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  • I barely even know what to say….

    Oh My, Oh My, Oh My…


    What a week this has been…
    I have felt; heroic, idiotic, pained, worried, fearful, excited, freaked out, and
    just a wee bit insane. (And often, I’ve felt all those things at once).

    And just to give you a quick explanation for why I haven’t shared my adventures
    with you until now, here’s a few bullets that should fill you in a bit:

    1. No Internet – Sleeping outside by your car is an adventure, but not so good
    for internet connectivity.

    2. No cell phone – California’s central coast may as well be the Mojave desert
    when it comes to cell signal… Desolation is an under statement.

    3. Oh ya’ and I SANK MY CAR IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
    (Not that it’s a big deal or anything ;)

    Geez.
    What a week.

    All that said, the last thing I want to do is get ahead of myself; so let me back
    things up a bit so I can fill you in on all the excitement from day one.

    ______________________________________________________________

    Day 1: Departure, LA, Tripods and
    Adventures with “Brookies”.

    ______________________________________________________________

    The first day of this adventure began much like any other… With a few
    subtle differences… There was no sleeping in, there was no checking
    of emails and organizing my managers… Nope.

    All there would be for me was hard, hard work.
    I had carpet to install, roof racks to tighten up, new spark plugs, surfboards
    to mount, and more… Oh, and did I mention that I still had yet to pack?
    Haha too much fun to be had.

    Regardless, around 1:00PM I finally made it out the door and on my way,
    enroute up to Laguna Beach, then onward toward the North West.

    I’d planned a quick stop in Laguna to see my “Other Mother” Mary so she
    could ogle the new paint job on the Bug, and I could leave a lens with her.
    She ogled so much that she even inspired ME to shoot a few quick images
    to fulfill my promise to share the new look with you :)

    Looks good doesn’t she?!
    It’s two-tone (obviously), and the red is antique looking with a bit of a burgundy
    flair and a stunning mica flake that really comes alive in the sunlight (I love it!)
    and the white is actually a custom cream color I had created so it wouldn’t be TOO
    white as so many are!

    But any way, back to the story.

    I headed North up the 405 toward LA and then further on to Santa Barbara…
    LONGEST DRIVE EVER! There’s something about not having the ability to
    accelerate that really cuts down on the “fun” of freeway driving; and the fact
    that my Bug’s TOP speed is in the 70MPH range leaves me constantly looking
    in the rearview mirror and praying that people merge in time (oh, and GREATLY
    missing my motorcycles, haha).

    After nearly 4 hours in the car, I finally arrived in Santa Barbara, just in time
    to pick up my new tripod and explore the town a bit.

    My plan was to grab a bite to eat, shoot a couple of photos, and then head
    North to find a place to camp.

    Buuuut then I met this awesome couple who were Brooks Photography School
    students who offhandedly made a comment about my car, and then invited me
    to join them for sushi, and a bit of a night out on the town.

    SO much fun!
    Santa Barbara is certainly an interesting town.

    Around 3:00AM, I finally made it to bed… Right on the side of the road, beside
    the entrance to a State Park. I felt sufficiently adventurous with my choice ;)

    “Camping Allowed”

    (Where I woke up :)

    Day two is where things start to get interesting… And by interesting I mean
    accidently sending my CAR surfing, instead of myself.
    I can’t even begin to express to you the insanity.
    (But I’ll try to here in a bit)

    Talk Soon!

    Eric White Sig

    P.S. Make sure you take a moment to say hello and keep me inspired to
    continue sharing the adventure with you, instead of sleeping off my exhaustion.
    I think it’s worth it, don’t you?

  • I Need An Adventure…

    Surf Trip Time!!

    It’s been a looong time since my last epic adventure…
    (riding my motorcycle to Alaska) And I’ve been thinking that it’s high time
    I get out and experience the world in my own crazy style once again

    I’ve been trying to make time to take a surf trip up the coast ever since I
    bought my latest transportation device… A 1970 Volkswagen Bug.


    My Favorite!

    I never pictured myself in a Bug, but when I needed 4 wheels to get
    around and I grew tired of paying for my rental car (I had it for 9 months, lol)
    I decided to search out old Mini Coopers… And found this instead.

    It’s funny really, but I’ve absolutely fallen in love… It’s a BLAST to drive
    and I’ve literally met NO one who hasn’t cracked a grin riding in it, or even
    watching as I drive by… So much fun!

