An end to another great day.....(A day of thanks and reflection)

An end to another great day.....(A day of thanks and reflection), originally uploaded by Photomike07.

So another wonderful Holiday comes to a close. I like these kind. No mass commercialism, no fanfare (except for the parade I guess), no excessive late night party......just real people sharing real feelings. Gratitude and thanks, definitely something that we all (especially us Americans) seem to take for granted on a daily basis.

I definitely have a lot to be grateful for. I blogged about it last year, and to be honest, I still mean every word of it. Here is the link....
mdsimages.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-i-am-most-thankful.html

My real focus this evening I guess is one of my vision or shall I say, my wish for the future. Making a difference in the world seems to be a tune that has been resonating a lot in the world recently. Perhaps it has always been playing softly in the background, but I have just started to allow myself to hear its precious melody. A reminder of what is possible was quite evident to me this evening as I tuned into CNN's Hero special out of the corner of my eye as I got a little caught up on some work. To be honest with you, it was kind of a slap in the face to me as to what is really possible. I have been grappling lately with this concept of giving without ANYTHING in return. To give with your heart, mind, and sole for the sole purpose of making real resonant change in the world (or at least to a small part of it.) Sure, that has a lot to do with why we all want to be great parents, but beyond that, and especially after watching that show...I know that I have so much more to give. Finding what that is exactly continues to be a journey.

We all want to leave our mark in this world. I guess its only appropriate to realize, except, and harness that feeling when it hits you. I am sure that I will continue to find ways to make a difference....in my life, my families, and the world around me....and for that, I am sincerely thankful!

More to come......

Reflective landscape in Iceland (and a Happy Thanksgiving!)

Reflective landscape in Iceland (and a Happy Thanksgiving!), originally uploaded by Photomike07.

My trekking about Iceland, as I have mentioned way too many times by now, rewarded me with a few challenges when it comes to lighting. Kind of ironic for someone who lives in a world of light! When I shot this scene however, I knew that I could work it a bit in post.

The original shot was just half of this. I have stared at it for a couple of months and never really thought that it was finished, until it hit me tonight. The scene was really quite grandiose there (sorry, I kinda hate that word to....just a bit stuck here), but I didn't really capture that when I was there. I decided to work the ole' copy and flip trick here, dodged and burned a bit, and created this. I kinda like it :)

A break in the Swiss Alps (while the timelapse camera clicks away)

A break in the Swiss Alps (while the timelapse camera clicks away), originally uploaded by Photomike07.

I had a few ideas while on this little trek up in the Swiss Alps, and here is one of them. Before I left the States for my trip, I had tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to procure a room with a great view of this most majestic of mountains. My thought was that the camera could live, safely on the balcony, whilst clicking away all day for a time-lapse capture. Well, I started thinking, how about a nice little break during a hike to do the same thing? I must admit, after loading a little Pat Metheny into the ipod playlist, throwing the hood over my head, and just sitting down to enjoy the view and fresh air for a couple of hours, I was in heaven!

Ville France (as seen from the eyes of someone who ate just a bit too much Captain Crunch!)

Ville France (as seen from the eyes of someone who ate just a bit too much Captain Crunch!), originally uploaded by Photomike07.

I felt like posting one of my more subtle and soft black and white images. Hope you like :)

(looks like an explosion at a Sherwin Williams paint factory....geez, look at the color!)

Sometimes I get just a weeee bit carried away!

Reflections in infrared (and a thankful perspective)

Reflections in infrared (and a thankful perspective), originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Life changing moments. Indeed, we all have a few of those. A couple of days ago, I had an anniversary and a reminder of one of mine. I kinda blogged about it a year ago if you want to dig it up, but this post really isn't about that. Its more of a reminder to myself about a bit of personal perspective and progress.

I like the term "self growth". There are many that chuckle at the mere mention of this study. For others, its a life long focus. I guess I belong to the latter club.

