Johan's Blog

The Lap of Luxury

2011-09-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Being nearly always in my pocket, I've started using the camera on my iPod more and more frequently. Using some of my favorite apps, Instagram and PhotoForge2, it is amazing what can be accomplished with that little camera.

To Avoid Cliché

2011-07-15T12:26:00.001-07:00

Although the type of fireworks photo pictured above is very beautiful, they are very common. This year, I decided to try to stretch beyond that, and after some experimentation, the photo below was the result.

In Remembrance

2011-05-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Contest: Where are the Caterpillars?

2011-05-27T23:42:00.000-07:00

One of my goals in the future of this blog is to more interactive for you, my readers. This is an attempt to do so. ;-) If you comment with the correct answer to how the title relates to this photo, I will send you a free 5x7" print of your choice of any photo on my blog. The deadline for the competition is June 15, and in the event of multiple correct answers, one name will be drawn. :-)

Also, if you have any ideas about what you'd like to see in the future, let me know, and I will consider all suggestions! Thanks.

Johan

Timeless Architecture

2011-05-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from a local church that, I am told, is the oldest Protestant church west of the Mississippi River.

Flowers for Tea

2011-05-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

{Also available as a print on my Etsy store!}

Regal Tulip

2011-05-17T22:34:00.001-07:00

Evening Glow

2011-05-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

New Etsy Store!

2011-04-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Etsy is a quaint little website for artists of all kinds to sell their homemade items and artwork.

Thus, it was the perfect choice for my new line of fine art cards and prints. To visit my shop, please click on the screenshot above. Oh, and new items are being added at random intervals.

TX: More Pictures and a Video

2011-04-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

A) Use wings to create a shady patch of water.

B) Stand still while fish congregate in the shade.

C) Lunch

Amazing bird, isn't it?

Oh, and the video...

When first watching this video presentation at the NANPA closing ceremonies, I was amazed that although we were all in the same locations, we were often able to create images showing our distinctly different styles.

My images are at 0:13, 2:44, 2:49, 2:55, 6:38, 6:54, 7:40, 7:58, 8:07, 9:38, 9:47, 9:54, 10:47, and 11:55.
At 4:40, I can be seen wearing my hat backwards--otherwise it's hard to use the camera--and using the Canon 800mm lens.
At 5:25, my hands can be seen recording an HD video of a squirrel.

Speaking of squirrels...
More photos are still coming!

Star Dinner

2011-03-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Apparently this seagull finds starfish to be rather tasty. (Photo taken earlier today in Crescent City, CA.)

Texan Alligator

2011-03-27T00:18:00.000-07:00

As promised, some photos from my trip to Texas. More are still coming!

Sanderling

2011-03-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

This sanderling photo was taken with a Canon EOS 7D and Canon EF 600/4L IS USM lens balanced on a 2x4 piece of wood on the Texas beach. More photos coming!

"Newton Would Think He Made a Mistake"

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Texas, here I come! *checks calendar* Yep, that's right, I am actually taking to the air once again.

Having been awarded one of ten high school scholarships to the 2011 North American Nature Photographer's Association Summit, I will be spending the week attending workshops and doing a lot of photography in the field. Among the sponsors are Canon and Apple, and they will be providing all of the equipment that we will be using for the week, including some massive telephotos. This blog may have a quick update or two while I am gone, but more pictures will be online after my return.

And if you're wondering about this post's title, this soundtrack should explain. :-)

And yes, I've been on nearly thirty flights in the past twelve months. I think the thin air, while not as potent as laughing gas, has a good effect on me. Admittedly, laughing gas will also cause you to fly into thin air (read the "Laughing Gas" chapter of Mary Poppins), but I digress.

Over and Out,

Johan

Giveaway Winner Announced!

2011-03-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

The winner is...

Margaret!

Congratulations, Margaret! Thank you for stopping by my booth at the Santiam Marketplace this afternoon!

And thank you to all those who entered either online or in person. I appreciate the enthusiasm that you have shown.

