Truth, Goodness, and Beauty

New Site

2011-06-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well, this is it for the blogger account. I have recently put together a portfolio/blog site with Virb. So, if you want to continue to view my work check me out at claytonpearlstein.com and the new blog. Well, hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Mason and Lorisha preview

2011-05-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

More to come...

Braden Daugherty

2011-04-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

Clay and Margaret

2011-03-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Seeking Inspiriation

2011-03-10T19:17:00.000-08:00

Athanasius frequently finds a book that becomes "his" for a while. This means that anytime he gets around the bookshelf he will grab "his" book and carry it around. I was glad to see that it was a photo book this time around. As you can see he is pouring over the photographs seeking to be inspired by the work of masters that have gone before him.

Eleanor the Spunky Model

2011-02-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

I was wanting to take some portraits of the family on our Jacksonville vacation. I was using Ellie to get a feel for the light and this is what she gave me.

Brian

2011-02-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Danny and Lauren: Wedding Day

2010-12-15T20:29:00.001-08:00

Blake and Robert

2010-12-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

John and Audrey

2010-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

John and Audrey preview

2010-10-06T18:06:00.000-07:00

Matthew

2010-09-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is a photograph of my brother in law, Matthew.

Ellie

2010-08-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is a shot of my beautiful (quickly growing daughter). She will now pose occasionally and sometimes she will even ask me to take a picture of her.

Photographs from the Photowalk

2010-07-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

This young lady is Anna. She accompanied the Springfield MO group that went out on the annual Scott Kelby Photowalk.

Danny and Lauren "unofficial" Engagement pictures

2010-07-13T06:06:00.000-07:00

These are "unofficial" because they were taken on the night when we were having dinner and working out the details. We were talking outside after dinner and I started to see that the sky was looking just right for something I had wanted to try out. I decided to go ahead and ask them if they would experiment with me. I was not planning to take any photographs that night but, I try to always have my equipment with me (you just never know). They were up for it and as a result I came away with a few images I really liked (and will be sending to them) and some practice with a technique I had not been able to play with yet. Moral of the story... always have your camera ready to go.

Blake Purcell

2010-06-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is an image of a missionary/pastor/seminary administrator that has been serving in St. Petersburg, Russia for 20 years.

Wess

2010-06-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Thompson Brothers in the Studio

2010-03-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Curt Brannan

2010-03-09T17:56:00.001-08:00

Dr. Brannan is a good friend of mine and a fellow teacher. I have been continually encouraged by him over the past few years. Encouragement has come through his words and his example. He has been through tough times and I have never seen him lac a smile (until I asked him not to). I think taking portrait of the ones you love or having someone take them for you is incredibly important. I am so thankful to Dr. Brannan for allowing me to make a few portraits of him especially since I know it was torturous for him to be in front of the lens. These images mean a lot to me and I hope that they may also be a blessing to his family now and down the road.

Matthew

2010-02-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Our school has an annual even called "History Day" in which we celebrate the different time periods that we are studying. All the kids get to dress in costume for the whole day which is full of history related activities. I brought my camera and softbox to school to grab some shots of my students and these were all I came away with as my batteries went dead in my SB-900. I had more batteries... at home!

Max Pearlstein

2010-02-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

These are some shots of my dad. I had been wanting to use my softbox again and so I took advantage of him being here.

Caden and Reece

2010-02-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Ellie in the Snow

2010-02-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

This is a shot from a set I did for Marie-Madeline Studio. This image does not show off the skirts that they made but you can check out my wife's blog for that.

Westcott Softbox

2010-01-30T05:36:00.000-08:00

This is one of my first images with the 28" Westcott Apollow Softbox. This is an amazing light modifier. I have lots of ideas brewing in my mind! I love the ability to control light and my style will be further shaped as a result. I cannot wait to put it to further use!

Excuses and Recommendations

2010-01-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

Well, I have not posted in a little while --somewhere around a week (or more). This coming shortly after my resolution to post more often. To try my hand at excuse making, I will tell you that I am having some technical difficulties. I was saving an image for upload when my issue arose and I have not yet gotten it resolved. That image, along with some others that I have been capturing, will be posted in time (hopefully sooner than later). So, don't give up on me yet!

