Food #4 - my 100th post!

Here's a quote from one of Michael Franti's songs...this is real, 100% vegan Food!

Those who start wars, never fight them.
And those who fight wars, they never like them.
Those who write laws, can't recite them.
And those of us who just fight laws, we live and die them.

Here's a Michael Franti interview...

Sunset foto revisited...

Ok...so last nights post I included this foto...

Do you see all the black on the marsh...there's no definition...that is really annoying....so I revisited the foto and made some adjustments....

See here...much better....

Details...

Just helped Kaci with a wedding...and here's some details...some are unorthodox...but that's how I roll.

Sunset...

Normal details...

Weird details...

Questions for me...

About a month ago, I sent out an e-mail to past "clients", future "clients",  friends, and family. In the e-mail I asked them to put themselves in the shoes of a prospective client.  I then asked them, as "prospective clients," what would you want to know about me...ezra, the photographer?

I received many questions and I plan to answer a few on my blog...but the purpose of the e-mail is to assist me with a series of videos we're making for my bio section on my main website.

In the meantime, I'll answer a few here on my blog...it will probably take a series of blogs, b/c there was a lot of questions!

The most common question was - How long have you been a photographer?

Answer:  My whole life...I just never had any cameras...just my eyes...serious...but that's not the answer most would want to hear.  So the preferred answer -  not very long...I've been shooting weddings for a year this month!  That's not long, but experience doesn't always equal quality...judge my work by my fotos...not how many years I've been shooting.

Another question was - Are you a Christian?  And if not, can you be sensitive to my desire to approach the photoshoot/event from a faith-based perspective?  

Answer:  I am a Christian, but not by any traditional or conventional standards...and I am open to all faiths and walks of life...I judge no one based on what they believe (as long as they are not harming anyone).  Again, I am open to all faiths...and I am sensitive and respectful to all walks of life!  (But Hindu weddings or engagement ceremonies are the best, b/c they don't typically eat meat...so I can partake!!!)

And here's a couple of pictures...just b/c pictures are cool to look at! 

Danielle & Paul's Wedding!!!

Ok..just got back from Danielle and Paul's wedding...and these two are so awesome.  I remember when we first me to discuss their wedding...it was Barnes & Nobles...and I was totally psyched to work with them, b/c they like abstract, outside-the-box, "oh my god, you didn't" type of photography.  So it was a perfect for me...and them!  

Well, their wedding ceremony was at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum - go there...especially if you do any kind of photography!  While the crowd was filling in, the Postal Service was playing in the background -  now how cool and outside-the-box is that!

And during the reception, the DJ was just killing it...I mean, I was ready to put my cameras down and start breaking dancing.  He played all kinds of old skool hip-hop...and then he played some Del Da Funkee Homosapien and other underground hip-hop vibes that I used to listen to when I was a teenager...and then he switched it over to Soca...and then finished with my favorite - BOB MARLEY!

Here's a few pics from the day...enjoy...

Tidbits #2

#2 

So I grew-up in Tampa...in a neighborhood called Clair-Mel.  I haven't done any research or made any studies, but it seemed the neighborhood was split in 3rds - 1/3 of us were Hispanic...another 1/3 was caucasian (white, European American...whatever the PC term is...)...and the other 1/3 was African American...

There was some tension...enough tension...some streets I avoided at all costs!  There was a lots of fights...and those fights just perpetuated more fights.  Despite the fights, it was an awesome place to be in the '80's...I remember hearing the sounds of my step-father and company mixing up the domino tiles in between games...man, those things were so loud!  

Football was the craze...Michael Jordan hadn't made his imprint...but it was coming...Walter Payton was the sports hero...and we played football every minute we got...we even formed street teams and made a whole league...of course Hartley Rd. Hawks was the best...and I was the only little person that got any playing time...I was super fast!

Music...my older brothers were into hip-hop...and I mean by this - Run-DMC, LL Cool J (way before he went commercial), Beastie Boys, Afrika Bambaataa,  Soul Sonic Force, etc...  

My brothers even taught be how to breakdance...headspins...the whole 9...my mother must of been freaking out....regardless, I was in contests with them...it was awesome...I loved entertaining a crowd.

