Just Married!

Kathy & I were married yesterday!

We had the waiter take this, as we arrived at the restaurant to set up the table favors before the ceremony.

Wedding Rings

Today's the day Kathy & I tie the knot! :-)

I wanted to photograph our rings, first just with the wedding invitation (background), but came up with the idea of adding these dachsund-looking chopsticks holders I had. Since we both love dachsunds, I thought this would make a cool photo ... I came up with two versions, and thought this was the better of one. After showing it to her, Kathy thought so too.

Kathy, my wife, this one's for you! I love you! :-)

May I Have Your Autograph Please?

After the game, several dozen fans wait in the stands of the north end zone for players making their way across the field to the team buses parked in the tunnel. Occasionally, several players will take time to sign autographs for the die hard fans, and they aren't picky who signs their memorabilia. Pittsburgh Steelers and AFC All-star safety Troy Polamalu takes a few minutes to sign autographs before boarding a bus to take the players and coaches back to their hotel.

Polamalu is a fan favorite here in Honolulu, partly because of his Polynesian heritage. Though he was born and raised on the west coast, the graduate of USC, has family ties to Hawai‘i as well; and there are quite a few Steelers fans here too.

We always get stuck in the north end zone tunnel, because the buses are brought down the tunnel, and it's blocked off for everything else. After we break down our video equipment, and roll up our 200 yard cables, there's no place to go, since our golf cart isn't allowed past the barricade ... so what else to do, but wait to watch the players as well, and grab some free food.


There are a few '09 Pro Bowl photos I have left to post, but since I have a special photo planned for tomorrow, I'll post the Pro Bowl shots as the weeks go by.

2009 Pro Bowl MVP

NFC All-star and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was named the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl MVP. With two touchdown receptions, including the game winner, he finished the game with five receptions for 81 yards, and was awarded a new Cadillac along with the silver trophy.

It was rather award and victory fitting for the Cardinals receiver, who had caught, what appeared to be, the game winning 64-yard touchdown pass in the Super Bowl XLIII. Though it may have been sweeter if it had been the Super Bowl victory instead.

This is also Larry Fitzgerald's second appearance on this photo blog, as he was featured in a photo from last year's Pro Bowl

Thank You Hawai‘i

Late in the fourth quarter, San Francisco 49ers mascot "Sourdough Sam" added an aloha shirt and hula skirt to his costume, and brought out this sign (above) thanking the fans of Hawai‘i for supporting the NFL Pro Bowl's 30-year run at Aloha Stadium. He paraded around the field with the sign, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

The Pro Bowl will return in 2011 & 2012, but at game time the future of the game at Aloha Stadium was uncertain.

Celtics

We interrupt the Pro Bowl theme week for a special photo ...

In honor of St Patrick's Day, this is my contribution ... the classic Boston Celtics logo I found on a cap in a sporting goods store, in which a clerk let me snap a couple shots.

Rah! Rah!

Like the players, coaches, and mascots, the cheerleaders are selected for a Pro Bowl squad as well. One cheerleader from each team (that has a cheer squad) is picked to make the trip to the Pro Bowl. Like the players and mascots, the girls also make appearances where ever there is a sponsored event.

Today's photo features a cheerleader from the Cincinnati Bengals (right) and Miami Dolphins (left) as fellow videographer Martin waits for his cue to shoot the cheerleaders during a TV timeout in the second half.

Mascot? Cheerleader?

Even team mascots are selected to travel to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl! Among this year's group was Freddie The Falcon from the Atlanta Falcons. In one of the NFL cheerlader performances during a TV time out in the second half, Freddie donned a Falcons cheerleader outfit and wig and danced along side the girls.

As an added bonus, I've decided to extend the Pro Bowl theme week to a second week, because of the amount of photos I took, and it was rather difficult to pare it down to seven photos.

Voice Of The Islanders

From 1968-1971, NBC Sunday Night Football announcer Al Michaels was the voice of the Hawai‘i Islanders, a Pacific Coast League AAA baseball team. As a young baseball fan, I listened to Michaels and Ken Wilson call Islanders home games on the radio, even while at the games at the long-gone Honolulu Stadium. Michaels was in town to call the 2009 Pro Bowl with Chris Collinsworth.

The 2009 NFL Pro Bowl was a homecoming of sorts for Al Michaels, though it would have been much more special if had been the "Termite Palace". One photo op that I had wanted for the Pro Bowl was to get a photo with Al Michaels, and I did. I got this photo with him as he walked across the Ma kai sidelines of the field, before the pre-game festivities began. It was an honor to meet one of my favorite sports announcers.

Al Michaels is also known for calling the 1980 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey tournament at Lake Placid, NY, in which Team USA defeated the Soviet Union 4-3, in the "Miracle On Ice" game, which led to the USA's gold medal victory against Sweden. That too, was a game to remember, the movie "Miracle" was great in re-creating that historic event.

