View allAll Photos Tagged Engaged
They are such an awesome couple! I am proud to say I will be shooting their wedding next may and I couldn't be more excited <3
SETUP:
Canon 7D
50mm f/1.4
Natural Light
“Molto semplicemente loro due insieme funzionavano. [...] Ma come gli alcolisti dopo un periodo di astinenza sono attratti dagli spacci di alcolici, loro due ritornavano sempre l'uno dall'altra per averne ancora.”
da Millenium - Stieg Larson
We had one shoot with four extremely shy cats yesterday morning, then a sit down with this lovely couple who will get married in September. In the evening we took them to a pretty place to take their engagement photos. It was one busy weekend!
Every winter well over 100 Bald Eagles gather at Conowingo Dam, along the lower Susquehanna River in northern Maryland to feast on fish which are sucked through the giant turbines as this dam generates electricity for the Baltimore area.
A bald eagle dives toward a glint of silver in the Susquehanna River. It leans back, spreads its wings like a drag chute and snatches a wriggling fish from the water. With a few flaps of its massive wings, the eagle is high in the air again, but not high enough to avoid being dive-bombed by another hungry eagle. Startled, the first eagle drops the fish which, just before hitting the water’s surface, is snatched by a third eagle, which lands in a nearby tree and gulps down its lunch.
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, not all of which are closely related. Most of the 60 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—2 in North America, 9 in Central and South America, and 3 in Australia.
Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle (Aquila pennata), which is comparable in size to a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) or red-tailed hawk (B. jamaicensis), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. The smallest species of eagle is the South Nicobar serpent eagle (Spilornis klossi), at 450 g (0.99 lb) and 40 cm (16 in). The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large, hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the martial eagle, whose eye is more than twice as long as a human eye, has a visual acuity 3.0 to 3.6 times that of humans. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male.
Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be a female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing.
Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. The type of prey varies by genus. The Haliaeetus and Ichthyophaga eagles prefer to capture fish, though the species in the former often capture various animals, especially other water birds, and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera Circaetus, Terathopius, and Spilornis predominantly prey on the great diversity of snakes found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The eagles of the genus Aquila are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized vertebrate they can catch. Where Aquila eagles are absent, other eagles, such as the buteonine black-chested buzzard-eagle of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus Spizaetus, live predominantly in woodlands and forest. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. Hunting techniques differ among the species and genera, with some individual eagles having engaged in quite varied techniques based their environment and prey at any given time. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it, so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart.
The bald eagle is noted for having flown with the heaviest load verified to be carried by any flying bird, since one eagle flew with a 6.8 kg (15 lb) mule deer fawn. However, a few eagles may target prey considerably heavier than themselves; such prey is too heavy to fly with, thus it is either eaten at the site of the kill or taken in pieces back to a perch or nest. Golden and crowned eagles have killed ungulates weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb) and a martial eagle even killed a 37 kg (82 lb) duiker, 7–8 times heavier than the preying eagle. Authors on birds David Allen Sibley, Pete Dunne, and Clay Sutton described the behavioral difference between hunting eagles and other birds of prey thus (in this case the bald and golden eagles as compared to other North American raptors):
They have at least one singular characteristic. It has been observed that most birds of prey look back over their shoulders before striking prey (or shortly thereafter); predation is after all a two-edged sword. All hawks seem to have this habit, from the smallest kestrel to the largest Ferruginous – but not the Eagles.
Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the condors and some of the Old World vultures are markedly larger. It is regularly debated which should be considered the largest species of eagle. They could be measured variously in total length, body mass, or wingspan. Different lifestyle needs among various eagles result in variable measurements from species to species. For example, many forest-dwelling eagles, including the very large harpy eagle, have relatively short wingspans, a feature necessary for being able to maneuver in quick, short bursts through densely forested habitats. Eagles in the genus Aquila, though found almost strictly in open country, are superlative soarers, and have relatively long wings for their size.
These lists of the top five eagles are based on weight, length, and wingspan, respectively. Unless otherwise noted by reference, the figures listed are the median reported for each measurement in the guide Raptors of the World in which only measurements that could be personally verified by the authors were listed
from Wikipedia
A few photos from an engagement session that I did for a couple of close friends. They're now happily married (and I'll eventually share a few of those images, too).
Image made with my Nikon F100.
He is a young man,
He is engaged with dreams,
He is not aided by his clan,
He can make loud screams,
He wants his ideas to span,
like a bunch of beams,
He is another man,
He is engaged with his dreams.
