This is my favorite part of spring (or late winter), when its new and raw and can't quite push winter out of the way.  The sky still wants to stay angry, but the earth wants to kiss and make up. I like to take candid shots of their conversations. 

This is Talladega County in Alabama. It's one of the most beautiful counties in my state, and a place I visit often. 

​Enjoy. 

I hope you enjoyed Adam's work. I want to highlight other local artists and writers in the coming year. If you are a Wiregrass area author, artist or photographer and would like to collaborate or have your work showcased on The Illusion Exotic, please contact me. 

I bet you thought I had stopped doing Photo Phridays. You were right, I had. But now it's back.  

I'm taking fewer photos than I did a year ago. It's not intentional, its simply a matter of time and opportunity. One such time and opportunity was last fall's Enterprise High School football season.  I brought along my little T5 Rebel and the kit 300mm lens just for fun to a few games (and to take pics of my daughter in band!) 

I've got to say upfront, I'm not a sports photographer. Not even close. I don't have the right gear, the right experience or the right access. However, I thought my little Rebel did pretty good capturing what action I could see from the cheap seats. What lessons did I learn from the experience? Its a good idea to  have a good low-light camera. Mine isn't. If you are jacking up the ISO and have a digital zoom, you're going to have grainy images. This matters, too, for shutter speed. I struggled to keep it above 1/200s, but with a cropped sensor, that was difficult. Anything below that and I ran the risk of blurring.  400mm zoom or better is a must with a pole mount if you're serious (I'm not).  Sideline access is better, but there was something to be said about the perspective from the stands. If you are going to be high up, sit somewhere so people ahead of you don't block your view. 

Lessons aside, taking these was fun. If you're one of my local friends, then you are familiar with the excellent sports and music program at Enterprise High School. Its one of the best in the state! Here's some shots of the 2022-23 Enterprise Alabama Wildcats Football and Big Blue Marching Band season. Enjoy! 

Goodbye 2022. 

It's been a blessed year for me, both in the photography and writing fronts.  I did a decent amount of both writing and photography, but not enough to satisfy me.  My day job and family obligations took precedent, as they should. I also started a new journey into taking care of my body (down 15 pounds so far). In fact, I really ought to be at the gym right now but find myself drinking coffee in my pajamas in front of the computer.  

I'll talk about my writing in a future blog post, but on this New Year's Eve, I'll recap 2022 from the photography perspective.  If I could sum up 2022, I'd say it was the year I started to find my brand. It's the first year I began selling prints, it's the first year I won any serious awards for my work, and it's the first year I began to think of myself as a fine art photographer.  Giving myself an artistic label doesn't mean limiting myself to only one creative area, it just means that I have a lens to focus my efforts.  Having a focus is good, as it allows me to concentrate effort, build depth and increase my skills.  

These are my favorite images from 2022, presented in generic categories.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did taking them. 

I took these photos in 2022 just for fun! I took these on vacation, at motorcycle events and at the beach. I simply liked them, maybe you will too! 

For those who have visited this blog and supported my art and literature in 2022, THANK YOU!  I'm hoping 2023 leads to exciting new possibilities in both my writing and photography. I'm still having fun, and I hope you are, too. If you're new to my blog and work, you can find out my books here and here. 

Thank you and Happy New Year!

I like pushing my personal boundaries as a photographer. Last week's portrait sessions at Harley Davidson of Dothan was one of those times. A friend asked me to donate my services for charity in support of the Christian Motorcyclists Association. For a few bucks, someone could get a portrait with with their motorcycle. All proceeds went to CMA's faith-based community work. 

A huge Thank You to Falon and all the people at Harley Davidson of Dothan/Holland Motorsports for all the help getting the space to do the photoshoot.  Thanks to CMA for helping with set-up, tear-down, moving and wiping down bikes.

​Essentially, I had to set up a temporary photo studio on-site. I'd done this before on a smaller scale, but nothing on this big. The backdrop had to be large enough for person and motorcycle. It took me about an hour for set up, and I was surprised how well it turned out, but I had three significant challenges: Light, floor and backdrop. 