Folks 45 and over in Honolulu will remember Al Michaels calling the Islanders games on KGU Radio.

NFC Sidelines

Offensive line all-stars of the NFC take a breather on the bench as Big Fog machines try to cool them from the warm Hawaiian sun in the second half.

AFC Sidelines

All-Stars from the AFC take a break on their sidelines in the first half. #15, Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall gets his left hamstring stretched out by one of the trainers.

Stand-Up Report

ESPN correspondent Rachel Nichols records her report in a corner of the north end zone after the Ohana Day festivities. Her videographer (left) is on the camera platform that NBC will use on game day. Because of her diminutive size, and camera postion, Nichols' segment director had her stand on the equipment box to get the blue logo drape as a backdrop.

Audience Participation

The fans get to particpate in Ohana Day festivities as well. Adults and children get to try their football skills in kicking, passing, and running competitions, plus trivia contests, between the AFC and NFC practice sessions.

These two jersey-clad fans representing the San Diego Chargers (left) and Green Bay Packers (right) participate in an NFL trivia challenge. Fellow cameraoperator Mozette gets the two-shot of the participants (see screen in the background), while local radio personality Billy V asks the questions. Two cheerleaders stand next to the participants, San Francisco 49ers (right)

Early Morning Tailgaters

On game day, Kathy had dropped me off outside of Aloha Stadium, and had to walk a short distance into the stadium. By the time I began my walk across a walkbridge over Kamehemeha Highway (around 7:45am), the parking lot at the stadium was almost full with fans firing up their grills, and smoke billowed throughout the parking lot.

Today's photo was taken from the walkbridge of the tailgaters that arrived for the 7am opening of the parking lot to claim their prized stalls to begin their pre-game feast.

Pro Bowl Helmet

This month's theme week is based on the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl. Definitely, my favorite game to shoot for the past five seasons as part of Aloha Stadium's JumboTron crew. It's the biggest football event held in Hawai‘i, which has been a sell-out since the first Pro Bowl in 1979 (I had attended that game as a fan).

With the 2009 game being the last of a current contract with the State of Hawai‘i, the NFL had decided that next year's edition would be played in Miami, FL, a week prior to the Super Bowl. It seemed that the NFL Pro Bowl would be a thing of the past. Though recently finalized, the Pro Bowl will return to Aloha Stadium for the 2011 & 2012 seasons.

Today's photo was taken at the end of the 2009 Pro Bowl Ohana Day. It was a Pro Bowl logo helmet belonging to a fan trying to collect autographs from players at the end of their practice sessions.

Raindrops In Pond

Raindrops land in a pond fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Kalia Tower, causing the ripples on the surface. I was on a local wedding video shoot, and one of the bridesmaids had to return to the couple's room to retrieve a forgotten item of the bride. While waiting, it began drizzling, and gave me an opportunity to grab this shot.

Loading Up

This Japan Airlines Boeing 747-446 is being loaded up for its return leg to Japan, most likely Narita. It's one of several daily flights from the "Land Of The Rising Sun". During holiday seasons and the Honolulu Marathon, JAL will add a few extra flights to accomodate the influx of Japanese tourists to Hawai‘i.

I got today's photo during a photo shot at HNL for a magazine article.

Thunderbird

One of the classic car logos is from the Ford Thunderbird. This was from a classic 1957 "T-bird". I guess I should have shot it at angle, to avoid the inadvertent self-portrait.

1st Waikele Bloom

While moving out to Waikele, one of my orchids began to bloom, the last half of the bunch opened up after the move was completed.

Hinamatsuri

In Japan, today is Hinamatsuri (or Girl's Day), and it's celebrated here in Hawai‘i (and in other Japanese communities) as well.

I got these Girl'sDay bookmarks from a Japanese tourist couple after videotaping their wedding on Girl's Day several years ago.

Happy Girl's Day!



By the way, today's photo is also the 800th post for this blog.

Orchid For Sale

Kathy & I came across this orchid and others at a Lowe's Hardware store down the street from us at Waikele Center.

Wet Bird

This kingfisher stares into one of the fish ponds at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Seems like splashes of the waterfall does not distract it from its intent to get lunch. When I saw it, I thought it was a very odd-looking bird, and the first time I'd seen a kingfisher.

Smoky Night

Kathy & I spent New Year's Eve at her mom's house in Kahalu‘u, that's on the windward side of O‘ahu. Talk about "up in smoke", the state of Hawai‘i becomes enveloped in a smoky haze as people set off their fireworks (some legal, and some not-so-legal) to celebrate the new year. Today's photo shows the smoke lingering in the air as an on-coming car makes its way up the street.

Harbor Court Falls

The Harbor Court offce and condo in downtown Honolulu sports a waterfall with at least three of these concrete streams pouring water from heights up to three stories.

The Camera Eye

One of the security cameras in the apartment building where I used to live.

Yellow Stars

I came across these yellow star-shaped flowers at a wedding chapel during a video shoot ...

