I recently did a shoot for the engagement of my co-worker Dustin and his fiance' Rebecka at The Buffalo Botanical Gardens. Here are a few highlights from that session.
Engagement Photo Shoot
Studio Lighting Demo
Here's a couple of shots taken at the TCCC Lighting Demo. Discussed during the program were the difference between hard light and soft light, continuous light versus studio strobe, metering with a hand-held light meter, use of reflectors for fill light, and how to feather the light on the subject to keep it from illuminating the background.
Studio Strobe
Continuous Light
Hunters Creek at Howdy's for Songwriter's Night
Had the pleasure of attending "Songwriter's Night" at Howdy's Country Club last night. It's a really cool idea where local songwriters take the stage together to play some original music. This allows for the artists to collaborate on song ideas or just have a fun jam session.
Performing at the event were Eric Van Houten, Matt Maloof, and Hunters Creek. The talent of these four musicians is incredible and they served up many excellent original songs during the course of the night. If you haven't heard them perform, you're really missing out!
"Songwriter's Night" is a celebration of talented original artists. It is scheduled for the second Wednesday of every month. If you're in the mood to experience some stellar original songwriting skills, then CHECK IT OUT!
See the gallery "hunters creek @ howdy's" for more images.
Matt Maloof
Eric Van Houten
Hunters Creek
Dave Statz of Hunters Creek
MB of Hunters Creek
Piano Bar at Mangia Restaurant
Had the pleasure of attending several of the Piano Bar events at Mangia Restaurant in Orchard Park recently. For those of your who haven't experienced this yet, its an evening of familiar songs with a different twist...typically just piano and vocals ( and occasionally some acoustic guitar as well ). Our friends Don Lorentz ( The Boys of Summer Band ) and his son Jonathan Lorentz are there for your listening enjoyment on a weekly basis. Don't be surprised if other musicians stop by to sit in with them.
Don plays on Wednesday nights from 6:30-9:30.
Jonathan plays on Friday nights from 7:30-10:30.
Stop by for a night of fun music in a relaxing atmosphere! You won't be disappointed!
Happy New Year!!
Rang in 2015 with our good friends The Boys of Summer band at the Statler downtown. Great food, great music and great fun!
Thanks guys!!
Remembrance Day - Gettysburg, PA
Remembrance Day was spent with the Company A Engineers and about 2500 other Civil War re-enactors in Gettysburg, PA. There were ceremonies held at many of the monuments throughout the battlefield park.
Remembrance Day is a memorial day that has been observed since the end of WWI to honor those soldiers who died in the line of duty. The poppy has become the symbol of this day. They bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of northern Belgium and its brilliant red color became a symbol of the blood spilled during the war.
We were honored to participate in the events of this weekend including a ceremony to honor the 14th Brooklyn regiment and the giant parade on Saturday. Also had a great time with the rest of Company A.
See the gallery "remembrance day - gettysburg" for images from the event. Sorry for the number of pictures (117 total) but it was necessary to fully document the importance of this event.
Portraits from Gettysburg
Noah and I were in Gettysburg, PA this past weekend for Remembrance Day Ceremonies. Here are some examples of portrait images we took. We were on Little Round Top on Saturday for a sunset shoot and the next morning at 6:45am we took portraits at Devil's Den for sunrise (although the sun never broke through the clouds.)
See the "gettysburg portraits" gallery to see all the images from the shoots.
I'm still working on the images from the Remembrance Day events which will be posted soon.
More to come...
Autumn Color
Here's a few images from Letchworth State Park highlighting the autumn color from this season. More images can be viewed in the "Letchworth" gallery.
Boston
Spent a week in Bedford, Massachusetts for work. The week was a rain out except for Monday night which we spent roaming around the city of Boston. It's quite the target-rich environment for photography. Great food as well! See "Boston, MA" gallery for more images.
Forest Lawn - Orr Tombstone Rededication
This weekend we were honored to participate in a tombstone rededication ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery for Medal of Honor recipient Charles Orr. He earned the Medal of Honor at the battle of Hatcher's Run, VA on October 27, 1864 for rescuing several wounded and helpless comrades while under enemy fire. He is a true American Hero. See the gallery "Forest Lawn - Orr Tombstone" for more images from the event.
