Kelly Shipp Photography

Celestial Blue

2012-02-01T11:24:00.004-06:00

At first, I was attracted to the placid lake and houseboat, but my eyes opened wide when I saw the potential of the clouds in this scene. When I first began to photograph this scene, there was a light rain, but I was persistent in wanting to capture this before the clouds began to dissipate. Luckily, the rain soon stopped and I was able to capture what you see here. The infrared light captured multiple layers of clouds and cloud movement.

Lake Beaverfork, Conway, Arkansas
Color infrared, panorama with slight HDR toning.
Orig # IMG_1014-1032hdrc3

Front Row

2012-01-23T18:31:00.002-06:00

What a great view. It looks as though the horizon just goes on forever, but in reality, this is a lake and coming toward me is a wall of heavy rain. Any normal day, you could see the other side of the lake, but with the thick fog, mist and rain blocking the view, the perception changes.

The result was worth it, but it was painstakingly cold and windy. I had to constantly clear my lens of mist, while keeping the umbrella over the camera. It poured on me several times, which I actually had to carry my gear to cover, then return to continue.

Lesson: don't give up if you *really* want the shot.

Beaverfork Lake, Conway, Arkansas
Long exposure with minimal HDR toning.
Orig # KS1_5833a

Pier 2

2012-01-20T21:42:00.005-06:00

"Pier 2"

Another from my latest series.
Lake Beaverfork, Arkansas.
Orig # KS1_5516b2s

Pier 1

2012-01-17T22:27:00.002-06:00

This is the start of a new b&w series I'm working on. Hope you enjoy!

Cascading at Sunset

2012-01-16T21:37:00.002-06:00

Cascading waterfall at sunset, Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas

Long exposure, HDR from 11 frames ranging from less than 1 sec to 15 seconds. Yes, the sun and sun rays are all real. The refractions are from the stacked ND filters and the shifting of the trees during exposure.
Orig # KS1_2939-2950hdr2a

Nature's Graffiti

2012-01-15T00:56:00.003-06:00

I titled this one "Nature's Graffiti", although it could easily have a myriad of titles. This old homestead could tell so many stories, and if it were to have ghosts, you can almost see them peering through the windows.

This photograph ended up being much more interesting after a closer look. I shot this as an infrared, but I also bracketed it for an HDR image - to ensure I had the greatest tonal range from the infrared spectrum. The reason I went to all this trouble was to ensure I could emphasize the dramatic contrast of the vines spinning and exploring the house.

I also converted it to b&w to give it the simplicity and toning to closer match it's timeliness. I purposefully shot this with a slow shutter speed to give some life to the grasses and branches, which blurred during the exposure.

Old store...

2012-01-08T18:34:00.004-06:00

This is an old store that I've passed many times, but just couldn't find the right mood/composition to photograph it....until this visit. I fear that it will soon collapse. As you can tell from the photograph of the full structure, it's leaning to the left considerably.

Hope you enjoy.

Small waterfalls

2012-01-04T13:17:00.005-06:00

Small waterfalls shot at Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas.

This is actually a 10-frame panorama. The detail is impressive. The closer you look, the more waterfalls you see.

Hope you enjoy.

Orig # IMG_0372-481

Nature's Green is Gold - #2

2012-01-02T23:48:00.005-06:00

"Nature's Green is Gold - #2"

This was shot the same day (same tree!) as my Project Imagin8ion Grand Prize winning photograph ("Where One Day Ends, A New Day Begins"). This was shot about 20 minutes before my winning photograph was taken. This is an HDR taken at sunset, composed of 22 bracketed images. I wanted to achieve the highest, dynamic range possible (within reason).

This field of flowers is what attracted me to this area. Imagine a field full of yellow flowers (buttercups), with a clear, blue sky.

This is also the same tree in "Nature's Green is Gold".
Hope you enjoy. :)
Orig # KS0_6121-6142_hdr

"Surrounded by Trees"

2012-01-02T09:29:00.002-06:00

"Surrounded by Trees" - is a vertical and horizontal, infrared panorama shot at Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas.

This panorama is composed of multiple rows and columns, containing 26 frames. It was a tough exposure to get the sun in the lower section of the frame, but with some patience it worked out.

Hope you enjoy.
Orig # DSC_0111-0136a

"when you find me"

2011-12-17T09:16:00.005-06:00

THIS weekend only! You can view the online premiere of "when you find me", a Ron Howard film which my photograph helped inspire. (Look for my name in the credits). :)

www.youtube.com/imagination

Trip to New York City - film premiere and more!

2011-11-20T22:51:00.072-06:00

NYC Trip - 11/2011

I decided to document most of my experiences of my NYC trip before I forget the details. Some of this may be more detail than most may want to read, but at least I've captured the detail for history sake. :)

If you haven't been keeping up with my news, you might want to read about Project Imagin8ion before continuing.

When the Winning "8" Photographers were notified that we had won, we were told we would receive a free round-trip flight to New York, with a driver to drive us to/from the airports and event. The trip itinerary was go to NYC on Monday and return home on Wednesday. The only event planned for us was the premiere and VIP after-party, all the rest was open and up to us to do whatever we wanted. We were told we could bring one guest with us to the film Premiere and after-party. I decided to take my sister (Carol), so you will be seeing her in the photos. In fact, she had the camera most of the time (during the event), so most of the photos were taken by her.