Updates: Entry Rules & Photo

2011-03-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

The giveaway entry rules have been changed so that if you "like" my facebook page you are automatically entered. However, a comment is still required if you "follow" this blog or if you post about this giveaway to your facebook or blog. Thanks to all those who have entered!

At the advice of Sara, who commented on the last post, I tried converting the elk photo to black and white and was surprised by the results. Thanks, Sara!

In Their Environment

2011-03-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Using my 70-200, I thought that this herd of elk would be too far away to create a powerful composition, but I took a picture anyway. After downloading the images from the day, I was very pleasantly surprised by this shot. The composition works quite well as an environmental portrait. (By "environmental portrait", I mean a portrait that shows the animal in its environment.) Environmental portraits have the potential to be very powerful, but since they have a tendency to be very busy and thus detract from the subject, they can also be difficult to do well.

Giveaway!!!

2011-02-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

For the past few months, I've wanted to host a giveaway on this blog. Having recently won a $25 Aeropostale gift card in a raffle, it seemed a likely candidate, and is now the official giveaway prize. So now that you've met the prize, here is the rules on how to enter:

For the first entry, you must "Like" Photos By Johan on Facebook or "Follow" this blog and then comment on this blog post.

For a second entry, you may post about this giveaway on either Facebook or your blog and comment again on this blog post.

In addition, if you book a photo session between February 28th and March 5th you will automatically receive three entries.

If you live in the Stayton, Oregon, area, you may also enter by visiting my booth at the Santiam Marketplace trade show on March 5th.

Fine Print:
1) All comments must be accompanied by your first name.
2) The giveaway will be closed on the evening of March 5th, 2011. The winner will be announced that evening. Please check this blog soon thereafter to see if you are the winner.
3) The winner must contact me by midnight on Wednesday, March 9th, 2011.

Dance, Dance, Dance!

2011-02-23T23:48:00.000-08:00

An Essay Contest...

2011-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

...that you could help me to win! That's right; the online college that I am attending, CollegePlus!, is holding a re-enrollment essay contest. The author of the essay with the most "Likes" will win. So please click here to view my essay and click the "Like" in the upper left side of the page. Thank you!

The photo above if of my friend Tyler, who worked with me for a recent photo/video shoot for a beef ranch owned by one of my friends. The resulting video can be found on YouTube.

Kole & Kassandra

2011-02-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

Additional photos from Kole and Kassandra's wedding can be found at the Facebook album.

The Early Bird Catches the Worm...

2011-01-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

...BUT...
...BUT...
...BUT...

...BUT...
...BUT...

the second mouse gets the cheese.

Poll: Would you prefer the worm or the cheese?

*flash*
"click"

(Sorry, I couldn't resist. Somehow I knew you'd say "cheese".)

On the Mountain

2011-01-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

One recent frigid day, my father and I drove up a neighboring mountain to pick up one of our latest great-deal-on-craigslist finds--a leather recliner. Afterward we drove a bit further up the mountain to a point where we could look down at our snowed-in farm nestled quietly in the valley.

As we drove along, I had a momentary vision from Narnia--or at least that's the first thing I thought--a lady in a large overcoat walked off the road through the backlit haze and snow. Suddenly, I was disappointed--if she would have kept walking down the road instead of turning down her driveway, I could have asked to photograph her. A few seconds later as we drove past, I saw that she had only stepped off of the road to let us pass, and she had a dog!!! Voila! This was too good to be true. We stopped and asked if she would mind if I took a few pictures. She agreed, so I hopped out and snapped a few frames as they ambled down the road into snowy oblivion, the dog yapping conversationally all the way.

~ ~ ~

As we begin 2011, I want to say a big "Thank you!" to all of my 2010 clients. I appreciate you all, and look forward to helping you in the future!

Also, my business now has a FaceBook page! Please "Like" Photos By Johan on FaceBook!

Thankyou!

