Dave Newton Photography

Kendall

2010-03-02T23:09:00.001-08:00

Just love this image. Location shooting is great when the location works so well like this one!

Rainy Morning - PAD 1/365

2010-01-24T17:57:00.001-08:00

Rainy Morning - PAD 1/365
Originally uploaded by Dave Newton 35

So it is time to start doing some personal work with a purpose. Lots of photographers challenge themselves with a 365 project... making a mission of taking one great image per day and sharing it with the world. It is easy to see where life can get in the way of a project like this. Well, I am determined to make it happen. I don't necessarily plan to blog every day but if you would like to follow this on Flickr you are welcome to. My username is Dave Newton 35 or link here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenewtonphoto/

Loving the studio...

2009-11-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

It's toasty inside! I love, love, LOVE the studio when things are not so great outside! Summer is definitely over and now is the time to shoot indoors. This precious little girl never stopped moving! Photographing children on the white hi-key is a perfect solution to the busy, active child. No worries! Can't do this at the mall or the big-box store portrait studio. I can take the time to work with your family to get the images you desire. Book your session today!

Last senior before the holiday

2009-09-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

Had Miles in for his senior portraits on Thursday night. Fun session and made some interesting images!

Testing... one... two... three

2009-06-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

Doing some model testing in the studio prior to the grand opening. Loving this place!

Studio Grand Opening - July 2009!!!!

2009-06-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce the grand opening of Prairie Grove Studio, a special place for portraits. I and my studio partners Grey Oaks Photography will be sharing this beautiful location that is just off Interstate 94 on Highway N. Watch the progress on this blog and elsewhere!

Jenny and Phil

2009-05-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday's wedding was a joy to witness. More images to follow...

Engagement Shoot!

2009-05-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

Finally a break in the rain on Thursday allowed for a afternoon engagement shoot with Jenny and Phil. Watch for wedding images soon... wedding is at this month's end. Can't wait! What a wonderful couple!!

Classic Diner of Classic Diners

2009-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Mickey's Dining Car in St. Paul Minnesota is not just a classic diner... it is the reference standard classic diner! Built in 1937 the diner has been operated continuously in St. Paul 24 hrs a day since 1939! WOW! My Burger, a 1/2 pounder with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo was just fantastic, the fries were good and the service was just excellent. Our visit was a wonderful ending to a terrific day at the Minnesota Children's Museum. More on that in later posts.

Wohlheter Mansion

2009-04-08T08:09:00.001-07:00

This has to be one of the most impressive private homes I have ever seen. The Wohlheter Mansion in Fairmont, MN was built in 1899 and has always been a private residence. I would love to tour this home someday and see the 3rd floor ballroom!

Ho-Ho-Ho Green Giant!

2009-04-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Finally got off the road a piece to see the "60 foot" Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota. Had to call my friend and co-worker Gregg for directions. "Take the Blue Earth exit off I-90 and go towards town, it's right across from the Wal-Mart!" He was right... you can't miss it! Had to drag Isabelle away from the DVD player in the van to get her to climb up the steps onto the little platform. I think it was more fun thinking about finding the thing than actually doing it. It did signal the beginning of the vacation phase of this trip though. Pass the trail mix!

Cheers!

What were you doing in 1971?

2009-03-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

So I was five years old in this picture and it is amazing how even a snapshot can take you back to the moment in time that it captured with a click. I remember that windmill clearly now, though I had forgotten about it entirely before I came across this snapshot. I can feel the texture of the legs. I can smell the paint. Take a moment to look at some old photographs and see if the images have a similar effect. See you in the time machine... Good day.

Ice Fishing on Rock Lake

2009-03-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

So I'm not an outdoorsman... but I have to say that ice fishing looks like a lot more fun up close than it does driving by on John Nolen Drive on a workday! Thanks to some great guys my boys and a number of other kids got to play on the ice and learn a bit about ice fishing. It was cold but not unbearable and several nearly-big-enough-to-keep game fish were pulled through the ice this afternoon. Here are a few photos from the day.

