I flipped it over and saw a name printed on the back and did a quick Facebook search and found the rightful owner, who said she had been looking for it everywhere.

Carly, I am sorry I can’t give you better news, but at least you know you can stop looking now. I think it would take a whole team of techies to do anything useful with it, but if you want it back, just let me know.

My Lovely Wife thinks these look like pills. They are Tic-Tacs.

These, too, look a bit odd. They are also Tic-Tacs but someone asked me if they were lizard eggs. Um, I hope not.

The gum was fun to play with and getting it to stand like that was a challenge.

I have really been enjoying my recent candy photography assignments. For one thing, candy is just plain fun - fun to eat, fun to look at and fun to photograph. The bright colors are exciting, especially since they are not really found in nature together in the area where I reside.

Here are some more candy photos I did recently. I will be doing more shortly and will post those as soon as they are ready.

Technorati Tags: candy, photograph, colors

I just came across this photo on my hard drive. It’s one of my all-time favorites I have done, especially my favorite from my trip to Thailand in 2003. My wife and I had hired a driver to take us around Phuket for the day. I think a full day of driving cost something in the neighborhood of 1000 Baht, which was roughly equal to $25 at the time.

The driver said he knew a back way to get to wherever our next stop was and mentioned that along the way there was a big Buddha statue. Did we want to go? My only concern was my wife having to put up with me oohing and ahhing over another temple. But other than that, yes, we wanted to go.

We went into the mountains in the center of the island and along a very curvy road until we got to the temple. We came around the corner and there it was - probably about 40 to 50 feet tall from its base. We climbed the stairs and I took this picture. It was a beautiful place.

If you are going to Thailand and want to visit this temple, just let me know and I will dig out the name. It is hard to find, not one of the more popular attractions, despite its beauty. If you want general information about Thailand, I can give that as well. It’s one of my favorite countries and I love to help people plan their visits.

Do you love this photo as much as I do? Please go vote for it to be in JPG Magazine.

Note: This was from back in my film days, when I was shooting Fuji Velvia ISO 50 slide film. Shot with a Pentax K1000 with a 28mm lens.

Technorati Tags: Thailand, Phuket, Buddha, temple, mountains

Here is Part Two of my interview with Vasara. She describes her ankle spikes and goes into more detail about her New Mexico tattoo as well. At the end, she finishes by talking about future tattoo plans and more generally about what her ink means to her.

Vasara, a local model based in Alexandria, came by to participate in my tattoo project. She has some really interesting work on her and was a blast to meet and talk to. Are you interested in participating? Just let me know and we will work out a time for you to talk about your ink.

See more of Vasara’s tattoos here.

For some reason my garden put out only a few fruits this year and then withered and died, despite my caring, experienced hand. I did get a few small cucumbers, though, which I enjoyed photographing and my lovely enjoyed eating.

I guess that’s probably it for the produce shots until next spring, or unless I find something really beautiful at the supermarket.

Vasara, a local model based in Alexandria, came by to participate in my tattoo project. She has some really interesting work on her, so be sure to watch the video and keep an eye out for part 2 of this series. Are you interested in participating? Just let me know and we will work out a time for you to talk about your ink.

See more of Vasara’s tattoos here.

My friend Ben sent me a message on Facebook the other day to let me know that his friend had licensed one of my photos for use on his Web site. (Note the similarity between the above picture of wine bottles and the one in the left column at Centre Gourmand.) I knew that a lot of folks had downloaded this photo and paid the licensing fees but I had not yet come across any uses of it, so I was delighted to learn of this.

The best part is that the good folks at Centre Gourmand were good enough to give me a credit and link to this site on their “about” page. I knew that photography and the Internet make the world smaller and bring us together but it’s not often that you see this type of thing firsthand. Thanks, Ben, for giving me a heads-up and thanks, kind Centre Gourmand folks, for using my image!

