I am so excited about the new article I wrote for Rangefinder Magazine, "World Changers", actually developed from a section I created on this site (under "the display case" header) about some amazingly exceptional people I have had the honor of photographing. I have received some feedback in the past after posting a smaller version of the article about my photography in last November's issue that it was too small to read. And apparently just posting a link to the pdf was simply to arduous a process for others who didn't want to click through (I'm talking to you, mom!) with this past June's piece. So I'm posting the full pages here. If you haven't already read their stories, grab a beverage and take a few minutes to do so. It's not a long piece. These people just raise the bar in terms of inspirational living. By the way, Charlie Engle, the first person profiled in the article, is currently running across America. He started on September 13th, after spending some amazing time with us in at the Exploring Love Retreat. He is having an incredible intense experience - you can follow along by reading his heartfelt posts here. Please send him some love!! Regardless of how this intense, exhausting quest finally does finish, those comments are really helping him out there.

Doesn't get much cuter than this--truly! Lisa and Danny brought Asher in for this shoot when he was just a week old, and when they came back by the studio yesterday I was astounded to see just how much he had grown in a few short weeks. This 'growing thing' never ceases to amaze me. :) Lisa and Danny, I loved photographing your beautiful family and can't wait to see the framed pieces and beautiful birth announcements that are on the way!

...and we can do no more :) We left the island pretty exhausted but so immensely pleased by the fantastic experience of learnfest at Bald Head Island. What a strikingly smart & talented collection of photographers!! In the end, I think learnfest was an exceptionally apt name, but we could have also gone with lovefest or learnfast. They would have worked, too. I will certainly have much more to post, as I am still digesting it all, but a few cute images of our gorgeous models (yay Katie Williams for partnering up with Jen to bring 5 beautiful children to the island :) You all might remember some of these - from left to right was: shooting with optimal natural light shooting against backlights, focused on catchlights and fill lights managing wind & conditions (and then not, because it looks so much cooler)

To every participant at learnfest, you rock. Also, a follow through! At least several of you from each of the four groups asked me to send out this complete quote by Pablo Casals. This is straight from my presentation so please ignore software's attempt to correct proper names... Just as reminder, this was his idea for how we could make the world worthy of its children. Because our schools are designed to teach our children math and geography but not as much the value and shocking beauty of who they are, his suggestion is to take each child in the world by the shoulders, look them in the eyes and say this:

One other thing that was so beautiful about that for me was not just to teach each child that they are so exceptionally important - but for them to truly know it is to also know that every other person is also a marvel. And how could one ever harm a marvel? --- And on a significantly less powerful note, I have to say thanks to the talented Andrea Halsey for capturing these spot-on goofy images of me as I was oh-so professionally teaching how everyone to shoot, stay naturally silly and to use light modifiers at the same time...

Matilda, Maya, and Axl... sharing a rare moment of togetherness.