Wow! Where has the time gone?
Let’s get caught up.
Thanksgiving in Seattle 2008
My wife, Karen, and I made our annual pilgrimage to Seattle to celebrate Thanksgiving mixed with several days of work for both of us.
Our first stop was to our friend’s home on Bainbridge Island where we also spent the 4th of July this year. They have a beautiful home right on the water and the pre-holiday weekend was spent reading, watching the ferries pass by, the eagles hunt for food on the sound and the seals play. All of this was also under the watchful eye of their cat named Sting. The boys strung the Christmas lights and the girls made candy. We had beautiful weather and a relaxing start to our trip. 
Kirkland was our next stop where we visited with our friends of 30 years and where we have celebrated Thanksgiving for 25 years with their family and friends. Kirkland is very picturesque and I have loved photographing there.
From the street, our friend’s home looks like it is 800 square feet, which is what it was the first year we visited. But now, as you walk through the front door and towards the other sided of the house, it opens up to be 3,000 square feet.
At first, we always had a project to finish as the house was growing before we could get started on preparing the meal. But a few years ago, they finally finished the remodel and since then we can now focus on relaxing and catching up and then preparing the food.
The final stop was in Puyallup, just outside Tacoma, to visit my now empty-nester brother and his wife and our niece and nephew both in college at Western Washington University. We managed to eat some more leftover turkey and lots of homemade fudge.
This was actually the third time I had seen them this year. I had the pleasure of photographing a beautiful summer wedding in the area – a referral from my sister-in-law. I love visiting the Seattle area and welcome doing more work there in 2009.
As the blessings of Thanksgiving came to an end the rush of Christmas began!
Orange County Performing Arts Center (OCPAC) – Candlelight
As you might have read in previous blogs, I have worked with the Orange County Performing Arts Center www.ocpac.org for about six years now and photograph about 30 events a year with them. One of those yearly events is called the Candlelight Concert and is the event of the year for the Center. This year’s concert featured Diana Ross and a Las Vegas theme.
It is always amazing to see how the Center is transformed with decorations for this event each year. And, as you would expect, Diana Ross remains a draw! Check out some of the images on the OCPAC website in the Center scene section, www.ocpac.org/home/Content/ContentDisplay.aspx?NavID=615, and on the OC Register website, www.ocregister.com/articles/event-president-red-2252118-included-chapman.
Professional Photographers of Orange County (PPOC) Honor
I have been a member of our local professional photography group, Professional Photographers of Orange County (PPOC), www.ppoc.org, since 1982. It has been a great place to get to know my peers and to learn my craft through the classes, seminars and print competition that is offered up each month. This group is the local group that is then affiliated with the State organization, Professional Photographers of California (PPC), www.prophotoca.com, and the international organization, Professional Photographers of America (PPA), www.ppa.com, all of which, I am a member.
As with most professional non-profit groups, the best way to get the most out of it is to get involved in the running of the organization. Over the years, I have held all the offices, including President in PPOC, and been on the board of the State (PPC) and International (PPA) groups.
Since leaving the PPOC board, I have continued to attend as many meetings as I can because today there is so much to learn; and, I find that it is so much better to get that information first hand then on the Internet. I also attend all the events I can for the state and international groups for those same reasons. These days, I am able to give back to all three groups by being an international photographic print competition judge. As I have talked about before, this allows me to stay in touch with the trends and techniques, and allows me to help the new photographers learn their craft better, as it did for me.
I was honored this year at our annual Christmas party to receive a Lifetime membership in PPOC in recognition of all of my time working with the organization. I was very touched by this honor and look forward to attending as many meetings as I can in the years to come.
If you are interested in joining PPOC as a student or professional, the meetings are on the third Thursday of each month. Check the website for time and location www.ppoc.org.
Holiday Portraits and Cards 
Each year during the holidays, many families call upon us to take their family portrait. Some are new clients, but many are families that come back year after year.
One of those families is the Ruff Family of Coto de Casa. Since 2005, I have photographed their family during the Holidays. Each year, it is always fun to get caught up with what has happen since the previous year. This year, we had a new member to “Team Ruff,” but we still managed to get an image that was worthy of the cover of this year’s card. Each year, they send out hundreds of holiday cards to their family and friends – selected from a range of choices.
Let us know how we can help you each year create images that you would be excited to share with your friends and family, for the holidays or any time during the year that you gather your family.
Kona, Hawaii
This year we were once again invited to spend the New Year holiday with our friends at their condo on the beach just south of downtown Kona, Hawaii.
It was as beautiful as ever this year. We had mild weather with temperatures in the 80’s and very little rain. We had the whales and the turtles greet us when we arrived and we watched them play in the ocean many other days from the lanai.
Because their condo is right on the beach, the sound of the waves creates amazing music to my ears. The 400 square foot, west-facing lanai creates a great atmosphere for visiting friends we have come to know over the years, listening to the surf all day and night, reading, eating, and drinking. Trust me, I am a trained professional at these pursuits!
All-in-all, it was a nice time of relaxation, reflection and renewal. The time always goes by too fast and then it is time to get back to work in this amazing New Year.
The Professional Photographers of America Convention in Phoenix, AZ
A couple of days after getting back from Hawaii, I was off to this year’s Professional Photographers of America (PPA), convention www.ppa.com which was held in Phoenix, Arizona.
This year, I concentrated on attending many of the programs and spending more time in the trade show to gain a clear understanding of the new trends, technologies and techniques that contribute to making this profession one that is always changing and definitely exciting.
Another part of the convention is the chance to see so many of my friends and get caught up with them. After 28 years as an active member in the PPA, I have hundreds of friends from all over the world. It is always great to see them and talk to them about what they are up to in their respective areas of the world.
I write this on Martin Luther King’s birthday which has become a day of service for many. Speaking of that, clearly it is by giving that we get. This year at the convention, I volunteered to mentor new photographers that are interested in print competition. Because I am one of only 120 national affiliate jurors for PPA, I feel I have both an honor and responsibility to help new photographers become better. Most of all, it’s simply a great feeling to help another person with their dream!
It was a great trip, in a wonderful city, and I now have a “to-do” list a mile long, so it is time to get to work. I hope to hear from you!
I have had the privilege to hear many wonderful performances working as a photographer for the last 7 years with the OCPAC, and the OCYSO performance was as good as you would hear from any orchestra, of any age.
Play ball! It is that time again, time for opening day for the Laguna Niguel Girls Softball League, 
