This is why we have screens

Bull Frog

Spotted this little guy in a drainage gutter by the lake.  Actually not that little...

Panama April '09

I'm three months late on this (thanks Chops for your patience!)  In April four of us headed to Panama for what has turned into an annual surf trip.  Each spring for the last couple years a few of us have gathered and headed south for some international adventure and waveriding.   It has become one of my favorite times without fail - year in year out.  It's typically a last minute trip, done on the cheap, no frills and with limited planning.  Full of great fellowship, relaxation, surfing, a lot of chicken, butchered spanish and surfing. Panama was no different.  

Panama has a lot to offer.  Tons of coast line - Caribbean on one side and the Pacific on the other.  Warm waters, nice swells, friendly locals and its still low on the tourist scale especially when you compare it to its neighbor to the north - Costa Rica.  We saw very few americans while we were there sans the BB owners where we stayed and the owner of Chachos who was from VA Beach!   What Panama doesn't have is surfboards.  We typically just rent them in country to save from flying them and its never been a problem.  Surf shops galore.  Not so in Panama, at least on the pacific side.  However, we did luck out in finding Flor (who taught lessons at the resorts and rented boards in the town of Paolmar).  Major score.  Oh, and she completely killed it in the water.  By far smoked any of us surfing.  Hey - but she LIVES there.  I bet I can beat her in...umm...rush hour driving skills.  She not only had a variety of boards but her little house/shop was right on a killer right point break.  So, while the locals had to park way down the beach in town and walk to the point, us gringos rolled up in our rental corolla and were given parking rights in her side yard.  We walked with big smiles right out to the break.  

We surfed the right point break called Paolmar Point everyday.  It was one of the most predictable and best shaped waves I've ridden.  Consistently chest to head high and a clean right shoulder.  4 days of surfing and I never rode a single left!  So unfair but whose complaining.  Very finicky waves that only work on at very specific times depending on the tides.  So while the point in these pictures is flat at medium tide for about 3 hours every day it goes off.  And everyone comes out of the woodwork to surf it.  

One of my highlights was breaking this guys fin off his board when I sort of dropped in on him. I'll save you all the details but we walked into town together to get the board fixed - he spoke as much english as I spoke spanish.  After he was done being mad we had some good laughs and we went our separate ways (me back out in the water, him not so lucky).  

Here are a few pics.  Sorry none while the point was kicking.  Too busy.

My Summer Job

This summer I've spent a lot of time at weddings.  I've listened to the hottest DJ hits.  Tasted the finest cakes.  Learned the freshest dance moves.  I've picked up a summer job (to compliment my full time corporate gig) assisting my buddy Garrett shooting weddings.  It's been a huge blessing working with someone like Garrett as I learn the ropes of wedding photography and sharpen my chops.   Garrett has mad-skills when it comes to photography.  We have been working well together and really have a good time doing it.  Our goal is simple - to try to capture the essence of the moment and tell the story of each of these unique celebrations.  The goal is simple.  Achieving it is the challenge.

Since I am hired by Garrett he owns all the photos from the wedding - whether he took them or  I did.  So you won't see any of the photos on here but you can check them out on his website.  Earlier this summer we shot Michelle and Brandon's wedding in Poolsville, MD and then Kim and Kevin's wedding in Annapolis, MD.  Last weekend we shot a wedding in Chantilly, VA  and the weekend before one in Erie, PA and one in Annapolis, MD.  Those pics to come later.  This picture above is after a long days drive to Erie and then a night at Meghan and Jeremy's rehearsal dinner at the lake. We were waiting for a ride.  This is how photographers amuse themselves or something.  

For more of Garrett's wedding photography check out his website.

The Buffet Line

Caught this guy treating the flowers like a buffet line.  

Lydia's Dedication

My friends Mike and Kelly dedicated their daughter Lydia to the Lord Jesus Christ yesterday at McLean Bible's Loudon campus. I snapped a few photos.