Every once in a while, it's good to just "kick back". I have an incredible extended family, and this year we were all able to get away for Christmas. In fact, I am still on the way back, and this is the first time I have been on the internet since December 23! We spent the time together at a wonderful cabin in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Of course, I had to capture some images while I was there. I had such fun climbing the hills (and sliding around a bit), with my son Dean, and brother-in-law Scott Maurer.

My wife's parents have "adopted " me since my parents passed away some time ago. I appreciate all their support in my profession. I treasure the moments with her and her family. I hope everyone had as super of a holiday as we had. It even snowed on Christmas!



Enjoy!

We have already gotten a great influx of 2010 seniors from Bayshore, Manatee, Bradenton Christian, and as far away as Ohio! I just wanted to thank all the incredible seniors that we photographed that graduated this year. We wish you lock in all that you do. We are honored to have been given the chance to capture such an important time in your life.The photograph is of our senior wall last year, We are looking forward to photographing all our 2010 seniors. Call now for the best appointments! Thanks!!

Hello everyone, this blog is brought to you by Billy D. Al and myself had quite the photographic adventure today. Here is how the story goes. About two weeks ago Al and I both had to take our vehicles in to get work done on them, and I suggested to Al to try out my car expert. So he did. While sitting in the waiting room I dreamed up a shot in my mind. So we asked Doug if he would be willing to do a photo shoot in his garage. He gladly accepted. So this morning around 8 am Al and I headed Over to Doug's Service Center. We piled 4 cars and 6 lights and one of Doug's workers to accomplish one shot. We used four power lights along with two q-flashes. Needless to say we were throwing around a lot of power. Doug was very patient with us, as we tested our lighting. We had a great time with Doug and I hope we were able to capture his love for automobiles, trucks, and anything else with an engine!. We were treated as family just like all his customers. If you ever need anything car or truck related be sure to check out Doug's Service Center, 4411 30th Street West, 755-0158

HIYA!!

We would love to announce the Ambassador for Bayshore High School for this coming year!

Casey Laviani will be a senior this year at Bayshore. She is involved with Volleyball, Pole Vaulting, and tennis on occasion. She is also very involved in Bayshore's top orchestra. She is also attending State College of Florida, working on her Associate's Degree. She wants to major in Marine Biology, helping to repair our fragile ecosystem. This gal knows how to stay busy. She has been a blast to photograph!!

She uses her free time to work as a hostess at The Original Roadhouse on US 41. Welcome to the family, Casey! More photos of Casey are coming!

Alfred Gordon Photography would like to announce our Ambassador for Manatee High School for the 09-10 school year! We are always looking out for popular, outgoing guys and gals that will be the face of Alfred Gordon Photography at schools in the area. There are still openings at Manatee and other schools, so call us!

Our choice for Manatee is Nicole Baldwin! Nicole is is now a senior at Manatee where she plays softball and is Drum Major for the Manatee Marching 'Canes. While still in high school Nicole attends Manatee Community College full time. In the future Nicole plans to finish out her A.A. degree at MCC and then transfer to the University of Florida in hopes of becoming an Anesthesiologist and to minor in Music Education.

We will announce our ambassador for Bayshore High in the next few days!

We just found out that we were named the Bradenton Herald's Reader's Choice FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHER for 2009!!This is the second time in three years! Thanks to all our customers who love us enough to vote.

We truly enjoy being your family photographer.We love weddings, high school seniors, Bat Mitzvahs (Just did one!), babies, even commercial photography!

Again, thanks for thinking so highly of us! There are a lot of photography choices you can make in Manatee County, we are honored you have chosen the team at Alfred Gordon Photography!

Please refer us to your your friends and coworkers!

Al

I APOLOGIZE again for not blogging more. There has been so much happening in the last few months. Speaking trips to Phoenix and Las Vegas, weddings , seniors, you name it!

One of our proudest moments happened in JANUARY. Billy Dzwonkowski, one of our staff, entered the Manatee County Fair. As you may know, one of Bradenton's favorite people and great photographer, Paul Bartley, passed away late last year. The Fair decided to add an award to the photography contest in honor of Paul. The category for this award was the best photograph of people. Billy was the recipient this year! We are all so proud. His photograph of Kelly Jo Starcher, one of our seniors, was awesome. Billy shows an immense amount of talent!

Photos from Phoenix and Las Vegas soon!

