One more for the road...

On the way out the door for the weekend! More trees to prune, bricks to lay, and Zoysia to mow. I don't relax very well.

Portrait of the Day

We've been very busy lately, hence the light blogging. I've got a stack of stuff working for MonoBlog and have been spending a lot of time behind the camera, which is my preferred place to be.

This is one of my favorite portraits of the week. I'm not a Photoshop photographer, meaning that I create my work with light and the camera and the mind, not with filters and gimmicks. This is what I look for in photography: a glimpse of beauty that does not require one to read a thesis in order to "get it."

Flashes of Hope makes People Magazine

Just in to the email box:

Hello!

I want to first of all thank you for volunteering for Flashes of Hope!

We have exciting news!!! People Magazine will be featuring Flashes of Hope in their next issue, due on newsstands on Friday March 28. They have chosen images from our website taken by each of you. There is no way to tell which photos will be used, but I just wanted to give you a heads up so you can check out the magazine.

Thanks again for your time and talent.
Sincerely, Natalie

Eight people were copied on the e-mail, out of Flashes national network of photographers, which probably numbers close to one hundred. So, maybe we'll be in People this week! Either way, it's great news for Flashes of Hope and will certainly raise awareness of their work.

Greece 2008 Photography Workshop

We proudly announce our Greek Photography and Painting workshop, taking place this September, on the island of Poros, Greece, and the amazing Peloponnese city of Napflion. We will spend four days in each location, with a travel day in between. The dates are from Monday, September 8 until Tuesday, September 16, 2008. There will be plenty of time for independent exploration, shopping, sightseeing and photographer/painting as well. Spouses and friends who are not taking the workshops are welcome. During the five days on Poros, we will probably make a one day visit to the Island of Idra/Hydra (a short 45 minutes by boat and no cars on the island) for painting and photography.

Each day will feature two hours of in depth digital photography instruction, designed to take even a beginner and teach them a complete creative work flow, from proper exposure and white balance to archive and fine art print, with a focus on the creative aspects of the medium. We will also hold a critique/discussion session for an hour every evening where will will review the days work and offer helpful suggestions. The advice will be personalized to the skill level of the participant in order to provide the maximum artistic benefit.

The workshop will be held with the capable assistance and input of Atlanta pediatrician Dr. Victor Polizos, who is an accomplished photographer as well as a native of Greece. He has traveled extensively in Greece and will provide the kind of local knowledge that is sure to make this the trip of a lifetime.

Also (if that were not enough), renowned acrylic artist Wayland Moore will lead a second workshop on acrylic painting, with the help of Dr. James Sutherland, another tremendous painter. Both Wayland and James have exhibited and sold their art throughout the United States. Waylon has also conducted artist workshops in Italy.


Attached are a few of my images from my travels in Greece back in 1998. Please contact me at 404.313.6030 if you are interested in joining us. It promises to be an incredible journey!

Calder Weston Smith

Is five weeks old today. He's already over 14 pounds! That's packing on a pound a week!

Meyer

Maggie

Nice surprise today! My prints came back from the Professional Photographer's of America print competition, and while I knew my portrait of Wolfgang had been accepted into the 2008 Loan Collection, I didn't know that my portrait of Maggie had been merited as well.

It is still one of my all-time favorites. Maggie and I were talking about the stop-motion films of Ray Harryhausen, and she threw this look at me, and BAM! I caught it. One frame. No posing. A mere second in perfect collaboration.

Thanks, Maggie!