The area that was to become West Palm Beach was settled in the late 1870s and 1880s by a few hundred settlers who called the vicinity "Lake Worth Country." These settlers were a diverse community from different parts of the United States and the world. They included founding families such at the Potters and the Lainharts, who would go on to become leading members of the business community in the fledgling city. The first white settlers in Palm Beach County lived around Lake Worth, then an enclosed freshwater lake, named for Colonel William Jenkins Worth, who had fought in the Second Seminole War in Florida in 1842. Most settlers engaged in the growing of tropical fruits and vegetables for shipment the north via Lake Worth and the Indian River. By 1890, the U.S. Census counted over 200 people settled along Lake Worth in the vicinity of what would become West Palm Beach. The area at this time also boasted a hotel, the "Cocoanut House", a church, and a post office. The city was platted by Henry Flagler as a community to house the servants working in the two grand hotels on the neighboring island of Palm Beach, across Lake Worth in 1893, coinciding with the arrival of the Florida East Coast railroad. Flagler paid two area settlers, Captain Porter and Louie Hillhouse, a combined sum of $45,000 for the original town site, stretching from Clear Lake to Lake Worth.
On November 5, 1894, 78 people met at the "Calaboose" (the first jail and police station located at Clematis St. and Poinsettia, now Dixie Hwy.) and passed the motion to incorporate the Town of West Palm Beach in what was then Dade County (now Miami-Dade County). This made West Palm Beach the first incorporated municipality in Dade County and in South Florida. The town council quickly addressed the building codes and the tents and shanties were replaced by brick, brick veneer, and stone buildings. The city grew steadily during the 1890s and the first two decades of the 20th century, most residents were engaged in the tourist industry and related services or winter vegetable market and tropical fruit trade. In 1909, Palm Beach County was formed by the Florida State Legislature and West Palm Beach became the county seat. In 1916, a new neo-classical courthouse was opened, which has been painstakingly restored back to its original condition, and is now used as the local history museum.
The city grew rapidly in the 1920s as part of the Florida land boom. The population of West Palm Beach quadrupled from 1920 to 1927, and all kinds of businesses and public services grew along with it. Many of the city's landmark structures and preserved neighborhoods were constructed during this period. Originally, Flagler intended for his Florida East Coast Railway to have its terminus in West Palm, but after the area experienced a deep freeze, he chose to extend the railroad to Miami instead.
The land boom was already faltering when city was devastated by the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. The Depression years of the 1930s were a quiet time for the area, which saw slight population growth and property values lower than during the 1920s. The city only recovered with the onset of World War II, which saw the construction of Palm Beach Air Force Base, which brought thousands of military personnel to the city. The base was vital to the allied war effort, as it provided an excellent training facility and had unparalleled access to North Africa for a North American city. Also during World War II, German U-Boats sank dozens of merchant ships and oil tankers just off the coast of West Palm Beach. Nearby Palm Beach was under black out conditions to minimize night visibility to German U-boats.
The 1950s saw another boom in population, partly due to the return of many soldiers and airmen who had served in the vicinity during the war. Also, the advent of air conditioning encouraged growth, as year-round living in a tropical climate became more acceptable to northerners. West Palm Beach became the one of the nation's fastest growing metropolitan areas during the 1950s; the city's borders spread west of Military Trail and south to Lake Clarke Shores. However, many of the city's residents still lived within a narrow six-block wide strip from the south to north end. The neighborhoods were strictly segregated between White and African-American populations, a legacy that the city still struggles with today. The primary shopping district remained downtown, centered around Clematis Street.
In the 1960s, Palm Beach County's first enclosed shopping mall, the Palm Beach Mall, and an indoor arena were completed. These projects led to a brief revival for the city, but in the 1970s and 1980s crime continued to be a serious issue and suburban sprawl continued to drain resources and business away from the old downtown area. By the early 1990s there were very high vacancy rates downtown, and serious levels of urban blight.
Since the 1990s, developments such as CityPlace and the preservation and renovation of 1920s architecture in the nightlife hub of Clematis Street have seen a downtown resurgence in the entertainment and shopping district. The city has also placed emphasis on neighborhood development and revitalization, in historic districts such as Northwood, Flamingo Park, and El Cid. Some neighborhoods still struggle with blight and crime, as well as lowered property values caused by the Great Recession, which hit the region particularly hard. Since the recovery, multiple new developments have been completed. The Palm Beach Mall, located at the Interstate 95/Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard interchange became abandoned as downtown revitalized - the very mall that initiated the original abandonment of the downtown. The mall was then redeveloped into the Palm Beach Fashion Outlets in February 2014. A station for All Aboard Florida, a high speed passenger rail service serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, is under construction as of July 2015.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
How do you empty out Crissy Field in San Francisco on a beautiful day? Throw in an extremely strong and ice piercing wind.
What seemed like a horrible day turned out to be perfect. The wind added drama, the chill kept the crowds away. We had the golden gate, the beach, and the sun all to ourselves.
These are highlights from the Crissy Field portion of an engagement shoot I did recently with Michelle and Tim.
More on the blog: artchang.com
Another fun night shoot on the streets of Montreal.
We walked around and randomly asked people to pose for us any which way they wanted. Most looked at us like we were crazy, but the few that understood what we were doing (so I'd like to think) made it all worth while. It was not a warm night in Montreal, but with all the young people already celebrating spring all around us, it felt warm indeed.
