Karlo | Photography

Making Improvements

2009-11-25T13:39:00.002-05:00

The blog has moved!

Please visit the new site at http://KarloBlog.com

Jordan & Abby (A Lakefront Wedding)

2009-10-14T10:58:00.005-04:00

I was pleased to meet Abby at the Will 'O Lounge to talk about her wedding day. Her fiance Jordan was in Africa at the time working with Samaritan's Purse, an organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to victims of war, poverty, natural disaster, and disease.

The venue was lakefront at the home "Unforgettable" located at Waterfront Greens and available through Railey Mtn. Lake Vacations. Judy Day of Deep Creek Connections did a wonderful job of keeping everything organized and fun.

Keeping with the theme, we moved the entire wedding party for a quick trip up to North Glade Inn for a wedding photo session.

The couple decided to go both ways, formal and relaxed (as is the vibe here in DCL). The luncheon was followed by an array of activities including boating, cornhole, and dance lessons provided by Jennifer Christophel.

Thanks to Nikki Rotunda who did an amazing job 2nd shooting for me.

Interested in booking for your 2010 wedding? Contact me @ Karlo.Gesner@gmail.com

Next Post: Stepping in front of the lens

NYC Recap

2009-09-29T09:37:00.010-04:00

Oh man, life has been crazy. I've picked up and left Deep Creek Lake, moved to Lancaster, PA, and went to NYC with my family and Amanda somewhere in the middle there.

Cool Happening #1: Ran into Tommy Davidson from In Living Colour

Amanda being overwhelmed by traffic (lots of firetrucks blaring by)

Cool Happening #2: Stopped by the Apple Store and found out Journey was playing outside next door. Unfortunately it got delayed due to rain and we didn't get to see them. Still, I stood on the same city block as Journey. Blam.

The Majestic Theater

@MOMA I really wanted to stick around and listen to their thoughts on this painting (yes, it's a black square)

Photography from all different eras. My favorite was a series from Richard Avedon including this image of former President Dwight Eisenhower. It was a strange mix of American Pop Culture combined with photographic grit. Click on Dwight to check out more.

Jackson Pollock

Awesome trip, and now I'm even closer to NYC so hopefully more trips will be happening in the near future. Getting settled into Lancaster and meeting lots of new people while still keeping things going in DCL. I'd like to take this time to say friend me on Facebook! (www.facebook.com/karlo.gesner)

Next post: "?" Maybe some recent weddings, maybe some Lancaster photography, maybe some collaborations with other creatives. We'll see.....

Por Favor, Uno Momento Mas

2009-09-10T02:39:00.006-04:00

Super fun slideshow/photo session with The Reinharts:

Ok, seriously, NY photos are coming next...

Uno Momento

2009-09-08T21:10:00.004-04:00

A quick slideshow I did for Christine & Patrick from Pittsburgh, PA.

Busting Largeness

2009-09-04T15:38:00.006-04:00

And oh my, the largeness was busted indeed.

Full results available at the HMS website

Next Post: New York City

Podcast News and More...

2009-08-19T09:17:00.023-04:00

Logo Created by MountainStone Media

Yes indeed, we are doing a podcast. Meet your hosts:

Michael Kang - Engineer/Technical Stuff/Host - Venice, CA
I met Michael late one night in the video chat rooms at PhotographyMentor.com. He is originally from NY, NY and works as a graphic designer. His strobist work is on point. Continually honing his craft, Michael embodies the spirit of the advanced amateur. Proof? Check out his Flickr as well as his blog @ Static Age Photography.

Derek Green - Host/Spirit - Keyser, WV
A man of boundless energy, Derek has only been photographing since November of 2008 and has hit the ground running. I met him for the first time at a DP show in Cumberland, MD and later again at Gina Powell's CD release where we were both shooting. I recently shot with Derek at a studio get together and he has an amazing way of working with subjects that put them at ease and bring out the best in them. Derek currently shoots editorial & personal projects in addition to developing his portfolio. His work can be seen on Flickr, MySpace, and Facebook.

Karlo Gesner - Director/Jabberer/Host - Deep Creek Lake, MD/Lancaster, PA
Me. I've been in the game for about 2 years now and have made my way primarily by just closing my eyes and going for it, figuratively speaking. Currently working on building up Karlo Gesner | Photography into a signature brand that specializes in bringing style and uniqueness to wedding photography and creative portraiture. I also enjoy capturing musicians and adventure sports athletes doing what they do best. My work can be seen at my website, blog (you're on it), and Flickr.

As far as updates, we've been talking to some folks about guesting on the show including David Burke, Robb Davidson, & Ole Hongvanthong! The show is being developed as I type this. If you have any suggestions/comments/questions for the podcast, send them to: papapodcast[at]gmail.com

Next Blog:

Busting Largeness w/ HMS

Andrea & Shane - Married!

2009-07-16T00:21:00.011-04:00

By far the most laid back couple I have worked with. The event was casual and intimate in the backyard of Andrea's parents with around 50 guests. My favorite part was when the preacher quoted the Beatles and Maryland Blue Crabs at the reception were an excellent touch. Congratulations guys...

As always, you can reach me at Karlo.Gesner[at]Gmail.com

Next Post: A Podcast?

Simon Pearce

2009-07-10T09:13:00.006-04:00

My good friend Rita was in town a couple weeks ago and after a photoshoot we stopped by the Simon Pearce factory out between Loch Lynn and Deer Park where the old Bausch & Lomb factory used to be. I hadn't been there in about 5 years and Rita had never been there at all. I've always been intrigued by the art of glass blowing and we were lucky enough to get invited onto the floor by one of the managers.

(heating the "glob" of molten glass)

(close-up)

(Rita checking out the interior of one of the kilns)

(scoring the glass to be removed from the blowing pipe)

(transferring a glob to form the flat base of a dish)

(what would soon be a cake dish, the "bowl" on the left eventually gets opened up and flattened out to form the plate portion)

The place was amazing, it felt like being inside an episode of "How It's Made". The thing that blew me away the most was how the glass blowers could work in near-perfect harmony while barely speaking a word to one another. If you're ever have the opportunity to visit one of these facilities, I highly suggest you check it out.