 I only had limited control over light, but I was pleased with the results.  We couldn't turn off all the lights, and there was some "warm light" leakage from skylights, but overall it worked out well.  Really well, actually. However, the floor presented more of a problem, and opportunity, in this area than I had expected.

The bright blue floor, complete with paintings of sea-life, presented a challenge for both light and safety. I had brought black floor cloths to cover the floor, but they proved to be too slippery on the smooth surface and had to be initially abandoned. Fortuneatly, CMA brougt in black floor mats that held my drop cloths in place. However, in a few shots I actually used the blue floor to reflect light to accentuate blue motorcycle paint on a few bikes. That worked out well.   

I needed a wider backdrop, which forced me to stay tight on the motorcycles. This wasn't  a big deal, as it just forced me into a different photography style, which actually worked better than my original concept.  I quickly realized the motorcycle shouldn't'  be the focus, the riders should be the focus. The bike is an extension of the rider, not the other way around. 

​One of my dreams is to design a mobile photo studio, and this event went a long way in testing some of those concepts. ​

I learned a lot of lessons at this photoshoot, and had  a great time. If you're interested in a portrait session with your motorcycle or vehicle (or any portrait session), contact me to schedule a mini-session.

Magical places and magical people are all around us. Behind every front door is a person with a story. My camera sometimes opens doors to these magical places and people. It often begins with an unusual building and striking up a conversation with the occupant or neighbor. It's a "spur of the moment" thing, that really can't be planned, and begins with a question and a handshake.  This is the story of such an experience. 

If you visit Wikipedia (not the most reliable source, but hey, I didn't have much time for research this week) you'll find a sparse and fairly straight-forward description of a place called Brundidge, Alabama.  Wikipedia will tell you that, according to the census, it's a small town getting smaller. Wikipedia also will tell you Brundidge was once known for making peanut butter and even hosts a Peanut Butter Festival each autumn. Now it hosts a major Wal-mart distribution center.  It was also once the hometown of Mr. Herb Siler, who in 1960 survived four rounds against the Greatest of All Time, Mohammad Ali, before getting knocked out.  Wikipedia will also mentions Brundidge lies in the "humid subtropical climate zone." I'd been to Brundidge a few times on photo expeditions, but it was on a serious "humid subtropical climate zone" day in June, with temperatures nearing triple-digits, that I met Mr. Michael Robinson. 

​I'd interrupted his lawn mowing when I approached to inquirer about a nearby property. He graciously answered my questions, and then motioned to his own home and said it was the oldest house in Brundidge. What started as a few questions about the nearby house turned into an invitation to park my motorcycle in the shade, a cold drink, and a tour of his amazing property.  Before I knew it, I had spent the afternoon with this truly fascinating gentleman of many talents and interests, whom one might call a "renaissance man." ​

Mike Robinson is a retired high school football coach, history teacher, and Methodist preacher. He is a classic car buff and restorer, as well as a collector of many interesting things. He and his late wife were the fifth owners of a house dating back to 1859. The property spreads over several acres, with an outbuilding, original barn, separate modern garage and workshop, and well-cared for gardens. All of it is meticulously maintained. Within and without, treasures were everywhere and everything has  a story - every building, vehicle, and piece of equipment. I wish I had brought something to write with, or even a recording device. All I had was my camera and memory. 

We began outside, with an original US Army jeep from the 1940s, a "barn find" he has lovingly restored. Later, he showed me his garage, where he had an exquisitely restored an old Ford truck, perhaps dating back to the 1950s. He told me the exact years, but I didn't write them down. He also had a vintage Volkswagen Beetle. This is  a man of many experiences and talents,  and his automotive restoration work was amazing. ​

The tour continued to an outbuilding, which Mike had converted to a little schoolhouse in honor of his late wife, who had been also been a teacher. An school bell stands vigil outside, as if waiting for someone to call the children to class. Inside were books, maps and everything one would expect in an an old country school.  To me, it felt like a shrine not only to his beloved wife's memory, but to learning and education. This theme of education continued in the main home as well, as books and collections of unusual object filled the home.  

