Ryan's Fizelwink Photography Blog

Tania and Ben - Unbustled!!

2009-06-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tania and Ben got married last month at the gazebo in Old Town. While I was shooting their wedding, I couldn't help but wonder what we were going to do for their "Trash it" session that would equal their wedding.

Though it's since been taken down, a lot of you may have noticed a carnival across from the Albuquerque Uptown shopping center recently. DEFINITELY a blast when it comes to locations to shoot!

This was Tania and Ben's idea. Apparently, on their wedding day Tania ran their car over Ben's iPhone as they were leaving the reception! They brought the phone along as a keepsake. Get this: IT STILL WORKS!!!

Ferris wheel...

This was hilarious! I could barely shoot I was laughing so hard! INCREDIBLY fun!

Merry-Go-Round. LOVE the sneakers!

They got smashed in the bumper cars! :) Everybody wants to bump cars with the bride and groom!

From the ground looking at the ferris wheel this time...

Piggy back riding in your wedding dress!

I love this one! Never underestimate the advantage of a slow shutter speed! ;-) Looks really goofy and has a real "carnival" feel to it!

This was so cute and sweet :) We all went through a two-story house of mirrors and at the end visitors slide down this slide to the ground below. When we got there though, we found a little girl who was too scared and crying to hard ride the slide and was stranded at the top with her parents down below trying to talk her down. Tania came up to her, took her little hand and said, "Hi! I'm a princess. I can save you! Do you want me to slide down with me?" The little girl looked up with tear-filled eyes straight at Tania in absolute amazement.

She stopped crying and nodded.

Tania sat down, helped the little girl (now smiling) onto her lap, and slid down with her to her parents. I snapped the candid below on their way down.

I doubt I'll ever forget that!

Before we left, Tania and Ben asked me if I could grab a picture of them with Ben's old car which was the sight of their first kiss. Of course! We snapped this out in the parking lot.

THAT was a blast guys! I can't believe I get to go to a carnival and call it "work!" LOL

Jenna and I both had a great time and we really got some terrific shots! Next comes the album!

Ana Maria and Nicholas - Into the Sunset!

2009-06-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

I met Ana Maria and Nick at a bridal fair earlier this year. We met for our very first consult shortly afterwards at Flying Star and three hours later the three of us had all become fast friends! Hey guys! Here's to Flying Star, White Sands, perfect engagement sessions and UNFORGETTABLE shots at sunset! Getting to know you two these last several months has been an experience I'll never forget and I CAN'T WAIT to see how album turns out (not to mention the "trash it" session)!!! You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for letting me shoot your pictures!!

Ana peeking around the dress at home the morning of the wedding...

Nick at the church less than an hour before the ceremony...

After the ceremony...

This church ALWAYS has great light!

See?!?! What'd I tell you?!?! PERFECTION!

This is one of my favorites...

Those regular readers of this blog might remember Monty from Imperial Limousine and his 1956 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limo. Just one more HUGE thing that made this wedding so perfect!!

Ana and Nick's reflection in the Chrome of the Limo...

Can't loose with a couple, location and car like this!

Here's to Ana and Nick (and a big thanks to Monty) for making this shot possible. Couple who loves photography+awesome limo+awesome limo driver+photographer=unforgettable wedding photos!!

It takes true talent to make faces like that! ;-)

I'd been excited to shoot this cake topper since Ana and Nick showed it to me at their house during our album appointment. Looks great guys!!!

It's about a moment :-) ...

I considered myself to be one of the luckiest photographer's I knew when I got hired to shoot Ana and Nick's wedding. The more I got to know them afterwards, the more I became convinced that someone up there must like me! LOL

Talk about fantastic!! You should hear Ana sing!!! She's a former professional opera singer and it shows!! Just one more thing that made their wedding awesome! Here she is opening the dance floor before singing another awesome song to her new husband.

You could tell just from the look on Nick's face how much he loved Ana. You could tell he felt like the luckiest man on earth at that moment...

... and I think we all have to agree with him :-)....

La Marcha baby!...