Mini Review: Trek-Tech T-Pod

2010-12-28T21:59:00.000-08:00

T-Pod with center column fully extended

The first thing I noticed about the Trek-Tech T-Pod was its extremely sturdy construction. Designed in the USA, compared to most table-top tripods it's built like a brick.

The tripod makes use of rare-earth magnets which are very strong and photo safe. The detachable and expandable center column connects to a magnet on the legs and the camera mounts to the ballhead in the same manner. For a shorter tripod, the ballhead can be mounted directly to the legs.

The ballhead and quick-release system, which are included, are rated for nine pounds and very well designed. I have used the T-Pod to support my gripped 40D, 70-200/2.8, and 580EX flash, with no problems whatsoever.

The T'Pod is also effective as a chest stabilizer arm or mini monopod; I have used it as such on numerous occasions.

In summary, I am very pleased with the T-Pod and highly recommend it to anyone who needs a compact go-everywhere tripod for their SLR camera. This tripod is truly outstanding and a pleasure to use.

December 24 -- Carol of the Angels

2010-12-24T23:28:00.000-08:00

Not a picture, but a recording from my brother's and my piano recital.

Enjoy, and Merry Christmas Eve!!!

December 23 -- My Library

2010-12-23T23:44:00.001-08:00

Ah, books!!! I love 'em.

December 22 -- Blank

2010-12-23T23:44:00.000-08:00

I was so busy today that I didn't take any pictures. So instead, I drew a blank, which you can view by clicking here.

December 21 -- Circuit Metropolis

2010-12-21T23:36:00.000-08:00

December 20 -- Winter Cheer

2010-12-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

December 19 -- Time Off

2010-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

It is a great challenge to post a photo everyday; I took a break today. :-)

December 18 -- Christmas Timber

2010-12-18T20:29:00.001-08:00

December 17 -- Early To Bed...

2010-12-17T23:53:00.000-08:00

...for the...

...in many months. ;-)

December 16 -- Don't Burst My Bubble

2010-12-16T23:20:00.000-08:00

December 15 -- aSalt'n Shadows

2010-12-15T23:30:00.000-08:00

December 14 -- Stop, Open, Reed

2010-12-14T20:10:00.000-08:00

December 13 -- Ingauge

2010-12-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

December 12 -- Luke Won

2010-12-12T22:26:00.000-08:00

Taken with my cell phone.

The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings." Luke 1:13-19 (NKJV)

December 11 -- Gold Investment

2010-12-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

December 10 -- Paperback

2010-12-10T21:28:00.001-08:00

December 9 -- Buttercup

2010-12-09T22:32:00.001-08:00

December 8 -- Under the Rainbow

2010-12-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

December 7 -- Grate & Stainless

2010-12-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

December 6 -- Left Hanging

2010-12-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

Canon 100mm Macro Tripod Ring

2010-12-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

Canon EF 100/2.8 Macro USM

Used on a tripod for close-up photography, macro lenses like the Canon EF 100/2.8 Macro USM can be difficult to use when switching from horizontal to vertical, since the whole camera becomes offset. The solution is a tripod ring. For the 100/2.8 Macro, the appropriate Canon Tripod Mount Ring B (B) is priced at ~$140.

Recently I learned that the Canon Tripod Mount Ring B (B) is identical to the one used on several other Canon lenses, including my 70-200/2.8L. However, the 100mm lens requires a small adapter to fit in the tripod mount.

Enter the Canon parts department. With a quick phone call and twenty-six dollars I ordered the adapter, which is part # YG2-0500-000.

So, if you happen to have the Canon EF 100/2.8 Macro and either the 70-200/2.8L, 70-200/2.8L IS, 70-200/2.8L IS II, 100-400/4.5-5.6 IS, or 180/3.5L Macro, I highly recommend purchasing this adapter.

Please note: there are two versions of the Tripod Mount Ring B: (W) and (B), which are, respectively, white and black. Functionally they are identical. The newer Canon 100/2.8L Macro IS requires the Tripod Mount Ring D.

