Sunday found me and the rest of the European Council’s London Program visiting Hampton Court. I have been here two times previously, and I was anxious to go again to see if I could experience it again in a unique way as a photographer. I’m not sure if I was successful with that goal, but I had a good time none the less.

It was a warm day, and I didn’t want to carry a lot of equipment, so I opted for a gripless 5D and a 50mm f/1.4. It was light and efficient: a great combination. I didn’t take as many photos as I did last time, but I captured a couple of good scenes. Here’s a sample.

The full gallery should be is posted soon in my UK 2011 group. Read more about the trip so far on my other blog.

It’s always nice to get away to the mountains, even if it’s only for a couple of days. Whenever we can, Autumn and I take 441 north through Georgia, western North Carolina, the Smoky Mountains National Park, and into Tennessee to visit Dad and Sharon. Good food, photographic opportunities, and family await. This time was no exception.

Our first day had us lounging around their house, which I call a “cabin,” though it’s really not. I guess a cabin in the mountains sounds better than a house in the mountains. Whatever it is, it sits atop a small mountain just off Wears Valley Road outside of Pigeon Forge, TN. It’s within ten miles of the park, so the location pretty ideal. So today, we just hung out. Here’s proof.

The cat’s name is Bill Bailey. He’s twenty pounds of furry love, and he’s Apollo’s mountain twin — almost.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some more photos. I did bring the strobes and stands, so maybe we’ll get Dad and Sharon to pose.

If the holidays are good for anything, it’s overdoing it. For me, this usually means eating way too much of what I’m not supposed to. It’s kind of like buying all of your holiday gifts on your credit card: eventually you have to pay the bill, and it’s usually sooner than you think.

Still, I’ve enjoyed my holiday. I think I’ve managed to relax and get a bit of work done — a pretty good mixture of the two. I’ve been taking some photos, reading a novel, exercising, and talking myself into an expensive purchase. While I amy or may not get the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens, I will continue to enjoy my holiday up until the last minute.

This morning, that’ll begin with a five-mile run for me. Here’s to your holiday indulgences. Enjoy them before the bill comes due.

Happy holidays, everyone. Stay warm. Smile. Wear your lose clothes. Fall asleep feeling fat. It’s the American way.

It’s that time of year again. You know: when people go nuts and descend on Atlanta for their shopping rituals. Well, we have to join in for at least one day, and this year we decided to make it an overnight trip to Atlanta.

We drove up on Thursday and stayed at the Omni Hotel in the CNN Center. We had a relaxing and excellent dinner at McCormick & Schmick’s and then took a walk around Centennial Park right across the street. It wasn’t the best night for a walk because of the rainy weather, but it had let up for a bit after dinner. I purposely didn’t take the strobe with me on this short trip, but I really could have used it in the park. Next time. All these photos are taken with the Canon 5D and the Canon EF 24-70mm L lens.

Check out the gallery for the rest of the images not featured here. Happy holidays.

On Friday night, I was asked by the Historic Macon Foundation to photograph a party being thrown by Chuck Leavell at his estate, 20 miles southwest of Macon. The party seemed to go well, and our local congressman Jim Marshall was one of the guests. Chuck was a very gracious host, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks to Josh Rogers, the Foundation’s Executive Director, for asking me to be a part of it.