It's always a great time when a new baby comes into someone's family. I get to make cute photographs of googlie faces and tiny feet-n-fingers.

I got to hold my newest niece, Stella, over the weekend. What a handful of joy! I didnt think she cared for me too much. She was just stretchin' and a cryin'. I don't think I have that daddy's touch that some men have.

This is Jeff and his bundle of preciousness, Stella. Every time I get to hold a baby it seems time just stands still and you are there in the moment.

Babies grow so fast. I won't see her again for a few months and she'll all ready have changed.

I went home to Philadelphia cause my brother was on leave from hunting down "bad guys". I surprised him with a trip to the Philly Auto Show to see his soon to be girlfriend, the new and improved and remade Chevrolet Camaro. Clint and I can be heard debating the GM vs. Volkwagen issue when the topic of cars comes up...horsepower versus reliability; American-made versus "V-Dub in da house!". I would suggest those in attendance might want to leave cause sometimes it gets a bit loud. Anyway, I wanted to go to the Toyota and Honda models and he was sooooo not having it. But I managed to get him to the Volkswagen models, so it was all good. This is Clint, aka Spike, next to his curvaceous hot momma.

A lot of photographers (and I mean a lot) just throw on a flash or several strobes and fire away and call it a portrait. But wait...have you seen a painting with the same light and shadow pattern on the young lady's face below(Hi Cassandra!!!) It's called loop lighting(Loop lighting is where the shadow of the nose either touches or comes close to touching the shadow on the cheek. Photographing the subject from the shadow side of the face is also a requirement of loop lighting).

It's considered one of the classical lighting styles and it is also the main style of lighting I use to make a portrait of a client. Why? Because the light pattern adds depth to the photo making it a more visually pleasing photograph. Who wants a boring flat looking photo that you get from taking your kid to a superstore?

Painters had to figure out how to make a two-dimensional work of art look three-dimensional. This was the first way.
Many of your better photographers have either studied with someone that taught them classical lighting or went to art school. This young lady is my sister, Cassandra. She is going to college and, ironically, majoring in art therapy. This photograph was made with light coming through a window in our parent's kitchen and a white piece of cardboard to add a kiss of light back on to her hair. No fancy equipment. No expensive lighting system.

Hi all! I went home to see my brother who was on leave from hunting"bad guys".

I took an afternoon flight and the sun hit the wing just right. I thought it was pretty cool. I added my special artistic touch to this photo as well as with any photo that might leave PFP.