KissLoveWedDFW

Call the Sheriff, I'm ready to confess. I love weddings. Yep, I'm a guy -married and in love for 30 plus years...but I love weddings. I'm sorry that others work 9-5 in an office...I hope they love it too. I however, go to work with people who talk to each other with their eyes. People who can feel love so deep, they can cry right in front of the camera...kiss and whisper promises...laugh and pledge their lives together. And that just might be in the engagement session!

On about 20 Saturdays a year, I watch the love all over again on the wedding day - with an even greater intensity. Is it any wonder I'll spend a couple weeks making the images from each wedding awesome? If I feel so inspired with the love - so responsible, how can I slapped the pics from camera to Dvd and pretend I've done anything to match the intensity of the feelings in the heart I see? I know, these images represent so much, and will be valued for so long.

The KissLoveWedDFW is a twitter name to help me post to Facebook - Twitter etc. Click on it to go to this blogs home page for the latest in 'happenings'. If you want to visit my engagement and wedding site - www.JimRode.com. Feel free to contact me so we can connect on a personal basis. If you are engaged, contact me about turning your wedding into fabulous! JimRode.com the art of the wedding. Dallas wedding photography from Jim Rode Photographer.

First...a couple other details. One is a photograph I took of my daughter near the airport. She was leaving in an hour headed west for aircraft carrier duty. Love her dearly.

The other detail is the great fun I had photographing a bridal at the Ruthe Jackson Center days ago. I wish I could post them...and I will, but she must remain unseen in her beautiful gown until she walks down the aisle! Sometime in late October, I will put a few pics up.

Now back to my dad. He worked for a while at TWA in Kansas City. He was both an airplane mechanic and a private pilot. This was unusual in the 50s. Being a private pilot was an exotic hobby. Maintaining a plane was hard work too. My dad had a Luscombe and in those days it meant a fabric cover. You had to dope it to harden the fuselage for better strength and speed. Kind of like building a giant modal airplane. Then every so often, replace the fabric and re-dope it. (Terrible smelly stuff!)

Anyway, as the family story goes, Howard knew of my dad. He made a stop in KC one time flying to the west and pulled my dad from his work at TWA. He wanted a co-pilot / mechanic for the plane he was flying. (Howard Hughes was also an aircraft designer and world record holder for airspeed flights as well as movie producer, millionaire airline titan, and the man who saved Las Vegas. For more on Howard Hughes, there are many books on his life, but of course it is hard to beat the short version in movie form - Martin Scorsese's The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio.)

Anyway, Howard grabbed my dad and they took off. Howard was in a propeller aircraft so this was a long flight. My dad could fly while Howard got a quick nap, or be the mechanic if the plane had problems. They landed in the desert somewhere in Nevada where there was nothing but a cheap motel and gas station. Howard told my dad to stay put. Howard was picked up by car and disappeared. My dad waited weeks (although length of time might have "grown" as the years went by). He got "fed up" waiting. He didn't want to go against Howard Hughes...but he had a wife and kids back home. He felt totally abandoned. (He may have actually been forgotten...who knows?) Finally he decided that he was leaving, even if he got canned. He hitched a ride to Vegas and flew home. A few days later, a man in a suit came by the house and gave my mom a card. The card was blank except for a phone number. He said, "If you ever need anything, call this number." She never did.

My daughter Katey has returned from boot camp -and "A" school in Great Lakes. She'll be home for a precious 10-12 days chilling out before she heads for the coast and a ship assignment. Enough said from a proud Dad.

Seems kind of strange to be blogging about family -what with Facebook and everything. You kind of wonder where blogs will be in five years...

Anyway, Sylvia and I recently went down to Padre to visit her Dad who had hurt his back. He made a decent recovery by the time we got there. He felt good enough to walk a little on the highway in the dunes after we'd been cruising the island. Also seen is Sylvia and her mom. Not visible, yours truly -the photographer.

Sylvia and I cruised around the "valley" recently. We purposely took back roads around through Rio Hondo, Mercedes, Laguna Vista, and some other tiny hamlets. From the bottom up: Rick is a gentleman rancher and part time haberdasher. Loved the ancient hotel near the San Juan shrine. I couldn't resist the yard sale with horse. The owner was smoking up a storm by cigar, but walked out of the picture. I protected his privacy. Finally, this is a shot of a sugarcane field. Now you know where sugar comes from.

Sunday I had a great wedding! I'll blog about that in a week or two after I've been able to process each image to make them their very best in presentation. As I sat outside the wedding chapel, I marveled at how beautiful a day it was. I also noticed how strange it felt. Wedding photographers have an inner clock set to Friday nights or Saturdays. I did not take a wedding Saturday after booking this Sunday months ago (I don't like to crowd the weekend with 2 weddings, because I put so much time into processing the images in the days after). I took my Saturday off to drive Sylvia to Dallas to check out the new Rack store in Dallas for a shoe sale.

Jenna was my second shooter for Sundays wedding. (I like having pros shoot with me. Their expertise is always a plus for great images.) She too took Saturday off from her business. She told me about World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. Jenna has a daughter Lana with Down Syndrome. She reserved her Saturday to be exclusively with her daughter. And she blogged about the day she spent with Lana, horseback riding and exploring nature.