As always, I can be reached at Karlo.Gesner[at]Gmail.com

Next post: Andrea & Shane's Wedding

Nicole & Chris

2009-06-16T02:11:00.009-04:00

I got a surprise email from Nicole, asking me to do their engagement session in Annapolis. I hadn't been to Annapolis since I was 8 years old to see the state capitol and was excited about the opportunity. We dodged the weather a bit and strolled all over town to get some amazing photos. Annapolis is an amazing place to shoot! I was super inspired by the change of scenery and the bright vivacious colors all over the town. We finished the shoot on the Naval Academy to create some images that captured Chris & Nicole's on-going sports theme in their relationship. Amazing locations and great chemistry made for a fun shoot.

As always, you can contact me at Karlo.Gesner[at]Gmail.com

Next Time: A Visit Inside the Simon Pearce Glass Blowing Facility

Pictobooks

2009-06-05T01:47:00.006-04:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to stop in at the Pictobooks office in Rockville, MD to experience some of their product first hand. I have been searching for some time now for a company that matches my creative goals and Pictobooks has stood out far and above the rest. Take a look:

(The Bijou Book w/ Ice Cover)

(thick pages, difficult to bend and liquid resistant, a step above the coffee table book)

(plenty of options, they even have some very modern looking carbon fiber covers)

(the wood series, i have my eye on these for 2010)

(another elegant wood series book)

I'm going to go ahead and announce now that there will be some very special pricing for those customers that take a part in the first release of these books with Karlo Gesner | Photography (30% off). These books go above and beyond anything I've found and are designed to last for generations. It serves as both a display piece and an heirloom to tell your story for years to come.

As always, you can contact me at Karlo.Gesner[at]Gmail.com

Next Time: Chris & Nicole's Engagement Shoot (Downtown Annapolis)

New Camera + Shooting w/ Trish

2009-06-02T18:50:00.008-04:00

It's here!

(click image for full specs)

Just got my new Canon 50D in the mail from Fumfie.com. I highly recommend these guys if you're looking to buy new equipment, the beat the MSRP by nearly $300. It does come without warranty though (received from Japan) however Fumfie offers a 3-year warranty that beats out Canon's 1-year warranty for a third of the price.

So after many calls to the house ("Is it here yet?") I finally picked up my camera and immediately brought it out for a shoot with my model friend Trish.

Needless to say, I am happy. Going to Annapolis tomorrow to do an engagement shoot with Nicole & Chris, probably going to do a blog from the road. Visiting Pictobooks (Rockville, MD), Penn Camera (Rockville), and shooting at the Naval academy (Annapolis)!

You can contact me at Karlo.Gesner[at]Gmail.com

The Deep Creek Diabolical Double

2009-05-25T20:04:00.017-04:00

(Kyle Yost, staring me down)

I got an email from Kyle Yost, the man behind the Savageman Triathlon, asking me to join them on the 128 mile route for the Deep Creek Diabolical Double as a support driver and photographer. My immediate thought was......hesitance. I know Kyle very little, but to give you an idea, the first time I saw him in the flesh he screamed at every rider (encouraging screams of course) coming up the Westernport Wall for nearly an hour and a half. He is an intense man and does intense things, and knowing that I would be involved in this ride would mean a full day commitment and I hadn't had a day off in nearly two weeks.

I kicked my instincts aside and volunteered my services. The thing is with Kyle is that his events are the definition of Epic, and it's very rarely that Epic comes knocking at your door (and if you don't answer Epic knocks you down, kicks sand in your face, and calls you a wuss. Such is the nature of Epic). I knew that it would be a great experience and I was eager to capture it.

So I find myself at 8am in Kyle's home on Brant Road surrounded by the fittest group of people I've seen in a long time, trying to suck in my gut and happily eat a banana. This was Rapha Continental, a crew of like minded individuals recruited for their road riding skills and brought together to harvest and exhibit the spirit of the American road ride. On paper, their goal was to create a guidebook depicting the top 25 rides in the good ole' U.S.A. via personal experience.

The mood quickly shifted from pleasant introductions to business. Coffee was made and consumed along with bagels, oatmeal, bananas, and english muffins. Gel packs were filled, legs were oiled up, and powders were mixed in water bottles. Joining us today were a camera crew and Rapha photographer/rider/writer, Daniel Wakefield Pasley.

I was surprised at first, because as far as I knew, it was the cyclists and myself. I had no idea about a camera crew or another photographer. Daniel pulled out a vintage Leica and began shooting around the room which immediately drew my interest.

"Dude...." I responded (ahhh....the ever so universal word "dude", in this case communicating envy and appreciation)

He let me hold the Leica and went on to show me his newly acquired Canon 1D Mark II (the original digital badass). As we spoke, he told tell me about his original film Hasselblad, the main player in his collection of cameras. The peking order soon began to come clear, Daniel was doing this for the company and my main role would be to run support. My ego gently nudged over to make room for Daniel, and I quickly decided that I would shoot and document the entire experience. The entire production instead of just the ride. Often as a photographer you find that you don't get many good pictures of yourself, and I figured that this would be a good way for me to keep the photography karma going by getting Daniel and the film crew in front of the lens.

The main thing was, I was running support. This was no joke, 128 miles is a beast of a ride for anybody, especially with this type of terrain. Support first, photography second. This was my role.

So here it is, a quick summary in photos of the Deep Creek Diabolical Double hosted by Kyle Yost and Sean Ward, ridden by Rapha Continental. Also joining us for half the ride were Sam and Laura, along with videographers Dave & Adam, and of course Daniel, whom I spent most of the day with taking photos and listening to music ("I can see where our tastes overlap, but not where they underlap" - Daniel).

It was a doozy.

(128 miles; 15,300 ft of climbing)

(my vehicle, the Rapha support van, complete with state magnets)

The way it pretty much went was: 1. cyclists go 2. Daniel and I catch up 3. Pass riders without getting too close, hitting a rider, another car, or pissing them off 4. Find a place to pull over 5. Take pictures (picture taking occured at all steps) 6. Wait for riders 7. Repeat

(Start Photo)

Daniel shot with a classic film Hasselblad Medium format camera for the majority of the ride. Looking through it was like looking into a time machine. The film is square and he had a cooler full of it. Film was constantly being changed and you get 12 shots per roll. Fun to watch.

(bridge over the Yough)

(rest stop #1)

(please get me tickets to this, Friendsville)

(lining up the shot)

(rest stop #2)

(almost got clipped here)

(rest stop #3)

(flats on gravel)

(farmland)

(climbing out of Westernport)

(climbing out of Kitzmiller)

(finish @ dusk)

Epic ride, for all you riders, click on the map earlier in the blog for a full route through Bikely.com

I priced a road bike at HMS the other day, and I got P90x, you're going down belly.