There are some honors that few people ever get to enjoy. On this coming Tuesday evening, I get to experience such an honor. My great friend and talented photographer, Rick Delorme, will be receiving his Master of Photography Degree from the Professional Photographers of America. He asked me to be on stage with him as his sponsor. Sadly, the person Rick really wanted to be on stage with him has passed on. Our mentor and close friend, Monte Zucker, was to be his sponsor. Monte was taken away from us by cancer a little while ago. Believe me, I am overwhelmed to be his second choice. Rick and I met many years ago at one of Monte's classes. I hope to post a photo of Rick and I on the blog when I return. Rick (top photo) has worked tirelessly to receive this, and he truly deserves this recognition. Rick has a studio in Michigan (Brrrrrr) but he travels down here quite often. Here is a sample of his wonderful images. Check out his web site.. www.delormephoto.com

On the way to Phoenix soon, see ya when I return!
Al

I apologize for not being on the blog lately! I hope everyone is having a great holiday season It's tough for everyone right now, and we want you to know that we appreciate all our valued customers. Each family portrait, wedding, and high school senior is special to us, and we thank you again for thinking of us! Please tell your friends!

Tammy and Nikki could not be here for the photo, but Billy, Nan ( Corbin), and I had a good time taking this! A huge thank you to our good friend Linda for snapping the shutter!

Have a GREAT HOLIDAY!

Hiya!

I had a chance to get away from Florida a few weeks ago and relax i n the mountains with a buddy of mine. So, what do I do to relax? Photograph, of course! The leaves were gorgeous.. These photos were around the Smoky Mountains National Park.. Enjoy!

I love it when a plan goes together! Last night I had the pleasure of working with three gorgeous models, a FANTASTIC team of make up artists, a super dress shop, a cool new florist and a videographer that rocks! We all teamed up to provide each other with new cutting edge images that promotes all our businesses. What a TOTAL blast. It is so nice to work with a team of professionals, all with the same goal. We photographed all over downtown Bradenton. A huge thanks to Jerry and First Baptist Church for lending a room for the girls to change. Here are just a few of the 600 images.

The vendors were
Something Blue Bridal Boutique- 747-1512www.somethingbluebridalboutique.com(Under revision)
Acqua Aveda Salon- 941.778.5400www.acquaaveda.com
Studio26 Video- 941.751.2600- www.studio26weddings.com
The Perfect Settings-941.993.0696 www.theperfectsettings.com

HIYA!!

I apologize for not keeping my blog updated. I will do better, because I have LOTS to report! First , I really want to tell you about my wedding in JAMAICA in May! My wife and I were honored to spend 4 days with Chelsea Boston and RJ Teahan, along with their families, photographing their fabulous wedding. I photographed Chelsea's sisters wedding a few years ago, and it was like I was a part of the family on this trip. They are incredibly wonderful people, and such fun to photograph. Chelsea and RJ did everything I asked them to do, including getting under a roaring waterfall of cold water! I also went with RJ and his buddies on a fishing trip, where they caught tuna and amber jack. The tuna was grilled by the chef of the resort as soon as we returned. Fantastic. Overall, I think I shot over 3000 images. Here are a few.

A huge congratulations to our studio manager, Nan Scofield and family! She had a baby! Corbin Scofield was born on Sunday, May 25. Nan had Corbin a few weeks early (While I was photographing a wedding in Jamaica- more later!), but both mom and baby are fine! In fact, Nan and her family has already stopped by our studio for their first family portrait. You can see that older brother Cooper is proud of his new sibling.

We miss you, Nan.. HURRY back!

It gives me joy when I get a chance to give back some knowledge that I have learned from other photographers through the years. I recently had the chance to spend a week with 14 photographers at Triangle School of Photography in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The class was receptive to my ideas, and we had a great time. I love to teach, because I learn just as much from the class as they learn from me.

The week before I was honored to be a judge at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International convention. I , along with some of the top wedding photographers in the world, judged over 1200 wedding images in two days. The images were from all over the world. INCREDIBLE experience!

Here are sdome images from my Pittsburgh class.

We had such a great time photographing the children with the bunnies last weekend! The children really enjoyed themselves and we captured great smiles and memories for their families. We look forward to having the bunnies back next year.

The Bunnies are coming!!!

The bunnies are coming to our studio March 7 and 8, 2008! Portraits of children are a gift from the heart and always appreciated - especially for the holidays. CALL NOW for our Easter Specials and to reserve your time for your children to be photographed with the bunnies!

Hi everyone!

LOTS to talk about! First, all you Facebook fans- we now have a fan page for Alfred Gordon Photography. It is so much fun to post shots from many of the sessions we are doing by the next day! Please be a fan, and feel free to friend me also!

Nan, Billy, and I all received awards at the recent Florida Professional Photographers Convention for our photography! We will be posting those images ASAP!

We hope you are having a SUPER day! Now is the time to schedule your holiday portraits! Use them for gifts, cards, etc.! Call our studio for special pricing!

Al

We have a new employee, Nanette "Nan" Scofield. She graduated from Daytona Beach Community College with an AS degree in Photographic Technology. Her daily duties at the studio are endless in addition to keeping us on track and organized with production and client orders. We are thrilled that Nan has joined our studio staff and look forward to the years that follow. Welcome aboard, Nan!

