Fun pictures

Photos by Frank Kendralla
Nikon D300
Tamron 17-50
Processed in Lightroom 3.x Beta

The Stumps do Dr. Phil: Episode 4 from Victory Family Church on Vimeo.

As a photographer, there are times when you find scenes that are too much fun to pass up.
These two are some fun shots I grabbed of the Stump's house (as seen on Dr. Phil).

A previous episode from Dr. Phil.

The Stumps do Dr. Phil: Episode 3 from Victory Family Church on Vimeo.

Automobile University part 2 – Recommended reading - listening list

Photo by Frank Kendralla
Taken in the lobby of Embassy Suites, Cleveland, Ohio Processed in Lightroom 3.x and Noise Ninja


Automobile University – Recommended reading - listening


Before I start on the list of recommended reading, I want to emphasize the need to listen, read, and study books and other life developing items. I heard many quotes that made an impact on my thinking. What value is the ability to read and how different are you than those that cannot read, if you do not read. Another statement but not quoted exactly. Five years from now, you will be no different than who you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read. (To add one point to this, plus what you implement into your life.)


As I stated in my previous post, I listen to many different Podcast and in the future, I will post a few of my suggestions. Below is an overview of books that I recommend without hesitation. I spend a lot of time traveling and this affords me some “free” time to read and listen to books. I also get up before the birds to add extra time to each day. One thing that I learned over the years is that everyone gets the same amount of time each day. What we do with the time given to us is very critical. Do not forget to spend time in meditation and prayer. Sometimes, a quiet drive or somewhat quiet time on an airplane will give us time to meditate on something we heard or read.


I never was good at keeping my notes organized and therefore I have too many notebooks. If you are an organized note taker, then I suggest keeping a diary like book to organize your life’s notes.


I highly recommend purchasing a wide margin Bible and begin writing your thoughts and notes in the margin of your Bible. Within the Bible, study and learn the Gospel of John, Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians. (For audio learning, obtain an animated copy of the Bible and for study a copy of the KJV by Alexander Scourby.) Once you study and learn these books, study Proverbs and Psalms. These two books will change your thought process.


The following are not in any particular order.

• • For the believer, the book “Chemistry of the Blood” by M.R. DeHaan
• Its not on audio
• • Anything by John Maxwell on leadership – specifically
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership:
• Developing the Leader Within You
• • Dave Ramsey (Anything)
• Total Money Makeover
• Listen to his daily radio show or Podcast
• • Dan Miller
• 48 Days to the work you love
• No More Mondays
• Weekly Podcast
• Blog
• • Og Mandino
• The greatest Salesman in the world
• o He has many other books and if you like his writing style then start on his other books.
• • Napoleon Hill
• o Think and Grow Rich
• • Andy Andrews (All of his audio books are amazing.)
• o The Noticer (A must read – listen)
• o The Lost Choice (Amazing book but it might require multiple times through to obtain all the information since it is filled with amazing truths.)
• • John Miller
• o QBQ (Question behind the question.)
• • Bob Burg, John David Mann
• o The Go – Giver
• • James Allen
• o As a Man Thinketh
• • Glenn Beck
• o Christmas Sweater
• Regardless of political thought, this book will get you thinking. (It isn’t about politics.)
• • David Allen
• Getting things done
• • Zig Ziglar
• Get everything and anything you can from him
• o Podcast
• o See you at the top
• o Biscuits, peas, pump handles (audio)
• • Dr. Bob Jones Sr.
• o Do Right
• • Joe McNally
• Hot Shoe Diaries
• Photography book about lighting and using small strobes
• • Tom Butler – Bowden
• o 50 Success Classics
• • Robert T. Kiyosaki
• o Rich Dad Poor Dad
• • Jay Conrad Levinson
• o Guerilla Marketing
• • Thomas J. Stanley
• o Millionaire Mind
• o The Millionaire Next Door
• o Stop acting rich
• • Dr. Gary Smalley
• o The DNA of relationships

Depending on your pursuits in life, I have many other recommended books. If you are a believer, then I can give you many other authors to begin reading. If you want to learn more about healthy alternatives then I have another collection of books that I started reading in the 70’s that will get you thinking. Photography related books are a different story as well as many other subjects. If you want a movie that will get you thinking, try the movie, “Fireproof” with Kirk Kameron. If you enjoy good wholesome movies, check out Netflix and their amazing collection of hundreds of wholesome family movies. My wife and I enjoy a good life lesson movie and watch many each month via Netflix’s movie collection. If you want to learn about homeschooling or other books on learning, my wife has a collection of must-reads.