A few notes about the cameras used during the event: One of the prizes of this event was a Canon S95 (a very nice point-and-shoot camera that also shoots HD video), which I let my sister use during the event. I also carried my iPhone 4S, so I could capture some snapshots and short video clips during the event. I also took my Nikon with me to NYC and shot some 'tourist'-style images, which I'll post later.

These are by no means all the photos we took. This is only a few. Over the next week or so, I'll be posting the photos on my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/KellyShippPhotography

----------
Monday
----------
My trip began on Monday, 11/14/2011, at 3:30AM. Yes, a driver was in my driveway at 3:30AM!

My flight was a 6:30am flight from Little Rock to Newark, NJ. Carol (and husband Randy) had flown-up the night before, since they flew straight from Dallas.

My flight was on-time and the driver was just a phone call away.
I called Carol and we met-up for brunch at a restaurant near the hotel.

During brunch, we discussed what options we had for the day. My main priority was to get a skyline shot of NYC at night, so the challenge was to determine the best place and plan around it. I decided on the Empire State Building as a good candidate for viewing the skyline.

Carol and Randy wanted to visit the World Trade Center Memorial & Museum complex, and they said it would be best at night with the grounds all lit-up with lights. So after more discussion and planning, we finished brunch and returned to the hotel for my camera equipment and to reserve tickets for ground zero.

We then walked to Central Park. The weather was abnormally warm for November in NY. The fall colors were vibrant, although the sky was overcast.
(I'll be posting more images from Central Park in the coming weeks.)

From Central Park, we continued with my plan to get to the Empire State Building (ESB) by dusk. I wanted to get there by dusk to capture the late-evening color and shortly thereafter also capture the NYC lights. Unfortunately, the ESB is so crowded, they don't allow tripods, which was devastating since I required a tripod to get great night shots of the city. So, I had to improvise and rest my camera the best of my ability on the ledges and fencing around the perimeter. I also shot a short video clip with my iPhone 4s. (I'll be posting more images in the coming weeks.)

We had tickets for the new World Trade Center at 7:00pm, so we left the ESB in time to get there. I was amazed at the level of security! We likely passed through at least six checkpoints, with two of them being the baggage scanners like the airports have. Once inside the complex, we had the freedom to walk around. By this time it was dark and the grounds were lit-up beautifully. With its shimmering glass curtain walls and towering antennae, One World Trade Center will soar a symbolic 1,776 feet skyward to become America's tallest building. Designed by David M. Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 2.6-million-square-foot building will include office space, an observation deck, world-class restaurants, and broadcast and antennae facilities.

There are two massive pools, set within the footprints of the Twin Towers, with the largest man-made waterfalls in the country cascading down their sides.

The names of the nearly 3,000 individuals who were killed in the September 11 attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, and the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing will be inscribed around the edges of the Memorial pools.

----------
Tuesday
----------

We had to be ready for the premiere by 6:00pm sharp. So we planned our day backwards. We left the hotel and proceeded to find a place for breakfast. In our
search for a restaurant, we stopped to talk with a bus tour guide. We took a few brochures and maps and discussed the plan over breakfast. Yes, we seem to
plan our days while eating. (ha)

We decided to take a bus tour, which would give us a nice view from the top of the bus around the city. We chose a route which passed Macy's, which is a stop
Carol wanted to experience. We purchased the bus tour tickets and were on our way. (I'll be posting more images in the coming weeks.)

Unfortunately for us, our route took us through the financial district, which that day, was heavily bombarded by protestors/demonstrators, which in-turn brought 20,000? police officers to the scene. Traffic was a standstill and I'm glooming at my watch worried that we were going to have a challenge getting back to the hotel on time. Fortunately, we were able to get off at the next stop, find a taxi and get back to the hotel in time to grab a quick bite to eat and get ready!

The Winning 8 Photographers and guests were to meet in the hotel lobby at 6:00pm sharp, so that we would all be driven at the same time.

The film premiere and after-party destination: American Museum of Natural History.
We arrived as it was beginning a slight mist in the air. The red carpet was out to the curb as we were greeted with people escorting us with umbrellas.
The museum was closed to the public, excluding those invited to this event, so most of the decor was all Project Imagin8ion related. Once inside, we were quickly sipping champagne as we walked through the museum hallways. Soon we entered a room full of lights, media crew and more red carpet. This is where we took the group photos and we each did two interviews (one for National TV and one for in-house that will be distributed). I was a hot room with all the media and hot lights. I hope my interviews aren't too embarrassing. (ha)

Within a few turns, we were blown away by wall-to-wall photos of ALL 96,362 photo submissions! It was amazing to see all the images tiled on the walls of the hallways. It was almost a dizzying place to stand. I'll post a video soon.

Once we passed through this hallway, the next hallway revealed the winning photographs, framed and large!