I think I have photographed nearly 1000 weddings. Every one of them is special to me, but every once in a while one comes along that exceeds expectations. We recently photograpedJulie and Sean's wedding at Ringling. They were incredible people to work with! We had a blast!

The surroundings and food were absolutely phenomenal. The weather could not have been better! Everything was PERFECT. All the vendors worked together to make the day an event to remember. I want to take a moment to list all the vendors that helped make Julie and Sean's wedding day special.

Coordinater- Bobbi Hicks- www. weddingsbybobbi.com
Caterer- Michaels on East- www.Michalsoneastcatering.com
Flowers- Flowers by Fudgie- www.flowersbyfudgie.com
lights and other decorations- Affairs in the Air www.affairsintheair.com
Cake- Beautiful Cakes by Ron- www.beautifulcakesbyron.com
Video- Creative Video Productions- www.cvpexperience.com
Venue- Ringling Museum- www.ringling.org

Al has done extremely well lately in competition, both locally and internationally. Out of over 7000 images from all over the world that were submitted, Al had two selected for the American Society of Photographers Travelling Loan Collection. There are only about 150 images chosen for this honor. These are the best of the best! The two that were chosen are the two on the right. The one on the left was selected as Best of Show in local competition last month. This image will travel to State competition next!

Al loves to enter competition, to keep his creativity always up. That way he is always on the cutting edge to keep our customers happy!

Thanks so much for voting us your FAVORITE photographer in the Manatee County area! It means a lot to us that you took the time to vote in the Bradenton Herald poll this year. It means even more that we never asked any one to vote for us. We never brought it up. That must mean you REALLY like us!

We won't let you down!

PS.. Photo taken by Dean Gordon! Our High School senior at Manatee High school!

Al, Deanna and staff

HIYA!

I got the chance to see my sisterJudy, and my nephew, John the last couple of days, John has a camera, but he rarely gets the chance to really photograph. He grabbed my camera and I was very proud of the images he created. He definitely has a talent for seeing great shots. I just wanted to post a few of the photographs he created the last few days. I took them into Photoshop and added some cool effects.

Enjoy your family as often as you can!

Al

HIYA

I was attending the Florida School in Daytona a couple of weeks ago, and had a desire to challenge myself creatively and technically. I asked a few of my photographer friends to help (Thanks, yall) and an incredibly beautiful and talented photographer to model (Thanks, Cherilyn!).

I challenged myself by not bringing a flash, and seeing how many different images I could get in 15-20 minutes. These images were made with the ambient light, and some had a
flashlight added.

We started at 5:30 AM, and I was done by 5:50 am. I am extremely happy with the images. Its great when you have friends that will get up for you at O dark thirty!

I apologize for not updating my blog lately. I will make it up to you!

Al

I always enjoy teaching other photographers. I often learn as much from them as they do from me. I just returned from giving a class on weddings at the Triangle Photographers Association's Spring seminar. I met a lot of great people, and had a super time in my class. I had some time just to walk around the suburb of Pittsburgh I was in (Greenville), and just enjoyed capturing some of the scenes. The weather was AWESOME, too! I must have walked 7 or 8 miles!

Al

PS- If you are a photographer, check out their web site-
www.trianglephotographers.org

I just had the pleasure of photographing Erin and Ryan Bodie, owners of Studio 26 productions. They are close friends and we share a commitment to creativity, quality, and enjoying our jobs. The Studio 26 team cover everything from weddings to feature films. (Shameless Plug- www.studio26weddings.com)

They both wanted something that was fun, and creative.... What a blast!

Saturday at the John Ringling Museum was a BLAST! Kendra and Joe we such fun to photograph. It was a perfect day. The families were wonderful, and such great dancers!The band, DeLeon, was fantastic. The food, catered by Mattison's, was raved about by everyone.

What an incredible dress. Kendra was stunning! Here are a few images from the day!

I got the chance to spend some real time with my family last week. I snapped this shot of my group fishing in the Manatee river, I saw my sister in law reach over to help her kids, and I knew I had something special The tall one is my son, Dean.

Al

This morning I went to Saint Bernard Catholic Church in Anna Maria, Florida, to photograph their First Communion. A young guest violinist was rehearsing a wonderful piece of music with the church organist/ music director. It was obvious the man had true musical talent, and a real passion in his playing. After the rehearsal, he walked to a back room to warm up a bit more. I saw the stained glass behind him and had to capture that moment. I quietly went in and asked if I could take a few shots. He agreed graciously and continued playing. Although I originally planned to make it a silhouette, I changed my mind once I looked at the images. The passion and love for music was so prevalent in his face that I had to bring that out. I am sending him these images. I love my job!

