castermer's photostream

Damn it was cold today!

What should have been a calm chill day at the park turned out to be a day of comforting my stressed out baby girl. It all started with her desire to have a very small intimate birthday celebration for my grand baby but my daughter let her baby daddy's fam upset her over seemingly insignificant things. I can't really get into it because I honestly don't know why she was so upset I just knew I had to be there to calm her down some.

There was a lot of tension and plans didn't happen as she had hoped. I'm a hands off type of dad. I sit back, observe, and wait. I'm there for my baby girl whenever she needs me, but I make a concerted effort to not get involved unless she wants me too. My method has kept me out of the clink more times than I can remember. I'm hot headed and act before I think, so I try my damnedest not to do that with her. So I just talked with her, got her thinking straight, and she was a lot better. The tension was still there, but at least it wasn't so blatant. In my eyes anyways.

I did get lots of pics of my boo but I'm going with the selfie of my shadow. It reminds me of the way I felt that day. Ever present but hidden in the shadows. I became an "emotion" ninja; just waiting for melancholy to rear its ugly head so I can spring into action and whoop it's ass. Yeah, I'm that badass. ;^)

Happy 2nd birthday to my lil' boo! Time waits for no one and these moments are fleeting. Enjoy life before its too late.

Strobist info:

None. I used my point and shoot this time around.

The kindle has brought back my passion for reading. I read a lot. I always have a book with me. At least I used to. With my kindle, I have a library at my fingertips. I was so impressed with the ease of use and the convenience of my little e-reader that I went and purchased three of them as gifts. I also talked it up enough that my sister went and purchased one for herself. It's an amazing little device that has made itself at home in my world. And I couldn't be happier with it.

If you aren't familiar with "A Game of Thrones" then I suggest you get familiar. It is full of drama, fighting, sex, great character development, all enveloped in the fictional world of Westeros. And the best part is, there is an HBO series based on the novel that actually follows the story line. I watched it immediately after I was done with the book. All I can say was that I loved it! I'll wait a while before reading the second book in the series though. It's definitely not light reading, coming in at approximately 800 pages in paperback version, but it is worth the time invested devouring the fantastical world of Westeros and all of its inhabitants.

Strobist info:

580ex @1/4 - gold gel - snooted - above subject

I'm still behind on posting my photos. I catch up, just to let it slip out of my grasp again. I'm really starting to question why I would even do this damn 365 project again. Didn't I learn from the first time?

It's a commitment and requires more time and attention than I'm willing to give some days. I'm just in a bit of a slump. I get bored and lazy fairly easy. You would think that would motivate me to get up and out and capture some moments. The truth is, I just don't feel it most days. What happened to that spark?

I stick with it because I said I would. I try my best to stay true to my word but it is no simple task. Trust me; try this project sometime and give me your thoughts on it.

What's funny is, I really do love photography. I actually enjoy the challenge too. It's just brutal some days. One thing I've recognized is that regardless of how much I don't feel like picking up my camera on certain days, I'm always glad I did. :)

Now, a little about the photo. These are my boyz. They got my back anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Yeah, they may not look like much, but loyalties run deep and looks are most definitely deceiving. I would give my life for these guys. I'd kill for these guys. There is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for them. And they have proven time and again that they would do the same for me.

Strobist info:

580ex II @1/4 - 33" shoot thru umbrella - 10 ft from subject - camera right

Only the best beans from the mountains of Guatemala pass the sniff test of the almighty cocoa rhino.

Strobist info:

580ex II @1/16 - thru DIY light tent - camera right

430ex II @1/64 - snooted - camera right for a little fill

So I got up this morning and was running late for work. I stepped outside and noticed how gorgeous the sky was. That made up my mind; I was definitely going to be late for work. :)

Strobist info:

430ex II @1/2 +0.3 - bare