Friday, September 1, 2017

Summer's End

Summer's End

So even though I was happy to see the kid get on the bus for her first day of Fourth Grade I can't help but also feel a little melancholy. She's growing up so quickly. I know she'll be an adult with her own life in what'll seem like a blink of the eye. This past summer though, she was still my "kid." While her sense of self and her humor are maturing, she was still young enough to think she could chase down fish and catch them with her bare hands.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Last Few Days of Summer

Last Few Days of Summer

With the kid's summer vacation winding down to it's last couple of days I wanted to make today special. It'd been a rainy start to our week but today the sun came out! After lunch we loaded up the Jeep and went to Governor Dodge State Park. We took the back roads all the way there, so we had time to just talk and have fun. We canoed to a small beach where she ran around with a big group of children for a while, and then the two of us played. canoeing back we did some bird watching, drifting up very close to a Great Blue Heron. We capped the day off with takeout lo mein and a samurai movie. Tomorrow is the very LAST day of summer! Thankfully my wife will also be coming home at the end of the day as she's been in Canada for a while.

#driftlessregion #driftless #driftlessarea #wisconsin #wisconsinparks #wisconsinlife #discoverwisconsin #thedriftless #driftlessart #wisconsinphotographer #travelwisconsin #canoe #canoeing #radissoncanoe #Sportspal #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #naturelover #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #outdoorsy #outdoors #nature_perfection #getoutdoors

Warmup Throws

Warmup Throws

Here's another photo from this past Sunday of my BJJ instructor Thales Blaso warming up for sparring with his Judo partner Jeff Lee. After an hour of watching them I had to head home. My kid was with me and she'd spent the night at a friend's so was very tired and hungry. As I went to leave I mentioned to them that I'd really like to learn Judo. Jeff then invited me to come out on the mats, with me in my street clothes, and he'd begin right then. So on one hand I had a hungry kid ready to go home, on the other a chance to learn from an expert. (In other words; a chance to get tossed around while wearing jeans.) As I stepped onto the mat I was still trying to decide if this was a "good idea." Thankfully Thales kept me on track and pointed out I had to leave and there'd be another time for me to get slammed around.The next time I go photograph him training I'm leaving the kid at home and taking my gi!

#bjj #bjj4life #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsulifestyle #jiujitsu #graciejiujitsu #martialarts #grappling #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #fitness #gym #fighttraining #Selfdefense #bjjtraining #martialartslife #fitnessjourney #artesuave #oss #mma #graciejj #bjjmadison #bjjwisconsin #riseup #riseupmartialarts #judo #judoka #judolife #judomotivation

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Languid Beauty

Languid Beauty

Before moving to Wisconsin I had spent a few years working with the belly dancing community in Pittsburgh. The graceful, artistic movements combined with colorful, flowing costuming and often very comely dancers inspired me and helped shape how I photograph an wide array of subjects to this day. I've respect for how much work and attention to minute detail these performers often put into their craft. Capturing them is one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. At Pennsic this year I happened to be camped with one of my favorite dancers of all time, namely Samira Shuruk . Late one morning we worked together for a bit in Casa Bardicci, an amazingly detailed set piece recreating an Italian villa along the lake shore. After years of not shooting dancers it was truly a thrill to once again do so. So, an amazing set. An amazingly talented and beautiful dancer. All the right gear for the job and an open morning to just relax and enjoy "doing my thing." Pennsic was awesome!

#Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #Pennsic46 #sca #bellydancesuperstars #the_bellydancer #medieval #medievalreenactment #societyofcreativeanachronism #vladspleasurepavilion #bellydance #bellydancer #scadance #middleeasterndance #dancephotography #italianvilla #casabardicci #veildance #lovebellydance #love_bellydance #bellydancing #dance #dancing #dancer #oriental #orientaldance #perfomance #passion #bellydancestars

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Elite Sparring

Elite Sparring

Today I had a rare treat. I go to go do a little casual photography of my BJJ coach Thales Blaso and Jeff Lee training together. It was great to be able to watch two very skilled martial artists. No egos. No prideful boasting. No fluff. Just technical skill, patience and guile in a display of friendly sparring. It was truly inspiring.

