Going West!

The City of Keller's annual Wild Wild West Fest at Bear Creek Park was cool. We didn't stay too long, so I focused on getting shots I missed from last year. Namely, the "Children's Stick-Horse Rodeo," which is a lot of fun. Although I was shooting photos for the city, the ones I posted here don't clearly show children's faces. Some of my other shots show their excitement as they rode stickhorses during barrel racing. Fun stuff! The last shot is of the tractor pull, which is loud, dusty and a blast to watch.

A helping hand

When my oldest son – unprompted – helps his brother put his shoe back on, it's priceless! Being four years apart, they get along well most of the time. Watching your kids grow up is such bittersweet joy. You want them to grow up, yet some days you want them to stay young and dependent on you. All that passes when a toy his haphazardly thrown across the living room. Or someone yet again spills something sticky all over the kitchen floor.

Parenthood is grand!

Group perspectives

This was a photo I was asked to take at the last minute. That, coupled with the fact that I should have been doing something else, caused me to overlook things such as feet and hand placement. But thankfully, these ladies are all photogenic, had pleasant expressions and all their eyes were open. Who can really ask for anything more?

I've taken a lot of group photos, and the best perspective seems to be from at least slightly above your subjects (especially for us otherwise short people). Main issue with shooting where I did was that the floor is extremely reflective. I had to photoshop out the reflections of two strip lights behind them. Other than that, this is what it looked like out of the camera. Success!

None of these ladies needed any help with looking fine, but having subjects look up into the camera can stretch out necks and faces ... a good technique for slimming those who could use a little bit of that.

A quick trip to Austin

My wife had a business meeting on Austin the end of last week, so we decided to make it an overnight family trip. We didn't have much time to do a whole lot, but we did do the short hike up Mt. Bonnell. We also stopped in Salado on the way back, ate lunch and visited a little pumpkin patch. Good times! We'll have to plan another trip soon.

Caught in the rain!

The rain stopped briefly yesterday, so I decided to head out to take some photos for a city-related project I'm working on. Went to the historic area and got some shots of houses (and ended up talking to the resident historian, which was cool), then decided to head to the Keller ISD Athletics Complex for a few quick photos. Was cloudy yesterday, but still "dry" as I took a few photos from one end of the field (first photo above). The I decided to head up to the stands in front of the press box for an overall shot (second photo). Then, of course, it started to rain. Hard. My car is highlighted in the cropped image (third photo).

I'm not skeered of raindrops, but my camera gear doesn't like it. Had my camera and lens, with the bag back at the office. Traveling light, don't you know? Ended up putting my cam under my shirt as I made my way back to the car. Such is the life of an intrepid photographer!

Moral to the story: if there's even the slightest chance of rain, protect any sensitive equipment. Better yet, put off until tomorrow what wasn't safe to do today!

Crossing a bridge!

The covered pedestrian bridge at Bear Creek Park in Keller has got to be one of the most over-photographed things in town (aside from the old water tower). Today during my lunchbreak I attempted to find a slightly different angle that didn't require getting in the ditch in front of it (which I've done before) or climbing a tree. A little more depth of field with a family on bicycles, along with a clear blue sky, would make this shot perfect for me.

I've taken a different shot before with City of Keller workers in a boat tied to the bridge, working to free debris washed down under the bridge after heavy rains. That's something you don't see every day!

Trying to find another angle on something that's photographed over and over is a real challenge. Take structures such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. All you can hope for is either an interesting sky or some other object walking/driving/floating past to add something new to oft-retreaded images. Putting your family in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa might work, but will it really be interesting? I don't know ... fly us over there and I'll let you know. :-)

Final ad

I thought this turned out pretty well. It will be a half-page in the PTA phone directory for my son's school, and I hope it gets some attention.

Did it get your attention? Give me a call to set up YOUR professional portrait session today!

Let the labor begin!

Now that Labor Day is over (and my birthday was last week), summer is officially over. Even the weather is a little nicer. Sure, it's still hot, but the oven is starting to cool, the fever has finally broken from our recent dog days. With school back in session, too, our house is running on eight cylinders, cooking with gas, *insert "we're busy" metaphor here*. It's full steam ahead for my business, too. I'll be trying new things to get the word out about me and what I do. For sure, when someone needs a photographer, please think of me and pass on my information!

The above photo is my nephew taken about a year ago, when he turned 3. I'm considering using it for a print ad I'm placing this week. Who can resist such a face?

When it's time for photos, give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. It's not too early to start thinking about Christmas cards, gifts and more! The holidays will be here before we know it.

Todd Overman
817-675-1143
todd@toddovermanphoto.com
www.toddovermanphoto.com

Driving lessons

My oldest son "taught" my youngest son to drive the Powerwheels Jeep earlier this month. They had an absolute blast. Sometimes they make taking photos of them really, really easy!