That being said, I would like to recommend a photographer who I have come to enjoy. His name is Eric Ryan Anderson and I bumped into his work through Scott Kelby's "guest blog" series which he does on Wednesdays. So, go check out him out.
Eric Ryan Anderson guest blog post
Eric Ryan Anderson's blog

Great Deal on Helpful Books

2010-01-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned David DuChemin before and I am going to mention him again because he has just come out with his latest e-book. This is his sixth one thus far. He also has two "real" books out that are very much worth reading. I again want to point out that he does not write dry how-to books or even really good how-to books for that matter. David is out to inspire creativity and story telling. I have not yet read his e-books though I possess two of them presently. But, I have read "Within the Frame", chunks of "VisionMongers," (both of which I could not give a high enough recommendation for) and enough of his blog to feel free in selling you on him in general.
That being said, he has a couple of great deals on his blog that are good for tonight and tomorrow. The e-books are normally a whopping $5 but are even less if you get in on them now. And if you are into photography at all and want to improve without having to dump a fortune on gear then this is the guy to read. His mantra is "Gear is good, vision is better."
Here is the link to the post with the deals.

Jump on the Peace Train

2010-01-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

So, I took my daughter with me on an errand the other day and then decided to take a little walk down town. While we were walking we saw an incredible looking bus. I had never really seen anything like it so I grabbed a shot of it. The bus was going painstakingly slow and so I had plenty of time. Shot taken, Ellie and I kept walking. Well, we caught back up to the bus and passed it. Then, at a stop sign, we ended up back beside it. As you can see in the pictures it has the word "Peacemakers" on the front and "We know the way... we can take you home" on the back. I was dying to know what this bus was all about. So, I indicated that I was curious and they opened the door and asked if we wanted to come aboard for a few minutes. We did and they gave me the rundown while Ellie balled at my side the entire time. They invited us to see the kitchen and what was in the back but with a frantic child I opted out and snapped a quick shot down the center of the bus. Thus it's not a great shot but you can tell it is pretty cool looking anyhow with the wood interior.

Street Portraiture video

2010-01-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun video from Clay Enos. It is about street photography and has some quick pointers. Enjoy!

Mike Wright

2010-01-14T19:34:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait I took of my father-in-law while the family was in town.

Post worth reading

2010-01-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanted to keep consistently posting through the year and going into this I knew it would not always be images. I want to make more of a dialogue out of this blog. Though I love images and hope to keep them coming I would also like to include tips, thoughts for discussion, answers to your questions, and recommendations of other people's work, blogs, books, etc.

That being said I would like to point you in the direction of Joe McNally who is not only an excellent photographer but also an excellent writer. I have been following him ever since I stumbled across his book "The Moment It Clicks." That book not only inspired me but had me and my wife laughing out loud. He really knows how to tell a story. So, go over and check out one of his recent post "Long and Winding Road." It is a good post and also has one of my favorite images of his. It is a portrait of an Irish poet (now deceased) named Frank McCourt. Well, enough said. Go enjoy.

Paul and Abbey Teaser

2010-01-12T18:11:00.000-08:00

Brooks Burrell

2010-01-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Faux HDR

2010-01-07T18:05:00.001-08:00

Original

Faux HDR

I am playing around with a new technique in photoshop that creates a faux hdr image. The original was more of a silhouette, as you can see, and I like it a lot. But, this brings out a lot more of the details and creates a semi-surreal feel.

First Post of the New Year

2010-01-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a great Christmas break, today finishes up the 12th day, tomorrow begins Epiphany, and Thursday will bring my return to school for teacher training. It has been a full break with car problems, crashing hard drives, sickness and... visiting family, great food, great drinks, and a lot of picture taking!
The return to normality is about to begin and I hope to be a little more fruitful and consistent with blogging. I have been spurred in this regard through the wonderful writing of David duChemin in his new book VisionMongers. I was able to read part of it at a bookstore while waiting to pick up my Mac and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit I could read in that short time. I have already read his book Within The Frame (I HIGHLY recommend it) and look very much forward to getting into VisionMongers.

Michaelis Family

2009-12-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Cook Kids Teaser

2009-12-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

These are a couple images from our shoot today. It was freezing but these kids did great. They absolutely love each other and did an awesome job in front of the lens. Models in the making =)
More to come...

Brooks Teaser

2009-11-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

Just shot Brooks today and here is a preview. There will be more to come soon.

Michaelis Family Teaser

2009-11-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

I just shot the Michealis family today and it went really well. Here are a couple to preview. More to come...