Canon EF 70-200/2.8L USM

December 5 -- Screen Shot

2010-12-05T23:00:00.000-08:00

www.PhotosByJohan.com

Today I ran out of time to take pictures. So I cheated and took a screenshot of my website.

December 4 -- Spend & Save

2010-12-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Know your farmer: own your food, drive your future. For Organic Valley coupons, click here.

December 3 -- Commentator

2010-12-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

December 2 -- Consoled

2010-12-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

13/38 1968 Möller -- First Presbyterian Church, Salem, Oregon

December 1 -- Menagerie

2010-12-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hooray! The December Photo Project is on its feet again; the plan is to take a photo and post it on this blog every day until the 25th. A project like this is very "stretching" for me as a photographer--it can be challenging, though in a good way, to find something unique to photograph every day.

Some trivia: is the cute little animal on the left a goat, or a sheep? ;-)

Pipe Organs of Grand Rapids

2010-11-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

In October I was able to visit my cousins in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It turns out that there were at least a dozen pipe organs within three miles of their home, and three instruments within one mile. Thus, I was able to photograph and play quite a few of them. Here is a recording I made on the Calvin CRC instrument:

For more photos from the trip, please view the album here.

Announcing...

2010-11-24T10:44:00.000-08:00

PhotosByJohan.com!!!

I will continue posting to this blog, but for pricing information or to contact me, please visit PhotosByJohan.com. Thankyou!

Winning at the State Fair!

2010-11-11T23:29:00.000-08:00

Mozart once declared that the pipe organ is "The king of instruments!" Indeed, pipe organs have awed many thousands for nearly one thousand years. Not only for their sheer size and volume, but also the beauty of their tonal palette and construction. This stunning instrument, constructed by the German organ builder Rudolf von Beckerath and located in St. Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is no exception.

Imagine my surprise when in early August I was notified that this photo had won first place in the student color division at the Oregon State Fair Salon of Photography 2010 competition! Certainly I had hoped to win, but didn't expect anything. It was nice to go to Salem for the award ceremony and be able to meet the judges--one of whom I had met through Craigslist while selling a small flash. Another of the judges commented that she likes that this photo has very little sense of scale, and, although the instrument itself is approximately forty feet tall and is mounted more than twenty feet above the main floor, it is not possible to judge its size based on the photo alone. As Johann Sebastian Bach once said, "Soli Deo Gloria!"

Regarding Spam Comments

2010-11-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! Due to a recent problem with spam comments, the comment settings have been adjusted to now require a word verification. Hopefully this will solve the problem before I am forced to take further steps to stop the spamming. Also, I hope to post again soon with more pictures.

And a note to the spammer(s): Please do not spam comment on my blog in the future. Since this blog has a small number of readers, it really is pointless to comment with links to your websites, and the comment moderation catches them before anyone else gets to read them, making your efforts quite futile. Thankyou.

Generation Organic: Know your farmer.

2010-10-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

I am currently on the 2010 Organic Valley GenO tour, traveling to universities in the New England area. Feel free to follow the tour on Facebook.

Own your food, drive your future!

OHS Convention 2010

2010-08-05T22:49:00.000-07:00

This past June, I attended the annual pipe Organ Historical Society Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was great, swell, and positiv! I would have trouble trying to solo out my favorite instrument--they were all amazing in their own way. And when everyone would sing along the sound would bombarde our ears--as beautiful as any professional choir. Please excuse the italicized words--they are all names of different organ keyboards/manuals. :^)

Pictures Here!

Truth 6:35

2010-06-29T18:59:00.001-07:00

Prayer Request

2010-05-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

Today, I was to begin organ lessons. My family arrived early, and the teacher was a few minutes behind. (We were meeting at a church.) Anyway, we were waiting in the sanctuary when the church secretary came in and said that my teacher had just arrived and that they were calling the paramedics for him. He was having chest pain (and has a history of heart surgery). Needless to say, I didn't have an organ lesson. :-) Please pray that God will heal him completely. Thankyou!

Johan

Caution! Stop!!!

2010-05-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why road signs and warning labels are not written from an optimistic perspective?