One horror of so many brides is to have rain on their wedding day. I was driving to the reception at Prairie Star when I saw the first raindrops on my windshield, but my first thought wasn't "oh no," my first thought was that a simple drizzle would be ideal. Just damp enough to wet down everything and enrich the colors while still leaving lots of great clouds in the sky. There was a short time during the reception when we were looking out the window and wondering if the weather was going to work for us at all. Yet just as the sun was setting it cleared up and we all went outside to grab some of the greatest (if not the greatest) shots at sunset that I can ever remember taking!!

First we walked to the West and snapped this....

Then we moved on to the East and snapped this right afterwards. We thought we were probably done but we ended up waiting a few minutes longer anyway and suddenly...

THAT'S when the sky exploded in the colors of a sunset that made for the type of pictures you always hope for but can never truly plan for. We were all dumbfounded by the time we were finished.

Take care you two! I love you guys!

One Year Later - A Tribute to My Dad...

2009-06-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

A Tribute to My Dad...

One Year Later...

Even though this is a photography blog in which I normally would discuss the latest shots and shoots from Fizelwink, I want to take a brief break from the norm to discuss something a bit different because I hope and believe that I have words to say that could bless others besides myself and pray that this can help bring something good out of a bad situation.

Many of you who know me, know that last year my father lost his battle with cancer (one year ago today) after nearly two years of fighting. On that day I sent out the following words in an email:

"Hello all…

I want to thank everyone who has offered such unlimited support, unceasing care and unending prayer over the last few years. The support of so many close to us has been an incredible blessing throughout my father’s illness.

Life is a funny thing sometimes. This whole experience has furthered my grasp of just how clear some things can become in the face of death and dying. My family and I have had many people telling us how we would react in the face of such loss. Yet whether it was my mother, brothers, grandmother, or even myself I have learned that the process of grief can be different for everybody. I have seen reactions ranging from pleasant laughter to bitter tears, and I have seen that all of these are legitimate and perfectly acceptable ways of venting. Everybody has to travel that road in their own way.

As for me, I have walked that road and emerged on the other end with a strengthened faith, and true gratitude at having been the son of such a truly great man.

Today, at 2:20PM in the afternoon, my father Ernest C. Young II died at the age of 63…in peace and at home in the company of my mother and I. He left this world to step into the next with faith in eternity, and love for everyone he left behind. “misericordia dei increbresca” (God’s mercy prevails!)"

Those words seem somehow alien to me now. I remember the surreal feeling of that day, making all the calls to those who were waiting to get them... feeling pleasantly relieved that however horrible the circumstances, at least it was finally over.

Even as friends and family gathered around and we all toasted my dad, I can remember wondering what the next year without him would be like. How could we possibly recover from this?

Now I look back at this last year and I see all the things that dad has missed, and how much I (along with the rest of my family) have missed him. The pain is still very ripe. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't still think about him.

Yet even in the face of loss, I am relieved to say that there is now also peace... real peace. Not just for myself. There is revelation as well....

It may seem like a small revelation, but I have come realize that the process of healing from grief isn't entirely what I thought it was. I thought it meant you were getting over grief when the frequency of your boughs with sorrow start to become less frequent. I'm overjoyed to know the truth now though....

You're not getting through your grief when the memory of your loved one STOPS making you cry. You're getting through your grief when the memory of your loved one STARTS making you smile again :-)

I was sitting with a very dear friend of mine recently at Flying Star and they asked me how I survived a loss so deep. The answer was simply what everyone always says it is: "One day at a time."

You can't envision life without that person, but eventually the sun rises again on a new day and somehow you're still there to greet it (even if you don't want to be at first). The second day dawns, and then the third followed by the fourth. Until eventually, you wake up one morning to a sunrise that doesn't make you cry because you miss them, but instead makes you smile because you remember them.

So for those of you out there who aren't sure how to deal with loss, I'm here to promise you that one day, you'll be able to smile again. Maybe not today... but here's to tomorrow!

I miss you so much Dad (and I always will)!

Still, it makes me SMILE MORE THAN ANYTHING to know how proud you would be to see what Fizelwink has become this last year! You'd be blown away Dad... you really would be! :)

Finally, for those of you who attended the funeral last year, you might remember that when the three brothers read after the service, a cell phone went off during my reading. After the funeral there were a lot of you (both who attended and who couldn't make it) that asked for a copy of what I had read that day (since the phone rang for so long and so much of it was missed) so I'll cut and paste it below. God bless and thank you all for taking the time to read!