Yeah, you have to spend time together when you're married. And sometimes you've got to shop. But when I compare my Saturday to Jenna's -Jenna is my hero of the week.
If you'd like to read about her day with Lana, here is the link to her blog. www.fzphotography.com/blog
Jim Rode

Photo Montage/Used by permission of FickleZeal Photography

Jumped down to Harlingen and South Padre Island to see Sylvia's parents. They've been married 56 years -57 come January! Amazing. This shot is called "Reflection at the Shrimp Boats". It was shot in Port Isabel. Drove around Padre to see the damage left over from Hurricane Dolly. Wow! Some pretty strong damage everywhere. Most beach entrances north of the buildings were blocked by tons of sand dunes 15 feet tall, formed during the hurricane. One building, 25 or more stories tall...is sinking and unstable. No one had an intact roof. Holes in the sides of buildings. Did eat some fine seafood though on the island, roof or not!

I'm back from LA! I had a fantastic time. I gave a presentation and advice to photographers from the US and Canada. (Hi Jerome Scullino from Montreal! Jerome was cool. He was smart and skipped late afternoon stuff to shoot a couple at the beach. His pier shots were really great! Here is his website. And a shout out to a great photojournalist from Long Beach. Chad Robinson is branching out into wedding photographer and doing great work! His site is here.) I spent two days listening and talking with some great photographers. Dennis Reggie had me gasping-for-breath laughing. He's big into reality/photojournalism and was speaking on the trend of colorizing a black and white image so the flowers are "magically" blooming with color...or a brides lips are red! Well, you had to be there.

I was excited to see that my Gallery Wrap print maker Simply Canvas had enlarged (see picture) one of my shots for a backdrop to their booth. I took a quick iPhone shot of it. It looks about 60x80. I originally shot it with my old D80 about 2 years ago. That's pretty big for the D80! I'm told it is being donated to hang at the Pictage offices. I feel that is an honor.

I got a shot of some clouds from the plane that remind me of Snoopy. When I got back at DFW a Vietnamese nun walked up to me for help (do I look like a teddy bear or something?! I think God said "that guy there, yeah, Jim is his name...he's the one to talk to...) She spoke no english other than. "I go with you." and "God bless you. I am Dominican Convent." I had only my carry-on and no luggage so I could skip that part, as it seems to add a half hour on to the trip. But, I couldn't refuse a traveler needing help. Especially a nun! I did get a picture made so Sylvia would believe me. I asked for the baggage location for her (D40)...she paused for the ladies room...then we hit gate D40...I convinced her that she shouldn't wait there...she followed me through the revolving doors at security...she didn't know to keep walking through the automatic doors and disabled them...an ambassador and I convinced her to push the red button to start it again "walk! walk! walk!"...as if shouting translates!...she made it out of the revolving doors...we find the D40 for baggage (why do they use similar numbers for baggage claim areas as they do for gates? -they never correspond...she points out 3 -60 lb. boxes she had sent from Nam. (I hope it's not drugs)...I pick them up and cart them for her...she shows me a name, address and number saying "sister -sister" -pointing to my phone. I call for her and let them talk. Her sister comes from Garland to pick her up. I go home. Jesus smiles.

The last pic is of me waiting in the car for Sylvia. We are going out to breakfast. My jet-lag sleep deprivation can be measured by the fact I left my coffee on the hood of the car. Yes, Sylvia got it for me before getting in. Coffee, Brazil's gift to the world.

When the weather starts to moderate, and evening temps begin to fall, there is only one explanation -Texas High School Football!

Okay, maybe not the first thought on every one's mind. But, while some people have a hobby for cars, quilts or music -mine is getting cool shots of football and band. Some, I'll turn into paintings. It began with my daughter marching in the Trinity Trojan Marching Band. Naturally I had to attend the games. I thought I'd hate it! Who wants to watch high school when you can watch the pros? Well, I was wrong. High school football, band, drill and cheer is very cool. And I get a kick out of coming up with great images. It's my hobby, and I'm proud of it.

It gets more complex as the season goes on. Better yet, when was the last time you went back to a game at your high school? It might be more fun than you think! When you went to school, you had a stake in everything that went on. Now you can go for fun!

I guess the word is out that I'm speaking in LA at the Pictage Partner Con conference. I thank those who have said nice words of encouragement! You all come! Seating is limited to 450 photographers, and the conference sells out -so line up the cheap airfare while you can. Click on the button above to link in, and see a video When the video is over...you'll notice a button for "more". Click it for multiple videos. Have fun!

I'm speaking on Engagements. I love it! I will be giving a ton of ideas, tips, concepts for those who attend. You will come away a changed photographer! And for you local Dallas photogs...come on out! Be there are be square.

I've lined up some cool door prizes too. Discounts and FREEbies from David Jay and Show-it Web and Show-it Sites! And a paid seat to the 4-day Keepnitfresh seminar with Corey McNabb! - And that's a $1500 seat too! Wouldn't be cool to win!

Call me if you want if you are on the borderline about taking the trip. I can talk you into it!

Jim

David Jay and Jasmine Star were in town with DJ's Free to Succeed tour. Had a great time with them. DJ rocks! Jasmine rocks too! What a combo! Jasmine wanted to get "big hair" for Dallas. But what do you do with the hair when it's 100 degrees outside? Nothing works. Oh well, she was still beautiful.
You photographers out there checking my blog -if the David Jays Free to Succeed tour is coming to your town -do it! Lots of fun and info. Workflow fixes galore! A lot of concepts on getting free to do the things you want to do...not just being tied down at your computer!