Goodnight, Sun

2010-05-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

My Church Family

2010-04-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

My church has a tradition of taking a photo of the whole congregation once a year for use on our website. The last two years I have been privileged to get to take the photo. The photo gets exponentially larger each year; the congregation has gone from 29 to 50 families in the last five years.

2010:

Taken from a 6' ladder

2009:

Last year I took the picture, and told everyone that we were done. They all started laughing; I'd forgotten to tell them when I was going to take the picture. We retook the picture.

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." -- Psalm 122:1, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

Costa Rica: A Few Bugs

2010-04-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

Against popular belief, I did photograph more than bugs in Costa Rica, but, as I do not feel like proving it at this point, here are some more pictures to bug you. LOL!

Yes, that is a tarantula, but it was a baby--about 1 inch long.

The View From My House

2010-03-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

Yep! Snow! The first snow this winter was this morning. :-)

Detail:

We aren't very excited about our disappearing "view".

Dirt Bikes!

2010-03-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

One of my friends got a "new" 80s-era dirt bike; I was amazed by how much fun it was--taking pictures of it in action was nearly as fun as riding it. The fast action was a good test for my new camera--a fast Canon EOS 40D!

Updated Blog Design Part 2

2010-03-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

That's right, I've updated this blog again. With a minimal knowledge of HTML and much trial-and-error, I've managed to change the blog layout to allow for larger photos. More (bigger) pictures are coming soon!

Costa Rica: Preview

2010-03-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for more picture posts!

Blog Design Updated

2010-02-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

I've finally updated this blog's design with the "Jot It Down" template designed by Lena Toews. Please feel free to comment with any ideas or suggestions. Thanks!

"Starry Sunlight"

Taken though a window after a rainstorm.

Robin Hood

2010-02-10T23:55:00.000-08:00

An old tin-type that I found in the attic of my hard drive.

If I remember correctly, Maid Marian wasn't as photogenic.
<;-)

The Futility of Worry

2010-01-29T21:55:00.000-08:00

"Then He said to His disciples, 'Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

'And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

'Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'" -- Luke 12:22-34, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

While reading this passage recently, I was convicted of worrying too much about my photography "business". Mainly because it hasn't really gone anywhere, and, being that I hope to make a living from it someday, it worries me sometimes. Why does that even worry me? My "business" is in God's control; He'll make sure I get a "job" when he wants me to have one. In fact, when I look back, most of the photography "jobs" I've done were not because I was looking for them, but instead, because someone was looking for a photographer and asked me. Worrying didn't help me. In addition, I don't have enough time to be a full-time photographer right now--I have school to do, songs to practice, and, as you all know--a blog to update.

In March, I'll be traveling to Costa Rica for nine days with my dad, my brother, and a good friend to help build a mission school. What motivates me to go--the chance to help spread the good news of the Gospel, or the possibility of possibly seeing and photographing the rain forest? I do want to help spread the Gospel there, but maybe I also want to see the rain forest too much.

I need to learn to not worry, but "in whatever state I am, to be content". --Matthew 6:34, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." -- Matthew 6:34, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

December 25th -- The Gift

2009-12-29T22:47:00.000-08:00

December 24th -- Spin

2009-12-29T22:46:00.000-08:00

December 23rd -- Trails

2009-12-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

December 22nd -- Silos

2009-12-29T22:44:00.000-08:00

December 21st -- Christmas Cactus

2009-12-21T22:49:00.000-08:00

December 20th -- Old but New

2009-12-21T22:40:00.000-08:00

The presentation page of an antique Bible.

December 19th -- Outdated

2009-12-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

My awesome pro film camera--Canon EOS 3--now on Craigslist. :P

December 18th -- Swell!

2009-12-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

Some of the pedals on the pipe organ I played at our piano recital yesterday. At my teacher's request, I played a prelude of Christmas carols, and concluded the recital with Handel's Halleluiah Chorus, all on the organ. Fun!

(A note about the title: the large gray pedals in the picture are called, among other names, swell shoes, thus the title.)

