269.365 Back To The Skating Lessons.

Monday September 26 2011.

The kids are back at it with the skating lessons this year. They have a great time. The boy is a machine on the ice. By the time the lesson is over, he is soaking wet! Both from the ice and sweating.

Chris.

268.365 Ready For Another Party.

Sunday September 25 2011

Finally the last party for my son's birthday. The family all gathered at our house for hotdogs and cake. A few didn't make it but I ate their hotdogs anyway. :)

Chris.

267.365 Birthday Party!

Saturday Sepetmber 24 2011.

We had the boy's kid party today at Jump Zone. They set up the jumpy castle of your choice in a warehouse bay and let you have at it for a couple of hours. The slide was the favorite part of the castle. I was very tired after watching 9 kids jump and slide for 2 hours. All were red in the face and very tired by the end.

Chris.

Testing The iPhone App

I have installed the Wordpress app on my iPhone in hopes of being able to take advantage of blogging while out and about.

Here is a photo taken and edited right on my iPhone.

259.365 Level Up!

Friday September 16 2011.

I was getting that sinking feeling in my office. A chair should not roll against the wall on it's own. I had some boys come over and level my office out again.

Much Better.

Chris.

258.365 Not This Again.

Thursday September 15 2011.

Alright, again with the mud. I'm not going to enjoy the mud in my new office. At least when it freezes up it won't be muddy.

Chris.

257.365 Things Around My New Office.

Wednesday September 14 2011.

I've decided to take some photos of the odd things I find about my new office. Here is a good example.

I've never quite understood a fire extinguisher cover. Sure, It keeps it clean and crust free but if my office is on fire, fumbling with the cover could cost me the building. Maybe I'll take it off and put it in a case.

Chris.

256.365 New Digs

Tuesday September 13 2011.

Yup. I'm back in the office trailer again. Got kicked out of the office building and my cushy 3rd floor office with the roof access that got me so many great photos. Ah, well. At least I'll be more in touch with what's going on with my stuff. It's quiter too. I missed my old office. But after 2 days it's like I never left it 4 years ago.

Chris.

255.365 First Time On Skates.

Monday September 12 2011.

My daughter had her first skating lesson today. She was a bit nervous. Ice is much more slipery than a dance floor! She will do fine with a little more practice.

The boy on the other hand was a blur on the ice. I could barely get a photo of him he was so fast. :)

Chris.

254.365 Swimming Lessons Again.

Sunday September 11 2011.

And we are back to swimming lessons! The Girl did awesome! So did the boy.

Chris.

252.365 Discipline.

Friday September 9 2011.

What you see here is an example of how to discipline your kids. LOL. You just got to show them who's boss. Otherwise they will just jump all over you. LOL.

Try to take me on will they.......Good luck. :)

A special thanks to my wife for snapping some shots of me and the kids wrestling.

Chris.

Should I Start A Photography Business?

I've been thinking about whether or not I should try to make a go of a photography business. I love photography, it consumes me. Everything I look at I wonder how could I light that. Or, what a great photograph that would make. My family will tell you I'm obsessed. I call it passionate. But, It is a bit of an obsession for me.

Starting up a business used to seem like the thing to do. I took the New York Institute Of Photography's professional photography course so I could learn. And, learn I did! I like to think I'm a pretty good photographer. Not an amazing photographer but I can hold my own. But once you make that decision to start a business it becomes just that, a business. I would end up being a business owner. Worried about income, taxes, expenses, etc. With all the worries of running a business, would I have time for my passion? How much more pressure would there be to create impressive images every time, every session? Would it take the fun out of my passion? How much more of my time would all the administrative portion take up?

Right now, I take photos of what I want, when I want. I get to just enjoy the art. Lately, I've become so consumed with the question that I think my images have suffered because I'm trying too hard to make every image a winner. I've even been getting down on myself and my skills. Sure, that is a typical trait of an artist, nothing is ever good enough for us and our own work is terrible, but it's been getting worse over the last 3 or 4 months. Why, at this point in my life, with my kids still young and my job filling my days, would I want to spend all my free time running a business and possibly taking the joy out of it?

I think, at least for the next 10 to 12 years, I should just focus on the art and the joy it brings me. I can document my kids lives, do personal projects and just love the art. Who knows, maybe one of those projects could lead to something. Maybe sales of the images or even a book. Maybe that's what I'll do. Just enjoy the art and the peace it brings me. No more getting down on myself for a less than perfect image. I'll focus more on how good the good ones are and be happy with any keeper ratio I have.

Thanks for reading my internal struggle. It's not over yet but I think I have more of a direction.

Chris.

251.365 Last Lake Portrait

Thursday September 8 2011.

This is the last lake portrait for the girl this year. We are all done and we have winterized our trailer. Maybe we will make it out there this winter for some skating on the lake and a cold winter fire but I doubt there will be a short sleeved portrait. :)

Chris.

250.365 Last Lake Portrait

Wednesday September 7 2011.

This is the last lake portrait for the boy this year. We are all done and we have winterized our trailer. Maybe we will make it out there this winter for some skating on the lake and a cold winter fire but I doubt there will be a short sleeved portrait. :)

Chris.

249.365 Mohawk.

Tuesday September 6 2011

This is Bella. My parents dog. She has the best mohawk of any dog out there. I think I'll try to talk my parents into gelling her hair up and I'll bring my lighting kit over! That would be some awesome portraits.

Chris.

248.365 Sharps

Monday August 5 2011.

I'm a great person to go to the beach with. If there is a sharp item in the lake, I'll step on it before you can! Every year I find something to step on. At least once. This time it was a broken beer bottle. Given that this is a stubby bottle, I'm sure it's been there a long time. I've not seen a stubby bottle in many many years.

Odd part is this was right by our dock that we run and play around all the time. My son stepped on it first and cut his foot but not as bad as me. Kids heal so quickly! I'm still hobbling around on a sore foot.

Chris.

247.365 Thoughts Of Fall.

Sunday August 4 2011.

My wife, deep in thought about the sadness of our last weekend at the lake. Fall has arrived which means skating lessons, swimming lessons and dance class for the kids. I'm sad to see the lake season end too.

Chris.

246.365 Misty Lake.

Saturday August 3 2011.

It's that time of year where the air cools so quickly during the night. The lake still holds the day's heat and gives us this great mist. If you get up early enough to see it.

Chris.

245.365 Morning Balloon Ride.

Friday September 2 2011.

Ok, I took this a day early but I just know my schedule is going to be hectic tomorrow and I really wanted to share this.

Chris.

244.365 Morning Radar Tower.

Thursday September 1 2011.

My kids call this 'our tower'. It's about 3 or 4 houses down from us in a field. I look at it every day out the back yard.

This morning as I was helping the boy get ready for the first day back to school, I was struck at how the rising sun made the colors pop against the blue sky.

Chris.