Myriad Botanical Gardens

Devon Tower

If you haven’t been downtown in OKC, and by downtown I mean downtown, not Bricktown, then you’re in for a real treat.  The Myriad Botanical Gardens have been through a major and beautiful makeover.  Just south of the under-construction Devon Tower, the gardens are alive with people and fauna and the difference is dramatic.  When my family first arrived in OKC back in ’92, there was a downtown, just not much to it.  We scarcely saw anyone walking around.  This of course was before Bricktown or the MAPS project had made a real impact.  We used to visit the gardens each July for the fireworks that were shot from the very place now occupied by the Devon Tower.  That was before the newly planted trees had grown and where the outside perimeter was essentially a knoll you could lay on.  Today the knolls are gone, replaced by pathways, benches, chairs, and open lawns.  The trees are huge and protective.

Water features include a stream that snakes through the gardens, down into the urban pond which flows under the park’s unique cylindrical structure, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Still being built are outdoor eateries which is certain to draw crowds.

I spent several hours in the gardens over the last few days and I wasn’t alone.  Not only are the family visits and romantic couples ever-present, but so are tons of photographers.  Why not?  This is an ideal place to shoot.  The trees offer natural filtering, the backgrounds are diverse and wonderfully lit.  There’s no shortage of locales whatever your taste.  I know I’ll be back again and again to enjoy this urban treasure.

And just in time, the gardens are getting ready for their grand reopening – Festival on the Green, taking place this October 15th, 2011.  Live Bands, kids activities, and much, much more.  More information can be found here and here.

Well another walk in downtown OKC is history.  The fourth annual Worldwide Photowalk took place on Saturday with absolutely gorgeous weather.  We had a smaller turnout this year.  Less people registered and even less showed up but those that did were excited to meet new faces and explore our ever-changing city.  I had a blast hosting the walk, as I do every year.  I could have planned for a longer walk because the better weather didn’t rush people along to get out of the grueling heat of Oklahoma’s summers. A special thanks goes out to Jim Felder for helping me guide the participants towards the end of the walk.

I can’t wait to see all the pictures pour in.  I love seeing how others viewed the same scenery.  If you were on the walk, here are some important dates to remember:

3 Oct – Earliest time to submit photos

7 Oct – Deadline for submissions (12pm EDT)

10 Oct – Leaders select winning shots from their walks

(I’ll announce via email and here who I’ve selected)

17 Oct – Winner(s) announced. People’s Choice Voting begins

24 Oct – All voting ends (12pm EDT)

It’s that time again, albeit at a different and more accommodating time of the year

I’m happy to host another Photowalk for Oklahoma City this.  The Photowalk is organized by Scott Kelby and held in cities all around the globe.  This year I hear the city count is up over 1,100!

The photo above is from our 2009 photowalk.  Back then the walks were only held on one day in the oppressive heat of Oklahoma’s summer.  I tagged-teamed with Robert Trawick, combining our two walks into one massive 100+ person walk.

This year the organizers have planned for walks on two days, Saturday Oct 1st and Sunday October 2nd.  I’m leading the walk on Saturday and Robert is running the Sunday walk.

This year the weather is much more to our liking with partly cloudy skies and the highs in the upper 70s/low 80s.  Looks like perfect weather.

For those who are participating in the walks this year, here are a few tips that will make the event as enjoyable as possible.

• Wear comfortable clothing.  Dress for the weather and good walking shoes are a must!  Parts of the walk will be in the downtown area where the winds can pick up.  You might get a few chills but most importantly is to hang on to your gear.
• Socialize.  The entire purpose of the walks is to get photographers together and to meet, greet and network.  Get to know your fellow walkers and stick together in small groups as you walk the route. Ask questions.  Great questions are “what camera/lens are you using?”, “what settings are you using?” and “where’s the next turn?”
• Be Safe!  I cannot over emphasize this one.  Be careful when crossing the streets.  Watch your gear and each other and stick to the route.  Watch the clock, ’cause we’re not sending out a search party.

I’m really looking forward to this year’s walk.  Time to get the batteries charged.

I returned to the Hallett Motor Racing Circuit this Sunday for the 1st of two Central Motor Racing Association events this season. As before, I was able to obtain a photographer’s vest which allowed me to get closer to the action. The folks at CMRA and Hallett are very gracious people and I was greeted by smiles at every turn.

 The bikes this year were more colorful than ever. It also helped that the weather somewhat cooperated. The on again, off again cloud cover provided the right amount of light at the right time. Unfortunately it also meant I was going to have to suffer through a hot and muggy afternoon.

 The action was good and I was able to shoot from several different locations. The shot above is a favorite of photographers because you can easily isolate your subject in the low turn area, plus the bikes are going much slower. I shot wide open all day, alternating between my 200mm f/2.8 and my 500mm f/5.6.

 Before I left the track area, I decided to shoot a race from the outside, near the main entrance. Obviously this provided a different perspective (the right side of the rider and bike). Although you don’t get to see as much of the rider as they are looking away, it provided one of the best spots to view the entire side of the bike such as the above shot.

So all in all it was a fun day of shooting. I enjoyed the action and people, and although I have another commitment when the CMRA races again at Hallett later this year, I’ll be back in 2012.

I called my friend Robert Trawick the other day to ask his advice and he commented that I appeared to fallen off the map since he had not heard from me in awhile. Indeed this blog hasn’t seen a new post in over 8 months. So what gives? Mainly I’ve been putting in time contemplating my photography focus. That’s a lot of hours mulling over what kind of photographer I want to ultimately be. I’ve been exploring many different aspects of the craft and the business that goes along with it, testing the water as it was to find what most piques my interests and creativity. It hasn’t been quiet all this time though, I’ve still had my share of events, portraits, engagements and weddings but I’ve chosen not to post publicly as I have found different uses for my time away from shooting and editing. With this business, once you’ve gone all in towards a particular facet or specialty the costs associated with equipment and training begin to add up and I really felt the need to better define where I saw my craft going before I went too far.