After a few minutes of visiting, we were ushered into an auditorium where we would watch the premiere. As we began to enter the auditorium, there were two movie posters on easels, inside each side of the entrance. To my amazement, the movie posters were based on a rendition of my tree! :)

We had reserved seats on the first row, which we sat and waited for the show to begin. Introductions were made by the Director of Grey Interactive/Alliance Agency (don't remember the exact name/title), which she soon introduced the Winning 8 Photographers as we stood and received applause from the 500-700 attendees of the Premiere. Next, we were shown 'the making of...' film, which showed some behind-the-scenes, etc, of the making of the movie. Following this, we watched the film. It was an incredible film - full of emotions, scenery, and dramatic characters. It seems longer than the estimated 23 minutes. I'm anxious to watch it again! There was so much to absorb in those 23 minutes, that I'm sure I missed some things. :)
Here's a link to the trailer.

After watching the film, they had a Q&A session planned with Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dane Charbeneau (the writer), Rob Altman (a Marketing Executive from Canon, and the host of the Q&A (David Edelstein, Chief Film Critic, New York Magazine). The Q&A was very entertaining. I hope to post a video of the Q&A - if/when it's published.

After the Q&A ended, we gathered in front of the stage for a few minutes before continuing to the 'whale room'. During this wait time, I was able to briefly
meet with Ron Howard and continued to chat with the other winning photographers. Soon, we were ushered through more hallways, and more hallways, into what appeared to be an even larger room, what is known as the 'whale room'. As we entered, again we saw the two movie posters.

Upon entering this monolithic room, you see the life-sized WHALE suspended from the ceiling! Massive! As we descended down the stairs, my fellow photographers brought my attention to the centerpiece of the room: a bar in the center of the room, surrounded by blue lighting, and in the center this spectacle: a glowing white tree! I was speechless. I never expected so much representation of my winning image to be used for the movie and premiere!

The after-party was VIP only and the room seemed to fill quickly. The music was great and the drinks were free! The bar was amazing - Microsoft tables with photos digitally within that you could scatter around the table.

I was able to visit with Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard and get photographs with them. I also met with Dane Charbeneau, who wrote the screenplay. I talked with the Canon executives for a while. They asked me what I shot with, and after hearing my reply of "I'm a Nikon guy", they grumbled (in a fun way). I told them that I had 30+ years of collecting Nikon gear and there's no easy way to switch, even if I wanted to. They all nodded and said they completely understood. We all had a great time!

The great news - I was able to keep one of the posters! :) Also, all VIP attendees received a gift bag of various gifts. Canon, Grey Interactive/Alliance Agency did a FANTASTIC job in creating a wonderful experience at the Premiere and after-party!

There was also an "after-after-party" at a local bar. Since I was carrying the poster and gift bag, I wanted to get them back to the hotel. My sister & I grabbed a taxi to get us back and the taxi had an "8" that someone had wrote on the windshield with a finger in the rain. What are the odds? (ha)

Upon arriving at the hotel, I noticed two ladies exiting a cab, standing near the curb, in front of the hotel and continually smiling at me, as if they knew me(?). Once we paid the cab and walked toward the front doors, they approached me and noticed I was carrying the gift bag from the event. One of them asked if I photographed the tree. Bewildered, I responded, 'yes'. The younger of the two was the Line Producer of the film! The older lady was her mother. Obviously, we had questions for each other. :)

One of the interesting points of our conversation was the fact that they assumed (correctly) that I had shot the scene in true infrared. One of her first questions was to confirm that I had a dedicated infrared camera - which I do. She said that they 'tried' to fake it (the infrared look) during the initial shooting, but couldn't match it. To stay with the integrity of my image, she finally convinced Canon that they "needed" to convert one of their expensive cameras to be truly infrared. They finally agreed. So, in the trailer and movie, when you see the infrared scenes, they were shot in true infrared. :)

----------
Wednesday
----------

We only had a half-day before we had to prep for the flight back. Unfortunately, it was raining, so it clouded my opportunities for more city photographs. We decided to visit time square and have some brunch. We discussed next plans and decided to walk back to the M&M store. If you've never been, it's incredible - a 3-story building full of M&M stuff. You can get custom-colored M&M's! We also visited the Hershey store across the street.

We ended the trip chatting in the hotel lobby with some of the other Winning 8 photographers as we waited for our drivers to pick us up. All the other Winning photographers are awesome, friendly and humble. I enjoyed meeting them all!

[See my Facebook page for more photos over the coming weeks:
http://www.facebook.com/KellyShippPhotography]

Special thanks to Canon, Ron Howard, Bryce Howard, Grey Interactive, and Alliance Agency!

Click here to learn more or to buy a print

"Trail Invitations"

2011-11-06T01:24:00.001-05:00

A favorite panorama from a hike at Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas a few years ago.

More press! >> ICON magazine

2011-11-05T16:38:00.004-05:00

Hot off the press! You can see my photos on this month's cover of ICON magazine, as well as an in-depth article and more photos inside! :) You can pick-up a magazine in various locations around central Arkansas.
>> View November Issue of ICON magazine

See my winning photo on tv!

2011-11-01T23:12:00.005-05:00

If you haven't yet seen this commercial, you probably will - just watch prime time TV on the major networks (cbs, nbc, abc, tbs) and look for the Ron Howard/Project Imagin8ion commercial.
Near the end of the commercial, you'll see the above frame. You can easily see my winning photo near center-left. :)

Ron Howard discusses why he chose my image...

