Early Morning Color Palette
Very few things in life can compare to the beauty of an early morning sun rise. I wouldn’t consider myself a “morning person” by any means! But, I understand and appreciate the energizing power of a brand new day. The colors that come alive and start to envelop the surrounding environment is truly inspiring. It seems that they can only be matched by the soft, warm, glow of the setting sun. I always feel a sense of thankfulness whenever I’m up to both document and enjoy a wonderful sunrise.
Young Queen
Happy 21st birthday to my first born child, my young Queen. It’s so hard to process this much time passing by, and what was once my little baby has become a full grown woman! With every passing year I feel both happy and sad. I try to enjoy every moment with you because I know your next steps in life will move you away from me, and I’ll have to learn how to let you go…How did we come this far so fast?! Seems like you were just graduating high school, and now this! No matter what, you’ll always be my baby.
I love you with all my heart!!!
Beautiful Nevada Scenery
The more I visit Nevada the more I fall in love with all of it’s beautiful desert scenery. The colors, textures, and of course the details! I hope to go back soon for more in depth exploration and photo making.
Here are just a few photos from a visit to Red Rock Canyon that I captured with my phone.
Happy Birthday Queen!!!
Wishing Queen Terri a very special and Happy Birthday today!!! I Love You!!!
Melody
I know how much I annoyed you by constantly pointing my camera at you, always trying to take your picture. Now I wish I had taken even more… You were so beautiful to me. I made sure I let you know that every single time I saw you. I didn’t mean to get on your nerves. All I was ever trying to do was capture that glow you had about you. I wanted to preserve and admire it. Now that’s all I have left…these pictures, these memories. You were an angel on this earth, and now you’re an angel in heaven! I love you!!!
Grown Woman
Happy Birthday to my first born. I can’t believe that you’re 20 years old today! Where did all this time go? Sometimes I sit back and think, it really trips me out that you were actually born in the 90’s. I’m so proud of the woman you’re becoming. As a father you make me so happy! I wish you all the best going forward in your life. You’re one of the sweetest people I know and I pray you’ll always stay that way. Oh yeah, you may look just like your mom but, you act just like your old man! 😉 I love you so much!!!
Vegas iPhone Selects
Here are a few of my favorite iPhone photos from a recent trip to Las Vegas. More to come soon…
Rose
Princess Of Color Series Pt.1
My princess of color series was created to depict a more realistic and identifiable image of princesses to young women of color. The idea is to show girls of color that royalty looks just like them, as opposed to the traditional notion that we’ve been conditioned to accept throughout history. The series is meant to convey the message that you are beautiful and important just the way you are, so be proud of the skin that you’re in. Having a daughter myself, my goal is to get more people involved and have more representations from children of all different cultural backgrounds.
This first set of images feature Princess Madison.
(Please click on each image to enlarge)
Grand Rising!
A beautiful sunrise I was fortunate enough to capture, handheld, while out walking one morning last month.
Senior Prom/Learning To Let Go
I remember the day you were born. That day was my very first lesson in learning how to let you go. Having to leave you at the hospital to go to work that night was hardest thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to stay with you, to hold you, look at you, let you become familiar with me. My first child. But I had to let you go…
When you finally came home, each night that I left for work I would be so sad driving away, because I didn’t want to let you go.
When we put you in daycare, it was the first time that I had to leave you alone with strangers, and everyday that I walked out of that door I had to let you go. I would stand in the window and watch you until I didn’t have any time left to give.
Your first day of school, I was so happy for you, but so nervous. When the bus came to pick you up and carry you off I cried like a baby. I stood in the street and watched as the bus became smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappeared. There was nothing I could do, I knew I had to let you go.
Since then, there have been so many moments, so many times where the only thing that I could do was stand by and let you go. It never gets any easier.
Now here we are already, senior prom! Look at you. You’re so beautiful! You look just like your mother…
Once again I have to see you off and let you go. I’m so proud, but so hurt.
I know soon you’ll go off to school, or move out on your own and I’ll have to set you free.
Eventually you’ll meet someone, fall in love, get married, and that’s when I’ll lose you. That’s when my heart will truly break…that’s when I’ll really have to let you go.
I always knew these days would come, yet I’m still not prepared.
I love you so much!!!
You will always be my baby, sometimes I wish you could stay that way.
Why do I have to let you go?…
I never want to let you go!
But I know I must…
Childhood
“Youth is fleeting, as life begins…innocence blows away, like whispers in the wind.”
-Robert N. Jones
Winter Colors
Hello everyone! I just wanted to drop in and post a picture of a beautiful purple plant that I found growing in the downtown area while walking the streets. What caught my attention was how the bold colors stood out amongst the drab winter tones that surrounded it. You don’t see very many colors during the winter season where I live, so I was very happy to have stumbled upon this beauty. I’m not sure exactly what type of plant it is? But never the less, I’m glad that I had my camera with me to capture it.
Autumn Dashiki
The lovely fall colors help accentuate the many colors of this stylish dashiki worn by the beautiful Latrice.
Model: Latrice Hicks
Makeup: Nichele Hardge
1st Of The New Year
Happy New Year to everyone!