So suffice to say I am still here and still shooting with changes to come.

Today was the opening day for Photoshop World 2010 Las Vegas.  The keynote began with Scott Kelby and the band dressed as KISS (The NAPP Nation theme for this year) and a photoshop rendition of Rock and Roll All Night.  The usual cast of players rolled through including John Loiacono (Johnny L), Senior Vice President for Creative Solutions and the NAPP regulars, followed by Hall of Fame inductees and Guru awards.  This set the tone for the day and got the crowd pumped up.  I attended two classes in the morning (more to follow) followed by a stroll through the expo hall of vendors.  I certainly have my eyes on a few products such as Color Effects Pro by Nik Software and a Wacom tablet.  I also had my portfolio reviewed by Joe Glyda with overall positive comments.

I then attended a single class in the evening which was a bust due to technical failures.  After dinner, I ventured over the House of Blues  venue in Mandalay Bay where the after hours party was being held.  This was a great party where again, Scott Kelby’s band, Big Electric Cat, performed classic 80′s rock.  Before the band performed, Scott visited with folks in the bar.  He met up with Johnny L right in front of our table and soon introduced himself to us.  He is as personable and friendly as people say, a very nice guy who likes to poke fun at himself.  Later that night I chatted up Hockey with Dave Cross and convinced RC Concepcion to give us access to the coveted Midnight Madness party to take place Thursday night. The alcohol was flowing at the party I can’t remember the last time I did Tequila shots!

After the House of Blues Party was over, I stopped by one of the many bars inside Mandalay Bay and found a touring rock band playing great 80s-90s music.  I ended up on the dance floor photographing the band members until security showed up and put the ca-bosh on my fun.  Overall though, my first full day in Vegas was a lot of fun and I learned a ton about the photography business and my creative side.

After a full day at the office Tuesday I boarded my flight to Las Vegas to attend Photoshop World. For those that didn’t read my previous posts, Photoshop World is a convention for all things Photoshop, Adobe, photography and overall Gadgetry (hence why I am here). The afternoon storms did not delay my departure and to my surprise, the aircraft was nearly empty. Flying into Las Vegas is always an adventure. The baggage claim area is nothing but a sea of humanity. Luckily the trip from the airport was short and sweet. My room at Mandalay Bay is fantastic with a great view. I couldn’t afford to admire the view too long as I needed to head down to the Tweetup taking place on the patio. What’s a Tweetup you ask?  It’s a gathering of folks all linked someway through Twitter. My twitter world is small for now but growing and I hope this trip will speed the growth. For me it’s about meeting new people in the business that I can continue to converse with long after Photoshop World has ended. Afterward I was able to take in a few of the sights before calling in a night. Tomorrow is going to be an eye opening experience and I suspect the learning curve will be pure vertical. I will do my best to update this blog, tweet and post in Facebook during my trip.

This week I depart for 4 days of serious brain cramming, sensory overloading and wide eyed amazement as I attend Photoshop World in Vegas. One could obviously surmise that this conference is all about Adobe’s premier photo editing product, but I am discovering that there is so much more than just PS. Three days are packed full of classes on everything from basic photography to advance courses on lighting, editing, High Dynamic Range and outdoor shoots. Additionally, vendors are lined up to showcase their latest products. Lighting equipment, plugins, camera accessories and everything else you can think of will be displayed.  Add the fact fact that at any given time at least one of the vendors if offering a free class or demo and you can quickly fill up your day.

To make my transition a little easier, I’ve downloaded Shawn Welch’s free PSW app for both my iphone and iPad.  You can customize your schedule and choose the classes you plan on attending.  Each listing provides an overview, who’s teaching the class and it’s location.  You can even socialize right from the app through twitter, facebook and others.

But it’s not over when the classes end for the day.  There is something planned for each evening as well so I don’t see any rest coming until well after the convention is over.  The first night I’m in town there is a pre-convention tweet-up at the hotel.  Wednesday night is an after hours party, followed by Thursday’s Midnight Madness (if I can secure a ticket).

Needless to say I have a lot to learn and I feel like a kid in a candy shop right now.  I’m looking forward to learning, and meeting people who share this passion I have for photography.

Each year, photographers from around the world meet up in cities big and small to meet & greet, talk about just about everything (not just photography), and shoot some amazing photographs.  Since its inception a few years ago, Oklahoma City has hosted a photowalk.  Limited to 50 walkers per group, OKC quickly outgrew that limitation necessitating a second walk.  Last year I had the pleasure of hosting the second walk downtown and I am doing it again this year.  Teaming up with Robert Trawick of Trawick Images our mission is simple:  Put photographers together on a predetermined path and let them at it.  As was the case in the past, our routes will have models posted to give the shooters an opportunity to work on portrait skills outdoors. Last year’s walk (pictured above) was a blast.  We’re starting out at CoCo Flow’s in Bricktown and covering that area and the canal.

Both walks are nearly full (Robert’s has been since day one I think) and mine has only a few spots left.  Robert and I will pick the best photo from our groups and the winners will each receive a book from the Photowalk Host, Scott Kelby.  By last count, there are nearly 1100 walks around the globe with more than 26,000 walkers participating!  So if this sounds like fun (it is), and you are ready to learn a lot (you will), then sign up (you still can) and come join us (you should).

BTW:  We meet up after the walk for dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse (Yum!).