    After years of throwing WAY too much money at high end vehicles this
    little Bug has stolen my heart in a whole new way.

    It’s in the paint shop now…
    Getting “pretty” before our trip North on Thursday.


    Back to the trip…

    screen-capture


    I leave Thursday… I’m going to Seattle… It will take a week or longer…
    And yes, I’ll be blogging.

    The pictures I captured last time I took these roads were incredible… The people
    I met were amazing, and the time spent on the go was inspirational to say the least.

    If you’re along my path, drop me a comment… I love good food.
    If you’re not, feel free to follow along with me on this journey.
    I can’t wait to share it with you!

    And with that, I’m going to get back to my preparations… Lots to do!

    Eric White Sig


    P.S. I mentioned my teeny little Bug is in the paint shop… Any guesses on the color
    she’ll end up?! Prize for the winner :)

  • I’ve been….

    Slowing Down…

    That’s what I’m learning to do… At least a bit.
    After living my entire life CONSTANTLY on the move,
    rushing from city to city, experience to experience, I’m changing…

    Slowing things down more and more every day, removing some of
    my expectations and needs for rapid development, intense change.

    I’m slowly beginning to understand the beauty of HOME.
    The completion of satisfaction… And the joy of subtle discovery.

    ____________________________________________________


    But hey, you’re here for the pictures, aren’t you?
    Without further ado:

    ____________________________________________________

    As always, I’ve been “up to” a lot…
    Even despite my new, “slower” perspective .

    Last week, I took a quick trip to Colorado to visit with Joel Comm
    to work on his branding a bit, and gather some of his big picture,
    “genius” perspective on my business.

    After a couple of days spent hanging out with Joel and his staff, I set
    off with a very old friend to see his older brother, and then venture
    down to some of my very favorite places in the country…

    On the way to see Dawson‘s brother in Fort Collins we stopped by
    a small reservoir to capture the stunning sunset… It was cold (my
    fingers are still thawing a week and a half later), but TOTALLY worth it!


    Dawson Swan…

    After a triumphant reunion with Travis (Dawson’s older brother)
    and his lovely wife (whom I’d never met.. It’d been 7+ years since
    the last time we’d all been together!), Dawson and I headed South
    toward Evergreen… Aka Paradise.

    Along the way, we took a very different route… One that took us
    high above the city of Denver with a perfect view of the sprawl…
    It was sub-zero with the windchill (40+mph) but it was just too
    gorgeous to pass up shooting a few long exposures.


    More Than A Mile High”



    *Large Version Here*
    [Click that... You'll be glad you did]

    The next morning, I awoke feeling the most intense peace, and pleasure…
    Filled with the precious experience of home, I always experience when I’m
    in Evergreen… Which of course immediately inspired me to start researching
    Real Estate listings in the area… Lord willing, I’ll own some property there
    in the near future :)

    Dawson finally talked me into ending my ecstasy induced MLS and craigslist
    searching, by showing me THIS LINK and promising me a day filled with snow
    storms and incredible photo opportunities. Of course, this California boy was stoked :)

    screen-capture

    The normal travel time from Evergreen to Colorado Springs is
    about 90 minutes… OUR trip took over 6 hours. What follows, explains why…


    Snow… “And Lots of It!”

    I promised Dawson he could play with my lenses and gear…
    I think he fell in love :)

    (He put on a jacket shortly after the previous photo was taken, haha)


    One of my favorites…



    *Large Version Here*


    Winter Wonderland….



    *Large Version Here*


    I’m not sure why I love the last photo so much, but I really… REALLY do.


    Perspective…

    My God IS an Awesome God.


    Alas… The Clouds.

    I wish you could have seen it with us… So breathtaking.

    This next photo is a technical marvel…  297.6 megapixels of stitched, RAW
    amazingness… It nearly killed my computer to stitch and process.

    It took over 5 hours for the computer to catch up with the stitch alone and
    more than 35 gigabytes of cache to complete… Never have I EVER attempted
    something of such magnitude… But as it stands, I can easily print this image
    8′ long or more with absolutely no loss… I can’t wait to try it!! :)

    SO… Here goes… I have a bunch of different tints and feels, but this is the
    fairly “straight” look… As such, I think it has it’s own raw appeal :)


    Incredible.