You can contact me at Karlo.Gesner[at]gmail.com
More blog action at the Rapha Site.

Gina Powell CD Release

2009-05-19T09:14:00.006-04:00

(Gina Powell)

Oh, long ago were the days when we would be sitting at the Walthall house in town and Gina would be with us guitar at our sides, showing us her new G chord. We had all been or were actively in bands and she was two years younger than us, bordering between novelty and nuisance as this cute little girl who was full of questions, and ideas, and quips that would either pierce your heart or leave you laughing in tears.

Her songwriting is still reminiscent of her quirky intelligence and she has evolved into a full fledged front-woman. The faces around me that I did not know were holding that admirable gaze so familiar to me when Gina would announce that she had completed a song and wanted to perform it for us. It was a great show, a lively show, and we couldn't be more proud of her.

Check out her newest release "Sincerely", available in hard copy through her MySpace site and soon to be available on iTunes.

Amber & Michael

2009-05-13T22:35:00.010-04:00

I spent a beautiful afternoon with Amber & Michael at Deep Creek Lake State Park. We had been wanting to do the shoot for a long time and were waiting for the right weather. For this shoot, we decided to bypass the traditional maternity route and make it more about all 3 of them. The timing was perfect as I recently found out that she gave birth to little Liam just a week after the shoot.

Da' Burg

2009-05-10T22:05:00.011-04:00

I travel to Pittsburgh on an average of once a month for random gigs and my required dose of urban life. I live in MD, yet Pittsburgh is the closest city to me. On my last trip I was able to schedule a lunch with David Burke, who is probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met. We gorged on sushi and talked photography for a good two hours.

(David Burke, Pittsburgh/Atlanta photographer and heck of a nice guy)

I found David through Armin de Fiesta, whom I credit with inspiring me to take my photography seriously and showing me that it's more than possible to make a career out of it.

Over the course of a several sushi dishes varying from California to Eel, David shared such gems with me as "keep the couple interested in each other, they should be more interested in each other than the camera". David also reinforced how important it is to balance traveling gigs with time with your loved ones as well as a few tips on a few of his favorite aspects of composition.

I highly suggest checking out his website and checking out his "Shoot 'N Learn" sessions. If anyone is interested in going, let me know (karlo.gesner@gmail.com). I'll be making every effort to form a carpool for his next one.

I love getting into the city. I can feel the adrenaline pick up with the traffic, the radio disc jockeys, street vendors, and graffiti. Pittsburgh is starting to become more familiar to me and I've found myself frequenting the Strip District and Oakland whenever I can.

(Downtown)

(Oakland)

(Oakland/Univ. of Pittsburgh)

Later in the day, I found myself in a field by the "Cathedral of Learning" on Pitt's campus when I came across three Parkour enthusiasts leaping over benches and sprinting from planter to planter. We eventually were shooed away by security but not before I was able to nab a few shots.

All in all I'm becoming more and more familiar with the 'Burg and it's starting to feel like my city away from home.

Next blog....Gina Powell's CD Release Party

Radio 65 (Jeff Gank)

2009-04-08T16:47:00.007-04:00

(Jeff Gank circa summer 2008)

I took a picture a long time ago of Jeff playing with his previous outfit "The St. James 3" at Garrett College back when I was just starting out that stuck with me. I was very adament about only shooting bands that I liked and in fact was there solely to shoot the now disbanded Grendels Arm. After observing Jeff and taking in the St. James 3 for about a minute, I was inspired to photograph. The things I noticed the most about him were his energy on stage and the ability to make the simple combination of a guitar, his voice, and drums fill up the entire auditorium. After a few messages on Facebook and me fantasizing about the opportunities a freak snowstorm in April would present, we met up, talked music, drank some coffee, and came up with the following:

Check out Jeff's newest project: Radio 65

Chad & Bree

2009-03-31T14:16:00.005-04:00

i've been doing free shoots lately for friends and friends of friends to keep my shooting skills up and continue developing my style. i have known bree's mother for quite some time now and she suggested that bree & chad would make perfect subjects. we shot this on chad's grandfather's property just beyond loch lynn. beautiful land, you never would have guessed that it had just snowed that morning.

Trish

2009-03-28T13:35:00.006-04:00

Impromptu shoot with Trish while meeting with her boyfriend's band, LenorAstray, in Keyser.

Justin & Kristen

2009-03-27T18:25:00.006-04:00

Another beautiful couple. We got a few strange looks at Englander's Antiques so we decided to keep the shoot moving outside. LOL.

Just spoke with Bri & Chad and we'll be doing a shoot out on a rustic farm in formal attire. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Chris & Trish

2009-03-19T22:13:00.017-04:00

Had a really fun time with Chris and Tricia (Trish) in downtown Oakland. I don't think anyone in downtown had seen a photoshoot before though we did catch a few smiles.

Where in the He** Have You Been?

2009-02-19T23:23:00.026-05:00

I broke my hand and have been out for 3 months!! Just kidding.... that would be a he** of an excuse. Turns out, winter came along, I got involved with several projects and for a brief moment, K.a.r.l.o. Photo fell to the back burner. I got involved with a whirlwind of characters, talking about big plans for adding culture and business to the community and well.....it just wasn't meant to happen. I didn't lose anything, gained a lot of life experience, and met some very unique people. I'm thankful I have my business to return to. That doesn't even sound right. I'm glad I have this to return to. My regular routine, that feels so natural to me. Seriously though, I did break my hand, it hurt like a bi***, and yes that is a real X-ray. More about that later.

For now, let's take a look at some cool stuff I've been doing over the past few months.

Did a shoot with my good friend Emily. Emily does some IT recruiting and some modeling on the side (It's amazing how many of your friends become models when you get older, in high school it was unfathomable, now I personally know at least 3). Super fun shoot. The HMS guys hooked us up with some gear and we headed to the top of the mountain. I even had an assistant who brought beverages for all and held the reflector. Needless to say I felt like the man as I shot this beautiful girl on top of a mountain on a pristine day while European tourists gazed and jabbered with curious excitement. It was very cold and I wanted to make sure Emily felt comfortable so we didn't keep her out there for more than 30 minutes. Here are some of my favorites:

Jacket by Volcom, Goggles by Oakley, Attiva Skis by Volkl, Supplied by our good friends at HMS

My Assistant, who requested a shot on his snowmobile

Yes, I will shoot your portrait session. Yes I will shoot your Senior Pictures. Just shoot me an email (karlo.gesner@gmail.com).