Technorati Tags: photos, wine, bottles, Centre Gourmand, licensing, photography

Technorati Tags: Food, photography, photographing, candy, gummy bears

In this episode, Christine continues the narrative of her body art, talking about the tribal and butterfly tattoos she has on her back, as well as the one she shares with Angelina Jolie, which represents her struggle with an eating disorder.

Christine is a model I met who is covered in well over 20 tattoos, each one with some meaning or story behind it. As such, this was a very lengthy interview and will be broken up into five different videos. Be sure to check back to see the new videos and photos as they become available. See more photos of Christine’s tattoos here.

Read more about my tattoo project here. Interested in taking part? Get in touch and we will make it happen.

Technorati Tags: tribal, butterfly, Angelina Jolie, eating disorder, model, meaning, story, interview, videos, photos, tattoos

This particular cucumber was the first mature one I was able to pluck from the vine and so I was excited to capture it with my camera. Afterward my lovely wife wasted no time dispatching the cucumber for an afternoon snack. The joys of gardening!

These are fun photos for me. What I see in them is a stolen moment, a view into the temporal nature of our world, a vision and sense of “right now.”

Why not take your camera along to your next meal to give it a shot?

It’s always fun to see people work when they really love what they do. The first time I took photos with Ted, I could tell that he had a real passion for it. He’s the type of person who strives to become better at everything he does, constantly enriches his own knowledge base and tries to incorporate new information and techniques. It’s really exciting to be with him and get swept into that type of fervor.

Technorati Tags: Ted Snider, Linda Woolven, Natural Path Newsletter, Toronto, pictures, photograph, photographers, caterpillar

In this episode, Christine continues the narrative of her body art, talking about her mermaid, nautical stars, chaos symbol and other tattoos.

Christine is a model I met who is covered in well over 20 tattoos, each one with some meaning or story behind it. As such, this was a very lengthy interview and will be broken up into a few different videos. Be sure to check back to see the new videos and photos as they become available. See more photos of Christine’s tattoos here.

Read more about my tattoo project here. Interested in taking part? Get in touch and we will make it happen.

Technorati Tags: model, meaning, story, interview, videos, photos, tattoos

Following up from previous videos of Christine (here and here), we now get to learn about her chest tattoos - two swallows and an ouroborous. She also talks about how her family feels about her body being covered in ink.

Christine is a model I met who is covered in well over 20 tattoos, each one with some meaning or story behind it. As such, this was a very lengthy interview and will be broken up into a few different videos. Be sure to check back to see the new videos and photos as they become available. See more photos of Christine’s tattoos here.

Read more about my tattoo project here. Interested in taking part? Get in touch and we will make it happen.

Technorati Tags: tattoos, swallows, ouroborous, ink, model, meaning, story, interview, videos, photos, tattoos

If you need a portrait to represent you in your business, what you are projecting is a personality and one of the things you will want to do is project the best possible image. This should be a current image, reflecting how you look today, and should show you in a positive light. In short, the professional touch can make a world of difference when it comes to getting the perfect look for whatever your industry may be. Your image is everything. Invest wisely in how people see you.

Likewise, if you are hiring a photographer for a life event, like a wedding, retirement party or something else that carries great meaning for you, think about the pictures you want to look at and pass on to friends and loved ones. The amateur ones may show all the people but the professional knows how to get the right angles and capture all the relevant elements in an artistic way. We all have our snapshot albums that we rarely look at. Why not invest in a quality image that you can hang on a wall and that brings back the memories every time you look at it?

Be sure to check out my line of services and let me know how I can help you.

Technorati Tags: portrait, image, photographer, party, professional

No, I did not record this, although I could have. I did not figure anybody would go back into the archive to watch the four-hour Seder. If you would like to see it, let’s get together for coffee and I will act out the whole thing for you.

Thanks for joining us! The Seder will commence at 7:00 p.m. Broadcast will begin at 6:30 so you can get some pre-game video.

Not sure what a Seder is? It’s the retelling of Exodus - the going out of Egypt by the Jewish people. If you would like a fuller explanation, pop on over here and check out the scoop from the experts.