    *See The Extra Large Version Here*

    As the hours wore on, I captured another massive stitch… And a plethora
    of other beautiful images… But this is long enough for tonight and I have
    other, similarly fabulous adventures to share :)

    I’d love to have you check out Dawson’s photos from the adventure as
    well though, he’s done some incredible work and is really growing his
    style extremely rapidly!

    His blog links are available here:
    Day One - Day Two


    Goodnight all… I have missed you :)

    Eric White Sig

  • I’m An Uncle!!

    Wooooohooo!!

    My older sister just gave birth to a little boy… Sweeeeeeet!!
    No details on the baby yet, except that HE is healthy, and so is my sister!!

    Will update with more later, here’s a few pictures of their family from last week :)


    So darn cute, aren’t they?!?!

  • Epic Tales…

    Of Ballerinas and Road Cones….

    Just got in a few days ago from a weekend trip to Atlanta, GA
    to shoot Jeremy and Liz’s wedding… Shockingly enough, this was
    my 9th weekend on the go with just a few days at home between
    them. It’s been such a crazy summer!!

    I’m home now for a few more days but I’m thinking seriously about
    taking a car trip up the Coast toward Northern Cali, OR one down
    South to Mexico… We shall see!

    In the meantime… (And before I pass out from exhaustion)
    Let me share a few images and a video from this weekend’s shooting.
    It was SUCH a blast! Plus, some of the images I captured I’d have to
    say are certainly in my list of all time favorites.

    I liked them so much in fact, that I made my first EVER video slideshow…
    I think I’ll be making a habit of this… Whaddya say, do you like it?

    Pretty darn cool, eh?!

    And now, the photo highlights for those of you who want to see
    things a bit larger (in no particular order )


    So Happy Together!!

    All Smiles…
    (And ready for her dress!)

    See?
    Told you she was ready….


    And now for her close-up(s)…


    Don’t you just love her pointe shoes?!
    But wait.. Let’s see ‘em in action.

    As you can see, the Church had an awesome parking garage
    attached… AND it had reasonably good light that was just begging
    for a little contrast / off camera flash work…



    A Bride with Attitude…

    Doesn’t she just look so stinkin’ saucy?!
    (She really is a bit of a sharp one It’s awesome!)

    As I looked around the garage we tried to find a few cool props
    that might make for an interesting shot… We found ‘em, though
    they came with their own complications


    Push!

    The golf cart… I had this great, crazy shot in mind, but ya’ see…
    The Church was smart enough to pull the keys out of the carts
    before they parked them, leaving our wedding party to push it up
    the slope… (Luckily, they’re all incredibly good sports, haha!)

    And this is what came of it…

    Other fun props…
    “Dunces?”

    I absolutely love Andrew (the groomsman on the far left)’s expression…
    Priceless!

    Of course the girls loved the Groom as much as the guys liked the Bride:



    *Time And Location Swap = Over*
    And yet, a few of them got this wild idea that it might be “cool”
    to climb on the wires (in their high heels) – Who ever could have
    given them THAT thought?!

    See it Larger.

    *Time Shift*
    The best man happened to be the Groom’s brother… Summarily:


    “Brothers and Sisters – Husbands and Wives”

    Pretty cool, eh?

    Of course, I shot a bunch of headshots for everyone involved,
    hmm let me pick a few:

     

    Purty (and wonderful) people!


    *Time And Location Jump*
    The reception was held in a beautiful little art gallery in Marietta, GA.
    Was a perfect venue for this crowd too

    We had lots of fun
    “Peanut Butter Jelly!”


    Departure:


    “Oh ya’ the rings”

    And this was the first time I’ve ever been asked to shoot the Groom
    carrying his new Bride across their threshold… Was a cool shot, and
    well worth chasing the limo into Atlanta I think

    (But then, I just love the mirror!)

    And that’s all for now folks….
    Could really use your prayers for Wisdom, endurance, love, hope and kindness
    in my life right now… How can I be praying for you?


    P.S. Alright… Fess up… Which was your favorite photo?!

  • Man Oh Man…

    You’re Missing Out!!


    Unless you’re already subscribed to my BlueShoePhoto
    site… I’ve been posting there lately, and I plan to post there
    even MORE often in the near future.

    Eventually, I may merge the two sites… But for now, I just
    encourage you to take a look right away… I just posted a
    bunch of BRAND NEW photos over there and I’m certain
    you’ll enjoy ‘em!