Explored: Highest position: 176 on Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Strobist: Very simple lighting setup, one 580EX flash on a tripod and held by my assistant, and triggered with pocket Wizards. The flash was set to 1/32 and placed at about 45 degree angle from our subjects. In this shot i asked my assistant to position the flash in the back to the left to produce this nice highlight on them.
Met this amazing guy two months ago, we've been out quite a bit together enjoying nice meals and theatre trips and he has only gone and proposed to me. Well what's a girl to do, he's gorgeous so I accepted and he want to take me away for the weekend to celebrate. Well should I go or should I stay.
www.flickr.com/photos/alexsaberi/sets/72157612984136834/
Part of my Candid Dinners series. taken through windows of bars and restaurants around London
Yesterday evening started out like any other typical Friday night. My folks were out to dinner with friends, so Andy and I had the house to ourselves. We were both watching Olympics, Andy focused on the Czech hockey game on the big screen in the family room, and me watching Super G at the kitchen table while processing pictures and goofing around online.
So I was sitting there at 10pm in my ratty old pajamas, thinking how I was kind of tired and maybe I would head upstairs and watch some DVR'd shows in bed. That's when Auggie came trotting into the kitchen. He stopped about four feet away and Andy followed him in, urging him to go closer to me. When Auggie stayed parked in his spot, Andy told me to call him over because Auggie had something he wanted to show me. It was then that I noticed there was something hooked on his collar. I couldn't tell what it was, so I pulled him closer and that's when I realized it was a jewelry box clipped onto his collar. But even then, I couldn't wrap my head around what was happening. I thought it must be earrings or some other little gift. So I turned to look at Andy and he was down on one knee. I was so dumbfounded and shocked that I just kept asking him "Are you serious!???" When he assured me that he was, I just started sobbing and of course I said yes. It was such a surprise, which is exactly how Andy wanted it. When my folks got home, they popped open a bottle of Dom that they had been chilling. Of course, they both already knew it was coming since Andy had asked for my dad's blessing a few weeks ago. The whole night was such a wonderful, emotional affair.
Today we made the rounds to Andy's parents' house, and both sets of my grandparents to give them the big news. It's been an exhausting day, but such a happy one. I can't adequately express with words just how ecstatic I am right now. Andy is my best friend and the love of my life and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him.
And now we have to plan a wedding!!
**Explored**
365 Days (self portraits): Day 326
TOTW: Define Yourself
I put this up before as a link to vimeo but it was annoying me that you have to leave flickr... so here it is all on flickr!
more images from this shoot on my bloggy
www.youcantbeserious.com.au/blog
music is by this sweet chick!
An old man named Takahama lived in a little house behind the cemetery of the temple of Sozanji. He was very friendly and generally liked by his neighbors, though most of them considered him to be a little strange. This was because he had never married, or showed any interest in intimate companionship with women.
One summer day he became very ill, so ill, in fact, that he sent for his sister-in-law and her son. They both came and did all they could to bring comfort during his last hours.
While they watched, Takahama fell asleep. But as soon as he did a large white butterfly flew into the room and rested on the old man's pillow. The young man tried to drive it away with a fan, but it came back three times, as if it didn't want to leave the old man.
At last Takahama's nephew chased the butterfly out into the garden, through the gate, and into the cemetery beyond. It lingered over a woman's tomb, and then mysteriously disappeared. The boy looked closely at the tomb and saw the name "Akiko" written upon it.
The tomb had a description of how Akiko had died when she was eighteen. Though the tomb was covered with moss and must have been fifty years old, the boy saw that it was surrounded with flowers, and that the little water tank had been recently filled.
When the young man returned to the house he found that Takahama had passed away. He told his mother what he had seen in the cemetery.
His mother's eyes grew wide. "Akiko? When your uncle was young he was engaged to Akiko. She died of consumption shortly before her wedding day. When Akiko left this world your uncle resolved never to marry, and to live forever near her grave."
For all these years he remained faithful to his vow, and kept in his heart all the sweet memories of his one and only love. Every day Takahama went to the cemetery, whether the air was fragrant with summer breeze or thick with falling snow. Every day he went to her grave and prayed for Her happiness, swept the tomb and set flowers there.
When Takahama was dying, and he could no longer perform his loving task, Akiko came for him. That white butterfly was her sweet and loving soul.
LanierStar Photography | www.lanierstar.com
Jacksonville, FL wedding photographer
© 2008 All Rights Reserved
Do not copy, steal or download my photographs.
Ne copiez pas, volez ou téléchargez mes photographies.
No copie, robe o descargue mis fotografías.
Kopieren Sie nicht, stehlen Sie oder laden Sie meine Fotographien herunter.
Não copíe nem não roube esta foto! É ilegal!
Return visit to Berlin with steiner2009. Sadly without mimue and Pixie Gobslong, who were unable to make it and were sorely missed.
3 locations, endless trains, an engagement and lots and lots of snow!
With special thanks to endsilence for being a wonderful guide and host :-)
Video of the tour can be found here...