Randy Pausch passes at 47...

Randy Pausch, Professor at Carnige Mellon University in Pittsburg, Was a personal inspiration to me and Millions of other people around the world. His words are a constant reminder that things are never as bad as they seem, and of why we need to live a life that inspires others. He succumbed to pancreatic cancer early Friday morning at home in Virginia. While he didn’t live that long in years (47), his life was a luminescent falling star that touched so many of his students, watchers and readers of the “Last Lecture.” which you can watch below. As Randy himself put it in remarks to CMU graduates recently and demonstrated through his life, “We don’t beat the Reaper by living longer. We beat the Reaper by living well.”

Live well, Nick...

Lori and Jamie

Last Saturday we had the pleasure of working with Lori and Jamie at their wedding in Hamilton. It was a beautiful day for a wedding with alot of character. Lori's dress was amazing and she looked wonderful in it. The black accents in her dress really brought the whole wedding theme together and the reception was a blast! Enjoy the images below and click 'Find a Wedding" to the left to view all the images.

I'm a GODFATHER...

I really cant tell all of you how proud I am that I've become a Godfather! Ellie Morgan McElroy was baptized yesterday morning at Holy Angels. Mike and Cheryl - Ellie's parents have been friends of mine for years and I'm really honored they asked me to be her godfather!

808 goes MySpace...

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you all know of the new myspace url: www.MySpace.com/808studios

If you are in need of a link for a web show or images for your myspace page just become our friend and drop us a note!

- The Godfather

Lindsey and Dave

Well last Saturday the Girls and I had the pleasure of photographing an old friends wedding. Lindsey and Dave met 8 years ago and dated through High School and College, so it was really just a matter of time, or the purchase of a ring, before I got the call and the opportunity to photograph one of the coolest weddings ever! Now if you were there you might say "Hey Nick, It was so hot my shoes melted to the pavement." You'd be right! That humidity from the rain in the early afternoon sure made it balmy, but at least it went away and we could shoot outside because we got some lovely stuff after the ceremony. My favorite part of the reception was the Mariachi band, Ive shot hundreds of wedding and this one was my first. What a cool touch! You and watch the show below and click 'Find a wedding' on the left to view all the images. Don't forget to post your comments below the show for Lindsey and Dave!

Play on words...

Found this website called www.wordle.net All you have to do is paste a bunch of text into a box and it comes up with neat work art - like those magnets on your refrigerator! Heres what I got with the text from my website.

Senior update...

I thought everyone would want to see some of the Senior Portrait work we've done here lately. I made a new page for the seniors on our website, juct click "Senior Portraits" to the left!

Impress yourself, others will follow..

All I can really say about this image is BOOYAH! Its a once, maybe twice a year thing that I impress myself and this image of Senior representative Danny Ogg is one of those. We trekked out to one of those special spots no one knows about (You know the side of the road) for a sunset shot with him and his MG last week.

Where inspiration comes from...

Ashley and Brian got married this past Sunday at Polen Farm in Kettering. This was one of those weddings you start to look forward to when you first meet the Bride and Groom. Ashley and Brian put their own personal touch on everylittle thing and made it one of the most unique weddings we've had in a long time, which is always inspirational when it comes to creative images. On a personal note, I really want to send out a heartfelt thanks to Ashley and Brian, they were up for anything I wanted them to do and I didnt hear a peep from them or the wedding party about being outside all day in the heat! And a big thanks to their families, especially Ashley's Mom Edith, She put in lots of work to make it all perfect and did a wonderful job! Enjoy the show below and check out all the images by clicking 'Find a Wedding' to the left.

Tara & Josh

Wedding season is definitely here, and while I really enjoyed last weekend off, It was great to get back to my passion, shooting weddings! Tara and Josh got married at Beavercreek Golf Club and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day - ok, maybe a bit less heat! Tara & Josh were troopers, along with the wedding party, when it came to shooting outside but we were all glad to hit the reception and the a/c.

The reception was a blast! They exited in the true spirit of July with the biggest sparklers I've ever seen - four footers! Best wishes to Tara & Josh....

Carroll Seniors everywhere!

Sometimes it seems all the high school seniors in the area have no idea there's a great Senior Portrait Artist right down the street, accept for Carroll! Nearly 90% of our years seniors are Carroll students and truth is, we don't mind a bit! We recently had '09 grads Evan Pridmore and Mike Escobar in the studio for their sessions.

Evan plays baseball (see intimidating image above) and is a member of a seemingly 'rockstar' group known as flag patrol - Those red and blue paint covered spirit leaders at all the Carroll football games waving the flags.

Mike Escobar is that football team leading, does whatever it takes attitude, doesnt let it go to his head kind of guys. Carrolls quaterback, and I'm sure, man on campus that all the women want to sign their yearbook! We shot the images above at a shady backdoor laden alley that was just too cool, and of course, Carroll's home field.

At the old ball game...

I had last weekend off from weddings, luck of the draw, or so I thought. After a few calls I got the guys together for a ballgame in Chicago, and dubbed it my best friends Bachelor party. But not any ball game, this was Sox vs Cubs, crosstown rivals! I won't be able to be in his wedding, I have one to shoot that day for a client, so I thought I'd treat and it was worth every penny. These kind of weekends are the whole reason we all do what we do day in and day out. I needed to recharge my batteries, and just kick it with the homies. Luckily I was able to do that and be reminded of just how great friends can be, cause when it comes down to it they're all you really need.

The birth of an Americans dream...

Today is the fourth of July, 2008, Appropriate for the birth of an americans dream. This is the blog of Shooting for the Soul. Shooting for the Soul is a project I came up with a few years ago to help charitable organizations raise funds during the holidays that would go to families less fortunate than me. This blog is a dedication to those who will be changing the world with their contributions and a center for news and sessions that will be "that little idea that changed the world." The flag in the image above belonged to my Grandma, Margaret J Stratemeyer. She was one of the largest inspirations in my life and one of the many reasons I started Shooting for the Soul. A few weeks before her death in 2007 she told me the most important thing in life is to be happy, doing this and impacting the world with change has brought me much happiness. A heartfelt thank you to her and everyone who has encouraged me with their insight. Miss you beautiful!