USA vs. Greece

Lebron James rising for a dunk against Greece

I'm in love with our USA Men's basketball team. "The Redeem Team" as they've been dubbed are rolling strong to a GOLD medal. Its an exciting time to be a basketball fan.
Last night, (or this morning rather) they took down a very strong Greek team by a score of 91-69. Another game closer to the shiny gold medals.
Dazzling dunks, great shooting and like I said before... an All Star cast... Our guys are just having fun over there.

Next Game: Vs Spain...lets see what you men can do... Kobe vs. Pau. This will be an extremely good game to watch... I'll be watching a Hi-Res replay on nbcolympics.com

Keep it up men!

Kobe Bryant receives and finishes an Alley-oop

Kobe Bryant enjoying another win.

Kobe Bryant making an entrance

Kobe Bryant watching Michael Phelps win another gold.

Lebron James "checking out" the swimmers

The Redeem Team

Machine Valet

The future has caught up to us.
Look at this machine drop your car in the car cabinet! Thats what we call technology!
This thing will stack your beamer like its a can of tomato soup in the pantry.
Thanks coolhunter for always hunting for cool!

Awesome

I over use the word "awesome", or even "awe-struck" when I see this bike.
I want it.

The bike urge is coming to me!
It starts with an innocent beach cruiser, then a 2 seater convertible. Then the 1980's fever and at the tip of the iceburg....THIS.


BAM!! a 1983 Honda 750 Interceptor. Should I get one?

The Whip Hurts!

You just sucked down a gross 120 calories when you "enjoy" a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino w/whip cream.
You might as well just drink 4 or 5 more drinks. Heck, eat some donuts afterwards too!
Whipping cream doubles the calories, triples the saturated fat and ads 40mg of nasty Cholesterol. Start worrying about your health now, before its too late.

95 calories from fat!
40 mg Cholesterol!
7g of saturated fat!

Basically just GO HERE to learn how much you should despise whipped cream.

Why Add whip cream to a drink thats already crazy sweet, bad for your heart and plain fattening. The least you can do is memorize this... "Lose the Whip"

Still don't believe me? Click image below and compare. (Top image and bottom image, with and W/O whip)

"Don't marry 86 Women"

Nigerian Mohammed Bello Abubakar, 84, has advised other men not to follow his example and marry 86 women.


"A man with 10 wives would collapse and die, but my own power is given by Allah. That is why I have been able to control 86 of them," he told the BBC.

Yeah, Mohammed, you're a mental case. You should have told yourself that before you got into this situation. 170 children?? What happens to all of these women and kids when you die in a year? And another thing... why are you trying to "CONTROL" your wives. You are a sick freak...but you probably can't read this... so maybe I should visit you and tell you that.
Wow, people like this should be stopped long before it gets to cult status like this.

"When you marry a man with 86 wives you know he knows how to look after them"
-Wife #73 Ganiat Bello Abubakar

The WHOLE wacked out story HERE

Some of Mr Bello Abubakar’s wives are
younger than some of his children

Let the Games begin!

Finally, some sexy pictures from NYtimes.com to get this party started.

The crowd of 91,000 fans. (Photo: Doug Mills)

After being lifted high above the floor of the stadium on a guidewire, and seeming to run in the air, former Chinese gymnast Li Ning lit the Olympic torch. (photo: Doug Mills)

Watch the opening ceremony to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games TONIGHT on NBC. Primetime.

Thanks to

For the photos!

Announcing the winners

Good composition. The balloons are everything in this picture. Without them, this photo would be useless... but with them, its good enough to win something in a contest. (and be on my blog)

The photocontest is called "Say Cheese Long Beach" even though I dislike the over used phrase "Say cheese". (Mostly because I'm more of a photojournalist then a party/posed photographer, so it upsets me when people actually use the phrase when I shoot them... it jacks up their smile!) ANYWAYS! I really like the concept of this photocontest.
24 hours to take an award winning shot in our sexy city of Long Beach.

August 2nd was the last contest date and here are a few of my favorites that won.

Don't Miss the "Grand Prize" shot!
See the rest HERE

2nd Street to a T.

This image makes me smile. A Dad being adventurous and playing with his son. (incase you couldn't tell)
(Image won "Best Family Shot")

My image won top 10!

The Olympics are here (08.08.08 )

Heres why the 2008 Olympics are good (and why I smell Gold)



•USA Mens Basketball=KOBE BRYANT,Dwayne Wade,L.James,Chris Paul,Jason Kidd,Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh,Tayshaun, Boozer, Chris Bosh,Carmelo, Michael Redd and Deron Williams



•The best beach volleyball womans duo in history. We have them...Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh


•Michael Phelps. The kid isn't human. he is a fish. Go Phelpasaurs! (sorry Jon, I had to use your nickname just once on Michael)





Bonus, it'll be fun to watch:
Spain's Pau Gasol. (Basketball)
China's Yao Ming (Basketball)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt (Track and Field)
China's Liu Xiang (Track and Field)

Although this has been a particularly sticky Olympic situation with the whole communist government and all, but we support a communist government everytime we buy an iPhone or a pair of cheap sunglasses. (or make a trip to Cuba)

I find this a little Disturbing, but how else did they come up with that funny logo?


An Architectural Olympic challenge? Which wins the gold?

GOLD

Quite the building... (you know how everything in this country is phallic? Well, I think in China, its opposite)

SILVER

Say hello to the Birds Nest. Another Venue for Athletic Events at the Olympics.

