harris family ::: session

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I met the Harris' recently for a family session. Such beautiful children! Here are a few images from the shoot. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

~wj

the best advertisement for photography . . . . ever

There's not much else I can say about this ad by Kodak. They really hit the nail on the head with this one.

~wj

::: ruthie ::: round one

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Ruthie and her mom Sarah came up to Cleveland from Madison a few weeks ago. We'll have a few more session over the next year as Sarah has enrolled Ruthie in my "A Year in the Life" plan. Ruthie was about eight weeks old when we created these images. We spent most of the morning working patiently and letting Ruthie get used to things. Thank you Sarah for being so flexible. If I've learned anything over the years, it's that any shoot involving children is going to run by them - not us. So I do my best to just relax and be patient, and allow them to take them lead. Here are a few of the images from our session.

I think I've found a new favorite website . . .

Back in grad school I planned on becoming a filmmaker. A documentary filmmaker to be exact.

I've always been drawn to the amazing stories that happen everyday in our own lives. Stories that often seen mundane and simplistic on the surface, but when examined more closely, we often can see that beauty exists where perhaps we didn't realize. This is what attracted me to non-fiction films, and it is what attracts me to still photography as well. I haven't given up on creating documentaries. I still think I'll do it one day. But for now, the time hasn't come, so I'll just keep moving in that general direction and when the time is right, it'll happen.

I was very excited yesterday when I stumbled across the website snagfilms.com. It is a site dedicated to promoting documentary films. Over 700 documentaries are logged in the library already, with more and more being added everyday. You can watch them all free of charge -- assuming you don't mind a 20-30 second commercial interruption every half hour or so.

And we're talking top notch stuff here. I spent a little time perusing the library yesterday, and recognized many of the films. South by Southwest. Sundance. Independent Film Channel. Academy Award winners. I bet you'll notice many as well.

Visitors to the site are encouraged to share the films, so I think that's what I'm going to start doing. I'll do my best to go through the library, and when I come across an interesting production, I'm going to share it here. I'm starting with the movie above.

Confessions of a Superhero is one of the most moving films I've ever seen. It's the story of four struggling actors who dress as movie characters and do their best to make a living along the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. At times it is heartbreaking. At times, very, very funny. I found it to be an interesting story all the way through.

The larger-than-most-documentaries- budget for this film is pretty evident. The music is perfect, and some of the still photography interjected throughout was really strong. If you are a photographer, it might be worth watching just for the still images. I encourage you all the click the link above and go watch this film when you have a chance. It's about two hours long, so take that into consideration. And then come back here and share your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think.

~wj

just taking a few minutes to ponder and reflect . . .

Brett Dennen - "Heaven" from Michael Coleman on Vimeo.

I'm back in Cleveland after several weeks of travel for portrait and wedding commissions. I've been home now only two days in the past two weeks. While I am so very grateful for the work I am doing and the clients who have entrusted me, it is nice to be here to hug my wife and slowly begin my march to getting caught up. I have one more trip to Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and surrounding areas next week, and that's really about it until the end of July.

In between editing today, I have also been working on a personal project that will begin in July. I have a trip planned to Honduras towards the end of the month, and another to Mexico planned for the beginning of October. I'll be adding more details as I'm able to do so, but for now, click the play button above. Close your eyes and listen to Brett Dennen's words. Take note of the images that enter your thoughts. Those are the images I hope to bring back from Honduras and Mexico.

Now, I'm off to get back to work on my recent commissions. I'm eager to share the images that were created from my time spent with you all. I am very lucky to be allowed to do what I do, and thankful to all of you that make it possible.

I hope you all find at least a small piece of heaven today, whatever that may be for you.

~wj

You are from the Mississippi Delta if . . .

A big thanks to a recent mother-of-the-bride, Becky Hovas of Greenville, for forwarding me an email this morning with this fun list of "You know you're from . . ." lines. For all my friends that are form this area, I bet you get a nice chuckle out of it. For those of you not from the area -- well, this is all pretty true. Maybe this can help give you a better idea of this place that we live and love. I've added some links to help give you more information (and a few answers) in case you have questions.

Oh, and for you photographers, check out number 12 -- it is SO very true. I can look at the football schedules of Ole Miss and Mississippi State and pretty accurately depict which weekends in the fall I will receive the most requests for wedding photography. If there is a date when BOTH schools aren't playing, you can bet that will be the one when everyone wants to get married!

~wj





You are from the Mississippi Delta if...



You are from “the Delta” if you know:

· Hot tamales are the preferred appetizer before eating a steak.

· A “Vicksburg” tomato sandwich means light bread with the crust cut off.

· Booger Bottom is a real place and that it has the only Zip Code in the US ending with ½.

· Who the redhead from Drew is.

· What Tutwiler and Yazoo City have in common.

· Where the “Bear Store” is. (Same place as the plastic dinosaurs.)

· How to pronounce Tchula.

· That “muddy deer camp” is a redundancy.

· How to shoot a watermelon seed accurately by squeezing it between your thumb and forefinger.

· That Issaquena County has no county seat.

· What a “bar pit” is.

· That levees should be dry and bayous are never blue, but you like Don McLean and Roy Orbison anyway.


You are from the Mississippi Delta if...

1. You can properly pronounce Kosciusko, Ackerman, Avon, and Belzoni. (since when are Kosciusko and Ackerman in the Delta? oh, well)

2. You think people who complain about the heat in their states are sissies.

3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel.

4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.

5. Stores don't have bags or shopping carts, they have sacks and buggies.

6. You've seen people wear overalls at funerals.

7. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.

8. You measure distance in minutes. (It's about 5 minutes down the road)

9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.

10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.

11. You know cow pies are not made of beef.

12. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.

13. You have known someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your fist.

14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer, and bait all in the same store.

15. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol.. A Chevy Silverado Extended Bed Crew Cab is.

16. You know everything goes better with Ranch Dressing.

17. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.

18. You actually get these jokes and are 'fixin' ' to send them to your friends.

19. You have used your heater and air-conditioner in the same day!

Finally: You are 100% Mississippian if you have ever had this conversation:

20. "You wanna coke?"

"Yeah."

"What kind?"

"Dr Pepper."

ashihai & james ::: wedding

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Ashihai and James married in Cleveland a few weeks ago. This was actually the first wedding I've photographed in my hometown in a couple of years, and I was so honored to be a part of their day. Rain loomed for most of the day, but held off long enough for the newlyweds to get their horse and carriage ride in!

Here are a few images from the day. Congrats you two! Thank you so much for allowing me to record the day for you.

~wj