Nothing but the best of luck to all of those taking part in the Pittsburgh Marathon today. Whether you’re running 26.2, 13.1 or a leg on a relay, here’s hoping you achieve a PR and all of your goals – and don’t forget to smile for the camera!
Have a great day, everyone…
Luke S. at last year's Kevin Gatons' Memorial Day Kids' Race
Art is subjective – even its definition can be. I might think the world of Jackson Pollock and Jackson Browne; of Chuck Close and Chuck Mangione; of Annie Leibovitz and Annie Lennox. And you might think they all stink. As an English teacher, I always hear the groans when we start a poetry unit — but I hate poetry is a typical reaction. My response? No, you hate the poetry you’ve read. We have different tastes, different things we enjoy. This is no different than our taste in photography.
Yesterday, I was reading a forum hosted by Popular Photography (actually, it was from their Facebook feed), in which the question was asked whether or not you like HDR photography. (Disclaimer: that link will take you to an HDR example from a friend of mine: Joe Smolenski). Wow are people divided on this. Love it or hate it, it brought out the comments, that’s for sure. I tend to agree with those who say that they love it when it’s done well and question it when it’s sloppy. I’ve certainly seen both and would love to experiment some more with it as it’s not a medium I’ve really delved into. In the meantime, I continue to look at models for inspiration, just as I do in my every day photography. I think it’s important that we don’t let our egos take over, that we realize that we can learn something new every single day.
I posted the picture above because I have heard both ends when it comes to critiquing it. I love the look on Luke’s face. Sheer determination – I think it’s telling that story for sure. But it’s also got some (obviously) distracting elements to it. I’ve heard plenty concerning this and these criticisms are absolutely valid. I still love it, though. Would I have preferred not to have the other two children in the picture? Absolutely. At the same time, I liked it too much to just chuck it into the ‘delete pile’ so to speak.
It’s all in the eye of the beholder – perhaps we all need to get off our high horse at times and keep this in mind.
“And we’ll fill in the colors of each other’s paint by number dreams.”
Jackson Browne wrote that line – for me, this is the definition of art…
Would love to hear your thoughts on this subject…
Many schools have already had their proms, while many still are hitting the season in the next week or two. I hope that the weather cooperates and you get the pictures you’ve always wanted – they’re just another small part of the experience. More importantly, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the experience RESPONSIBLY. I truly hope you have a great time, but please make wise decisions. The prom is a wonderful event, but the rest of your life is way more important…
And now, just for your enjoyment – two pics from my prom. I’d rather embarrass myself than have somebody else do it! Please note: these are about 7th generation copies of the pics – don’t hold this against my family!
Yes, you read that right, jcl photography & design is the official sponsor of the 2011 Westmoreland Croquet Club Tournament’s Duck Race! If you’ve never been to the Croquet Tourney, get signed up now – it’s a tremendous event and it serves to help 11 different non-profit agencies this year. Besides, it’s just great fun!
One of the great activities that goes on during the day is the Duck Race – and I’m proud to announce that I am the official sponsor of the race this year. SO.MUCH.FUN!
For more information, check out the Croquet Club’s website by clicking here. Hope to see you there…
I am very pleased to announce that I will be the Official Photographer of the 2011 Tommy Smith Better Ball Golf Invitational to be held at the Greensburg Country Club from July 28th through the 31st. What a tremendous organization and event to be a part of!
In addition, I will be taking all pictures for the Country Club’s Junior Golfers and Swim Team as well.
I would like to thank those involved at the Country Club for bringing me on board and truly look forward to fostering our relationship for many years to come!