Vacation! - December 26, 2007 -
As announced before, I’ll be heading out for vacation early tomorrow morning, beginning with my church retreat in Michigan. Due to this fact, I’ll be away from my e-mail and (most likely*) blogging for while. I’ll be back responding to everyone’s e-mails by January 7th, 2008. So until then, have yourself the happiest New Year, and get ready for a 2008 that you will NEVER forget!
*If I’m able to gain a solid internet connection at the conference site, I might do some photo dumps to get a glimpse as to the goodness that we’re experiencing up there. No guarantees, but feel free to check in!
natemathai |
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[12.24.07] Monday Night Recap - December 24, 2007 -
- [Bears] Now this is the team I remember from last year. No real offense, amazing defense scoring all the points. If only they did this throughout the season. At least we swept the Packers this season.
- [Illini] We’re having a tough season so far, but we beat Mizzou in the Braggin’ Rights game. Go Illini! Can’t wait for the Rose Bowl on New Year’s…
- [ChristmasGifts] I’ve never been a big Christmas gift person but there are two I want to talk about. First…
I bought my niece a digital camera! After a couple minutes learning to hold it, she was off snapping away telling everyone “Say Cheese!” (she wouldn’t take your picture unless you said it). I wonder if she’ll be an apprentice or competition…
And then my girlfriend and I exchange gifts and she got me…
A monopod! Totally unexpected. It’s on my Amazon wishlist (along with many items which i doubt anyone would buy me), but she went and got it for me! She really is supportive! Also, she bought me a new sweater and some socks…all very practical gifts. She’s the best!
- [Fantasy] Obviously. The final matchup of the season, and I outscore my opponent by over 100…And I score more than every other player in the league (minus the one who won the whole thing…stupid LaDanian and his great Monday Night game). If my guys played up to potential all year and not just the last two weeks, I would be in the top 3. Instead…second to last.
- [Vacation] After a busy first year of work (both corporate and photography), I’ve got my first extended ‘vacation’ this week. It’s a good time to relax and get refreshed. I’ll be out in Michigan from Thursday-Sunday for a church retreat, so I’ll be back posting and responding to e-mails shortly thereafter.
- [1More] I’ve got one more party left on my plate- a Christmas party with my extended family (70+) on Tuesday evening. Maybe I’ll post before I leave…but I highly doubt it…here’s to hoping
- [HolidayCards] It didn’t seem like much of a contest, as this was the selected card:
…I got a bunch of responses (you’d expect), so here’s some excerpts of my favorites (hope they don’t mind me posting)…
- ‘OMG he’s so adorable’
- ‘Absolutely hilarious…that picture just made my day!’
- ‘Wow…he’s really…mature-looking.’
- ‘Man, that baby looks strange…’
Again, wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas time, and I look forward to amazing things in 2008. Much love, everyone…God Bless!
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child
Hope that you don’t mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home
Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven’s silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world
Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world
~Welcome To Our World - ChrisRice
natemathai |
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75 Years | (Her) Siblings Christmas - December 24, 2007 -
On Saturday evening, my extended family got together for a pretty big reason. My godmother (my father’s aunt), and one of the sole reasons why all of us are in America, turned 75 years old! This lady has been such a foundation of prayer and solid living in our family. She is one of the most selfless people you have ever met, and there are countless people (both inside our family and outside) who can attest to this. It was an emotional time for many as people stood to share of how she’s touched their lives and wish her a happy birthday. With both sets of my grandparents being in India my whole life, she was who I knew as my grandmother (and the grandmother of our family). It’s a blessing to recognize the life she has lived and the passion she still has. Here’s few looks at the celebration…
After that I high-tailed it to my girlfriend’s house to have a little “siblings” Christmas party (centered around the relations of her sister and brother-in-law). The fun thing about it is I pretty much grew up with these guys my whole life! It’s amazing how God had placed us all in the same church or community growing up, and now have used the bonds of marriage to bring us even closer. God is good! Our celebration had the obligatory food, fun, and fellowship: pre-made snacks as well as ordered food, great conversation and reflection on the past year, an entertaining game of white elephant, and a rousing competition of Catchphrase (…everyone might seem like a good calm Christian, but boy are we competitive)! All in all…good times. 4 parties in from last Wednesday-Saturday. Here’s a quick look:
Since I have time to post today, I’ll get the real MNR out as well. Keep an eye out…
natemathai |
filed under: family, friends, personal
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Christmas Parties (1&2) - December 21, 2007 -
This past Wednesday I had two different Christmas parties that I was invited to: (1) my weekly small group bible study was getting together for a ‘potluck and PS3′ party in Mundelein, and (2) my college friends were having a ‘order in and talk’ party in Des Plaines. The small group one started at 7, the college one at 7:30. Impossible? Maybe for your average person, bet definitely not for ME!
I picked up my one of my roommates who would do the party crawl with me, and got to Mundelein at around 7:20. Whoever says boys don’t know how to cook is lying. We had ribs, chicken (BW3s), gyros, brats, cookies, puppy chow, punch…we FEASTED! And whoever said that boys don’t know how to talk? For the time I was there, we watched the Detroit/Boston game, and finished it off with a rousing game of Bears/Packers in PS3. (For the record, I [Bears with Orton as QB] won.) Here’s a quick collage of the event. Don’t we look fun?
We left a little later than expected, and got to the college party a little before 10. The “feasting” was much different, as we just ordered pizza (I was already stuffed anyways). It was a great time of catching up with each others lives, relationship statuses, reminiscing on the past, and so forth and so. I kept the camera down a bit and just enjoyed the conversation. Doesn’t this interaction look a little bit different than the one type above?
Different types of food, different groups of people, different conversations…but all in all, a great night. And this is just the beginning. Tomorrow I got 2 more parties (one birthday, one Christmas), then another Christmas one with the family on Sunday, followed by an extended family Christmas on Tuesday, before heading out to Michigan for my church’s winter retreat. Trying to finish the year out strong…and already getting excited for 2008. I love my life!
_______
Question: Do you like the collages better than the individual pictures?
"After" & After… - December 20, 2007 -
I normally don’t post the process of my image corrections and things of that nature, but I decided I would post this one just to give an idea of the type of retouching that’s available. Now, this isn’t “Before & After”, as the retouch happened on a partially processed image already. This was taken from an earlier e-session with Jane & Alan.
Originally, I performed some basic adjustments and color correction to the photo, as I do with all images. Then, I performed my secondary processing, what I like to call my “creative” or “artistic” processing. I don’t do this with every image, and it varies from shoot to shoot. Some people go crazy with these things, and although I do enjoy them, I only try to make these types of adjustments when I feel it will truly add to the image. At this stage, this is what the general final print would look like:
I really liked this picture, but there were a couple of things which jump out that could be improved. If I could go back in time, I would have moved the yellow cones out of the way, as well as asked the drivers in the cars to move (where were the drivers?…who knows…but I still wished they moved). Instead of just giving up on the image, though, it proves to be a great example what a little extra time and effort can get you. After a bit of editing, I was able to get this:
Many people who just saw the first one image might be pleased…but doesn’t it feel better knowing what’s possible with the second?
My goodness it’s late…good night everyone!