I have read countless computer/technology related books and continue to read manuals and other books that enable me to advance this God given talent and skill. Some of the books that I have read are great if you have insomnia and should be marketed as a sleep aid, while others are not good to read at bedtime because you will want to keep reading and not sleep.


I enjoy reading books with quotes and short anecdotes. They supply my mind with witty and fast thoughts. (Not always a good thing when in a business setting but it does bring a quick smile and usually a laugh.)


Finally, study the art of time and life prioritization. Over twenty years ago, I listened to a collection of tapes (I cannot remember the author or exact title) about time prioritization. It changed my thought process on time. We cannot manage time, since each second that goes by, is lost into history forever. However, we can prioritize our time. Value the time you have with your Lord, spouse, and family. This time cannot be regained nor can we change its impact on us.


Love life and live it to its fullest.


dr Frank


www.kendrallaphotography.com
www.frankkendralla.com
www.kendralla.com

Automobile University

Photo by Frank Kendralla

Nearly 25 years ago, I listened to a speech by Zig Ziglar and he discussed the concept of Auto University. He proposed that if we listen to books and other educational audio items as we commute, the average commuter would gain the equivalent knowledge of multiple earned degrees throughout their career. I took his advice and whenever I am traveling (by car, plane, or foot) I am listening to something educational.

During the past two plus decades, I have listened to the dictionary on tape (before the CD and MP3 players), autobiographies, biographies, fiction, fiction based on historical truth, and everything in between. I lost count of the number of books I listened to ranging from best sellers by Zig Ziglar to Tom Peters to Dave Ramsey. There is no doubt I listened to hundreds of books over the years obtaining the equivalent of multiple earned degrees. I obtain my listening material from many different sources. If you are near a library, you can borrow books on CD to play in your vehicle. I purchase books from Audible.com and iTunes. Podcast are one of my favorite methods to learn a subject.

If you enjoy talk radio, find a Podcast about a subject you enjoy and listen to it. Most Podcasts are free and without commercials. However, some do have sponsors but the ads are not obtrusive and usually educational. Rather than the typical commercials played during AM or FM radiobroadcasts.

I listen to many different Podcasts, ranging from Photography to Dave Ramsey (debt free living) to Dan Miller (life and work coach), to inspirational.

Prior to returning to school to obtain an earned graduate and post graduate degree, I listened to at least one hundred books and talks on the subjects I was studying. There is no doubt that this method of study and learning assisted me in finishing my masters and doctorate degree.

If you spend any amount of time commuting, running, walking, etc., consider adding audio books/Podcast to your mix of audio material.

Recently, I finished listening to the book “Outstanding” by John Miller. It is the third book I finished by him. My favorite and in the top ten on my list of recommended books is QBQ (Question behind the Question). I have both the audio and written form of the book QBQ. QBQ is one of the first books I always recommend to anyone who comes to me for advice about building a successful career.

Outstanding adds to John Miller’s previous books and builds upon the importance of customer service. Out of a rating of five, I give it a 3.5 and this is based upon the 5+ that I give to QBQ. It is a very good book but my first recommendation goes to QBQ.

Get out and enjoy the beauty of life!

drFrank
www.frankkendralla.com
www.kendrallaphotography.com
www.kendralla.com

Victory Family Church Rev 80s Mixer

I photographed this event on Feb. 13, 2010 and it was a great time. The teens and workers dressed up in '80's' clothes and danced to a DJ that taught them line dancing and some other fun 'safe' dance steps. There were some of the familiar songs and dances from wedding receptions as well as funny and interesting line dances. Below is a show that contains some of the images and dances.

Get out and enjoy the beauty and fun times of life.

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.kendralla.com

Revolution - Victory Family Church 80s mixer from Frank Kendralla on Vimeo.

Backing up is hard to do

Backing up is hard to do

Years ago, there was a popular song entitled “Breaking up is hard to do”.  Many believe that backing up is hard to do too.  However, if you do not back up, there is a day when you might lose critical and irreplaceable data.  It might be pictures, files, memos, or financial data.   An old saying states, “it isn’t if your hard drive will fail but when will your hard drive fail”.  If you have used technology for any length of time, there is no doubt either you or someone you know lost important files due to a drive crash. 

