New Art Type Photos

I recently learned a new technique for changing an straight image into a work of art. I'm still playing around with the technique to use it more effectively. Below is a before and after image and a closeup of the artistic effect that I used. It's pretty neat.

On a happier note...

I was able to photograph two additional Miss Hawaii Preliminary winners. The first is Miss Garden Isle Sabrina Ponciano and the second is Miss Windward Oahu Marisa Kellett. Marisa's photo is a copy of her autograph pad.

Whew! Mom's OK

My Mom has been really fatigued ever since she had that bout with something similar to the flu about a month and a half ago. She's been to the doc and he's given her some medications but it really hasn't helped that much.

Well, she went in for her follow up checkup today and when I went to pick her up, the nurse handed me an envelope and said that I needed to take her to the ER for some follow up testing. The nurse said they called the hospital and they would be expecting us.

My mind's going all over the place wondering what is wrong and what kind of testing does she need and why did she have to go to the ER rather than just check in for a test like a regular patient.

So we go to the ER (Mom seems normal) and check in and no one at the ER has talked to the doctor's office so they don't know why she was there. This is at noon. But they check her in anyway and have us wait. The ER was packed and all the beds in the ER were occupied. Mom is confused as to why she's there as she thought she was going to the hospital for a couple of tests.

As we're waiting, the ambulances bring in a couple of patients with leg injuries. I think nothing of it other than it's getting really busy. So I take a break outside and I spot the wife of my high school classmate. She's there because her daughter in law was in the ER. I then remember the second patient with the leg injury so I go back into the ER and lo and behold, it's a bride whose wedding I photographed last year. I didn't recognize her because she was wearing glasses and had no makeup on. Of course she didn't recognize me when she first came in but recognized me after I said "hi" to her. She had sliced her leg in a home accident. Hopefully she's patched up and on the way to recovery.

Back to Mom. Finally about 2:00 pm, her doctor stopped by and advised me that she was sent there for a second EKG since the one he had done at the office was a little abnormal (nothing serious - yeah, right!). And finally, the ER staff knew why she was there so were just waiting for a bed to open up. She finally gets a bed about 2:30, they prep her and take an EKG. Earlier, they drew some blood for a blood test. Then it's hurry up and wait again.

After another break, as I'm walking in, I'm behind a husky oriental guy and I hear his name mentioned. One of the sons of another classmate was a male nurse so I'm thinking "it can't be him" but the name and his body shape sure looked like him. So I walked up to him and asked "are you so and so?" He looks at me and says "Hi Uncle Paul!" It was him. He's back from the mainland training to be a Physician's Assistant so we got to catch up on some of his life. That was nice.

Finally about 3:15, the attending physican came in to advise us that the tests were normal and Mom will be ok. We just had to wait until he talked to her Doctor and then she'll be released. Finally around 4:00 pm, they discharged her. Of course, not having any lunch, she was starving...

She's back home and resting comfortably. I hope I won't have to visit the ER again soon.

Two More Beauty Queens

Had the opportunity to photograph two current beauty queens at the Historic Bayer Estate. The owners were gracious enough to allow us to use the property for the site and background for the portrait session.

First is the 58th Narcissus Queen, Jessica Lau.





Next is the 2007 Miss Downtown Honolulu, Brandie Cazimero. The Miss Downtown Honolulu is a preliminary to the Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant which will be held in June.