Lifestyle portraits in the cold

2009-01-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

Today's shoot with recording artist Felicia Alima and Saleem was a blast despite the biting cold! That latte sure felt good going down later! Thanks guys!

Man, time flies by!!

2008-12-25T17:42:00.000-08:00

I have been going thru my old PC (yuk) and seeing what all I need to save before I format the old dog for my kids to use. I came across this image of my daughter and my mother together from several years back. Isabelle is 6 now! Man how time flies!!

Study time

2008-12-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

Just a few more days of school before winter break but the homework continues. Here is the typical scene on Monday nights when she does her math homework for the week. It is usually a fight to get her started but once she is into it she usually stays on task. I'm sure she will break my spirit eventually LOL

Stand-Up Against Human Trafficking!

2008-11-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

“Approx. 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders each year (which does not include millions trafficked within their own countries). Approx. 80% are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors...”
US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2008

http://www.myspace.com/tradesong

I recently had the honor of helping my friend and client Felicia Alima by photographing a group of people to promote this fine cause. Check out the URL above to learn more.

Days of the New

2008-09-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

There are moments where you realize that you are in the midst of greatness... images to follow... awaiting approval to post.

More from the 24th

2008-08-29T05:54:00.001-07:00

Where the hell is Matt?

2008-08-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

I came across this on Becker's Blog. This will make you smile... it did for me!
Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Dance Skinny Man! LOL

2008-08-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

More from the wedding on Sunday. It will be a while before I have this event edited but here is one more image from the party.

Darrin and Shay!

2008-08-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday could not have been a more beautiful day for an outdoor Wisconsin wedding! Here are a couple of quick favorites.

Get TWIP it!

2008-08-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am hooked on Podcasts and my current favorite is This Week In Photography

Check out the TWIP guys!!

It's Senior Time!

2008-06-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

School's out and it is time for the class of 2009 to go in front of the lens and record the images that define who they are and who they want to be! My custom approach to senior portraiture is a true departure from the conventions of most established studios that use studio props and pre-fabricated sets to create the look that they hope their senior clients will appreciate.

I prefer to shoot on-location and take the time to record a genuine moment with my seniors. The option to shoot indoors always exists of course, but most young people have a special place that they would love to be photographed in... a cool park or lake setting, a ball field or arena, even the garage where hours are spent tinkering with cars and motorcycles.

I don't restrict shooting times to frantic 45 minute sessions either (set aside three hours for your session; I will!) and I am happy to shoot in multiple locations within reasonable driving distance. Seniors can feel free to bring multiple clothing changes and are encouraged to bring the items that mean the most to them including sports gear and musical instruments. I am happy to include best friends (including the furry kind!) and siblings in the photographs if requested. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are welcome at my shoots and parents are strongly encouraged to participate behind the scenes as my photo assistants!

Contact me SOON to arrange your Senior Photo Shoot! 608-345-1143

Window light - without the window

2008-03-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

Playing with continuous light sources in search of a natural look. My young daughter is always happy to model... at least for a brief moment!

New Site Is LIVE!!

2008-03-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

At last I am pleased to announce that the completely revamped davenewtonphoto.com is up and live. I am really pleased with BluDomain for the fabulous template and hosting and I can't wait to hear what people think. Though it still needs some polish and revisions it far better represents the brand that is Dave Newton Photography. Check it out and let me know!

Dave

Sunday Model Shoot!

2008-03-04T23:04:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of shooting some new faces back on February 24th. It is always an interesting experience to attend a multi-model, multi photographer event like this and I did come away with some cool images. Here is one that I especially like.

Craig's List - WOW are you KIDDING ME?!

