All aboard!

I had a great time with Amanda & Jeremy in Chicago on Monday. We took a walk with their dog on the beach then took the train downtown for a drink. Yeah this is my job.

Jon & Alice

Last weekend my bother Jon got married. Thankfully he gave me the day off hiring some real professionals Sara & Steve Spottswood (link to wedding slideshow). I did bring my camera and shot a time lapse of the set up and take down. It was nice to be on the other side of the lens for a change. I got to spend the day with Alice and Jon and the rest of our newly joined families with a cocktail in my hand and not a camera. A cocktail I raised many times in toast of the new couple. "May they grow many leaves...and...Branches." Inside joke sorry.

Alice & Jon from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Cousin Carl

For the last week I have been posting landscape photos from Alaska. Though I love the chance to spend some one on one time with my camera, it doesn't compare to the joy of connecting with my clients. It was a real treat to get to know Sharon & Dan and their blended family. The whole group was so kind to me and treated me like a member of the family. Because the cruise did not allow professional photographers to shoot weddings on board I took the name "Cousin Carl". It is a name that I took with pride. This weekend I will be shooting their Wisconsin reception so I thought it was time to post a slideshow images.

Sharon & Dan from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Last Day.

This is the last of my Alaska landscape posts, they are also some of my favorite images. For me these images are Alaska. All the lakes are replenished by melting glaciers witch makes for murky water but at low tide forms silt beaches. Water trickling down mountain sides creates amazing fractal patterns as they cut through the soft silt. Click the images to see them larger.

Day 5

Just one photo today, but it's a good one. On the fifth day of the cruise we docked in Juno where my wedding was going to take place. In a few more days I will post the wedding photos, for me the best part of the trip was the night of the wedding. The ship had departed Juno and we were on the way to Hubbard Glacier. After loading all the wedding photos on my laptop I opened the bottle of wine in my room and went out on deck with my camera. I took a few photos and watched the lights of the fishing boats move along the water in the distance. Then it happened........ At first I did not know what the single strange light in the sky was. Then another green ripple emerged and another. I rushed to my camera and managed to get off three 30 second exposures before it faded away. I remember laughing while I was taking the photos. The northern light are usually a winter phenomenon so seeing them was so surprising. It's a glass of wine I will never forget.

Sweet Bike Man.....

Before my trip to Alaska I had the privilege of spending some time with friend and co-worker Liz Meyer and her soon to be husband Andrew. It was my first trip to the Meyer home, I thought my parents house was busy. Kids out back playing in the yard, a massive dinner being cooked, and some engagement photos being taken. I had something to do with the last one. The big day less than 2 months away........WHOOOOO! Lizzy is getting married!

Day 4

Day four of my trip was the only wet dock of the voyage, you can see the ship drift in the time lapse. I went to shore with the couple and their family to check out the local park and town. We found all sorts of cool stuff on shore that I will post after in finish the landscape portion of my journey. Tomorrow will be a good one so keep watching.

Icy Strait Point from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Day 3

Ketchikan Timelapse from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

After a day spent high in the tree tops on a zip-line. I had a glass of wine on deck and shot a time lapse of clouds moving over the Tongass National Forest, the largest national park in the US.

Day 2

Day two was one of the windiest of the week at sea. That didn't stop me from getting out on deck and grabbing a few shots.

Bon Voyage

This is the first I have had internet access for the last week. For the last 6 days I have been on a cruise ship in the Alaskan Fjords. It was a great trip and this is just the first of a string of posts with images from the trip. We began our trip in Vancouver where I went to sleep on a full stomach of a Tim Hortons sandwich and donut. The next morning the wedding party and I set sail or picked up anchor.....or what ever a floating city dose.

"Hellooooo Milwaukee"

I had the privilege of shooting Ethan Keller's first Summer Fest show last month. You can hear Ethan on 88.9 Radio Milwaukee by calling their request line. I love the last shot, your a rock star brother.

Wooo Hooooo!

My new website is ready......well almost ready. I am having trouble with the video side of the site but that is beside the point. Click the link below to check it out!

My New Site!

Packing Peanuts

Packing Peanuts from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

This is my first short film. For three months I stayed up to shoot this movie in my apartment. It all began as a few "un-boxing" of a new wedding album to post on my blog. As I looked through the images of the back of my camera it looked like the books were putting them self's into the boxes. it snowballed from there into a short film staring packing peanuts. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

 

I made the call tonight that this was blog worthy. I had the pleasure of taking photos today at the Transformers 3 casting call in Milwaukee. As I made my way through the line I thought I would show some trade mark midwest "friendliness" an offer to help out with my camera. The casting director put me right to work and 2000 people later my face is on the news. You have to watch carefully but I give you a hint. I"m the guy barking orders and holding a camera.

Available Lightning

This is one of those rare occasions where available light is a flash. A really.......really........big flash. Tonight was my first time trying to shoot natures fire works and I left the house with two almost dead batteries. Needless to say I didn't get as many shots as I would have liked, but I like this one.

The Barn

I had some time to kill on Sunday so I shot this time lapse of clouds passing over a farm. An hour of shooting gives me about 17 seconds of video.

Barn from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Time Lapse Day

Villa Terrace from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Tree in Bloom from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Sunday I took a little drive and made a few time lapse images. I have a hard time calling them videos because they are made with a still camera. From now on I will be taking my time lapse rig with me every where.

The Big Show

Friday night was Ethan Keller's CD release party at Club Timbukto in river west. I was there with my camera to grab some shots for Ethan. The show was great! This album will be at the top of my playlist for a long time. Click the link's below to fallow Ethan on twitter and check out his website.

Follow Ethan Keller

EthanKeller.com

The Set Up from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Miller Park......ing

Those of you who watch the blog know that I have been getting into time lapse photography. It has proven to be an exercise in patience and none more than last night. I spend hours watching a parking lot fill and then empty. It was like watching water boil except with out the joy of a cup of tea at the end.

Fill It Up from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Time To Go from Carl Stevens on Vimeo.

Sing it bro!

This weekend my brother plays the lead in the latest Monona Grove High musical. I had the chance to see him preform at one of the dress rehearsals and I got to say it was great. Thanks in no small part to my bro. His character is a smooth talkin' ladies man who rides into town on a motorcycle, which is basically my brother on any Tuesday minus the motorcycle.