Mini Sessions for May

Christma Lights Workshop!

Join us for laughter and good cheer as we walk through a festive neighborhood and photograph the lights of the season!  Award Winning photographer Bill Wilbur will be there to instruct you on the best techniques and angles to capture the beauty and color of the holiday season. Our Orange County Workshop will take place on December 7 and our SGV workshop will take place in Covina on December 14. These are very popular and will fill up quickly.

You will need:

Camera and Memory cards
Tripod
Remote for the camera
Gloves, Jacket, Hat for warmth
Walking Shoes
A fun attitude

Photo Contest: We Need Your help!

Evelyn and I have entered a photo contest For our favorite vacation spot, Prince Edward Island.  part of the judging is the number of votes your photo receives.  So we are asking for your help! Please click each link below and cast a vote for your favorites...or better yet, vote for all of them!  If we win, anybody that votes will receive a free print of the winning photo...or a penny...Thanks to all who play along!

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=chk-54069a76ae422%2Cview-vote%2Cfor-4664627

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664574

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664573

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664572

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664568

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664566

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664558

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https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664549

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664546

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664545

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664544

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664514

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664509

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664635

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664632

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664629

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664624

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664623

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664615

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664613

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664601

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664600

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664598

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664596

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664595

https://www.facebook.com/TourismPEI?sk=app_451684954848385&brandloc=DISABLE&app_data=view-vote%2Cfor-4664581

Photo Workshop, May 19: El Mirage Fine Art ~ $125

We are returning to El Mirage for another fun filled day of abstract fine art and fashion photography!  This workshop was extremely popular last year and we expect it to fill up very quickly.  We will meet at 7am on the outskirts of Victorville and caravan into the dry lake.  There will be models for fashion portraits, and several props for some abstract photos.  We will spend a couple hours discussing the techniques to use in what can be a harsh lighting environment and taking tons of photos.

From the dry lake we'll travel a few miles to an old abandoned house where we can shoot a structure slowly being reclaimed by the desert.  finally we will move right down the street to the free standing chimney and graffiti-covered swimming pool.  We will discuss the best way to utilize a non-traditional setting to work with people and spend some time photographing the area.

Those who want, can join us for lunch before heading back toward home.  This is always a fun workshop and one of my favorite places to photograph.  If you are interested in attending, justsend an email to edenlunaphoto@yahoo.com and we will send you a payment invoice through paypal.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but the paypal button is not currently working on this blog. Here are a few photos from various trips to El Mirage.

Photo Workshop April 13: Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum $75

Join us on April 13, 2014 for a fun morning photographing the past. The Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum is a great place to work on macro photography and get the opportunity to photograph some unusual items. Rusted old tractors, fully restored locomotives, old steam engines, etc. This is a fun place to wander about and find that hidden photographic gem. This is a new teaching workshop we are offering and we expect it to fill up very fast. This workshop is designed for photographers at all levels from beginner to pro. We will have a pre-workshop meeting to discuss equipment needs. Meals and transportation are not included though there will be carpool options. This workshop costs $75. If you are interested, please click on the 'Buy Now' button below.

Here are a few sample images from a recent visit.




























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Photo Workshop March 28-29: Joshua Tree $375

Join award-winning photographer, Bill Wilbur on a two-day journey to this weird and wondrous landscape. Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most photographed places on earth. This teaching workshop is designed for photographers of all skill levels, from amateur to professional and everyone in between. We will depart the morning of March 28th and drive straight to Joshua Tree where we will check into our hotel, have lunch and then enter the park for the late afternoon light. We will capture the stark beauty of this alien landscape until sunset using advanced techniques from the pros. After dinner, we'll get to bed early so that we can get into the park for sunrise...yes...VERY early. We will photograph the Cholla Gardens, Barker Damn and many other points of interest before leaving the park for lunch and a trip back into the old west. After lunch we will visit White Horse Ranch, an old west movie set and the location of the Saragosa trailer. We will have a pre-trip meeting to discuss equipment and meeting times, etc. Space is limited and fills up fast for this one. Transportation is not included though we have carpool options. Meals are your responsibility. If interested, just click the 'Buy Now' button below to pay with PayPal. The cost of this workshop is $375

Here are some sample images from our last trip:

Abandoned

Until I was seven, I grew up in a small Massachusetts town named Middleboro. Just about an hour south of Boston, Middleboro was a sleepy town with a hospital at its center. St Luke's Hospital was where my brother was born, as well as my best friends at the time. It was where I was rushed to when I broke my collar bone, and when I needed six stitches to seal a gash in my arm. Forty years after leaving, I returned to Middleboro to find that the hotel had been abandoned since the 80's. As a photographer, I envisioned a building caught in time, decaying slowly with old beds, operating rooms, etc. So I set forth to gain access to photograph this part of my youth. My wife, Evelyn and I have a love of old abandoned buildings and rusty things, so we knew we had to get inside.

