Sabrina and Rob

It is a real blessing in my line of work to be able to shoot someone's wedding then have the gift of being able to shoot images of them during pregnancy and on to pictures of their children. I shot Sabrina and Rob's wedding in June of 2008 and now, here we are closing out 2009 and Sabrina contacted me to do a maternity shoot and I was thrilled. 
I spent some time talking with Rob and Sabrina about what they were looking for in the way of images before they came to the studio. They expressed to me that they wanted classic black and whites with simple poses, something understated that displayed their love and showed Sabrina in her beauty as a pregnant woman. 
The soon to be parents came by my studio after their work day last week and we started shooting. During the shoot, we laughed a lot and saw the baby moving around and we concluded that the baby was having as much fun as we were. Rob and Sabrina are so wonderfully in love with one another, they are a joy to be around. Their love shines so brightly that it infects all those around them.
Here are some of the images from their shoot. I think Sabrina is radiating as many pregnant women do this close to the birth...
Thanks so much Sabrina and Rob for including me in this wonderful time in your lives... I can't wait to meet the little person in a couple of weeks!
 

Katelyn

Katelyn is a young woman making her way into the modeling industry. She contacted me because she had done several shoots with other photographers and was not getting the resluts she wanted. She felt the images that she had received from her earlier shoots lacked depth and emotion, so she and I had a cup of coffee a week before our shoot and talked about what she is looking to add to her portfolio.
We decided to do a couple of different looks, including some black and white more traditional looks, to some more adventurous looks including some formal dresses and added a little fun with a blue wig she had.
Katelyn and I are going to shoot again after the holidays, concentrating on a "grunge" look that she wishes to add to her portfolio. She was a lot of fun to work with, having a playfulness that was balanced with a serious work ethic in front of the camera. I am looking forward to working with her again. 
Working with models is always a wonderful learning experience for me. The connections I make with the model, the creativity that this type of shoot allows plus the technical aspects of the lighting provide a challenge and great rewards at the end of the shoot. 
Here are a couple of images form our shoot last week...

 

The Lee Family

As a photographer in Asheville, and as a resident of the Asheville community I offer my gifts of photography to local charities and local institutions. Last year I was asked by the Carolina Day School if I would be willing to donate my servies to their bi-yearly auction to raise money for their school and I said I would be honored to. I put together a package that included a family portrait session and a large 20x30 inch Mantle Giclee Print. The winning family was the Lee family of Fletcher. Mrs. Lee contacted me and we had set a date a while back to do the shoot, but then their son (a HS quarterback) injured his shoulder and Mr. Lee had some knee surgery and we had to postpone the shoot. Recently, Mrs. Lee contacted me and said her family was healthy again and wanted to get t he shoot done in time for them to order prints to go along with their holiday mailings. It was short notice and I had some other things on my plate but I wanted to make sure the Lee's got to use their generous gift, so I made the shoot happen this past Sunday. 
I was tired from being part of a weekend with my mentoring group, Journeymen, and I was slightly concerned if I was going to have the energy I needed to do the shoot in a good way. Once I arrived at the Lee house, all my concerns were assuaged. The Lee's had the Panther's football game on and Mr. Lee and I hit it off instantly, talking about our favorite teams and how difficult it can be sometimes to be a Panthers fan. :) The energy and love in their house was palpable. This family is so much fun to be around! Mrs. Lee's Mom was there and we started taking pictures with the 2 boys and Grandma. I knew once the eldest son gave Grandma a nuggie and picked her up in his arms that I was going to have a lot of fun shooting images of this family. 
We took some shots in the house, then moved outside to their yard and got some shots with a beautiful Japanese Maple in the background that was in full autumn brilliance. The boys put on their jerseys and we shot a couple of shots of them playing football in the yard. One of my favorite shots is of Caleb and Andrew.. the look on Andrew's face as he is next to his older brother is one of true love, very sweet. 
I am really thankful that I was able to make this shoot happen for this wonderful family.  Hanging out with them for the hour and a half I was there, filled my heart. Seeing Grandma with her boys, Dad with his sons, and Mom with her gang brought a big smile to my face. 
Thanks so much Lee family for inviting me into your home and supporting your local school!


Here are some images from the shoot...

How great is the look on Grandma's face!


I think this is my favorite. Brotherly love...


The wonderful family.


Grandma and her boys.


The matriarchs of a great family.


The boys lookin' tough.

Sunset in Asheville

If you are lucky enough to live in the mountains...
You are lucky enough!

