Holidays are often a time for family get-togethers and Thanksgiving is just three weeks away. We have a rather large, extended family and for us Thanksgiving has always been an important one.

With family members arriving from homes in diverse cities, coordinating this festive dinner is a major task. Thankfully in recent years, we’ve handed the title of event coordinator over to one of our kids – the next generation. This helps to relieve lots of stress and pressure on my wife Kris, who is usually the host for the turkey dinner with all the fixin’s, a wide variety of beverages and lots of calorie-laden deserts.

Here’s a photo tip. I suggest that before sitting down for dinner, you set aside a few minutes for holiday portraits. With Christmas close behind, Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to snap photos to use for Christmas cards or gifts.

A camera, a small flash and a comfortable chair tucked into a small corner of a room can serve as your holiday studio. Have a hair brush and a mirror at hand. Keep the background simple and move in close.

You still have time to get your Christmas cards ready. And by all means enjoy the turkey.

 

---

It’s that time of the year again. Almost all of the leaves have fallen from the trees, the days are noticeably shorter and the temperature has decided to fall as well. With the onset of winter, this is when Mom is preparing to leave Michigan to head south for warmer environs. She’s booked her flight to Phoenix and is anxious to again become a “snowbird”.

Of course she’ll need a car in Phoenix for her winter stay. For the past several years, I’ve been the chosen one – I drive her car to Phoenix and then fly back home to Grand Rapids.

This year I’ve decided to make a slight detour on the drive to Phoenix. I’m planning to join the migrating birds at Bosque del Apache, a large bird sanctuary near Socorro in western New Mexico. I’ve heard about this wildlife refuge for a long time so now is the time to take the plunge, so to speak.

In preparing for the visit to Bosque, I found out about another close-by site. The Very Large Array (VLA) is an astronomical observatory made of 27 antennas each 80 feet in diameter. The VLA collects large amounts of data from outer space. Being only 50 miles from Socorro, I’m planning a short stop at the VLA following my visit to Bosque.

My drive is a southernly route taking me through Missouri, Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle and to Albuquerque; then south to Socorro. Up to here, the route is all interstate highways and the weather should be snowfree in early November. When I leave Socorro, I’ll head west following US 60 which takes me through some mountainous and forested areas in New Mexico and Arizona before flattening out near Globe, AZ. Hopefully the snow will hold off until later in the month. From Globe it’s clear sailing to Phoenix.

Many consider a cross country trip such as this an arduous undertaking. I have always enjoyed driving long distances and welcome the chance to stop at Bosque and VLA. I’m hoping that they will both offer me some interesting photography opportunities.

If the cameras are working and I make good with the photography opportunities, I’ll have some pictures here soon.

Paparazzi or Not?

Is there anyone out there who’s curious about celebrities?

I’ve been taking pictures since the 1960’s. During these 50 or so years, I’ve taken a fair number of pictures of celebrities. No, you shouldn’t think that I’m a a member of the paparazzi. Instead, think of me as an opportunist with a camera.

People who’ve known me for a while also know that I usually have a camera close by. It’s not usually a paparazzi size-camera since a compact camera is much more convenient to take along. But by having a camera always on hand, I’m able to take advantage of some of the opportunities that seem to just pop up.

Here’s a few photos that have come my way – owing to luck and a handy camera.

 

Elston Howard – 1963. As a youngster I took every opportunity to root for my team at Yankee Stadium. Elston was a fine gentleman.

Sigfried Fischbacher – 2003. My son and daughter stopped to chat with Sigfried (Sigfried and Roy) outside of Caesar’s Palace.

Gordie Howe – 1964. Gordie had a school in St Clair Shores where he would impart his tremendous skills to young hockey players.

Mohammed Ali – 1999. Paul was seated next to the Greatest on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. He graciously stood up for this photo.

Wolfgang Puck – 2008. The famous chef was greeting customers in his Chinois on Main restaurant in Santa Monica

 
Take advantage of opportunity. Keep you eyes open and your camera close by. To see more celebrity photos please visit the Stay Focused Gallery.

 
****************************************************************

« Older Posts — Newer Posts »