okay, i realize that i haven't posted anything on the house in over a month. i have been a little embarassed with how long it has taken us to get the inside wrapped up.
we had to have a new home study (for the adoption) for our new home. our social worker who is very easy to work with and has been very kind to us, was unable to completely check the house off because of the unfinished guest bathroom which has remained untouched since the last photos i posted of it. it makes sense. who wants to send a child into a construction zone to be raised.
the middle of last week orders started settling down and i was able to actually really finish the inside of the house. so i promise that when we get back in town i will take pictures of the finished product. not that most of you really care about the inside of my house, but to those of you who have been faithful in the process i owe you the satisfaction of a conclusion. thanks for the support.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
things to come.... hopefully
erin and i do weddings together now. she still calls the shots and is definitely in charge but has let me run with some things as of late. we actually are very different in how we approach photography. sometimes that's stressful but mostly our strengths compliment the others weaknesses.... for example: one of erin's strengths is her undying devotion to auto focus which i often forget to turn back on. she kindly reminds me that if we want to keep taking peoples pictures our shots should be in focus. it's a good point i think though i just call the blurry ones "artistic".
one of the coolest things about this past year of starting our combined business, has been figuring out where we each fit into the puzzle. amazingly we don't overlap all that much which just helps to confirm what we are doing.
one of my jobs is to get good at photo editing. sometimes i think this is harder than learning the camera. i am a purist for the most part, meaning i don't like a lot of manipulation on the photo. i used to accuse people of covering up bad photos with effects but really i objected simply because i didn't know how to do the things they were doing. turns out it's been a long time since most people have seen a truly pure photo anyway.
i was talking to my aunt over thanksgiving and she used to develop film. i learned (because i've never been in a real working dark room in my life) that people would manipulate their photos in the dark room in a very similar way that photoshop and other software allow you to manipulate your digital images. obviously it was much more difficult and tedious but still the good photos where probably going through some sort of intense post work.
all this to say that i'm feeling more liberated these days and trying my best to make some really good photos turn into really great graphics. we have been doing a lot of planning this fall and are making some major adjustments in how we shoot and process. here's a shot from a wedding that reflects some of those changes.
one of the coolest things about this past year of starting our combined business, has been figuring out where we each fit into the puzzle. amazingly we don't overlap all that much which just helps to confirm what we are doing.
one of my jobs is to get good at photo editing. sometimes i think this is harder than learning the camera. i am a purist for the most part, meaning i don't like a lot of manipulation on the photo. i used to accuse people of covering up bad photos with effects but really i objected simply because i didn't know how to do the things they were doing. turns out it's been a long time since most people have seen a truly pure photo anyway.
i was talking to my aunt over thanksgiving and she used to develop film. i learned (because i've never been in a real working dark room in my life) that people would manipulate their photos in the dark room in a very similar way that photoshop and other software allow you to manipulate your digital images. obviously it was much more difficult and tedious but still the good photos where probably going through some sort of intense post work.
all this to say that i'm feeling more liberated these days and trying my best to make some really good photos turn into really great graphics. we have been doing a lot of planning this fall and are making some major adjustments in how we shoot and process. here's a shot from a wedding that reflects some of those changes.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
whiskey falls
it has been a long time since i've posted any of my real work. the last 3 months have been dominated by the house but there have been a lot of shoots in between. i hope that this blog gets back to actual photography at some point soon although it's been fun documenting the house. its a little strange to have people you don't know come up do you and ask how the house is coming. i'm just glad i've offered some entertainment on some level.
if you listen to rick & bubba and admit it then you've probably heard of whiskey falls. my wife is all about poppy, 3 chord progression, 3rd person written, 3part harmony songs. i typically am not. in fact i really did not like whiskey falls before i did this shoot.
i was asked to be the photographer for this big oak ranch benefit concert that featured michael tolcher and whiskey falls. both were great. i will admit that whiskey falls was exceptional. their harmonies were tighter than i've ever heard in a live band. their version of seven bridges road was unreal. i felt really bad because i told erin she couldn't come because she had too much work to do. i know, it was really mean but i did hold my phone up and let her listen... which we all know is just like being at the show, especially with our awesome free motorolla's.
anyway, i got to meet the lead singer "seven" after the show and i'm hoping they will post a few pics on their website at some point. i'm not holding my breath. anyway if you ever get a chance to see them, i would recommend it.
if you listen to rick & bubba and admit it then you've probably heard of whiskey falls. my wife is all about poppy, 3 chord progression, 3rd person written, 3part harmony songs. i typically am not. in fact i really did not like whiskey falls before i did this shoot.