While Mike gave me full permission to photograph, I'm not going to include most of the images I took inside the main house out of respect for his privacy. I will simply say it was beautifully restored home, keeping the old home's original charm and feel. However, there were eclectic touches throughout the house, such as a pair of hand carved Chinese doors.

I will also say that  this was an educator's home.  There were collections and memorabilia from his days as a teacher, a coach and minister. This blending of mind, body and spirit gave the house a feeling of balance, and perhaps a touch of "feng shui."  Photos of his players from his coaching days lined the shelves, including one he took with legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant. I found his collection of puppets from his days of  children's ministry very fascinating. 

The old barn was the favorite part of the tour. With its bright red roof, old woodwork, and amazing light, it is a photographer's dream. He allowed me to climb into the hayloft. The heat up there was brutal, but the light was breathtaking. I had just happened to catch it at the right time, when the midday sun was reflecting underneath the eaves from the red roof into the loft. It painted the loft's north end in an unearthly crimson light. Some of the light trickled through old doors resting against the wall, casting rays of purple and greens across the floor. It was extremely exciting to capture. 

The last part of my visit with Mike was spent in his kitchen as he showed me historical documents about the home's original owners, as well as local Brundidge history.  The shadows began to lengthen, and the time had come for me to get back on the road. Before I left, he lent me  book about Pike County history, and I promised to return with one of my own books to give him. 

A soft-spoken man of many talents, it was a blessing to meet Mr. Robinson and be able to spend an afternoon with him. I look forward to making my way to Brundidge again soon. 

#abandonedwiregrass #wiregrass #pikecounty #threenotchroad #brundidgealabama #photography #history #southern

One brutally hot afternoon I straddled my motorcycle and took to the Wiregrass's highways to work on my next photography book. Alabama's jungle-like heat and humidity, made worse after a week of heavy rains, made me reconsider setting out that morning.  My urge to complete this book gave me the motivation to brave the heat. I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door.

Even in its current state, this home is beautiful, glorious even. Even through the foliage, its uniqueness shines through. Neither the vines nor the thickets can conceal this homes unique charm. It's not hard to imagine its potential should it ever receive a restoration.  Such a home could be a  treasure to make any community proud. ​ 

Maybe one day soon, I'll drive by and see this house vine-free and restored to her former glory.

#abandoned #urbex #antebellum  #southernhomes #dixie #abandonedwiregrass 

Last night I spent about an hour trying to catch the Tau Herculids Meteor Shower. NASA said it was either going to be a bust, or glorious. It was a meh. I saw two with my eye, and captured several more with the camera. In fact,  it was the first time I have ever captured a meteor streak on camera. In this image I included the Big Dipper to give perspective where my camera was pointing. 

It was a good time. I'm looking forward the next meteor shower. 

Senior photography should be exciting and fun for both the senior and the parents.  This should include the session and the final images. With this in mind, I now offer themed senior photo sessions. 

The theme can be practically anything, and not necessarily what the senior did in high school, or what they are going to do (or think they'll do) after graduation. It could be cosplay based on their favorite movie, book or video game. It could be historical period costume, or even a gag theme. It can be with friends and family. It's about fun, individual expression, memories and breaking away.  

​The packages can include graphic products (like the movies poster seen here) or short theme videos featuring highlights of session images. 

Nate graduates high school this year and is on his way to college.  During the initial consult, his mom showed me a photo of Nate in his restored classic car looking over a pair of Ray Bans.  It reminded me of "Risky Business" and suggested an 80s teen coming of age movie theme. Nate and mom were all in! 

The sessions include a mix of theme-based and traditional images.  For Nate's session, I also made a custom movie poster and a short video revolving around the 80s teen movie theme. 

If you're interested in a themed photo session, or any of my photography services, follow this link to contact me. Thanks for dropping by, enjoy the images,  and see you next week.