Al

A few short weeks ago, Rick Delorme (www.delormephoto.com) and I were honored to help continue the legacy of our friend and mentor, the late Monte Zucker. Monte had begun teaching a group of about 15 10 year olds in the Miami school system. Theses kids have lived a very hard life in their short life span, and it was so great to see them excited about making photographs! Canon gave the school 10 Canon cameras, and these kids were sharing them. Monte had seen them about 5 times before he passed away, and it was fulfilling to Rick and I to continue what Monte had started. They really seemed to use the information we gave them right away.

Here are a few photos that Rick took during our class that day.

A shot of the ceremony with my "Sky-Cam"!

Nikki, Grahm, and I had a wonderful time at Ca d 'zan yesterday at the John Ringling Museum, photographing Billy and Bronwyn's wedding. We had photographed her sister's wedding last year, and we were treated like family. The weather was perfect! During the receiving line, I was able to capture the happy couple enjoying their first few minutes of husband and wife.

With all the negative stuff being hurled around lately, I wanted to go photograph something that was "Real Americana" on the fourth of July. Even though the weather forecast was very gloomy, I felt in my heart I needed to go out anyway. It was already raining when I arrived at Sportscom (Murfreesboro, Tn.) where the fireworks would be held that night, and the weather app showed nothing but downpours everywhere. I kept my camera in my bag most of the time, and just enjoyed the sights. Whenever the rain let up, I grabbed a few shots of the food and festivities. The crowd was very light (I can't imagine why). We were ushered into a building when the lightning got closer. Shortly after, the announcement came that everything was cancelled except the fireworks. The low hanging clouds and the steady downpour made the fireworks almost painterly. Even though I was drenched beyond belief

, I was happy to be there (with the hundreds of others sitting in their cars), just reveling in our great country and its ideals. I am proud to be an American. Long may our flag wave!

Al

Hiya!!!!


I first met Crystal a few years ago when I was in search of a model for a competition image in South Carolina with my buddy Tyler Nafziger. We became instant friends. Crystal is a natural in front of the camera and a true joy to spend time with! She is also one of the most talented people I have ever met. A few years later I invited her to come model for my class (And other classes) that I was teaching at Florida School in Daytona. We had a blast. I was photographing her in the ocean at sunrise one day (with 20 or so other photographers from a number of classes standing behind me) when she began to squeal,"There's a FISH in my dress!" sure enough, a small minnow popped out of her dress seconds later! Didn't faze her at all!

I was honored when Crystal asked me to photograph her wedding. It was being held at Castle Ladyhawke, one of the premier venues in North Carolina.It is SO GORGEOUS! The staff, the caterer, the DJ, everyone was a true professional. The day was perfect, and HER fiance, Yanek, could not have been nicer. This wedding is among the most amazing weddings I have photographed, out of the 1000+ I have done. The best thing about the day was the LOVE that abounded. They now are a family of SIX, and everyone loves each other! I am still going through the thousands of images Tyler, Linda and I shot, but I pulled some favorites for you.
I don't have all the vendor websites, but I will list what I can.
Castle LadyHawke - (http://castleladyhawke.comMakeup and hair- MUA Hair by Gina Covalinski
Cake- Magda's Cakes Magda's Cakes
Caterer- Harrison's Fine Dining- Harrisons dining and catering
Ceremony performed by- Beloved Ceremony
DJ
Coordinated by-

Thanks!! Al Gordon

Hello there!

Today is the coldest it has been here in a while. I think the wind chill is -6 degrees. When I got to work I felt the need to return to a time of warmth. Namely, when my friend Tyler and I were able to sneak away to South Beach in between two of my Florida weddings last November. Don't get me wrong... I love my Florida weddings, or all weddings, but getting away for a day with my best friend and just shooting things that interested me really gets my creative batteries charged. I only get to do it once a year or so, either with Tyler or my other photographer buddy, Estal. (I think my Cade's Cove photos with Estal are somewhere on this blog too).

Tyler and I photographed a family in Cortez (Bradenton, Florida) one night, then we headed to Miami after that. We checked into a cheap hotel near the beach (Thanks Priceline) and crashed until sunrise. There were quite a few clouds that morning, which wasn't great for me, but we made it work. Here are some of my meanderings within a 1 mile radius. We had to be gone by noon, but we ha

d a blast anyway. I used a Nikon 300s camera and lenses from 11mm to 200mm. Everything was handheld. ENJOY!

Until next time! Al

Introducing our team: Al Gordon

In hopes that everyone can get to know our team a little better, Blair decided to interview Al...Some questions relate to Photography, but mostly not.

1. Do you have a middle name?

Yes, Hayman.

