maybe I’ll find time to make an interesting post soon.  Not much travel lately, only Windy Peak’in.  Barbados, this fall tho.  That will surely make a post. 

Black + White = WINNING.  I have a love for B+W pictures.  I guess it started when I produced my own black and white film images in the darkroom.  It’s just even better in the digital world.  For some reason it makes any boring picture interesting.

We took a trip down to Charleston, SC last weekend for a friends wedding.  We stayed right on Meeting Street at none other than the Meeting Street Inn.  This place was pretty old.  In fact, when you walk on the upper levels, the walkway is on a slant making you feel like you’re going to fall off the balcony.  But the rooms were solid.  Ice cold air conditioners in the room made the best night of sleep ever in a hotel room.  I’ve stayed in some pretty nice places before, but I slept like a baby in that place.  Highly recommend it.  We got a chance to see our WPP bridal portrait in action that was on display at the wedding.  If I say so myself, it looked pretty damn good!

Fortunately, we were able to kick back and enjoy ourselves for the event and didn’t have to lug the cameras around our friends wedding.  It was a good time.  We got to explore the city for a bit the next day.  We drove over to Sullivan’s Island for some much anticipated beach time.  Lounged around for about an hour and then hit the road.

We cant wait to get back to Charleston for some upcoming weddings, and just plain good relaxation.

For now, I wanted to share some thoughts about some sweet glass I picked up.  I rented the Zeiss 50mm f/2.0 Makro-Planar this weekend for an upcoming wedding shoot we have.  This will be my first time working with Zeiss glass on a full frame Canon.  The initial test shots right out of the delivery box were very pleasing.

That’s right out of the camera.  (I’m limited in my office for subject matter)

But at first take this 4 day relationship is going to be sweet!  I have read reviews on Zeiss glass until I am blue in the face and I cant find anyone saying anything negative about them.  In fact, some of our idol photogs shoot exclusively with Zeiss on full frame Canons and have unreal results.  Now granted, it would be expensive to switch the line up plans to a full Zeiss prime collection but I might be on board after the weekend is over.  The color reproduction this glass creates is unreal.  It doesn’t miss a beat.  The only downfall I can see in Zeiss glass, is the manual focus.  I love it, but I call it a con because my partner in crime prefers AF and when it comes down to it, we have to share gear so this causes my better half to shy away from it.  I am hoping we can play around with this over the next few days and the level of comfort can increase so we have a shot at making this relationship with Zeiss primes a permanent one.  At 2.8 the bokeh is awesome and I cant wait to get it outside and shoot it wide open to see the dreamy results.  The focus ring is solid and makes for smooth focusing.  The Makro (although not a true Makro) works great and has the ability to focus pretty close to its subject.  WPP might have found its match.

Another chapter in my life has ended.  I turned the page on a wild, stressful, educational, fun, and motivational part in the book of life last month.  A lot of adjectives I know.  Its bittersweet.  I quit my job at CMI, and it was bittersweet to walk out of that office.  My lifestyle couldn’t handle it anymore.  When it comes to choosing between family and work, family is going to win every time.

I started a blog over two years ago to help document my time on the epic journey because I knew I would go to some fabulous places and see some fabulous things.  At CMI we have a work hard play hard lifestyle.  I was out that hotel door as quick as I could be to go explore.  It made long days the next morning but I don’t regret a second of it.  I got to take my wife to along with me a few times too.  That was fun.  I wanted to share a few things about the past 3 years with you guys who read because I thought it might be interesting to know that…

I collect hotel key cards and shot glasses.  I have too many shot glasses for a picture.  Maybe one day, but I do have the key cards…

some of these hotels, were visited more than once as you can see.  Those little black ones were my favorite.  VIP!

In reference to Jeff Foxworthy’s “you might be a redneck”

You just might be a CMI Roadie if…

…the Barista at the common hotel across the country knows how you like your Latte.

…the Bellman says, “Welcome back Mr. Green.”

…the American Airlines at First Class check in doesn’t need to see your ID.

