The streets of Venice

I was able to visit the streets and beach of Venice this trip. I haven't been to this beach since I was a kid. 

We walked along the beach, away from the boardwalk, towards the pier. After, we decided, let's go walk down the boardwalk and see how it's changed. 

This is how I looked when walking down the boardwalk. It has really changed so much. Though I was a kid when I was here last, my Mom shared how much it had changed over the years. It's really not the same anymore. It was still cool to experience though. 

A boy in black and white

Once again, another session with this kid. I seriously love this kid and working with him, he's the best!! 

"There are no ideas too wild and no dreams too big."

"Never stop doing your best just because someone doesn't give you credit"

"I promise if you keep searching for everything beautiful in this world, you will eventually become it." - Tyler Kent White

"And than I realized that to be more alive, I had to be less afraid, so I did it, I lost my fear and gained my whole life."

"Anybody with artistic ambitions is always trying to reconnect with the way they saw things as a child." - Tim Burton

The boy with the cool hair

I love this kids hair!!! I knew that I wanted to mess around with his hair and get some cool shots!

He is seriously a natural in front of the camera, and I'm never disappointed when working with him. 

J, you are one cool kid!! I'm so happy to know you, and have the opportunity to capture these moments for you!!

The boy in the red suspenders

I took these photos of J in the red suspenders a couple of weeks ago. I meant to get this blog up sooner. 

Some of these shots, I was playing and experimenting with different light techniques, and shooting through things, to give different texture, shadows and shapes on my subject. 

This shot had some paper with holes in it, on the flashes soft box, getting a different texture come through with the light. 

This shot had an old film slide up to the lens. 

This shot, as well as the one below, had a film negative held up to the lens. 

Thank you J for being so awesome and always up to work with me!

Brothers in black and white.

I love these boys! And I love to have the chance to document their lives. 

I take a lot of photos of them, but it's been a while since I have taken photos of them together. I was looking back through my photos, and it has actually been 2 years since I took some of them together. I thought it was about time!

J has the serious look down so well!! 

My favorite shot from this session...so much LOVE!

Thanks E and J for letting me take these photos of you brothers!! I hope you had fun!

Youth of Madagascar

I had this idea for a while now, to write up a blog all about the young adults that I know and love from Madagascar. These young adults are amazing! I have known most of them here since they were very little. It's been amazing to see them grow into such amazing young people. Now you have the chance to get to know them a little bit through this blog!

Sahaza - 18

Sahaza is in her second year of studying English and Law, at the local University. 

She loves classic movies (we watched some while I was there). Her English is amazing (it was so much fun to communicate in English with her)! She is an amazing singer! She has a huge love for her family, and helping to take care of her three younger brothers. 

Instagram account: @tsanta_sahaza

Languages: Malagasy, French, English

I have known Sahaza since she was around 1 or so. This last trip though, we really connected more and were able to have some amazing, long talks, mostly in English. Talks about life, America, photography, music, movies, etc. 

Fitahiana - 16

Fita is a senior in high school. 

He is a great artist, drawing sketches (he drew two for me that I love). He enjoys photography. He has an amazing sense of clothing style! He is Sahaza's younger brother. 

Instagram account: @tony_yzl

Languages: Malagasy, French

I remember when Fita was just a baby. And as he grew up, he would always follow me around. He loved hanging out with me, and having me play outside with him and his cousins. I enjoyed so much this last time with Fita. We did a lot of photography together. It was great to work with him because he also threw in some great ideas for photos, and his style is really awesome!

Hasina - 17 

Hasina just recently finished his senior year of high school.

Languages: Malagasy, French

He loves art, especially photography. The day we met, in Sahaza and Fita's family countryside (Hasina is their cousin), he loved watching me take photos, and had all kinds of questions. I could tell he was eager to learn. 

Jenny - 17

Jenny just recently finished her senior year of high school. 