My very first post of the new year is a beautiful southwestern sunset captured a few days ago and shot with my iPhone 6 Plus. I know that I haven’t been posting as much, but I have been doing a ton of shooting lately and I have many new exciting images to share in the coming weeks/months. Stay tuned.
Loving The Fall
I’ve been having some very trying times lately, so I wanted to post something positive and show a little love to my favorite time of year. To my surprise there has been more colors in my area than it’s been in years, making it feel much more like a real a autumn season. These colors have lasted much longer than I anticipated, but it appears that they’re rapidly disappearing. I hope to get out and capture one more round of fall colors before they’re all gone. Until then, I hope you enjoy!
(Please click on each photo for a higher resolution view)
Morning Glory
The sun rises early upon another fall morning. I am thankful to witness it’s natural glory.
-Robert N. Jones
Portrait Of My Princess
A simple black & white portrait of my daughter from yesterday as we stood outside enjoying a slight breeze and discussing our favorite foods.
Working With People/Marquetta Poolside
I get asked these questions so much now that it drives me crazy!!! So once again I will address this subject hopefully for the last time?!
“Do you still shoot with people?” Yes!!!
“Are you retired?” No!!!
I really don’t like unnecessarily placing labels on things, especially myself, but if I had to label myself I’d say that I am foremost a portrait photographer. Portraits are what I love to create. Over the past 3 years I’ve taken time away from shooting people as much to concentrate on the other styles of photography that interests me. Because of this decision the local public seems to think that I no longer shoot with people, even though I still post people pictures! Shooting with people, models and children is still what I love to do, but the truth is, I’ve had so many issues with the models AND people where I live that I’ve basically been forced to stop working with them. It’s not that I want to stop, it’s more about being tired of all of the drama in order to do what I love. I know that nothing is perfect and as long as you deal with people there will always be problems, but it should never get to a point where the drama outweighs the fun and starts to steal your joy away. Well that’s exactly what started happening to me. So I made the conscious decision to become extremely selective in who I work with as well as what I post. I know that this has definitely confused many, so to clarify my position, I LOVE SHOOTING WITH PEOPLE!!!
I also love shooting on the street, and I love shooting nature. These are the different styles of photography that interest me the most. But, as long as I have a camera I will shoot ANYTHING that I think is cool, fun, or sparks my interest. I never limit myself as far as what I capture even though I might concentrate on one style more than others at a particular time. What I want people to understand is that my current work reflects my environment. There isn’t an abundance of street photography or nature photography opportunities here, but those opportunities are more readily available to me than capable models are. The bottom line is this, I’d love to shoot with more people, but, until they can act right I will continue to focus on the other areas. As long as I’m busy working on something I’m happy so it’s all good to me!
Now, here is a photo from my most recent test shoot with a beautiful young lady named Marquetta. This was a very loose and fun shoot despite the number of difficulties we encountered. I’ll admit, working with her made me miss all the model shoots, and made me want to jump back into it full steam, but…we’ll see…only time will tell? Honestly I’m not very optimistic about it. I’m just going to keep moving forward, and if I happen to meet people along the way that want to move with me then we’ll do to together. If not, I’ll be fine. I’ve always been a loaner so I’ll always have myself to fall back on.
Morning Blossoms
I really love flowers. I love photographing them even more! Unfortunately there isn’t an abundance or variety of flowers where I live. Walking to my car I spotted these beauties and jumped at the chance to snap a few shots of them. I love all of the bright colors and how the flowers were lined up repetitively. I really wish there was a much wider variety to choose from so that I could build a nice collection to share. Until I can find more I guess these will have to do for now? Anyway, I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Bird Portraits: Part 2
My second set of images in a series of local bird portraits I’ve taken over the past few years.
This time it’s a brown Muscovy Duck
(Please click on each photo for a larger view)
Bird Portraits: Part 1
The first in a series of local bird portraits I’ve taken over the past few years.
First up is the multicolored Muscovy Duck
(Please click on each photo for a larger view)
Breaking The Silence
Wow, my first post in quite a while. This is totally unlike me, as I like to post regularly to stay consistent as well as challenge myself to continually post something. I never planned to stay away for so long because, I really do enjoying blogging. Real life just has a way of changing your plans for you. I’ve made some huge changes recently prompting me to do a lot searching deep within myself. I’ve had both personal and professional difficulties that I’ve been forced to address lately. As artists we’re often confronted with periods of downtime that can lead to huge slumps and even depression. These issue tend to work themselves out with time, and or a healthy dose of inspiration. Unfortunately right now this awkward predicament is my current status. I’m stuck inside a difficult battle within myself. My creativity is in a fierce fight with my reality. My heart wants to be set free but my mind won’t allow me to become too lost in my dreams. I already have the answers that will solve most of my issues, but right now they’re just out of my reach. No worries though, I will continue to push through until I’m closer to where I want to be. Until then I won’t force a thing. I have tons of photos accumulated over the years that I will share as the mood strikes me. I’m confident that eventually I’ll be back up and running at 100% creating even greater work!
If you’ve supported me over the years I sincerely thank you. Things are tough right now but they’ll get better. Stick around!
With all that said, I’d like to share a peaceful image I captured one morning while out enjoying the soft, gentle breeze. I try to find any little moment I can that will ease my mind, allow me to relax and enjoy myself.
Versatility By RNJ 