It's almost fall. I have concentrated on other things this summer because hot, humid out doors and I just don't mix. I am crossing my fingers that next saturday I will be in France shooting a wedding. It's a little down to the wire, but ....

As all things wax and wane, I know I need to get more ambitious. I could use the economy as an excuse, but the truth is I've been lazy. Soon, that lazy streak will end and I'll throw some new pics up. Until then...

My couples get a speech. This speech comes from personal experience. Wedding days are the one day you plan so hard for and something will always go wrong. Yesterday it was the limo didn't show up till marching down the isle time. There were a few other snaffus like boobs that wouldn't sit in the dress properly (fixed by scotch tape!) and feathers that were a bit fluffy, but over all a wedding day is an experience. I myself had to throw all convention aside and remember it's about the photos not the process. This family was wild and wooly. They had fun and rules were out. So, without a lot of explanation, and after one small episode of the bride shouting "it's on fire!" during the toast, all turned out to be great fun and great photos.

All weddings are different. I have to say that Laura and Adam were the perfect example of LAUGH. They really enjoyed their day and the photos reflect that. Unlike a lot of photographer's who do weddings for the money only, I actually love the whole process. (saves me from having to do it)

Wow! A lot going on here. Sherry and Dan's wedding went well and they are off honeymooning. I recently remembered why I don't like other photographer's much. In Daytona there are a few "real" photographers who didn't just pick up a digital camera and get paid to do a few weddings cause they are cheap. Just because someone will pay you doesn't mean you have talent, but damn if these twits don't have attitude. The real ones are generally professionally courteous but recently I had a brief email interaction with a real pill and I was reminded why I didn't immediately choose this as a profession. Anyway, enough bitching. More creative stuff coming very soon.

Tammy introduced me to Trane Roc. He's had a career in acting and music and is returning for a fresh start. I've been asked to help him with photos and today Tammy and I tormented him into some seriously sexy shots.

Something I never thought would happen. The Fire portion of FireRose is returning (at least for a shoot) and we are going to be working with one lucky (or not so lucky) girl in about two weeks. I have a studio now thanks to a dear friend, so for once, we won't be tripping over each other. Should be fun!

What happens when you set two little girls loose in a garden with frilly dresses, princess tiaras and bears oh my? Wonderful photographs, that's what.

I am pleased to have two new couples to work with this spring. I love weddings because it's a chance to live vicariously without having to get married!

Well, I've had to send off both my updated pieces of equipment to Canon in the past year. I never even had to adjust a screw on the AE-1. While the digital was at the doctor getting what I thought was sensor spots corrected (turns out it was firmware issues), I had to use the film camera and I miss the results. The color in the photo is so much more saturated. If you only have learned on digital then you won't know what I mean, but man, you just can't beat the end result in film. Sadly, you can't beat the over all cost of digital and the convenience. Maybe my old partner will be back soon and I can go back to shooting more film.

Tammy and I finally got together today after about 4 cancellations due to the prima donna model behavior of the truck's transmission. We shot at my friend Rob's in his custom Harley garage and it turned out better than we expected. Tammy's happy and we believe that her boyfriend will LOVE his christmas present.

Well, my good friend Tom has offered me a space in his office to house my little FireRose so I'm going traditional. Yep, no more moving the stuff in the living room to get pictures. Of course, I'm not moving lock stock and barrel but it will be nice to have a space that is bigger than a breadbox.

What a lovely day and a beautiful wedding this turned out to be. Jenn and Joe were very happy and it shows in the photos. I love being a part of memories in the making. Thanks you two for including me.

I had a tough time getting these two in front of the camera. Mike decided the money was better spent on Fable II, I think and it took some persuading and arm pulling, but I think he is happy he showed. He still gets the XBOX game, but look what he'll have the rest of his life....

Jeanette paid me a big compliment when she first called me saying she couldn't find anyone's work in the Orlando area she liked to photograph her for a project she is working on. As I always do, I searched other people's work, thrift stores and my own stock pile of goodies and am really happy with the results so far.. more to come. ( I just wish this darn town were more exciting and there were better back grounds.)

My first Arabic wedding was fun! The guest loved to dance and I really wanted to join in. Everyone looked so happy. We did some beautiful portraits at Ormond Memorial and the Casements. Good luck to Nader and Rana.

I attended the radio station's bridal show this weekend. I like to go scope out what other photographer's are doing. Things keep changing, all these people who get digital cameras and become professional photographers. The old school guys here in Daytona are getting fewer and fewer. I would like to get on the cover of the local wedding magazines, but let's face it, I'm too lazy and probably a little too wild for them. Speaking of wild, I'll be working with a really cool girl and we'll be trying some upscale goth shoots. I guess that is too wild for the wedding magazines... yeah. I'll have some cheese.

I have wanted to shoot a Muslim or Indian wedding for a while. It's a hard market to break into if you aren't part of the community. Thanks to Rana, I will be photographing her celebration in early October. I'm looking forward to entering this world where tradition meets modern technology.

This maybe premature, but the possibility exists that Fire and Rose will one day work together again. Together we created a yin/yang perspective that really added heat to the photos. We chose the name because we had met as a result of our screen names so firerose was born out of this. He left me and if it gets it's chance we may very well shoot together again, and if we do... it will be Abigail

Lindsey & Rich's wedding turned out beautifully for them despite the rain and immense humidity. Since nothing ever goes as planned, I had to let the poor men go inside and freshen up leaving the traditional pictures after the ceremony for reinterpretation. No matter, adaptation is extremely important when working weddings.

I'm very pleased with the results. I am putting together a new Epoca album for them. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Welcome back Cassy to FireRose and congrats on your lightening speed acceptance into Maxim as a result! I had a great photo week. A trip to vegas and an unexpected chance to add to my port. I love the results. Hope you do too.