He taught me to ride a bike…

I was just a boy, but I remember the way my little red two-wheeler looked as my dad lifted it out of the trunk of the car in the summertime sun. Foreign…intimidating…. I’d ridden the bike 100 times yet somehow it looked completely different without the comforting sight of training wheels.

The handle bars shook beneath the white-knuckled grip of hands unsure of themselves. Training wheels gone…replaced now by the hands of my father.

“Now just pedal. Go slowly. I’ll run along-side you and make sure you don’t fall.” Slowly, surely, each foot pedals the other forward…one after another. Rubber tires roll through the grassy fields of the Albuquerque Academy with barely enough momentum to stay upright.

I hadn’t thought it was possible, but eventually, after multiple attempts, feet found their footing, tires found their balance, and in the end I rode my little two-wheeler back to the car on my own that day.

Cliché as it may seem, being taught to ride a bicycle is one of the first memories I recall when thinking about my dad. Perhaps it’s just because it’s just such a rich moment of fatherhood…a shared experience between just the two of us as father and son. Yet in a way, it feels so inadequate for his eulogy. A single story could never do justice to a man who lived his life so richly, so fantastically as my father did.

No matter what happened there was always a reason to smile. Enjoying every second and finding joy in the simple things of life…those were my father’s trademarks. And he never disappointed. Looking back, many people can often recall a time in their childhood when something their parents said, or something their parents did ended up shattering their “rose-colored” childhood impressions of them. Yet I can honestly say that there was never a time like that for me with my father. To me he always appeared the same as I’d always seen him…a man of integrity, principle, and honor that loved his family more than anything else on this earth…and loved every second of life that he got to live.

He taught me how to live life, and it’s just like learning to ride a bike. At first you’re scared, worried that you’ll fall…but someone’s there to hold you up, keep you pedaling…helping you get your balance…until eventually you can stay up on your own while they run alongside you. But they can’t stay with you forever, and sooner or later we all have to ride on alone.

It hurts…but I have found that loving someone means having the courage to one day face such pain with the decision to go on loving the person and not fall back into loving the past.

So I’ll keep on pedaling with a smile, remembering him as he was, and remembering him for who he was…my friend…my hero…my dad….

Tania and Ben - A Great Day with Great Memories!!

2009-05-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

Again, if you've been following this blog, you'll recall Tania and Ben's engagement session from a couple of months ago. I knew as soon as I shot it that we would have a great time on their wedding! We started at the Tania's apartment downtown with her hair and make-up.

This was a shot we got using a small make up mirror they were using.

Love the expression! This was just before she got changed.

These next two were taken in the bride's living room...

And these next two were taken across the street and just a little bit down the road from the bride's apartment complex. I loved the colors and the ultimate result was great! The bride and I had a blast taking these shots! Thanks Tania!

From there I moved to the groom's room at the Hyatt Regency Downtown. We got this one at the window...

and this one in the lobby's elevator hallway...

This was a first for me. The bride and her parents made the trip to the ceremony (at the gazebo in Old Town) in this covered bicycle. It was defiantly the coolest vehicle I've ever seen used for a wedding!

What can I say? Some people just don't have bad angles to photograph...

The first batch of romantics (after the ceremony) we shot here on the steps at Old Town...

and we shot this one on the swing set at the park across the way. What fun!

Ok, now THIS was REALLY awesome! The theater in Belen where Tania and Ben were having their reception displayed their names here on the marquee. But as if that wasn't cool enough...

They had the staff get out a ladder and they both climbed up there!!!

In order to get this shot I had to have them bring the ladder over to the side of the building and lean off the side holding my camera out further (while someone held the base of the ladder so I wouldn't fall and break something) lol. I love the stories you get at weddings!

Money dance + safety pins = REALLY interesting shirt + tie :-)

Ok, so there were a lot of great shots at this wedding, but for me there weren't any more fun then one we got using the phone booth that you can see in the backdrop of photo below. I had been wanting to try a certain shot for a few weeks and for some reason I just felt like I would take a chance and bring along a Superman shirt that I've had laying around for a while. The bride and groom and I had kept the idea in the back of our heads for most of that day thinking we'd give it a try if the opportunity presented itself. Well, when we saw the phone booth below at the reception we knew that we had to try it! Ben took the shirt, and went to change. When he came back, Tania went over to him and asked if he was wearing it and reached for his shirt to pull it open. The look on her face was priceless as she saw that "S" underneath! It really was priceless!

