The Beauty Of The Human Heart

Yesterday presented one of those mixed assignments that has elements that really make you feel good and then rip your heart out. I was covering the opening ceremonies at the Warner Robins American Little League. Little League is always good for happy, excited kids…lots of feel good photos like the one of three-year-old Stephen Laney in his just a bit too big baseball uniform, cap over his eyes, swinging a bat that was way too big. He wasn’t old enough to play, but he came to see his big brothers.

Also the joy, happiness and anticipation on the faces of the Red Sox players sitting with Kelly Nauss.

This was countered by a family that was experiencing a great tragedy. James and Melva Sullivent were dealing with the loss of their two daughters Bridget and Leslie. The two girls, avid softball players, were killed in an auto accident Thursday night. Had they lived, the two would have been celebrating the day with family and friends, kicking off a new softball season. Instead, their memory was honored by kind words and an outpouring of love by those in attendance

Not an easy thing for me to do, photographing folks during moments of pain and grief. Totally against my nature. I am torn between doing a job I love, and feeling a lot of guilt at my intrusion into a family’s grief.

Never has gotten any easier.

There is a beauty in all these images, although so very different. The beauty of the human heart.

Baby Kong, A Chrismas Village's Nightmare

The above photo of our grandson Garrett trampling through a village began the day of his dedication. We were at his other grandparent's home in Macon. Billy and Nancy have a huge Christmas Village on display each Christmas. Thomas said, "Hey if I hold garret up in the village, can you do a pivture, put sky behind him?" I said sure.

 The photo at the bottom is what we shot that day.

I had been looking for the perfect sky since Christmas. Week before last I found this night sky as I was leaving a Westside basketball game. I wanted to have him circled by biplanes ala King Kong. I was worried about finding good biplane photos, but found some royalty free online.

I put the images together in Photoshop Elements 9. I bought the program to teach a class, and hve really enjoyed using it. A great program. It is a great program for the cost. I have dumped Photoshop from the laptop and replaced it with Elements.  If you are really interested in image editing, give it a try.