2011-09-08T14:28:00.004-05:00

For those of you who haven't seen this, here's Ron Howard's video commentary on why he chose my image to inspire his next production film: Link to YouTube video

New video of me on Project Imagin8ion...

2011-09-08T14:24:00.002-05:00

A new video of me discussing my winning image has been posted on the Project Imagin8ion website. Link to YouTube video

Interview live on KTHV (Little Rock)...

2011-08-21T18:48:00.003-05:00

Here's the clip that includes both the intro segment (when they first discuss me) and the full interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frqtOz35RSA

Embarrassing, but I survived... :)

Winner!

2011-08-04T12:30:00.002-05:00

It's OFFICIAL! Ron Howard has chosen my image! :)
My photo is 1 of 8 to inspire his next short film.
The Huffington Post is the first to announce:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/ron-howard-bryce-dallas-howard-canon-project-imag8ion_n_918121.html#s322225

In the Press...

2011-07-26T14:12:00.000-05:00

In the Press: Boudreaux Associates (a Dallas Interior Design Firm) recently published a great article about my photography in their July Newsletter

Project Imagin8ion - update

2011-07-22T09:41:00.000-05:00

Still waiting for the public announcement, but here's an update from Ron Howard on Project Imagin8ion - http://www.youtube.com/imagination

Project Imagin8ion - update

2011-06-24T15:41:00.001-05:00

WOW! Project Imagin8ion update: my image was selected as one of ten (10) Project Imagin8ion Contest finalists in The Unknown Theme.
Ron Howard will select one (1) photo from the ten (10) finalists in each movie theme category that inspires him most for his next film.

Project Imagin8ion...

2011-06-18T16:19:00.006-05:00

I could use your vote!

I recently submitted several photographs to Project Imagin8ion, a photography project which Ron Howard will use to set the stage for his next film! One of my images has been selected as a semi-finalist! :)

I could use your vote to push me into the finalist category!
You can vote here

Inside the Tulip

2011-05-13T20:09:00.001-05:00

Inside the Tulip

A Tulip abstract. I found this to be abstract, almost painterly, even though it was basically straight from the camera. I carefully composed this image while laying on the ground. The center petal is the only one in focus, due to the extreme magnification, the depth of field is shallow. The green at the bottom of the frame is the top of the stem. The black area to the right, is the center of the flower.

The more you study it, especially from different distances, it has an odd sense of depth, yet remains abstract.

You can draw your own conclusions of what you see. :)

Hope you enjoy.

Memory card tips...

2011-05-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

9 Things Photographers Need to Know About Memory Cards

The Mountain

2011-04-28T00:39:00.000-05:00

"The Mountain" - an awesome, time-lapsed video by Terje Sorgjerd.

Porsche on the track...

2011-04-22T02:07:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite images from last weekend's SCCA event.
Porsche 914 on the track.

Gravity

2011-04-19T23:55:00.001-05:00

Another from this series of color-infrared images of this tree. I planned this shot ahead of time, to capture the sun setting with the light about half-way up the tree, and subsequently positioning the moon in the same frame. I left plenty of space between the moon and tree to give the greater sense of space (pardon the pun).

I entitled this with "Gravity" because of the effect of shooting this in ultra-wide, the curvature of the earth bends toward the moon, while the tree points to the moon. The result is that your eye is always drawn to the moon, the smallest object in the photograph. :)
Hope you enjoy.

Color-infrared, hdr, converted to monotone.
Orig # DSC_0118-24hdr

You can see my popular, horizontal version here: www.flickr.com/photos/kellyshipp/5622954644/

Stand Out from the Crowd

2011-04-19T09:33:00.002-05:00

This is more of an artistic result than I normally display. The original, infrared-color image produced wonderful magenta hues that I couldn't resist exploiting.

Hope you enjoy.

Color-infrared panorama.
Orig: DSC_0126-0139hdr2

Where One Day Ends, One Day Begins

2011-04-15T16:31:00.001-05:00

"Where One Day Ends, One Day Begins"
This was a tough one to plan and accomplish. I needed a clear horizon for the sun to hit the tree half-way, and lucky timing to include the moon above the tree in the same frame.

I wanted to portray the end of one day, hence the fading sunset light on the tree, with the rise of the moon above the tree. I shot ultra-wide to get the curvature of the earth toward the moon and to draw your eye to the tree, then the moon.

Hope you enjoy. :)
Orig # DSC_0112c

Sepia Days

2011-04-14T18:07:00.001-05:00

With this image, I wanted to portray a timeless feel.
I wanted to show the peace and tranquility of flowers, fields, and trees.
Hope you enjoy.

Color image converted to b&w and sepia tinted.
Orig # KS0_5635bws

Nature's Green Is Gold...

2011-04-13T20:33:00.001-05:00

"Nature's Green is Gold"

I photographed this tree last week and really had this image in-mind afterwards, so I returned this week to get this shot. The tree is rooted among a field of buttercup flowers. It's an obvious HDR image, which took some time processing, but I wanted this to be more artistic than pure realism.
I hope you enjoy.