#bjj #bjj4life #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsulifestyle #jiujitsu #graciejiujitsu #martialarts #grappling #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #fitness #gym #fighttraining #Selfdefense #bjjtraining #martialartslife #fitnessjourney #artesuave #oss #mma #graciejj #bjjmadison #bjjwisconsin #riseup #riseupmartialarts #judo #judoka #judolife #judomotivation

Saturday, August 26, 2017

The Garden of Earthly Delights

​​The Garden of Earthly Delights

Camping at Vlad's Pleasure Pavilion has to be one of the more unique experiences I've enjoyed. This year was their 30th anniversary as a themed camping group. Their device was a stylized "XXX" with their bat symbol emblazoned above. (It figures I'd camp under the sign of the Bat!) Now if you have ever camped at Pennsic you'll have heard of Vlad's late night "shenanigans." (I can't speak to any of that. I kept me eyes closed.) All during the first week of the two week event the camp operates as the defacto place to stop by while out and about. For me, on the couple of nights I was actually on site that first week, this meant I never had to go looking for my friends as most of them would likely walk through the "front of the house." What I mean by FOH is in the way it's used in the entertainment/club sector. Basically Vlad's is set up as an "open camp" out front, with living quarters to the rear and cut off from the front. There's a giant "U" shaped space which is anchored at one end by a beer tent/bar, a stage complete with wings, carefully arraigned pavilions with open seating under awnings, all of which are meticulously decorated, and wraps around the open area. There's a giant fire-pit that languid dancers take advantage of while rhythmic drumming charges the pulsing energy of the night. For me though the true treat as an artist is that I am camped with many other artists. This year they culminated the fun of the first week with a three part performance playing out their interpretation of the famous 15th Century triptych, "The Garden of Earthly Delights" painted by Hieronymus Bosch. It was a three stage, multi act performance that was a blend of burlesque, tribal fusion, burner rave, traditional belly dance, all accompanied by a talented group of live musicians. I'd watched them plan out the acts, choreograph the dances and figure out the timing. Being around such a pool of talent and artistic vision was truly something I'll always treasure. So, not only do I not have to go anywhere in order to see my friends, I don't have to go anywhere to find artistic inspiration. @mercurial_creation @rosalieash88 @dj_cosmo @hakandances @reverandmother @Bagoasdances

#Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #Pennsic46 #sca #vlads #reenachtment #medieval #medievalreenactment #societyofcreativeanachronism #vladspleasurepavilion #gardenofearthlydelights #fireperformance #fireperformer #pyrography #firebreathing #fireflow #cooperslake #cooperslakecampground #travelpa #explorepa #burlesque #burlesquedancer #burlesqueshow #burlesquelife #juliadiverdi

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

After the Storm

After the Storm

The lake at Pennsic a few hours after a small group of scattered thunder storms rolled through. One of the things you can count on in early August in western PA are scattered storms that can brew up quickly, soak you really well, and then clear out. You'll find out right away if you've set up your tent in a drainage area, as well as how well you've staked down your tent. If you've set up a big piece of canvas and it's not taught enough great bags of suspended water form, sometimes bringing the whole mess down. On the plus side sometimes these storms cool things down. This one brought in a perfect, cooler, less humid evening.

#Pennsic #Pennsicwar #Pennsicwar46 #Pennsic46 #sca #pennsiciscoming #reenachtment #medieval #medievalreenactment #societyofcreativeanachronism #cooperslake #cooperslakecampground #naturalpennsylvania #outdoorlife #getoutside #liveoutdoors #getoutstayout #getoutthere #lifeoutdoors #optoutside #loveoutdoors #scenicpa #travelpa #explorepa #theoutbound #ventureout #in2nature #thegreatoutdoors #naturewalk #getoutdoors