I got a learn to solder kit for Christmas.  My 6 and 8 year old both learned a little about soldering and we finished in about an hour.

This open hands pose is one of my favorite of the day spent with this young model. 

This card is specifically for my Cub Scout photography marketing.  This is the second in my series and has the same back as the first.  I’m printing on Avery 8859, but haven’t managed to get one perfectly lined up yet!  I’m going to have to download and use the template rather than measure with a ruler and create in Photoshop!

Here’s the back… still working on getting www.PhotoConstrux.com up and running for the launch of this promotion!  Got to get busy in my free time!

I’m starting to build the campaign for a fundraiser for Cub Scout & Pinewood Derby Photography.  I’m not ready to reveal the promotion or how much the packs will receive, just yet.  But I got my first business card layout complete.  I’m planning on 10 (that’s right 10) different designs to test my layout and stock photography capabilities. 

Always, looking for feedback, so feel free to leave in comments or email me directly.

Some days you wake up and feel like a rare spring flower.

Other days you wake up looking like a wart hog.

I really need to today to be a flower instead of wart day.

(Both images taken at the Kansas City Zoo.  I have no clue what the flowering tree above is, but the battle axe below reminds me of way too many people I know)

The plan was to ramp up the Photo Construx site and start to draw clients into my world… particularly paying clients.  Instead a little bit of life has occurred.  Let’s just say my software development management position is becoming more demanding and I needed to focus all of my attention on a special contract worth many millions of dollars.  In my remorseful mood, I’m making a small effort to draw my lost momentum (and web traffic) by submitting to PhotoBlog entities.

One in particular, I Love Photo Blogs, asked me how I described me and my blog.  I thought for a grand total of 4 minutes and came up with the following two sentences, that I particularly like:

I'm a software development manager with a knack for design whose stepped into the world of photography for a brief second or two.  My photo blog reeks of an eclectic scrambled egg of photographic genres.

The brief second or two isn’t quite accurate as I’ve now owned a DSLR for the last 5 years and have shot about 45,000 images.

Every post should have an image if you’re running a Photo Blog (yes, yes I know my early posts don’t all have one).  Below is one of the African Masks attached to the Rafiki Restaurant at the Kansas City Zoo.  Next time I’ll focus on the leading eye with that 50mm, but this time you’ll have to settle for sharply focused blue mouth full of teeth.

Strawberry the Turtle was found in our backyard while hunting insects for a science project.
She is an Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornate) with the capability to win the hearts of children everywhere.  Two in particular really hope she has many children of her own.

There is one composite photo (made of two photos) and one with a cold tone applied to grab the nostalgic effect.  Re-using the layout created late last night to give just a little more flexibility, further demonstrates the the capabilities of the color scheme and ability to position more photographs in the 8.5 x 11 format.

Having a couple extra days off from a normally 24x7 job has inspired my creative juices in the photography arena.  The best part about my photo adventures is including the family and this adventure was no exception.  The Kansas City Zoo has a variety of animals keeping most kids entertained while the family photographer can click away. 

I mocked up a promo sheet with 4 of the pictures I waited for the perfect moment to snap.  The Hippo was by far the hardest to expose successfully, while just good luck got the aquarium shot (technically it’s the polar bear exhibit).  I would envision this project to be built out with individual Zoo Keeper information and bios.  Perhaps only including the animals they tend for and incorporating the actual signature of the keeper on the promo sheet.

This is more for me so I remember to widen the light on fit & trim models.

I knew the day would come, but didn’t think it would be so soon.  It’s also the first fish he’s caught with an artificial lure all on his own!

I really didn’t care that I didn’t catch a thing afterwards.  Really.