i was asked to be the photographer for this big oak ranch benefit concert that featured michael tolcher and whiskey falls. both were great. i will admit that whiskey falls was exceptional. their harmonies were tighter than i've ever heard in a live band. their version of seven bridges road was unreal. i felt really bad because i told erin she couldn't come because she had too much work to do. i know, it was really mean but i did hold my phone up and let her listen... which we all know is just like being at the show, especially with our awesome free motorolla's.
anyway, i got to meet the lead singer "seven" after the show and i'm hoping they will post a few pics on their website at some point. i'm not holding my breath. anyway if you ever get a chance to see them, i would recommend it.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
week 7&8
alright, i'm finally able to post some of the progress from week 7 & 8. the real crunch came when the kitchen floors had to get done so the cabinets could be put in and then so I could start on the hardwoods. while i had the tile saw i also had to finish the tile in the bathroom. all of this was with the deadline of the moving day and then a week later the renters in helena moving in. oh yeah, and this has been one of the busiest times for the business since we've started. as jackson browne said, we have been "running on empty" these last two weeks. anyway, i'll spare the life commentary for now.... i'll have the holidays for that. there is LOTS more to post since these were taken but lets not get ahead of ourselves okay.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
no time
sorry... there is lots to update on the house, as well as shoots that have been accumulating. for now though, i have no time to post extensively. there's still a lot to do in the 10 days left.
if you want to help us move, we are doing so on saturday nov. 10th. email me if you can
info@nolenphotography.com
if you want to help us move, we are doing so on saturday nov. 10th. email me if you can
info@nolenphotography.com
Friday, October 19, 2007
week 6
well, this is supposed to be the post that i show all the finished work. 6 weeks was my goal anyway. it sort of reminds me of the show "flip that house" where the people go in really naively and in the beginning they're asked how they expect it will go and they're like....
budget: $1,000
timeframe: 1week
est profit: $1 million
during the show, TLC will make you think they're about to file bankruptcy because of all the added problems they found that they weren't expecting. it'll show them crying or throwing a temper tantrum. their family dynamic crumbling. then in the last minute of the show they go back and ask them what it really took and they look all tired and realistic and kind of laugh as they give the update which is like...
well, this is not really an analogy but more of an aside. we're NOT flipping this house nor are we way over budget thankfully. but we have experienced the great stress of renovating a house on a timeline with limited financial resources. so here i am near the end of the episode saying that this is when i wanted to finish but we're still at least a couple weeks away.
the real news this last week was that 1. we rented the helena house, which was what this whole thing hinged on, and 2. i sold my jeep. talk about sentimental.
the house in helena was every bit of a remodel that this new house is, just on a smaller scale. it is where we learned to do most everything. we love this house and really weren't planning on moving until about a month and a half ago. we've pretty much fixed this house like we want it and it fits us so well. but, with a baby coming and a crazy dog that was supposed to settle down after year 3, it would soon become a little cramped. we are thankful for God's provision.
i've had the jeep since my sophomore year of college. it made me cool on many occasions. in fact, it played a large role in landing a girlfriend who eventually became my wife. it was hard to watch it just sit in the garage the last 3 years but lets face it a jeep is a completely impractical car. it was actually a lot harder watching someone else drive it away... to mississippi at that. anyway as a friend expressed to me so gently the other day, i need to grow up. here are some updated pics.
our new office
the long awaited bathroom remodel
plumbing and pantry
budget: $1,000
timeframe: 1week
est profit: $1 million
over budget: $50,000
actual amount of time took: 4 months
actual profit: $40,000
and they're always kind of disappointed but totally relieved... and we're like shut up you just made 40,000 dollars!!actual amount of time took: 4 months
actual profit: $40,000
well, this is not really an analogy but more of an aside. we're NOT flipping this house nor are we way over budget thankfully. but we have experienced the great stress of renovating a house on a timeline with limited financial resources. so here i am near the end of the episode saying that this is when i wanted to finish but we're still at least a couple weeks away.
the real news this last week was that 1. we rented the helena house, which was what this whole thing hinged on, and 2. i sold my jeep. talk about sentimental.
the house in helena was every bit of a remodel that this new house is, just on a smaller scale. it is where we learned to do most everything. we love this house and really weren't planning on moving until about a month and a half ago. we've pretty much fixed this house like we want it and it fits us so well. but, with a baby coming and a crazy dog that was supposed to settle down after year 3, it would soon become a little cramped. we are thankful for God's provision.
i've had the jeep since my sophomore year of college. it made me cool on many occasions. in fact, it played a large role in landing a girlfriend who eventually became my wife. it was hard to watch it just sit in the garage the last 3 years but lets face it a jeep is a completely impractical car. it was actually a lot harder watching someone else drive it away... to mississippi at that. anyway as a friend expressed to me so gently the other day, i need to grow up. here are some updated pics.
