chambered" internally. The pickup is an LR Baggs Duet system which is controlled by one of the sliders on the top of the guitar. The other sliders control volume and tone. You can even null out problem feedback frequencies by using the notch filter and/or phase switch.

The guitar is set up like a standard classical guitar with a 2" nut width and a neck to body connection at the 12th fret.

Besides being powered by a battery, the guitar can also be phantom powered with 48 Volts from your PA mixer via a mic cable instead of the standard guitar cable with a 1/4" plug. This allows constant power without fear of a battery draining out.

While it does look a little different than most classical guitars, it plays very well and sounds great when plugged-in. The body is just a little thicker than a typical electric guitar, but much thinner than an acoustic. Plays well and sounds great with lots of control over the tone of the guitar!

Fingerprints and the Polaroid MP4 Copy Camera

 (Image found on the internet)

Polaroid MP4 Copy Camera

(Image found on the internet)

I recall when I was first interning as an Evidence Technician that I was tasked to take some photos of any fingerprints I found on some evidence I had just recently dusted for fingerprints. The camera that we used in the crime lab for this function was the Polaroid MP4 copy camera. This huge camera system was mounted to a copy stand which had incandescent lights positioned to eliminate as many reflections as possible.

The camera could take both standard Polaroid photos as well as take photos with large 4"x5" sheet film (large format film.) For this work, I was asked to take the shots with 4x5 film.

Being new at all of this work, I didn't know at the time what constituted a "good" fingerprint from a bad one. I was, after all, just a new intern. So every smudge I found, I photographed. I must have taken 50 or 60 shots. Well, after the film was developed, my supervisor called me over to tell me that not a single shot I took was worth taking! He explained to me that there were certain qualities in the fingerprints that needed to be there in order to make any kind of identification. Often in court, fingerprint examiners will be asked by the defense attorney, "How many points are needed to have an identification?" This is a difficult thing to answer, but in general, I'd say you'd need around 9 points to make a decent identification. But some experts can do it with less.

Back to my story... None of the prints I found on the evidence had a significant amount of points to make an ID. Most were just smudges. Totally worthless. I had basically wasted 50 to 60 sheets of 4"x5" film. That was expensive and time consuming! I felt awful!

But my supervisor said that everyone who comes through the lab makes this same mistake. In the hopes of catching a criminal, interns without any experience will document anything and everything. While it was a costly mistake to make, I learned an important lesson that day. Take photos of only the prints that had a chance to be identified. This meant that even though I was not a Fingerprint Examiner, I had to make the decision in the field as to which fingerprints found would actually get sent to the fingerprint examiner to examine!

From that point on, I made sure I learned more about what was considered a "good print" from a "bad one." You can find all sorts of "bad" prints on evidence. But it's always exciting when you find a good one and it get's identified. Yes, my work in the crime lab has sent criminals to prison. I did that even when I was just a lowly intern. By the way, it would be a terrific find to get a print on a piece of evidence that had the kind of ridge detail that you see in the image above. That would be an incredible find! Most likely you'd only get a small portion of a print and chances are it would not be as "clean" as you see it above. FYI: fingerprints are catagorized as "Whirls," "Loops," and "Arches." What kind of print would you call the one above?

Film

Kodak Portra Film

Years ago, I shot only with film. That's because that's all we had before digital!

Kodak VPS film, later replaced by the Kodak Portra series of film was what I used to shoot weddings and any work I needed which might want to be retouched. The film had a great lattitude allowing me to be "off" in my exposures and still be able to be brought back to full image quality.

But when digital became a medium where the average professional photographer could afford it, I moved to the new format. Still, film was something that was familiar and comfortable to me. But I haven's shot a single frame of film in many years.

While film has it's following, I've long abandoned it. I recall when my family used to own a stereo store, when Compact Discs first came out, all the high-end audiophiles panned it. "Too bright! Too Sterile sounding! It doesn't have the warmth of analog!" Yeah, we heard it all. But some of what was said was true. CD's did sound a tad too bright... initially. But as producers got more familiar with the new format, and new technologies were being developed to help tame the new digital format, the CD became accepted. Still, analog vinyl enthusiasts still exist and people still buy high-end turntables, cartridges, pre-amps and vinyl recordings (if they can find good copies.)

Is this what's happening in film as well? Are the only ones still using film the "die hard" enthusists? Yes and no. Many commercial photographers still shoot in film. There's a certain "film quality" that exists and it's hard to capture the same look with digital. But for most practical purposes, digital has taken over. It's easier to shoot and delete images you don't want or need and it doesn't cost you any extra money. With film, every frame you shoot is costing you money. So should film be abandoned simply because of cost? I don't think so.

If you want a certain "look" to your images, film can be the answer. If you like to shoot a lot and don't want to spend for every shot you take, digital is the way to go. So why not move totally to digital and forget film? Well, film is a totally different animal compared to digital. You can overexpose a shot with film and be just fine. If you do that with digital, the details will be gone and you can't get it back. With film if you underexpose a shot, it will print up looking "muddy." If you underexpose a little with digital, chances are, you can make it look just fine in Photoshop.

It's totally opposite with film compared to digital! Schools still teach film. If you take a photography class, there's a good chance you'll be taught film. They'll teach you the basics of photography and they'll teach you how to develop B&W film. Why? Well, it's a good way to see and learn the fundamentals of photography. Too often, people today buy digital cameras and all of a sudden, they think they are now pros in photography. I hate to tell you, but it takes a lot more than just a new shiny camera to be a pro. Learning the basics is very important. And there's no better way to learn than to be forced to shoot on a medium where you can't immediately see the results (unlike digital which have LCD screens on the back of the camera for instant gratification.) And, having to learn to develop film and printing a good image using "burning and dodging" techniques will teach you the fundamentals of what makes a good image.