I'm really focused on lifestyle sessions and this was one of the few opportunities to stage something of the sort. When I had my senior picture done way back in 1998, I posed with my Ibanez Guitar, in front of a generic backdrop, and it looked......kinda like everyone elses. I really wanna shoot people and have their personalities and lifestyles come through in natural settings. How cool would it have been if they shot me actually playing my guitar with stage lights, rocking out?

Oooohhh......good segue.

Parents, don't let your kids turn into rockstars.....

That's Chris, and beyond being one of the most heavily bearded and rocking drummers that I know, he's also possibly one of the nicest. He also dates a model (kids, don't let your parents turn you into accountants).

Anyways, it seems that one of my hobby's has emerged as well........managing rock bands. I don't charge anything, I serve as an adviser, and I kinda see it like some people see coaching Little League, only smokier.

Chris is part of a band called "LenorAstray". At first, when I heard them, and I'm going to be honest, I thought......this is too young for me........and immediately lumped them into any category of music that ended in -core (i.e. hardcore, screamcore, post-hardcore, emo-core, chuckie cheese-core). I learned when I was in college that I didn't know sh** unless I was into something that ended in -core. This immediately left a bad taste in my mouth about the whole -core thing.

Anyways, upon meeting the guys and a 2nd listen, I noticed talent and......consistency. And the music did make me want to drive faster.....which is usually a good sign.

Turns out they received an offer from Chin Music Studios in Cleveland, Ohio. Not a record deal mind-you, but one of the most legitimate recording offers I've ever seen. I.E. they seemed sincerely interested, it wasn't scammy, and they have a batting cage. Yes, a batting cage. Check out the link above for proof. On top of it all, they were contacted via MySpace! Yes! MySpace! That doesn't happen! I'm as blown away as you are.

The guys did a show at GC a few weeks back and here are some photos (keep in mind that you, yes you, could be shot the same way):

LenorAstray-Nick(Guitar), Chris(Drums), Jaime(Bass), Mike(Guitar), Travis(Vocals) (L-R)

Jeff Gank, of the now defunkt St. James Three

High Priest

The recent music photography inspired me to create a new Animoto Slideshow with my music portfolio:

Looks like I will be shooting the Immerse Tour in DC put on by the guys at X (thanks Mike!) and possibly FestivALL in Charleston if it all goes through.

That's all I got for now, I could post for another 2 hours (I got 3 months worth), but I think I'm going to spread it out. Check out www.DeepCreekWeather.com by my friend Brian Oxford.

Ooh! One last thing, I'm looking to move to Eastern, PA around Philly by the end of the summer. Sooooo.....if you know anyone out there that is looking for a photographer/graphics guy, pass my name on and I'll owe you big time. Seriously, get me a job and I'll be your best friend. This also means I'm only in the area for a limited time so hit me up.

Typing with a broken hand,
Karlo

That's A Big Ole' Blog

2008-11-25T16:27:00.039-05:00

Portrait of a 60 Hour Work Week

Well.....it's about that time. I figure that there is no timeline to blog, just depends on when your plate (or CF card) gets full. Averaging about 3 subjects per post. In this blog: Best of Northern High School Fall Sports, Night Skating, Lancaster, and *Gasp!* Avalanche

To start things off.....

Best of Northern High School Sports!

My first day on the job, I showed up 30 minutes late, with no flash, and a new lens that I had never used before. Needless to say, my photos did not turn out very well and I was lucky to get them published. Well......not that bad....let's just say I got lucky.

The first shots I took were with the measly on-camera flash a Canon 70-300mm IS. Throughout the season I learned that for sports photography, a strong flash is vital. For the first time I was shooting in TV mode (shutter speed priority) at a 1/250 shutter speed as recommended by John (my photo editor). I will tell you one thing, it is damn hard to nail those shots where the crucial elements are in focus and at the same time a moment is captured. I cannot count the number of photos I took where people are making fish faces or their bodies are contorted like seizuring marionettes that never made it to print. For you photogs out there, here is my final recipe for good amateur sports photography:

1/250 shutter speed (at least)
Flash Unit (at least a 530EX if using Canon)
Monopod
70-200mm or 70-300mm lens, something in that range
Noise Ninja (processing program that removes noise at high ISO's, I shot at 1600)
Get into the game (timing is crucial)

Upgrades for an ideal setup:
External battery unit for flash (so I could shoot in bursts)
The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L

The nice thing about shooting for the paper is that sharpness isn't a huge factor considering that the print is going to be on newspaper. The print quality can only be so good considering. Composition is still important. One bit of advice that I read that stuck with me all season was finding those sports shots that create a moment of tension.

On to the pics...

Setting Up The Cross

Friday Night Lights

Header!

Quick Kill

If you dig 'em, there's plenty more on my website.

Night Skate!

Had an excellent night of skateboarding with Michael Singer and Brian Oxford right before the big snow came. I have the habit of buying longboards in the summer and selling them in the fall. Just sold the one aboeve (a Sector 9 Sand Wedge w/ Double Bearing Gull-Wing Trucks) and had to take it out for one last spin on some fresh asphalt in downtown Oakland. Singer was riding his Monster Truck skateboard and Ox later joined us on a shorty. Let the fun commence.

Skate-a-saurus

Flying Down 2nd Street

HAHAHA! That sucks...

Carnage

Focus Daniel Son....

Must.....Maintain....Flex....

Love this shot...

Brian (Ox) is into video production and wee recently shot a wedding together. He also just launched his website MountainStoneMedia.com.

Lancaster PA!
Miss Stoner, Me, and Gabster

A typical conversation about Lancaster cannot be had without mention of the Amish. When Amanda first mentioned she was from the town, I had images of horse shoeing, barn building, and butter churning. It's really not like that. Sure, there are Amish parts (2 confirmed Amish seen on my trip) but for the most part it was like a bigger version of Oakland with hip cafe's and vintage stops. It's very diverse for such a small city and I dig it.

One of the first things I discovered is that I really like using my kit lens (Canon 18-55mm) with this unique wide lens attachment. I have somewhat of an addiction to wide-angle shooting and before I had my Sigma 10-22 I bought a cheap $25 screw on attachment from Ebay that provided wide-angle views in addition to a really different vignetting effect.I've deemed it my travel combo and you can see the results in some of the images below (look for the vignetting!)