Brandon Family

2009-11-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

Another early Brandon image

2009-11-18T20:19:00.001-08:00

Well, I am presently working on the Brandon photos and was a bit impatient on getting a new post up. So, I thought I would post another early image that my wife and I have fallen in love with.

Brandon Family Teaser

2009-11-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

Last week I went out and shot the Brandon family. It was a beautiful day especially considering the fact that it is November. I have been really excited to get into these pictures but we have had two sick kiddos all week. I have dug in and sorted and played with a few so I thought I would put up a teaser image. More to come soon!

A Walk With Ellie On A Lovely Saturday

2009-11-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

It was incredibly beautiful yesterday so I took Ellie out for a walk/photowalk. I grabbed the camera and we set off. Not to far into the walk I had realized that her diaper leaked so we headed back home for a new outfit. Got redressed and set out again and this time enjoyed a lovely walk around our neighborhood. These are a few of the many shots I took.

p.s.
The shot of Ellie crying is not due to the fact that she was tired of the camera but rather that she had lost one of the berries that you see there in her hand.

Lord's Day Portraits

2009-11-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

These are a couple shots I took from this past Lord's Day on my walk with Ellie. These walks have become a tradition for us and one I hope to keep for a long time (eventually working in Athanasius and however many more children God blesses us with). The first shot is of my daughter Eleanor. Now, she will sometimes ask me to take a picture of her but she only gives me a fraction of a second to do it. It is funny, sometimes frustrating, but also helpful. I say it is helpful because she is going to make me a faster photographer which will help me capture those important moments for our family and for those who I will shoot for. She will cause me to make the quick decisions quicker... no time to waste on setting white balance, ISO, framing etc. What a blessing!

This second shot here is Corey who we met on our walk down Commercial Street. He was out walking his dog which of course Ellie had to see. So, as Ellie was playing with the dog I asked him if I could grab a few shots and he was kind enough to let me.

*Both of these shots have a subtle texture applied to them. The textures were also taken out on the Lord's Day walk.

A Great Photographer: Dan Winters

2009-10-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across Dan Winters through David Hobby's blog (a blog more than worthy to follow). I watched this video and one other and decided to go check his stuff out. I viewed his work online and then decided to see if he had any books out. Sure enough I found a book of his work titled "Periodical Photographs." I have since then fallen in love with his creations. As you can see in the video he shoots a lot of big names. However, his work is much different than the run of the mill celeb portraits. These are "hollywood portraits" that are very much deserving of thoughtful consideration and respect. He has done a great job at creating beautiful works which are incredibly deep. I can flip through portraits (even great ones) all day long but as I was flipping through this book I would get sucked into an image and not be able to pull my eyes off the page. It wasn't just one or two photographs that did this to me, it was just about every one in the book with a few exceptions. His pictures aren't 'glam' or 'sex appeal' shots, they are human and sincere. By human, I mean that they don't seem like shiny plastic toys (as they do in most of the magazine shots) but like real people. By sincere, I mean that it seems that you can seemingly catch a glimpse of what this person might actually be like (like them or not). I don't know that I would have been able to say that I had a favorite photographer up to this point but I'm really close to saying Mr. Winters might be it.
Anyhow, enough of my rambling. Go check Dan Winters our yourself and let me know what you think.

On the Look Out

2009-10-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

This is an image I captured on the Scott Kelby's 2nd annual Worldwide Photo Walk that went on this summer. I have just dove back into the images to take a second look. This was taken down at Jordan Valley Park in Springfield. I might be posting some more here soon as there were a few that I was pleased with.

Boots (texture)

2009-10-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

This is a technique I have been seeing in a lot of places. I was curious about it so I started trying to figure it out. It is not that hard but this is my first attempt. The final image you see here is actually a composite of 4 different images- Eleanor's waist down and then three textures. I am not sure how often I will be using this technique but it was sure fun to play with. I may try it with some portrait or wedding stuff later. Let me know what you think.