Orig # KS0_5888-94hdr4cs

A few photos from this past weekend...

2011-04-11T19:12:00.002-05:00

A few photos from this past weekend:

"Sunset Bridge"

"Field of Flowers"

Recent photos from this past week...

2011-04-10T09:40:00.007-05:00

Here are a few infrared photos from this past week. Hope you enjoy...

Cotton in the Sky

Spring's new growth of leaves opened-up on this tree, offering an explosion of reflective light in a contrasty landscape.

I waited for the moment where most light would strike the new leaves, so I could emphasize their contrast against the blue sky. I had to catch the sun early to position it where I wanted to in the composition.

Hope you enjoy.

High-contrast image sourced from color-infrared light.
Orig # DSC_2014

Spring Offers New Growth

I really like this tree with it's fresh, new growth of leaves. I waited for the sun's position to fit well into the composition and captured this moment.

Hope you enjoy.

High-contrast image sourced from infrared light.
Orig # DSC_1170bw

Drawn to the Light

I was drawn to this landscape. The trees seem to be physically drawn to the sunlight.

High-contrast image sourced from infrared light.
Orig # DSC_2083bw

A few images from today...

2011-03-20T19:20:00.003-05:00

One of my favorites from a shoot today...
"Sepia Sunset" - Spring has come and the new growth reflect infrared light. This tree has been struck by lightning and continues to reach to the sky. I found the detail to be mesmerizing.
Infrared, converted to b&w, sepia tinted.
Orig # DSC_1062bws2

"Blue Skies"
Spring has come and the new growth reflect infrared light. This is a complex composition but I enjoy it. I wanted three strong components: curvature of the earth/sky, strong tree in silhouette, and the setting sun. Hope you enjoy.
Color Infrared.
Orig # DSC_0042a

Sun and Snow

2011-02-10T18:16:00.001-06:00

Sun & Snow
This is a winter scene not too far from my home. We received 6" of snow the day before, so I carefully positioned myself on a ridge to get this shot with all of the elements. If you study the image, you'll understand just how bright this area was -- blinding, to be more accurate. You can see how the branches were backlit from all the snow. I should have wore sunglasses!

This is an infrared color image.

Hope you enjoy.

Lake Beaverfork sunset

2011-01-23T00:43:00.006-06:00

Here's a panorama sunset of Lake Beaverfork from yesterday. This view is approx. 160-degrees. Hope you enjoy...

A few random images from 2007...

2011-01-20T18:19:00.004-06:00

The all-natural habitat can be visually interesting when you're amidst it in life-size dimensions.

This 'posing' Mantis was as mesmerized as I was. It posed perfectly for this image, of which I'm still amazed. The juxtaposition of its legs are almost perfect. Hope you enjoy.

Another of which is purely natural. The 'rays of light' are actually out-of-focus blades of grass. The background is actually the sky. I did spend a few extra seconds composing just the right angle to get the composition I wanted. This could easily be a still frame from a sci-fi movie. Hope you enjoy.

Fog

2011-01-19T00:56:00.003-06:00

Here are a few images from this week, while I was out in the fog, just before nightfall. Hope you enjoy...

Something about this bridge caught my attention. The mix of traffic, fog and diminishing light. The "windows" of light under the bridge form a visual interest that intrigued me.

Nature images from the weekend...

2011-01-09T23:20:00.006-06:00

Here are a few images from this past weekend. Hope you enjoy.

Enter the New Year!

2011-01-01T18:53:00.005-06:00

As the New Year enters, it's time to shed the old and welcome the new.
Here are a few images from today as I explored. These are all infrared and were taken during late afternoon as the sun began to reach closer to the horizon.
Hope you enjoy.

Graffiti under overpass

2010-11-21T23:30:00.004-06:00

An interesting find in a remote area - graffiti under a small, Interstate overpass. I shot this as a high-dynamic range (HDR) image and found it a fun challenge, as well as visually interesting.

Hope you enjoy.

B&W fashion...

2010-11-20T22:04:00.003-06:00

A fun, b&w fashion shot from a recent portrait session. Hope you enjoy.

Photos from past shoots...

2010-11-02T12:10:00.008-05:00

Here are a few, fun b&w images from recent shoots. Hope you enjoy.

The Warmth of an Autumn Sunrise...

2010-09-25T23:36:00.003-05:00

This is an Autumn sunrise from 2008. I often enjoy rummaging through some past photos, looking for a batch I have yet to edit. This was a random find from November 2008. I waited for a peak in the color, and a break from the rain to capture this image that season. Hope you enjoy.

Yesterday's Friendly Encounters...

2010-07-11T14:57:00.002-05:00

Here's a fun shot from yesterday. At first, you'll just see the three raccoons, but you'll soon see the doe at the base of the tree. :)

Hope you enjoy.

B&W Infrared, May, 2010

2010-07-03T23:41:00.004-05:00

Here's an image I composed last month at Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, here in Arkansas. Hope you enjoy...

Top 10 Ways To Make A Photographer Fall In Love With You...

