Tuscany and Salerno

My July trip to Italy allowed me to see some spectacular sights. Here are some of them from a few regions throughout Tuscany and Salerno. Words can't adequately describe the depth and breadth of the beauty, but a glimpse through these pictures can best express some of what was seen.

New Orleans

It's been awhile since I last blogged. I've been busy travelling! My trip to New Orleans in March was lovely and here are a few highlights of the trip:

The French Quarter's quaint and charming streets abound in street musicians, art galleries and antique shops. This together with the lovely weather makes for some lovely memories.

This is one of the oldest streetcars in Lousiana. It still has the original wooden seats. Travel throughout New Orleans is best accomplished through the streetcars that will take you anywhere.

This art gallery was a compendium of old and new. The Picassos, Renoirs, and Monets were particularly wonderful to see. There was an excellent combination of sculptures and even African and Asian artifacts. What was very striking was the architecture and lines just within the gallery building itself.

The Audubon Zoo has three parts, the animal exhibit, the aquarium and the insectarium/butterfly museum and they are housed in three different buildings. This carousel was seen at the animal exhibit.

Another street performer who, for a price will allow you to take his picture.

This museum was quite compelling with its numerous original artifacts and video stories with original news footage that provide a gripping view into this tremendous historical period. This aircraft suspended from the ceiling is at the entrance to the building.

Walking back from the museum, I found this interesting reflection in an old doorway:

And probably the most lovely of all things, was Oak Alley Plantation, with its live oaks and Spanish moss, majestically lining the pathway to the palacial and stately mansion:

The American Southwest

Over the holidays I had the opportunity to photograph some of the most amazing vistas I have ever seen. Here are some of them:

This is from California's Death Valley. The Sand dunes here are remarkable. Just to think that this glorious artistry is the work of thousands of years of erosion and the effects of water. Millions of years ago, this land was beneath the ocean and gradually rose to the surface.

This next one is from Zion National Park and is known as Court of the Patriarchs. It's beauty is immeasurable and can't be adequately captured in any photograph.

Another view of Zion, in Utah.

Another view of Zion's extraordinary array of colours. The colours are due to iron oxide affecting the sandstone and resulting in natural changes to the stone and rocks.

Valley of Fire National Park, Nevada. These are known as the Beehives.

So much natural vegetation can be seen across these desert lands. Much of it has been used for medicinal purposes.

There are miles of winding roads and hills and valleys that add to the breathtaking views.

Laura and Jeremy: Having a Baby!

Recently Laura and Jeremy had an opportunity to celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot. Seven months into the pregnancy, this was a perfect opportunity to capture the moment. As well as Laura being the focus, it was wonderful to capture the excitement of the new dad. These pictures highlight the strong bond between this loving couple and their joy as they await their first baby.

All of these shots were taken by window light to set the mood for these tender moments. The couple felt very comfortable demonstrating their love for each other infront of the camera, something which makes the photographer's job very easy.

This baby-shoe shot brings their baby right into the action..."You, me and baby makes three".

A creative black and white shot in soft-focus emphasizes the beauty of this special time for the couple:

The next couple of images outline the lovely look of pregnancy. This next one shows the mother's own view of her baby-belly.

...and here's another view of the maternity profile:

Finally, my personal favorites...

Laura looks very angelic in this next back-lit silhouette.

It was a pleasure working with this very sweet young couple. Stay tuned for baby pictures in few months! To see more of this special couple's photos, visit the website Maternity gallery.

James: A Modelling Portfolio

It's been awhile since I had a chance to update, but here I am again! I had a great opportunity to create a modelling portfolio for a very handsome young man who is being hired by a local fashion agency. Here are some of the favorites.

James came prepared with a number of outfits and props to help achieve some different looks. The one above is the "all in the eyes" look, and as you can see, he really has it!

Here we have the business casual look. As you can see here, the sunglasses add to classy, preppy look.

This is the "looking yonder" pose of the business man/nature man.

and another...

The well-mannered, clean-cut country boy look brings out the casual side of James.

Finally, in these two black and white shots, the retro look really works to set a certain mood as well to bring out the best in the model.