Behind the scenes of air-to-air photography fun over Fairhope, AL

I took a personal day this past weekend to tag along with my buddy Sheldon on one of his projects.  Sheldon is currently working on a documentary for college about private aviators and their uncanny passion for flying.  Parts of this documentary require air-to-air photography and video footage, and Saturday was Sheldon's day to shoot it.  The location was picturesque Fairhope, Alabama. How do you shoot good footage of another airplane in flight?

You remove the door of the airplane, obviously.  A sixty mile-hour wind is the perfect wake-up call for early in the morning.  It cools you off, blows your hair back and inflates your clothing to Schwarzeneggerian proportions.

It was Sheldon's project, so naturally he took the primary position by the open door, as you will see below.  I sat in the backseat and photographed Sheldon videoing another plane, and also used the flight time to capture some nice landscape shots of the beautiful countryside in and around Fairhope.

The 5am wakeup call aside, it was a heckuva fun way to spend the morning.  I was only disappointed that we weren't in Fairhope at lunch to hit up the Biscuit King & Willie's Smokin' BBQ, which happens to have the best smoked brisket I have ever had anywhere...but there's always next time.

And now, photos!

And, as a bonus for all my techie friends, a little gratuitous gear porn featuring Sheldon's 7D and video rig...

Mr. and Mrs. White's Wedding Extravaganza

Last weekend saw me driving up to Gainesville, Georgia to video the wedding of some very special people. I met Parker and McClain on my last trip to India, McClain being the daughter of Ken and Tracy, whom I know from participating with their ministry, Net India.

Upon meeting them, it took less than five minutes for me to be convinced that if there is such a thing as a perfect couple, it's these two.  First high school sweethearts, now married fresh out of college.  I've been to a lot of weddings, but there was a joy and purity at this one that I have never felt before.  As I culled through the video footage, I found myself smiling continually as every clip reminded me of the joy of the day.  And, to make it even cooler, McClain used Pinterest to gather ideas and design the entire event.

Congrats, guys.  I'm proud to know both of you.  Thanks for letting the goofy Florida boy be a part of your big day.

Just so there is no confusion, all photography and portraiture was handled by Katherine Williamson Photography and North Georgia Photography.  Contrary to my usual job, I was the video guy, and what you see below are frame grabs from my footage.

Derrel's of Pensacola

I spent some time in my dad's place of business last week, shooting video footage for some upcoming commercials and taking photographs for general purposes.  My dad's business, Derrel's of Pensacola, is unique in the area.  Why?  We carry Bernina sewing machines. Bernina sewing machines are manufactured in Steckborn, Switzerland.  I almost went there a couple of years ago, but the closest I came was looking at it across Lake Constance from Friedrichshafen, Germany.  Needless to say, the machines come from a beautiful area of the world; I think that's one of the contributing factors to their being so well-designed.  They have built-in Microsoft Windows interfaces (and are slowly coming around with Mac support), and are possibly the most advanced sewing machines available anywhere.  Derrel's also recently started selling the Melco Bravo industrial embroidery machine.

The creative possibilities made possible by these machines are amazing, and I'm proud to help my dad market them in the Pensacola area.

Thinking of Florence and missing the magic...

Have you ever been to a place that does more than get under your skin?  Have you ever woken up to the morning bells of a dozen churches and been able to honestly tell yourself "I am happier here than I have been, would be or could be anywhere else?" That is what Florence, Italy means to me.  Of all the places I have been, it is the one where I felt least like a stranger.  To the contrary, I felt a part of it from the moment I arrived.  The people I met, the places I visited and the monumental relics of art and history to which I stood witness all beckoned me forward instead of pushing me away.

It has been just over two years since I was in Florence.  I've wanted to go back ever since, but can just never get the time and funds to align to make a proper trip there possible.

But I still have my memories.

Locking my camera away in an effort to literally avoid putting anything between myself and the city.

Clambering up campanile steps in a blind zeal to see the city by morning's light.

Botticelli's Venus hanging in the Uffizi; bigger than I thought it would be.

Being taught how to properly pronounce nocciola (hazelnut) at the Gelato Festival.

Walking across the Arno on one of the city's many bridges to watch the sun set from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Getting lost on the way back from the sunset and seeing the southwest neighborhoods come to magical life in a manner rivaling scenes from Midnight in Paris.

That beautiful girl behind the counter at the pizza shop.

Michele, the hilarious shop owner near the duomo who always demanded a kiss, like a blustery Southern aunt.

Mirko, the architecture student who moonlighted as a waiter.  He emailed me a year later to that I photograph his wedding...I wish it had worked out.

Michelangelo's David, tall and proud in the Galeria dell'Academia.  I swear he was breathing.

Kissing the cold marble of the duomo when it was time to leave.

Myself.  Alone and quiet, entirely at peace and completely content to move through the city on booted feet, and simply bear witness to it.

Florence is magical.

Proof my business card!

As I continue to rebrand my online presence, I am also changing up my business cards.  Part of this is because I want to seek out a different kind of business (editorial and journalistic as opposed to the last couple of years' focus on glitzy portraiture), and also because I am simply exasperated with the reaction I receive when I give my current business card to older prospective.  They see featured headshot of my good friend Kimber Lee , and their first remark, either out of an attempt at humor or just missing the point, is without fail: "that ain't you." Eh, I just put it down to a generational gap.

Be that as it may, I want to avoid such problems in future conversations by choosing an image which has broader appeal and is more representative of the travel and journalistic photographs which have typified my portfolio choices for the past couple of years.

As part of this process, I want your help proofing this new card.  Be brutally honest and let me know if there is anything I left out, or anything unique that you feel should be incorporated.

For taking the time to help, I offer many, many internet high-fives.  Thanks in advance!