We toped it off with the shot below. It was classic! As soon as Ben and Tania were in the phone booth and Tania pulled open his shirt the reception went ABSOLUTELY WILD!!! Moments only last for a little while, but memories... memories we take with us forever!!

Thanks guys!! It was a BLAST shooting your wedding and I can't wait for the "trash it" session!

Sarah and Travis...AT LAST!!!

2009-05-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

If you've been keeping up with the blog, you may recognize Sarah and Travis from their engagement session a few months ago.

I've known Sarah for a long time now. She came in for a consultation and well over a year ago and we hit it off right from the start! She's AWESOME! And her fiance Travis is such an outstanding guy! Over the last year these two have become really wonderful friends of mine. Some of you may recognize Sarah as one of the people who helped me at the Hotel Albuquerque and Sandia Bridal fairs.

I've been looking forward to their wedding for so long! It came and went so quick. By the end, we had wonderful photos for even more wonderful people!

Congratulations guys!

I got dressing room photos for both the bride...

and the groom's room...

SO cute...

Travis bought Sarah this for their wedding day gift. He went to Jarred...

EXACTLY the gift she wanted...

Ever since our very first consult, Sarah had told me she wanted a shot like this. It's been somewhat of a tradition in her family for brides to get a shot of a previous generation (in this case, her mom) helping them in the dressing room. It was a real pleasure to be the photographer who got to continue the tradition for the family.

This may be my favorite shot of the wedding! :) We lined the guys up behind the couch and shown a video light through a glass top table at the groom's feet.

The Ceremony...

Don't ask ;-)...

Again, don't ask ;)...

Cake by Birdee from "Say it With Cake." It was an AWESOME cake and the bride loved it!

Juan Velasco was the DJ for the evening. An extremely nice guy!

He's pictured here with Sherry Lopez from "Your Wedding Planner,"

I've known Sherry for even longer then I've known Sarah. She's as awesome of a professional as she is a person! I can confidently and HIGHLY recommend her for any wedding (or event) you may be planning.

Got a little "Captain" in you?...

Katherine, Paul and Ethan

2009-05-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

Some VERY difficult times are ahead for this little boy and his family. I could go into detail about what's going on, but I would prefer to let the happiness and joy shown in the photos to be the main focus of this posting.

Please be in prayer for this little boy and the many people who love him.

I have been very good friends with Katherine (the woman in these pictures) for nearly 13 years now. I swear, the girl gets more photogenic every time I photograph her.

Love you guys!!

Ethan playing on the playground equipment.

Ethan and Katherine

Ethan and Paul (his father)

SEE?!?! Didn't I tell you she was photogenic?!?! And the background matching her eyes so well is just awesome serendipity!!

Paul, Ethan and Katherine together...

I've taken a lot of photos over the years and A LOT of candid photographs. If this isn't my favorite though, then it is very nearly my favorite candid photograph that I've ever taken...

"misericordia dei increbresca"

National Dance Institute at the Hiland Theater

2009-05-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

I was honored to be hired to photograph the reopening of the old Hiland Theater on Central. Soon, the building will be home to NDI New Mexico which is a FANTASTIC organization for children. If you don't know about them I highly recommend you check out their website.

The unveiling...

It's SUCH an awesome theater!!

Great music...

Great decor...

Governor Bill Richardson was there for a good hour or so. It was a REALLY big event!!

Great dancers...

and excellent bartenders!

What more could anyone ask?!?! ;-) Way to go NDI! Welcome to Albuquerque!

Marriott Pyramid North

2009-05-30T15:54:00.001-07:00

I was a true pleasure to be hired by the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North recently to do photographs of their beautiful hotel! Below is a sneak peak at one of the shots I got that is currently up on their website.

I've shot weddings at this location many times in the past and their event staff are truly some of the best that Albuquerque has to offer! I couldn't possibly recommend them more highly!

