Welcome to My View

I hope you all had a wonderful July 4th Weekend.

I was lucky enough to be able to spend the long holiday weekend in Colorado, visiting a good friend. It was a relaxing, not doing too much of anything requiring heavy lifting and enjoyable kind of weekend. I did manage to get a few photographs, some of which I will process and post here soon.

I returned home to Atlanta just in time for SUMMER to make it’s full appearance. We’ve had some hot temperatures already, but being away in a cooler environment for a few days spoiled me. I came home to temperatures reaching into the high 90s this week. Along with our infamous humidity, these temperatures cause one to slow down, sit under tall shade trees, drink lemonade, chat with the neighbors and try to breathe.

In my mind, summertime and magnolias go hand in hand. Once those large creamy blossoms begin to form on those giant trees with large, dark green waxy leaves, we know that hot humid days, damp blouses and pitchers of cold lemonade are not far away. And, now those days are here with us for the next few months.

I managed to get myself so busy in June that I did not get out and photograph those lovely, giant, creamy flowers hanging low on the spreading branches of the magnolia trees before they faded away until early next summer. But, I did find one that I photographed a few years back.

Wishing you cool breezes, tall shade trees and cold glasses of lemonade for the rest of the summer.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Heart of the Magnolia

Roswell, GA
June, 2004

Canon 10D, Canon 100mm 2.8 macro lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/350 second shutter speed, mounted on Bogen tripod, with Bogen 2047 head.

Thank you for visiting My View.

After being absent from My View of a few weeks, I hope that I’m back on a regular weekly basis. It has been an extremely busy winter and spring with Inspirational Weekend and regular workshop schedules of The Mindful Eye.

During the last couple of days that I was in Savannah, after our Composition Intensive Workshop, I met a young man at B&B Ale House. His amazing smile and presence, as well as the light in which he was sitting, attracted me. I talked to him for a few seconds and asked if I could photograph him. He was gracious enough to sit for me for a few minutes. His name is Matt and he is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, located on Ft. Stewart, just outside Savannah.

I always worry about the young soldiers that I meet or see coming and going in airports. No matter what our individual political beliefs, I know we all are concerned about the soldiers. I always send a little prayer for their safety when I see them. Matt, where ever you are and wherever you go, stay safe out there. And, thank you for being so gracious.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

A Young Soldier

Click here for larger image.

Savannah, GA
B&B Ale House
May 2, 2010

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 50 mm 1.4 lens, f/1.8, 1/90 sec, ISO 5000, handheld

Thank you for visiting My View.

Hello and welome to My View for April 2, 2010.

The spring workshop season for The Mindful Eye is underway!! Craig Tanner and I have been on the road with our Inspirational Weekend seminars since mid-January. Our first full workshop was held in late February on Jekyll Island, one of the beautiful barrier islands off the coast of Georgia.

On the morning before the workshop started, I walked down to the beach behind the hotel to watch the sun rise. The image today is a motion blur of that sunrise, using my Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom lens, zooming for 2 seconds. I noticed — after I captured this image — that I caught a flock of birds exiting the frame to camera right.

We do not shoot for ourselves when teaching workshops, so this was a great way to get myself started for the Jekyll Island workshop.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Jekyll Island Sunrise

Larger view

Jekyll Island, GA
February, 2010

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35mm 2.8L lens, ISO 800, f/22, 2 seconds, handheld

Thank you for visiting My View.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh (Blessings of St. Patrick’s Day upon ye!)

This year is rapidly getting away from me. My travels this year, so far, for The Mindful Eye have taken me to Seattle, Miami, Washington D.C., Jekyll Island, Austin, Phoenix (with at stop in Tucson for a few days) and on to Savannah next week. As you might guess, I’ve had little time for shooting and processing images.

On this St. Patty’s Day, I dug into my archives and found a image I made of my favorite Irish troubadour, Gabriel Donohue, taken last October as he was performing at Kevin Barry’s in Savannah. Going along with the theme of of musicians started in January, I felt it a most appropriate image to wish you all the Blessings of St. Patrick’s Day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all and, especially, to all my friends celebrating in Savannah!!

Gabriel will be performing at Kevin Barry’s again May 3 – 9. If you are in the Savannah area during this time, stop by and treat yourself to an evening of great music.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Gabriel Donohue
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh

Savannah, GA
October, 2009

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 135mm 2.0, ISO 3200, f/2.0, 1/125 second, handheld

Thank you for visiting My View.

Hello and welome to My View for Thursday, December 31, 2009.

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade,

As we end the first decade of the 21st century — doesn’t that still sound odd?? — and begin a new year and new decade, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year.

In the last decade much has changed. We entered this decade with a fear of computer software meltdowns and a disruption of life as we know it. Fortunately, none of that came to pass. Other events did, indeed, change life as we know it on a global scale. It wasn’t the best way to start a new century.

Throughout he decade, many, more personal, events brought me much joy, as well as sorrow. I made many new friends, saw many new family members come into this world — and lost a few along the way. I almost lost some and those events gave me pause to think about myself and the way I’ve lived my life so far.

