So I took a few days and drove to Nags Head with some friends for a little fun in the (not so) hot sun and see what all the fuss is about.  I say “not so” because I try to keep out of the beating hot sun as much as I can.  I just can’t handle the heat and not a huge huge fan of sand between my toes. (although I did do just that to say I did.) 

I also took the normal beach and pier images. (I will show those at a different time)

What I am showing are a few images I made of Jess and Madi who traveled on this trip as well.  What a hoot!  With my trusty Fuji X-T1  w/ the 18-55 kit lens, LEE graduated filter and those ugly and cheap Yongnuo flashes we took to the beach. Had just enough time before the rain started to fall.  I edited these in LR and altered the ratio of the frame and the color to a Kodak Tri-X  film emulsion setting I have set up.  These would be almost identical to images I would have printed in the dark room many years ago.  A tiny bit of burning/dodging and about  #4 contrast filter.   (The two color images are SOOC with a touch of contrast.  I did not try to match the two images as the light changed drastically within 5 minutes and I liked both looks)

They both helped out. Funny how quickly the sky/light changed in the matter of minutes.

After the beach we headed back to the house and took a handful with my MamiyaLeaf 645.  I cannot say enough about this camera and it’s lenses.  Such perfection! Jess and Madi did such a great job of being themselves while at the same time giving the images some attitude.  What a kick!  Again, These were cropped to a different ratio than my camera and used the the same Presets in LR. I added more contrast and extra grain to the images.  When I printed in the darkroom my favorite paper was a fiber based double weight Illford paper. (Velvet Stipple) It was a creamy white based paper and at times I would add an extra step and tone with a sepia-ish style toner. 

And this was our quick parting shot… after all, the girls spent much time in the water.  

Hines my 9 year old Havanese . Stoic as ever.  Taken with my Fuji XT-1 and 35mm lens

Dogs are people too.  They are the unsung heroes of the family unit. I know that my dog Hines is a very important part of my life. Lifts me up when I am down and reminds me that life is not that serious and that I need to take him out to pee or go for a drive.  

Standard position in the car. Taken with an iPhone 6

Reba is a beautiful and gentle Greyhound that was rescued a few years ago. 

Such a gentle dog. Captured with a Fuji XT-1 and 35mm lens.

And there is always a time to just take portraits of  your loved ones to have on the wall like you would your kids and family.

Core. The ever trying Miniature Schnauzer. Mamiya Leaf 645 Medium format camera with the Mamiya 55-110 Zoom.

Louie. Bichon Frise. He acts like what he looks like here. Mamiya Leaf 645 Medium format camera with the Mamiya 55-110 Zoom

Cats are also part of the family dynamic in many homes.  So as not to seem unsympathitic to the millions of cat loversI give you Lucy.  

Lucy the smug cat. Fuji XT-1 35mm lens.

Senior portraits.  They are something I do for the senior/family that want to capture what ought to be the most exciting year of a child’s high school career.  I offer single sessions of course but I thrive on the sessions that are what I call a “Full year study”. 4 to 5 sessions throughout the year that capture the changes that happen in that final year of high school.  I toss in a few other special special sessions if sports or the arts are concerned. Lexie was one of my first long term studies. (We may have gone a little more than a year.) The cool thing is to see the changes in personality from time to time which makes you see your child’s entire span of emotions and coolness!