Winna, winna, chicken dinna...

 In case you didn't know, your boy won 2nd place in a nationally respected military photo contest. Nothing big, just 2nd place. The theme was "street," so I shot music of Frenchmen Street. Bam. First place also went to a Coastie, so no loser in this one...except for the Navy...they lost.

Work Stuffs

 Trying something a bit different.
The new design elements in the latest version of BlogSpot allows me some funky stuff. 
This was a shoot I did for a make-a-wish event in Mobile. The kid has had a brain tumor for more than three years. Since he was five, he wanted to be a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, so the MAW Foundation flew him from Utah to train with the best the CG has. At the end of his stay he was able to take part in a search and rescue demonstration. For how much attention was heaped on him and his brother (who was also there) these were some of the best behaved kids I've ever seen. Here's the story.

All Grow'd Up

It's been a little over 6 months and Jack hasn't grown at all. It's weird. Take a look.


Before you say anything about NY being all cold and stuff, there's something about being under sea level that makes the 40-something temperatures down here just a little more bitter than the ones you're use to.

Sweetest boy.

Coming to America

I'm finally back and I couldn't be happier. Don't get it twisted, I had a great time and saw and experienced things I'll probably never get to see or experience again, but I was missing watching my boy grow up. When I left it seemed like he was just barely able to sit up on his own. I get back and he's scooting across the floor, pulling himself up on everything and even coloring. Yeah, I got back in the nick of time.

I took a lot of pictures while I was gone. Well over six thousand at last count. I released about 90 of them, but I couldn't release all my favorites, so here are some of the ones that didn't make the cut.

I like this picture. It says "blue-collar" and hard work to me and that's exactly what I saw every day on the Escanaba.

There were a lot of beautiful sunsets and sunrises while I was underway. There is definitely something to be said about getting out and away from buildings, trees, hills and any other kind of obstructions and seeing the sky full on like this. There was so much more to this picture, but my lens wasn't wide enough to capture it all.

Another sky shot. The way the clouds play off the retreating light is one thing. As soon as it sets the stars come out in full force. I wish I could have gotten a shot of that...

I was told afterwards that every time they do deck cleaning it always turns into a water fight. The kid in the foreground was actually dumped into a water-filled cooler.

My boy BM3 Humphrey. Or Boats, as he likes to be called. It was one of those pitch-black kind of nights, but I wanted to see if I could get a shot of him lit only by his cig. Mission accomplished.

Brazilian Jesus. I don't know why people think it's all good-in-the-hood to be posing cross style in front of him like that. I mean, he's RIGHT THERE! HE CAN SEE YOU!

Not that anyone knows or cares about what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say it anyway: I went with an aperture setting of about f4, but my shutter was hitting at about 4000. A fair trade if you get a shot like this.

We were doing some training with the Mexican Navy and I gotta say, their small boat is one of the best ones, most expensive ones I've ever seen. The thing can get up and move at about 58 knots.

We got in a water fight with the Navy. USCGC Escanaba vs. USS Nitze. They had a water balloon slingshot and we had high pressure water hoses. They might have one this one, but we killed them and their entire team during the war games.

I think this was the sun setting on Salvador, Brazil. I can't remember exactly, because we pulled in early enough in the morning that this could actually be a sunrise. Either way, I dig the shot.

That Fort Something-r-Other of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I wish I'd had more time to explore there. Maybe next time...just kidding Jenn...

The USS Nitze firing off some of its missiles with the USS Boone and Thach in the background. Did I mention we killed these guys during the war games? Just checking.

Rio de Janeiro. I would definitely visit again. Maybe when I learn more Portuguese than "obrigado." The beaches were beautiful, the water was clear, the sun was warm (despite it actually being Autumn there).

Forty-four days is a long time to be out of contact with one's family. Especially when your child is 9 months old and you know that typically, children start walking at 10 months. I was anxious to get home. Thankfully, I have a wife that loves me, so she kept "accidentally" tipping him over every time he went to stand up. That's love right there.

Pensacola -- home to hot, white beaches 3

Here they are. The last of the pics from when the Wadsworth invasion.

We came back from Pensacola just in time for some Mardi Gras parades in the city.

The one in the green shirt is Grandad Wadsworth and the shorter girl next to him is Jenn...just so you don't get the two mixed up.
Jackson finally got some monkey beads he found in the French Market. He looooooves monkeys. He watches Curious George everyday.

One of the more interesting street shows in the French Quarter.

Ta-da!

One of about 9 human statues around St. Peter's Cathedral in the French Quarter.

Drum solo!

Your average, law-abiding, New Orleans citizenry.

And that's it for this trip. Stay tuned for some pics of my parent's trip down in my next post.

Pensacola -- home to hot, white beaches 2

I've re-racked and am ready for round 2. Here's some more selects from our trip to Pensacola.

I don't know if you've met, but this is my wife, Jenn.

This is the most sophisticated woman in the world. "I don't usually drink Cosmos, but when I do...I savagely beat my husband."

"What is this? 2011? It's a good year."

Thirsty AND hungry.

Had to go to McGuires since we were in the area. Best food outside of New Orleans that I've ever had. Period...no EXCLAMATION POINT! Jack liked it too.

Grandad and some chicky he found passed out in the men's room. Thankfully, she made it. He nursed her back to health and reintroduced her back into the wild. He's a giver.

Junior.

And now, a series of pictures demonstrating the use of stop photography...that means you have a high shutter speed so you can freeze the action...nevermind...

And riiiiiight back to Junior. I never get tired of looking at the best part of me. No, not that one that I'm married to. The other one.

I got some stuff I'll be dropping off in the near future. So stand by for...more.