our new office
the long awaited bathroom remodel
plumbing and pantry
Monday, October 8, 2007
week 4&5
well i got a week behind in posting, so hopefully you will find a lot of change.
first, it's worth noting that i thought i was going to die or at least go to hospital in an ambulance in week 4. apparently ceramic tile is the sharpest thing in the world. a broken piece met my soft leg and cut it about an inch deep. i looked down, in relatively little pain, and saw blood flowing like a river. my heart sank. i had no idea how or if i could stop it. i stood there with my hand on it for about 5 minutes wondering how i was going to get to the phone without getting blood all over my new hardwood floors. anyway, my dad was quick on the scene and he and 6 firemen agreed that stitches were needed.... not tomorrow, as i would have preferred but immediately. so for the first time in my life i was in the "trauma room" undergoing some mild surgery. the good news is the doctors know my name now. all in all, it set me back about 6 hours but i did manage to get some good pics just for the blog.... i saved them for last if you want to see. WARNING: don't scroll down if you don't like blood.
other than that it's been a lot of painting the last 2 weeks. basically every room in the house has gotten 1 layer of kilz and 2 layers of paint. i used to really hate painting but for some reason this time it's not been too bad. on that note i should really thank my mom who has been working at the house with me (and sometimes by herself) whenever she has a free moment. i pretty much run everything by her before i do something.... and when i don't she still usually lets me know she thinks, which i appreciate.
week 4, i FINALLY finished the sheetrock in the kitchen.... now my newest least favorite thing to do. i also gave up on my idea of trying to save the tile in the bathroom and just tore it all out. week 5 my friend josh came up from orlando to help me for 3 days. it was really fun and a huge help. we painted and layed tile in the kitchen.... he was really good at it. also, the ac/heat was finished up, so we now are working in a cool house. just in time for the 90 degree october weather.
this week should be plumbing and hopefully finishing tile... maybe starting hardwoods instead. the end is approaching but there are still some huge projects left. the yard for instance, which i won't bore you with on the blog, is an out of control beast. i don't even want to think about what it's going to take to tackle it. all in all though i don't think i'm going to be much beyond my 6 week timeline for the inside renovations. here's some pics for you enjoyment.... remember the last set of picture looks like a CSI crime scene... okay not really... i did't post the bad ones.
"the injury", not as great as michael scott's
first, it's worth noting that i thought i was going to die or at least go to hospital in an ambulance in week 4. apparently ceramic tile is the sharpest thing in the world. a broken piece met my soft leg and cut it about an inch deep. i looked down, in relatively little pain, and saw blood flowing like a river. my heart sank. i had no idea how or if i could stop it. i stood there with my hand on it for about 5 minutes wondering how i was going to get to the phone without getting blood all over my new hardwood floors. anyway, my dad was quick on the scene and he and 6 firemen agreed that stitches were needed.... not tomorrow, as i would have preferred but immediately. so for the first time in my life i was in the "trauma room" undergoing some mild surgery. the good news is the doctors know my name now. all in all, it set me back about 6 hours but i did manage to get some good pics just for the blog.... i saved them for last if you want to see. WARNING: don't scroll down if you don't like blood.
other than that it's been a lot of painting the last 2 weeks. basically every room in the house has gotten 1 layer of kilz and 2 layers of paint. i used to really hate painting but for some reason this time it's not been too bad. on that note i should really thank my mom who has been working at the house with me (and sometimes by herself) whenever she has a free moment. i pretty much run everything by her before i do something.... and when i don't she still usually lets me know she thinks, which i appreciate.
week 4, i FINALLY finished the sheetrock in the kitchen.... now my newest least favorite thing to do. i also gave up on my idea of trying to save the tile in the bathroom and just tore it all out. week 5 my friend josh came up from orlando to help me for 3 days. it was really fun and a huge help. we painted and layed tile in the kitchen.... he was really good at it. also, the ac/heat was finished up, so we now are working in a cool house. just in time for the 90 degree october weather.
this week should be plumbing and hopefully finishing tile... maybe starting hardwoods instead. the end is approaching but there are still some huge projects left. the yard for instance, which i won't bore you with on the blog, is an out of control beast. i don't even want to think about what it's going to take to tackle it. all in all though i don't think i'm going to be much beyond my 6 week timeline for the inside renovations. here's some pics for you enjoyment.... remember the last set of picture looks like a CSI crime scene... okay not really... i did't post the bad ones.
mom doing her thing & the long awaited thermostat
"the injury", not as great as michael scott's
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