The Doug Gordon Experience

While Doug Gordon is not a preacher, he is on a mission to spread the "good news" of Fashion-Wedding Photography to the masses. Part amazing photographer, part motivational speaker, and part crazy, Doug hits you with a high-energy workshop which leaves you wanting more. To Doug, it's all about passion, and I could not agree with him more. Almost anybody with a digital camera these days thinks they are a "photographer" but seriously, it takes a lot more than just having an expensive camera if you want to be taken seriously in this competitive industry. It takes talent and having an artistic eye. It takes schooling, workshops and dedication. It takes sacrifice, study, knowledge of how to light your subject and how to get the correct exposure. It takes having a drive to succeed and not letting anything stand in your way... most of all, it takes PASSION!!

The Doug Gordon Workshop, or "Experience" as I refer to it, is a high-speed journey into the minds eye of a talented photographer who really cares about his craft. His love for photography and talent is evident, but more importantly, like true masters of their craft, he wants to teach other through proper education, training and techniques how to capture and create better images.

Expected End Ministries (part 2)

On location in Maricopa, Arizona with Expected End Ministries.

When my friends Robert and Katie Souza (EEM) called me to inquire about more portfolio and advertisement images for their ministry, hopefully they should have already known my answer would be yes before they called! I love working with Robert and Katie, and all my new friends from EEM, they truly are are great bunch of people.

On this shoot, with Katie missing in action, we found another old abandoned house to use as our backdrop, along with a park and waterfall scene as our secondary location.

White Dress Series

Love and Marriage... Love and Marriage...

Donna and Jason were married on May 16th at Val Vista Lakes Resort in Gilbert, Arizona. This was a beautiful outdoor wedding with several waterfalls and the lake as backdrops. No matter where I am shooting, I always find myself having fun! This was no exception... even though it was already in the mid 90's and I was running around sweating, I couldn't help but have fun!! The boy (pictured below) was the best-man, and was too funny, he thought it would be cool to have his picture taken with all the ladies. You know this one will end up on Face Book, (not counting my blog). Donna and Jason were lots of fun to photograph, they were up for just about anything. I am posting more images from their wedding @ AmplifiedPhoto.com

Quinceanera

Quinceanera, or Mini Wedding... you be the judge.

If you ask me, the only difference between the two events are the young ladies involved... oh yeah, and the fact that one is turning 15 years old, and the other is actually getting married! But when it comes to the elaborate locations, flower decor and size of these events, there's no telling them apart. First, you have the Quinceanera ceremony held at a beautiful resort, followed up by a cocktail hour for all the adults. Next is the grand entrance of the young lady and her royal court. She has her first dance, followed by the father / daughter dance. Off go her shoes, and on come the glass heals... This modern day Cinderella has it all, reception, dinner, cake, dancing and ice cream. Oh yeah, don't forget about two music groups playing in the background and reception.

This was an exciting event to shoot, all 6 1/2 hours of it. It was just like shooting a wedding, and by the time I was done, I was exhausted to say the least. Breann's Quinceanera was beautiful, this is another one of these events that I will always remember shooting.

American Helicopter Society

On this Event Photography assignment, I got the opportunity to work with my mentor, Ken Krehbiel (Imageworks Photography) during the AHS International (American Helicopter Society) trade show at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona.

The American Helicopter Society is a professional society in the area of vertical flight. It was formed in 1944. It gives out many awards for accomplishments in engineering in vertical flight. It publishes an official magazine (Vertiflite) and a technical journal (Journal of the American Helicopter Society).

This was a fun assignment, lots of really cool tech stuff to shoot!! And, I had a great time working with Ken again. Ken is a great guy and an excellent photographer. No matter what the assignment is, Ken's work in photography is cutting edge... no wonder why he is ranked #3 in Commercial Photography for Arizona.

I will always jump at the opportunity to work with Ken! Now, getting back to the AHS International convention, because of the high security and nature of this event, I am only able to post a couple of select, nondescript images from this event.

These images are strictly copyrighted and not for use of any kind.

Swing Away

The bench is on their feet, the crowd is cheering, there's the windup... it's a fast ball right down the middle!! There's the crack of the bat as it smacks the ball into deep outfield... Ah yes, these are the sounds of America's game, BASEBALL!! High School baseball is almost as exciting to watch as the majors... well, maybe if it's your kid's team. This was the last game of the season for the TCA Warriors, but more importantly, for seniors like Adam Mott II (no. 31), this is the last game of their H.S. baseball careers.

Love In Santa Fe

Love.. exciting and new, come aboard, we're expecting you...

For Trish and John, love comes in boat loads! These crazy kids from Santa Fe, New Mexico have known each other for over 20 years, but love didn't hit them on the head until last year, now their lives are forever changed.

White Dress Series

Newlyweds Rebeka and Adam tied the knot on March 20th, 2010.

The ceremony was held in the beautiful Biltmore Estates area of Phoenix, overlooking the golf course. The smiles on the Bride and Groom's faces say it all... and I was very honored to capture this wonderful moment in time for the happy couple. More images of their wedding, along with other samples of wedding photography can be view on my website, AmplifiedPhoto.com

Valentine's Engagement

Valentine's Day ~ for some, this is just another day on the calendar, or as my "single" friends like to refer to it; Singles Awareness Day... but for Sheri and Russ, Valentine's Day is a special day, it is the day Russ pledged his love for Sheri and the happy couple got engaged.

This was another fun shoot, and again, I had my beautiful wife Annie assisting me. The day of the shoot, it was overcase, cold and raining off and on. We had to move quickly and shoot between rain storms. The sun broke through the clouds just long enough to capture some stunning engagement images!!

The Sandbox (part 2)

In "The Sandbox" part 1, I was talking about my love for photography and how it keeps me coming back for more, like a child returning to their sandbox. Well, here we go again... I'm returning to my sandbox with another picture of an old truck. It's kind of funny in a way, but for me, these old trucks tell a story of how life was not too long ago. Maybe it was a harder life back then, or one of excitement and adventure, but whatever the case may be, there is a story to be found in these old cars and trucks of yesteryear.

The picture of the old fire truck (above) was taken some time ago at Goldfield Ghost Town, which is near the Superstition Mountains, just East of the Phoenix Valley in Arizona.

The Superstitions are another one of my favorite places to wonder around and explore through photography. I have shot there many times, everything from Landscapes to Family Portraits, and every time is like a new adventure, like a child returning to their sandbox.