Lancaster at Night

Night Rider

Zap & Co., Very Cool Vintage Store, They Provided the Props For a Bunch of John Waters' Films

Zap's Owner Steve

Public Art

Gab Goes Undercover

Miss Stoner Looking Stunning in Faux Fur

Mahoney Baloney Appreciates Faux Fur

Check out the Zap Website. One of the best I've ever seen.

Avalanche!

Wisp resort experienced what is probably the first avalanche in its recorded history. The new snow, combined with the blown snow, combined with the warm ground caused a huge slab to slide off the lower 1/3 of The Face. I guess I shouldn't have laughed at the avalanche probe at Rudy's ski shop. Below is a time lapse video from the resort. What a way to start the season.

Another Month of Blog

2008-10-28T11:54:00.051-04:00

(Self-Portrait, 2008)

Whew.....October was a crazy one. Last time we talked I mentioned something about HDRs. Well, there was also Autumn Glory, Oompah, and a Wedding thrown on top of the regular schedule. For the occasion, I went to Borrowlenses.com and rented the epic Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens. I highly highly recommend this service. They give you the chance to rent the best glass available at less than 10% of the retail cost plus provide you with all the mailing materials. For those photographers who have not experienced high end glass, it's a world of difference in both construction and quality. Having the L lens for only a week, I was motivated to go out and get shots that I normally would have bypassed.

HDR

A quick refresher from last time, HDR imaging stands for High Dynamic Range. Normally if you take a picture of a sunset, you'll get the sky and everything below it will be in silhouettes. This is a great effect in itself however if you look at commercial photography, often times the great image of the sky will be combined with equally great images in the foreground. Normally this isn't achieved without special lighting. HDR is a technique where 3 different photographs at 3 different exposure settings are combined to create one complete image without the need of additional lighting. The best dynamic ranges are pulled from each photograph and utilized to cover a much wider dynamic range of light and thus adds more detail and overall "BOOM!" to the picture. (for those of you who are dozing off right now, go ahead and skip to the pics)

I'd like to emphasize that the technique in itself doesn't guarantee a good picture. As always, the elements of composition, rule of thirds, and subject interest still apply. The great thing about HDR is that ideal lighting is not required as you can shoot outside of the magic hours and still come out with a great image, dramatic lighting does however become even more dramatic and adds to the overall effect.

Got it? Bitchin...here are my samples:

Garrett County Courthouse

Lake Landscape 1

Dockscape 1

Whew! Enough with the book-learnin' here's some other cool stuff from that week.

Barnes Wedding

Shot my first wedding the day after Autumn Glory. It's difficult to get a bad shot when everyone is dressed up and the weather is gorgeous. The L lens didn't hurt either. Here are some highlights:

Beautiful Details

This little guy would pose everytime I brought the camera around

Piano Man (actually an amazing 12-year old)

The Ringbearer

Adorable Flower Girls

Mother & Daughter

Bride & Sons

Sweet Emotion

Mr & Mrs. Barnes!

One of Those Moments

Off to the Party

First Dance

A very special thank you to Denny & Janet for including me in their wedding day. It was a pleasure to capture all their moments and tell the story as it unfolded.

Autumn Glory 2008

This year's Autumn Glory was one to remember. Last year we were all huddled closely at the Oakland VFD parking lot, clinging to our beverages while the cold wind nipped at our ears and toes. Bravely we forged on in the spirit of the season.

This year was very different. 70 degree weather, an overwhelming turnout ("it's just a mass of people out there!" - Don Sincell), and some very special guests made for a great event. More pics on my website. Here are just a few:

Ooompaahh!!!

Governor O'Malley and Citizens

After a full day of much needed rest, the town was back in droves for the annual Autumn Glory parade (Ranked #1 in best fall festivals in the world by MSN.com beating out Munich's Oktoberfest, though this is up for some controversy. Some folks noticed that the list was in alphabetical order, i'm guessing lazy intern. Still, top 10 is bad ass...). All the favorites were there, the classic vendors, funnel cake, and new classics like Archie's BBQ. Food, fun, and festivities were in order. Check it out:

1/3 of the St. James 3

The Storyteller That Made Me Say "Meow"

Got it? Get it? Good.

Oh, The Endless Joy That Is a Moon Room

Dude. Steel Drums. Downtown Oakland.

Bill Ashby, A Fine Man In a Fine Hat

Coy B. Ware: Stone Cold Stunaa....

Shriner related Injuries for 2008: Zero

2.0 mpg

Amy Grant! Get It? Harharhar...

Bridget Nolan and Court Manley (....if that is your real name)

Ça Va? Oui Ça Va, et trois?

Me and Hillary Phelps *sigh...*

The Love That Never Made It Past 7th Grade

Kristin DeWitt, NHS Drum Major/Defender of America

That's it for now. Check out Mtn. Stone Media for local video production. We collaborated on Denny & Janet's wedding and looking at future projects.

Got some ideas for next week's blog.....

Night Photography

2008-10-01T13:51:00.007-04:00

So I was at the Cumberland mall the other day attempting to hunt down the legendary Puma Speed Cat (seriously the most comfortable and versatile shoe known to man. they make me feel like a ninja), and I stumbled across this really cool magazine called JPG. It's a really cool simple concept: a magazine for photographers, by photographers. Basically all images that are published are sent by the readers and voted into the issue.

They have a series of challenges and one of them was "night photography". 2 hours later at 11pm I find myself by the 219 bridge at the pull-off (which smells lovely btw), shooting 30" exposure shots of the bridge and reflection of lights in the water. This is what came out:

Pretty nifty I thought. Here are a few of my favorite night shots taken from around the area at night.

Firefly

Me and Me

Night Shift

So it got me thinking about challenging myself and setting goals and all that good stuff and my next assignment (which I'm placing on myself), will be HDR imaging around the lake at dawn/dusk. For those of you who don't know what HDR is, a little lesson:

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. Basically when you take a photograph, the lens/shutter combination is only letting in one instance of light determined by the size of the hole in the shutter (aperture) and how long that hole is exposed to light (shutter speed).

Now the human eye sees a wider dynamic range than a camera. Our eyes are constanly adjusting taking in multiple instances of light and combining them for a complete image to be formed in our brain. This in essence is what HDR does. Basically you take several photographs at different exposure levels and combine them using specialty software to get some pretty stunning images.

