Look Dad I'm Smiling For You...

Hi everyone-

Here is one of those rare instances lately where Cree is interested in the camera. It went hand in hand with her being a a remarkably good mood on this particular day.

We played outside and laughed and chased each other around. This image was shot just before she darted off on her little electric four wheeler.

This images was shot in color with an incorrect white balance setting. I was never really able to color correct this image so I converted it to black and white. I don't like it as much as yesterday's but I think it is still a nice shot.

Putting My New Skills To The Test...

Hi everyone-

Hope you are all having a great Memorial Day weekend. This week we are going to take a bit of a break from Savannah street images to look at some new stuff I shot since I have returned home.

I shot some images of family and friends using some of the new skills I picked up while I was in Savannah.

Today's image is of Cree. I love it, but I think I am partial so I'd like to hear what you think. The set up was pretty simple, she was standing in the back seat of my truck looking out the open door. The sun was hitting on the other side of the vehicle.

I shot it with my new 50mm 1.4 lens, which I really, really like.

As always....PPPPPPPPPPUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHLLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSE! comment on the images. Your feedback is really important to me, I know your out there, I got the stats, please feel free to comment, I really want to hear what you have to say about the images.

Have a great day!

Issac Heyward...

Hi everyone-

While I was preparing for today's post I was searching for some video related to that image.

But what I found was far better. I happened to come across a video on YouTube of the Candy Man. So I decided that this would be a great way to end the week.

Hayward is a very special person. I know I mentioned this before, and I know I will again but it is the absolute truth. The only way for you to really know is to talk with Hayward.

I hope this video will give you just a glimpse of this wonderful man. It does not do his insight, wisdom and heart justice but it's a nice little clip of Hayward telling a little about himself.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Details of Marian and Walter...

Hi everyone-

I realized last night that for some reason I had not told you the guitar players name, it's Walter. Not sure how I let that slip by. Walter was great to me, he allowed me to shoot as many photographs as I wanted and to be as close as I wanted while he played.

He also seemed as interested in what I was up to as I was what he was up to.

Today's images are detail shots of Walter and Marian's performance one night on River Street. The song was under the boardwalk. It was Walter on Lead guitar and vocals and Marion with back up and dancing. As well another gentleman sitting near by making flowers out of Palmetto was harmonizing.

You really should check these guys out when you get the chance to be in Savannah, I think you will really enjoy their show.

Marion Grooves The Crowd...

Hi everyone-

A little late today I know but I worked last night and had to get the allergy shot this morning.

Anyway today's images are of Marion, one of Savannah's most well know and most recognizable street performers.

During the day you might find him playing a variety of instruments in one of Savannah's quaint squares. At night though he'll be on River Street dancing and singing with the guitar player I posted yesterday.

Rythm Of The Street...

Hi everyone-

The entertainment on the streets of Savannah is varied, single performers and groups, music, art, craft, magic, comedy, and dancing.

One of the most entertaining was a group of young street dancers who performed nightly on River Street. 4 guys and a girl made up this group of dancers and musicians.

They relied on two members to create the rhythms on the drums while one or two others danced.

Their shows were great. But what impressed me most was the physical demands that this performance put on these kids.

The dancers were strong and able to support and balance themselves on one hand while spinning and dancing. The drummers where constantly in motion never missing a beat.

While so many of the performers you can find in Savannah are great I think this group of young drummers and dancers in one of the best.

Entertainment On The Streets...

Hi everyone-

Savannah is rich in history and culture. The city is also blessed with a talented group of street performers.

Whether it be in one of the many squares or along River Street there is always great music, artists and showmen to be found.

One of the great parts of the workshop was that these performers were very accessible to us and for the most part enjoyed being photographed as much as performing.

Several of them allowed complete access to us as they played making it possible to move in and around them at close distances. This gave us the ability to get right in there and create images otherwise unavailable to most.

If you get to Savannah be sure not to miss this bit of entertainment, you won't be disappointed.


This week I'll be posting images from these dynamic entertainers.

Wiskey and War...

One of the highlights of the trip to Savannah was the opportunity to be up close and shoot the Train Wrecks while they performed at Jinx.

