Sleek Lens

A few weeks ago I received an email from SleekLens.com to do a review of some of their lightroom presets, in exchange for the presets for free. So being a bit of a tart for free things I agreed. I was sent the "Through the Woods" (https://sleeklens.com/product/landscape-lightroom-presets/) preset pack containing 50 presets and 30 brushes. I haven't had a chance to play with the brushes a lot yet, but they apply different effects using the brush tool in  light room similar to the teeth whiting and iris enhancing brushes.

Since they sent me a landscape focused pack I decided to go with a recent image that was a commissioned project for a client of mine. It is a shot of Downtown Kansas City looking south from the Charles B Wheeler Downtown Airport just a bit after sunrise one chilly morning this past winter. The starting image is actually my final image I had printed for my customer. So my basic edits and some minor photoshop work had already been applied to the image.

 

The Following link you take you to their free starter package
https://sleeklens.com/product/landscape-lightroom-presets/

The Sleek Lens blog:
 https://sleeklens.com/photography-blog/ 

SleekLens Lightroom Presets
https://sleeklens.com/product-category/lightroom-presets

Tutorials
https://sleeklens.com/lightroom-tutorials/

The Old Crows

I stopped by last night and visited with an old friend, and snapped a few photos of his band. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/216104985251246/

Enjoy!

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Dinner and a Camera

One of the risks you run when having dinner with someone who has a penchant for photography is you never know when they will take your picture. Mix in cute kids, and its almost a sure thing the camera comes out. I appreciate the fact my friends put up with my chinangines. If you're interested in having a day in the life of your family captured, please feel free to reach out to me. 

A new direction

I've been wanting to move to a new direction in my portraiture work. More of a lifestyle / documentary style. I believe capturing people in real moments has a stronger and longer lasting impact then staging people in front of a camera and pressing the shutter. Luckily a few friends recently had the same idea and allowed me to capture their family over the course of a few hours one cold winter afternoon.  I'm really pleased with what we were able to capture and hope these images bring them joy for years to come. 

Gotta feed the fur baby's before we get started.  

Gotta feed the fur baby's before we get started.  

Whether it's a human baby, or a fur baby, a mothers work is never done.  

Whether it's a human baby, or a fur baby, a mothers work is never done.  

Getting ready.  

Getting ready.  

Hey Dad, can you help me out here? 

Hey Dad, can you help me out here? 

Thanks Dad.  

Thanks Dad.  

Hey buddy, what's that Thing your looking at me through? 

Hey buddy, what's that Thing your looking at me through? 

OMG!!!!!! I'm so HANGRY!!!!!!!!  

OMG!!!!!! I'm so HANGRY!!!!!!!!  

Break time.  

Break time.  

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Can't forget Eddy.  

Can't forget Eddy.  

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Kisses and snuggles until next time! 

Kisses and snuggles until next time! 

LandScapes of CityScapes

Recently I was tasked with coming up with a new angle on an old favorite. I love our skyline, but I may have been stuck in a rut. So I went out looking for a new place and a new space. Below is one shot of the old tried and true, and the rest are what I found when I went looking for something new. 

Leaves Falling

I had a wonderful morning shooting some new family portraits for some friends of mine. Please enjoy a few of the moments we captured today. 

#KCLOVES

Went for a walk about today and snapped a couple photos. Here is one of the keepers #KCLOVES

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Fahrvergnügen!

I don't normally shoot cars a lot. I have shot cars in the past, but I prefer to shoot the people around them. I have seen and forgotten more photos of cars then I can count. But cars and people can make for high drama, and tell powerful stories in a single image. That is why I prefer to shoot cars and people, as apposed to JUST cars. That being said, I am not a purist in many things. So when my wife tasked me with a photography project, I found myself shooting a car show at her behest. While wondering around looking for interesting things to shoot, I came across Charles, and his two Volkswagens. I spent quite a while speaking with him, and learning all about his cars, and the processes of bringing them to their current state. It was very impressive to listen to the hard work and years of dedication that have gone into restoring these two cars. 

Here is a little  bit of background from Charles on the two vehicles. 

"The VW buss is a Type II Double Door Panel buss with walk thru seats,  all stock with the Safari window kit added and the Paint stock colors being Sealing Wax red on the bottom and ..........ivory on the top with the bumpers painted sealing wax red instead of the stock ivory color.   The big difference on the paint is we used the current Standox (german company) urethane basecoat clearcoat system instead of single stage paint.  The under body was sprayed with Raptor black bedliner for protection and color.  It has an original 40HP engine left stock. This buss was designed to deliver in the european alleys with all kind of produce.  We have owned the panel for about 30 years and finally got fired up about getting finished for the Eureka Springs VW show in August this year.

The Black VW is a 1954 bettle brought back from Germany by a Military family and a gentleman from Aurora , Colorado bought it from the original owner who then sold it to us.  It is an Oval window car with Semaphore turn signals all original with some accessories added like the rear window slat shade.  It has an original 36HP engine.

Its been repainted in different panels over the past 20 years."

So while these photos in and of themselves on their own may not be all that compelling, the blood sweat and tears that have gone into them very much is. 

Please enjoy!

Rains Drops and Cute Pups

I spent a slightly damp Sunday shooting adoption photos for the KC Pet Project. All of these fur babies need forever homes. Please like and share to help get them adopted! As far as I know all of these beauties are all at the KC Shelter location. 

 

KC Animal Shelter: 4400 Raytown Rd. Kansas City, MO

 http://kcpetproject.org/

 http://kcpetproject.org/contact/

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Fun at the Fair

I really enjoy shooting long exposure photography. Unfortunately I haven't had many opportunities lately. That is why when I saw a Fair on my way home the other night, once I got home, I grabbed my gear and headed back to the fair with my Fuji X70 and tripod In hand.  Here are the results. 

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Babies and Sunflowers

Some friends recently asked me to do some maternity photos for them, and they wanted a Kansas theme. It just turned out that the timing was right to head out to the land of OZ and get some beautiful photos with some Sunflowes at Grinter Farms just passed the yellow brick road. 

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Speaking of minimalism. . .

Along with headshots and family portrait sessions, I also do fine art prints. Feel free to email me about pricing and options ( Don@DGawfPhoto.com ).  Here  are just a couple recent black and white minimalist pieces I've completed. Hope you enjoy them!

Piano Keys

Piano Keys

Turn the Corner

Turn the Corner

Kauffman  

Kauffman  

3 -1. Barttle Hall Backlite and missing a spire.  

3 -1. Barttle Hall Backlite and missing a spire.  

BOOM Headshots

Did you know I did headshots? I do headshots. But not like in call of duty. I Do mine with a camera. Feel free to call or email me if you need your own. 

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