This one goes out to Tammy, Megan, Robbie and the whole crew down there at the Sales and Catering office! Great people, great professionals and great friends!

On a side note, Megan Cooley who works in the Sales and Catering office is also an AWESOME freelance model! What luck! Here's a shot we got outside Alumni Chapel at UNM. Thanks Megan!

Reily's First Birthday

2009-05-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

If you scroll down, you'll see Nicole and Thor's Engagement photos which I shot a few weeks ago. Their little boy Reily just turned 1 year old and MAN what a cute kid! We really got some excellent shots for them that day! Congrats dude!

Ana Maria and Nick's Engagement

2009-05-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

Getting an awesome couple who is as dedicated to art as you are is every pro photographer's "pot of gold!" Ana Maria and Nick are two of the best!

We shot their engagement pictures at White Sands in New Mexico and then did a few quick follow up shots at their house a couple of days later. The pictures are PRICELESS!!

The wedding is almost here guys! I can't wait! :-)

This was a particular pose that Ana told me that she wanted....

Can a beard get more cool than this?

Fantastic lighting outside a Chilies Restaurant late that night...

Posed against a HUGE chunk of gypsum at White Sands. I LOVE my video light!

GREAT sunset that day!

Every once in a while you get a chance to use lens flare in a really creative way. I think this was one of those times. They loved it :-)

Nicole and Thor's Engagement Session

2009-05-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I've always wanted to shoot the wedding of one of my high school classmates.

Nicole was a former classmate from high school and I was SO excited to hear from her. Not just because she told me she was getting married, but also because for some reason, I've always wanted to shoot the wedding of one of my high school classmates!

Words can not express how much fun I had shooting their engagement session! These guys showed up in 60's garb and an old time Cadillac! Add two VERY photogenic people into the equation and you've got all the recipes for a FANTASTIC engagement session! I couldn't be more excited about how the photos came out!!

Thanks guys! It was a blast and I can't WAIT to shoot your wedding!

Bridal Elegance by Darlene and Carly Likens!

2009-05-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know I haven't updated this blog in a while but I HAVE to share this shoot with you guys! Carly did SUCH an awesome job! What I love is that even though our location fell through last minute, everything came out so great! I love that about photography!

Darlene at Bridal Elegance supplied the dress (which was KILLER) and she got a giant canvas of this one for her wall at the shop. It came out just amazing! Thanks Darlene!

I love my new video light! This was the first session I got to try it out. I used it as a backlight for Carly in the shot below.

Just look at that smile! :-)

Be still thy beating heart!

I was hoping Carly would go for this one. I LOVE the color theme and she thought it was an awesome idea :)

In a lot of ways it's one of the simplest shots we got that day and yet it's one of my favorites!

Christina & Max with Imperial Limousine

2009-03-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Christina and Max,

It was truly a pleasure getting to photograph you two! Together was made some fantastic art and I hope we can do it again soon....

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS goes out to Monty from Imperial Limousine and his beautiful 1956 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousine. Thanks Monty!

Love this one! ;)

Tania and Ben

2009-02-24T22:09:00.000-08:00

Tania and Ben are getting married on May 9th of this year at the Gazebo in Old Town. Their engagement photos were kickin!

We snapped this one outside the Satellite Coffee shop where we went for drinks after shooting at the park. We LOVED this wall! :) Nob hill is such a cool part of Albuquerque.

Evelyn & Ken's Engagement!

2009-02-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

I met Evelyn at the Peak Bridal Fair at Hotel Albuquerque. She's a professional Samba dancer! :) Her fiancé Ken is frequently out of town but we managed to find some time while he was in town to meet up and shoot their engagement session. Such great people! Their shots came out great! Take a look!

Juanita and Jeremiah

2009-02-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

What a great session we had down at the Bosque with these guys! We had a LOT of fun :)

Here are some shots that we got!

I think this shot was my favorite from their session. Did you decide to use this one for your save-the-dates/invitations Juanita? I think it would be perfect for it!

Alethea and Nathan - A unique photo opportunity!

2009-02-17T15:26:00.000-08:00

Alethea and Nathan both run a local martial arts studio. Together, we were able to get some truly unique engagement shots! :) Way to go guys! It was a blast!