  • So Here’s The Deal:

    What I’ve Been Up To…
    (this week)

    Sunday, I promised my readers over at BlueShoePhoto a post…
    A real one this time, and one that would reveal all the mysterious
    tales behind this photo:

    And, well… here goes nothing

    Since my last post, life has been a bit of a blur…
    I’ve taken up surfing, and golf, as well as traveling coast to coast… Twice.

    See, since July of last year I’ve dabbled in currency trading to augment my
    other investing and since the beginning of the year and the wild swings of
    the markets I’ve been putting more and more of my time into it. Why should
    this matter?

    Well, one of my best friends and mentors is a full time currency trader, and
    he lives here in Sarasota, FL with his wonderful family so I’ve been doing
    all I can to soak as much market knowledge as I can into my lil’ old brain…
    Not just once in the past two months, but twice!

    It’s been a blast, I must admit… Golfing, playing poker, taking photos, and
    trading like a mad man… Quite a time!

    But… all this is only a prologue to the tale I must relate to you next.

    Some of you know of my “past life” as I call it.
    Growing up, all I really cared about were airplanes, flying, and doing
    whatever it took to get my head back in the clouds.

    I guess it makes sense, really… After all, I AM a third generation pilot, and
    I grew up living 100 yards from a little airfield… But I must admit, I took it
    to an extreme there for about 5 years… I lived flying. I sold airplanes, I became
    an instructor pilot, I started test flying, I flew skydivers… I even built planes.

    It was a rush!

    But then, somewhat tragically (but obviously within God’s will) I got in an
    accident that took my mind of flying for the past 4 years and left me with a
    broken back… Of course that opened the door to building my photography
    business, motorcycles, marketing and even more traveling. But in my heart?
    I REALLY miss flying

    That’s why I was ecstatic when I heard that I’d be back in Florida in time for
    the annual Sun-N-Fun fly in… See, this event for YEARS was my favorite
    time of the year. A full week of flying, selling, and hanging around thousands
    of airplanes and tens of thousands of pilots… Way cool!

    Luckily, I was able to talk my cousin into flying down to Sarasota to pick me
    up for a day or two, it sure felt nice to be calling “my” private plane

    A short while later, we arrived back at my family’s place in Lake Wales
    and the festivities for their annual Pilot’s bbq had already begun… Nearly
    a dozen antique aircraft roared around the pattern, several of them giving
    rides, and a few biplanes could be seen off in the distance practicing their
    aerobatic routines.

    So, without further ado… Here are a few of my more favorite photos from
    my 48 hour caper


    Break Away….

    Upon entering the pattern over the Chalet, my Uncle joined up with
    us in his aerobatic Pitts Special for a few moments before breaking
    away for a bit more fun.


    Another…

    Almost looks fake, doesn’t it?
    I LOVE the clouds in Florida


    Cousin “It”…

    My cousin Audra was excited to see me, lol.
    She’s actually moving to New Zealand this next week, she’ll be
    stopping by California for a few days to visit with Bri and I


    “Jr’s First Airplane Ride”

    Did I mention the rides they were giving?
    Each year they become a bit more of an attraction… As this little one
    can soon attest too, getting their first ride in a friend’s ’46 Cub.


    In The Family…

    35 years ago, my Uncle had his very first solo flight in the
    exact same Cessna 140 you see above. About ten years ago
    he found it stashed in someone’s barn. A whole heck of a lot
    of work later and you get to see his son flying it like mad!


    And Your Point Is?

    Talk about a priceless expression to go with that shirt, eh?


    Priceless….

    There’s nothing like a 70 year old airplane taking a young person
    on the ride of their life [Check this one out LARGER, it's lovely!]

    Then, I got to shoot a few quick portraits of some beautiful friends…
    They’re so stinkin’ cute together


    But now it’s time to…


    Wrap Up…

    The flying for the day… Tomorrow’s going to be a long one….
    (And the next day is even BETTER – Here’s a little preview )


    Topsy Turvy….

     

    See You Here Again Soon?



    P.S. I’m traveling tomorrow, but I’d love to know which photo
    was your favorite… Fill me in!!

  • A Bit of A Random…

    Photoblog…

    Lately, I’ve been editing a TON of old photos… Some older than
    others, to be sure but bunches of shots none-the-less.