She has an amazing love for the Lord. She is leading the children's club that I started back in 2003, which she attended. She has a big heart for little kids. She hopes to study abroad one day. She also enjoys playing the guitar and singing. 

Instagram account: @jen_hye_12

Languages: Malagasy, French, English

It really encourages me and makes my heart happy with seeing Jenny leading the kids club. I started it back in 2003, and she and her siblings and cousins would attend it every week. Now she, with the help of others, are leading other kids in their neighborhood. She has such a big heart for others and loves serving. 

Miandritiana - 19

He's looking into schools abroad, to further his studies. 

He is great musician, singing and playing the guitar. Has an amazing love for his little brother, loving on him and helping to take care of him. He loves football (soccer) and playing it with his brother and cousins. 

Instagram: @miandritiana 

Languages: Malagasy, French

Ranto - 20

Ranto is in his third year of studying Law at the local University.

He loves music, and enjoys photography. He has an amazing sense of style and a great smile!

I remember when he was little, and he would come over to Jenny and Miandritiana's house (he's their cousin), playing and running around!

Karen - 17

Karen is in her senior year of high school.

Karen's English is amazing! She loves classic movies, and has a great eye for photography. She has an amazing heart and love for her country and the children. 

Instagram: @karen_andrianaivo

Languages: Malagasy, French, English

I remember when Karen would attend the children's club I held back in 2003. It's fun to see her grow up and to spend more time with her, talking about the things we love...Madagascar and photography!

Nancy - 17

Nancy is studying her first year of Law at the local University.

She is a great musician! She loves playing the guitar and drums, especially with her brother Princy. 

Languages: Malagasy, French

I remember Nancy when she was just a little thing. She always loved playing with her cousins and singing!

Princy - 22

He is in his 6th year of studying Medicine at the local University, to become a doctor.

He is a great musician, playing the guitar and singing! Ever since I knew him at a young age, he always loved learning. He has a big heart for other people. 

Instagram: @pricnyadolf

Languages: Malagasy, French

I remember when I first started living in Madagascar. Princy would come to my room and visit me. At the time I didn't know any Malagasy or French. He would come though, and start speaking French to me, talking about all kinds of things. He would be there for a long time, though I didn't really say much, he still loved hanging out. 

Kezia - 22

She is working right now as a recruitment officer at a company in Tana, called OMT (OutreMer Telecom). 

Languages: Malagasy, French, English

I was able to visit and hang out a couple times with Kezia this last time I was there. She wanted to hang out and practice her English.

Kezia and her brothers would come to the children's club that I had started, when they were younger. 

The photo above was taken back in 2005, of Sahaza, Jenny and Fitahiana. I love this photo of them, and their adorable smiles! 

I first met these young adults back when they were babies and toddlers back in 1999. I love how we have been able to keep in touch and still have a good relationship. Since I moved back to the states, we have still been in touch often, more now than before. And I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend with all of them during my last trip. And I look forward to the day I get to hang out with them again. 

Misaotra betsaka ianaoreo t@ ny fotoana isika! Tena mahafinaritra be ianareo rehetra sady cool be! Tiako be ianaoreo!

the little princess.

I thought it was time to have a photo session with this adorable little one. I am always taking photos of her two big brothers, but now it was her time!

This little one is the most precious, adorable, loving and sweet girl. Form the first time I met her, she put her arms out for me to pick her up, and she gave me a big hug.

I asked her, 'why are you eating your hair?'. She replied, "because it tastes good". 

"The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things with words" -Elliot Erwitt

Sweet child, you have the best smile ever!

Of course we had to change into a few different outfits, getting shots inside and outside as well. 

The portrait above is of course my favorite of all the photos. I love her look here in the window light. I'm not sure what she was looking at, but I love it!

the nomad.

So I had this idea for a while now, for this personal project with E. And honestly, in the end, it came out a bit different than the idea I first had, but I'm totally happy with the outcome!

An idea first came to me while watching a movie, I saw this type of tent set up, kind of old and torn. I jotted down the ideas in my head at the time and added more ideas over time. Once I saw the final outcome of the photos, the way the photos are, with this 'tent' and my amazing model....to me, if gave off that nomad feel to them. 

A nomad is one who travels from place to place, maybe even living in a tent or something outdoors. That is just how I feel these photos give, that nomad feeling. 

There have been many times where I felt like a nomad, as I traveled the world. I know I spent a lot of time in Madagascar, but even over there, I was traveling around at times...sleeping on church floors, in tents, on the floor of bamboo huts, wherever we could find a place.

I know I have said it time and time again, but I seriously LOVE working with E! He's the coolest kid in town! I'm seriously thankful for him and his family, and so happy I can document his life as well as his siblings from time to time. And I hope they will continue to let me document their lives for a long, long time!

And he has the coolest hair!! I've always loved his hair!!

"But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?                                  And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been here before?" - Pompae by Bastille

Adventures in the village.

The church in Marotandrazana

Saturday morning we left early to head to the village of Marotandrazana. It’s the same village where I attended the 7 wedding celebration. 

Laundry day!

This village is around 1 1/2 hour drive, plus a ride on a ferry across the river. It normally wouldn’t take that long, but with the state of the roads, it takes a bit longer. After around the first 30 minutes, we came across a river that we have to cross. There is a ferry that cars are able to drive upon to be able to get across. They have canoes as well, for people, mopeds, bikes, etc. With the river being so low, we weren’t sure if we were really going to be able to make it across and back. Going across was fine, but we had a bit of trouble coming back. There were a couple of times that the ferry started to get stuck in the low areas, and so thankfully some of the guys from the village were with us and help push the ferry across the river. As we were getting closer to shore, those were weren’t pushing the ferry, got off and onto a canoe to get back to shore. Once we all got off, it didn’t take them much longer to reach shore again.

I snapped this my phone once I got to shore.

One goal of my time was to take photos of the church leaders with their families, which are around 10. I also wanted to get a little video footage, and photos of the village and it’ surrounding areas. 

One of the church leaders with his family. Their little baby is just under 1 month old!

Making coal.

When we arrived, we went into the church and visited a little bit with some of the leaders. After a while, along with a few of the leaders, Sharone (Victor’s oldest daughter) and I went with them to the other leaders homes and take their photos. The only thing I didn’t know (and neither did Victor) was that we were to walk up and down mountains and through rivers to get to the leaders. 

One of the leaders with his youngest of 5 children.

The church leaders that took Sharone and I all over the place! Thankful to Patrick for carrying my backpack for me!!

Over a period of 2 hours or so, we walked through the jungles of Marotandrazana stopping through a few other smaller villages. Each time we arrived at a home, they invited us in for a minute and I explained what I wanted to do. I took their photos just outside their homes, and than we continued on our journey. 

Another church leader and his family.

One point as we were walking up a mountain, one of the leaders took off on a side trail, and soon came back with a bunch of bananas to share. And in one of the smaller villages they offered us a fresh coconut to enjoy!

A machine to clean the rice. They just received this recently and had been praying for it for a while.

Even though it was hot at times, and I was tired from walking up mountains, the views were gorgeous and it was wonderful to visit the leaders homes and the rest of their families. 

Bright green rice field.

One time the mountain was so steep, I almost fell backwards twice and quickly grabbed the arm of one of the leaders. There were two different times we had to forge through two small rivers. The first one we went across, I ended up stepping in the wrong spot, and my right foot ended up falling in around 4 inches of mud. I couldn’t get my foot out with the flip flop on, so took my foot off to get it out of the mud, and I had to dig around for it. Since they were so slippery wet and muddy, and the mountain was steep, I went barefoot for a while until we reach the top. 

Sharone and I having fun in the jungle!

I think I will remember this day forever!

Street Photography: Tamatave

On the way to Las Palmas, since we had to pass through areas of town, I took this time as an advantage and captured some street photography.

The road leaving the center, heading to town.

Boys playing ball down a sandy dirt road near one of the churches Victor and his team started

'He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every part was an improvision and a considerable part of one’s waking life was spent watching one’s feet' - Lord of the Flies, William Golding

Get your motor oil!

Rice, beans and other things.

Along a dirt road.

Sponges, rice, beans, brooms....

Wood, gravel and other building supplies.

Mr. DJ, can you play my song?

I thought these photos deserved their own blog!!

I had this idea for Jo, and of course he loved it!!

I let his personality totally come out in this session!!

This kid is seriously the funniest little 3 year old ever!!!

And he loves looking at his photos...he smiles and gives a little laugh. And whenever he sees my headphones that he sued in these photos...he tells me, those are the things I was listening to music with!!!

Beach life.

I have been to the beach a couple times now since I’ve been here. Most was just to bring the kids and play in the sand. 

The other evening though I went with my friend Douce and the kids to walk along the shore. It was about sunset, the weather was beautiful, the sun was about to set and I loved hearing the waves crash against the sand. This was the first time I took my camera along. Even though my battery died before We got back home, I still was able to get some great shots of the beach. I look forward to getting back soon and get some more shots.

I could go to the beach every day and not get tired of it. Being in Tennessee we don’t get to the beach as often as we would like, so to have it here so close, I try to go as often as I can. 

We had a bit of an adventure though at the end of our walk. I wish that my battery hadn’t died, so I could have gotten it on film (next time I need to check my battery life:).

As we were about to head back home, we noticed a couple of guys that had been walking their small herd of zebu, there on the beach. We weren’t super close to them, but one started getting upset, started jumping around and running away from the guy. As we weren’t sure which direction the zebu was headed, we ran the opposite direction, as fast as our feet could take us. 

Photo above: Jo, Ariel, Sharone and Douce

Some of us were laughing, some screaming and some were tripping and falling in the sand. We go far enough away from the zebu to be out of harms way, though we kept looking back every few seconds to make they weren’t coming back in our direction. 

We laughed about it all once we got home and were thankful that nobody was hurt.

Another day while I was at the beach, and this time there weren’t any zebu’s running wide this time, but I fell into a booby trap. It was literally a booby trap!!! I was walking in the sand and all of a sudden my right leg fell into a large hole in the sand. It was up past my knee. As I had help getting out of the hole, there were some small pieces of wood in the hole and pieces of plastic as well. Those things were covering the hole, so all you could see was the sand. As I pulled my leg out, my sandal had fallen off and we had to dig to find it. 

Fun times at the beach here in Tamatave!

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The kids of Itaosy.

My first week in Madagascar I stayed in Itaosy, a suburb of Tana, the capital. I have known these kids and their families for years now and have watched them all grow up. They are an amazing group of kids!

This here is Princy. His is 22 now, but I remember when he was just a little guy, always talking to me in French and was super friendly. He would always come up to the room where I was living in at the time, and would tell me story, after story. And now, he is going to medical school to become a doctor!

This is Fita, who just turned 15! This kid is pretty awesome and a great model!! I remember when he was just a couple of years old, he would always come and visit me. And if I was gone for some reason, he would go throughout the house, calling my name!

Jedidiah, 11 years old.

Mihary, 6 years old.

Miandritiana, 18 years old

Sahaza, 17 years old

Manovo, 11 years old....too cool for words!

My time in Tana was a bit short because I have to start working on my visa, but I hope to get back over there sometime while I'm here and spend a bit more time with my friends. I am glad though I could have last week with them!

Mr. Handsome

With this little guy turning 2, I had to take some new photos...and he did an amazing job!

If you have never met Vonn, you will most likely get to know him through these photos, his personality is awesome and so much fun!!

He seriously has the best smile ever!

This kid LOVES dancing!!! As I was taking photos, I asked him if he wanted to listen to some music and dance...he answered yes, and started singing. I put on one of his favorite songs to dance to...and as you can see here, he really gets into it!

Keep smiling Vonn!!! You bring joy to all those around you!

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Let your imagination run wild!

'Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are' -Mason Cooley

King Max, from Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak

Ever since I was young, I loved reading. I remember the summer when I was introduced to the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, and read all eight of them. I couldn't put them down, and when the last one was finished, I wanted to read more of them. 

For me, when I read, it's like I jump into that book, wherever it may be, and it's like I'm right there. My imagination pretty much runs wild, and I can picture in my mind all the things happening in that book, whether I've seen a movie about it or not. 

Most of the time I usually read the books after the movie, but I always thoroughly enjoy them either way. It's like I'm on an adventure and can't wait to see what happens next. 

There was a time when I got older, that I didn't read as much. I think mainly because I was living overseas and I didn't have access to many good books, except only the few that i had brought with me. Now though, I have the chance to get my hands on pretty much any book. 

My favorite though, are definitely the classics, just like my taste in movies. I don't know why, but I have always enjoyed those more than any type of books that I have read in my life. Most of the time the classics are much longer, but that just meant that the adventures would keep going.

The Lost Boys from Peter Pan, by James Matthew Barrie

Like I mentioned earlier about Anne of Green Gables series, those are my top favorite by far. Others that I have enjoyed would be...the works of Mark Twain (Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, etc. ), Swiss Family Robinson by Jonathan David Wyss, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, the works of Jack London (The Call of the Wild, The Road, etc. ), the works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped, etc. ), Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie, and one of my all time favorites, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. 

There are others that I can't remember, but these are ones that I can recall, and some are more of my recent reads. 

My most recent was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I don't know why I never read it before, since I love the movies. I actually just finished it as of last night. There have been times when I see the book on my desk, and I think, I need to read today and the day goes by and it doesn't happen. And than there are those days when I go pick up the book and read for a while, and I can't seem to put it down. Last night was the latter, I couldn't stop reading and ended up finishing it.

After I finished it though, I automatically wanted to start a new book, with new adventures, but it was too late and I was falling asleep. It would have to wait until the following day.

There are so many things you can learn from reading a good book. Your mind expands with knowledge as well as it let's your imagination go crazy wild!

Today I started reading the Hunger Games trilogy. I got into those movies kind of late. The second movie was already out by the time I started watching them, and I pretty much fell in love with them. They are full of excitement and suspense! So now is the time to read the books and go on a journey to the Hunger Games! I know it's not a classic book like I prefer, but with such a strong interest of mine, I know that I will enjoy them.

If you are reading this, and you never really took time to read a good book, or you keep putting it off. I want to encourage you, take the time to read! Take time to set aside the things that are going on around you and dig into a good book. You won't regret it! I say, start with a great classic, you can't go wrong there!

'Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread through shadows to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight'. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Fantine, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

'But in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself.' C.S. Lewis, An Experiment in Criticism 

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a man and his guitar.

So recently I got to do some awesome work with a friend of mine. He's a talented music producer and wanted me to take some shots of an artist he's working with, while in his studio. 

'Art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take risks. -Mark Rothko

It was fun hanging out with these guys, and it was a great experience for me! I'm thankful for this opportunity!

Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art. -Andy Warhol

Sometimes you have to have fun while in the music studio...even hanging out with Rancor!

Thanks again David for letting me hang out and document Josh in the studio!!! And good luck Josh in your music adventures!!

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Don't stop creating.

I sometimes have to remind myself to not stop creating. There are times when I get discouraged, especially when work is slow, but I can't give up. I can't just stop, but my mind is always at work, ideas are coming all the time, and I need to continue to create. 

Hayes and I over to the corn field, went exploring, and took some photos. I played around with some natural light with a speedlite. Some are all natural, some have the speedlite lighting him as well, like the one below. 

'Progress how you see, think and just push further and dive deeper into whatever is in front of you, so you're not just taking a photo that you've taken before' -Jake Stangel  I want to keep this quote in mind as I continue to create, to keep pushing and diving deeper in photography. 

'Don't forget- no one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell'. -Charles de Lint

'A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is in a word effective'. -Irving Penn

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raise your flag up high.

Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself

I'm not sure what it is, but I have this strange love for flags....I love implementing them into my photography at times. I had this idea the other day, so found some scraps and made this flag seen in these photos. 

I saw this photo a while back, of a young man holding a large piece of material, standing in a field. I really thought the photo was cool, but I wanted to think of my own thing. I have a field across the street from my house, and what about using some type of flag!! I also had different ideas and shots I was looking for, with this specific session. 

With using an off camera flash as well and some natural light, I wanted to get a darker, moody effect as well, which I believe I accomplished in these shots, 

Of course I wanted to use my water sprayed plastic effect as well. This is the first time I've used it outdoors. I usually use this for more headshot but not full body shots. I wanted to experiment with using it outside and with the full subject as well. This was my favorite using the plastic!

Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread through shadows to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

‘My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest’ - Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

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waiting...not giving up.

I have loved photography since I was young. I remember when I bought my first digital camera, a small Canon point and shoot. Before that, I would use film cameras, one of them being my Dad's old Pentax he got in the army (and I still use at times). Over the years I caught an eye for photography, and later on, the love just grew more and more.

A couple of years ago, I got my first DSLR camera, and wanted to learn more about photography. Through online courses, and multiple photography websites, I learned a lot (and I'm still learning), and love going out and practicing what I have learned.

Sometimes though, being an artist can be difficult. There's a lot of photographers out in the world today. It's a challenge at times, to get your work out there, to get more people to notice your work, to be different than the rest.

There have been some slow times in my work, and it can get discouraging. There were times, I can honestly say, I just wanted to give up. But, I would pray, I would get encouraged again and I wouldn't let it get me down. I would go out and creative more work and just keep at it!

Recently, I was chosen to be a part of a big and exciting art show, to be able showcase my work. When I received the email, my jaw dropped, and I asked myself, 'Is this for real, has this really happened?' And yes, it was for real!

I thank God for this opportunity to be able to show others my work, to meet new people and possibly meet new future clients as well.

The show is in less than 3 weeks and I have been getting things ready and together for it. I am trying to get all of the preparation done soon, so I'm not waiting to the last minute, or getting too stressed out about it. 

I think this could be a great thing for my photography! I think it's going to be a great place to network with other artists, as well.

I will be showing a lot of my creative work, as well as some of my work from Madagascar. Some of my prints will be available to purchase, along with some greeting card sets with California and Madagascar photos on them. 

I want to thank all of my friends, family and clients who have supported me over the years, and are supporting me now with this big event!

You can still purchase a ticket for this event, whether you are able to make it or not. But, I would love to see some friendly faces at the show!! 

I believe it's going to be a great show, full of fun and excitement with a bunch of great artists!

Get your tickets here: 

www.rawartists.org/cplowmanphotog

Anyone out there, reading this, that may be struggling with something...Don't Give Up! Whether you are an artist or not, whatever you may be passionate about, just keep at it and don't give up!

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The Scout.

Recently, I did a session with Elijah in his Boy Scouts uniform. 
Working with Elijah, you never know what's gonna happen. This kid is so fun to work with!

Sometimes I get his goofy side, and sometimes his serious side! It would have been great to have made a video of this session, seeing him being himself in the photos as well as in between the photos. He made me laugh a lot!

I wasn't planning on taking photos in the corn field, but once I saw it, I thought I had to get some shots! Elijah loved it! And if I would have let him, he would have ran throughout those fields. 

Thanks Elijah for letting me capture these photos! And keep up the good work in Boy Scouts!!