Three weddings...

I have shot three weddings since my last post and I might have two this weekend. One is a definite and the other I just found out about yesterday. ...man its been really busy! I will post up some pictures later of the last three weddings.

But for now, I have to post a new picture of me and David Jay. I have never been to Europe and when I told DJ that, he told me that I would love it so we booked a flight to Paris. When we landed, we did the normal tourist thing and picked up a couple of berets. Of course DJ being a HUGE "Prince" fan, he bought a Raspberry Beret. Well, its nice to be home, that's for sure! Paris is great, but I hate flying!



...oh yeah and DJ made me watch some crazy cartoon about a skunk while we were in Paris?!

Textures...

I have been wanting to try out textures for a long time now. So, tonight I decided to see what I could do. Please let me know what you think of these two shots.

Weekend at Daytona!

What a nice, relaxing weekend with the family. The wife, mother-in-law and my beautiful daughter headed to Daytona for some R&R. I took the D3 out for a little test of what it could do and man I am more and more pleased each time I press the shutter!!!

Here are a few of my favorites from yesterday. I decided NOT to use second light on these and to be honest, I am more than pleased with the results this camera produces.











My wife wrote our daughters name in sand and it made for a great picture!

In great TN Moutains with DJ!!!

Okay, so after the final stop of the Free To Succeed Tour, David Jay and I stepped outside for a quick picture in the TN Mountains! God it is beautiful here! ;)

Me shooting...

This one will be quick. A new friend took a great shot of me this past week at a photo shoot. I really like the picture so I figured I would put it up. This is just the way I love to shoot, comfy jeans, t-shirt, Chuck Taylor Converse, Boda Bag and my Nikon D3!

You can find more pictures by going to Dawn Haas.

Nikon D3

Well, as most of my photographer friends know, I have switched from Canon to Nikon more times than I like to admit. In a previous post I mentioned how I had switched from Canon to Nikon because I loved the ergonomics and colors the Nikon produced. Well what some of you don't know is that I switched back to Canon to get the greatness of the 5D.

Well like most things in life, the 5D didn't live up to its reputation! I found the 5D slow, to have poor controls and the weather sealing well, I should say, a lack of weather sealing.

Since I shoot weddings and sports, I decided to try the 1D Mark III by Canon. Wow, what a great camera it was but still, I wanted the ergonomics and colors that Nikon produces. So a few months ago, I sold the 1D Mark III and went back to Nikon and bought the D300. After a couple of months I got the itch for the D3. And so what do most people do when they have an itch...they scratch it?

So off to the local stores I went...I needed to see how great the D3 really was. I also needed to see why Nikon charges so much for it.

The whole time, drooling as I drove to my local camera store. Thinking, is it as good as they say? The 1D Mark III was good but I mean, it wasn't life changing. I pull up at Colonial Photo and Hobby in Orlando, FL. I get out and first I think, I am going to try Nikon's new camera the D700 along with the D3.

I walk in the store and up to the counter I go...nothing stopped me, not even the beautiful Think Tank bags (which I currently own). Wiping the drool from my mouth I ask to see the D700 and the D3. I wanted a side-by-side comparison of the two. The D700 with the grip did feel really nice in my hands, it felt solid, the controls were much like my D300 so they were quite familiar.

Then I grabbed the D3, pressed the shutter button and floated off into photography bliss! If you have ever held a DSLR in your hands, then grabbed a D3, you should know what I am talking about here. The sound of the carbon fiber and kevlar shutter was so pleasing to the ear. The sleek black curves are so sexy! The controls are well laid out and easily accessible. The viewfinder...oh the viewfinder!!! Full 100% viewing of all full-frame (FX) goodness!

Then the final nail in the coffin for the D700...DUAL CF card slots of the D3 vs. the single slot in the D700! If the D700 was geared towards wedding photographers and the like, why didn't it have this feature? As a wedding photographer it seems like a must! Immediate back-up of all those beautiful files!

So, a week or so later, I received a beautiful gift in the form of a D3 from my wife Lauren!

Below are two pictures, one is a picture I took at a recent session with the D3 and the other is a picture of my new love.

What a weekend!

Wow, can you imagine...me hanging out with David Jay again!!!

Its like I just woke up from a dream. I asked David if he had plans and he said that he wanted to hit the theme parks and asked what would be a nice relaxing park to just hang and maybe have a drink. Well of course the answer is Epcot!

I am sooo tired, earlier I searched for the hidden bus then headed to Epcot. Here is a picture that some tourist took of us...looks a little weird but oh well! ;)



He also invited me to come to TN for the last stop of the Free To Succeed Tour!!!!! ;)

Meeting David Jay!!!

Okay, so in a previous post I listed my favorite 5 photographers. Four of these photographers I thought I would never have the pleasure of meeting until this past week.

David Jay was coming to Orlando for the Free To Succeed Tour. I immediately bought tickets and scheduled the time off of work. About two weeks ago I decided that it would be a great idea to throw an after-party for the tour stop and a day after photo shoot.

I asked Kevin from KevinKeelan.com if we could throw the party at the studio and he of course said, YES! He then helped with the planning and definitely made the planning a pleasure. I then contacted people on a forum known as OSP and let them know of my idea and so many wonderful people jumped right on the opportunity.

I contacted David Jay on the forum with my idea and he responded that it sounded great and that I needed to contact his assistant. After speaking with his assistant Crystal a couple of times it seemed promising that he would come but I know he is a busy man so I didn't really expect it.

The night of the tour was amazing, in the four hours I spent at the seminar I learned so much...it was so intense and just what I needed. I walked up to David Jay and asked if he was coming to the party and he said, OH YEAH! WOW, David Jay coming to my party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well since he was traveling by bus he needed a ride to the party which we were happy to provide. At the party it was amazing to chat with someone I look up to so much in wedding photography. David is not only an amazing photographer but he is an amazing person. So non-arrogant, so friendly and so willing to provide all of his trade secrets...so I guess that aren't really secrets then, huh? :)

Sadly at about 2 am I had to take David and his wonderful girlfriend Alley back to their bus. :(

I had always told my wife that one day I would meet David Jay and it was more than I ever expected!

David, if you read this THANK YOU! You are truly and inspiration and I can't wait to come to California to visit!



Oh by the way DJ, can't wait to start traveling the world with you! ;)