Future History Makers

My "real" job is being an art teacher. For the last three years I have been refining my skills to enter the world as a certified professional k-12 art teacher. Last December I obtained my goal of becoming licensed by the state of North Carolina to teach art. When the summer draws to a close, I will begin my new career in a high school a few counties over, in a community much smaller than Charlotte (thank goodness, just in time to avoid all-things-Democratic-National-Convention). In the meantime, however, I'm fortunate enough to work with a non-profit art gallery as a summer art camp instructor. These children bring me so much joy. Not a day goes by where I don't recognize their innocence and purity as they pursue their ideas on the canvas. It dawned on that I'm an "old guy" now, teaching the future history makers. In one short week the children are able to create a wonderful take-home portfolio of work. Each Friday is the "opening" show, where their friends and family come to see their work on the gallery walls. This event is wonderful experience for the students, their families, and (selfishly...) me. Combining my love of photography with my new found love of education (I say new found because I was a terrible young student) my days are full, bright, and colorful.

Good Ole' Fashioned Fun

When I was young, one of my favorite things to do with my family was to go to baseball games. Decades later I'm still enjoying family-fun with my siblings, father, and my lovely wife. Honestly, baseball is one of the most boring things for me to watch on TV, but ironically it's one of most engaging spectator sports. Winston-Salem is lucky to have a great minor league team. The Winston-Salem Dash play in a new state-of-the-art stadium, and the few times I've made the trek across the state to see them play, all the seats are always full. The energy is high as a troupe of youngsters entertain the crowd with Bolt, the team mascot. The Dash are a winning team, both in their game record and their value to the city of Winston-Salem.

Wedding Season

Well, June is here. That means one thing. It's Wedding Season. That really didn't mean anything to me until I realized how popular June is for weddings. Monday marks my one year anniversary, and in planning for that amazing day with my lovely then-fiance, I quickly realized there is a premium for June weddings because all the vendors are booked to their ears. We managed to get away with a spectacularly beautiful wedding at a great price. I liken it to the castle at Disney World... absolutely gorgeous in photos, and you don't realize the scale of it until you walk up to it in person. The photographer at our wedding did a great job, but one of our favorites is from our own camera—taken by my sister-in-law as my wife and I re-entered our home after a long day.

I'm really looking forward to shooting weddings this summer. As I reflect upon my own wedding day, and all the weddings I attended last year, I know the deep feelings of joy associated with that special day. As summer heats up down here in the south, aisles across the world will heat with the power of love and commitment.