Wedding at Grandview

Today I went to a Wedding rehearsal for a Wedding I'm shooting tomorrow at Grandview on Lookout Mtn. A beautiful place, gardens and fountains, a view like no other and a deck hanging over the bluff for room to dance! The photo you see here was taken in an attempt to find an interesting angle for a portrait with this fountain, which the Bride requested. Imagine a Bride & Groom in a great pose somewhere in this frame, with the fountain showing slightly out of focus and the flowers surrounding the house viewable in the foreground. Now that you've pictured all that, #1 : how's it look? and #2: could you draw a picture of it so I can see?

www.meetatgrandview.com

Donate Now

I am currectly taking donations to help fund my vacation account. If you'd like to donate you can send payments through Paypal by using my email address. No donation too big or too small.

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Today I again working on my website. I had to fix something in my pricing sheet so I really didn't get anything new finished, so I'm not any closer to completing it. I plan tomorrow to work another full day on it and hopefully get something new accomplished.
About this photo: I took this in a parking lot of a gas station while the big hairy muscle biker wasn't looking. I know nothing of bikes but it was pretty, which I'm sure I would've gotten beat up over had I said that to the big hairy biker man.

"This is Mavrick, requesting fly by"

Wow, I havented updated since Friday, where does the time go?? I have been hard at work getting things done I normally put off, things like ordering wedding albums, working on my website and house stuff like washing clothes and dusting. It's no wonder I have allergies, I bet I found 10 lbs in dust just in the living room. I vowed this past New Year's that I would be more organized this year, then immediately forgot all about it, naturally. But, slowing but surely I seem to be coming around. I swear if I didnt know any better, I'd think I was starting to act my age.

About this photo, It was taken in downtown during the last day of Riverbend and I was shooting a wedding at the time. Just as they said the "I Do's" and walked back down the path this very loud jet flew over. I managed to get a quick shot of it, it's a real wonder too, for a second I thought we were under attack!

I have spent the past two days working on my website. It's amazing how much work goes into one of those, and it's still not exactly what I want, but I've decided to use it for 1 year then, hopefully I have the business I want, get one built exactly like I'm wanting. It's nearly to the point I could call viewable, tomorrow my goal is to get 2 new wedding galleries built and, if I really hurry, maybe 1 portrait gallery.

I give myself 2 more weeks to be completely done with it, hopefully I'll get it finished even sooner than that. You can bet I'll post a link as soon as it's finished, I expect you all to refer people like crazy, cause if you don't and I find out, I'll haunt you when I die. :o)

Holla!

I have once again won something from a coke bottle. Twice in a row I've won something from a 20oz diet coke. It's enough to make your hair stand up and yell, "HOLLA!" as you can see from the photo. Frankly, I think it's a sign, I think I should go right now and buy a lotto ticket. While I'm there I can get a my TWO free coke products!

Shock n' Awe

White Bloom

White Bloom, originally uploaded by knledford.

Today has been a great day, I worked on my website, I archieved some photos in DVD-R, I went to the July meeting of the Chattanooga Photographic Society, which I normally forget, and I actually joined this time instead of enjoying the free entertainment. I also signed up for a photo expo at the Chattanooga Nature Center, along with my good buddies Rachel & "Raquita". Truthfully we've been meaning to get busy on stuff for Art Shows for some time now, we're just to lazy to get unlazy and do it. Luckily this has a deadline so hopefully we'll actually get motivated enough to do something about it.

Tomorrow, Me, Rachel and "Raquita" are going to downtown Chattanooga and get some kick butt night shots, with all my new lenses I hope I get some good stuff. Wish me luck...

Stollen

Alley Way, originally uploaded by knledford.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this photograph. Ive wanted this photos for some time now, Ive done it with other people but finally, after a few years of trys, I finally get the exact photo Ive wanted. Reminds me of Paris, I just love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Street Glow

Street Glow, originally uploaded by knledford.

For some reason I absolutely love this photograph. One of the many from the engagement session I did last week. I am basically finished with all of the editing of them, which is amazing seeing as I have a few 100 finished photographs.

A Task, a Funeral and a Promise

Tips & Tricks, originally uploaded by knledford.

At 12:11 am on Sunday Night I have read the last of the words in the 6th year of Harry Potter. I must say, a sad ending indeed. Finally the truth of what Harry suspected all along came true, his worst fear he had not expected and a look into a lonely road that would lie ahead for him alone.

I would imagine, that by completing the Half-Blood Prince, one knows the true feeling a Dementor leaves in there wake. I admit with all honesty, even I shed a tear at the passing of such a charactor.

RIP A.D.

Muggles & Mud-Bloods Welcome

Bloom, originally uploaded by knledford.

I awoke unusually early this morning, awaiting the greatest thrill of this year. Absolutely dying to know the results of such a tale, yet wanting to hold on to the excitement, to perhaps bottle it for the darkest of times.

For those of you who have yet to or will ever experience the magic that is Harry Potter, I dare to dream of a world without the wonder and amazement. As though it seems a dreadful thought to eagerly await the mail carrier, as it usually ends with a mound of bills, I counted the clicks on the clock to when the moment would come.