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
Band

3. What's your favorite drink?
Coke...I guess?

4. What's your favorite song at the moment?
Happy by Pharell Williams



5. What's your favorite book?
Archie Comics

6.What's your favorite color?
Blue

7. What's your favorite animal?
Giraffe

8. What's your favorite holiday?
4th of July

9. Have you been out of the country?
Yes, Scotland, England, Germany, Canada, and Bermuda.

10. Do you speak any other languages?
No, unless Pig Latin counts.

11. What's your favorite restaurant?
Bonefish

12. What's your favorite movie?
Blues Brothers & Blazing Saddles

13. What are some of your favorite TV shows?
Big Bang Theory, Flinstones, Elementary

14. PC or Mac?
PC

15. Canon or Nikon?
Nikon

16. Favorite lens to shoot with?
80-200mm f2.8

17. Dream photography job?
What I'm doing now!!

18. What is something weird or unique about yourself?
I went to college to be a band director.

The Gordon and Ralston Photography team had the joy of attending the Annual Tennessee Professional Photographer's Association (TNPPA) Convention in Chattanooga, TN. At the convention there were speakers from all over the nation, a trade show, and a beautiful boat ride down the Tennessee River.

Al Gordon with his wife, Linda and daughter, Madaleine.

Al's ASP Award

ASP Award winning image

Al was honored to receive numerous awards, but his crowning moment was receiving the American Society of Photographers Elite Award. He was able to share this occasion with his wife and daughter, pictured above.

Larry received 50 service merits through his service to the TPPA by serving on committees and serving those associated with the TPPA. This was Blair's first time attending any photography convention, and she was pleasantly in awe the entire time. The class on posing served her well in learning about posing Brides and women in general. She also was able to meet several of our friends who do our printing in Middle Tennessee.
If you would like to know how to join the TNPPA, please contact Larry Ralston 615-396-8776 for more information.

Florida Wedding of Culture

The Gordon and Ralston team recently photographed a cultural wedding in Florida. Here's a sneak peak at some of the gorgeous details from that event. The colors and energy at this wedding were absolutely amazing!

A Nashville Blast (Keila and Eric)

Recently, we had the beautiful opportunity to photograph a wedding that will go down in books as an experience to be remembered. I knew these ladies were going to be easy to photograph because they were all cosmetologists with vibrant personalities! This was the first wedding our newest addition to the Gordon and Ralston photography team got to join us. Blair, who was fresh off the bus from Texas, assisted with reflectors and lights while Larry and I had a blast capturing these vibrant personalities. There was a tan wall in Keila's hotel room next to a huge window. The wall was an amazing compliment color to the girl's dresses. It was splendid. They all could have been models! Have I mentioned how good looking these ladies were? Well, I guess I should mention that the men were very well groomed as well. They were fresh from the barber shop, and singing 90's pop songs. This was all around a great looking group, and full of life!

This was a gorgeous wall in the girl's hotel room. We used a reflector and window light, and the girls did the rest.

Such a fun group on the Shelby Pedestrian Bridge.

Nashville, TN Wedding Photography Shelby Pedestrian Bridge

Hey everyone!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. The Professional Photographers of America recently asked its members to submit an article and photo about why we became photographers, and how PPA has helped my business. This "Assignment" has given me a chance to think about my life..... scary, huh?

Well, for those of you that don't know, I went to college to be a band director. I loved my high school band, and I loved marching in the band at Florida State too! (I spent a year at University of Louisville also. No marching band) When I was at FSU, I took a course on photography to fill in some credit hours. I realized I loved creating images with a camera!

My first job was being a sports photographer, covering Florida State Football, and other FSU sports. Great fun! We had to stay up all night developing film and printing photos for the newspaer. Tiring work, but fulfilling. One thing led to another, and people asked me to do their family photos, and weddings. I was so nervous at my first wedding I did not sleep for almost three days.

The turning point for me was when I photographed a couple on their 50th wedding anniversary. Such a great copuple. They were still completely in love with each other. After a few weeks the man came in to view the photographs-alone. His wife had passed away the day after our photo shoot.
We sat and cried together as we went through the proofs. I realized that day I had one of the most wondrous jobs in the world. I was a memory collector. I knew that being a photographer was my passion.

Thanks for allowing me to share! And thanks to my stepdaughter Madaleine for snapping this shot as I was doing an engagement session!

We grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and as children and youth enjoyed going to the theater to see a movie. Many of those movies were seen at the Martin Theater: now called the Premiere 6 located on Broad Street in the Jackson heights shopping center. Maybe our love of film and the movies had something to do with our becoming photographers. Larry actually works there as night manager at the Premiere 6, you may have seen him there sometime. There is also a very nice display of photographs taken by Al in the lobby.
Recently, we had the opportunity to photograph the owner of the theater, Bill Brooks, for an article in Murfreesboro Magazine. Bill continues to keep the theater in top operating order. Each auditorium was installed with cutting-edge digital projectors and sound. It was a fun challenge for our technical knowledge. Each photography location was a completely different lighting set-up. The greatest challenge was providing flattering light for Bill while creating detail throughout the theater. All of this was accomplished between movie showings.

Softbox to light Bill, light from back of theater pointed at Bill to light room set at 2500 watts.