Purple Vase

A clear purple glass vase ...

Rush Hour Sunset

Two weeks ago, I made the first afternoon rush hour drive home to our home in Waikele. Since I finish work later than Kathy, I get the brunt of the traffic. This was the sunset of that first day, making the turn over Pearl City on the Interstate H1 west-bound.

Misted Flowers

A bunch of flowers from a house plant I had, after misting it with water.

Winglet Reflection

The left winglet of a Mokulele Airlines Embraer E-170 jet. I took this while waiting for the media flight to depart for Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i.

Tilapia

A school of tilapia goes into a feeding frenzy after someone threw a piece of food into the water.

Two Of A Kind

Public community gardens around town have been a treasure trove for flower photos, and here's another example ...

Moon Over Makiki

A full moon rises over Makiki and Pu ‘Ualaka‘a (Tanatlus).

2009 Great Aloha Run

One of the largest non-football events is the Great Aloha Run. It's an annual 8.15-mile fun run and charitable event that begins at Aloha Tower and ends in the north end zone of Aloha Stadium. The 2009 edition was also the 25th time this race was run, which fielded over 20,000 participants.

In the previous four fun runs, I had been on the field shooting the hand held video camera, but this season I was asked if I wanted to direct the cameras. I felt was up to the task, though a bit nervous. Thanks to a bunch of great videographers I work with, they did a great job, and it made my job a whole lot easier.

Today's photo is of the the three cameras (on the top row), and the preview monitor (bottom left), and the program monitor (bottom right); which was being shown on the JumboTron. The panel with the many buttons at the bottom of the frame, is my video switcher.

White Canoe

This white outrigger canoe was one of many canoes participating at a summertime regatta at Ke‘ehi Lagoon Park.

Yellow Rose

A single yellow rose I captured in a garden ...

Happy Valentine's Day

From us to you all ... Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Kathy & I took this while celebrating New Year's at her brother's house, and with a little Photoshop magic I blurred & de-saturated the background.

Medevac Landing

A US Army Sikorsky UH-60A "Blackhawk" helicopter attempts to land on the helipad of the Queen's Medical Center. Based at Wheeler Army Air Field, the 524th Corps Support Battalion (Medevac) is Honolulu's provider for emergency medical air service.

Flowers Among Thorns

Euphorbia flowers amongst Crown of Thorns plants ...

Last Sunset From Westview Plaza

One of the perks of my apartment, are sunsets 365 days a year! Everyday was unique, and I caught quite a few images (or just admired God's artistry) from the lanai.

This past Friday was the last day in my apartment, since I have moved to the suburbs with Kathy at her place and we're getting married soon. This is also the last sunset shot I took from my lanai at Westview Plaza, before we locked the apartment and handed the keys to my realtor.

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning at Kathy's mom's house, with all the presents lined around it. After breakfast, we opened them all.

Kathy was wondering why I was almost lying on the carpet ...

NFC Wins 2009 NFL Pro Bowl

Arizona Cardinals (NFC) wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald tiptoes the sidelines after catching the game winning touchdown in the NFC's 30-21 win over the AFC in the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Fitzgerald outjumped Tennesee Titans (AFC) cornerback Cortland Finnegan to pull down a pass from New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning in the fourth quarter, which put the NFC ahead.

The 2009 Pro Bowl ends a 30-year run at Aloha Stadium. The 2010 game will be played in Miami, FL, the week prior to Super Bowl XLIV. Despite the game being moved, players in this year's all-star game said they preferred to play in Hawai‘i, because they see our location as vacation time for them and their families. To them, Miami is "another day at the office." The NFL said they are looking at the Pro Bowl returning in 2011.

2009 Pro Bowl Ohana Day

The National Football League puts on Ohana Day the day before the Pro Bowl, the NFL All-Star Game. Both AFC and NFC teams hold their run-throughs, and include performances by team mascots and cheerleaders. There are also games and contests for fans, young and old.

Today's photo features NFC All-Star, and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith signing autographs for a few young fans that participated in the NFL's Play 60 physical education program, during the NFC's practice session.

True Blue

These blue flowers are quite common around Honolulu, as people have them as shrubs in their yards.

Blue Leaves

I came across this plant in a community garden. I think this plant is used for cooking in some Asian cuisine.

Blue Shimmer

Actually, this shot was taken during the day with the sunlight relecting off the water at a high shutter speed and a soft filter, then with Photoshop, I monochromed it, and added the blue filter to it.

Blue Laguna

I found these tiny blue flowers at a wedding chapel where I was videotaping a Japanese tourist wedding.

Blue Hydrangea

I got these blue hydrangea during a an Easter display at Kahala Mall. It was mixed with pink ones and white ones around the center's fountain.

Blue Ginger

This blue ginger is another variety of the ginger flower species, and is quite common in Hawai‘i.

Moonlight Reflection

The theme week for February is "Blue". Leading off theme week, is the full moonlight reflecting off of the ocean.