This might be the flash drive on your cell/smart phone or the hard drive on your laptop/desktop computer but hard drives crash and take valuable information with them.  Many folks use their smartphone as a camera and it contains important images and small videos.  Backing these files up are critical too.  Do not keep weeks or months worth of images on your smartphone without backing the files up to your computer or other online storage method. 

As a photographer, I use many different steps to avoid losing data.

1. After the event, I immediately move the files to my hard drive
2. The flash card is stored in a safe until the files are processed and backed up in two other locations.
3. I do not reuse the card until the files are processed and backed up.  Flash cards are very affordable now and there is no reason to reuse a card until the files are backed up in multiple places. 
4. I use backblaze as one of my backup solutions.  http://www.backblaze.com/
5. A second online backup of my work is via my smugmug account, which hosts all of my images and serves as the portal for my printing.

Once the images are processed and backed up on a remote server, I burn a DVD of the images. 

Using two local hard drives and local backup software is another solution to the backup issue.  Many photographers use a DROBO for their local and remote storage needs.  Many different solutions can fill an entire book and web site and in future posts we will discuss rescue software and other solutions.  

Whichever method you select, do not neglect backing up your precious photos and other files.

“dr Frank”

www.kendrallaphotography.com

www.frankkendralla.com

Blendtec vs VitaMix

Blendtec vs VitaMix

What does this have to do with photography, weddings, or portraits? Very little to Nothing :-D However, if you do visit us for an engagement or portrait session, there is a chance you will get a ‘killer’ organic chocolate and banana smoothie, sweetened with Agave and a touch of Stevia. Rarely can someone drink just one glass.

Many will call me a ‘health nut’ (vs a sickness nut :-D). I have been studying and following health related items since my teens in the early 70’s. (Yes, the 1970’s.) Over three decades ago, we started using a Vita Mix and we have owned many different models. Our current model is a white VM5000 with two different containers. When I am not traveling, I ‘juice’ nearly every day and suggest to everyone that buying a VM is a great investment in their health and life.

We make smoothies, fruit drinks, soups, and many other items in our Vita Mix. Recently, I saw an ad for the Blentec and while in Costco my wife and I watched a demo. Immediately, she was sold on the Blentec. Why? Because of the programmed controls, smaller size (height and footprint), and container that does everything compared to the taller Vita Mix which does not fit under the cabinets.

We bought it immediately and started using it in place of our Vita Mix. I am sad to say but we have not used the Vita Mix since we purchased the Blentec. Is it better than the Vita Mix? Maybe, but it has many better features which will cause us to replace the Vita Mix with the Blentec.

· The shorter height is an advantage

o We can store the Blentec with container on our counter and it fits under the top cabinet. This is a tremendous advantage since we needed to store the Vita Mix under the counter and bring it out each time we use it.

· Programmed settings

o This is no big deal for me but my wife loves this feature

§ She can put the ingredients in for soup, select the soup button and walk away without watching the machine.

§ 90 Seconds later it turns off and piping hot soup is ready from fresh ingredients (veggies and spices)

o I have used the Vita Mix for so many years that I knew the exact method for making a great smoothie, soup, or salsa. However, what I like is that I can walk away and it turns off automatically without intervention from me.

· No need for a tamper

o Another feature that my wife likes

§ Another item not on the counter and not to clean

o For me, this is a nice feature but not a deal maker

· Container

o This is what sold me on it

§ The design is different and it makes a complete item better (IMHO). It has a different shape and larger opening, which makes the need for the tamper obsolete.

§ I find it much easier to pour into a cup or bowl from the rounded square edge compared to the Vita Mix.

o My wife likes the container too

§ It is much easier to clean

· Larger motor and different blades

o This is the only technical item I am comparing

§ Blentec has a 3 HP motor and the Vita Mix has a 2 HP motor

§ This appears to cause the machine to make a much smoother smoothie and hotter soup.

· Recipe book

o The Vita Mix book and on line recipes are much better. They are geared for the consumer and offer a larger variety.

· Noise level

o They are both very noisy

§ Regardless of what you read or ‘hear’ from a sales pitch, they are very noisy and when I make my breakfast smoothie, I take the machine in our basement laundry room and close the doors. Otherwise, the entire house would jump out of bed.

o I need to find or build a solution to this issue. When I arrive home late and want to make a lite warm meal in the Blentec/Vita Mix and the family is watching TV or reading, using this causes the TV to go to extreme loud :-D.