The Work after the Work

2009-10-13T18:11:00.001-07:00

Before:

After:

This image was created or a friend of mine who wanted to use it on a business card. It is actually the same guy who captured my profile shot. Anyhow, I thought I would use this post to justify the "high" prices of professional photographers by giving a short blurb about the behind the scenes work. I also wanted to "show" what a difference the behind the scenes element makes on the final image with the example above.
A lot of people see the prices of photographers out there and are astounded by them. But, in their defense (and mine of course), there is a lot more going on than the click of a button. When you hire a photographer you are paying for much more than the hours spent with you on that particular day. His work is not done when he hops into his car and drives away. In fact I would say that it has just begun. He will take those 50, 100, or 700 shots back home and then get to work. He will load those images onto the screen and pore over them selecting the best of the best. Obviously the longer the time spent with you, the more images, the more time it will take to weed them down, thus the higher the price. Once he finally narrows the selection (which is for me the hardest part) he will begin the work of post processing. I do love this part of the process almost as much as the time with the camera but it is still work and time spent. Many hours are spent with a glaring screen full of images. Every image has to be dealt with. To be fair there are tools to make this work flow quicker than it use to be. However, like any trade, tools may make things easier but they don't make the work disappear. Finally, after the adjustments/corrections both large and small the photographer achieves a final product which is then put in your hands. Now, many pages can and have been filled with the details of what goes on in these few steps so if you're curious I can point you to some of those books. But, I just wanted to give you a super oversimplified look at how your money is being spent on a lot more than the time you are with the photographer.
I hope that helps. And though you can find cheaper photographers you will many times get what you paid for.

A Little More Foflygen

2009-10-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

My Wife's New Blog

2009-10-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

My wife just started a new blog. It will be much more than a photo blog but will allow me to make this blog more of a spot for my work photos. Go check it out and make sure to leave some great comments.
Of Pigtails And Dinosaurs

Doctor Seuss

2009-09-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is the beginnings of what I would hope to be literary genius in the tradition of Chesterton. Seuss for now but we will soon be getting to the good stuff!

Church Doors

2009-09-23T19:07:00.001-07:00

These are the doors from a church down the street. I captured this image on one of my walks with Ellie. Maybe one day I will compile some images from our walks and make a book out of it.

Playing in Ellie's Room

2009-09-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

This image was taken while we were playing around in Ellie's room. We (Brooke and I) really love this image because it captures the personalities of both of our children. Our playful Ellie is here being goofy with a glove patting Athanasius on the head while he looks on in drop-jawed wonder. Not to mention my wife with her great smile which was brought on by this funny scene. The whole glove thing was really cracking us up! She was putting it on and grabbing things and of course patting her brother on the head. We were having a great time!

Reflection

2009-09-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Took this image on a little walk with Ellie while she played in a puddle. Then played around in photoshop and came up with this. I hope to get much better in the future but thought I share this piece of imperfect art (which is really hard for me to do sometimes).

Playing in the Playhouse

2009-09-07T19:06:00.001-07:00

A Pepper

2009-09-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

I had been wanting to shoot a pepper for quite some time. I had seen a study of a pepper by Cartier-Bresson (?) a while back and thought it was really interesting. This is my first go and I already have thoughts on what would make a better image but was pleased with this one anyhow.

Bass Pro Trip

2009-09-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

This was our first trip to Bass Pro as a family. In fact, other than myself, it was everyone's first trip to Bass Pro. We had a great time looking at all the animals and everything else in the store.
Every night when we put Ellie to bed we ask her what she will dream about tonight she said she would dream about Bass Pro.

Athanasius and Dadda

2009-09-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

My wife threw the elf hat on Athanasius a little early and grabbed a few shots.

Marie Madeline #2

2009-09-03T20:02:00.001-07:00

Bride and Groom

2009-08-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

These pictures were both taken by my lovely and talented wife! Then I edited them and here they are.

The Girls

2009-08-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

More Foflygen

2009-08-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

This shot was taken through the doors of the lobby. It was not staged. The couple walked down the aisle, through the lobby, out the doors, and started kissing. I was going to open the doors to take the shot but thought it better to let them be.

Foflygen Wedding Party

2009-08-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

This is the first image I finished from the wedding I shot yesterday. There will be more to come soon.

Congratulations Kevin and Aneysa!!! May the LORD bless your new family.

Portrait of Ellie Downtown

2009-08-27T20:01:00.001-07:00

I took this on a family walk the other night.

Marie Madeline

2009-08-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Both of these images were taken by my wife and edited by me. Marie Madeline is a fabric/clothing business that have asked us to take some images for an e-zine featuring them. This outfit was provided by Marie Madeline Studio.
Check them out at mariemadelinestudio.typepad.com/mariemadeline_studio/

Old Truck

2009-08-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Summer Walk with My Daughter

2009-08-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

I was out walking with Ellie tonight. Still haven't taken my 50mm off the camera yet. This is one of the shots that both Brooke and I loved.

