Airport Stuckage.

On my way to Newark, NJ at the moment to meet up with American Idols, Marc Climie & Zack Arias. I am currently stuck in the Charlotte, NC airport. I still hope to make it to NJ by 1:30 so we can hit up NYC as soon as possible. The weather is fresh and I'm starting to wake up. Day 1 is good.

The Big News.

So, I'm still in disbelief; Two years of non-stop work, many emotions, a lot of life changing circumstances all finally came together. I won Best Portfolio 2009 for my photography program at Gwinnett Tech. It was hard but nothing felt more natural as far as work goes. It's so hard to express how I feel in writing or speaking. Christ has been extremely patient and gracious with me and has gotten me through so much the past two years and to be given this is just too much. There are a classroom of 23 other students deserving of this honor and to say I did it without all of them would be a lie. All my classmates (all linked to the right) helped me in some way along the way which is why I am so grateful for this experience that I might not would have had at any other school (special thanks to classmate Jessica Elliott for being an amazing partner for the past two years!). My teachers (Mrs. Harkins, Ms. Finch, Mrs. Kathy, John, D.Jones, and Claudia (oh and can't forget Ms. Hwang! haha))are the sickest, they helped me in and outside of school and their honesty, although it can be extremely hard to hear, has helped mold me into way more than the lil "photographer" who walked in two years ago. I'm definitely not trying to write some speech, just give credit where credit is due, because also, my Family and Friends have supported me all the way through and without all of these components of love in my life, I know I wouldn't be close to the person I am and receiving this honor wouldn't be as sweet. I'm just so dang stoked about this and also for all my classmates for making it through, giving it their all, and caring for one another the whole way through. Gwinnett Tech's Photography Program is one of the most radical experiences.

This video was put together by my friend and 2008 GTC graduate Danielle Millwood! She's a great friend, not only snapped some funny shots of yours truly on the announcement day, but also brought me some fortune cookies, balloons, bubblicious bubble gum, and ALSO a freakin Steak lunch! She is sooo dang dope! And excuse the random-ness of the video... :)

In other frackin' sweet news, I'll be heading to New Jersey/New York City with Marc Climie and Zack Arias to assist in a big ol' Indian Wedding and a few shoots around the Big Apple. We're heading out Wednesday and get back Monday in time to finish up last minute Portfolio Show business, HAVE HEART'S LAST SHOW IN ATLANTA!!!, and the big Show day on Saturday. Be there or be extremely lame, or bored, cause everyone's gonna be there, eatin fine food and drinkin Coca-cola... at least I will.

Help-Portrait: By Jeremy Cowart

Heck yeah! www.help-portrait.com

Portfolio JUDGEMENT DAY!

Today was the beginning of the Judging of our Portfolios. It was nerve racking, exciting, fun, tiring, and also illuminating. Illuminating in the sense that I have had a great time at Gwinnett Tech for the most part. I have gotten to know some really great photographers and made good friends. I have never been a good student and I hated school most of my life, but for once I will miss a school. Not the work of course haha, but constantly seeing good people and watching them grow as photographers and just as people. I know it won't be the same after school, but it's a good thing because the new "chapter" of our lives is going to be one of the hardest but the most rewarding as we set off to be true professionals at a profession that takes great knowledge and talent. Stoked!

A few other things, Marc Climie and Zack Arias were judging today which is exciting in itself. Because of Zack's tweet about JUDGEMENT DAY, our Program's Blog has reached, as of this minute, 1,037 views and STILL rising just about every minute. I made a new header for it because I honestly didn't like the last one. The GTC Photography Website is now up. And last but not least, a big thanks to every single person who helped me out, whether it was a place to stay (Josh), book issues (Jessica), keeping me on track, or just plain encouragement (I feel like I'm accepting an award, but I really just feel a thanks is needed, and you could look at this whole thing as... an awarding experience! haha). For real, the respect and joy I have for my teachers, classmates, friends, and family is just brimming at the moment. So to some up this entry, go to our Portfolio Show September 12th, 6:30-9:30PM at the Art Station (www.artstation.com) at Stone Mountain. Whoop!

Ninety Four Promos.

