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The Self-Portrait Project | March 2010

Technically, March’s installment of my self-portrait project was taken two days into April (taken with my iPhone). But the significance of this portrait is so meaningful that I had to include it in the project as soon as I could.

My family is one of the most important things in my life—nothing comes before them. They are the reason I wake with a smile on my face every morning and the reason I feel blessed beyond what I deserve. They make me strive to be the best leader, husband, daddy and role model I can be. And I love them for that.

On Good Friday I took my family on a morning hike at Glacial Park. It was a bit windy and gray, but we had a great time anyway. My little boy loved riding in the backpack and made sure all the squirrels and birds knew we were friendly by waving to them.

That simple hike with my family made me feel rich in a way money could never match. Like nothing could be better than spending time together as a family. And, truthfully, nothing could be.

Self-Portraits for Stock

When I have time to play in the studio, I often end up on the front side of the camera in the name of practicing new lighting techniques or using new modifiers. Sometimes those photos end up in my stock portfolio, sometimes I just like to laugh at them.

I recently grew a sweet beard and then, after sporting that for awhile, I shaved down to a mustache. Both styles were worthy of documentation, as you can see. The photos will likely make their way to my stock portfolio, because, well, who wouldn’t want portraits of someone with such sweet facial hair? Here are a few from the set.

Tech stuff: the first image and black and whites were lit with a beauty dish slightly at camera right, strip box behind me and to the side on camera left. The ‘stache pics were lit with a single overhead softbox. Also, the two bottom pics were processed using X-Equals Cold Storage preset Polaroid 669 Warm Curve in Lightroom 2 and then tweaking it for a unique look.

Paperweight

This used to be my favorite lens. At the f/2.8 end it was super-crisp and could focus within a foot and a half of my subject. But it’s a paperweight now. Because I was moving too fast and didn’t check to make sure my camera was secured on my tripod. I walked away. It fell off. The lens snapped in two.

Canon no longer repairs the 28-70mm because it was replaced by the 24-70mm a few years ago. Which means I have a $1,200 paperweight. So a word to all you photographers, amateur and pro: slow down and be sure your gear is secured when you walk away.