I’ve been waiting to post these images for about 4 weeks now.  In January, I traveled with a good friend of mine, Cliff, and my uncle, Merle, to Uganda.  It was a quick trip (just 8 days in country) which seemed too short, but the three of us all left families and businesses behind, so we had to squeeze a lot into our time.  We were sent from our church to spend some time with this man, George, who I’m proud to call my friend. George oversees about 65 churches in Uganda.  We were meeting with him to get a better sense of what he’s doing there, what his vision and needs are, and to see if there are ways that our church in Pennsylvania might be able to work with him.

We quickly saw that Africa is beautiful. We started off visiting Good Shepherd’s Fold, an orphanage in Jinja, where Merle’s daughter spent a few months working last year.

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10 days later and I find myself back from Africa.  I had traveled with 2 other men from my church to explore ways we might work with some Ugandan churches in meeting some of the needs there, and after nearly 32 straight hours of travel, it was wonderful to see my family again yesterday.  Now I’m hitting the ground running once again, and if you’re waiting for a reply to an email or voicemail, it will be coming in the next day or so.

The trip was incredibly good, and I believe what we gathered will be very useful.  I’ve hardly even begun to process the experience in my head, and I have a feeling it will be some time before I’m able to truly sum it up.  For now, it’s enough to call it a story of redemption, not despair.  That’s about as poetic as I’ll get in my current jet-lagged state.

I brought back many, many images, though I haven’t looked through all of them yet.  As time goes on, I will be sure to share more of them with you, although I believe it may be a while before I’m able to.  This is simply one that I liked visually.  I am looking forward to telling some of the stories that go along with the rest.

I’m headed out of the office for a few days, and will be spending the time in Uganda.  It’s definitely not for vacation, but it will certainly be a change of scenery for me and I hope to come home with some great images that I look forward to sharing at some point.  At any rate, I will be out of the reach of phone and email until returning to the office sometime around January 18, and I’ll be returning emails and calls at that point.  Happy New Year!

‘Tis the season to get up early, work late, and try to meet all of my holiday deadlines.  I make my clients happy but in the shuffle it’s all too easy to postpone time with my own kids.  I swear I’m trying to do better.

Yesterday I actually did do better, and in the afternoon V and I decided to give Kelly a few hours off.  V and I took the train into Philadelphia for a day full of fun, Christmas cheer, and junk food.

I was in full keep-my-3-yr-old-from-running-into-traffic dad mode and not in dutiful-and-creative-photographer mode.  Most of the ones I did take were on my phone since it was easier than digging my “real” camera out of the bag, but I got to be focused on my daughter instead, so it’s for the best.

Favorite part of the day #1: riding on the SEPTA train.

Favorite part of the day #2: Pizza and — more importantly — soda.  The rest of the afternoon was a constant tug of war between an excited child who hardly ever drinks anything with sugar in it, and a dad who was very aware that the drinks he foolishly purchased were decidedly un-kid-sized 16-ouncers that just might require an urgent potty break at any time.

It all worked out.

It was chilly.  Yes, parent police, she had a hat and gloves.

The Macy’s Christmas light show was a big hit, as were the model trains at Reading Terminal Market (favorite stop of the day #3).  By that point we were pretty tuckered.  Homeward bound.

What happens when your 3 year old eats a chocolate ice cream cone and plays with your photo booth app on your phone…

When I was young my dad took me to my first Phillies game at Veterans Stadium.  I don’t remember all that much about it.  I probably had some reading material stowed in my bag, just in case I got bored.  I remember the awe I felt at being in the presence of one of my heroes: the Phillie Phanatic.  I got to see Mike Schmidt, my favorite player, reach over the fence to catch a foul ball instead of letting that kid catch it.  (I no longer think it was selfish of him.)  Dad bought me a program and a miniature baseball bat, which I probably still have somewhere.

Most of all I remember how it felt to walk for the first time into the park, see the lights, and more people than I had ever been around, all cheering.

The Phillies lost to the Mets that night.  And last night they lost to the Nationals.

The Vet is long gone, but Citizens Bank Park is a heck of a place to see a ballgame.  And this time I was the dad, and my daughter was experiencing not just her first Phillies game, but probably her first baseball game of any kind.  She didn’t have much idea of what was going on, but she did know the crowd was cheering, and she got really into it.  She learned how to chant “Let’s  go Phillies!” which from what I’m told by people watching the game at home, got her some airtime on TV.  And she loved seeing the “green monster” dance around on top of the dugouts.

It was magical.

On Saturday morning I woke up, rubbed my eyes, and realized I had that rarest of gifts: a Saturday with my family.  Every Saturday morning Kelly loads up the girls in the ol’ PT Cruiser (don’t judge, now) and heads over to the Phoenixville Famer’s Market, reusable shopping bags at the ready, to take advantage of the local/fresh/organic/delicious goods and mingle with the local/friendly/altogether awesome crowd.  Today, I tagged along and felt right at home.  Our stroller was just one of many, pushed by moms and dads with whom we exchanged knowing looks of solidarity and camaraderie.  (Actually we didn’t, but we could have if we wanted to.)