So I was really stoked when the guys from Ninety Four called me up about doing a shoot for them. Music photography is where I got my start in the photography world so I always sort of feel at home when I get out to help promote these guys with what they love doing. I love music and enjoy playing it, since I don't think I would ever make it as a musician this is just another alternative to always be apart of it, besides jammin whenever I get the chance ;). The guys were awesome and the shoot went great. I look forward to working with all the guys again in the future. Check out some of the shots on the Flickr. Also, big thanks to Danielle from Ella Rue Photography for helping me out with keeping the shoot flowing.

Two Years at Climie + Co.

Huge deal at Climie + Co with the coming together of the past two years of images in a "best of book" that Marc will have displayed with the Atlanta Branch of the Bridal Bar. Check out his blog post here.

"As photographers, we have to be very self-critical if we are to grow visually. We have to stand by our decisions, even when others disagree, that an image really is worthy of being presented. At the same time, we also have to know when we like an images for reasons other than that they stand on their own, and we have to cut them out, get rid of them. It’s an extremely difficult process, but one that teaches you a lot about yourself and your craft." -Marc

Great Shoot with Whitney Jetton.

So yeah, yesterday I had a great shoot with my good friend Whitney Jetton. We had a great time and I'm stoked about the results. I posted a few on my Flickr so check them all out, tell me what you think. I tried out some new techniques and again, I really liked the results. I will be shooting with Whitney again soon because we did not get to shoot everything we thought we could so yeah, you'll see her up here again soon.

A short story from the day: So the location above is an abandoned school that I shot at almost 5 years ago. I have always wanted to go back on account that I am a lil' better now and it is a perfect location (we only shot on one wing of the building). So anyways, we headed out and I said I wanted to take a chance to see if I could even find the location, not even believing it was still in tact... well who somehow remembered how to get right back to the same spot only to find that the school was still there and more abandoned than ever! So yeah, needless to say, it was a great day of shooting.

Up and Down Cycles.

One minute I am swamped, the next I am trying to find something to do. Half because my shoots keep falling through and I have to prepare myself for the weekend, which requires slow and thought out plans. I have a wedding all day on Saturday out in Alabama, first out of state wedding and the location is said to be very nice. Anyways, the photo above is one I took of Augusta back in the Fall of 2008. I wanted to go back and tweak the original and ended up finding this one, liked it a lot, and decided to edit this one as well.

Textures n' Such.

So yeah, I was not able to shoot much this past week so I felt like PSing the crap out of some photos and trying out textures. This one has more of an album art feel, so for you bands who are looking for album art design, I do enjoy it! But really I just decided to have some fun, nothing great. I took her face off, why? I don't know, because my friend Rebekah has a gorgeous grill but let's just call it, "all for the sake of art". It's not the best "face lift", could use some work, but I'm done for now. There is another one up on my Flickr.

Who can name the song reference?

Karl Wedding on www.brian-hall.net.

Check out www.brian-hall.net for more on the Justin and Alana's Wedding.

Also check out my Flickr for more photos.

The Summer and Rebekah Joiner.

Ahhhh DUDE! I am so not ready for this summer "vacation" to end. It has been so amazing and even though, yes, I am exited about finishing school, I just want to have a little more time to keep what the last 3 weeks have held. I didn't shoot as much as I would have liked, but I was able to ENJOY so much more of this summer than I could have imagined. I'll still stay true to the summer and still have long nights and days swimming, it'll just be a little more busy with Portfolio coming. No worries though, I'm stoked to be going into this quarter with joy and peace.

Also, I did shoot, so here is one of my most recent shots of my good friend Rebekah Joiner. She has to be one of my favorite subjects of all time at the moment, not only is she outrageously beautiful (no make up, no retouching of the skin, etc.), she is also an amazingly sweet person, no matter what she says. You will see more of her once she gets herself back from South Africa while helping with the missions organization called Luo. Check out my Flickr for more photos of her and my two other friends Allen Mitchum and Ark Zaydman.

The River 2009!

Yesterday, I spent all day with my friends from Forsyth at the river at Roswell Mill. It was one of the best days of the summer so far. I am hoping to have many more days like it this this summer even though school will be crazy. Amber, Ark, Rebekah, Adam, Thomas, Allen, and Whitney are good friends and made this weekend. I'm stoked to see what this week will bring. Go to my Flickr to see some of the photos from the day.