Lost yet?

Well a picture is worth a 1000 words so here's an example:

Looks surreal....

So yeah, expect next week for me to post a series of HDR images from around the county. If anyone wants to join me, drop me an email. I've actually been thinking about putting a camera club together for folks who want to go out and share tips and techniques. Email me if interested.

karlophoto.smugmug.com and the 2008 SavageMan Triathalon!

2008-09-21T22:37:00.021-04:00

The New Website is Up!

Karlophoto.smugmug.com is now up and running! This will be a place where people can view pictures of themselves at events and purchase prints, books, and full res files. I will also be creating a folder of Deep Creek Lake images and art prints available for purchase. Check it out!

2008 SavageMan Triathalon at Deep Creek Lake

This had to be by far one of the burliest events I have ever seen take place. I have never seen a triathlon before and the sheer numbers amazed me. 400 athletes, 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of biking, 13.1 mile of running, 5,700 feet of climbing, and a cruel piece of road known as the Westernport Wall w/ a 33% vertical pitch.

I hucked myself out of bed at 6am, grabbed an Arrowhead Bomber, and slowly let the coffee absorb into my brain as I headed toward Deep Creek Lake State Park. I ran into my good friend Matt Sincell (above) in the transition area where he was clearly buzzing with a combination of nerves and excitement. Matt and I played soccer in high school together and he has always been athletic but never have I seen him looking so incredibly in shape. "Lean and Mean" was the theme in a conversation between myself and his father Don.

The morning fog made for a beautifully mysterious atmosphere at the water's edge. I ran into Bill Meagher (owner of Lakeside Creamery......why do I feel like "Skip Around Town" right now.....?). Best ice cream on the lake. Seriously. The man and I are going to make Ube ice cream and convert the locals.

The vibe at the waterfront was restless with surges of calm. I was amazed by how supportive the atmosphere was. Smiling faces, people keeping each other warm, sharing tips about the course. In a race like this, it's not man vs. man but man vs. himself.....and no one wants to lose to that one. 1.3 miles later, everyone's hopping on bikes and heading to Westernport. I scoot to my Subaru and make my way onto the road ahead of the pack.

About an hour later I'm sitting atop the Westernport Wall amongst a raucous crowd of supporters complete with DJ. "Eye of the Tiger" blasts over the speakers, chills run down my back, and the first riders are headed up the hill.

(Steve Green of High Mountain Sports; also my former boss; sorry Steve, I'm not cut out for retail)

In a conversation with Matt earlier that day he had described the wall in detail. "I went there to check it out. 9 people tried to go up, 2 made it." - Matt. He also never mentioned the cracks in the pavement. The crowd would go nuts with every racer that approached the hill and I can still feel the energy in the air as I type this. Cow bells and cheers. And seriously, how can you not be motivated when Queen's "We Are the Champions" is playing? More people made it up than I anticipated.....

....Many didn't.

I spoke to a stuttering old man next to me at the race and he mentioned that after this hill there were 5 more. Not as bad as this one but the race is far from over. I concluded with him that course designers are sick and sadistic. I'm sure many of the racer's would agree.

I scurried along into my car with my equipment and headed toward Bittinger, about 25 minutes. All I could think about was what it must be like to go past that roaring crowd only to be faced with silence for another 35 miles. All the race volunteers and state police officers were very friendly in directing me where to go to get ahead of the racers. I found a nice piece of farmland, pulled over, and turned my speakers onto a compilation from Ninja Tunes. I figured I could have my own mini-route party and I was sure the racers would appreciate the break in monotony as they cruised past. I got many friendly smiles and waves as I snapped photos to confirm my speculation.

Getting the shot I wanted, I headed toward Deep Creek Lake State Park for the final running portion. Again, at this point I'm wondering how everyone is holding up after 57.2 miles of abuse. If it were me, I would be on the side of the road, probably crying, and in the fetal position.

(Crazed Superbeast Bjorn Anderson Leads the Pack)

I set up at the base of the fire road portion. 1/4 mile up and 1/4 mile down. Got some really entertaining pictures and heard some great comments from people. Everything from "Oh god....are you kidding me?" to "There's cookies at the top!". I took as many pictures as possible cause God knows I would want to remember this accomplishment. Maybe we could work something formal out with SavageMan next year (*nudge* *nudge*). Anyways, here are some faves.

(#666 Metal.)

(So Much Happier on the Way Down)

(Yeah!)

The athletes made their way around Deep Creek Lake State Park in a series of two loops that went from the beach and in and out of the woods. 13.1 miles (equal to a 10k). The finish line area was setup for good cheers. An announcer kept everyone in good spirits and the finishes were rejuvenating to watch.

(Washington DC MAyor Adrien Fenty)

All in all, this was one of the most exhilarating events I have ever been a part of. Congratulations to all the athletes and I hope to see you all again next year. Full coverage of the pictures are available here for free download (for web use). Details on how you can get a hold of full-res images and prints will be available soon. Email me if interested. I think I'm going to check out Balanced Body Studio.....maybe do the International next year.....

Check out SavagemanTri.org!

One Month's Worth of Blog

2008-09-14T14:18:00.008-04:00

Starting with.....Chicago!

Chicago was an absolute blast and I was well taken care of by Miss Chelsea Stuck. Chelsea was my neighbor growing up and I used to give her guitar lessons for $3 a lesson. I figured I undercharged her and sent her an invoice for the balance due 10 years later which was payable by cash, Visa, or a week's stay in Chicago. That's how I operate.

All kidding aside, Chelsea was a gracious host and showed me all around town. Chicago is amazing! Not only is it home to Balki and Oprah, but they also filmed the new Batman here. The city is very well thought out, with a central art section, a beach along the entire east coast, and multiple levels below the city designated for parking and delivery trucks. Civil Engineering has never been so interesting. Here are some pics:

The Chicago O'Hare Airport, I don't know what this portion is called but I have always referred to it as "The Psychedelic Birth Canal". It used to have whale noises that would accompany the zooming lights, but alas, they have been removed. Damn terrorists.

Chelsea driving by the Sears Tower.

"The Bean", also known as "Cloud Gate", complete with Midwestern tourist couple.
Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high. Also note the triangular building in the back right. Ring a bell? Think Elisabeth Shue.......Give up? It was featured in the movie "Adventures in Babysitting". As I recall, the babysitter and rascally kids were seen sliding down the building and struggling for their lives. Ahhhh.....1987.