A new beginning is just hours away. New beginnings are always a bit mysterious. We can’t quite see clearly to know how things are going to turn out. But, we go forth, with faith, keeping our hopes and dreams alive. Such is the nature of a new beginning.

Thus with joy in our hearts, memories of the last years, guided by the light of our dreams, and with courage to go forth without knowing the future, let us all enter this new year and new decade determined to be the best we can be and to add a little of our best to making the world a better place.

A very Happy New Year to you all!!!!

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Foggy Night on River Street

River Street
Savannah, GA
July, 2009

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm 1.4, ISO 800, f/2.0, 1/45 second, handheld

Thank you for visiting My View.

Hello and welome to My View for Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a nice week.

Today’s image is one taken of the marsh area on the other side of the footbridge near the pier on Jekyll Island. I had been out shooting after the Jekyll Island workshop was over. I made my way back across the footbridge after the sun had set. There was still just a bit of ambient light in the sky and the lights had come up on the pier, and the surrounding area.

I was “playing” with moving my camera to capture an abstract view of the marsh. It is a long exposure, so I made very small movements with the camera, stopping for a second or three between movements.

As I was searching for something to post this week, I came across this image again. Not only do I like the total abstraction, but it reflected my mood this week as I had to say good-bye to a dear companion.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Blue Marsh

Larger View

Jekyll Island, GA
April 2009
Canon 1Ds Mark II, Canon 28-70 f/2.8 L lens at 62mm, ISO 1600, f/6.7, 30 secs, Bogen Neotec Tripod.

Thank you for visiting My View.

For more information about canine cancer and research, please visit the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

Please visit us at

Sony

Hello Everyone,

This is not my image for my weekly posts to My View. However, I could not let the day go by without paying tribute to my 12-year-old Tibetan Spaniel, Sony, who lost her battle with hemangiosarcoma (spleen variety) early this morning.

Sony came to me from Westview Kennels and Connie Buckland back in 2001. She was a retired little champion looking for a retirement home and I was looking for a Tibetan Spaniel. We found each other. Sony was an absolute delight and wonderful companion to her “big brother”, Riley who lost his life earlier this year. Thank you, Connie, for trusting me to give her a home and care for her all these years. I will miss her terribly.

CH. Westview’s Caught on Tape (Sony)

Roswell, GA
July 2009
Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 50mm f/1.4 L lens, ISO 800, f/2.0, 1/60 sec, handheld.

To all the dogs who choose us — how lucky we are that they do!!

For more information about canine cancer and research, please visit the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

Hello and welome to My View for Saturday, July 11, 2009.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a nice weekend.

Today’s image is a another from Savannah taken in April of this year. After many days of rain in March and April, this beautiful sunset materialized over the Talmadge Memorial Bridge right outside of my hotel room. I’ve not seen such a lovely sunset from downtown Savannah before and ran out and down the street — barefoot — in order to capture a few shots before it disappeared.

It was a soft sunset. I followed the mood already set and softened it even more with use of the clarity slider in Camera Raw.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Soft Savannah Sunset

Savannah, GA
April 2009
Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 28-70 f/2.8 L lens at 70mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/20 sec, handheld.

Thank you for visiting My View.

Please visit us at

Hello and welome to My View for Sunday, July 5, 2009.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a nice weekend and that those of you celebrating July 4th had a great day yesterday.

Today’s image is a another from Savannah during the time after the Next Step workshop when it rained for several days. The streets of the city were still wet on this morning, but the rain had stopped and I was out walking. I saw the alley with the markings on the street and took a few shots of the empty alley when, as luck — or synchronicity, if your beliefs are like mine — would have it, a young lady walked right through my shot!! I did not even stop to look up and see her face — just kept shooting.

I have my own interpretation of this shot, but I would love to hear yours.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome. They make me a better photographer, aid my growth as a person and offer me new experiences.

Which Way?

Savannah, GA
Canon 1Ds Mark II, Canon 50mm 1.4 lens, ISO 400, f/4.0, 1/500 sec, handheld.

Thank you for visiting My View.

**  FILLED **  The Mindful Eye has an unexpected opening in our Zion National Park workshop. If you are interested please contact me.  *** FILLED ***

Please visit us at

Hello and welome to My View for Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Hello Everyone,

I hope you had a great weekend.

Today’s image is from one of the marsh areas on Jekyll Island. It was taken late in the afternoon as the sun was getting to be low in the sky. The image was created by moving the camera as the shutter was open. I converted the image out of a RAW file in both daylight and tungsten white balance and blended the two conversions.

As always, your comments and critiques are most welcome.

Colors of the Marsh

Jekyll Island, GA
Canon 1Ds Mark II, Canon 50mm 1.4 lens, ISO 100, f/22, 1/3 sec, handheld.
Composite of two RAW conversions of the same file

A Larger view.

Thank you for visiting My View.

Please visit us at