 

Bed and Breakfast's Before and After

Greetings People!
Often, I am asked by people how I can help their place of business look it's best, whether it be for a new website, print materials, or other digital media. I tell these folks about the skill set I have as a commercial photographer, tell them about creating images that are more like what the eye and the brain take in when in a space, and in the end, it is all visual... I think it is easier to display what it is I do.
The following images are form a recent shoot I have been doing at a local bed and breakfast. The owners of the B&B had attempted to capture images that represent their gorgeous inn and they were not able to get the rooms to look like they way they see them each day, so they called me. 
I have shot several B&B's, homes, and new construction and I have developed a method that allows me to re-create what the space looks like to the eye, and that is what these B&B owners were looking for. 


Take a look...



Before - This is what the room looks like to the camera on the first shot.


After - This image is created using several shots that I composite in Photoshop into one image. In addition, I perform a lot of tweaks to color balance the different light sources (window light, tungsten and fluorescent) and make an image that accurately represents the room.


Before - Notice the yellow light form the bed side lamps and the blue light form the windows.


After - I have balanced the lights and composite several shots to create the final image.


Before - This room was a challenge due to the color of the walls and the positions of the windows. In real life, the room is nice and bright and inviting, in the initial capture, the room is dark and morose, with the only real lighting coming from the yellow glow of the fluorescent bed side lights.


After - I have brightened the room evenly (like the eyes sees), balanced the exposure outside and inside, and reduced the yellow cast that the fluorescent lights create. Our eyes and brain are wonderful devices and do all of this for us all day, every day.. I have really come to appreciate what the brain does with the eyes to allow us to see the way we do.


Before - I think this is typical of an image that people get when they try to shoot their spaces themselves. The inside is too dark, and the outside too light. There is no detail in the room, especially in the bookcase, which is important as this is the Library Room.


After - Again, I have made a composite of several images, balanced the colors and brightened up the book case and the entrance to the bathroom, making it more inviting.

***If you have attempted to capture images of your space and they look like any of these before pictures, give me a call, I can help!

Ye Haw!

Well, folks, we are back up and running. I must say that doing a domain transfer required me to jump through many firey hoops! Waiting for the orgininal host to alow the transfer, to the new host awaiting the transfer, to email addresses, to billing, holy cow!
This is why I am a photographer and not a web designer. 

Thanks to all of you who were concerned!

We're back, baby!

Jon

www.350.org Climate Rally

Asheville was one of the host cities today for a 350.org climate change rally. 350 represents the parts per million of c02 gasses that scientists and climatologists say is the tipping point for our planet. 
350.org has organized rally's in chapters all over the world where people can together to show their dedication to the 350 ppm movement. The images from the different global events will be uploaded to Times Square to bring awareness to the world leaders meeting to ratify the Kyoto Treaty later in the year. 
I was honored to be asked to shoot this very important image...

Updating

So, Jonleidel.com is down for a day or two as I move my domain from an old provider to a new provider / web host.  I should be up and running again in 48 hours. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.  Keeping the best technology working can sometimes have it's challenges!  Thanks to all who contacted me with concerns, no worries, all is well.

All the best!  Hope you all are having some of the beautiful weather  we are having here in Asheville!

Jon

A video Perspective

As you all know, I shoot stills, not video. I did however, bring my Canon G10 Point and Shoot which shoots video because I thought it would be fun to have some video from the trail. This is an unedited (if that wasn't obvious) video of me standing on a a ridge crest at mile 4 on the Kalalau Trail. I added this because I think it adds a sense of space and beauty to the stills I shot form the same place. 
Hope you enjoy. 

View from the Kalalau Trail from Jon Leidel on Vimeo.

Hawaii - The Big Island and Kauai

Aloha everyone!
I have just recently returned from an amazing journey to the Big Island of Hawaii and Kauai Island. I had the pleasure of joining Nikki and Dan on their honeymoon to document their experience and the beauty of the places they chose to spend their time together. 
We saw an amazing array of landscapes... from the desolation of the lava fields outside of Volcano, HI to the sandy beaches of Kauai, to the lush jungles of the Na Pali Coast and the Kalalau Trail.  We stayed in Hilo and Kona on the island of Hawaii, Halalei (where Puff the magic dragon is from) on the island of Kauai, and camped a night on the Kalalau trail... which Sierra Club rates a 9 out of 10 for difficulty. If that is a 9, Everest must be a 10!
Here are some preliminary pictures from our big adventure, hope you enjoy them. I may post a video as well, so stay tuned!

