Unplugged

New websites all around. . .

2007-03-15T16:04:00.001-04:00

A lot has happened since we started this photoblog in Taiwan. . . Unplugged Photography is now officially a business capturing families and wedding days all over the Southeast.

To see Unplugged's official portfolio, go to : http://www.unpluggedphotography.com

To see the new photoblog, go to: http://blog.davidshirkphotography.com

Hope you enjoy what you see - and don't forget to reset your browser!

David and Arianna

We're outta here

2006-04-27T11:43:00.000-04:00

Unplugged will continue at http://davidunplugged.my-expressions.com. Bookmark it, RSS it, whatever you need to do! Thanks!

2006-04-17T12:28:00.000-04:00

Make sure to check out the new Unplugged - http://davidunplugged.my-expressions.com

Happy Easter

2006-04-15T08:56:00.000-04:00

Make sure to check out the new Unplugged - http://davidunplugged.my-expressions.com/

2006-04-14T14:46:00.000-04:00

Playing dress-up

2006-04-12T16:08:00.000-04:00

Time for a change. . .as our family and friends know, we have a written blog - www.davidandari.com which has become very sporadic since Madeline has arrived. We had it reconfigured so we can post pictures - so if you like the family, stop on by.
As for this site, it's days are numbered - I'm moving house to http://davidunplugged.my-expressions.com/ For the next week or two, I'll post on both, but go ahead and bookmark me if you want to keep up to date with Unplugged!

2006-04-10T00:20:00.000-04:00

Chip, Troy, and Dave

2006-04-07T20:28:00.000-04:00

Exploits of an afternoon hanging out with my brother-in-law. . . and yes, that was Superman's true haircut.

2006-04-04T13:41:00.000-04:00

Bryce walking Paula down the aisle.

2006-03-31T13:51:00.000-05:00

2006-03-28T10:49:00.000-05:00

As you can see, Madeline is growing up fast. We hit a milestone this morning - I put a bottle in her hands, went in the other room, and she drank it all by herself! Afterwards she asked to borrow my car. . .

Clara

2006-03-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

Tulip Abstracts

2006-03-23T07:24:00.000-05:00

"Nice flowers. . . Did you buy them for me, or to take pictures of them?"

"Well, um. . . Both!"

Infrared Icon

2006-03-20T20:40:00.000-05:00

Meg

2006-03-16T08:45:00.000-05:00

I've been having a debate in my mind for quite some time about what Unplugged photoblog should be. I really like to take pictures, and over the past few months, I've been posting what I'm currently working on, which ranges all over the map. But the best responses I've received are generally to pictures I've done in a paid shoot (which is a very good sign) or to Madeline (no suprise there). So over the coming months, I may post less frequently and try to aim for quality rather than quantity.

That said, this is still a blog, rather than my portfolio, so I'd like to maintain a sense of artistry and creativity beyond the normal stills from a shoot. . .

Tulips

2006-03-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

More Madeline

2006-03-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Oenology Part I

2006-03-09T10:21:00.000-05:00

I spent the past few minutes browsing through filmwasters.com, a site dedicated to B&W film photography - guess you could say I was inspired:)

Cowboy Mouth

2006-03-06T14:41:00.000-05:00

Reflections on Work

2006-03-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

Last rays of daylight reflected in the front door of the restaurant.

Cade

2006-03-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hannah

2006-02-27T15:17:00.000-05:00

Madeline's first friend :)

Madeline's Blue Hat

2006-02-24T12:28:00.000-05:00

Blue Eyes

2006-02-22T11:33:00.000-05:00

Avery, 5 Weeks.

Aborigine Wedding

2006-02-13T10:38:00.000-05:00

Watch the Birdie

2006-02-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

Michael & Tess

2006-02-08T18:39:00.000-05:00

Red Sunflower

2006-02-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

This one is almost exactly a year old - winter in Taiwan was pretty mild, and there was a beautiful flower festival in January & February. I may get off the flower kick soon - or maybe not ;)

Alone

2006-02-03T00:04:00.000-05:00

Reversal

2006-01-31T23:31:00.000-05:00

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2

Bars

2006-01-30T12:24:00.000-05:00

Toys and the "Photobooth"

2006-01-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

Chip

2006-01-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

My favorite guitar pickin' partner, good friend, and brother-in-law! Check out his music at http://www.chiphouston.com.