Church Down the Street

2009-08-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I sometimes take a little drive around on Sunday mornings before church while Mama is getting ready. I have taken my camera with me the past couple of times fitted with my new Nikkor 50mm. I have managed to catch some shots I am pleased with and had a great time doing it. This is one of those shots.

Self Portrait

2009-08-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

I took this yesterday with my new 50mm 1:8. I absolutely love this lens. Not only is the DOF a blast but I love how close the focal range is. Great lens!

Portrait of a Goat

2009-08-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is another "portrait" I captured while out at the Brandon's. This fine specimen of a goat belongs to fellow Christ the King congregant and Brandon neighbor Justin Boyle.

I'm open to take portraits of all kinds. So, if you want some family, infant, or engagement pics done let me know but I'm also open to animal shots as well!

Comments

2009-08-11T20:08:00.001-07:00

I was just informed that my "comments" were restricted to Google users alone and that if I opened that up I might see more comments. Well, I very much appreciate the advice especially since my restrictions were less than intentional. I just opened it up to anyone and we will see what happens from here.

I was also asked how I fared in the Photowalk contest and if there was a way to see the other participants' work. First of all there was only one Springfield winner and it was not myself. But I enjoyed it thoroughly. Secondly, you can find some of the other Springfieldian work at this site http://www.flickr.com/groups/1153880@N20/ and you can see the Worldwide work at http://www.flickr.com/groups/skphoto/. The Worldwide winner has not been announced yet but you can see the local winner at Mike Young's website (he was the walk leader for Sprinfield) http://ozarkphotos.blogspot.com/2009/07/world-wide-photo-walk-springfield_3353.html.

Brandon Girl Portraits

2009-08-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

The first three of these portraits were taken all out at the Brandons (Claire, Emma, Mimi). The last image of Mary was taken right after church a week ago. What I love about these pictures is the eyes. All of these girls have beautiful eyes that are full of personality!

Street Portriat: Bird Man

2009-08-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

We were on our way home from the library when we saw this guy with a parrot walking down the street. My wife said quick pull over get your camera and go take a picture. I was thankful for the creative push and so here is the result. This bird was 16 years old. The man had bought the bird when it was an egg and furthermore told me they live anywhere from 75 to 100 years old. On a side note the guy also had a tiny little chihuawa (I know this is spelled wrong but it won't tell me how to spell it) looking dog.

I am very thankful for my wife's encouragement because I want to constantly be creating images wherever I go. So, not only is she a great wife, mother, and photographer but also a great boost for my creativity!

Pre-bloom Sunflower

2009-08-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

This is an image of the first sunflower that bursts into bloom in our front yard. I commonly see pictures of these in full bloom and they are beautiful. But, the pre-bloom sunflower is an amazing site. The textures and shapes that are here present fascinate me.

On Dadda's Shoulder

2009-08-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

This image was captured by my lovely wife. It was good in color but I have been a sucker for the duo and quadtones and thus the final result.

Me!

2009-07-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Joseph Bechard for this image! I had been wanting a profile picture for a loooong time. Joseph shot this today and I went home and did the editing.

Full of Grace

2009-07-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of images I captured on a little family walk the other night. I love how the light is coming through the trees behind her. It is symbolic of the Holy Spirit's work with Mary.

Photowalk Images (possible entries)

2009-07-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

These are a couple images I captured at this years World Wide Photowalk. We are allowed to enter two images for the competition. These are both images I am considering. I have to have my images uploaded tomorrow. So, I am asking for your thoughts on these images and that a.s.a.p. Thanks and enjoy!

Calling the Dance

2009-07-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a Church Ball before the annual theology conference that will be going on tomorrow. This is a good buddy of mine that calls most (if not all?) of our dances. The place we had it wasn't the best for pictures but I happened to get a few I really like... this is one of them.

Hasner Wedding Image

2009-07-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Running Girl

2009-07-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

This is another shot my wife captured today and let me edit! It is great to have a great wife that is also a great photographer... especially when your as anal as I am.

Athanasius Lounging

2009-07-16T19:55:00.001-07:00

My lovely wife captured this image and let me do the editing. Athanasius is just enjoying relaxing and looking cool. I love this picture and that my wife captured it!

Athanasius in a Sling

2009-07-15T20:17:00.001-07:00

***if you saw this picture before now it was a larger version (which I liked) but I had to shrink it because I viewed it on another computer and realized that it was cut off. So this "smaller" version is for those of you who might not have been able to see it all.***

I capture this image while my lovely family and I walked around Commercial street. I did not care for this image at first but I think that I now love it. And it was about time that I posted another picture of my son. Hopefully there will be more to come... I have a couple ideas that it is taking forever to get to.