Sarah and Travis

2009-02-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

I love you guys! ;-)

Amanda and Nathan (and Family)

2009-02-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

Amanda and Nathan (with family) had their engagement sitting on Sunday in the Bosque. It was a cold morning, but VERY worth it. They're such a great family :)

I really love the way this one turned out!

They brought along the whole crew (including Shadow)! :-)

Bettina & Dan

2009-02-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

Bettina & Dan spent the afternoon with me this last Saturday. We stopped by one of their favorite hiking spots to get their engagement photos and then went to grab drinks at Flying Star. I really love it when the light creates interesting shadows like it did that day. Thanks guys! It was awesome!

Beth and John

2009-01-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine two people who love to laugh with a photographer who loves to photograph laughter? A TOTALY unconventional engagement sitting and an awesome Monday afternoon!! :)

Maricia and Aaron

2009-01-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

Maricia and Aaron were a blast to hang out with. We had a lot of fun! Still, the best pictures from their engagement session were the ones that captured the moments that just the two of them were sharing together when they forgot that I was even there. We got some really great shots!

Thanks guys! It was a BLAST!!

I love that my favorite picture from their sitting (above) was the same picture that they picked for their 8X10! Great minds think alike! ;-)

Wedding Expo 2009 at Sandia Casino!

2009-01-27T11:53:00.001-08:00

Thanks SO much to EVERYBODY who stopped by the booth on Sunday! Wow! What an amazing show....

For those of you who don't know, Sandia Casino hosted the largest bridal fair of the year on Sunday. Brides (and grooms) with wedding dates ranging from next month to 2014 to undecided were there! It was crazy!

There were a total of 2 fashion shows during the day. Here are some shots from them....

There were HUNDREDS of vendors there. Chef Michael Cakes had some awesome work to display and they asked me to shoot some pictures of their stuff! :) Their cakes look great!

Christine (Something Special with Flowers) was there with her lillies. I LOVE this shot! :)

Sarah (the world's most awesome friend) was there chatting it up with the other brides at the Fizelwink booth. Here she is taking a much needed break!

Rosenda and Cesar

2009-01-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

I met two more wonderful people over the weekend! Rosenda and Cesar are getting married on June 5th, 2010. What an awesome couple! Take a look at their pictures and see what a beautiful (and cold) morning in the Bosque can bring! We had a great time at Satellite afterwards looking at albums and downing warm drinks :) lol

Jamie and Nick...

2009-01-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

It's been fairly warm lately. The mountains look beautiful this time of year! The perfect location for a beautiful couple! Nick and Jamie got engaged at a Halloween party last year :) Their engagement pictures came out great! Here are a few samples!

Bridal Fair Season!

2009-01-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's bridal fair season, one of my favorite times of year! I love getting to meet all the new faces and people and hearing the stories of how they got engaged. They're all unique. It's also the season for engagement sessions. I've met so many interesting and friendly people this last week. It's been really exciting!

2009-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ryan's Fizelwink Blogspot has launched!

My Brother...

2009-01-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

My oldest brother Andy has been juggling for as long as I can remember. Every once in a while someone hires him for a juggling gig and recently he needed some promo photos taken for one of them. Guess who got the job?!?! :-)

It was a SERIOUS blast and a really unique opportunity to shoot a session with such a rare theme like juggling. Here's some of the ideas we came up with....

This one was his idea. I thought it was a really cool one. It took several tries to get the timing, expression and height of the ball right but we got it!

The toys abound...

Yes! That's right! He juggles flaming torches! Gotta love the lighting :)

I tried an experiment by cranking up the power on my lights to over expose the image for a bit of a different feel. Here's the end result. I dig it!

Once again, the expression makes the photograph :-) LOL!

Leave it to my brother to act terrified while juggling normal clubs (above) and then act happy and care-free with a cheesy grin on his face whilst juggling knives. The normal photographic "say cheese" smile definitely isn't my brother. Once again, gotta love him.

A Rare Moment

2008-09-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to share a special moment I caught at the Rio Grande Zoo recently. As it stands right now, I have nowhere near the patience necessary to sit around long enough to capture something like this out in the wild. My hats off to all wildlife photographers out there!

I love being there when the moment presents itself! What beautiful animals!