Sweet Girl

2006-01-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

The Look

2006-01-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

Anthropomorphism

2006-01-19T10:36:00.000-05:00

Touch

Kiss

Stained Glass

2006-01-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

My father-in-law is a Lutheran pastor and a great weekend woodworker - this is one of his crosses, held up by a church kids.

Kiss

2006-01-15T17:32:00.000-05:00

Dragonfly

2006-01-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

Looking through some old pictures and found this guy - I really do like taking pictures of nature, but they are few and far between these days. As soon as it's warm, though, Madeline and I will have some outdoor adventures!

Wake vs. Duke

2006-01-10T15:58:00.000-05:00

The student section

It was a great game until the last ten minutes. Duke went up by 15, everyone left and we walked up to the front row to take a few pictures!

The Girls

2006-01-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

Look! Color! Contrary to popular belief, our baby is not actually Black & White :)

Fastball

2006-01-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

Drew is an awesome high school pitcher and a good friend of ours!

Towel Monster

2006-01-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

Thanks Alli!

'68 Gibson

2006-01-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

Only in Nashville does a photo shoot turn so easily into a jam session!

Gradient Map

2005-12-30T08:11:00.000-05:00

We did some picture of Chip and Alli over Christmas. The gradient map is one of my favorites in the artsy conversions we tried. What is a gradient map? All versions of Adobe photoshop contain the gradient map tool- they are useful for finding edges of light/dark. So on this particular map the highlights are red, shadows blue, and the various in-between shades of gray with violet, cyan, and green.

Immediate practical use - as I learn more about photography, I am beginning to think more about facial features - what makes this person distinct and beautiful. The gradient map really accentuates Alli's cheekbones, the curve of her neck, and the different shades in her hair. For chip, the map shows off his strong jaw, smile/smile lines and oval shape of his face.

Moreover, in my mind, the gradient map makes them look like superheroes!

Sleeping Santa

2005-12-18T21:55:00.000-05:00

Hope you all have a fabulous Chrstmas! I'm going to "unplug" for the next week or so as we travel and enjoy some family time. See you soon!

Wood-oven

2005-12-16T15:28:00.000-05:00

It's been a chilly past few days in Winston-Salem. Due to ice and power outages, most of the restaurants in town closed down and we were slammed. At one point the computers went offline, but the chefs were still grilling up a storm as everything in the kitchen burns either wood, charcoal, or gas. During the dead of winter, the oven is also a great place to warm up your hands and have a good chat as you watch the pizzas bake!

Santa Rooster

2005-12-15T00:38:00.000-05:00

Lucky Man

2005-12-12T00:48:00.000-05:00

Girl time

2005-12-08T23:56:00.000-05:00

2005-12-08T23:48:00.000-05:00

Happy!

Wachovia Settlement

2005-12-06T22:19:00.000-05:00

Wachovia - the first Moravian settlement in NC in 1749. The foundations from the first homes still remain, next to a reconstruction of the old houses.

Carolina Blue sky in the church windows

Moravian Love Feast

2005-12-05T00:58:00.000-05:00

The Moravians were descendants of the earliest church reformers in what is now the Czech Republic during the 1500's. They later moved to Germany, seeking refuge from persecution, and then traveled to the new world, settling in Pennsylvania and North Carolina in a little settlement named Wachovia (like the bank).
The lovefeast celebrates the church community and unity.

Moravian Star

Sandra

2005-12-03T10:44:00.000-05:00

Meg and Eric

2005-12-01T23:47:00.000-05:00

Cross

2005-11-27T17:55:00.000-05:00

We had Madeline baptized today, which for us Lutherans is a big deal - like Catholics, we believe that baptism is a sacrament/vehicle through which children receive Christian faith. Arianna's father performed the ceremony, absolving her of sin and sprinkling water on her head as a symbol of new life. Afterwards he held her up for the church to see, announcing, "I present to you Madeline Grace, the newest child in the kingdom of God." Awesome!