Small strobe bouncing off of computer monitor, blue gel on flash in background.

4 second exposure on tungsten setting.

Three lights - 1 from camera left, 1 with snoot to light hair, and one to light background.

5 photographs stitched together with multiple small bursts of flash.

We also need to thank Doug Stevens of www.dougstevensphotography.com for him stopping by to help!

Watching the latest movies gives us ideas for backgrounds, posing, and lighting ideas for High School senior and other types of images. And watching the older movies gives us an appreciation for the classic lighting that will never go out of style.

What are you waiting for? Go see a great movie at The Premier 6! Check out what's playing at www.goseeamovie.com. And , if you need some great photography, check out www.gordonralstonphoto.com.

There are people that enjoy their jobs so much that they "Don't work a day in their life". I know that to be true because I feel that way myself. It's a double bonus when I get to photograph those people. Dave Buck is the owner of Signs of the Times (www.signsoftn.com), a sign shop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Dave is a true artist who has a passion for neon signs. When anyone in the Southeast United States needs a new neon sign, or needs one repaired, Dave is your guy. Because of the intricacies of the process, there are very few neon sign makers in the United States. They are very labor intensive. I saw him give a short program on how neon signs are made, and it fascinated me. I had to spend some time at his shop photographing him and his passion.

Dave is one of the nicest people you would ever meet, and he didn't flinch when I moved all my gear in to his place for a few hours. I was mesmerized watching him create. His movements as he heated the glass and bent it, and repeated the process was as a virtuoso musician performs a work of Mozart. With all the flames and chemical gases it was not easy getting my camera and lighting in the right spot, but it was worth it. Dave also does vinyl and many other types of signs, but I wanted to just capture the neon process on this trip.

After 2 hours of photographing, I took away a new appreciation for the art of sign-making, and for people like Dave who make their work their passion. I can imagine all the artists before him creating neon signs all over the world. What would Las Vegas be without the neon sign? Although there are much cheaper "neon knock-offs" available now, there is something special about a crafted neon sign that makes you smile.

If you are looking for a sign for your business or your man-cave, give Dave a call at 615-962-4256.

Hey friends!

A lot of people ask me what I do for fun. Well, believe it or not, I love to photograph! My family and I got tickets to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival a little while ago. I ran across these images when I was backing up some of my files, and decided to post them. I do enjoy photographing colors, shadows, and interesting people. When I get stressed, I go take a walk- or a drive- with my camera. It lets my mind be creative and I can relax and think. I had a field day at the Festival with all the things around to shoot! I highly recommend going to the Festival. There is a lot to do-camera or not. My family had a great time! Check out www.tnrenfest.com. Our day was cut short by a rainstorm, but I got home refreshed and raring to get back to work. Thanks!

With 2014 here, I waned to share some of my thoughts on wedding photography as it stands now.

I photographed my first wedding in the mid 80s. There. I said it. By my calculations that means that I have photographed over 1000 weddings. And I still love every one. With a passion. There is nothing better than seeing one of my couples shed tears of joy when they relive the wedding day thorough my photographs. I am used to delivering a finished, retouched album that is cherished for generations.

They say that this is the first generation of people since the inception of photography that may end up with NO photographs. So many people keep their photographs on a tablet. or computer. And yes, many of them will back them up on a DVD. But, as technology continues to grow and change, who is to say those photographs will even be able to be opened in 10 years? Its pretty hard now to find products to view cassettes now, or err.. 8 track tapes! Although 90% of my brides still buy an album from me, it is not that way with many wedding photographers in the industry. And the bride and groom will stash their treasured dvd or thumb drive in a drawer and make a promise to print them -someday soon. And that usually does not happen. They will however , end up on some social media. Maybe.

I am asking everyone to PRINT their personal images they care about, and buy retouched cherished PRINTS and Albums from your professional photographer. Did you know more photographers are getting sued over bad and lost wedding images than ever before? Hire a TRAINED PROFESSIONAL for your once in a lifetime event! Someone that really cares about you and the craft of photography. Its worth every penny.

Thanks so much!

Al

-Hey everyone!

The soggy group on our second day. Image by Gordon Kreplin

HDR

Ken Sklute on the first morning

Bry braving the elements

With the government and the national parks being shut down right now, I thought it was a perfect time to post a few shots from my trip to the smokies during the Tennessee Professional Photographers Convention a few weeks ago. I was honored to spend some quality time with three of the speakers and some of the TNPPA attendees that got up early. I was able to get away at dawn twice. Both days were gorgeous, just one was much wetter than the other. It was inspiring to see everyone get out in the rain to photograph. It just felt good. Wet, but good. There were tripods and long exposures happening everywhere.Then we celebrated our trip with pancakes! The city of Pigeon Forge's main export is pancakes I think! I want to thank Gordon Kreplin, Bry Cox, and my mentor Ken Sklute for coming to Tennessee to share their knowledge and judging skills. Thank goodness the park was not closed that week! I did really well at the image competition too, but that is for another article. The image of our group on the second day is by Gordon Kreplin. See you next time!