The Farmer’s Market runs from 9am-1pm every Saturday from May through November, and I can’t wait to go again in the fall when the weather is cooler.  I grabbed a cup of coffee from the Artisans Gallery & Cafe booth and breakfast from St. Peter’s Bakery, and tried to keep up with V, who has been through this routine countless times before.  I should have known that what she really wanted was to play with the other kids at the toy area in the middle.  They have an array of startlingly entertaining wooden food items, which V kept trying to feed me.

When we finally pried her away, it was time to explore.  I was happy to see that there was live music (apparently there almost always is), a wide array of fruits, vegetables, herbs, arts, crafts, candles, popsicles, soaps, wine, bread, pork, buffalo meat, the list goes on and on… all being showcased by people who seemed, without fail, happy to be there and delighted to talk to you.

V is also learning where money comes from (mom), and what you can buy with it (popsicles!  pies!).  She’s still working on the concept of getting change back, however.

More lovely colors and things to look at…

Check out their website for a list of all of the vendors on any given week.  We live in a fantastic area for local food, and for that I’m grateful.  Even if you’re not someone who loves to buy fresh produce and push around a double stroller, the Farmer’s Market is definitely worth visiting.  Walking around I felt like I was on vacation, and I had that unhurried, relaxed feeling you get when life is good.  I’ll be coming back again.

Have you ever been to the Farmer’s Market?  If the answer is yes, what draws you back week after week?  If not, what do you love doing on weekends?  (We’re always looking for amazing local resources!)

Here’s to a safe and happy Independence Day for all of you!  Following age-old American tradition, we took the kids to the parade downtown the morning…God bless mom and apple pie. Our country isn’t perfect, but I’m glad I live here.

After a whirlwind week of shoots and weddings, I’m on a working vacation in Ocean City, NJ with Kelly’s family.  I’m shooting some portraits while I’m here, and my clients who are waiting on their pictures will be glad to know I’m also doing a lot of editing as well, but I’m also taking some time to enjoy the finer things in life.  So for what it’s worth, here are 10 things I love about being at the beach this weekend:

1. Reading.  I’m in the middle of a book that I’d frankly be embarrassed to have on my shelf at home, but here in the sand, it’s exactly what I want.  Spies!  Murder!  Intrigue!

2. Later today I will purchase and consume a bucket — the size of my head — of crab fries from Chickie & Pete’s.  The rest of week I’ll work down the rest of the list of things that can be either deep fried or served in a cone.

3. I’m at an age where I don’t have to pretend to be cool as I walk the boardwalk.  I keep my shirt on and hold my daughter’s hand, and walk at whatever pace I choose.  I am a bit envious, however, of those who are facing 3 months of summer without work or school.

4. Taking my kids to the beach, building sandcastles and running from waves.  We deal with their inevitable meltdowns and sandy swimsuits, but it’s so much fun to watch V get old enough to approach the waves, delighted and terrified at the same time.  This morning it was cool enough to wear a sweatshirt, a bit cloudy, and the beach was empty.  Perfect.

5. Sleeping in.  Yesterday I slept until 11 for the first time in who knows how long.  Thank you, air conditioning and close-to-blackout curtains.

6. Have I mentioned deep fried semi-edibles?  It deserves to be on here twice.

7. It comes as no surprise that I love taking pictures while I’m here.  I also love that I can do it and still leave my big, heavy pro gear in the bag.

8. That smell of sea air.  So long as the wind is blowing the right direction.

9. Making the cashier at the supermarket smile.  I worked down there for a summer once, a long time ago, and know what it’s like.  Those high school and college students who are minimum-wagin’ behind a counter are working hard to make your week at the shore enjoyable, but vacationers can be cranky. I apologetically tried to make up for the malcontent in line in front of me, and I think it worked.

10. Turning off the computer right… now.

This is a bit random (and I’ve mentioned some of this stuff before), but for the past year or so, I’ve been finding that as I look at the pictures I’ve taken for fun, most of them have been with… my phone.  Unlike my DSLR’s and heavy bag of lenses, this camera is always with me, ready for whenever the moment will strike.  Know what else?  It does a pretty darn good job, too.

The best part is that it helps keep me fresh, keeps my eyes open and looking around for beautiful moments, fun colors, interesting people.  It keeps photography fun.  So the next time I head out to photograph a wedding, family, child, or couple, the creative juices are already flowing.

One of the best ways to share these pictures is through Instagram.  If you’re an Instagram user, let me know in the comments section, I’d love to follow you! If you are interested in seeing my stream-of-consciousness collection of pictures I take throughout the day, far more often than I could update this blog, you can follow me as well (username rgestes).

A few recent favorites of mine…