Timothy: A Lighting Experiment

As a photographer, I tend to explore the limits of my camera. What can I tell it to do? Can I outsmart it? Will it cooperate with my dreams and visions? Am I a failure or is it a flop? How can I succeed? What else can I learn?

In exploring downtown Winston Salem after dark on one bitterly cold night, my camera performed admirably -- doing [almost] precisely what I wanted it to do without complaint. [Round of applause for the camera, please.]

Using only available light from around town, here's what my camera did. (And, btw - HUGE thanks to my very patient model, who still owes me coffee... =P) [Round of applause for the model, please.]



(Did you know it was possible to make a airplane mechanic student look almost angelic?)



(Hey, Tim! Be Peter Pan!)



I did pull out my megawatt flash and played around with that a bit, adding to the light I had available. Which, in the middle of a dark alleyway, certainly attracted some amount attention (you try remaining incognito while bursting massive amounts of light in a very dark space). But, hey, it was fun. (Riiiight Tim?)

Christmas For the City (Winston Salem, NC)

I know its well past Christmas now. In fact, most of the decorations are put away and - even - today marks the 12th day after Christmas, January 6, the Epiphany. So, yeah, Christmas is officially over.

But the week before Christmas, Winston Salem First hosted the most meaningful and extravagant Christmas party I have ever attended. But, more than that, it was a celebration free to the entire city of Winston Salem. Christmas for the City was a jammin' success. From cookies to five (yes, I did count five) live-music stages to a living nativity to food-and-clothing outreach to crafts for the kids...there was a TON going on!

But, by far, the highlight for me was all the music. Outside - on a closed-off street - Born 2 Die shared their energetic message. Inside, the Calvary Baptist Jazz group played classic Christmas songs, a couple children's choirs sang, and one very talented vocalist kept appearing on all the stages. (Not at once.)








And now Christmas can officially be over. =)

Rock the Block

Upright...



Not so upright...





These guys are adrenaline junkies, I think.

It was hard enough just to watch them do their stunts...much less figure out how they accomplish it all so effortlessly! Whew!

Winston Salem, North Carolina's annual "Rock the Block" event was a hopping scene, despite the day's earlier rain and the very moist air. King BMX Stunt Shows did a fabulous job in less than fabulous conditions.