Many, many thanks to Nikki and Dan for including me during this special time in their lives.  I have become good friends with both of them through our travels and challenges and enjoyed seeing all of these wondrous places with them. 
Mahalo Nikki and Dan. 
Aloha to all the people who love Dan and Nikki...


 

Hilo - Big Island
View of the observatory on Mauna Kea.




Birds of Paradise near Hilo


Volcanoes National Park - Big Island


Volcanoes National Park - The great Pacific Ocean meeting the Volcano shelf


A blessing from Pele the goddess of fire


Pele in all her glory - This is where the lava meets the cool waters of the Pacific... it was absolutely amazing to witness this.


This is the private viewing platform we went to with a local. It was so nice not to be with 1000 other people during this event!


Akaka Falls State Park - This falls is over 400 feet!


Right outside Akaka Falls Park


Wouldn't be Hawaii without some surfing!


One of Hawaii's beautiful beaches. The day we were there there were 100's of families grilling food, hanging out, kids surfing and running on the beach, a true local experience.


Wind Farm near Kohala, big island


The beautiful couple of the Kalalau Trail.


View from the trail


Hanakapiai Beach


View from about mile 4 on the trail


Creek at mile 6 where we camped.


Kalalau Trail Head signed adorned with Lei's and walking sticks.


Hanalei - Ke'ee beach


Ke'ee Beach


Hanalei Pier - one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Amazing cliffs and mountains right into the bosom of the Pacific. The mountains look like a sleeping dragon..


On Ke'ee beach our last night on the island...
Love this shot!

Great Job Everyone!

Nikki and Dan have a lot of people who love and care about them, that's for sure. That was the fastest 25 comments in the history of this blog!
Can you take it to the next tier?
50 Unique comments gets Nikki and Dan a 16x20!

Feeling the love...

Jon

Nikki and Dan - The wedding preview images.

Hello all!  I am proud to present a small sampling of images from Nikki and Dan's wedding this past weekend. You may remember Nikki and Dan from the engagement images. Well, this weekend at Hidden River Events in Swannanoa, Nikki and Dan tied the knot. 
It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend to have an outdoor wedding in the mountains, the sky was blue, there was a light breeze and the humidity was low. Nikki and Dan's families flew in from all over the country to be with them this weekend and Mother Nature rewarded them for their love for Nikki and Dan. 
 After knowing Nikki and Dan for a year, I felt like one of the family as I went to capture their wedding this weekend. Nikki looked absolutely stunning in her dress, orchids in her hair, a beautiful smile on her face, she looked radiant. Dan and the boys looked dapper in their tuxes as they made their way to the ceremony, walking along the rose pedal lined path where Nikki would soon join them. 
As I accompanied Nikki and her Father, Larry, in the horse carriage to the ceremony area, Nikki was calm, full of love and glowing. It filled my heart to be around her in this moment. Her love for Dan was evident in her every move and breath. 
The young couple wrote their own vows and recited them to each other during the ceremony. I must admit, a bug must and flown into my eye while Nikki was reading hers becaue my eye started to water as she declared her love for Dan. (ok, I was crying a little).
The ceremony over, Nikki and Dan rode off in the carriage, made a lap around the beautiful venue, and returned to the ceremony area to take some pictures with me while the guests made their way to the reception tent.
All day long, through the ceremony, the reception, the toasts, the dinner, the cake cutting, everything that was done, and said, one thing was obvious, these two were meant to be together. From the stories shared, both new and old, I believe that these two were destined to be together, and I, along with the guests, reveled in their love and joy. 
It was a wonderul, enchanted day and Nikki and Dan enjoyed themselves and loved on each other in a way that was inspiring to behold. I am so glad I was able to be a part of their wedding day. 

Thanks so much Nikki and Dan! 

If Nikki and Dan receive 15 comments on this post I will give them a free 8x10 ($40 value) If they get 25 comments, they will recieve a free 11x14 ($80 value). Tell your friends, people. 


Needs no explanation.


The Beautiful Bride.


The Boys!


I love their embrace here!


When it comes to love, this says it all!


Nikki and her smile!


In the comfort of each other...


Your carriage awaits, my lady.


The gang!


Remember I said during their engagement images that they had been practicing their first dance. Whoa! It was hot! Not your normal boring first dance! I know this is representative of their union...great stuff!


The beautiful bride.


Loving embrace. What a day!