My good friend, Jack, has convinced me that I should post some of my portraits in this blog. I have resisted, in part because I didn't want this blog to seem like an advertisement for the portrait work I do from time to time. That's never been my intent. Sharing a few photos and a few thoughts is my intent. This week's series will be called "Look At Me."
This is one of my favorite couples shots - and it doesn't hurt to have good subjects like Alicia and Derek. This wasn't a planned photo. They were both supposed to be looking at me. But a few moments before I asked, "Ready?", Alicia looked up at Derek and I snapped the photo.
Of course, to my brother Mike, my sister Barb and me, she was "Mom." I'm sad to say that Mom passed away in the early hours of the morning today (October 25, 2009). Mom was 91 and we had spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday visiting her at the nursing home she lived in. Her passing was quiet, peaceful and appropriate. But I feel pain nonetheless, for I had not expected death to come so quickly.
This is a candid shot of a family photo that Brian and Katie's wedding photographers were organizing. That's why no one is looking at me. I love the light and the soft colors in this photo. The light is late afternoon ambient light sifting in through the east windows on the 22nd floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul. The people pictured are a few of the many Rausch's that inhabitant our new world. (Thats Katie and Brian in the middle of the group.)
Here's one more from Katie and Brian's wedding - this time from the reception dance. The reception was on the 22nd floor of the Crowne Plaza in St. Paul, MN, and, as you can see, the view was spectacular.
These "stars" were four of the six bride's maids at Katie and Brian's wedding. This photo wasn't my idea and I was skeptical about getting a good shot. The sanctuary was fairly dark and I thought it would be hard to get details in the faces without washing out the beautiful colors in the stained glass and the flowers and dresses. But I was wrong. This photo was very rushed and I wish now that we had found the other bride's maids.
It is the day after the Big Event and I am tired but happy. We enjoyed every thing about the day, including Brian and Katie's first dance in their life as a married couple.
I think I've mentioned that I enjoy taking candid photos in art museums. This photo was taken in Tacoma, Washington, at The Museum of Glass. This art lover seems exhausted by the experience of seeing all that glass. He's sitting on a glass, leather and chrome bench.
How are Deb and I celebrating? I'm in Minnesota at the PGA tournament with my son Brian and Deb's in Sioux Falls. How's that for romance? But she is special and I am lucky. And we will no doubt celebrate our anniversary on Friday. Will I give her an opal, which is the gift you give on your 34th? I doubt it.
One of the highlights of our trip to Japan in 2004 was a visit to the Japanese pre-school my son Brian worked at. The children we saw that morning behaved much as you'd expect children to behave anywhere, though I saw one big difference - these kids didn't appear to be as fearful or suspicious of strangers as our kids seem to be.