Joe.  I'm working on a new series about my partner, Joe, and our life -- still a work in the early phases of development.  I'm just shooting him and things that mean something to us both, and I'm seeing where the project ends up.  I started to really enjoy working with environmental portraiture using available lighting.  And I have a built-in model -- as long as I don't forget about my honey-do list.

The dogs are our kids; they're family.  When we're home, there is always one or both hanging around close to where we are.  They are perfectly content to snooze while we're doing other things because they know that soon it's their time.  I should learn that patience.

 

Joe is an incredible cook, as is shown by my every expanding waistline.  Most of the recipes he has are from his mother.  He is the only one in his family to have all her old recipes and to be able to cook the Italian dishes that the family remembers from years ago.  One of his favorite recipes is his mom's recipe for homemade pizza.  This recipe her mother brought with her from the old country.  One time before she passed away, his mom tasted Joe's pizza and exclaimed, "The student is better than the teacher."  Joe's always cherished that moment.

Back in the 90's Joe and I attended a black-tie AIDS benefit in town.  There was a photographer there shooting the event, and we made arrangements to have our portrait done since we had the tuxedos.  It's funny that after this photo was taken, we went a very long time without taking any photographs of us at all.  It's funny looking at us as we appeared almost 20 years ago.  I still expect to see that young guy in the mirror.

Joe and I have created an interesting color palette that we have put together at the house with many diferent textures.

Keeping my eyes open for those little moments that I normally would not pay attention to.

I am spending time exploring the environment that I live in.  I am looking into all the different nooks and corners that I normally overlook.  This one little space just spoke to me when I stopped to pay attention.

The Last Leaves.   We have a beautiful Japanese maple tree outside that has the most beautiful crimson-colored leaves when it blooms in the spring.  Almost all the leaves have fallen and the tree looks so bare with just these few leaves left.  I know though that spring will come again soon enough.

Buddy, my Golden boy.  Just got a 100 mm 2.0 lens and I've been enjoying all the different opportunities it gives me.  Sometimes very overt distinctions and sometimes very subtle.