Charles McPadden Photography

Jan 11

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments

Double Exposure Photography

Lately I’ve been playing around with double exposures. There’s really nothing new about this type of photography; it has been around almost as long as photography itself. I primarily shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III which has (some) ability to do this type of thing internally. Although I haven’t had much luck doing this within my camera, I have found Photoshop to be quite astute with it.

Jun 17

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: male, military

Making Lemonade

It has often been said that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Last November, my wife and I moved into a new home. We had been thinking about moving for a few years and opportunity finally knocked. We moved right before Thanksgiving. I knew the move would consume my schedule for several weeks. With Christmas approaching and lots of other year-end madness, I didn’t anticipate shooting much until after the start of the new year. At the time, it never occurred to me that I would be taking a six month hiatus from photography.

Aug 26

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: female, fine art

Miss Addy

Sometimes you go into something just knowing you’re gonna have a great time. My shoot with Addy was certainly one of those times. I had never worked with her before, but I quickly discovered that Addy has a deep, quiet energy that lends itself to focused intensity. When Addy arrived for the shoot, she brought some of the coolest props (see the included images). We shot at two locations and took a few hundred shots.

May 18

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: female, forrest

Angeles Crest Highway

So I had been wanting to do a photo shoot in a wooded area for the longest time. I had seen recent work of other photographers and it got me thinking about a few ideas of my own. I decided to shoot in an area known as the Angeles Crest Highway (in Los Angeles). The Angeles Crest Highway is a scenic two-lane road located north of the Los Angeles basin. From a photography perspective, it’s very desirable.

Apr 22

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: achievement, female

Alexis

If you’ve ever met someone you instantly liked, then you know how I feel about Alexis. I’ve had the pleasure of calling Alexis my friend for many years. Alexis is easy going and genuinely kind-hearted. She comes from a great family and is a good friend to everyone that knows her. Alexis was home schooled and says she never even stepped foot into a “real” school until college. While she initially studied interior design, she quickly decided to pursue a field dedicated to serving other people. After completing college she became a certified LVN and RN and now works as a postpartum nurse in Los Angeles.

Oct 07

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 2 comments tags: wedding

I Ain’t No Wedding Photographer…

Shortly after I got into photography, my friend Keith Pytlinksi and I decided to dabble in wedding photography. While neither one of us had any desire to be a full-time wedding photographer, we thought it would be a good way to do the thing we loved while making a few bucks. So that we would each have time to pursue the specific type of photography we were drawn to (portraits for me and extreme biking for Keith) we decided to limit ourselves to about 10 weddings a year. It sounded like a great idea…

Sep 19

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: male

Pete Habib

One of the best things about being a portrait photographer is meeting people. However, unlike meeting people casually in a social environment, meeting a model moments before a photo shoot can bring angst for both the model and the photographer. Models may feel a bit awkward at first about being photographed, and photographers feel the inner pressure that comes with desperately needing to get “the shot” that somehow (falsely) validates his/her existence as a photographer.

Aug 26

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 5 comments tags: brother, combat, male, military

While My Brother Is Away

My brother Chris is a U.S. military officer. A West Point and Brown University graduate, he’s a hard working “achiever” in every sense of the word. He cares deeply about everything he does. He’s the type of guy that makes the world a better place. Although he has more academic and military achievements than I can recite, he would never mention them publicly. Chris is a man of honesty, integrity and humbleness. He’s also a dedicated husband and father. My brother lives a full life – one that comes from confident Christian faith. He loves the Lord like no one I have ever known. In fact, the relationship Chris shares with Jesus Christ is what first made Christianity appealing to me so many years ago.

Oct 01

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 50 comments tags: female, sehenuk, twinless twin

Expressions of Loss

Several months ago I wrote about my good friend, Becky Sehenuk and her experience of losing a twin sister (Jenny) in a motorcycle accident. You can read the original post “Losing Jenny” here. For many reasons, this was difficult to write. Doing so made me realize I was largely helpless to help her. Despite every desire to somehow remove this painful experience from my friend, I had no capacity to do so.

Aug 13

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 10 comments tags: american dream, cemetery, male

Finding the American Dream

It was July 4th, and I was out looking for American symbolism. I was hoping the American holiday would present interesting photography opportunities. As a military vet, I knew cemeteries were often decorated with rows of American flags on patriotic holidays. I drove across town and pulled into a cemetery not far from my home. I parked my car and quietly walked the grounds. It was a peaceful morning and most of the surrounding town was still asleep. Being that it was so early, I assumed I was alone. I would soon discover that I was wrong.

May 28

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: achievement, alex, male, martial arts

Uncommon Achievement

This is Alex Mastrolonardo. Someday, he may save your life. At age 18, Alex is on life’s “fast track” and will soon begin med school at the University of Pittsburg. I took this image as part of a small series of images to be used at his upcoming high school graduation ceremony. While Alex may have the outward appearance of a typical high school senior, there’s nothing typical about him. In fact, Alex is the most accomplished and humble young man I know. His entire life is about uncommon achievement.

Apr 19

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 9 comments tags: female, sehenuk

Losing Jenny

Is it possible to mourn the loss of someone you’ve never met? I’m not completely certain, but I do feel a deep sense of loss and regret when I think of Jennifer (Jenny) Anne Sehenuk. Tragically, Jenny died in a motorcycle accident on October 1st, 2010 in Valencia, California. She was on her way to her mother’s home for a family gathering when the accident occurred. Jenny was only 29 and her passing is something I think about almost daily.

Aug 19

by Charles McPadden in Portraits 0 comments tags: dancing with the stars, female

Carmen Carter

You’ve probably heard Carmen Carter’s voice on TV. Carmen is the background singer for Dancing with the Stars. She has an astonishingly flexible and beautiful voice. She’s also very high-energy and lots of fun to hang out with. I had the pleasure of working with Carmen a year or so ago. She was getting ready to release some new music and needed a “funky” image for her press materials. After working with her for a few hours, I can tell you her personality is as big as her afro!