Ahhh, Florida.

It's warming up outside. (That's nice and all. But it's still officially winter...) And what do you do in winter time? You suffer a bit from the dryness and the wind but enjoy the cold while it's around because in a few short months, it'll will be hot and muggy, and it will feel like there is no escape.

It's a vicious circle. That's what vacations are for: to escape what's normal in life -- that circle -- for a short while and to focus on what's beautiful and fun and meaningful. We did that this winter, courtesy of Celebrity, and it was worth every penny. So, if it doesn't get cold again for the rest of this official winter season, that's okay. It'll give us something to look forward to the next time St. Louis goes into a deep freeze.



Ahhh. Florida. (Except for the sun-streaming-in-the-window shot, which was taken in a church in Colombia.)

we swam with stringrays

... And it was all Becca's idea. See a National Geo video on our travel blog for a very accurate taste of what it was like.

as promised... and we hope it was worth the wait

Top to bottom, left to right: proof that you can get amazing results from a huge range of lighting scenarios with a little patience and selection of the right lenses. If you're interested in the numbers... #1: f/4 @ 400 ISO, 70-200 lens; #2: f/4 @ 1000 ISO, 70-200 lens; #s 3 and 5: f/4.5 @ 100 ISO with a studio light, 17-40 lens; #4: f/4.5 @ 100 ISO with a studio light, 70-200 lens; #6: f/4 @ 100 ISO, 70-200 lens; #7: f/4 @ 400 ISO, 70-200 lens; #8: f/9 @ 100 with a studio light, 70-200 lens; #9: f/4 @ 1600 ISO, 50mm lens; #10: f/4 @ 100 ISO, 17-40 lens; #11: f/2 @ 400 ISO, 50mm lens; and #12: f/4 @ 100 ISO, 70-200 lens. (No flash used, except as noted.)

Thanks to Pasadena, Venice Beach, and a family we love! Up next: we have got to do a mini-shoot of our growing-up-all-too-fast niece Aubrey! Stay tuned... (But while you wait, check out our travel blog, where we have a few more pictures on display from the trip!)

Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Everywhere

It's been a fun -- and long -- past couple of weeks. Since a picture's worth 1,000 words, I'll stop typing and just start showing...



Now, check out a bunch of others (horizontals) on our Travels/Journeys page -- from music to 3D movies and from mountains to cool silhouettes...

june bug hawaiianized

Need we even say a word? Baby June is not Baby June any longer. Man, we love those eyes n' curls! This photo was shot with a Canon 50mm 1.8, 500 ISO, no flash (shot at dusk). Custom color treatment done in Lightroom.

Reunited

Sorry, it's been a few days. Today's four photos come from the recent family reunion and 90th birthday celebration honoring Lillian Munson in (and around) Provo, Utah. If you'd like to see the whole batch, e-mail Becca or me and we'll getcha' the album link.

And we're back

We survived... Beck n' Ben made it back from Guate on Tuesday, and we have just a few hundred shots to show for it. Oh, and about a thousand Quetzales worth of souvenirs. If you're dying to see some of our pictures, click on the photo from this post (above). Oh, and for anyone interested, we were shooting with a Canon 30D (Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5 lens) and a Canon Digital Elph. Needless to say, we were packing light.

So Long Savana

So, looking back, Savannah was a decent place to check out; a little different than expected, fbofw. Two recommendations if you're crazy and decide to go: 1) Rent a car from a really nice husband-and-wife sales team at Savannah Care & Van Rental (912-233-6554), just a few minutes from downtown. Like Enterprise, they'll pick you up. Unlike Enterprise, they're cheap. 2) If you see an older fella playing the saxophone on the cobblestone river street, try to take his picture without dropping some money in his bucket (good luck!) I failed miserably. Enjoy some pix from around the Savvy and Tybee Island.