Electric

I have a confession. I love messing around with different lighting effects in pictures. Especially when it involves bright lights mixed with the contrast of the engulfing night sky. Well, the other night I discovered a cool new trick. It involves a camera and an iPhone. Check them out and see what you think. 

  

A Different Perspective

A few weeks ago I discovered a side of New Orleans that I had never seen before. A peaceful escape from the constant celebrating that goes on in the Big Easy. Between the day lit streets of the French Quarter to the vast green spaces of City Park, I think I found a very different take on the city that loves to party.  

 

Stepping Back in Time

Have you ever been somewhere that makes you ask the question, "What year is it?" Usually this is not an everyday occurrence for me, since I am neither crazy, nor 110 years old. Well, maybe I am a little crazy, but I like to think I have a pretty strong grasp of what year I'm in. But there have been a few places that I have visited that really make me wonder if I have some how made the impossible happen and traveled back in time. 

Over Labor Day weekend Lyndi, my girlfriend, and I traveled off the pothole riddled roads of the Big Easy to the back country of southern Louisiana. We were just looking to getaway for the day, but what we discovered was a walk through history. Venturing onto the West Bank, which I seldom do, we hopped on River Road and headed west.... well north-west......or wait, were we headed south since we were on the west bank? Since in New Orleans west is really south and east is somewhere you never want to go, I actuality was not sure which way we were going. All I could see was the Superdome in the rear-view mirror.

Driving past miles and mile of sugar cane fields and the local Piggly Wiggly, which by the way is the best named grocery store in history, we discovered Oak Ally Plantation. Built in 1837 and surrounded by 300 year old oak trees, the plantation sitting the banks of the Mississippi was truly a sight to see. 

Hello Morning

Before going to bed one Friday night, I set my alarm for 5:00am. Falling asleep, all I kept thinking about was how I was not going to actually wake up at 5am on a Saturday morning. Why would I? But, for some reason when that obnoxious beeping went off in the pitch black of the morning, I got right out of bed. I threw on some clothes, poured some coffee, grabbed the camera and I was out the door. 

There is not much that I will get up for at 5am on a Saturday morning for, but a sunrise is one of those things. I don't know what it is about seeing the sun peak up over the horizon, but it is something that I have always found enlightening. 

I was not sure what to expect from a New Orleans sunrise, but I thought I would go say "Hello Morning." I didn't know exactly where the best spot would be in the city, so I headed down to the French Quarter. I found a park on the banks of the Mississippi river, and was not let down. 

If you want something bad enough. Reach out and grab it.

It seems that I might have finally found my true calling.
Taking pictures
Taking pictures of anything
There is something about being behind a camera lens that just makes me happy. It seems like no matter what my mood is, if I go out and start taking pictures, I always end up with a smile on my face.
There have been some people in my life that have told me you will never find a job that makes you happy. That you just need to find something that will allow you to support yourself and family. Sorry to tell you, but I have found something that I truly enjoy doing and I plan on making a career out of it.
I just don't understand people that work their entire lives doing something the do not completely enjoy. What is the point in being miserable? Sure people get comfortable in there jobs and don't want to venture out into the unknown. But, to tell you the truth, I love being uncomfortable. I hate having everything planned out. I love not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring. That's what make life fun and exciting. That what make it fun to be alive in this world.
And when you find something you truly love, reach out and grab it. Embrace it. Show your life you know what you want and you are not letting go until your grandest dreams come true.
So this is me, grabbing a hold of my dream and making it a reality. This is the start of something great.