Barn In The Alley

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Here is a small collection of images captured in the Fall of 2021in Westminster, Maryland. Westminster is a typical mid-Atlantic small town with a fair amount of history and older architecture. Westminster is also the home to McDaniel College. The core historic district in Westminster spans either side of Main Street and the area around McDaniel College.

These images were taken while exploring one of the many little alleys in the western historic district near McDaniel College. They are of a lovely little older barn overgrown and outlined with ivy. The door hardware is vintage and rustic. The planking and shutters are weathered, showcasing both character and age.

Captured with a Fujifilm mirrorless camera and a Fujinon XF 18-55mm f2.8-4.0 LM OIS lens, these images were processed and converted to monotone in Lightroom. Three of the images were converted to black-and-white. One of the images had a bit of an off white tint added.

Enjoy!!

Holiday Bokeh Balls

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Who doesn’t like a fresh batch of Holiday Bokeh Balls served piping hot right out of the camera and Lightroom? The answer… No one. Everybody loves Bokeh Balls, especially during the Holidays!!

To satisfy that seasonal craving, here is a small series of Bokeh Balls from Holiday decorations around my neighborhood. While captured with a mirrorless digital camera, all the images were processed to give off that tasty vintage film vibe.

So... Pull up a chair and grab a tall glass of your favorite spirted eggnog or wassail. Enjoy these tasty Holiday Bokeh Balls while the Holidays are still upon us. You have “earnt” it!!

Happy Holidays and here is hoping you have a wonderful New Year!!

Icicle Lights In Monochrome

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Icicle lights are a must every Holiday Season at my house. On the house. On the fences. On any straight architectural surface I can reach. Soft white lights and very classic!! And… Only incandescent lights. No flickering LEDs for me. They just have that magical Christmas look.

Here is a close up image of some of the icicle lights. This photo was captured in color but converted to a high contrast black-and-white image using Lightroom. I love how the lights hang in the darkness of the night.

Enjoy!!

The Ghost of Christmas Past

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The Holiday Season is upon us for 2022. In the spirit of the season, I went through some older images and found these photos of Christmas Tree lights and ornaments.

I remember capturing these images late at night the evening the tree was trimmed and decorated. There might have been some spirited eggnog involved and there certainly was no tripod in use :)

Except for the Christmas Tree, all the other lights were out in the room. And I must say… There is something special every year when the Christmas Tree is finished and the lights are turned on for the first time.

Here is hoping your Holiday Season is a merry and safe one, no matter what Holiday your celebrate!!

Shades of Night: Colonial Williamsburg

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"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day."
- Vincent Van Gogh -

Welcome to the official sneak peak for Shades of Night: Colonial Williamsburg, my latest book project which is currently in production. All the images in the book were captured in mid-November of 2021while on a short getaway with my sweet Sally after most of the Covid-19 restrictions had been lifted.

The theme of the book, and the images within, showcase Colonial Williamsburg at night, empty of people. The images are dark and foreboding with the only light coming from the carriage lights and candles of the homes and shops and the vintage street lights. Chilly and silent, I felt I had stepped back in time. It was walkabout like no other I have experienced.

Enjoy!!

The Irish Lass

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Look into those eyes… Look at that sweet and innocent face… How can you not?

This is Tegan, an adorable little Irish lass I had the pleasure of photographing in the spring of 2006. Tegan’s mother contacted me after seeing some portrait work I had posted on one of my older web sites. She was impressed with my casual and candid style. She wanted to do an informal photo session with Tegan in traditional Irish dress inside their home. 

The images I captured, though, were more than just a photo session commissioned from a proud mother. They were to be a loving reminder presented to Tegan’s father as a lasting memory of a moment in time. Tegan’s mother was suffering from brain cancer and was not expected to live. My images were her gift to both her husband and, in time, to Tegan. 

Knowing this, I arrived at Tegan’s house determined and focused on capturing the best images I could. I love working with and photographing kids. Anything and everything can happen. The moment I met Tegan, though, I knew our session would be delightful. 

Tegan was friendly and relaxed. She watched and played with her doll as I setup remote strobes around the family room. She was a natural subject and never gave a thought to the man with the camera. She was playing only to her mother. Her world was all smiles and joy for the woman next to me. 

The session lasted about two hours. Tegan’s mother was thrilled with the color proofs I displayed on my laptop after the session. The images posted here are a few of the final images I delivered to Tegan’s mother. She loved them all. I loved that I was able to truly capture Tegan and bring her mother some happiness.

A few weeks later, Tegan’s mother told me her husband loved the images and was very thankful and appreciative. I corresponded with Tegan’s mother for a few months before we lost touch. I can only assume her condition got worse and she passed. I often wonder about Tegan and the girl grew into. She would be 12 or 13 now, a young woman beginning to make her own way in the world. 

All the images presented here were captured with a Canon DSLR and a Canon EF24-105mm f4L IS lens. The remote strobes used were Canon Speedlites with their light bounced off a white ceiling. A custom white balanced was established for the photo session and applied to all images. Originally processed in Photoshop as monotones back in 2006, all images have been tweaked in Lightroom for clarity and sharpness. 

Enjoy!!