Photo by Kilby

A photo from nothing...

2009-11-20T21:35:00.002-05:00

I'm frequently amazed by other photographers who are able to make a beautiful image out of a scene most of us wouldn't look at twice. The images that most inspire me are those that might never have been taken. The little details we pass by every day, and sometimes don't notice. Maybe they're even inconvenient things, but an artist will take it and compose a thing of beauty.

I've always thought that one of my short-comings as an ART photographer was that I have a hard time capturing abstract images that turn an unremarkable scene into a striking photograph. My self assignment lately has been to slow down, and notice the beauty that appears within the mundane.

This image was taken from inside my car one foggy morning. It's condensation that formed overnight on the windshield. In my haste to get to work on time I almost didn't even shoot this.

Fall Begins

2009-10-11T21:23:00.001-04:00

rocktop_trail_1009
Originally uploaded by agoailam

Gray sky complements this pop of early fall red as wood and stone frame the display.

Carolina Kayak Polo Club

2009-08-31T10:21:00.001-04:00

nc_kayak_polo_11
Originally uploaded by agoailam

I may have found my new favorite sport to shoot... The image possibilities in kayak polo are sweet! You get intense competition, faces, player interactions and the dynamic visuals of a water sport.

This was my first time shooting kayak polo, but I managed to come away with a few good shots. The action is fast, but contained in a relatively small pitch. So it was simple shooting with single Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8. This club plays on Lake Wylie, and I was able to shoot from the deck that runs along one side of the playing area. Morning light was somewhat diffused, but at ISO 400 I was still capturing shots at around 1/500th to 1/1200th exposures with the f-stop between 4 and 5.6. Check out more of the keepers at my flickr page: http://flickr.com/photos/agoailam.

Baby's First Swing

2009-08-26T20:18:00.004-04:00

Baby Trace (and his mom and dad) let me shoot his first time in a swing. He loved it. I love this shot. It's got the essentials, but I love it for what it doesn't have almost as much. It doesn't have any motion blur... doesn't have any cheesy lens effects... doesn't have a parent pushing him (not that his parents aren't cool). We've all seen those photos. This is just a kid super-stoked in a swing. We've all felt it. We all like feelin' it. And, Trace, we're with ya in this one buddy!

Andrews Family Portraits

2009-08-02T16:23:00.004-04:00

Beautiful family and awesome friends at Kure Beach, NC.

Pano View of Sky Meadows, Virginia

2009-07-02T21:49:00.003-04:00

Engagement Portrait at Sky Meadow, Va.

2009-06-29T22:04:00.006-04:00

We had great weather for a shoot last weekend in Virginia. The clouds were amazing, and added so much good depth to the landscape I tried to work them into a bunch of the shots. Even though it was turning summer, there were a few blooms left for shooting around as well. These shots pretty much came out of the camera like this. I wanted to keep this shoot clean and simple. Sky Meadow is a great place to shoot! I'll post some more from this venue some time.

Senior Pictures

2009-06-06T14:23:00.006-04:00

I liked this shot as an image of a teen in transition, walking away solo, personality and skill in hand, headed toward something unknown. Cool stuff for a senior session. Although it's not likely to be a huge print seller, it's a cool image.

This photo was shot in Fort Mill, SC behind a Chick-Fil-A restaurant actually. I used the Nikon D1x (of course), a 20mm/f2.8 and SB28dx. I ran a Cross Processing action on it in Photoshop CS3. I wanted to give it a little atmosphere.

We had the pleasure/pain of working around gray skies and intermittent rain, but ended up with some great captures for the day.

Dance Floor Moments

2009-05-06T21:51:00.003-04:00

Shooting a high school spring formal last week I got a couple GREAT moments on the dance floor. It's well known that when people aren't paying attention to the camera the photographer captures real personality. I like these. They're natural, playful and innocent moments between partners. I shot these with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 17-35mm f2.8 lens.

Spring Apple Blossoms

2009-04-17T19:36:00.004-04:00

The apple tree in our backyard hasn't enjoyed the last 2 seasons of drought. This spring, however, it seems quenched by early rains. Plentiful blooms smell lightly sweet. The new buds look healthy, and there is plenty of assistance from some honey bees in the pollination department.

I shot this in evening sun with the D1x and a Nikkor 60mm macro lens.

Lisa McClendon

2009-02-09T22:30:00.002-05:00

Lisa McClendon
Originally uploaded by agoailam

This shot is from a Mixx Master's Lounge live concert taping. I was on the floor near the stage, and watched the studio lights for a few minutes. I picked up their rhythm and was able to capture this just as the rear spot light landed on the singer.

Flickr

2009-02-09T22:28:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Lifepointe Staff

2009-02-07T17:13:00.001-05:00

I shot staff portraits for Lifepointe Church in Charlotte. This group shot didn't come out the way I hoped. I shot from the 3rd floor of a parking deck at Ayrsley while the group stood at ground level. Overcast sky made for even light, but I threw a little extra down on them with a diffused SB28dx. I think I could have worked this angle a little better. I've got some ideas to re-shoot this if I can get everybody back together again.

Nate & Emilee

2008-12-10T19:37:00.001-05:00

Nate and Emilee wanted to take advantage of one of the best fall days this year, and get some portraits. We shot photos all around Fort Mill, SC, and the 2 of them made for some beautiful images. I like coming away with shots like this that show some interaction between people. Shooting with a small, portable camera kit is key. I need to be able to move quickly and shoot from the hip without worrying about tripping on light stands, or moving reflectors around. For this shoot I used the D1x, a shoe mounted SB28dx with a Lumiquest soft box and a broken Nikkor 18-70mm DX lens.

Hubcaps

2008-12-04T22:10:00.002-05:00

Shooting hubcaps is more difficult than I thought. Chrome finish is a lighting nightmare. We're working it out though, and Neal Slimick is working wonders on the color correcting. For this job I'm using the tried and true Nikon D1x, 2 Nikon SB28dx flashes and an SB26 controlled with Pocket Wizards aimed into a 36" shooting tent. Check it out...

Bodie Island Sunset

2008-12-03T22:03:00.001-05:00

This image was captured summer '08 from a kayak in the Outer Banks. We paddled around this bend, and I noticed a couple of white egrets fishing along the edge of the far bank. One bird spooked and flew off immediately, but this one was braver. Bravado goes only so far in the animal kingdom so the closer we got the quicker it began wading away from us. Reaching the end of its comfort zone, the bird took flight. I wasn't really intending to photograph it, but just before it cleared the reeds on the bank I snapped a quick shot with the D1x.

Yep. There's a little bit of Photoshop work done to this one. I adjusted the image to bring out some detail in the grass.