…the TSA agent says “you again?, you know the drill.”

…you know the happy hour menu in DFW.

…you put everything on credit just to bank your AA account.

…your idea of sunshine is asking the LD  to turn up the chandeliers.

…you get a delivered mini fridge at every check in for your “meds that need to be kept cold”

…you speak in Clear Com language to a perfect stranger.

…the only thing you worry about getting through customs is your snack bag.

…you make trades out of your snack bag like wet wipes for trail mix.

Between 2008 and 2011 I worked a total of 848 days.  That was 2.5 years minus the 65 days I took off for comp days, sick days, or vacation time.  In 848 days, I traveled 160,241 miles on American Airlines.  I’ll add this doesn’t include the other airlines I flew on.  Only American.  (The only one that matters)

I saw a few cool things for the first time too.  My first meeting was the Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ where I saw my first coyote, the McDowell Mountain Range, and the TPC Troon North.  I hiked Camelback Mountain, in the dark I might add.  I stayed at the Phoenician, probably one of the coolest resorts in the country, ate rattlesnake, rocky mountain goat oysters, SWAM the riverwalk, San Antonio, TX.  Yes, I made the swim across to the other side and drank a 60oz margarita and not in that order.  I saw the Alamo, and took an old time photo for the first time.

I saw Cape Cod, went to a Boston Redsox game by myself, mainly bc I just love the game.  Ate real Boston clam chowdah.  Saw Quincy Market, had a drink at the original Cheers bar, and the copy cat bar.  Had a night of bar hoping only by water taxi.

I saw the entire city of Chicago.  Stayed at the legendary Drake Hotel.  Saw a Bears game, and a Cubs game.  Hung out with my peeps in J Mendel.  Ate on the famous Rush Street.

In Vegas, I was upgraded to “the Top of the Rock” in the Red Rock Resort and Casino.  This room went for 20k a night.  Words cant describe how baller that room was.  Theres a post about it if you dig down the blog.  I took pictures.  George Clooney was the only other person to crash that room.  VIP!

I flew over the Grand Canyon, Cowboy Stadium, Smith Mountain Lake, the St. Louis Arch, and the Smokey Mountains.  I ate at Robert Dinero’s restaurant.  Didnt see Robert Dinero though.

I saw NYC, the Empire State building, Brooklyn,  and had a “real” Brooklyn meal, and Yankee Stadium.  I saw Times Square and Grand Central Station.  I got to stay a few nights in the coveted Harvard CLub of New York and eat at the famous Fabio’s Authentic Cuisine and served by the chef himself.  So many more things… too many to even mention.

I also shared some plane rides with a few celebrities.  And saw some on the road.  Drew Brees, Coach K, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Jenner, Brooke Hogan, Gary Sinise, Mark Cuban, Ron Jeremy, Dennis Quaid, and the entire 2010 Boston Celtics NBA team, and the list goes on.

Overall, this was an awesome job that gave me some wonderful experiences.  Now its on to the next.  The future holds a few endeavors of my own.  Some in the works now, and some on the horizon.  My time at CMI was just the beginning.  

I’ve taken the cliche “day job” and now I am completely focused on my self employment goals.  For now, photography is the main focus and hopefully if things work out, a full service event production company is around the corner.  Success takes risks, and taking a risk means being prepared and educated.  Wish me luck.

Here a few pics from the road.  Nothing special, just random shutter clicks, some by me, some by coworkers.

(If your girly is with you, keep her away from this place as its attached to one of the best mall’s in the country) Any mall with Maserati’s and Ferrari’s parked out front in the valet, deserves the walk by.  Leave your wallet at home.

Some other good spots within Buckhead walking distance.  I had drink at all of them.

The Grape - Good Wine

The Tavern at Phipps - Good Beers (start here)

Bluepointe - Classy $$$

Dante’s Down the Hatch - Good Jazz & good spirits

The W – (whenever you see one of these hotels, you have to go in for a drink)

Since this is a photo blog… here one for Opening Day