If, for some reason, the video is not there, it is either too early, or else something isn’t working quite right. You can also go here to see it live.

Are you interested in livecasting an event, training, special moment or other time-critical happening? Want to learn videoblogging? Let me know and I can help you get set up.

Technorati Tags: Seder, Exodus, livecasting, event, training, time-critical, videoblogging

When last we left off, Christine was telling us about her first tattoos and walking us through the stories her tattoos tell. In this episode, we continue that journey with her and learn more about aspects of her personality reflected in the ink she wears.

Christine is a model I met who is covered in well over 20 tattoos, each one with some meaning or story behind it. As such, this was a very lengthy interview and will be broken up into a few different videos. Be sure to check back to see the new videos and photos as they become available. See more photos of Christine’s tattoos here.

Read more about my tattoo project here. Interested in taking part? Get in touch and we will make it happen.

Technorati Tags: stories, journey, personality, ink, model, meaning, story, interview, videos, photos, tattoos

One of the coolest features of this phone is the ability to do live-streaming video. When I saw Don the other day, I had to show this feature off. I am using Qik, which isn’t exactly fast or great, especially when uploading through the cellular lines, but it’s a giant leap forward compared to how things used to be. This combination of hardware and software allows me to be a roving reporter and capture anything in real time.

Here is an example of the result. It’s not great for production value but it captures the moment wonderfully. And let’s face it - do you want to capture that moment when it happens or do you want to miss it? This setup helps you get what you need.

Do you want to get set up doing streaming video? Let me know and I will help you get everything in place to make it happen.

Technorati Tags: Nokia N95, camera, video, streaming video, production value

Christine is a model I met who is covered in well over 20 tattoos, each one with some meaning or story behind it. As such, this was a very lengthy interview and will be broken up into a few different videos. Be sure to check back to see the new videos and photos as they become available. See more photos of Christine’s tattoos here.

Read more about my tattoo project here. Interested in taking part? Get in touch and we will make it happen.

Technorati Tags: model, meaning, story, interview, videos, photos, tattoos

As always, I brought a camera. What kind of photographer would I be without my tools? Here is a shot I got of my friend Matty. She has a great smile, as did everyone there that day. For some reason, being half frozen and that close to ice, which is not only cold but also slippery, brings out some incredible smiles in people. It’s a great opportunity to get some really fun shots. It’s also a very dynamic activity, so you can see people interact in a way they normally would not.

Click the picture to see the full-size version.

Technorati Tags: Smithsonian, ice skating, camera, photographer, smile

See some photos from today’s protest:

Technorati Tags: Washington, DC, Chinese, embassy, Tibetan, Tibet, photos, protest

This was not the photo we had intended on shooting but was an extra I did just as a quick aside. As it is, it turned out better than we expected, especially since I essentially said, “Sit down and look over here.” I had a friend hold up a reflector for a moment, snapped the picture that was that. It ended up being a great executive portrait of a fellow who is a local rising star in the company he works for.

Do you need your portrait done for a brochure, business card, web site or anything else? Let me know and I will take care of you.

Technorati Tags: studio, picture, photo, executive portrait, portrait

Little did I know that this assignment would find me climbing on a ladder, bending and stooping, and leaving me soaked with sweat and sore for a couple days. The issue was trying to get all the corners of these aprons square. Shooting from an angle - in fact from any perspective other than straight on - made them look more like keystones than squares. I found myself, in my own way, having to scaffold myself and bend down, over the items in my light tent so I could get a decent view of them. In the end, after I was satisfied and got everything properly adjusted in Photoshop, I noticed that even the originals were not even quite perfect, deviating ever so slightly!

The pins were especially challenging, as some of them were coated with a resin or something that made them super reflective. Usually with reflective items, it works to simply aim the lights at an angle that will reflect the hot spot toward a different direction than the camera. In this case, the resins formed almost a dome over the image on the pin, so a tiny reflection would be evident no matter where the light source was, unlit the pin were back lit, which would have gotten rid of any detail in the image. In the end, I am happy with the results, and so is the client. There is a benefit to leaving that little edge of glare in the picture. It rightly shows the pin to be reflective. Imagine buying something whose picture does not adequately represent what it is. That would be far worse than seeing a tiny bit of glare.