2010-06-08T22:16:00.003-05:00

Top 10 Ways To Make A Photographer Fall In Love With You

Storm Exposed

2010-05-29T01:15:00.003-05:00

Storm Exposed, 2008.
This is one of several panoramas from March, 2008, I'm just now processing. It's a joy to go back and discover these I have yet to edit. I really enjoy this black-and-white version. This is one of my favorite locations at Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas. In the distant horizon, near center-right, you can see Mt. Nebo.

Hope you enjoy.

Brangus cows and hay...

2010-01-25T22:21:00.006-06:00

Here are a few images I shot over Thanksgiving at my parents home. Hope you enjoy...

Haiti - 46 deeply moving images

2010-01-22T18:39:00.003-06:00

Faces of Haiti – 46 chilling, graphic, deeply moving images of the aftermath - http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/01/faces_of_haiti.html

Retro

2010-01-10T18:25:00.003-06:00

Sorry, I've been slow to update my blog. :)

I have a lot of images over the past few months to consider posting here. Until then, here's one from a photo shoot yesterday. Even though the temperature was in the low-20's, my vision was to create a fun, retro look.

Hope you enjoy. Comments welcome.

Photo shoot with Alexandria...

2009-12-01T21:43:00.005-06:00

Here are a few images from a recent shoot with Alexandria. We had a fun time shooting a variety of images.

Video Tour of Ansel Adams' home...

2009-09-29T09:55:00.001-05:00

Video Tour of Ansel Adams' home -

Boom Town Street...

2009-09-27T21:56:00.004-05:00

A few images from my "Boom Town Street" series. These are images from a special visit to the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, near El Dorado, Arkansas. Hope you enjoy!
Comments always welcomed.

Remote control your Nikon DSLR...

2009-09-09T23:55:00.005-05:00

Awesome!
Just released NIKON support for the DSLR Camera Remote app for the iPhone and iPod Touch! I haven't tried this yet, but hope to soon! Enjoy!

Nikon produces 50 Million Lenses...

2009-09-09T23:47:00.002-05:00

As of today, Nikon has manufactured over 50 MILLION Nikkor lenses since 1959! Impressive. Love their lenses. Here's the full article.

PCA/SCCA event this past weekend...

2009-08-19T00:22:00.016-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite images from this past weekend's events. Hope you enjoy these images. You'll find a variety here, including a Porsche, Viper, Corvette, TransAm and more. I welcome comments. Click the images to view larger versions.

Wow - what a wedding entrance...

2009-07-24T21:38:00.004-05:00

This must be one of the best wedding entrances I've ever seen:

Amber shoot - candid, on-location portraits...

2009-07-23T23:13:00.011-05:00

Some favorites from a recent shoot with Amber.
We incorporated impromptu variety and fun into these images.
Hope you enjoy...

SD to CF and eye-fi

2009-07-23T07:10:00.002-05:00

Do you have SD cards that you want to use in your camera that uses Compact Flash (CF) cards? Yes, they make adapters that allow SD to CF, and they come in a variety of models, speeds and capabilities. These handy adapters from PhotoFast allow to use standard SD and microSD cards in your camera via a CF type II compliant adapter.
Learn more about these adapters

but wait!..... have you heard of the Eye-Fi SD cards? They transmit your images directly to your PC via wireless connection. Now, what if your camera uses CF cards? No problem - just get one of these SD to CF adapters and your camera can now transmit your images to your PC wirelessly! Cool.
Learn more about the Eye-Fi cards

10 Ways to Look Good in Photos...

2009-07-21T22:31:00.004-05:00

Here are 10 Ways to Look Good in Photos

Here are a few from my exploration today...

2009-07-19T23:58:00.006-05:00

Hope you enjoy these. Feel free to add comments below the images. Enjoy!

APPA State Convention - Print Competition

2009-07-17T20:51:00.013-05:00

Some of you have asked to see the images I entered in the recent APPA State Convention Print Competition.
Below are low-res versions of the images. Feel free to leave comments. :)

A Tribute to KODACHROME: A Photography Icon...

2009-06-22T08:09:00.000-05:00

Kodak is phasing out Kodachrome film, concluding 74-years of producing these fine films. I was a long-time fan of the Kodachrome films. I used Kodachrome 25 and 64 for over 25 years. Fantastic film.

Click here for the Tribute to KODACHROME: A Photography Icon

Micro SLR from Olympus...(E-P1)

2009-06-18T08:53:00.004-05:00

I'm not much of a point-and-shoot guy, but if you're looking for a compact, digital, point-and-shoot camera that also allows you to change lenses, you may want to check-out this new camera from Olympus.

12.3-megapixel interchangeable lens digital camera; Micro Four Thirds format

In-body Image Stabilization; 3-inch HyperCrystal LCD with Live View function

Record HD video with high-quality audio; in-camera creative features (for still images and video)

Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards

Read more about this camera

Photos from recent Porsche/Firestone Charity Event...

2009-06-14T18:02:00.007-05:00

Here are some images from the Firestone Porsche Charity Car Show, this year benefiting the American Diabetes Association. Hope you enjoy!

Lilly - Senior photo shoot

2009-06-05T22:49:00.008-05:00

Here are a few images from a photo shoot with a graduating senior from Conway. Hope you enjoy...

Updated Insect Gallery...