So do we plan to keep it? Yes

We bought it from Costco and it came with an extra 4-year warranty, which extends it to seven years. That combined with Costco’s very liberal return policy is a deal maker for us.

I plan to put it through the paces of daily use for the next thirty to sixty days before I sell our Vita Mix.

What is my favorite recipe?

I have a few:

• Organic Chocolate and banana
• Fresh veggie soup
• Mango Banana with a few veggies and flax

Frank Kendralla

Wedding and portrait photography site:

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Frank Kendralla Portfolio:

www.kendralla.com

Picking a date and time for your Wedding

Picking a date and time for your wedding is very challenging.  We will start with the date; do you want a spring wedding?  Is there a special day that you want to remember?  I know of one bride that selected the exact date when they started dating for their wedding.  Others will select dates that match the year.  In 2010, the month of October (10) is popular since it is in the month.  10.2.10 appears to be a busy date for weddings.  10.10.10 is another busy date.  After you select the date, the time is another critical factor.

If you select a Friday date, then the ceremony is usually later in the day to ensure the guests have time to arrive without missing work or time to travel.  However, if it is a Friday in the late fall or winter then there are other challenges to face concerning pictures and travel.  In the north east, a sunset becomes more of a challenge due to shorter days.  Therefore, outdoor pictures might need to take place prior to the ceremony or the day after.   If outdoor pictures are not important or available then creative shots within the venue are necessary. 

Therefore, if the wedding is in the late fall or winter and late in the day, search out venues that have areas that can make creative shots.  Another item to consider is the distance between the ceremony and the reception.   Some weddings occur mid-day on Saturday.  Rather than the reception ending late in the night, it ends late in the afternoon providing time for after the reception images.   

Regardless of all these factors, the date and time you choose is up to you since the date will remain special to you.   For me, Feb. 14, is a very special date.  It is the date we were engaged and later that same year, Oct 14; (nearly 32 years ago) we married. 

Have fun picking the date, make it special and enjoy your day!

Wedding and portrait photography site:

www.kendrallaphotography.com

Frank Kendralla Portfolio:

www.kendralla.com

FrankNDroid - Introducing my Droid

The above image is from Verizonwireless.com

Droid window mount

In the past, the majority of my posts were directly photography related. As I move forward with this blog, I intend to add a little flavor from my life that might be indirectly photography related but it will have a twist of my life and personality in it.

A few months ago, I purchased the Motorola Droid as my primary cell phone. This is the first ‘Smartphone’ (that I owned) that IMHO lived up to its hype. I waited for a long time for Verizon to get the iPhone. I would have purchased the iPhone over the Droid since it did/does a few things the Droid doesn’t do. (There are a few aps on the iPhone for photographers that I would love to have on my Droid.)

Prior to purchasing the Droid, Verizon called me on a regular basis and reminded me that I was eligible for a new phone. My response was always the same; I am waiting for the iPhone or something similar. Sir, you can purchase the (fill in the blank with the hottest not so smart phone).

One of the best features of the Droid is the built in real-time GPS. I had the GPS in my Blackberry Curve but it wasn’t the same. I saw it in the Storm and Pearl but they were not the same. As long as I have my phone with me, I have a GPS unit, which is amazing!

I am on the road traveling multiple times per month and in multiple cities per week/day some months. The real-time GPS is invaluable for me for many reasons. One reason is the ability to easily navigate to an address without prior notice or planning. A few weeks ago, I received a call from my daughter stating that she broke down on a busy road nearly one hour from me. She was able to get the vehicle off the road and made her way to a local business (she had her son with her too). I asked her to send me the address via a text message knowing that I could use the information directly from her text message into the ‘navigation’ app in the Droid. I didn’t need to worry about finding a printer (to print off directions from the internet) since I was in my car and normally do not carry a printer with me. Nor did I need to look at small directions on my cell phone that I pulled up from the internet.

I put the Droid in the car docking station, plugged in the car charger, and within the hour, I ‘rescued’ my daughter and her son. (It was his birthday and the entire trip he sat in my back seat with his cake on his lap.) (I didn’t mention this took place immediately after a snow storm and many street signs were covered with snow.)

How valuable is the GPS within the Droid? Invaluable!

FrankNdroid
Please visit:
www.kendrallaphotography.com