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A Forgotten Gem...Hull House
The Hull House located at the intersection of Genesee Street and Pavement Road in the town of Lancaster is the oldest stone dwelling in Erie County, New York. It was built in 1810 by Warren Hull for his family. It is a unique piece of local history. The Farmstead includes the house and a barn, animal pens and the family cemetery which resides deep in the woods.
The Hull House Foundation sponsored a Civil War Twilight Tour which had visitors escorted through the house and grounds by candlelight. The grounds were illuminated by lanterns and several stops along the path showcased events from that time in history.
The historical incident that our group was part of involved a young William McKinley bringing rations to his famished troops. He was commander of the 23rd Ohio Infantry who's men were exhausted and hungry after days of heavy fighting during the Battle of Antietam. "Billy" McKinley risked his life to bring his men rations consisting of coffee and hardtack (crackers).
See the "Hull House" gallery for more images.
Lancaster's Little Red Schoolhouse
The Little Red Schoolhouse in Lancaster hosted a living history event which showcased displays and demonstrations of what life was like back in the time of the American Civil War.
The Little Red Schoolhouse.
Schoolhouse interior.
Sounds of fife and drum filled the air!
A Confederate Artillery Battalion demonstrated what everyday life was like for a Rebel soldier including rifle firing and how to load the mortar unit.
Confederate Artillery Battalion.
FIRE!!
The fine points of loading the mortar.
A Union Surgeon showed spectators the crude medical instruments of the time including a bullet probe and bone saw. Discussions included common soldier illnesses and ailments including Scurvy and malnutrition, Dysentery, and infections, Gangrene and amputation.
Primitive and crude medicine of the time.
Discussions of surgical instruments and elixirs.
Union Engineers discussed the importance of road-building, field obstacles, mapping and surveying and how each of effected the life of the infantry soldier especially in combat scenarios. Loading and firing the Enfield Rifle was shown.
Company A Union Engineers with General Grant.
FIRE AT ELEVATION!!
It's obvious from this photo that the high point of the day for this young man was being able to hold the musket!
There was a bayonet drill and talk of the design and effectiveness of the bayonet as a deadly and gruesome weapon.
Bayonet lunge!
The triangular design of the bayonet leaves a gaping wound that is hard to close with sutures making first aid on the battlefield extremely difficult.
President Lincoln, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee were present as well.
From the "History | Town of Lancaster website" - The “little red schoolhouse” on Bowen Road and William Street was constructed in 1868. The one room schoolhouse was built of locally-made brick and was heated by a pot-bellied stove in the center of the room. Each desk has its own ink bottle hole. The school was in operation until 1948. A fire in 1968 destroyed the roof and building interior. With a goal of restoring the building and preserving its history, the Lancaster Historical Society was formed in 1973. Work was completed in 1978 and the school continues to be open to the public to date.
See the "Little Red Schoolhouse" gallery for more images.
Remembering General Bidwell
Forest Lawn Cemetery - Company A Engineers along with several other Civil War reenactor groups were privileged to participate in an event to honor the legacy of General Daniel Bidwell and to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his death. A Buffalo native, General Bidwell led the 49th New York Infantry and saw action in a number of key Civil War battles, including Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Chancelorsville, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg.
On October 19, 1864 during the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia, General Bidwell was mortally wounded. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery. A statue in this honor is located at Colonial Circle in Buffalo.
See "General Bidwell" gallery for more images from the event.
Control of the Rail...
Historically railroads have been very important during war time. Whoever controls the rail can move troops and supplies around as needed. If you're unfortunate enough to be on the other side it's much more difficult to get food to starving soldiers and reinforcements, equipment and munitions where they are needed quickly.
Last weekend the Attica/Arcade Railroad hosted The Civil War Days Event in which Union and Confederate troops battled for control of the rail line. There were Union and Confederate camps where visitors could mingle and see what life was like for soldiers in the field. The event started with a parade of the participants to the rail station.
Initially Union troops guarded the train as passengers boarded for an hour ride full of interaction between soldiers and passengers and music provided by a squeezebox player and a guitarist. Passengers were able to move car to car during the route and were encouraged to visit the snack car and the open car where the prisoners were being held. Soldiers were responsible for security questioning passengers, checking the contents of ladies' bags and arresting several Rebel sympathizers along the way.
