This is Mischief, a kitten found by my wife. She also took the shot.

I would have to work for days to get as cute a shot for a client but she took one, and only one, shot of this kitty and got this.

I am well past thinking that life is fair but maybe someday the photo gods will drop a gift shot like this into my lap.  Of course, that day I’ll have the wrong lens on, my batteries will be dead and I will have left my compact flash cards at the store.

The photo gods giveth and the photo gods taketh away…

Or more specifically, your hair?

The Wish Upon A Star foundation held a fund raiser in Visalia, CA in cooperation with all sorts of law enforcement agencies.  The Wish Upon A Star group…

‘grants wishes that are like medicine for the spirit, to children afflicted with high risk and life threatening illnesses.’

I was sent by the Fresno Bee to get shots for the {Talk section that appears in the Friday South Valley Edition.  To a photographer, it was like shooting ducks in a barrel. Everywhere I turned there was something worthy to be shot.

Warning: after the jump are photos of adults being being silly, having fun, and trying to help. If this offends you, please move on!

more…

Meet Ivan Jenssens. He’s a very nice guy, I’ve met him.  He has a wife and kids and he has a funny job compared to your job and mine. While you and I may put on a suit to go to work, Ivan wears a ‘Bite Suit’ designed to be bitten by highly trained police dogs. You see,  Ivan’s job can be described many ways but the most eloquent description is a single word …bait.

Ivan volunteered to be the ‘bad guy’ during the recent Police Dog Agility Trials held in Lindsay, CA.  I don’t know what they pay him, but the man needs a raise. Tell me, how much would you charge to have highly skilled dogs chase you and take you down.  HARD.

In a very ironic twist, Man the hunter became the hunted for an afternoon.

How do you define a good day at work? Ivan was supposed to endure the attacks of fifteen dogs but he only made it through four.

So, how was YOUR day?

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An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.
Richard III, 4. 4

One of the greatest traditions of the English speaking world is Shakespeare in the Park.  Combine the beauty of nature with the genius of Shakespeare and you have an event that engages all your senses. The gentle breeze on your face, the smell of the pines, a glass of good Chardonnay and Shakespeare’s very own words brought to life by the breath of good actors.

Talk’st thou to me of ‘ifs’? Thou art a traitor:
Off with his head!
Richard III, 3. 4

The cast of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival did an exceptional job. If there was one word to sum up the performance, it would be ‘BRAVO’! From the lead characters right down to the staging, it was wonderful. Congrats to all!

More after the jump, including scenes from that small town that lives backstage before and during the performance. Honestly, its one of my favorite places in the world!

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When you go digging through photo history, you come up against a mountain of powerful B&W photography. Yeah, I know B&W came first but if some of these iconic shots were colorized, would they lose their power?

Confession time:  I seldom convert (or even consider) my shots as B&Ws, but I was playing in Lightroom and one my newer shots really seemed to pop after subtracting all those rainbow colors my camera chip is so proud to capture.

So, since I’m home sick (again) I started considering Ted Grant’s statement:

When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls!

So, here is my original and my B&W conversion. Which shot do YOU more readily connect to?

Leave a comment, tell me what you think!