2009 in photos

In 2009 I took about 11,000 (212GB) photos:

While I don’t consider myself a photography perfectionist, only a small percentage of my photos actually see the light of day the Internet. I’ve assembled some of my favorites for you to tell the story of a year filled with ups and downs (but, mostly ups).

Please enjoy.

January

After unsuccessfully trying to raise an A round at Viewzi in 2008 (A.K.A. the worst climate for fund-raising in recent history), we regrouped in January and started work on plan B. 16mm | f/2.8 | 1/250/sec - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Mark II

Audrey’s attempts at crawling often end up with her face in the floor. 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Mark II

Nerd nirvana. I relocated my Dell 2405 to my home office, giving me dual 24” displays. 17mm | f/5.6 | 1/15 - Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Let’s be friends! 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Audrey begins to murmur “DA DA DA,” much to mommy’s disappointment. 20mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

February

Will you be mine? 24mm | f/5 | 1/100 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Kristi’s new Snuggie. 23mm | f/2.8 | 1/250 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Lunch with my good friend Alex Bischoff to discuss shooting in manual exposure with an E-TTL flash. 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/160 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Timing is everything. In other words, I missed sun down. 14mm | f/11 | 1/3 - Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5

I reunited with the RadioTime crew in February for much-needed freelance work. This is a lifeline for my family, as January brought in no income. 28mm | f/2.8 | 1/13 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Things were about to change…as new parents we were so excited to see Audrey’s first teeth. We had no idea what we were in for. 55mm | f/2.8 | 1/160 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

March

I love this lens. 55mm | f/2.8 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Jeremy and Owen playing Lego Indiana Jones. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Taking the show in the road: Stephen and I are invited to speak in Memphis at this year’s IA Summit. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

On my own: A new 17” unibody Mac Book Pro punctuates the transition from Viewzi to freelancing to full-time employment. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Mac addict. 55mm | f/2.8 | 1/40 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

April

Lucky. A driver t-boned me at the intersection I pass through everyday on the way to work. An insurance nightmare was just about to begin. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/40 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

In with the new. 21mm | f/2.8 | 1/640 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Spring has sprung. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Not pictured - Camille. We didn’t know it yet, but Kristi was pregnant. 85mm | f/5.6 | 1/320 - Canon EOS 40D with EF 85mm f/1.8

Big, meet Bigger. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

May

30” 17mm | f/5.6 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Must. Eat. Braaaaaaaaaains. 17mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

Hackint0sh. 55mm | f/2.8 | 1/50 - Canon EOS 40D with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

This is easily one of my top 10 photos of the year. I love the expression on Caitlyn’s face and the water spray frozen in time. 85mm | f/2.0 | 1/5000 - Canon EOS 40D with EF 85mm f/1.8

The things we do for our children. 50mm | f/5.6 | 1/40 - Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi with EF 50mm f/1.4

June

Open spaces at Improving. 24mm | f/4 | 1/200 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

You can’t stop the rock. 24mm | f/4 | 1/30 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Time flies. Already is already a year old 105mm | f/4 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Kelton has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. 105mm | f/4 | 1/100 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Peas in a pod. 24mm | f/4 | 1/80 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

It’s summer in TX. 24mm | f/4 | 1/50 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

July

Good friends and good food as we celebrated Independence Day with the Brewers. 50mm | f/1.4 | 1/400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

The sun setting on our first day in Anna Maria Island, Florida. 32mm | f/4 | 1/40 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Holmes Beach. Some where shocked that I took my new 5D MK II parasailing with no contingency plan. 24mm | f/8 | 1/1000 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Grey beard: My dad moments after parasailing above Holmes Beach. 24mm | f/5.6 | 1/1600 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Mom and Dad. I was delighted that they can join us in Florida for what amounts to their first real vacation in years. 160mm | f/8 | 1/100 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 70-200mm f/2.8L

Your’s truly, enjoying a drink on the beach.50mm | f/2 | 1/6400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

A lovely mix of light. This shot was completely accidental. 24mm | f/8 | 1/4 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

August

Going round. 24mm | f/22 | 2.5 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Having a beer with Dustin. 50mm | f/2 | 1/400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

Sailing Lake Grapevine with Ms. Emma at the helm. 58mm | f/4 | 1/4000 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Checking in on Camille. 5mm | f/3.2 | 1/15 - Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Peaches. 85mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 85mm f/1.8

September

Breakin’ the law. 24mm | f/4.5 | 1/1600 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Mamma Kristi. 47mm | f/4 | 1/1250 | ISO640 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

She’s not a baby any more. 135mm | f/2 | 1/1000 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 135mm f/2

One of my first shots using off-camera flash. 100mm | f/2.8 | 1/10 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro

More fun per gallon. I couldn’t get enough of this macro lens. 100mm | f/2.8 | 1/50 | ISO1600 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro

Kristi and I celebrate our friend’s wedding back home in Indiana. Damn we looked good. 50mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 | ISO1600 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

Proud pappa. Baby Hale had better get used to a camera in his face. 50mm | f/2.2 | 1/160 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

October

Steve Brewer invited me along to a Texas A & M vs. Arkansas game. I jumped at the chance to see Jerryworld. 24mm | f/11 | 1/25 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

The apple of my eye. 105mm | f/4 | 1/80 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Commuting. 24mm | f/11 | 4| ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Audrey celebrates Halloween with Kelton and friends. 24mm | f/7.1 | 1/60 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

November

Vegas, we’ve arrived. 16mm | f/2.8 | 1/6 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Mark II

There’s beginners luck, and then there’s this. Jef get’s Blackjack on a split with his very, very first hand. 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/80 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 16-35mm f/2.8L Mark II

Ken Howard at the Las Vegas Stratosphere. This was the least incriminating photo I took of him all weekend. 24mm | f/6.3 | 1/125 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

The thrill seekers. 97mm | f/4.5 | 1/125 | ISO100 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Just us three, but not for long. 24mm | f/4 | 1/640 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Lurking in the garage. 24mm | f/6.3 | 1/5 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

December

Merry Christmas from the fam. Even with just two flashes, this was my most ambitious strobist shot to date. 85mm | f/2.2 | 1/50 | ISO800 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 85mm f/1.8

The Aksins Family. 85mm | f/2.2 | 1/50 | ISO800 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 85mm f/1.8

Austin Mann checking his shot. Austin was generous enough to let me tag a long in a photoshoot with our Audis. It was an incredible learning experience with some really expensive Profoto gear. 24mm | f/4 | 1/25 | ISO1600 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

We only come out at night. My A4, looking really amazing. Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III with TS-E 24mm f/3.5L

Hot embers. 24mm | f/11 | 2 | ISO125 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Let’s start the show! Kristi just before giving me yet another precious child. 24mm | f/4 | 1/60 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Another princess. 24mm | f/4 | 1/200 | ISO500 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Meet your nana. 50mm | f/2.8 | 1/160 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4

OMG in any language. 105mm | f/4 | 1/160 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

What did you get for Christmas? I got a princess. 70mm | f/4 | 1/160 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Now there is four. 88mm | f/4 | 1/160 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS

Sweet dreams. 50mm | f/1.4 | 1/125 | ISO400 - Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 50mm f/1.4