2008-03-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm going to show my age here. I'm 41, nearly 42 actually and I am constantly finding more things useful that the "young people" have been using for quite some time. Perfect example was Tuesday afternoon (yesterday). I was having my lunch at my desk and was wondering if I should eBay a few odd items or try out www.craigslist.com to see if that avenue was worthwhile. I figured what-the-heck so I grabbed some laptop memory that has been lying around and listed it in "computers and tech" on Madison Craigslist and was not too surprised to find it quite simple to do. I grabbed the second item, a camera lens that I no longer use, and placed the advertisement adding a quick (and I do mean REALLY quick) photo. The ads take a couple of minutes to actually appear so I headed upstairs for another Diet Coke and headed back downstairs can in hand. I refreshed my browser and confirmed that the ad appeared. OK, now I am not exaggerating when I tell you this; my phone rang when my finger clicked on the refresh button. I answered it and discovered that I had an interested party on the line for the lens. He was at my doorstep within 20 minutes and was driving away with his purchase a few minutes later. I went back down to my Mac and cancelled the ad still chuckling at how amazing it was! I have since listed another item but no callers on that or the laptop memory. Oh well!

Mud Angels - A Bolt From The Blue

2008-02-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

Remember the Mud Angels shoot from last fall? Well, my copy of the band's debut CD arrived this Friday and I could not be more pleased to have been part of the project. Sorry for the lousy scan here but I wanted to show the full front cover artwork. This album is really terrific and it is in constant rotation on my iPod. If you like blues-rock you owe it to yourself to check these guys out. The CD release party is Friday February 29th. Take a sec and check out the band's MySpace here.

Winterfest!

2008-02-17T10:21:00.001-08:00

The Yahara District's Winterfest enjoyed a huge turnout on Saturday with roughly 160 Cub Scouts in attendance! I didn't have time to take many photos but I did take a few minutes to shoot during the broomball game. The game actually went on all morning with Cubs rotating in and out while participating in other activities including cooking demonstrations and snow painting. Cubs also had the opportunity for supervised BB gun target shooting.

Full gallery is here

Pinewood Derby!!!

2008-01-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

My sons are very active in Scouting and the Cub Scout Pack 145 had their Pinewood Derby this past Saturday the 26th of January. Here is a slideshow of the event that I quickly put together.

Tressie gets ready...

2007-12-30T23:07:00.001-08:00

From the wedding on Saturday. Mirrors are probably the best "found objects" in dressing room photography and it was fun to use this one to good advantage.

You just had to be there...

2007-12-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

The last wedding of 2007 was SO special! Andy and Tressie are an amazing couple and it was such a privilege to be there to record the event. I will post more in coming days but this image is one that I'm simply thrilled to have captured. Tressie took to the dance floor with her grandfather and for a few minutes the room was in awe! At the end of the song the room fell silent and I'm pretty sure we all had to wipe our eyes. The expressions on the faces of the guests conveys just how special this moment in time was. I am so excited to go thru the rest of the images and put up a gallery. Check back soon!!

Peace

Gotta Love iTunes!!

2007-12-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

Not only can I find almost every song that I can think of and buy it instantly, now I have become addicted to watching TV shows that I can download too! First it was Dexter and now it is Lou Grant (classic TV from my youth!) I have looked for DVD's of Lou Grant for years and they have never been available. Now thanks to iTunes I can watch the first 2 seasons. Wonderful!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T13:12:00.000-08:00

To your family from mine... a very Merry Christmas!!

Nearly at years-end...

2007-12-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

2007 has been an interesting year to say the least. Watch for the 2007 wrap-up and review in the coming days.

Mud-kick

2007-11-04T15:58:00.001-08:00

Mud-kick
Originally uploaded by Dave Newton 35

Havin' some fun in the mud with The Mud Angels for their debut CD packaging shoot

Kayla in Seattle

2007-08-13T22:22:00.001-07:00

Kayla in Seattle
Originally uploaded by Dave Newton 35

Working in Seattle Washington was interesting. I had a great time and produced some pretty fun photographs for the seniors I was there to shoot. I had been told that late July is "foolproof" perfect summer weather. This sadly was not the case and it rained every day, most of the day. This image was captured in the rain but none-the-less the beautiful Kayla played along.

New posts are coming!!

2007-08-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

After several months away it is high time to get blogging again so stay posted and watch for fabulous new content SOON!!

A little slide show...

