My 15k experience reduced to mere minutes

I edited up a quick vLog of footage I took while running the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k.

Enjoy!

I will tease you with these photos from our recent catalog shoot

Tina and I shot a catalog last Sunday, and I’m still working on edits, but I figured you’d appreciate seeing some of the images that don’t reveal too much of the gowns.

The ones of our blonde model in her sweater were outtakes that I asked her to shoot. When I asked, she said, “Ooo, do you mind if I sit down?”

Of course I didn’t mind!

I can’t get enough of this beautiful, orange chair

 

The images of this chair below are from some work we did this week with a high-end furniture manufacturer here in Chicago.

Enjoy. 

 

Lately the fog comes daily, and it’s a little eerily irritating yet mysteriously beautiful

 

Last night we donated our photography to a charity event downtown right on the water. We find that these types of things benefit good causes and they draw attention to us in positive ways.

Lately the fog seems to be rolling in daily, and it engulfs the entire downtown. But outside the loop, it seems to be sunny and warm.

When summer finally comes, I’ll be here. Waiting.

June self portrait outtakes

I finished my June self portrait, and only altered the image a little before posting it.

I thought, though, that you might like to see some outtakes.

I’ll put the finished image below the fold.

Putting you in your creative place

 

More often than not, you see photography that makes you yawn at best.

I know I’m guilty of getting all masturbatory and self congratulatory about my work only to wonder if others are all wide mouthed yawners with no interest or care.

But this work from near Chicago, fine art photographer Kyle Thompson will blow you away.

I’ll let his images be the thousand plus words. Go here to read an article. Here for his facebook.

Related articles

• We Need To Talk About Kyle Thompson (musicwithanna.wordpress.com)
• Kyle Thompson (mariahkblog.wordpress.com)
• Inspired (franzslateshimekphotography.wordpress.com)
• Meet… Kyle Thompson (veranity.wordpress.com)

an image in progress

Happy Memorial Day

It’s too stinking cold to cookout with friends here in Chicago today. It’s overcast, around 64°F and threatening to storm.

So Tina and I bailed on any cookout plans. I’m making some white chicken chili for dinner and we’ll probably watch a few more episodes of Arrested Development Season four, that so far … sucks.

Instead of the average three or four laughs every three minutes, it’s yawns-a-licious for most of the episodes. Portia de Rossi looks so different that it’s difficult to take her serious.

Yesterday we shopped for flowers to beautify our deck, and I grabbed a couple photos to show you. You can see above that it’s gray out.

This morning, I made an old army recipe for pancakes that my dad taught me. He was in the reserves, so it’s how we honor the military.

Last night we made surf and turf to honor the army, navy and marines. And today’s chicken recipe is passed down from Tina’s grand father who was in the air force. 🙂

I hope your Memorial Day is much more memorable.

 

How do you confuse a liberal? The answer is easy!

As you already know, we were traveling over the weekend in Texas.

Going into the trip, I knew my views conflicted with some of Bill’s friends’ views. It’s neither here nor there. I’m used to having views that conflict. I’m not a believer. Most people are. I am a liberal. Lots of people in Texas are not.

And while I have people in my family who openly convey their views and act on their faith and religion, I willfully decline expression unless it’s on this blog. It’s not worth it.

I guess you can say by abstaining from belief practices, I’m practicing my world view. I disagree, though. I go to church when I’m with a church goer. I bow my head and say amen with a prayerful person.

So this weekend was no different than spending it with some of my North Carolina or even my Michigan family.

I thought maybe something would come up that would cause me to retaliate. For the most part, the trip was tame.

I wasn’t nearby when one guy — who had just arrived about 10 minutes previous — was sitting with several Chicago folks including Tina.

Suddenly I heard, “Whoa!!!” and “Oh my goodness!” I think there was a “Wow!!!” Then I heard someone say, “There is no political discussion this weekend.”

Apparently one guy had asked, “Do you know how to confuse a liberal?” And the answer was “With reason and logic.”

Tina was the one that said, “Whoa!!!” Our host was the one who said, “There will be no political discussions this weekend.”

It bothered me that a stranger would walk into a room of Chicagoans and within 10 minutes, make a joke about their potential views. That doesn’t seem very reasoned or logical. If you want to make friends, it seems one would try a little harder.

Take this other guy for example. He waited an entire 24-hours before putting on his t-shirt that read “Infidel” in both Arabic and English. “Nice T-shirt,” I said when I read it.

“Thanks,” he said with a smirk. “We don’t take to their kind around here.”

I assumed their kind was referring to Muslims and here was a deserted location 20 miles from civilization.

We almost started a conversation, but all the Chicago folks let it slide. There was talk of killing muslims, and even then, we rolled our eyes.

For the most part, the Texans were proud of their heritage and made no bones about their gun-lovin’ ways. And why not? They were in the safety of 25,000 acres of country lovin’, white-majority, male-dominated, scorpion-infested, snake-ridden land.

I have to point out that shooting guns is fun. If I lived there, I would consider owning one. Maybe one of those pink 38-Specials. Light weight and the color of my belly.

I feel a little guilty because at one point, a Chicagoan sat down to shoot a sniper rifle. When we saw he was left handed, everyone jabbed him with a comment or two about being a leftie or south pawed.

As it grew quiet, I said, “You know, Nick, you’re going to hell.”

I sensed a little “Huh” moment from our Texan compadres, but no one responded verbally.

It’s no mystery that lefties are hell-bound. Just like me, apparently.

Of course, I am a confused liberal. I’m dimwitted and support unpopular views. Or something.

Tina took the above graffiti photo in a restaurant outside of Dallas. Love how it reflects accurately the oppositional views found in our southern states. You don’t find many people around here who do not accept evolution.

I’ll leave you with this: how do you confuse a conservative? You can’t. They’re cocksure they’re right.

a fall out boy fan

Yesterday I was given access to shoot at the Fall Out Boy three-song set at JBTV.

Until I moved to Chicago, I never heard of JBTV, but it’s a Chicago staple that’s as popular among locals as Bozo or Chicago-style brats.

I was asked to filter released photos through JBTV, so I’m going to respect that for now. But in the meantime, here’s a guy in the crowd.

I’ll also post a photo of the crowd below.

Click here to view a song from the set.

Bon appétit.