2009-05-23T00:59:00.004-05:00

Hi all - I've finally updated my Insect Photography Gallery. I have a variety of artistic images of insects.
I welcome your feedback!

Click here to jump to my Insect Photography Gallery

Mars launches Real Chocolate Relief Act

2009-05-13T19:30:00.002-05:00

To offer consumers relief in tough economic times, Mars Snackfood US has introduced a nationwide program that would give full-sized samples of Mars chocolate products, product discounts and coupons to millions of consumers.

>> Read the full story here

Recent photo shoots...

2009-05-03T17:39:00.010-05:00

I'm behind on posting photo shoots and I'm slowly getting caught-up. Hope you enjoy these posts. Here are some fun shots of Jan and Richard & Beth.

fun, inexpensive fish-eye film camera...

2009-04-06T23:47:00.006-05:00

Want a cheap, tiny, fish-eye, film camera? This is your ticket. Yes, expect a lot of grain and low-quality from the 110 film format, but what do you expect for $40 (USD)? :)

This is the SuperHeadz Demekin Fisheye 110 Camera - $38.

>> Check it out here

Engagements session - Katie

2009-02-22T01:25:00.010-06:00

I've been so busy, I haven't had much time to update my blog. Here are some from Katie's engagement session from November. Hope you enjoy.

BIG NEWS! - the Photography Network

2009-01-23T23:59:00.000-06:00

Denis Reggie, Bambi Cantrell and Joe Buissink are creating a new upstart broadcast network for photography lovers: The Photography Network (www.thephotographynetwork.tv).

This venture (akin to HGTV or the Food Network) will focus on providing 24/7/365 TV broadcast quality "webisodes" to entertain, inspire and educate viewers on the inner workings of some of the world's top photography talents, studios, schools and galleries. Viewers will also be able to showcase their best images, network with other impassioned photographers, compete in contests, and interact with knowledgeable experts. Awesome! I really look forward to this!

Nikon D3X - now the Best DSLR Camera

2009-01-22T12:10:00.005-06:00

According to DxO Labs, the new Nikon D3X is now the Best DSLR camera.

The Nikon D3X features a very high resolution full-frame format CMOS sensor with 24.6Mpix. The D3X and the Sony A900 are the only two cameras at that level of resolution within the professional D-SLR category, but the D3X features a 14-bit Analog/Digital (A/D) converter.

Nikon D3X definitely takes the lead within its category and will be remembered as the first camera clearly demonstrating more than 12-bit effective depth of information.

Product info

Inauguration 2009 from satellite...

2009-01-21T08:01:00.002-06:00

The 2009 Presidential inauguration from space. Half-meter resolution satellite image from GeoEye-1:
http://www.geoeye.com/CorpSite/gallery/Default.aspx?gid=1

Click the image to visit the site:

More infrared

2008-12-31T14:52:00.005-06:00

Here are some recent infrared images I took at a nearby state park. Hope you enjoy these. These will be added to the galleries soon.

Photo shoot from September

2008-12-28T14:33:00.007-06:00

Yes, I'm running behind on my blog. I hope to get caught-up over the next month or so. Here are a few images from a September model photo shoot. Hope you enjoy...

do you drink tea?

2008-10-16T07:14:00.001-05:00

Not exactly a photography topic, but I thought I would share this find. Teapigs is a company in the U.K. that offers an impressive selection of tea flavors. If you like tea, you may just discover some new flavors! By the way, this tea is the real thing - tea leaves not 'tea dust' you buy in the stores. You can order samples too. :)

Check out the chocolate flake tea, or popcorn tea, or maybe the peppermint leaves tea.

www.teapigs.co.uk.

Faleasha

2008-09-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

I'm a little behind in posting to my blog - thanks for visiting! Here are a few images from a recent shoot with Faleasha and her hubby. It was in the heat of summer, but we created a lot of great images. Enjoy!

Film of the year?

2008-07-30T06:02:00.001-05:00

This could be the film of the year - http://www.mahalo.com/Flash_Of_Genius_Trailer

Malissa

2008-07-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

From a summer photo shoot, here are a few of Malissa. It was hot and humid, but Malissa was a good sport. We got some great shots. Here are a few...

7-man film crew

2008-07-19T16:26:00.010-05:00

Just spent a few days at the parents. They had a seven-man film crew filming more for the new reality TV show called "The Split". It's a reality show based on the World Championship Blackjack Series. It's something my parents enjoy, they can do together, doesn't cost much, and they meet new friends each time they go. Anyway, it was quite hectic at my parents with the film crew, lights & cameras, etc.

The above image was taken when my mother was talking about her porcelain dolls. (She makes porcelain dolls - www.helensdolls.com)

The Automobile

2008-07-13T00:48:00.006-05:00

I have a passion with photographing cars. If you or someone you know would like a great photograph of their car, please contact me. Here are some recent images. Enjoy!

July 4th

2008-07-11T00:44:00.001-05:00

I finally reviewed my July 4th images from The Peabody in Little Rock. Here's my favorite from that group...

Pros and Cons of Geotagging images

2008-07-03T12:24:00.001-05:00

There's a lot of talk about geotagging, more specifically to landscape and nature photographers. For the Nikon owners, there are already some great GPS devices that auto-tag via the 10-pin port, and there are other devices which are more 'standalone' and sync-up via USB or Bluetooth.