    And now, as it’s getting late at night, and I’ve already lost this post
    to Xanga’s evil monsters once and I’m running a bit low on the energy
    I’d need to combat them after writing another epic length post, lol.

    “Hunter Museum of Art”


    Taken during one of my trips back to Tennessee
    sometime around August or September

    You simply HAVE to see this one Larger!



    Insane Graffiti”



    Or perhaps something a bit more risque?

    Insane eh? Haha





    Christmas with the Farewells….

    (And the rest of our family… Caroling!)
    We’ve had this ongoing tradition for as long as I can
    remember, dinner with the extended family at the Chalet
    then a march all the way through the dining room with the
    entire family in tow, singing at the top of our lungs!!



    My lovely Aunt and Cousin (From Christmas Eve also)




    Bri finally made it!

    After an incredibly difficult journey Bri arrived two days
    after Christmas to meet my folks… I dare say they loved her



    “A Perfect Ten”

    Shot this one and the next at a friend’s engagement party



    Emilie…

    Has absolutely incredible eyes, and just so happens to
    be the Groom’s sister





    And Bri loves water “almost” as much as I do.

    Okay, lets jump around a bit.



    Sarasota, FL



    Lunch & cigar time!


    With one of my finance mentors

    And then?

    Chattanooga, TN



    Off to Atlanta… With snow!

    Out of order, but:

    St. Augustine, FL

    And that’s all for tonight
    Hopefully more to come very, very soon!

    Let me know if I can be praying for you…
    I haven’t asked in a while, but I’d be blessed if I can.

    What Was Your Favorite Photo?

    ________________________________________________________


    Attention Brides!
    As of today, I only have 6 more spots left for the 2008 wedding season.
    And only three left at my current rates. After that, I will have 3 additional
    spots but rates will be raised to a new $6,000 minimum.

    All complete packages include a wedding album, second photographer,
    engagement session and a carefully created slideshow.

    You can inquire by sending me an email: Eric [at] BlueShoePhotography.com
    Or giving me a call directly! 423-227-0070

  • Eric Buys A 5D…

    And LOVES It!!

    So, way back in December I got a wild hair and finally bought
    myself a Canon 5D. I’d been searching for months and finally found
    “the one”. It’s owner put it on a plane with a flight attendant the next
    day and a few hours later I picked it up at Long Beach airport

    Of course, as you might imagine… This is far from my first camera,
    in fact it’s the fifth in my current stable!! (You might even call me
    a bit of an addict, haha) But… Outside of film this was my first FF
    camera and I must admit, I’m an addict.

    The depth of field is incredible, here… Let me show you a few photos
    from my very first day with it


    “First Shot”

    This is also a first look at my new digs here in Laguna…
    You’re looking out the window from my little office desk
    and over all my Pre-Christmas trash if you stare REALLY
    hard in the top left corner of the “view” you can see the ocean
    about a block and a half away

    I met Matt and Mary downtown for a quick shoot which
    turned into a rather full evening quite rapidly!


    Greenpeace?

    I think Matt might have even signed up.

    I also bought a new surf kayak…

    But no, that’s not me… Haha.

    Did I mention the depth this camera offers??

    70-200 Shot @ F2.8… Not even a prime!

    Mary liked the fact that I could now let her use my 30D…


    Got to Love the Chrismas Season

    And then I got to capture Matt doing what he does best… You have
    to see his last posts with the images from this shoot!


    “Pink Sunday”
    (Thanks to Scott for the action!)

    He’s totally in his element there.

    The moon rose just before sunset, and it was beautiful!

    And then…. My first crazy sunset shoot with the 5D

    And that’s all for today folks…
    The whole point is that I like my new 5D very much…
    Though I cannot WAIT for an update, I NEED better AF sensors!

  • What If…

     
    ….I Posted (Practically) Everyday?

    Would life as we know it cease to exist?
    Would Ron Paul win the election? (I wish)
    Would your head explode from frequent viewings of my photos?

    Let’s find out, whaddya say?


    Yes?


    Announcing my new “daily” blog… BlueShoePhoto

    A place for me to avoid posts of epic length, and the 5-6 month
    delay so commonly associated with my posts here… Not to mention
    all the quirky comments, stories, and thoughts I’d never even think to
    post before

    So… Go Subscribe!!

    I’ll keep posting here of course, this one’s just for more rapid sharing
    of my photos and tales!



    Can’t wait to see you there