2005-11-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

Sleeping 2

2005-11-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

Sleeping

Little One

2005-11-23T12:40:00.000-05:00

2005-11-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

Nap Time

2005-11-20T10:42:00.000-05:00

Looking Up

Foot

Little Hand

2005-11-18T08:51:00.000-05:00

Promise

2005-11-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

Arianna's father had this ring designed when she was born. The two rings are a symbol of husband and wife, and the diamond in the middle is for the new baby, meaning, "You and I will always be united, and this child will be a blessing on top of our love." Needless to say, Arianna cried when Mom handed her the ring.

I have heard it said, that the most important thing in having a child is to put marriage first - we're sure if we look after each other, there will still be plenty of love left for Madeline:)

2005-11-16T12:50:00.000-05:00

Daddy's Girl

2005-11-15T10:13:00.000-05:00

Madeline Grace

2005-11-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

We just had our first baby girl last night! If you're interested in the extended version, we've got some more pictures up on a shutterfly album.

2005-11-10T12:22:00.000-05:00

Marilyn

You wouldn't believe who I ran into the other day!

Impressions of Autumn

2005-11-08T13:32:00.000-05:00

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2

3

4

2005-11-07T12:53:00.000-05:00

Bull Yaks

2005-11-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Tying up the Foals

Another favorite from our journey through Mongolia, partly because of the display of raw emotion as wild animal is being subdued. To keep track of their animals, the herders would tie up the young horses every morning, ensuring that the mares would stay nearby.

2005-10-28T13:49:00.000-04:00

Lauren

Window Falls

2005-10-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

Beautiful part of Hanging Rock State Park, just an hour north of Winston-Salem.

2005-10-24T14:08:00.000-04:00

Jump!

2005-10-20T10:48:00.000-04:00

"...and you can be my cowgirl"

We'll miss you - have fun, and come back soon!

Susan & Brenna

2005-10-16T14:22:00.000-04:00

2005-10-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

Just a Spoonful of Sugar. . .

Sweet!

2005-10-11T00:04:00.000-04:00

Scarecrow

Fall is coming to our little neighborhood, bringing cool weather, rain, and decorations. Guess we need to get out to the pumpkin patch soon!

Scarefoot

2005-10-07T17:01:00.000-04:00

Roses are Red?

So this is a little brain puzzle for your Friday - what's unusual about this picture? Hope you have a great weekend!

p.s. guess your answer, if you care to, and then click this link

2005-10-05T09:51:00.000-04:00

Spotlight on Focaccia

2005-10-04T00:24:00.000-04:00

Though I do still have a plethora of Asia pictures left to share, I feel like a photoblog should journey through life at the present (or at least remotely present). So these are a few images from the beginning of a new journey - to incorporate photography into daily life, a process that will hopefully help me notice, appreciate, and ultimately revel in that which I have often-times considered mundane.

2005-10-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

Self-Portrait

2005-09-28T00:02:00.000-04:00

Expectation

2005-09-26T19:30:00.000-04:00

Flame

2005-09-24T11:50:00.000-04:00

Pipe Dreams

Nowhere are the half-truths of advertising more prevalent than in the great game of golf. More carry/pure distance is literally a joke on this $8 course, where nary a ball has ever traveled farther than 200 yards, and the majority end up bounding precariously through the nearby roadway. But it embodies the quintessential American dream - to get something for nothing. So here's to the great golf ball that carries years of lessons, practice, and hard work along on it's happy flight!

2005-09-22T00:11:00.000-04:00

Last Place

Without a doubt my favorite image from Mongolia. Taken at the finish of a Nadaam festival horse race; a twenty kilometer sprint across the steppe. I would stand in dead center of the finish line snapping away as the horses galloped inches from me. The riders are all young boys and girls, who by the end of the race are as exhausted as the horses. The sight of this boy, in dead last, whipping his horse maniacally in a vain effort for glory as he thundered across the plains struck me powerfully. He rode as if all existence were summed up in hoofbeats and sweat, sun and dust; oblivious to the race and its finish, eventually melding as a speck into the earth from which he came.

