My first attempt at painting!

It's always good to try new things, so back in January of this year, my 84 year old father and I took a painting class together at the local adult center. It's offered free through parks and recreation in Raleigh and taught by a wonderful 88 year old Hungarian by the name of John.  A wonderful teacher although somewhat crotchety, but a great sense of humor.  I've decided that we aren't really taking a painting class, but rather we are just his apprentice's.  You do what he says.  "You use one brush for Pete's sake!"
I've always been fairly competent with a pencil and paper and even had a painting class about 20 years ago at Meredith College.  It was awful and I don't think I learned that much...perhaps then I was too impatient.  John doesn't allow that.  You work on it until it's done...and he made me work on it over and over again until I started seeing how to mix paint and apply it properly.  I've always been able to differentiate light and shadow (obviously as a photographer), so the trick was learning the application and technique of brush to canvas.  I think I worked a total of 150 hours from January 28th until I put the final coat of varnish on last week.  Proud of the effort and have started on my second already.  To give credit where credit is due, John has us copy another work of art by a master painter.  Mine is a loosely referenced rendition of a painting of Cambridge, Vermont by T.M. Nicolas.

Cameron Park

I had an hour after dropping my daughter off at the library for her tutoring session.  After spending an hour with CNN and the terrible news of the Oklahoma City tornado, I felt like I needed a walk.  I should have had my dog, but took my camera instead.   Next to the library is the neighborhood where I started my business in 1985.   Cameron Park as it is called is one of Raleigh's gems.  With wonderful 100 year old homes, back ally's, and parks that meander through the neighborhood, there is always something wonderful to look at.  From the back alley's you can peer into exotic and traditional gardens, and then find yourself wandering down a wooded path next to a creek.

Working for a living. (con.)

Brandon definitely had the toughest looking job at our shoot today.  Working the lathe was hot work and at the end of the day, it showed on Brandon.  I shot a more commercially viable shot prior to this, but this definitely qualifies for the "Working for a Living" portfolio.

Great night at the Stables.

My daughter Gillian rides every week out at MacNairs stables in Raleigh.  Last night I decided to stick around and take advantage of the nice light to take a few pictures.  I usually ride my bike while she is riding the horses, but the sky provided too much of an opportunity.

Springtime in Raleigh

Walking Crash yesterday, I saw the light setting up under this tree at our nearby Roanoke Park.  I didn't have my camera with me at the time, so the dog walk was cut short and we headed back to the house.  By the time I got back, the light was gone.  Fortunately it was another beautiful morning today, so I headed back out with my camera this time.  If I carried it with me all the time, I would feel like I was having to be "ON" all the time, and I just can't do that.  Sometimes one just has to appreciate the moment for what it is.  In this particular case however, I'm going back out again tomorrow!

DC & Potomac Fog

2 years ago I ventured into downtown DC early before sunrise, parked on the mall, jumped on my bike and then tooled around photographing many of the monuments and landmarks as the sun came up.  For some reason I never did get a decent shot of the Washington monument.  So this week I thought I'd venture down again and do a similar excursion.  I had forgotten of course that the Washington monument was still being repaired from the damage caused by the earthquake last year.  Although mostly repaired, scaffolding was still 1/3 of the way up the monolith.  I decided to go down anyway early Monday to capture other sites...only to be driving through a thick fog along the Washington parkway.  Getting there I found I could no longer park along the mall as it is more restrictive than ever.  I head up towards the monument and right there was a parking space.  The fog was thick, but miraculously it only covered up the scaffolding.  I jumped out and got a quick frame before it was completely enveloped in a think soup.  Fearing I would be towed, I jumped back in the car and started heading toward the Jefferson memorial only to find myself heading out of town on to I-395.  I knew enough to know it was heading me back towards where I was staying in Alexandria, so I decided to get back on the parkway that ran south down the Potomac.  I pulled off at several spots and as luck would have it gave me ample opportunity to create some memorable images.  Both the "Dock Light" and the "Osprey Nest" are my favorites of the morning.  The lesson is that one just has to adapt to changing conditions and find what is there.  Even had time for a good cup of Joe at Starbucks in old town Alexandria.

30 Year Anniversary of NC States' 1983 Championship Run

It was the home game at Virginia that Derick Whittenberg came down on Orthel Wilsons foot and broke his ankle.   It was a potentially season ending injury for the senior guard and a severe blow to a team that was showing potential to win an ACC championship.  In the photograph below Valvano helps Whittenberg from the floor along with head trainer Jim Rebock.  Whittenberg had to sit on the sidelines as State went to Carmichael only to see State lose to Michael Jordan and the Tar Heels.

Freshman Ernie Myers and Terry Gannon took a larger role however, and coming home to Reynolds Coliseum, pandemonium broke out as State beat UNC even without Whittenberg.  More to come.