Photographing weddings in multiple states is incredibly interesting to me. The styles, the venues, the food, etc. is different everywhere. What carries through every wedding is the love of family and friends, and that makes me love my job.. Larry, Peggy, and myself covered an incredible wedding on Mother's Day this year. The wedding and reception was held at Cedarwood, a wonderful venue about 6 miles from downtown Nashville. I cannot rave enough about how professional the staff is there!. The coordinator, Courtney, ran the entire day flawlessly. The venue is beyond gorgeous. This place is a photographer's dream. And totally different from my Florida weddings. Courtney (Bride) and Sterling and the entire family were wonderful to photograph all day, too. They were so much in love, it made me have a permanent smile all day. Our caterer was Chef Christophe's Catering, and the reception was totally perfect thanks to our DJ Jace Aaronwww.reverbnation.com/jaceaaron. The gorgeous bride's cake is by Patty Cakes. Here are a few images from aperfect day! Thanks!Al

Hello!!

I apologize. It's been a while, but I've been working on a project that has been on my mind for years, and I wanted to talk about it. Some time ago I saw an image of a cello player by the late Don Blair that I really liked. Then my friend and mentor Michael Taylor told me how he had photographed the principal players of a symphony to promote them. It hit me to photograph the principal musicians of the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra at important spots around the county. It took a lot of time explaining my idea, and planning it, and getting permissions. It took about 7 months to complete, and here it is! As many of you know I went to college (FSU) to be a band director. However I changed courses to be a photographer, so I have a special place in my heart for musicians. I thought it would promote the orchestra, which is one of Murfreesboro's best kept secrets. They are wonderful! Photographers: I have posted how each shot was done by the portrait.

4 strobes, 1 in a softbox over the musician, two kicker lights behind him, a strobe on the altar wall. A large reflector to get light under the tympani. Two exposures; 1- 2 hours before to get the sunlight through the glass, and the second when the musician arrived.

2 strobes, ambient light

2 strobes, plus ambient -1 stop

3 strobes. Fill and main in softboxes, 2 more on bottom floor to light background, 1 on second floor to light background.

3 strobes 1 main in softbox, 1 way behind subject lighting background, 1 hitting wall on left.

1 large softbox camera left, underexposed background for saturated colors, ( I would have used more lights, but there was no elevator!) 3 exposures combined; sky, trumpet player, and city.

2 lights, 1 on subject in a 6 foot softbox, 1 on background

5 strobes total. 1 with a grid on her face,1 umbrella fill, 2 grid spots on ceiling, 1 pointed at background.

1 large softbox on camera right. 1 grid spot on her hair camera left, 200mm for compression.

1 softbox camera right. ambient under exposed 1 stop.

1 large softbox camera left. Sky burned down in Photoshop. 28mm lens

1 second shutter speed to blur water

5 strobes total; 1 small softbox as main. I fil1 (Umbrella) three lighting backgroumd. Tripod 1/2 second.

3 Lights. 1 small softbox coming down the stairs, I fill behind camera. 1
under stairs. Tripod 1/4 second

The SUN! Put sunglasses on so he wouldn't squint!

As a full-time professional photographer, there are times when you wish you had time to photograph- I mean for yourself. To do photos that are just to please your inner soul. We all spend a lot of time creating images that please others. And that is ok, It's what we do. And I love making others happy. It's what I do.

But there is an incredible joy just to get out there and just SHOOT. And I don't just mean landscapes and such. I found these photos Sunday of my favorite Florida wedding assistant Nikki. I just could not stop smiling after I found them. It brought back great memories of a trip we took to photograph a wedding on the Georgia-North Carolina line. These were taken the next day while we were driving to Asheville with a good friend Michael Gleydura to teach a class to the local photographers there. We had photographed Nikki in her wedding dress at sunrise that morning, and were just driving. Perfect weather too, by the way. We saw these incredible flowers on the side of the road, and knew we had to stop.. Mike and I grabbed our reflectors and cameras and Nikki was gorgeous and patient as always. It didn't hurt that Nikki has a smile and a grace that is beyond amazing. We had FUN. Nothing could have spoiled those moments for me. We were only there 30 minutes, but I will always remember that feeling of pure relaxation and joy. As photographer we need to cherish those moments, and never let ourselves lose the passion to photograph and create.These times will make you a better photographer for every session you shoot.. Take the time.. MAKE the time to photograph for you!

PS-- These are scans from proofs... These were on FILM.. remember that?

