I realized I haven’t really put anything up here again, even though I’ve got shots I’d like to share. So, in order to break the current streak of days having not posted anything, I offer this shot I took for Orange Coast Magazine back in December. It ran in the February issue, and to tell you the truth, I really like it. Not my usual style from a post-processing standpoint, but I’m happy with how it turned out. More importantly, the clock between posts has been reset. Let’s see if I can avoid another cold streak.

BTW, the shot is of Chris Helwig at Vespa of Newport Beach, who was cool enough to help me get the shot with no notice. Nice guy.

Til next time….

The August 2009 issue of Orange Coast Magazine is out and on newsstands now. I shot the entire feature for their Resurrection of Santa Ana story. Lots of pics and a 2-page opener. I’m pretty happy with how the shots and the layout came out. It was a fun story to shoot and I wound up finding a couple of cool hangouts in Santa Ana while doing so. Check it out at orangecoastmagazine.com, or better yet, buy a copy at your nearest newsstand.

P.S. Since I’m tooting my own horn, I also have another 1/2 page photo opening their Coastlines section in the same issue. Be sure to check that one out too.

Mindy and I were in San Francisco this past Fourth of July weekend. Rather than brave the crowds to see the fireworks over the bay, we thought we might be able to see them from our hotel room. Ultimately, the above picture represents the best of what we could see. Oh well.

Well, only a little over two weeks between posts this time. Thought I better get something out to keep my photo-sharing mojo going. This one is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York city, looking out over the pathways in Central Park. I shot it through a lowered window shade which provides a cool, painterly effect. Given the fact that we’re already into summer and spring hadn’t quite sprung when the picture was taken, it may seem a little out of place, but I think it holds up regardless of the season and brings back memories of a really nice trip to New York. Bonus.

Keep it real, Internets. Have a good night.

Wow; I just realized it’s been over a month since I’ve put anything up. I figured I better remedy that, and wouldn’t you know it, I’ve got newly-edited pics from our recent trip to New Orleans. Mindy and I were there a couple weekends ago during a conference that she was attending. Having never been there before, I tagged along. We didn’t really know what to expect, but it ultimately turned out to be a pretty cool trip. Granted, we never strayed out of the French Quarter, and aside from Bourbon Street, it was a really lovely part of town. Some parts more touristy than others, but the architecture, art, and people make it really interesting.

The above shots are from the Cafe du Monde, a popular NOLA institution serving up beignets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Pretty good, but really messy. I did manage to not inhale the powdered sugar while eating mine though, so I can at least claim that little victory.

If interested, I have other shots up at my Photoshelter gallery here.

Today is our godson Reid’s 3rd birthday. He’s a pretty awesome dude. I mean, really, look at that guy. He’s the one on the left. Definitely the life of the party.

Happy Birthday Reid!

Love, Don & Mindy

When I go to museums, I’m sometimes just as interested in watching how people view art as much as I am in the art itself. Some people spend the entire time in front of a piece trying to frame it within the borders of their camera’s LCD screen, others stare intently at every square inch of a painting, contemplating each brush stroke for a small eternity. Some view from afar, some stand with their noses within an inch of invoking a security guard’s warning to back away. There is no right or wrong way, everyone appreciates art differently. If anything, it makes for an interesting footnote to my own museum visits, and sometimes, it makes for a couple of cool photos. The above two were made on our recent visit to NYC; the left at The Met, the right; The MoMA.

We had a chance to catch up with a friend this weekend. Got to watch him work, had a great time just chatting, shared some good meals and learned a couple things along the way. In all, it was a lot of fun. Throughout the weekend, I had a chance to play with a shiny, brand-new camera, but ultimately, my favorite shot from the weekend was done with my crappy iPhone camera. Go figure.

So, I have a thing for Vespas. I’m not sure why. I don’t have one, not sure if I’ll ever get one, but I like their vibe. As much as I tell myself I’d like a motorcycle, in reality, I’m probably more of a Vespa-kind-of-guy. Somehow that translates into me taking a picture of them whenever I come across one. People look cool on Vespas. Simple fact. This particular one was in New York, snapped while we were on the way to have dinner at Ninja. One doesn’t really have anything to do with the other, except maybe that this Vespa was black and ninjas wear black. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense.

My grandpa’s pocket watch.