One Camera. One Lens. One Photo a Day.

Memorial Day Ceremony, Lake Forest, CA…

This morning Kate and I attended a local Memorial Day observance at the El Toro Memorial Park.

This photograph shows Dan Traxler with Bugles Across America, performing Taps after the Honor Guard Firing Salute at the Park.

For Kate it was her first Memorial Day ceremony, and the first one that I had attended in a while.  When I was younger it was a big thing to attend the ceremony in Columbus.  When I worked in journalism I would often cover similar ceremonies.

As I have gotten older the importance of this ceremony and what it really means just grows.  Having two little ones now and wanting them to eventually appreciate the sacrifice of the thousands of soldiers that have given their lives for this country.

While Kate doesn’t yet grasp the enormity of the events that led to this remembrance today, it’s just the first seed that we’ll plant to make sure that she will.  Even if this early memory is covering her ears while the ceremonial gun salute took place.

Memorial Day Weekend…

This afternoon we took the kids briefly to the pool … much of Ladera Ranch had the same idea as the parking lot was crowded with folks also there to cool off.

We escaped the real heat of the day when we arrived and here Nicki tosses up our 8 1/2 month old (looking almost like a one year old!).

The water was even a bit chilly at first and then refreshing and we then came home to a little cocktail hour on the front lawn, watching Kate draw on the sidewalk with chalk while Sparky proceeded to place just about every leaf, piece of wood, or whatever was in front of him, in his mouth.  I don’t remember Kate doing that much of that — perhaps it’s a boy/girl thing?

Tomorrow I’ll take Kate to a Memorial Day service — her first.

I wonder how many days/weeks/months until he walks?

Sparky is leaning on the ledge in the front of the house this afternoon after Kate and I returned from the store.  There’s  just nice light  at this time of day.

Sparky, just before getting his nightly bath…

The little guy entertained himself next to the tub just before he and Kate had their evening baths.

We normally tag-team this task:  Nicki typically bathes the boy, I get Kate ready for bed.

But tonight I got to take care of Sparky while Nicki was doing other things around the house, and then I took care of Kate.  Usually bath time gets both of them wound-down from the day.  The nightly ritual. Usually it works.

But for some reason Kate just got wound up more.  Having her help with his getting ready rituals  (she loves to comb his hair) seemed to help.

About fifteen more minutes and they were both in bed and Mom could have her glass of chardonnay.

Staples Center, Los Angeles…

It was “old home week” for me today up in LA as I went up to see my friends and former colleagues from Phoenix, Rob Schumacher and Mike Chow — who were photographing Game 5 of the Lakers and Suns series.

It was great to hang out with them before and after the game and while visiting I also got to see another part of that history — Charles Barkley.

Here Charles is holding court on the pre game show on TNT with the rest of the crew.

In 93 when Charles was in his prime (MVP season) playing for the Suns, the three of us covered the NBA playoffs and Finals which became the Jordan and Barkley Show.

Charles was just as entertaining then as he is now — he was (and still is) always good for a quote.

It was fun going back in time a bit for the day — what made it especially great was to see my old friends.

The Princess and the Swings…

This afternoon we headed over to Kate’s school for a pre-school open house.

We got there a bit early so while Sparky was sleeping, Kate went to the swings for a few minutes before heading into the open house.

Many of her favorite fellow students and their parents or parent stopped by, so she was certainly amped up this evening at dinner and bath.

A portrait of Eric…

At his family’s home in San Juan Capistrano this afternoon.

I loved the sky and the light on his face.

Looking forward to sharing more of these images with the family soon!

From this morning’s session at Ladera Ranch Dance Academy:

It was good to get back to the school to photograph — this was part of a new special portrait project I’m working on  and also to update images for the school.

Send off for Wanda and Chris….

Our friends Wanda and Chris (center and right) from Brea are heading back to S. Africa and this afternoon members of their church hosted a picnic and send off at a park near their home.

It’s only been a couple years since they relocated to the states with the three gorgeous kids and now are heading back due to business commitments.

Even though Nicki didn’t know the family before they moved here, Wanda and Chris are great friends of Nicki’s former roommate Donna and her husband Mark.  So through them we got to know them and we’re the richer for it.

We hope that their road will lead them back to California and if they decide to stay in SA, we’ll definitely be seeing them on our next visit there.

Travel safe you guys and we’ll miss you!

Christine & Mark portrait 5/22/2010…

Today Christine and Mark were married and this portrait was made just before they made their grand entrance to their reception at the historic Roosevelt Hotel.

The light cast in this photograph is actually the late afternoon light reflected off a high rise building in Hollywood.  As we were walking back to the reception I noticed this little patch of light and they cast a shadow against the textured walls of the hotel.