Our reflection in "The Bean".

Inside "The Bean/mind of Timothy Leary"

The Crown Fountain. By far my favorite piece of art in the world by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images from a broad social spectrum of Chicago citizens, a reference to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains, where faces of mythological beings were sculpted with open mouths to allow water, a symbol of life, to flow out. Plensa adapted this practice by having faces of Chicago citizens projected on LED screens and having water flow through a water outlet in the screen to give the illusion of water spouting from their mouths. The collection of faces, Plensa's tribute to Chicagoans, was taken from a cross-section of 1,000 residents. The beutiful thing about it is the simplicity of the concept: people of different races smiling at one another.

Buckingham Fountain, also seen in the opening credits of "Married With Children".

Another shot of the Chicago Skyline complete with fire boat.

The view from the 94th floor of the John Hancock building (the tall black building in the previous picture). Note the green spaces on people roofs. The serve as outdoor space and bio-insulation. So cool.
The worst picture of a Chicago Hot Dog ever taken.

Total blast. Chicago is definitely in the top running for cities I would consider moving to. Great design, public transportation, incredible opportunity. Gotta love it. Plus they filmed Top Chef there, which is like crack to me. Grendel's Arm also played that night with the epic Chicago band (and boldly titled), Bongripper. If you've never heard Bongripper, imagine the end of the world in slow motion, Bongripper would be the soundtrack for that. We later found out that they are drug free. Hurray for Bongripper!

...Moving On to Mayday!

So after several emails and phone calls, it has been set that I am the official party photographer for Mayday. Super psyched about this. In the short term, it's great because I love what I shoot there and always have a good time. Currently working some things out with Brian Pennington (a.k.a. DJ Brian Blackout) as far as developing an official Mayday website. Got any ideas about what to include? Send me an email. So far we're thinking the basics, show schedule, some tunes, pictures chronologicalling the evenings. Also, I will be creating a book documenting the 2008-2009 season. Look for it next Spring! Last Mayday featured Chief Astronaut, Big Ass Manatee, Team $pirit, Joel P, and Brian Blackout. Check it:

Chief Astronaut (a.k.a David Nichols)

Happy Party-Goers

Big Ass Manatee

"Captionless"

DJ Joel P

Team $pirit

DJ's Joel P & Brian Blackout

DJ Brian Blackout

Full Set including After Party shots are here.

Next Mayday is Oct. 4th with "The Sexes". Full details on the Mayday Page.

....The New Job!
Olympian Rick Powell Competing in the 2008 US Slalom Championships

Shooting for The Republican newspaper has been ummmm.....harder than I thought. First day I felt like a total jackass as I traveled to the wrong school....then expected to get all my shots with only the stadium lighting. Pictures were coming out blurry and the timing is difficult. Learned from John (my photo editor and new buddy) that 1/250 is the slowest shutter speed you can shoot with to get a decent freeze on the action. In addition, after using my cousin's Canon 430EX flash, I have learned that I need a stronger flash. So I went ahead and picked up the Canon 550EX to fill this void. I'm sure that in time I will get better. For those of you who are into photography, you understand teh neverending need to upgrade gear. Now that I picked up a flash I'm now considering bounce reflectors, camera brackets, battery rechargers, the status of my bank account, etc. etc. Oh well, in time. .. Here are a few pics, (some published, some not) that I have taken for the past two issues.

Local paddler Isaac Levinson squeezing under a gate at the 2008 US Slalom Championships

Southern Vs. Northern

Southern Vs. Frankfurt

.....My Cousin Pat and Swallow Falls!

I recently had a photo outing with my cousin Patrick from the Philippines. I hardly ever go on shoots with anyone besides myself and we had a great time. In fact, I had a such a good time that I'm thinking of starting a camera club here in Garrett County to meet other photographers and share some love and knowledge. Here are a few pics I thought were worth posting.

I found a fallen tree with the evening light shining directly through the branches. Initially I wanted a shoot from the very tip of the fallen tree to see all of the branches shooting out in a spiral web of sorts. This picture reminds me of something organic, yet alien and I thought the B&W added much more to the original capture. I highly suggest clicking on it for the larger version to get the full impact.

"A Solitary Leaf"
This picture was originally in full color. I was able to isolate the leaf using photoshop (a combo of the magic wand and lasso) and desaturated everything but the selection. This one's going to print.

Seeing how close I can get the wide-angle to water.

I spoke with my photographer friend Tom Crozier recently and he suggested I pick up an 18% grey card to customize teh white balance on the camera to get consistent coloring. I've noticed how some of my woods shots are turning out overly green and the grey card should solve this.

.....and in closing....

Let's see.....what else is going on? My cousin Pat leves today for Virginia and then to the Philippines, giving my liver a chance to recover. I also just signed onto modelmayhem.com. You can find my profile at http://www.modelmayhem.com/karlophoto. That's pretty much it. Catch ya on the flip.

Blog Slacking

2008-08-25T18:20:00.015-04:00

Man, I've really been bad about getting new posts up. I'm going to aim for a weekly post regardless of what's going on. Right now, there's a lot:

New song by Oxidizer featuring.......ME! Yes, yes, for those of you who don't know, I once had a musical career and toward the end of it I cut some vocals for my producer buddy Alex Lakis (www.killerpenguinproductions.com) on a cover of the track "I Love My Computer" from Bad Religion's album "The New America". Oxidizer is a punk band from Annapolis and the track will soon be released for free to promote their new album "Unauthorized Personnel Only". Check it out.

If you would like to download the track before it is available, shoot me an email.

In other news, I was recently hired as the sports photographer for The Republican newspaper covering sports on the Northern end of the county. The Republican is our local newspaper and I remember the photo editor, John McEwan, giving us camera tips when we were in journalism class in high school. Journalism class was great because it was generally fun and you could make out with girls in the dark room. Oh, and you got to learn about photography.

Anyways, the new job has provided me wit the opportunity to pick up a new lens and I've settled on the Canon 70-300mm IS USM f/4-5.6. It is definitely the nicest lens I own and rounds out the fleet a bit. This brings my collection to:

Body - Canon Rebel XTI
Lenses - Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 (Kit Lens), Canon 50mm f/1.8 (Portrait/Low Light), Digital Visions 0.5x Wide Angle Adapter, Canon 70-300mm IS USM f/4-5.6 (Telephoto/Sports).