BRONZE

Let the Games begin!

Shot of the Week (Kristen Kassinger)

She's taken over my blog the last few weeks due to our recent photoshoot. Kristen now has a "Shot of the Week" on my blog... so her career is MADE! haha... if only it were like that... I'd have alot more how do you say it? Oh yeah "Friends" Plus alot more "CASH"...but no... this is just for my own satisfaction, so I can convince myself that I can take a decent picture once in awhile.

I'll be considering her in my next big project...but I'm not leaking any clues just yet!

••••••••••••
I love this shot, taken with my Canon 5D with the 85mm 1.2 lens. The warm light behind her, the hat, the style, it just reminds me of a day at the beach... thats why its my favorite shot this week.

Alright, I'm sore from working out, I'm tired from editing pictures: I'm off to sleep!

-Samuel

P.S. I just realized I'm into Hats...big hats... my last 2 "Shots of the week" have been taken with my model wearing a large hat! Crazy!!!

Kombucha

Drink it.
Its good for you.
Checkout the stats here.
You might become broke buying this everyday... so learn to brew it yourself.
I've given up drinking any beer this month and I think I'm getting.


Kombucha tea will rock your body (in a good way)
Want the run down? click HERE
A fan of MayoClinic? Yeah, HERE's what they have to say
$4.99 per drink can add up fast... but while I'm not buying 3 beers a week, it'll equal out.
Plus there is a small trace of alcohol in each bottle so you can get toasted! (due to the fermentation) 20 bottles is roughly the same amount of alcohol as one beer!
Cheers to eating, drinking and thinking healthy!

Artist of the Month

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
link

They're awesome.
I saw their first show while I was in Seattle and let me tell you something... it was like no other first show you've been too. It was more like a last show. Hype up to their ears. Enough good music to make Mt. St. Helens erupt again... or maybe to start another...errr... ok uncalled for, good-call Samuel.
My point being: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is smokin good and their only going to get better.
Go checkout their newest EP. "We'll be recording our Album in about 2 weeks" said Benjamin the lead vocalist and guitar player. He mentioned over a plate of thai food that he was giving Marshall the bands extremely talented 13 year old drummer a little break from their once a day for an hour drum practice.
Marshal and Benjamin's story is nearly as remarkable as their music... marshal was adopted by Benjamin's family at the age of 1 and a half. About 4 years ago Benjamin took him under his wing and became a father figure to him, being a part time brother part time father. Traci, Benjamin's young wife who is also in the band plays an intricate part in both of their lives...
I'm proud to know them and more proud to watch them rock. I took some photos of them doin there thing... I'll drop some shots on here when I can.

For now... check out their MUSIC! and the hyped up youtube videos with fantastic use of green screens and humor as dry as the air in Denver.



Cheers!








OH and guess what else! They're third show ever will be played with "The Walkmen" BAM!
&&&& Signing with Arcade Fire's record label?
+ The best drummer I've seen in a longtime. he's only 13?? ShushYourMouth!
I'm not even going to describe their music. Just go to their myspace already!

BONUS:
One of their videos.



Want more?? CLICK

Reebok Pumps

Yes, I own them now.
They make me jump high.
Not 80's more like 1991...but hey, they're pretty fresh.
I have the light blue and orange ones. Jo-Dilly has the black and blue ones... also very selective.
Thanks for the birthday present Sonora!

CAMPING v.I

Whiskey

My girlfriend is amazing

Jo-Dilly is moving to Long Beach!

Looks like Kaden tasted my beer.

Thats what drinking will do to you.

Just relaxin... thats my pops.

Brake issues.

The Lake.

Camping should be like this all the time.

S'mores.

In full swing here at the studio.
Working on: Albums,Responding to emails,setting up shoots,sending in my camera for repair/cleaning,keeping the good vibes streaming in. (Go look up "Hercules & Love Affair")
So yeah.
Heres some shots from the trip. More to come, but I need to get them from Ira in NY. Thank Jesus for our server!

And Tradition Highs and Lows of the trip:


HIGHS:

10. Being with Family
9. Meeting my new Nephews (Sol and E-man, not their real names. HA!)
8. Introducing Audrey to my parents and Glory and baby Kaden for the first time.
7. Watching "Mt.St. Helen's Vietnam band" play their first show. (Go check them out!)
6. 1am firework show on the beach...yes, we lit them with matches.
5. Trip to Seattle with Sonora. Original Starbucks. New Reebok Pumps.Delicious milk shakes!
4. Playing with my Nephews. I nearly changed my name to "The human Jungle gym"
3. Yeast Toast and Tomatoes with the family...such good memories.
2. Jumping off a 65' cliff with Ira.(photos on the way)
1. Splashing fight in the canoe with Josiah until we filled the canoe and then flipped it.

LOWS:
6. Not having our luggage until the 2nd day.
5. The incident in QFC...the lady wouldn't let me buy champagne because Audrey was with me and she didn't have her ID)
4. Loosing in Tennis
3. Rain the first night of camping.
2. Getting stuck in the "Stanwood funk" for a day or so... so depressing.
1. Not being able to hold my new nephews.


Alright, there you have it.
My highs and lows, some pictures to hold you over and finally a new blog post right!!!

Subway Human Mirror

I love this. The people that instigate these projects are so clever.



It just goes to encourage creativity.
Get out more, be creative.