December 17th -- Banana Split

2009-12-17T22:44:00.000-08:00

Or, more correctly, Siamese twin bananas.

December 16th -- Celestial Solo

2009-12-17T22:43:00.000-08:00

December 15th -- Surprise!

2009-12-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

I jumped. I was washing dishes, and I grabbed a plate and felt it squirm under my finger. A spider. I yelled for my spider-loving brother. I didn't care that the piano teacher was here. The spider was big. My brother put it outside. It was over. Whew...

It may surprise some of you that I hate spiders. After all, I love to photograph them, but believe it or not, that is different. I still hate spiders, and did not take any pictures of that one.

Instead, I have this picture. This Hershey's chocolate bar was waiting for me this morning. It was a reward for practicing the piano and organ for over 3 hours yesterday--much more than my usual. :-)

December 14th -- Oops!

2009-12-14T23:59:00.000-08:00

The cats enjoy napping on top of the dog. The dog, however, doesn't like having her photo taken with cats. LOL! Thus, she jumped up and the cat fell off! The big metal thing in the background is an old-fashioned hay rake.

December 13th -- Love

2009-12-14T23:56:00.000-08:00

The heart shapes were made like this.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
-- John 3:16-17, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

December 12th -- Whazzat?!

2009-12-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

Can you guess what this is? Leave a comment with your guess.
Keep your eyes peeled for an answer!

December 11th -- Time Flies

2009-12-12T00:33:00.000-08:00

December 10th -- Heifers

2009-12-12T00:28:00.000-08:00

December 9th -- Jack Frost

2009-12-12T00:26:00.000-08:00

Frost on the car window.

December 8th -- Dinner

2009-12-12T00:24:00.000-08:00

Yum!

December 7th -- Slideshow

2009-12-12T00:23:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for a slideshow presentation.

December 6th -- Icy

2009-12-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

December 5th -- Frost

2009-12-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

December 4th -- Cheddar

2009-12-05T22:55:00.000-08:00

December 3rd -- 24* F

2009-12-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

It was cold this morning! Brrr...
(No "degrees" symbol is available.)

December 2nd -- New Music!

2009-12-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

I'm a day late, but I've joined the December Photo Project, so hopefully I'll take a photo and post it on this blog every day until the 25th. This is the first time I've ever posted a photo on the same day that I took it. :-)
This is a picture of the music I purchased today.
Left to right is Boellmann's Suite Gothique*; Now Thank We All Our God as arranged by Virgil Fox; and Handel's Messiah. My mom already had a copy of the Messiah; now that we have two we can play together. :-)

* This is a link to the Tocatta section of the Suite, there are three other sections, too.

We Thank Thee, O God

2009-11-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving--already! Two of my favorite songs happen to be great for Thanksgiving! They are both from Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantatas. Click on the links below to hear and view them being played by virtuoso organists!

We Thank Thee, God, We Thank Thee

Sinfonia from Cantata # 29
Played by Paul Jacobs

Now Thank We All Our God

from Cantata # 79; arranged by Virgil Fox
Played by Diane Bish

"We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near."
-- Psalm 75:1, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

Once an Entrepreneur...

2009-11-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

always an entrepreneur!

From when I was very young, I've always had a business of some sort.

Johan's Detective Agency was inspired by Encyclopedia Brown; my main and only client was my mom: "Johan, can you find my ___(insert small item)."
Super Cards sold cards that were designed by me on Microsoft Paint, and varied in price from $0.10 to $0.25. For some reason I recognized all of my birthday cards. (Ahem...)
Johan's Hardware Company sold a bunch of hardware that I inherited (...no one else wanted it...). This venture brought me $0.25.

That is only a small list of all my past businesses and as I'm sure you don't want to hear about when I sold warm lemonade to a trucker (it was 100 degrees outside--you should have seen his face when the lemonade went down. Pure shock. Oh well...), I will now get to the point of this post. ;-)

Announcing...
Johan is now available to do
Senior Portraits

Why senior portraits? I've had a non-official photo business for a few years now, and since I'm a senior this year, I figured now would be a good time to start doing senior portraits. Please contact me using the link above for more information. Thankyou!