A moment I've waited so long for, having pre-ordered by bounded hardback sheer delight months ago. Trying with forcible might to beat the urge to travel to the nearest bookstore at the stroke of midnight and forbidding the temptation of searching the interest for answers to the mystery within, as the book had been on sale for 24 hours in London and surely hundreds had reached the end of year 6 at Hogwarts.

Having awaken for, as it seems, no real good reason, naturally the post was two hours late, instead of a preferred early arrival. At ten past one in the afternoon I cracked the page of the long awaited Half-Blood Prince. I take a much needed break from Snape's detention to blog you, as this is 11:40 pm and I vow to not slumber until the final page is read.

On another note: It seems I have melted into the words of such a literary jewel, as I have, as it seems, began to convey the likeness of it's pages.

Caution: If one does not wish to learn the fate of young Harry, one should tread lightly through the next days post, however, if any plot points lie ahead all muggles will be forewarned.

Pink Rose

Pink Rose, originally uploaded by knledford.

Before my Engagement Session yesterday, my friend Ricki & I went to the Chattanooga Choo Choo. A beautiful place with rose gardens, fountains, railroad cars, little shops and southern charm. I hope to go back this coming weekend and take more photos, seeing as how I was rushed for time yesterday.

On another note, for those who are interested, and I can't imagine anyone who wouldnt be, the new Harry Potter "Half Blood Prince" is released tomorrow. Ive had my copy on order from amazon for over a month. I'm tickled pink because I just received an email that it is at the UPS faculity in Dalton, which is only 20 miles from my house. I see long sleepless nights spent with a book in my hand ahead of me.

Diner Kissing

Diner Kissing, originally uploaded by knledford.

An exclusive look at one of the many 100's of photos taken from Thursday night's engagements session. The rain held off and we had mostly cloudy skies, the heat was a tad unbareable however. From what I've seen looking at the thumbnails I got some really great stuff. We shot from 7 - 10 pm, so all the right light of the evening and some downtown chattanooga night time shots. Expect to see many many more of these photos...

Nikon 85mm f1.4 Lens

Nikon 85mm f1.4 Lens, originally uploaded by knledford.

I just bit the bullet and bought this lens. I hope I start making real money soon, I'm in debt up to my eyeballs for photo equipment. Granted it's actually a shame I didnt already own this lens, it's concidered "THE" portrait lens and it's super fast. By fast I mean I can take good photos in the usual dark churchs and still be able to make out which one is the bride and which one is the groom.

I have an engagement shoot tomorrow so I hope the rain stays away during the hours of 6pm - 9 pm in the downtown Chattanooga area. I looked on eBay for a plastic dome large enough to fit a city inside but had no luck what so ever.

Speaking of eBay, I cleaned out my bedroom today and came up with a few 100 things I need to list. So far I've gotten 10 things listed so maybe if I hurry and get it all sold I can pay for the lens I just bought. Tomorrow morning I'm going to clean out the 'storage room' as I'm now calling it. It's full of stuff I havent seen in years. Mostly like I'll run across cute clothes I use to fit in, become seriously depressed and spend the evening watching comfort movies.

wish me luck...

Captured

Captured, originally uploaded by knledford.

Tuesday started out to be a productive day, it quickly turned south and ended with a big flop. I managed to get up early and sort through my many CD-R files of wedding photographs attempting to gather some worthy of added to my brand spanking new website. I found a few I thought worthy and edited them for the web. I built a coffee-table style book of a recent baby portrait session and ordered a few of those. I also ordered some greeting cards featuing some of my Wedding images to show my brides at interviews.

On an exciting news flash, I order over 700.00 worth of new camera equipment, 2 lenses & a 4GB Microdrive card. Im doubting the 4GB card however, Ive found good and bad things about it in reviews. I'm concerned because unlike a Lexar flash card the microdrive has a real little harddrive inside it with moveable parts, so it's more apt to poop out on you. I may chicken out before it gets here and return it. I'm pretty excited about the lenses though. A 28-70mm 2.8/f lens & a 70-300mm Sigma. Granted they're nothing fancy but it'll help. I'm planning on a Nikon 85mm 1.4f lens, a 900.00 investment but a must for shooting Weddings in dark Churches. Of course if anyone out there has one they'd like to give me, or if you'd like to make a donation I will gladly accept it and may even give you a free portrait of yourself taken with it.

My other 'Tuesday' task was to get some prints done at the new Chattanooga print lab of some children's portraits I did last week. I managed to get to the lab but got nothing done while there. I ended up spending the whole time talking to the owner about photo book services and figured in order to make him stop talking about him, I'd better just leave.

On the blog front, I'm posting Wednesday's post on Tuesday so technically I'm a whole day ahead of schedule. In the process of writing this I'm also searching for a place to shoot of photos this weekend, an actually for real, fun trip with the girls photo session. Any recommendations?

Wedding on the River

Wedding on the River, originally uploaded by knledford.

Here is one of the few thousand photos from the Ocoee River Wedding. I closed my eyes and picked one from the long line of file names, I must say, not a bad random choice.