Thanks!! Al Gordon

Larry and I were honored to photograph the funeral of a prominent man in Murfreesboro this morning. It was immediately obvious from photos and the American flag that the man was a veteran. I personally was not a member of the armed forces but I began to think of the people in my family that were, but are not around anymore. My father (WW2) and my brother (Vietnam) seemed to be with me this morning. From what I remember, they rarely spoke of their time in the service, but I do know I was very proud of them both.My partner Larry did serve in the military, and I am sure this morning brought back memories for him. It was very moving to hear taps played by the bugler, and see the flag being handed to his late wife today.. Please take the time to thank a veteran, a policeman, a firefighter, anyone who puts their life on the line everyday for our city, state, and country. Please do it before they are not around to hear you. These people are heroes, and they need to know how much they are respected and loved.

Have a good day!

Al Gordon

Hey everybody!!!

A lot has gone on in my personal and business life since my last post so long ago. I have opened a second studio in Murfreeesboro, Tennessee with a partner, Larry Ralston. Murfreesboro is my real hometown where I grew up and graduated high school. I will continue to do weddings and other things back in Bradenton, too! I am presently flying back and forth every few weeks. As of now, our website is still www.algordonphoto.com. I have also remarried! Its gonna be a wild ride, but just know, we love our clients in both cities, and we will continue to provide you with quality photography and great service! Our Tennessee phone number is 615-396-8776! Our Tennessee e-mail is GordonRalstonPhotography@gmail.com

AWARDS!!!!!!

I love to photograph people showcasing their environment and their interests. It is so much more fulfilling than just a "Headshot" and means much more to their families. Mr. Hays has a variety of things that peak his interest. Everything from Civil War memorabilia to fishing. He also owns a really awesome Harley Davidson motorcycle. It was obvious he has a deep love for his wife and family. I wanted to capture a bit of his unique character by including a few of his passions in this photo. I had asked him to change into a dark shirt and blue jeans, and he surprised me with a "Doo-Rag. I love it, and I bet his family will also!

Images from my class held in Daytona at FPP Florida School. www.fpponline.org.

What a SUPER class!! I had great students who were wanting to learn!

Spring is our time to interview and photograph our Senior Ambassadors for the coming year. We are on the lookout for outgoing, friendly juniors that are comfortable in front of a camera. Samantha is the perfect package! She will be a senior at Bayshore and is looking to go into the Air Force when she graduates. We had a lot of fun on our first session with her this week. Look for more images of her and other ambassadors in the coming months. If you are interested ( Or know someone) that might fit our needs, please have them call Nan at our studio ASAP (Must be a junior). Here are some of mine and Billy's favorite shots of Samantha!

Our annual Bunny Days are rapidly approaching! No session fee! Call for an appointment ASAP, March 25 and 26th only!

Hey Photographers!

Just an FYI that I will be teaching at the FPP Florida School May 23-27, 2010 in Daytona this year. For those of you that have not attended before, it is an incredible time for learning and fun, too! Florida School is one of the best deals and top schools in the country! The details of my class and the other speakers are listed on the FPP web site, www.fpponline.com. If you have questions about my class, feel free to call me at 941-751-9257!

I love to sing the praises of our local business people. Linda Lamp is a close friend and a very creative artist. She has compiled an interesting cookbook, which contains pirate themed recipes along with short stories. She also has produced other pirate themed curios such as, soaps, and other items. I enjoyed doing her portrait and photographing the her collection of other items. Nan, our studio manager, has tried one of the recipes from the book, and really loved it. Visit her website at www.seaserpentcookbook.com.

For the entire month of February, Alfred Gordon Photography is offereing a Valentine Special. Cherish your loved ones! Celebrate your family! 2 5x7s and 8 wallets, including your photosession, for only $165! Call now to reserve your spot! 751-9257.

We hope everyone takes time to spend with your family on Valentine's Day, as well all yeare round!

These are a few shots from last night's beach session with Bette and Ryan. The colors that popped out at sunset were breathtaking. The two of them were a blast to photograph, and I look forward to spending an awesome day photographing their wedding soon.

I had the extreme pleasure of assisting Tammy Wolfe of London- Wolfe Photography in Altoona, PA yesterday with a wedding. Tammy and I have been friends for a few years and I was very excited to work with her. Her style is very fresh and original. We had a great couple, Ashley and Corey, and it was awesome weather, too! 65 DEGREES! We both had a great time, pushing each other. Here are a few of the images we created. If you are getting married or need portraits in the Altoona area, please check out her website, www.LondonWolfe.com

Hello!!

First, for you FACEBOOK users, we now have a fan page! Feel free to friend Alfred Gordon, and become a fan of Alfred Gordon Photography! I try to update the page at least once a week!

Now, I wanted to post a shot we did about a week or so ago. I was asked to photograph the Seniors on the BCS football team for their cover on the football programs. I liked my version so much I wanted to show you. This is different than the one for the cover, but this one was my vision. It took a lot of lights, a smoke machine, and some moms to help, but it turned out great! GO BCS!!