--Johan

The Seasons

2009-11-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter
"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."
-- Ecclesiastes 3:1, The Holy Bible (NKJV)

A Joyful Noise

2009-10-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

About 5 years ago, my grandparents gave my family an old Hammond organ that they had bought many years ago. I had played piano for several years already, and so I played the organ occasionally.

(Hammond E-182)

Time passed, and as I began to spend more time playing the organ, it became less functional with age, so we decided to purchase a newer one. I continue to play and enjoy the organ more every day. The newer one:

(Wurlitzer D-170 Concert w/ Leslie 710 speaker)

Last Sunday morning I was a able to play the organ for church for the first time; my mom played the piano, so we really enjoyed it. :-) This is my church's organ:

(25-stop Baldwin digital, AGO pedalboard, 6 general pistons)

Here is a picture of the largest organ I've played (but not with me playing it):

(Allen Renaissance digital w/ 8' & 16' Principle pipe ranks)

"The art of building organs has attained such heights from one year to the next that one may with reason be amazed at it. And Almighty God alone can never be given sufficient thanks for having granted to man in His mercy and great goodness such gifts as have enabled him to achieve such a perfect, one might almost say the most perfect, creation and instrument of music as is the organ in its arrangement and construction; and to play upon it with hands and with feet in such a manner that God in Heaven may be praised, His worship adored, and man moved and inspired to Christian devotion."
--Michael Praetorius, 1619

James and Kacey

2009-09-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Recently I was privileged to be able to shoot (with two other friends) a wedding for two friends from my church. After 11 hours of shooting approximately 1400 pictures, and 25.5 GB of memory cards filled, here are a few of the best.

Not only did the rainbow dresses look nice, but they were extremely practical--no need to memorize names. <;-)

At 300mm...

Husband and Wife...

Outside...

Cake!

The cake was both beautiful and delicious!

The getaway...

Congratulations, James and Kacey!

"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

-- Mark 10:9, The Holy Bible (NIV)

Spider's Delicacy

2009-08-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in the window jamb of my bedroom. :-)

1/200sec. ~ f/16 ~ ISO 200
Equipment: Canon 10D + 100/2.8 Macro + 580EX II + Off-Camera Shoe Cord OC-E3 + Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce + Remote Switch RS-80N3 + Manfrotto 055XPROB

A Round Bale Tale

2009-08-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Finally! After over a year of writing, editing, reworking, and editing:

"A Round Bale Tale"(And yes, these are both self-portraits.)

{Untitled Post}

2009-07-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Exactly one year ago today, I started this blog. Little did I know at that moment that not far from here an acquaintance of mine, Nathan, died in an accident. The farm implement he was operating was struck by a semi-truck. He was 16 years old. I had just finished reading the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. It encourages teenagers to "rebel against low expectations" and to do hard things for the Lord and for others. Tragic as it was, Nathan's death has brought several of his friends to the Lord; and, I am sure, has reminded many young people that knew him to "[l]et no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." [1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV)] In other words, to "do hard things".

~ ~ ~

Since today is the "anniversary" of this blog, I'd like to know who reads it. :-) So... get a pencil and paper and write down the first answer that comes to your mind for the following question: Is it best to have a background in studio photography to do hard things?

Now please post a comment with your name and the answer you wrote down. Thank you!

I'll start:

Johan

Hmm...I don't think so. *

~ ~ ~

Do you realize that the question is only half a question? <;-) To see the rest, highlight the text from "Is it" to the "?" with your mouse. Now you see the whole question... BUT, if you have not commented yet, please comment with your name and your original answer. Thank you!
Looking forward to another year of blogging,
Johan

* Using my studio equipment to photograph a ton of families for my church directory was out of my comfort zone, but through doing it, I have gained some experience and confidence that will be applicable if the Lord leads me to pursue photography as a profession. :-) How about you?