Need something photographed? Give me a call and I will take care of you. Whether for your catalog, documentary purposes, for insurance or maybe just to hang on the wall, I can handle it. Photography is my middle name. Maybe not literally, but you get the point.

Technorati Tags: Masonic, photographs, photos, catalog, documentary, insurance, Photography

Here is what I wrote for Metroblogging Toronto:

Ronen at Crepes a GoGo
by Carl Weaver

My lovely wife and I recently decided to get a bite to eat before entering the Toronto Reference Library for some intense work and sunshine deprivation. We happened upon Crepes a GoGo at 18 Yorkville Avenue and could not have been more pleased. The food really hit the spot - delicious crepes steaming with fresh ingredients. On top of it, the restaurant had a musical guest in the form of an accordion player, who played such pieces as Stairway to Heaven and The Hokey Pokey. All this was in the background, though, as we chatted and enjoyed the expert sounds of such a wonderful musician.

This wasn’t any sort of polka accordion player, mind you, but someone who could tickle the ivories in the traditional French style I learned to recognize from a childhood filled with the sounds of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel. Despite the nontraditional performance choices, the sound was very reminiscent of that time gone by, punctuated with the music of my father’s years as a soldier in France. If you go on Saturdays or holidays you can hear some very nice music. Alas, the lad has his plate full with other vocations during other times.

Happy Crepe Eater
by Carl Weaver

Veronique, the owner/manager, came to our table to make sure we enjoyed our meal and were completely satisfied. I immediately felt at home in her presence, as if I had known her before and was visiting from afar and getting to know her again. Watching her work was a real treat as well, as her joy showed in what she did and the interactions with the customers and staff.

Crepes a GoGo does more than sell delicious, fresh food. They have an entire mood and feel to the restaurant experience that is worth every penny for the crepes you are sure to enjoy. Go see Veronique; she will take care of you. Tell her Carl the photographer sent you.

Technorati Tags: camera, Toronto, accordion, Crepes a GoGo, food

If you are in the Washington, DC area before the middle of May, be sure to check out the Frog exhibit going on at the National Geographic Museum. It’s easy to get to, right in the heart of DC in what the city has branded the Golden Triangle, which to me has always meant Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. In DC, it refers to an area in the core of downtown. You can get to the museum by going to 17th and M.

I have always had a special love of frogs, ever since I was a lad in short pants, running around my grandmother’s yard in Florida, trying to catch any little critter I could get my mitts on. These frogs at the Nat Geo Museum were incredible to behold, with all their colors and varying sizes. I think in the span of an hour I saw what must be both the largest and smallest frogs in the world. What could be more thrilling than that? I have an answer - photographing them. Don’t forget to bring a camera and a steady hand. Photography is almost a requirement, as it is right easy to get a shot of these little guys when they are already captured. When will you have that chance again?

Check out some more of the pictures:

Technorati Tags: Washington, DC, Frog, National Geographic, Nat Geo, Museum, camera, Photography

Technorati Tags: photography, Masonic lodge, photos, Worshipful Master, photographs

Interested in trying food photography? Let me know and I will put together a workshop on the subject.

Anyway, here are a couple examples:

Technorati Tags: Food, photograph, photography, workshop

Later this week I will be covering the installation of these new officers, so be sure to check back soon.

This is the stuff I love to do - portraits and events. Some photographers love shooting pets, weddings, even forensic scenes, but the thing I love to do is portraits. The dynamic that comes from interacting with an individual or a small group is much more interesting to me than most other forms of photography. To each his own, I suppose. I know others who hate doing portraits.

Here’s to doing what you love, whatever that may be!

Technorati Tags: portrait, Cherrydale Lodge, photograph, pictures, events, photographer, photography