'Tis the BUSY Season!

O M G ! I can't believe how I have neglected my blog. It's just been crazy busy in my world. My "real"job, family, a very little social life and the photo business takes up every waking moment. I spent weeks upon weeks landscaping my yard. This included firing Chem-lawn/tru-green. The more they sprayed my lawn for bugs and weeds...the more bugs and weeds I got. I think they must have been spraying Kool-aid on the grass! Well after all the work I put into the yard and the more weeds I pulled up by hand...the madder I got. So..I just saved $30 a month and fire them! I don't have that much yard, I do it myself!

The photo biz is doing ok. I had 3 weddings in a row. First was Cyndi & Bill. They got married in a great little church in Maderia Beach, Fl. We were able to just walk across the street to the beach for some nice shots. I put the entire wedding party on the beach and staggered them in couples. Then I put the bride and groom in the foreground. I came out very nice and was a change from the old stand by shots of everyone standing in a big group on the beach and looking into the camera.

Next was Michelle and Dannie. Yes, he is wearing a kilt and yes it was worn correctly. They got married in the coolest garden center in Lakeland, Fl. There are several acres of gardens with several different areas. One area was fairly open with sculpted hedges and trees that ran to the lake edge. Another area is in the picture, which was a large fountain and pool. Surrounding that area were stairways and large roman columns with wrought iron gates. One more area was almost cave-like with stone walls and small waterfalls and plants. Their wedding was on a Sunday and the gardens were filled with other pro-photographers and their clients. Part of the park was a recreation center, more like a hall. It served as the ceremonial and reception hall.

Then there was Amber and Jason. Amber is the daughter of a good friend and Jason recently joined the U.S. Navy. They had their wedding at the Chapel on MacDill Air force base in Tampa.

I was please to be able to get one of my signature poses at the Chapel. I call this the "piano-shot". I have always liked it. They had their reception at the NCO Club. The food was very good, but then again, as a Air Force brat, I can say I never ate a bad meal on any of the bases I have lived.

The reception was nice and they partied pretty well. There was a video production of them both, from birth to their childhood friendship to their engagement. The happy couple headed for the honeymoon and then it would be a cross country drive to Jason's duty station in California,

I decided to get involved with the Florida elections this year by volunteering my photo skills. I hooked up with the Charlie Crist camp and attended rallies and fundraisiers. Best of all I was at the victory party. I try to be an educated voter. I spend time reading on each canidate and issue. I couldn't how many people I spoke too that told me they voted Yes on and amendment when they wanted the result to be No. Amazing! So, I threw my camera bag on my shoulder and away I went. Charlie Crist must have signed a million autographs, but as long as some one was there, he stayed and signed! Now, as they say, and the rest is history.

Then a friend of mine, Tedd Webb of WFLA970 radio invites me and my camera to come down to the radio station early on a Monday morning. Sure, why? He tells me to meet and photo Glenn Beck! Now understand that I'm a BIG Glenn Beck fan, so I jumped at the chance. It was really a great experience and I had a great time. I not only got to photograph Glenn, but actually got to spend a little time with him. I can tell you that he is a sincere, humble and funny man. He's the type that makes you comforable and feel like you have been old friends. He had his 15 year old daughter, Hannah, traveling with him and actually helping with the show. She is an attractive and very intelligent young lady with a great smile. What I observed from the very second I met the two, was the wonderful connection between Glenn and his daughter. You could tell that Glenn lives what he preaches on his radio show, that family communication is essential. What I saw when they interacted was obvisiously love, but even more, mutual respect. After spending the morning around The Glenn Beck Show, Glenn asked me if I could come to the stage show that night and photograph it. So I did...even though I already had a ticket to the show! The Christmas show is a one man show with Glenn talking about his life...his family experiences growing up...comments on the Christmas experience such as shopping, cooking, & gifts. The final segment is a moving and up lifting Christmas message, I found myself pausing in my photo work to listen intensely. If you can, I hope you can go see a Glenn Beck stage show. It is an enlightening moment that gives a shimmer of hope that if we keep the ideals of what made this country great "decades and decades" ago ALIVE, we will survive! Don't let those who want tear us apart win!

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !