Friday Foto: Christmas Edition!!!

Christmas is here! Probably my favorite time of year (except for those mornings that you wake up and you can tell it's cold outside, that might be my favorite...). Christmas time has changed for me. I used to be all jacked up on getting presents (still am of course), but it's changed. For one, I'm paying for those presents now. But what's really different is the meaning. I'm looking more forward to spending time with family and friends this Christmas than ever before.

When I was younger, all my friends were always home, family time is abundant and I took for granted the fellowship enjoyed with family and friends. As I got older, friends moved away, I got married, people went to college, I went to college and my time seemed to be slightly consumed with the real world. I have a sister and two sibling-in-laws in town that I get to spend time with. My best friend from Annapolis will be home today, I haven't seen him in a year. My other best friend/cousin and his wife will be visiting next week too. They've been in Belize for 2 years with the peace corps, and they are home for the holidays. We are throwing a big party Saturday night. We do it for one reason only... fellowship. I can't wait to see everybody, after all, that's what Christmas time is really all about.

On to the Friday Foto... last week we went to Rafters for a concert. Peter Rowan, legendary bluegrass musician and friends Larry Keel and Natural Bridge. Above are pictures of Rowan (the first one) and the rest. We had a great time.

Anyway, Merry Christmas. Hope to see you all Saturday night.

Friday Foto: New stuff!!!

First thing, here's today's Foto... I wanted to save this one for closer to Christmas. I like it. It puts me in the Christmas spirit (as if I wasn't already). This was taken in Rockefeller Center, and that's the Rockefeller building you see. The famous Christmas tree is right there. We actually went up to the top of the Rock to a place called the Rainbow Room, where I enjoyed a nice scotch on the rocks overlooking all of the city. Very nice place, I recommend hitting it up next time you venture to the big city.

So, all this week I have been busting my butt to redesign my website completely. Not this, this is a blog, but my photography site. I'm please to announce it's 99% complete! That one percent is hardly noticeable to anyone but me... and, I'm waiting on the names to transfer over, so until that happens (couple of days) you have to access it at its temporary address of: www.benjamingalland.netfirms.com. So, I encourage you all to go over there, check it out and let me know what you think. I've built it to really push my business, incorporating all the wedding and promo shooting that I do. You can even buy prints off my site now! I'm really excited about that. The design is completely different than the old site, and I think it is far better. Please, let me know what you think... again, it's not 100% complete, so I'm looking for critique.

Also, we are 10 days away from Christmas! But, more important, we are 8 days away from the Holiday Soiree. Who is excited about that? Man, I can't wait... it's gonna be better than the last one. Why you ask? Because Kelly's not going to make me tuck my shirt in, that's why. See y'all soon.

Friday Foto!

This is Hell's Kitchen in New York City.

This is walking outside of the NBC building next to Rockefeller Center.

This is me, sitting outside the Public Library.

Kelly smiling for the camera. It was cold.

Saturday night I had my uncle drive me to the waterfront on the Jersey side to get these shots. You should see them blown up, they are pretty slick.

In the good ole NYC subway. Waiting for the train to take us from Greenwich Village back to Columbus Square.

My favorite photo from the trip probably. I took this in the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) in NYC. This little girl was hanging out next to the Egyptian Tombs that they had moved from Egypt and put back together inside the museum. I love the contrast of big and small and old and young.

Obviously I took more photos, but I have to save some for future Friday Fotos right? We had a great time though. We really caught the weather at a perfect time. It wasn't too cold, but just enough to really make you feel like you were up north.

We are decorating our house and Christmas tree this weekend. We usually do it much earlier -after Thanksgiving- but with going to NYNY and all, we decided to wait. But now, it's on. The Crimus Cree is going up. The spirit is on. The Holiday Soiree is just around the corner!!! December 23rd, mark you calendars! This one will be even better than last one.

Merry Christmas!