Pretty basic, but not bad for 8 months into it. The new lens is awesome, I love the new USM (Ultra Sonic Motor for the Auto-Focus) and the IS (Image Stabilization Gyroscope) is pretty handy too. I think that if I combine the whole system with a monopod it will be ideal. Here are some photos of the new lens and I'll be posting pics of sporting events as they come.

It's getting late and I just ate some steak. Will be posting new pics from Chicago soon. Also on the forefront are some photos with Garrett County's own Lenor Astray.

I'm at the Pittsburgh Airport...

2008-08-09T19:18:00.006-04:00

Hola todos. I'm in the Pittsburgh airport waiting for my flight to Chicago and I thought I'd throw up a blog to pass the time. Recently saw my friend and fellow coach Josh Spiker at the ASCI course and he gave me a video that he took of me running the skiercross course at Timberline last year. I couldn't help but do a little bit of editing, but here it is (I ended up getting 2nd):

Also want to post a few new pics that I took at the last Mayday a couple weeks ago with Big Ass Manatee & Lismore. Lismore was super cool and I got to talk to Steven a little bit about being from Fairmont and Penelope and I shimmied around together a little bit to get the nerves out before they took the stage. Cool sound. Check 'em out:

(Steven of Lismore before the show)

(Aaron of BAM)

(BAM!)

(the 123 crowd)

(Kyle looking luminous)

(Lismore)

(Cute, rocking, and w/ an accent to boot. I <3 Penelope)

Ok, plane's about to board. Going to meeting up with the Grendels Arm dudes in Chi-town as well as visiting Wrigley Field, "The Bean", and renting some good glass. Short list of things to do in Chicago:

- Hot Dogs
- Wrigley Field
- The Bean
- Find Balki
- Skateboard the town
- Mass transit
- General Debauchery

Peace!

The Album is Out!

2008-07-02T14:52:00.006-04:00

Grendels Arm - The Lone Rider
Photography: Karlo Gesner
Layout & Design: Karlo Gesner & Grendels Arm

(look funny? click for full res)

Buy it HERE

(same here)

Finished the cd insert last night. I started off the evening with Mike (2nd one down) driving my Subaru with me hanging out the side shooting Zach on his bike. It was dangerously fun and we even got the American flag in the background. Bonus. Heading to Morgantown tonight with the band. They'll be playing at The Blue Moose and 123 Pleasant Street. Stop by and say hi! We'll have discs available and generally an ass kicking show.

I also have a very special photo shoot happening this weekend if the weather cooperates. Will post pics as soon as they're available.

Big Creative Things Are Happening!

2008-06-29T23:26:00.011-04:00

Ok, so I manage a band called Grendel's Arm on the side and things are starting to come together with the release of their new EP "The Lone Rider". We're going to be shooting the cover on Monday with Zach's co-worker Allen who will be riding a Harley, smoking a cigarette, and flicking off the camera in traditional rock and roll fashion. The boys will be playing in Morgantown on Wednesday so if you're in that neck of the woods, definitely come out to 123 Pleasant Street. I can't say enough about these guys. Quite simply, they kick ass and you'll be missing out if you don't see 'em. (I manage them for free so there's my testament to their talent).

Also, my good friend Sean Conroy will be having an art show at the Blue Moose in Morgantown on Thursday, July 3rd @7pm. Sean's art is extremely unique and detailed. It seems like every time I call him he's in the midst of a coffee and art binge, meaning that there's a mandatory 15 minute cap on each conversation. You should definitely check it out.

A few weeks ago, Sean and I ended up going on a wild adventure powered by what I would like to call "creativity juice" and headed to the hills of his his boss' (Dave) farm for what I can only call a project of epic proportions. The most epic I have experienced anyway. We came out with a ton of good shots that are reserved for a future art project with Sean, however, here is a sneak preview (and my favorite shot personally).

Big changes coming in the future. Spent a lot of time driving and brainstorming about projects and goals. And from this point all that's left to do put one foot in front of the other and do it. Keep checking in for updates.

i'm a blogger!

2008-06-23T23:31:00.004-04:00

So here i am, throwing myself out there onto the interweb. Basically, i never really planned on having a blog but quite frankly, the one on myspace is lame and I've seen a few that are here on blogspot that intrigue me. I got the idea from Armin De Fiesta, another photographer whose work I admire and who I recently interviewed. This layout is a little dark but I plan on lightening it up with some nature photos. I did have my own photo website planned that i created through AIO but it's not ready to be launched and i'm not ready to fund it at this time. So basically, this is going to be my spot for posting all my photos and basically reflecting on what's going on around me without getting overly personal. ummm......what's new? Oh yeah! New Girl Talk album is available for download at illegal art. he's doing the whole Radiohead/NIN thing where you can name your own price for download. here's a photo I took of Girl Talk (aka Greg Gillis) at his show at 123 Pleasant Street. man, this show was awesome.....it was like one huge party and everyone was into it. I eventually ran into Greg at the Pittsburgh airport on the way to California and he was a super cool guy. i showed him my photos and he was gracious enough to give me his personal email to send them to him. i eventually ended up calling up his publicist and offered to sell the photos. she wanted them for free, i stood strong, but eventually learned that with most high profile artists, you're lucky to get nothing but a photo credit. the new album is pretty nutty. not normally what i listen to but the mix of Metallica's "One" and Lil Momma's "My Lip Gloss is Poppin'" had me nearly driving off the road because it was so rockin' hilarious. some other samples that i really enjoyed were Faith No More's "Epic" and that classic intro to Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle". I highly suggest the download. Let's see.....what else is goin' on? I shot a bunch of mountain bikers at the Racer's Edge 2008 Mid-Atlantic Cup at Wisp Resort. It was super sick. I met up with another photographer Nicholas D. Mack after I found out he would be there. I first found out about Nick randomly through one of the park rat's myspace sites. Surprisingly, I found out that he has shot such bands as Zao, Fugazi, and Every Time I Die. Not only did he shoot them, but his photography is amazing. The kind of stuff that makes you wonder if you'll ever get to that level. One day...one day.........Needless to say, I shot him an email and asked for a bit of advice. He threw me some links and mentioned that he would be at the Wisp for this race. So we met up! Cool guy, very laid back with a good sense of humor. We talked music and photography while bikes went whizzing by us at top speed. At one point, I was laying with my head next to the track and getting a good face full of dirt and rocks as each racer passed by. Got more good stuff in mind that I want to post but it's getting late. Until next time. Peace.