Car Wash Portrait

2009-07-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago I happened upon a car wash put on by the Cook's Kettle on Commercial street. I decided to donate and instead of getting my car washed I asked if I could take some pictures. I was out driving to take pictures for a contest I planned on entering. The contest requires that the shots be taken during the 11:00-1:00 p.m. hours due to the harsh noon sunlight. I left late and (about 12:40) had given up on the idea of capturing any images before 1:00. So I was on my way out to drive around and look for something to shoot and before I got off commercial street these guys were calling me into the wash. It just so happened that I was in the car wash by no later than 12:45 and was able to grab a few shots that I really liked this being one of them. God blessed and I was able to give and receive! Not to mention that these guys were really fun to talk too and have convinced me to drop in some time and have a meal.

Slip n Slide Action

2009-07-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of intense shots of the intense Cook Slip n Slide that I captured on the 4th.

Brock

2009-07-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Boys and Girls

2009-07-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

These are a couple images I took from my first wedding. At the time I did not have the ability to post process any of my images so I am going back and having a lot of fun with these images. Thankfully I shot in RAW even though at the time I couldn't do anything with them. Just a bit of advice ALWAYS shoot RAW you never know what you might be able to do later and it is so easy to convert to JPEG anyhow (but there is not converting JPEG to RAW).

Self Portrait with Athanasius

2009-06-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Athan and I hung out at home one night while Brooke and Ellie went out shopping . He was falling asleep on me and I kept looking at him and thinking what a beautiful child God has given us. And being a photographer I kept seeing these shots in my head as I watched him. There he was sleeping on my shoulder and I wanted to get a shot. But how could I do it?
Maybe its simple but I thought I would give you a chance to guess how I pulled it off. There was no tripod, timer, or any other triggers used to capture this image. I would be interested to hear your thoughts. If you guess it right away I'll realize it was not as slick as I thought but then again I'm not terribly interested in being slick. This is a pull for comments =).... maybe I should offer some kind of prizes? Possibly in the future.

Flickr'd

2009-06-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a couple of images I posted a while back using photobucket but this is through flickr and thus more true to what I see. I am much more happy with these. If you want you can go back and compare them but do so quickly because I will probably be removing the less than satisfactory images soon.

Pink

2009-06-23T06:25:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the second image of the day! I have not posted in a while because I was having trouble with the color quality of my images on the site. They looked great in photoshop but by the time I uploaded them to photobucket and then blogged them they had lost some of their beauty. So, before I posted anything else I wanted to figure out how to keep the color the way I see it in photoshop. I hope these look better now that I am using flickr. I cannot tell on the computer I am on but I will be checking later. If everything is good you should expect to see more soon. Oh, not to sound like a beggar but please comment! =) Thanks and I hope you enjoy (and even if you don't I am not easily offended just go ahead and tell me why it is not enjoyable and how I might improve it).

Watching

2009-06-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

Chase Jarvis Kung Fu

2009-06-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

This is pretty awesome stuff. The video is fun to watch but then you cant go and check out the stills at his blog: blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2008/09/chase-jarvis-raw-kung-fu.html

Fashion At Two

2009-06-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

Ellie: A Bathtime Portrait

2009-06-06T20:56:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Ellie and Athanasius at the St. Louis Zoo

2009-06-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

If you are not able to view the images... then you are having the same problem I am. We went to St. Louis yesterday for Athan's circumcision and then we went to the zoo. We break out the stroller, water bottles, and camera bag. I pull out the camera and notice that I have the symbol for no memory card flashing in my face! Live and learn! But I must say I was quite frustrated!!!

Athanasius Micheal Pearlstein

2009-05-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Brooke and Ellie

2009-05-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

More Schock Wedding

2009-05-11T19:41:00.001-07:00

Schock Wedding

2009-05-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

Schock Wedding

2009-05-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

These are a couple images from the wedding I shot a few weeks ago. I love Photoshop!!!

Smoke (on) After The Water #2

2009-05-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I know this is the same image but I just wanted to tweak it a bit more. I'd like opinions on which image is better. I have a trial of CS4 right now and I am trying to play as much as I can as well as finish up a wedding I just did a few weeks ago. Photoshop is addicting.