2005-09-20T22:04:00.000-04:00

Baby Shower

2005-09-20T22:03:00.000-04:00

Troy

Brian

Troy and Steph

2005-09-20T01:16:00.000-04:00

Walking on Water

2005-09-19T08:59:00.000-04:00

North vs. South

According to the NY Times this morning, North Korea has agreed to abandon its nuclear development program. Should it be true, the American military and diplomats are breathing a big sigh of relief. These are several images from the Demilitarized Zone on the border of North and South Korea, where soldiers stare each other down day after day, and tourists trickle through to watch the fifty-year old chest-thumping contest.
It is largely for show, we learned in subsequent meetings. North and South Korea are on pretty good terms after the former ROK president Kim Dae Jung adopted a sunshine policy and loosened up the borders. The real tension in the conflict is between (suprise suprise) North Korea and the United States.

North Korean Soldier

ROK (South Korea) soldier

2005-09-16T00:21:00.000-04:00

Arianna in the trees

2005-09-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

Mongolia Panorama

Photofriday theme this week is "massive." The Mongolian steppe may be the widest, most open landscape I've ever been to in my life. For scale, if you look at the dead center of the shot, you can see Martha, who is no more than a speck of white. If I ever go again, I am definitely going to invest in a true panoramic camera!

2005-09-13T00:07:00.000-04:00

Mongolian Monastery

2005-09-10T09:21:00.000-04:00

Passing of a hero

Jack is a good friend from work and guitar lessons, who lost his father this week. Russell was a Army Ranger, special operations helicopter pilot, later medivac pilot, and was diagnosed with cancer as he made a late career switch to medical school. I had been told several times that Russell was Jack's hero.
"Okay," I thought, "but every father is their son's hero."
At the memorial service, though, as grown men spoke of Russell, I realized Jack was not the only one who looked up to his father. Russell was simply an extraordinary man who had a huge impact in the lives of people he worked and served with.
It is very tough for Jack - goodness, it was tough for me just to watch. But I can't imagine a better inheritance of patriotism, godliness, and honor.

Jack and Gen. Brown

2005-09-07T15:58:00.000-04:00

Flower

2005-09-05T10:25:00.000-04:00

Toucan Sam - Beijing Zoo

You should immediately notice that I've been tinkering around with the site layout. I killed most of the sidebar, and made some much needed and well-deserved updates to the links list. Also, I've been working on a portfolio - if you know about such matters, please take a look and let me know if I'm on the right track or how to improve it. Thanks and happy Labor Day!

2005-09-03T00:40:00.000-04:00

Sunrise from the Great Wall

Great Wall

Our campsite for a beautiful evening and morning. BTW - not legal, but not uncommon either. It was a little bit disconcerting having the hawkers eye us as we walked in late in the day, but we survived the night without incident.

2005-08-31T00:44:00.000-04:00

Mongolian Cowboy

Don't know what it is about this picture, but I just like it. So here ya go!

2005-08-28T14:34:00.000-04:00

Beach Boy - Hong Kong

I am absolutely amazed by the toy camera shots of Susan B at Outafocus.
Several times on the journey through Asia, I would be somewhere gorgeous, but with absolutely flat, terrible light, making for terrible traditional photos. But flat light with a strong, simple subject smack in the middle make for great toy camera pictures, so I recreated the effect with digital.

2005-08-24T14:22:00.000-04:00

Dot

We got an ultrasound today at 27 weeks. It's official, Dot is a girl! In these pictures, Dot is hugging the umbilical cord - in the top picture you can clearly see her hands. As best we can tell she is healthy and happy - needless to say, we're happy as well!

Dot part 2

2005-08-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

George Burns

A couple of my favorite portraits of Naxi men. George, as we nicknamed him is wearing the famed blue "Mao suit," the dress of the peasantry during the communist revolution.

He

Common Naxi surname pronounced with a soft "e" sound.