Over the past year, one of the daily rituals I have allowed myself to enjoy is perhaps something that I should have been allowing myself all along. I try to start my day with a quiet 20 minutes or so.....in reflection and focus. I use these special moments to give thanks to at least 10 things....usually the first 10 things that pop into my mind. Be it personal, relationships, family, business, investment, comfort, financial, artistic,...from the minutely simple thoughts to the rather complex ......gosh, they just come flying at me actually. In that special time of reflection, I truly give thanks for what I have and what I have achieved. It is in that vibration of energy that I then allow myself to focus on the direction I intend to take myself, not only for the day, but in the near future. Although I don't always get that far in this process, I never get past the morning without at least giving thanks. Seems like a good week to mention this :)

So, on a similar note, I would like to also give a bit of thanks to all who happen to stumble upon this. For the last couple of years, I have been regularly posting images here on flickr, while in turn uploading to my blog and facebook. I have received comments from all over the world, over 200,000 views, been published a few times, been in 2 books, had my images used in a couple of industry brochures, had a few people ask to use an image on their business card, and for all of that.....I am very thankful! It means alot to me :)

And, as I like to do now and then, a musical journey that inspired the image and the post...

A late night stroll in Paris

A late night stroll in Paris, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

There are a few places in the world that when there, I feel like I am in the center of the world. Europe is one of those places, France in particular, Paris to be exact, ....... and this area seems to be the heart of Paris. (What's with that sentence!)

I've never been much of a painter, but enjoy pretending to be one in the digital world!

Waiting for the right moment in (where was I exactly) Arles, France

Waiting for the right moment in (where was I exactly) Arles, France, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

My travel technique is one often ridiculed by those who don't understand. Actually, i've ridiculed it myself! Ever since my first trip to Europe, my style has been that of the typical American I guess: See as much as possible and at a rapid pace. I actually spent about 4 hours in Venice my first trip there. FOUR HOURS! Jumped on a boat from the train station, headed to St. Marks, walked a few alleys, got back on the train, and bam....off to Florence. Silly, I know...

Fast forward a few years and I'm essentially the same guy, not quite AS bad, but still a bit hyper. All that being said, it was at first quite torturous to wait here for the slowly wandering tourists to clear out of the shot. Its kinda funny, when your waiting...they seem to move slow as molasses, don't they? Appearing to be studying nothing at all, one guy wandered in and out of my camera view for what seemed like hours!

Like a slap in the face, however, my focus changed. What in the hell was I in such a rush for. If I could only slow the pace down a few clips, I might actually be able to let my mind wander a bit and imagine the stories these walls might be able to tell. Almost like a scene from a bedtime story I might have read to my daughter, this place was magical. As I sat down on the cool stones in the corner, I allowed myself to sink into the music on the Ipod while noticing the details in the arches, the texture in the stones, the musty smell of years gone by, .......WOW. Its amazing what we let out minds filter out in the rush of the average day.

I sometimes wonder what value there is in spending so much time behind the lense, until I recall moments like this :)

Details from an industry event

Details from an industry event, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

I finally got around to editing a few images I shot for a great florist that works out of our studio. It was an industry event showcase at a really cool and trendy location in Miami. Yes it was a couple of month ago (notice the use of the word finally), but I finally (there it is again) got a few done and delivered today. Its nice to kind of take yourself out of the comfort zone every now and then to see what you can create. I actually wish that I shot a few more while I was there. I shaved the batch down to about 40 that I liked and did minimal processing. As for now, here is one I shot just before I grabbed a fork and snuck a taste out of the backside of the cake (LOL!)

More to follow soon......

West Palm Beach - Sunset Panorama

West Palm Beach - Sunset Panorama, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Okay, so the world is quite saturated with sunset images.....REALLY saturated, but that still doesn't stop us photogs from chasing this most magical moment of the day. Sometimes its a bust, but on occasion, the sky here in South Florida reveals yet another unique masterpiece. Wow, what can be created with one light!

The Skull Lounge

The Skull Lounge, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Devils night, Halloween, Alls Hallowed Eve, ...... whatever you choose to call it, its a great excuse for a party. This year was of course no exception. My friend Kevin sinks a huge amount of time, creative energy, and focus into this event, and like last year, I was happy to be a part of the magic!

Just around the corner from the "haunt" where guests could be hears throughout the gardens schreaking from the many surprises, the ghosts danced their little ballet over the pond. Backlit smoke effects silhouetted the brick sculpture while creating a backdrop to the moody environment.

An area in the middle of the Garden was appropriately named "The Skull Lounge". Here, the guests could chill out under the stars while listening to a bit on a mix of ambient "Ibiza Chill" tunes. Wildfire black-lights illuminated the spider web decor suspended overhead.

The main stage was the place to be scene as this inaugural party of the Palm Beach Season kicked in. Moving lights, fire projection effects, and dramatic red washes of color helped create the ambiance. If the neighborhood allowed, the energy of this event would have lasted till the weee hours for sure, but instead, the after hours crowd took the party over to Palm Beach!