Its been busy with SONC, a Wedding, and an Exhibition

Well its been busy to say the least.

Back in early April, I took some prints to a Frame Shop in Raleigh to be Dry Mounted. (You really should dry mount images 11 x 14 or larger. Please don't tape them. The tape will eventually give way and the artwork has to be remounted. I have seen examples of this.) When I drop the prints off, one of the ladies there looked at my sunset [picture and asked if I wanted to sell it? Sure. So it was sold on the spot. When I returned to pick up my dry mounted prints, she had already picked he mat and frame for it.

Some where about this timeframe, I con't remember when, I also had to get a framed print ready for an exhibit at Wake Med Hospital.

Also, back on April 22nd, I worked at AJ and Kyle Dunlap of AJ Dunlap Photography in Raleigh NC as a non-shooting wedding assistant, working primarily with the lights. They asked me back to work with them again on a weeding May 27th. It's nice when you are asked back and these folks are absolutely great to work with. Here is a link to their site. http://www.ajdunlap.com/index.html#/about/

In the meantime, I had been in talks with a local venue here in Rocky Mount, Via Cappuccino to host my first solo exhibit. In the past I have been part of the Cary Photographic Artists when they arrange an exhibit. display some of my landscape works. Initially it looked like the first opening would be in December or January. With that I settled back. Never settle back. Latter the owner, John, called and said I could have the month of May and June with a start date of May 7th (I thought he said)! He said I would have room for approximately 25 - 30 prints since I was using 16 x 20 frames. Oh the date is like April 15th so I still I have time to order the extra frames I needed and get the glass and mats, etc. Wrong! John called back to confirm I could bring my stuff in on May 2nd! What! I have like a week to pull this together, getting frames ordered and shipped. Drive to Raleigh to get mats and there is no good source in Rocky Mount. Also looking everywhere to get 14 pieces of glass. In the meantime I had found a good source for high quality canvas wraps (Not the wrapped paper prints like Sam's Club shows). With just a few days left, and materials in route, I began assembling the materials I did have.  Just as I finished working with what I had, the shipments arrived with the remaining materials. (Am I glad I took those prints to the frame shop to be dry mounted as that would be one less thing to do.)

Link to Via Cappuccino Exhibit http://www.hldphotos.com/Galleries/Competition-Show/Via-Cappuccino-Show-Photos/22798667_zQczhw#!i=1829124448&k=6r92VPx

Bottom line - I made it and put 26 prints on display, 23 11 x 14 prints framed in 16 x 20 frames and three canvas wraps. The canvas wraps are 16 x 20 and the image wraps around the edges. I love Canvas wraps and will probably do more.

I am excited because this is the first time my series of four railroad tracks (Curves of Life - Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer) have ever been shown together. I am also excited as some had told me they usually didn't sell a lot there as they don't accept credit cards or debit cards, only cash and checks. Well, TWO sold by the end of the month. Curve in the Road and Fall at Umstead. (See link above) I am currently working with a local medical facility to host another exhibit there.

Then May 6th was National Train Day so I went to the Rocky Mount train station and got some shot there which the newspaper picked up 40 of my photos. Wish I had either had time to get the material for a story to accompany it or have somebody with me but I was rapidly running out of time to go to work.

Link to Rocky Mount newspaper photos. http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/content/national-train-day-celebration-1066689

The Saturday after working with AJ and Kyle, June 2, I was scheduled to shoot for the Special Olympics of North Carolina. This is something I have done for the past several years and look forward to it. In the past I have shot the softball and golf games so this year I decided to do something different. I started to shoot the Aquatics but I have this fear of the camera and the water meeting so I went with the Athletics and the Gymnastics events. Loved every minute of it. Took my son along to help shoot and he got some great shots.

Link to 2012 Special Olympics of North Carolina  http://www.hldphotos.com/Galleries/Sports/SONC-2012/23365744_qNgTq7#!i=1888989083&k=6VSCmhR

Then on June 9th, I got to shoot a wedding with Chris Nieto of Nieto Photography. (Here's a link to his site and the wedding http://www.nietophotography.com/Client-Galleries/Weddings-2012/Lauren-Sealey-June-9th-2012/20300025_vpDqMQ#!i=1906177455&k=NpNpvZx ).

My photos have just been released and on my website. The bride and groom were a blast to work with. If you look at the website in the wedding section, you will wee that on photo 4500, just as the minister says y'all are and the bride and groom kiss, the groomsmen pull out waterguns and start shooting the bride and groom!

Link to the infamous watergun shootout http://www.hldphotos.com/Galleries/Weddings/Sealey-Dail/23748096_9jwPcR#!i=1923448246&k=G8K4FSR

Later when we were shooting down by the lake, I handed the groom one of the waterguns (which he swears he knew nothing about1) and the couple took it from there. They played around and had a great time and I got some great shots.

Link to the Lakeside shots http://www.hldphotos.com/Galleries/Weddings/Sealey-Dail/23748096_9jwPcR#!i=1923540983&k=9fqkMN2

WHAT ELSE? Oh yeah, one more thing. Duke Hospital solicited local photography groups to submit photos to be hung in the hospital They wanted calm serene landscapes and flowers etc. I submitted some digital photos and they selected 7 to purchase! From what I have been able to determine, I am the only one who had that many selected. Back to the salt mines getting them framed and matted according to their specs. The prints were delivered last Friday and there will be a reception for the artists on June 28th.
Link to the Duke Hospital Photos. (The ones selected are the first seven)   http://www.hldphotos.com/Galleries/Competition-Show/Duke-Hospital-Show-Photos/22108716_tw6gg6#!i=1765893503&k=fkxLWFq


I think that's all besides the day job and other usual stuff (A/C not working on Pilot and temps are 96, so what else is new? )