Bluemoon Guitars

I spent part of Saturday afternoon getting some shots at Bluemoon Guitars for owner Randy Pasley to use on his website. The place was hopping and Randy didn't have a chance to pose for for any of the photos, so I have to swing back by to get a couple of him this week. Here are a few...

Happy Birthday Mamaw!

Granny Jackie turns 76 years young today. We had a party for her on Sunday and she still likes to tell stories about when we lived just up the road for her and I would sneak out of the house and run just as hard as my four-year-old legs would let me to go see her. She would bring me back home and not let mom give me a whipping because "he just wanted to see his mamaw".

Same Barn, Different Angle

I posted a photo of this barn back before the summer, but when
I drove by it yesterday afternoon, I liked the light so well that I snapped another photo.

I think I like this one better.....

Gracie and Sara Beth

I took some studio shots of Patrick and Wendy Green's daughters, Gracie and Sara Beth last week. This was my first attempt at studio portraits and I already have some ideas of things to do differently. I'm fairly pleased with the lighting, but I promise to do better next time.

The Big Day...continued....

Stella

The Big Day....

I recently helped my good friend and professional photographer, Sonya Tedder, shoot the Stella Sexton- Josh Sizemore wedding in Blowing Rock. My job was to simply follow the groom (Josh Sizemore, above right) around and get some candid shots as he was getting ready for the ceremony. Josh was a really cool guy to work with and made my job easy. Below are a few of the shots that I've had a chance to edit.

Showing off Stella's wedding band.

Helping his soon-to-be father-in-law with his tie.

Just minutes before the ceremony.

Stella

Playoffs!

Head Coach Bill Strong and the Ashe County Huskies will host Bandys High School in the NCHSAA West 2-AA state playoffs, at 7:30 on Friday, in West Jefferson. The Huskies earned the 5th seed in 2-AA, and have advanced to the playoffs for the fifth straight season under Coach Strong.

Familiar Form

Ashe County senior QB Daniel Waln returned to his usual form in the Huskies 48-21 win over Surry Central on Friday night, throwing for a touchdown and rushing for another in just the first half of the win.

Receiver Jake Brown hauls in a Waln touchdown pass in the first half of Friday night's game.

Defensive back Aaron Scott walks off the field after returning a Surry Central interception 99 yards for a score to end the first half in Ashe County's 48-21 win.

Tim Hightower

I was perusing espn.com the other night, trying glean some knowledge from the fantasy football gurus there that might help me get my fantasy football team out of the cellar in one of the leagues I'm playing in, when I came across the above photo of Arizona Cardinal rookie Tim Hightower. Hightower played his collegiate football for the Richmond Spiders, and I was fortunate enough to have had a chance to shoot ASU's playoff win over Hightower and Richmond late last fall. So I went digging through my external hard drive to see if I had any shots that might have him in it. And what do you know...I found the below shot tucked away with about 20 gigs worth of junk. Now, I know my shot isn't nearly as good as the shot from espn.com, but I'm sure their photog had much more advanced equipment, and the lighting was better I'm certain, and his/her angle was just right, and Hightower was positioned just so, and........

Just Killing Time....

I was waiting to meet a friend last night near the intersection of Highways 321 and 105 in Boone last night and, while waiting, perched my camera on a sign post and took a few long-exposure shots. The above shot is an eight second exposure and the below shot is a twenty-five second exposure, both taken around 6:00 pm. Not sure which one I like the best.

I read somewhere a few years back that this intersection, which is located just south-east of the campus of Appalachian State, is one of the busiest in North Carolina. Not sure if thats still the case though.

Corn Maze

We took the youth group from my church to the Corn Maze in Crumpler over the weekend. The maze was just one of the activites available for the kids, along with an airwalk, three "Monster Shot" slingshots to launch tennis balls into a pond, and a tunnel slide. I let Logan (above) lead the way through the maze...it took us a while to find our way out.

Betty May gives me her signature sweet smile...all while holding the ear of corn she nabbed on her way through.

We finally found our way out!

Tough Loss

Ashe County wide receiver Grayson Wells walks off the field after a frustrating first half in the Huskies' 22-13 Mountain Valley Conference loss to Starmount on Saturday night. The loss dropped Ashe to 3-1 in conference play, 6-3 overall, and it second place behind Starmount who is 4-0 in the conference (6-3 overall).

Starmount running back Rashaun Gaither (above) ran all over the Huskies, racking up 193 yards on just 18 carries and two scores.

Ashe quarterback Daniel Waln returned to action for the first time in over a month, but was largely ineffective, completing just 9 passes for 77 yards. Ashe will travel to Wilkesboro this Friday for a conference battle with third ranked Wilkes Central.

Rural Decay...

...often times makes for some beautiful photos. Not so much in this case, but I had been eyeing this barn in Beaver Creek for a couple of weeks and decided to snap a few photos on the way to my brother's Saturday afternoon.



After working my way around the field I found a small shed and chimney tucked below and behind the barn. Looked like neither had been used in many, many years.

A view from the inside looking out...

Pioneer Volleyball

Watauga hitter Chander Butler scores during the Pioneers 3-0 win over Freedom High in the second round of the NC state playoffs.

Youth Football

Watauga Lions QB Nick Kellner (1) tries to escape the tackle of an Ashe County Raiders defender during a game at Cove Creek Elementary School on Saturday.

Lions RB Richard Critcher (30) looks for a hole in the Raiders defense during Saturday's game. Critcher scored the only touchdown for the Lions in their 36-6 loss.

More Addison

Attack of the One-year-old!

Or rather the almost one-year-old. Addison's first birthday is coming up on the 30th and Josh and Lindsey wanted me to get some shots of her to have up for her party.

She's such a good girl.

Homecoming Blowout

Ashe County slammed the Vikings of North Wilkes 35-7 on Friday night.
Tavin Holman grabs a third quarter touchdown pass from Dalton Lewis.

RB Tatum Lemly
WR Grayson Wells

QB Dalton Lewis

RB Aaron Scott

QB/RB Jaren Holman