Huge Update & Relay for Life

Over the last month, I've been steadily working towards a site update that was pretty significant.  Most of which was focused around the photography sections.  Taking pictures every day is the easy part.  Figuring out how to display them properly and professionally, well, therein lies the challenge.  New galleries have been put up and organized a little bit better, with the addition of slideshows as well.  Now, you don't have to keep clicking on thumbnail previews.  You can just sit back and watch each image transition.  The pricing for prints has been added to the contact section of this site too.  I don't think I'm too over-priced on my photography, as I think great images should be affordable to everyone.  


Last month, I was asked to design a t-shirt for one of our local teams participating in Relay for Life here at Notre Dame.  I was honored to be a part of this, as I have my own history with cancer itself.  The link for our local team can be found here.   A few of my photos will also be included in the auction at the event.  

I know from personal experience that these kind of events do benefit the local charities and organizations that help people battling treatment for the disease.  It's a great cause and is truly appreciated by those who need it.  Even if you don't participate in the relay, make the effort to donate even a few dollars.  Every little bit helps.  


Tell them that Jonathon Rose guy sent you, and that he takes pretty pictures.  :)

Best 11 Photos of 2011

I couldn't narrow my list down to just 10 photos.  So I made it 'Best 11.'  Originally, I wanted to do a video slideshow of this with some good background music, and I still may, but I also wanted to be able to share the stories from behind the lens of each of these photos.  So for now, a blog post will have to suffice.  The photography section of this site as well as the slideshow on the home page has all been updated.  With that said, let's get on with it!  

This shot was taken right outside of Gatlinburg Tennessee.  While vacationing there in August, a friend of mine took me to an area that was accessible from the mountain-side roads along the river one day.  I've always wanted one of those silky, smooth flowing water photos.  We found the spot, set up my tripod and took the shot.  The scariest part was keeping one eye on the traffic coming down the winding roads there, and one eye on where I was stepping, as it was both close to the cliff-side, and the edge of the road.  Special thanks to Adam for his patience and watching my back.  

This photo actually came from the same week as the one above.  Roaming around Gatlinburg, my sister and my friends Matt and Jess wandered into the distillery they have there.  Inside, to the right of where the bar was, was this scene.  My sister was in line in front of me trying the moonshine there (which, oh man...you ever try their White Lightning Moonshine...that'll put hair on your chest), at which time, I looked back to my right and snapped this photo.  I didn't realize what I had taken at the time, because as soon as the shutter clicked, my sister called my name and I turned away to try the moonshine with her.  It wasn't until that night when I got back to the cabin, downloaded my photos and found this gem.  It became a family favorite.

This shot was taken of Nicole at her wedding in February '11.  I was the backup photographer to my buddy Kiely Carlson.  We did Nicole's and Scott's wedding/family portrait photos outside in the bitter cold at the Valle Vista Conference Center, in Greenwood Indiana, which is just outside of Indianapolis.  The sun was setting and Nicole was off to the side patiently waiting for the other family members to finish their photo sessions, when I took this shot of her.  Special thanks to Nicole, Scott and all of her family who froze their butts off with us outside that day.

In June '11, Kiely and I reunited for another wedding shoot.  This time around, the wedding was in the Indianapolis Botanical Gardens, just next to where the Zoo is.  The gardens there were absolutely beautiful.  A photog's paradise, really.  After the ceremony, Ryan and Julie walked with us around the complex, shooting in different areas.  This shot was actually taken from a long ways away, with a 300mm lens.  Kiely and I were perched atop a small hill in the gardens, when Ryan picked up Julie in front of the pond that separated us, and kissed her.  Thankfully, I was paying attention, quickly zoomed in and was able to make the shot.

This shot was taken at the same wedding for Ryan and Julie near one of the entrances to the gardens during their ceremony.  Kiely was shooting down the isle straight on the ceremony at this point, and I was meandering around, shooting what I could at the same time.  If you look close at what the child is looking at, the stone inscription reads 'Wedding Gardens.'  I rounded a corner and noticed a child squatting there studying it.  I believe the gentleman standing in front of him was his father.

This bridge goes over a river along side Riverside Drive in South Bend.  I've driven by this bridge a thousand times, so finally, after work one day, I stopped and started shooting.  My wife actually chose this photo to be a part of the list.  It's a neat looking bridge from nearly every angle.  I may go back again one day.  

In the Fall of last year, the my whole family got together for a some family portraits at Leeper Park in South Bend.  At one point, in between things, my brother Justin hoisted his son Ryan up on his shoulders, at which time Ryan grinned happily and started patting his father on the head.  Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time to capture this shot of them.  Ended up being a favorite of the year for us.

I have two people I owe this shot to.  First, to Alex who was kind of enough and patient enough to take me inside some of the more hidden areas in the Performing Arts Center on Notre Dame's campus.  This shot was taken from the 2nd floor balcony, looking out toward the magnificent organ they have inside the Organ Hall.  And secondly, I'd like to thank my sister, Jen for setting me on this journey to begin with.  In December of last year, she made a comment about enjoying a Notre Dame photo theme that I had going for a while.  It's because of that comment that I started searching for more interesting places to shoot around campus.  When we were setting up for this shot, there was a woman playing the organ in there.  Even to me and my impaired ears, it was very loud in there, and the visceral, mighty sound of that organ will never be forgotten.  

The story from this shot actually came from an idea that my wife Katie had.  In nearly every photo I have of my wife, she's always smiling.  She and her family are extremely photo-genic and the camera just loves to be around them.  So, the challenge was presented:  embrace my wife's idea with this photo, and capture her NOT blatantly smiling.  Trust me, this is no easy feat.  I love this shot, simply because you can't quite tell what it is she's telling you with this look.  It's mysterious, and it makes me nervous.  It's a look of approval and disapproval at the same time.  It's a look I see a lot, actually.  I love it when a photo can do that to you.

Every person has a photo idea of something want to have some day.  In the long list that resides in my head, I've always wanted to take a shot of a city-scape or something similar where the car headlights are streaking and almost have a sort of laser quality to them.  This is known as 'dragging the shutter.'  It's essentially a long exposure.  You set up on a tripod, and set your camera up accordingly.  In this case, 3-4 seconds for the exposure captured the light streaks from the cars entering and exiting, but kept the building and un-moving objects in the background in focus.  This shot was taken in Green Bay, Wisconsin at a beautiful movie theater, called Marcus Cinemas.   

This shot is probably my favorite of the year.  Building off of the Notre Dame theme I had going, I walked into the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus one day and captured this.  At the entrance, there's a large holy water basin that resides at the center of the isle.  The water in the basin reflects the surrounding lights perfectly.  Unfortunately, I walked into the church without my tripod, out of caution not to draw too much attention to myself.  Instead, I rested my camera on the basin and took the shot.  The planets aligned, and somehow I came away with a brilliant shot that wasn't a blurry mess.  I was scared to death that my camera was going to baptize itself in the basin though.  


As 2011 comes to a close, it goes down as a good productive year for me, in terms of growth, knowledge and even some business.  To find what I'm up to almost daily, visit www.facebook.com/jonathonlt1.  I'm also on Google+ here.  Thank you to all my visitors and family who have helped in some way make all these great photos a reality for me.  Keep shooting and enjoying your photos.  Because at the end of the day, the best camera you can have, is the one that's with you.