This is a great band and I highly recommend you check them out at http://www.thetrainwrecksband.com/

I decided to try some new treatments for these images. It was pretty much a big experiment resulting in spending a few hours in front of the computer trying out some new ideas on these images. I think they turned out pretty cool but I would love to hear what you have to think of them.

There are a few where I processed the same image a bit differently. I will post all of the versions and hopefully you guys will help me to decide which one is the best.

Savannah...Day 3

Hey everyone-

I'm pretty tired tonight so I don't have a lot of energy to type a long explanation of today's images.

But I will briefly explain what went down. On this day we had to approach people in a bit of a different fashion than what we had been doing. Again the list of potential approach methods was designed to take us out of our comfort zone a bit.

Well it worked. But in the end everyone said yes and was very kind. I was amazed at the amount of people who happily said yes and the ones who said no and then yes after hearing what I was up to.

Hope you enjoy the images today...

Oh one quick note about the last image. We had been assigned an exercise that I knew wasn't going to go well for me. It didn't and I was very disappointed in myself for not doing a better job. I was actually pretty angry with myself. So when the next assignment was given I was a bit down in the dumps and not looking forward to the shoot.

But here is where the second occasion where the right people came in to my life at the right time. This couple initially declined but after I explained what I was doing agreed to be photographed. I took a few picture and then just talked to them.

We ended up talking for almost 30 minutes. We talked about everything under the sun. They told me they had known each other for 50 years and after their spouses passed away they recently married. They were very much in love and you could tell in every gesture, look and comment.

I asked if I could take a few more pictures and they said sure. I told them they had looked nice when they looked at each other. Then I asked if she would give him a kiss, she replied, "on any day of your life!" Snap, there was the best image of the day.

And it was just what I needed at exactly the right time...

Thanks Candy Man...

Hi everyone-

Today I want to talk a bit about inspiration and learning to live without "storms" or issues that we don't need to. There are a few hang ups or issues that I have with my photography or actually more within myself but that effect my photography.

I have been aware of these issues for some time and have made an attempt to free myself of them and to allow myself to open up to people and create better images and really just allow myself to have better experiences in life.

That isn't always as easy as it seems. Several of the exercises what we were assigned dealt directly with some of these issues. So I knew that during this workshop there would have to be some soul searching and some learning about why I set these limitations to myself.

On the morning of the second day we set out to one of the beautiful squares in Savannah for our next assignments. It started out with some basic work shooting other group participants but then once that was completed we headed out on our own. I had to approach people in a different way than I would normally so there was some anxiety building about the exercise.

Apparently that was visible on my face and in my body language. As the group split up Craig pulled me aside and we talked about some the issues for a while. Then leaving and not really sure if I felt better about it or not I set out. I knew what I had to do but I was really unsure if I would pull it off. So I set out and had some mild success with the first two people I came across. But the images weren't great. As I was walking I came across someone who I had heard so many wonderful things about from Craig and others in previous groups, Hayward.

I was walking along and there is was. This was one of three experiences I had at the workshop where the right person showed up at just the right time to help me deal with something that was holding me back or just to teach me a little more about me.

Hayward is from Savannah and is a local legend. Know in Savannah as the Candy Man, he walks throughout downtown selling bags of peanut M and Ms and Skittles for a dollar. But his real gift is the conversation that you can have with him if you want to.

Many people pass him by or just purchase their candy and move on. But what they miss is a potentially life changing conversation with someone who has faced so much adversity in his life but feels none of it.

Hayward is completely zeroed in on living the life he wants to, free of "storms" or adversity. Hayward has been blind for 40 years of his life. He grew up in the south and faced all of the issues that a black man would have in those times as well as a degenerative eye disease which slowly left him blind.

But he is completely self actualized and does not let anything bring him down. I had the opportunity to talk one on one with him for some time on that day. We talked about who we were, what we do, our families (his lives close to me), and some of the issues that I face within myself as a photographer.

He gave me his thoughts and lifted my spirits at a time (of several) when they were down because of what I had to do. This is a special man. If you ever get to Savannah you will not have truly experienced the town and what it has to offer if you do not have a conversation with Hayward. It very well could change your entire outlook on life and belief system.


You can not help but have a great day after a conversation with Hayward...