This image, shot for the Professional division of Kodak, advertised a new fine grain "Ektar" film. The photograph was developed through an agency who had seen one of my "stock" images and made the connection between the grain of wheat and the grain in the film.
The advertisement ran on the inside cover of a catalog for Samy's Camera of Los Angeles.

The two images in this ad (graduate and background) were photographed for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Campus Ministry department of LCMS World Mission. The advertisement was published in the Lutheran Witness.
In this case the model was an actual recent high school graduate and was heading off to college in the Fall. The tower of a local college provided the backdrop for the image of a campus setting.

This church directory and bulletin cover done for Liturgical Publications of Ellisville, Missouri, presented challenges in both lighting and digital design. The image of the building was taken very early in the morning with the interior lights on. Secondary exposures were taken when the ambient light improved. Because of the overcast sky on the day of the shoot the sky was digitally replaced with another sky from my stock image library. The lighting ratios between the interior window lighting and exterior were digitally balanced.

This photograph created for the World Mission department of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod presented the additional challenge of showing the detail of the braille on the pages. The people who modeled for this photograph are actually blind adding additional authenticity to the photograph and the advertisement for ministry to blind persons which was published in the Lutheran Witness. Additional photographs from this photo shoot were used later to produce a brochure about ministry to blind persons.

This image created to advertize a new satellite service for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod presented a few challenges of its own. The art director wanted the ice cream to have the look of melting so the urgency of a dish came across. Of course the "dish" intended here was a satellite dish.

For me personally, photography combines the art of seeing photographically with the craft of making an image that visually impacts the viewer. There is more to photography than just "writing with light" as the literal definition of the term photography implies. There is also the "creative" or artistic side of photography as well. Painting with light involves both seeing and feeling the image. Before an image can be "written" on a digital sensor or film, it must be "painted" on the canvas of the photographer's mind.

The image of the older mans hands folded on the open Bible is an example of such an image. I wanted to invoke the feelings of nostalgia, quietness, meditation and prayer. I "saw" this image in my mind before I set up the props, lights, model and camera. The publisher added the words to complete the "image" and communicate the overall theme of the day for the Sunday Bulletin.

Another example of this approach of seeing photographically occurred while photographing a wedding this past spring. The bride and groom had chosen a 19^th century plantation for their wedding ceremony and reception. As soon as I stepped into the parlor of the old mansion and saw this room, I knew exactly what photograph I wanted to create. While I took a number of photographs in this room and others in this picturesque setting, this is my favorite of all.

The bride standing alone looking out the window before the wedding, invokes a feeling of contemplation of the big step in life she is taking that day. Printing it in black and white increases the feeling of nostalgia about the room and its furnishings.

(Photo of Mr. Rau was taken by Master Photographer Monte Zucker while he was attending one of Monte's classes.)