See YOU at the Pole

"Get the word out.  Teach all these things.  And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life:  by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.....

Cultivate these things.  Immerse yourself in them.   The people will all see you mature right before their eyes!  Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching.  Don't be diverted.  Just keep at it!  Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation." 

These words of Paul (as presented in The Message) are both my prayer for and my observation of a mighty group of teens who chose to gather early (6:45 am, baby!) this morning around the flag pole at Harrison High School.  Their prompting:  the annual See You at the Pole celebration.  Their mission:  to encourage one another and to lift all those who walk the halls of HHS to the Lord seeking mercy, grace and truth -- oh, and a good dose of courage.  

I was humbled and honored to be asked to join them and capture a bit of the gathering in images. Well, okay, the honored came after balking at the hour but upon reflection, I am so glad I didn't let a little snoozin' get in my way of being even on the fringe of such a marvelous assembly.  It was a wonderful and varied group of students seeking a wonderful and varied single Lord -- plain and simple, it just doesn't get any better than that! 

Collages for Kaushaun

Here's a couple collages for the lovely Miss Kaushaun who joined me for a senior shoot last week.  Oh to have such amazing eyes!

2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits a dollar....

OK, so the gauntlet was laid down by my dear friend Brenda --

"So, you can capture the football players.  How about the cheerleaders in action?"

Well, here we are:  Raider Cheerleaders doing their thing!

Meet Kaushaun -- Senior 09

What do you get when you mix a quick whit, sharp mind, sweet personality and a stunning smile?  Kaushaun!  Kaushaun, her very personable mom, and I headed up to the battlefield in historic Battleground, IN to capture some images of this fantastic young woman as she dives head-long into her senior year at Harrison High!

A Change of Perspective

Okay, so I really enjoy watching sports (unfortunately, way too uncoordinated to actually participate).  And, I really love taking photographs.  Sooooo, shooting sports is just a kick for me!  This evening the Harrison Raiders JV football team was on the field against the Avon Orioles and I decided to use it as an experiment and shoot the game, but from different angles than I would normally.  More specifically, I decided to see 'how low can you go?'--well, me, go--ah, I mean how low could I go, get, shoot...you know what I mean.  

Anyway, early in the game I learned that when a play comes toward the sideline and you are low down and over 40 years old, getting out of the way is tougher than imagined -- but it lead to some, ah, interesting shots, like this one...

but as I grew more acclimated to my new setting, it was awesome to feel so 'in the action'...

this next series of three resulted in me being in the midst of the pile in the end, but I think it was worth it! (#18 here hurdled just past me, but the Avon defender and I became quickly acquainted--he jumped up profusely apologizing, it was too funny!)

this one I took lying on the ground behind the end zone--unfortunately the Raiders did move that line much closer to me and the game ended with the score shown on the board.

I think next week I'll bring a ladder, or trapeze, or sit in the trees beyond the field, hmmm....

Learning from David Jay

A couple weeks back I had the awesome opportunity to take a seminar from David Jay--an incredible wedding photographer and businessman from California.  Wow!  did he ever give me a lot to contemplate and change about the way I run my business!  Good stuff!

Here I am with a group of fellow Indy area photographers (Cathy & David, Kevin Swan, David Jay, Brian McGuckin, myself and Kiera Dubach) with David as we hung out and chatted after the seminar!  

Thanks for the photo, David (yes, I totally stole this from your blog!).

Let the music flow!

This afternoon our wonderful son Daniel came home with his first musical instrument (beyond the recorder, that is--it doesn't count!) -- a tenor saxaphone!  I think he held it all afternoon and evening (although we did make him leave it at home in the case while we took him out to dinner and ran a couple errands).  Kenny G. move over...here comes Daniel S. !

KLG 07 -- Image Collection Book

Attention Klondike Little Gridiron families!

Here is a sample of an image collection book made from last season's pix!  (just click on the arrow and it will start playing--the small image that shows second is on the inside of the dust jacket, hence the tiny size, and the white page that follows is for sharing signatures and thoughts (much like signing a yearbook).  This year's Image Collection Books will be distributed at the year-end banquet--the perfect time to have the kids share with each other!

(note:  depending on how quick your internet connection transmits signals, the slideshow may pause occassionally, but will normally pick up where it left off)

In Full Swing

Lest anyone think that football is the only contest happening among the Harrison athletes--think again!  Check out some swinging power here -- from both the tennis players and the golfers!

Boy, being a Raider athlete really takes it out of a guy!

New Digits!

Tiny, practical and oh, so, hot!  DIGITS -- the easiest way to for a senior to pass on not only his or her photos to share with friends, but cell phone numbers and email addresses so they can keep in touch as their journeys go down separate paths after high school.

Here's a couple we recently designed:

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Morgan -- Senior 09

Alright, I am not even going to feign any lack of bias on this shoot -- I love everyone involved and therefore love the images created!  First, this is my daughter Morgan.  She is the oldest of our wonderful crew and has just begun her senior year at Harrison HS.  I thank God for her each and every day and cannot imagine our lives without her!  I am sure this is not the last you will see of her this year -- I trained her from a pup to be a ham for the camera!

I love the beach--okay, so it's Lake Michigan not the ocean, but here in ol' Indiana we can't be too picky!  

Much of the edits and designs were the magical touch of someone else I love -- Brenda at Appointed Design.  (I confess, I did the one in the middle with the goofy little grasses--so, if you think that one is cheesy, blame me!).

Being the feedback junkie that I am, please comment and let me know which ones you like or, dare I throw out the invite, which ones you hate!

(that's Dad in the background)

I loved this shot, she was just lost in her own little world, but there were several people in the background.  Thanks to all the work done over at AD, she looks like she's alone on a deserted island!