2007-02-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

A little more snowy girl

2007-01-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

Just one more post of my snowy little girl. I like looking at pictures of snow scenes SO much more than being out in the cold!

Wow, now we have snow!!

2007-01-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

Been a pretty snow-free winter so when it finally came down it was fun for my daughter to go out and play! Mommy got her to stand under a pine branch while she shook it to produce the blizzard-look.

This brings back a good memory!!

2007-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

I LOVE a good polish and this little place did a great job! OK. The pic is from late 2005 and I was on vacation in the Dells. It was a great trip and the only photo of yours truly! I hope to get in a vacation yet this winter. We will see I guess...meanwhile I'll just look at the caboose and think about that polish!!

Ahh, birthdays!

2007-01-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

My buddy's son turned one year old a couple of days ago and the theme was...you guessed it...Curious George. Happy birthday Cailen!! And yes, he did make a mess out of the yellow hat cake!!

More from the archive

2007-01-08T22:05:00.000-08:00

Have not shot much in recent days so I have been digging for some old images to work over in edit. Something about this image caught my fancy so I decided to go to work on it. I like the cross-processed film look lately so that is the main effect; I also gave it some "punch" and some softness of the skin. Lauren is a lovely model and I would love to work with her again. Wardrobe by Tia Lynn.

One Great Kiss!

2007-01-07T21:03:00.000-08:00

Another one from the archive. I love this image and so did the couple...it's great getting to see people so happy and then seeing them happy again when they see their images!

George and Chris

2007-01-07T13:47:00.001-08:00

George and Chris
Originally uploaded by Dave Newton 35.

Just digging out some images to post here to get in the "wedding spirit" This wonderful couple met on E-Harmony dot com. There's was the second wedding I have photographed where the couple met online.

IT WORKS! GOSH, I LOVE A BARGAIN!!

2007-01-07T13:27:00.001-08:00

New laptop
Originally uploaded by Dave Newton 35.

So I picked-up a "salvage" laptop from the insurance co. I work for a little over a week ago. It had taken a good bump to the lower right corner of the machine and had crushed the Dual Layer DVD burner/combo drive inside. We occaisonally have the opportunity to purchase damaged or recovered items through a blind-bid process and I have scored a few nice things before but this is the best deal yet! Total investment is under $200.00 including the replacement drive and an AC adapter that was not included in the salvage package!! 1.73GHz Centrio /1GB of RAM 14.1" widescreen. It's pretty darn nice and only needs a little glue on the bottom case where it has a small crack and I will be done with the repairs. It is a lot lighter than my other laptop and a lot faster too. Now I just need to calibrate the monitor sceen with my buddy's Gretag Macbeth Eye One and I will have a little portable editing station! Sweet!

Dave's Digital Photo Blog

2006-01-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

One of the most popular subjects that we parents shoot is our kids. It is easy to excuse boring kid pictures as being a product of being in boring places when we take them. We can get great shots on vacation, right? In reality, there are lots of ways to jazz-up an otherwise stale image that we take in our homes. Often a little imagination can go a long way and that is what I did here. Wintertime and foul weather tend to keep kids indoors and that is why my daughter was coloring this morning. I grabbed my 20D and my 24-70mm 2.8L to take some pictures while she concentrated on her work. I put my 580EX flash on the hot shoe set to "master" (with output off) and a 420EX flash set to "slave" on a little plastic stand on the table in front of her and at a 45deg. angle from me and the camera. I took a few shots and they looked ok. Definitely better than with the on-camera flash lighting the scene but not spectacular. I then remembered a technique from my "mentor" Neil Turner. Neil publishes terrific how-to's on his website www.dg28.com and I have been itching to try this "blur with flash" technique. I set the exposure manually on the camera to 1/10 sec and f4.5 and utilized the ETTL flash to determine flash output. 1/10 sec gave me enough time to make an arc movement during the exposure and create the motion blur you see in this example. The beauty of this is that our cluttered family room doesn't even really appear in the images! Though not a vacation beach portrait, the photograph has a unique appeal that a "straight" shot would not have.