Standalone devices:
My favorite pick here is the PhotoTrackr product line. The Pro version allows you to sync the Geotags to RAW or JPG images. You can also display a "trip route playback", which is cool. What I like about the standalone concept is that it doesn't use the 10-pin connector (in-case you want to use a remote release, etc), etc, and it has it's own battery source. This is convenient even when you're not taking photographs.

Nikon options:
Each of these units connect directly via the 10-pin connector and can either be attached to a camera strap or on the hot shoe.
If you want something that automatically geocodes your images as you take them, the DP-GPS N2 seems like a good choice. What's nice about this product is that you have the option for it to use it's own battery supply or the camera's. Another similar choice is the di-GPS Pro. Do your research and decide which features you like best.

The trick to remember is to always sync the timestamp between your camera's clock and the GPS device, so the matching and geotag overlays can be automated with software.

This is a good article on the Pros and Cons of Geotagging, including the topics of:

How to Geotag images

Is it worth it?

auto-geotagging and GPS devices

View full story

the Lyrebird

2008-07-02T21:41:00.001-05:00

Check out this Lyrebird video.....
Amazing! The first few minutes isn't that impressive....but keep listening.....it gets much better! Impressive mocking of the camera shutter and motor drives.

http://www.theanimalblog.com/animals/birds/

Temperatures - preserving the photograph

2008-06-17T12:25:00.001-05:00

Does it matter what temperature you store your photographs? Yes! The colder the better. The lower the humidity the better. As a general rule, it's best to keep the air temperature below 75 degrees F, to slow the color fading process. Again, the colder the better.

Here are more details than you'll likely want to know, but very good to know!

Stolen camera catches thieves

2008-06-10T05:30:00.001-05:00

Lost cameras "phone home" to catch thieves - A New Yorker was visiting Florida and accidentally lost her camera. The camera had a Eye-Fi 2gb SD card in it. So when the people who stole her camera used it to take snapshots of themselves, guess what? The next time they crossed an internet connection, the camera uploaded the pictures to the web.

Read the full story

Photo Restoration

2008-05-25T22:57:00.005-05:00

Occasionally, I savor some time to donate to Operation Photo Rescue. My latest restoration for Katrina victims is below. It's not perfect, but I think it's a big improvement over the original. :)

Time stops at Grand Central

2008-03-30T15:03:00.000-05:00

This is quite entertaining. :)

Snow! I took a few images today

2008-03-04T19:59:00.002-06:00

Here are some favorites from a shoot I did - most were just after daybreak.
Click here to view the gallery.

Enjoy!

Hiking

2008-03-02T19:34:00.003-06:00

Whew - I went hiking today and wouldn't you know it - I found a tick on me. We're just out of February and the ticks are out! Crazy. There were gargantuan mosquitos as well, but I was surprised to find a tick. Snow is forecasted for this next week - so maybe that will help. :)
Hope to post some images soon!

Kelly's Point to Ponder

2008-02-24T17:18:00.000-06:00

I've finally done something I've been wanting to do in a few years - restart my "Points to Ponder". I used to send this out via e-mail but now I plan to use a blog. It's easy and free to sign-up to receive my "Points to Ponder" via e-mail. Just click the link below and look for the "subscribe" box.

History:
For about 20 years, I sent daily "Points to Ponder" which were usually short, simple quotes - either motivational, humorous, serious or thought-provoking messages via e-mail each day. I'd like to try this again, if I can get enough interest. So please forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested. Thanks!

Click here to subscribe via e-mail:
www.kellyspoint.com

Pay it forward...

2008-02-13T17:55:00.000-06:00

Tornadoes cut a swath of destruction that resulted in an estimated 59 deaths from Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, and injured hundreds more. The Red Cross immediately mobilized volunteers and supplies, provided shelter, fed victims, provided emergency workers and lended emotional support. Relief efforts are ongoing.
Please donate anything you can by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800- RED CROSS

Surprise wedding!

2008-02-03T11:56:00.003-06:00

Andy and her fiance' planned an elaborate party with friends and family - including catered food, a dance/DJ, and much more. Little did the guests know - it was a surprise wedding event! About 15 minutes into the party, the preacher asks everyone to take a seat, "We're about to have a wedding!" Here are just a few from this fun event...

Click here to view a short slideshow of the event.

Photo shoot - Misty

2008-01-24T17:53:00.000-06:00

The weather was cold, windy and 'misty', but we survived and made some great images. Misty was great to photograph with. Here are a few samples from the shoot. Good job Misty!

Amber shoot

2008-01-18T23:38:00.001-06:00

Amber & I had a great shoot. We came away with a lot of great images. Here are just a few favorites from the shoot...

Best friends - Mothers and daughters

2007-12-27T23:22:00.000-06:00

Recently, I had the joy of photographing two best friends - mother and daughter. The weather was perfect and the models were a piece of cake. :) Great job you two! Here are a few favorites from the shoot...

Point to Ponder...

2007-12-14T23:25:00.000-06:00

What's better that you could do successfully, and then how much more or less fun is that, how much more or less does it pay, and how much more or less future is there to it?