By the time I was in 5th grade, my older brothers were out of the house...and school was really hard b/c everyone wanted to fight...so I asked to go to private school like my cousins...they seemed to never have any problems.  And as I started 6th grade, we also moved across the way...a totally different way.  Talk about culture shock!

My house in Clair-Mel...we lived here from 1980-81 to 1988...this picture was taken in 2007.

Tidbits #1

I'm starting a new thing.  I already have "Food"...but now I need to share "Tidbits."  This will be the first installment of many.  The purpose of "Tidbits" is for you to get a little more information on who I am as a person.  This sort of came about from a remark I made on an earlier blog about how people are 90% of their experiences...and also from a really cool person who said they would want to know how my personal life experiences affect/influence my photography.  

I couldn't possibly share all of my life experiences in 1 blog entry, so I have to share tidbits.

Tidbits #1 starts off like this...born in Chicago...1977...to my mother who is from Puerto Rico and my biological father who is from Mexico...uhmmm, I mean Texas...

My mother and father split up when I was 2 years young...my mom moved to Tampa (I was with her)...she was following her sister.  I guess her boyfriend (my stepfather) then moved down not too long after that...I think.  My stepfather is from Ecuador!  We could say he raised me...and my mother too...

I think this is a good start...a little tidbit...I think where my parents are all from has to say a lot about where I am as a person now...lots of diversity!

Five Points/Memorial Park - FOTOS!

Today I booked a few 1 hour shoots in Five Points and Memorial Park area...here's a few fotos for you to enjoy...

Karen & Daniel...the sweetest and purest couple ever...they're getting married 9.5.09!

Mariah and Casey...this is the 4th time I have worked with this family...Mariah is used to me now...and she even knows my name!!!

Veronica & Troy...married 16 years!

Ok...so today I had couple of last minute cancellations...so I went home and found this guy to fotograph...he should smile more!

Everyday this week...

I think I put up a new post (or 2) each day this week...so here's some more random stuff...

Melissa & Ron in August......Melissa & Ron yesterday! 

And new dress shoes!  These are another pair of sketchers...they fit like gym shoes...no lie!

Melissa & Ron...just because...

Two shoots today...two blog posts...

These are awesome fotos with my friends, Ron & Melissa...

I shot their wedding back in August...and I also made a music video for Ron...and Ron is better than I am at Madden...he always (except once) beats the f-stop out of me...here's some fotos of them, just because...

enjoy!

Freewise/Kathryn Brown fotography!

I think Kaci and I are going to have to consolidate our photography businesses...we might as well...here's another shoot I helped her out with...I couldn't resist a sunrise...here's a few fotos...enjoy

plants, plane, feline, and stroller....

Here's a super random post...ok, to make it meaningful, I recently heard a stat that says we are 90% of our experiences...10% of the now....more on this in another post...but for now, here's some random fotos...and the stroller is up for sale....$150....contact me if you're interested - ezra@freewisefoto.com


Azaleas....blooming in my backyard!



Oleander...with noise...see, photogs are trying to get rid of noise...I like to add it!



Nice to have palm trees in FLORIDA!



The miracle of flight...those people are way up in the sky...wonder what they're doing?



Judah...the outside cat we take care of...he could use a home...but he is ruff around the edges..but very sweet....



Self-explanatory....

Social Worker and Truant Officer Recognition Celebration!

So today was the Social Worker and Truant Officer Recognition Celebration for Duval County Public Schools...for those who know me personally, then understand I how I ended up getting into to this charitable little gig ;)...

The Month of March is Social Worker Recognition Month...so every year, the school board does something for us...I mean the Social Workers...but we also inlcude the Truancy Officers, because in reality we're all doing the same thing...

Well, to spice up our little celebration, I suggested we do a foto booth with some outrageous props...so here's a few fotos from the day...enjoy and celebrate these Social Workers and Truant Officers...these people work really hard in our community helping families and children that are in some really undesirable situations...

New fotos taken by my daughter!

A while back I let my daughter walk around with my camera and take some pictures...she did well the first time...well here's another round of her fotos (and by the way, if you are wondering...yes, it makes stressed as all can be letting my daughter walk around the house with my D300....it's worth the risk...but I really need to buy her own)...

She's crops like her 'Papi'.....

I got to tell her to back-up next time...this is scary!