Today, I use all the things I've learned in the past with film and film developing and printing when I work with digital. I try to get the best exposures I can and then I "fix" things in Photoshop by using the knowledge of what looks good when I used to shoot in film. Had I not had the experience of learning to develop and print in B&W and Color films, I don't think I would be as good a photographer today. Other photographers have commented to me that I know so much about the technical aspects of photography. Well, that's just because I come from the "old school of film." You'd be surprised how many of today's photographers have never shot in film! They went straight to digital! That's ok, but there still something about having first learned with film that is so satisfying.

Recording Gear

Tascam 38

Otari MX5050B-II

Tascam M520

Roland VS-880EX

(All photos found on the web... thanks to whoever photographed these images!)

Over the years, I've owned a variety of music recording equipment.

Since posting a link to some of the songs I've recorded in the past, I've gotten inquiries about what gear I've used. Well, before digital was invented, the old analogue open reel recorders were the only way to go. But with limited resources available, I have always been only able to purchase eight track gear. No, that's not the same as the old "8-track tape" equipment found in cars in the 60's! It just means eight individual recording tracks.

Open reel recorders ranged from mono "full-track" recorders all the way up to 48 track recorders. When I learned to work in studio recording with Gary Hedden from Hedden West Studios in the 70's, I learned on an old 16-track Ampex recorder and mixed on an old Sphere console. When I bought gear, I purchased a Tascam 38 eight track recorder, an Otari MX-5050B-II two track recorder and a Tascam M520 twenty input, eight bus mixer.

Today, I have a Roland VS-880EX digital workstation which is also 8 tracks. I had a Yamaha 16 track workstation for a short time, but sold it due to lack of time to work with it. I think if I were to buy another piece of recording gear today, it would be a 24 track recorder / workstation or perhaps I'd move to recording on the computer. While I do have Cubase (a 24 track digital recording software) for my computer, I've yet to use it. I prefer to work with workstations as I'm more familiar with something I can get my hands on. But I do see that computer recording is probably the way to go to save some space on my desktop!

My First "Good" Guitar

The very first guitar I owned was a cheap electric that was purchased from a store called Korvettes in Morton Grove, IL. My dad and I went there to find one so I could learn to play guitar. I believe it cost $59.95. It was similar to a Gibson ES-335 but it played awful. It had a very high action making it almost impossible to play anything past the 3rd or 4th fret.

One day, my dad went to a music store near where he worked and was planning on picking up a Fender Rhodes Suitcase 73 keyboard for my brother. While he was there, someone came into the store and asked if the store would buy back the guitar he had purchased from them, but the store was not interested. So my dad asked him what it was... a 1969 Fender Telecaster Thinline. My dad didn't know much about guitars, but he remembered me telling him that Gibson and Fender made some of the best guitars.

My dad asked the man how much he wanted for the guitar and case and he said, $175.00. My dad did not have that much cash on him, so he told the man that if he would go with him back to his company, he'd get the cash. The man agreed.

When I got home from school (I was about 10 years old), my dad told me he had something for me on the sofa. I couldn't believe it when I saw that rectangular Fender case laying on the sofa! When I opened it up, there was the Fender Telecaster Thinline! I was the luckiest kid around!

My dad was always good to me. And he always encouraged me and my brother and sister to practice and do well with our instruments.

As for that first guitar, I sold it for $59.95... yes, the same price we paid for it. And years later, we traded my Fender Telecaster Thinline guitar for a shiny new Gibson Les Paul Deluxe guitar. I've always regretted trading that Fender Telecaster. (I also traded the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe many years later too and regretted that as well.) Maybe one day, I'd like to get one of the re-issued copies of this guitar. I'd like to get one of the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe as well.

I found the photo above on the internet, but can't recall from which site I found it. While it's not the exact guitar I had, it looks exactly like it. One day...

Why I Post What I Do On My "Photography" Blog

Well, it seems that some of the content on my blog has some people scratching their heads. "Why does he post about that on his blog?"

Some topics are just not that politically correct if you are out to get business. Really, posting about "Holding The Date" can turn off potential clients. Sure can! But then others will also see that I speak my mind and I don't pull any punches... even if that means I could lose some potential clients as well. That's ok.

The thing is, sometimes you need to say what needs to be said. Would you rather work with someone who's afraid to address issues on the day of your wedding because it's not the popular thing to say? Or would you rather work with someone who's going to tell you exactly what needs to be done to get the wedding moving in the right direction?

You see, there are two ways to look at every issue. I just choose to look at it the way I think is right. And you may choose the other way. That's ok. Do what you think is right.

For me, I post about a LOT of different things... guitars, forensic work, computers, photography... yeah, there's a lot on here. But I don't see my blog as just a photography blog. It's a place for me to share things about me. I share about things that interest me and hope that they also interest you. And I share things that could affect you as well. Right or wrong, it's definitely not your average photography blog... because it's not just about photography!

Many people know that I'm also a moderator of The Acoustic Guitar Forum, one of the largest, if not the largest acoustic guitar on-line forums in the world. I've been a member for years there. And I have a lot of friends on there as well. So when you read about posts about guitars, you know it's for them... and for you... if you have an interest in music and guitars! It's not just about photography. Although, I might take a nice photo of a guitar and post it! That's the photography portion!

So you see, this blog is multi-purposed. While it does allow my wedding and portrait clients a way to see new work from me, it also serves as my own way to communicate to more than just wedding clients. Still, I hope and trust the content you read here is entertaining and educational at the same time!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will become a regular visitor!