During the trip the train made a brief stop as a battle had broken out near the Union encampment and was raging by the time we came upon it. Soldiers fired from the train to keep passengers safe from the threat from the would-be boarders. As the train moved on, Confederate soldiers fired upon the train from a grassy field but were unsuccessful in getting the train to stop.
Reaching the end of the line provided visitors with a chance to visit with soldiers, railroad engineers and grab a bite to eat. It didn't take long, however, before the Rebels attacked the station from three sides and took control of the train. Union troops fought bravely but were overrun. The surprise attack was a success for the Confederates. Union casualties lay throughout the field and station grounds as the Rebels boarded the train for the return trip with a few Union prisoners.
Eventually the Union forces would take back the train although we did not stay for this portion of the event.
This was one of my favorite reenactment events so far. Highly recommended!
See the gallery "Railroad Skirmish" for more images...
Parade
Guarding the train.
Give 'em Hell Boys!
The Rebels have captured the train.
Union prisoners.
What a Perfect Night!
What a perfect night!
We were proud to share this special night with our good friends Megan and Luke as they celebrated their love and began their new life together as husband and wife. There was much fun to be had and some silliness as well which I hope comes through in the images. Precious moments shared with great people!
My son and the other members of his Civil War reenactment regiment were honored to be part of the ceremony. Megan and Luke are loved members of the Company A US Engineers Battalion.
Thank you for including us in your special day!
Congratulations!!
See the gallery "Eames Wedding" for more images...
Flower Photo Fun!
Just fooling around with a piece of glass, some water and a single off-camera flash. Thanks Jeri for saving the flower for me! Hope you enjoy!
Conesus Lake
Spent a relaxing week at Conesus Lake.
Spring at the Historical Society
A few photos of things starting to bloom around the Buffalo Historical Society. Images are in the "Historical Society - Spring" gallery.
Veteran's Memorial Marker
Attended an event in Erie, PA on Father's Day to dedicate a Veteran's Memorial Marker for a Civil War soldier who was killed in action.
Private Frank J. Krug, Co. G., 53rd PVI
Private Frank Krug, a 21-year member of the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry, was killed in action on May 12, 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania, during the horrific 22-hour struggle at the Bloody Angle. This is regarded as some of the most horrific fighting of the war. His death was documented, but in the chaos of the battle's aftermath his final resting place was never identified. It is believed his remains lie in one of the mass graves of unknown soldiers at Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
150 years after his death, the U.S. Dept. of Veteran's Affairs has provided an "In Memory Of" marker which has been installed at Trinity Cemetery in Erie, PA next to the graves of his sister and other family members.
It was an honor to attend this dedication ceremony for a soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice and to celebrate as his family finally "brought him home". The event was well-attended by fellow re-enactors and friends.
Prayers were offered and the gravestone was blessed with Holy Water. A certificate signed by Barack Obama recognizing Frank's sacrifice was given to the family. President Abraham Lincoln recited "The Gettysburg Address".
Tom Schobert, a relative of the deceased had traveled to the location where Frank Krug was killed in action and collected soil from the site to return to the Erie gravesite. He believed that blood was still in the soil and by carrying a sample of this dirt back with him, was as close as he could come to bringing his relative's remains home to lie with his family members for all eternity. The traditional 21-gun salute was offered as well and "Taps" was played on the bugle.
It was a very moving event.
More images are in the gallery "Veteran's Memorial Marker - Krug".
Springville Civil War Event
Yesterday Company A Engineers attended a Civil War Camp in Springville, New York as part of the WNY Dairy and Agricultural Festival. There were many events throughout the day which included a parade, games and rides and a Civil War camp. There was a blacksmith and Company A demonstrated loading and firing the Enfield rifle and the art of map-making. There was a short memorial service followed by a 21 gun salute. Re-enactors were camped throughout the main town circle. The BBQ chicken was especially delicious as well! See the "Springville Civil War Event" gallery for more images of the day's events.
Harnessing the power of the sun to make a map. The first ever Xerox machine.
21 gun salute.
Fiddle and Banjo during some down time.
My attempt at a "wet plate" image.