In the shot above you see day three of a Chicken’s life, all six weeks of it.  I will be shooting once each week for the six week cycle.  A documentary of sorts.  As I was once a farmer myself I find the process quite interesting.  There is a lot of science involved to produce the optimum chicken.  They are raised on a schedule that produces the best meat possible, and to the contrary of what people think, no steroids are involved  at all, just optimum nutrition and breeding.  So I should have a new photo each week so everyone can see the progress.

Just returned from a short trip to Mexico.  My first time to Cancun, it is amazing  how many resorts are there, as far as the eye can see.  They are hurting big since the over-hyped flu scare.  Many resorts are closed and  or consolidated while the occupancy rate remains low at around 20%.  Right now deals can be had big time on the travel sites.  While there I took a few “art” shots for future use.  I made two dives and while the reefs are not the best I was surprised at the abundance of fish life.

While Brooke didn’t win the overall in the Rodeo Queen contest she did win Miss Congeniality.  This out take shot  above alludes to her personality, no one would know that she was feeling quite poorly during the shoot.  I myself didn’t know till the shoot was half over.  Such a sweet girl.  So congratulations for the win, and there is always next year for the overall.

Congratulations  are in order for Ellery as she is now a member of the Bridge Street Teen Board.  She will be participating in fashion shows,  charity events, etc .  She has been a busy young lady recently as she went to Nashville and shot model promos with Beth Boldt a well know fashion model/photographer/agent.  Not bad at all.

I am pleased to announce that a new website just for wedding and event photography is forthcoming.  I have teamed with my friend and fellow photographer TammiG to form Gates & Hardison.  A link with be issued  when we get a bit further along with it.  This site will house much of the work we both collaborate on, which seems to be most of it anyway.  It is a buy directly from site and takes all the major cards just like my site does now.  It will be in a continual state of flux for a while till we get it where we want it.  Stay tuned.

In the photo above we see the Newby’s celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.  To me that is amazing on so many levels.  They both are getting around quite well still and I hope to see them on their 75th.  With two sons and one daughter, their children, then their children and then the great grandchildren their legacy lives on.

While not the best of shots technically (thirty minutes to set up and shoot all the families) never the less history has been recorded, and this moment is captured, and memories are preserved.

Congratulations to Jackie and Cody pictured above.  They were married this past Saturday evening in an outdoor setting just outside of Birmingham at the Carraway-Davie house.  TammiG was the main shooter while I did the technical side, although this shot is one of the few I shot of the actual wedding.  A long six hour ordeal.  Now on to the editing of the shots.