Today I worked on my Website. I figure at last that a professional photographer should prolly have a professional looking website. I use the term "professional website" with caution, after all, I am building it. I have learned that I have no clue what a HTML code is or if HTML is even the proper order of lettering for such a phase. Frankly I think this would all be easier if I could just hit the lotto, I wouldnt need a site then, or I could actually pay to have one done that would basically say, "I've hit the lotto and recovered nicely from my minor heart attack. I've gone out of business so if you need photography work call someone who cares. Until the full moon rises in 2092 you can find me either on my yacht, my jet or at one of my many vacation homes in the Carribean, Europe, Aussie Country, Maine, etc etc etc...

Ahhh... excuse me while I smack myself back into reality.

ta ta

Fly Away

Design, originally uploaded by knledford.

Rain, Rain go away...

The forecast calls for rain everyday this week, at least the next 7 days. If anyone knows a rain dance to make it go away I would greatly appreciate it. I have an engagement session Thursday and for some reason I just can't manage to talk anyone into shooting there portraits in the rain. I try explaining that it's an artistic effect but they just won't buy it.

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Deadly Wedding Event

Whitewater Rafting, originally uploaded by knledford.

Saturday, the big day of the wedding. By far the worst experience of my professional photographing career. The actually wedding photos went fine, challenging, but in all, some great shots. However, the site of the wedding, the Ocoee Whitewater Olympic Center, in front of the center a whitewater rafting guide was killed. A tour group were getting there boats into the water when a boated over turned, the guide in the boat next to them jumped in the water and never surfaced. Rescue crews searched the area and the dam was shut off so the water would go down to aid the search. He went under at 11am and at 3:30 pm he was found. When he jumped into the water his leg was trapped in a rock only a foot or so from the surface. A rough day to continue working all the while a man has died in the river in front of you and his family has gathered at the center crying and screaming. Keeping an upbeat attitude because you've been hired to photograph one of the happiest and memorible events in a couples life, I must say, a testing day. One wedding I'll not soon forget and an experience I'll carry forever.

RIP

I-WIN

I-WIN, originally uploaded by knledford.

For the first time in my life span, I actually won something from the cap of a coke bottle. A life altering experience I must say... for once, I don't have to try again!

Ocoee River

Occee River, originally uploaded by knledford.

The backyard view from the Ocoee Olympic Center, as you can see, is breathe taking. The only problem we're having with the place is that all the recent rain brought on by the Tropical Storm that brush over us days ago has turned the color of the river from a beautful blue and white cap rapids, to chocolate milk.

Ahhh... the life of a Wedding Photographer

... Good Times

Ocoee Olympic Center

Occee Olympic Center, originally uploaded by knledford.

Here it is, Friday already. I have spent the day at the Ocoee Olympic Center. I am shooting a Wedding here tomorrow. I must say it has some beautiful opportunities, which isn't always the case, so when it happens I tend to get a bit excited. Granted we are in the middle of nowhere, the ONLY Motel, yes I said Motel, is 36 mins from the Center.

The Motel, by the way, is also in the middle of nowhere. Knowing full well of this fact, I'm still a bit impressed by the area, since my last visit, this very motel was built, along with a grocery store, Dollar Store, McDonald's and Exxon. To the local folk this must be a big topic at the Church picnics. Preparing for the Saturday Wedding day, we went to the grocery store this evening in hopes of getting some food that won't melt, spoil or explode in high temperatures, and also something that's small enough to eat while photographing the wedding, quiet enough to be undetected, and somewhat healthy. If anyone can think of what that would be let me know, Im having a hard time of finding such a food.

Anyway, while walking over to the grocery store, we notice a young couple over by the cart rack, her, a store employee and a teary eyed blonde, him beaming with pride and down on bended knee. Yes, that's right, he proposed marriage right there in the 102 degree sun in the parking lot of that little store, completely uncaring that anyone was watching. Minutes later it seemed that her break was over and was to get back to work, with a kiss on the cheek he drove away.

Going through the checkout line, her scanning our items and making sure to glance at her golden ring with each wave of the hand, a smile painted from ear to ear. Without a word she said more with her smile than any poetic love story ever told. Looking back now, I wish that I had had my camera around my neck in that parking lot, such a great shot to have captured, what a memory and story for some grandkid years from now. The whole event was so genuine and sweet I wish I had offered some wedding day photography, a small token to a young couple, bound for great things. The things you wish you had said before you walked away, maybe some way she'll find this post, the offer stands...

Independence Day

DSC_4968, originally uploaded by knledford.

Taddered, Torn by these colors don't run.

A salute to those battling for there lives and ours today in Iraq, wishing they too could enjoy a BBQ Hotdog, homemade ice cream, alittle outdoor fun with family and sights of exploding colors in the sky.

Good Times

Good Times, originally uploaded by knledford.

Okay I got alittle over 20 straight mins of laughting good times out of this photo. I did some portraits this weekend of a baby. I went in this morning to edit them and this photo popped up on my screen. It so looked like she might enjoy a drink so I warmed up my blender and the rest is history...


Note: No babies were harmed or drunk beyond stagger ability during the making of this photo.