I discovered who owned the building and sent them an introductory email explaining who we were and that we wanted to photograph this once grand building. Along with the owners, I also sent the same email to the Sheriff of Middleboro. I could remember walking from my house a half a block to visit my mom when my brother was born and I was excited to get back inside. Almost immediately I received a response from the sheriff's office stating that there was no hospital in the town of Middleboro and I must be thinking of another in a neighboring town. I couldn't believe it. I had grown up literally next door to St Luke's and had seen the building only last year on a visit. I replied that they were mistaken and told them the street names of the corner on which it stood. The replied back with an email that I was indeed correct, they had Googled the locations and discovered a hospital there! How the local law enforcement could have missed such a large building at the center of town all this time, I had no idea.

Thank goodness Carl Soares came through! Carl emailed to say that he was Director of Facilities for the company who owned the property and if I really wanted to get in, he would arrange it. He also said the property had been completely gutted and if I was hoping to find old beds and such I was going to be disappointed. We decided to go for it anyway, and Carl met us at the agreed upon time and opened the building to us. He gave us full run of the place, there was nothing there we could damage, and we had a great time. There was plenty to photograph and it was a sufficiently creepy afternoon. Here are some of the photos, what do you think?




























































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Evelyn's First Time

A year ago, I surprised Evelyn with a vacation to Prince Edward Island. Since she was a little girl, Evelyn had dreamed of visiting this peaceful Canadian island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Anne of Green Gables introduced her to the island and Evelyn spent her childhood dreaming of the day she could visit. Our vacation was a magical time filled with wonder and peace, and though the weather did not always cooperate, we took hundreds of photos. When we came back, Evelyn found out that the tourism board from the island was holding a photo contest. They were looking for photos that told the story of the island which captured its beauty and simple elegance.

We both entered the contest with a few photos each and soon forgot about it. This week we received notification that one of Evelyn's photos won the 'Fan Favorite' vote. It is the first photo contest she has ever entered, and she won $100 Canadian dollars, but even more than that, her photo will be featured in the 2014 PEI Tourism Guide! Her first contest win and her first published photo all in one fell swoop! I am so proud of her for being brave enough to enter and talented enough to win. She is the true talent behind EdenLuna Photography and now she is finally getting the recognition she deserves! Please join me and send her a note of congratulations either through here or on our FB pages.

Here is the winning photo:



















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The Adventures of Elf Abba Vols 1-4

As most of you know, Evelyn and I write a new original Christmas story each year to send out as a Christmas Card to our family and friends. I am now happy to announce that volumes 1-4 are available in audiobook form. These holiday tales are read by Valerie Trujillo, an aspiring new actress on her way to big things. We are proud that she chose to be the voice of Abba, our clumsy little elf.

You can order the first set now! Volumes 1-4 contain the following Adventures of Elf Abba:


Volume One: Abba Gets Her Wish

Volume Two: Christmas Cheer

Volume Three: Abba's Big Surprise

Volume Four: The Christmas Caper

ONLY $10!

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Meet Luis

Luis is one of a new rising crop of actors trying to make it in the big bad machine that is Hollywood. He has the talent and he has the drive and that is a powerful combination. I have had a chance to work with Luis a few times and he is a genuinely nice guy as well. He cares about people and I hope the machine doesn't rip that part out of him. If you need a model/ actor for any of your projects, give him a shot.


























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MEME Contest

Create a meme using the photo below and submit your entries to gnubill@yahoo.com. The winning entry will win their choice of and one of the posters below.

















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Which SARAGOSA Character Are You?

Brody McNeel stood in the doorway of the jail, his six foot two inch bulk filling the entrance. One broad shoulder leaned against the doorframe as he took a last drag on his cigarette, flicked it into the street and pulled the jailhouse door closed behind him. The sun had set an hour ago and the saloon lights lit up the town. His town.



A man filled the doorway. His clothes were tattered and covered with grime. His hair hung well past his collar and a week's worth of growth clung to his chin, his face showed the scars of several cuts. A single holster rested on his hip, tied down with a rawhide strip. Orin stood his ground and let Brody come to him.



Dub watched him long enough to make sure he'd go, then retrieved his Henry rifle from the jail. The stock fit smoothly into his palm and he tested its weight. He only carried it now when he began to miss the feel of it, but there was a time he'd carried it everywhere he went - back in the early days with Brody, when they were targets for every hard case with something to prove. The bark of that old Henry was the last sound many of those men ever heard. Dub checked the load, closed the jailhouse door, and stepped out into the night air.



As he looked up, Ricky saw the man's gun already clearing leather. The barrel slid smoothly from the holster and began to draw up level. In slow motion he saw the man's thumb move toward the hammer. He had to move, but the pain in his side was too great. Like a blacksmith's hammer striking the anvil, he heard the pistol cocked. An explosion filled his ears and resounded off the walls. From somewhere, there was a cry of pain and the man before him fell. Ricky looked down in confusion and found a gun in his hand, a small drift of smoke rising from the barrel. Holstering his father's pistol, dizziness tilted the world and Sarah grabbed him just before his knees gave out. There was blood, and there was a lot of it.



That was District Attorney Rynerson from Santa Fe. Of all the men who's passed through Bristol's court, there was no one he loathed more than the district attorney. A more sinister man, the judge had yet to encounter. Turning from the window, he slowly walked to the crowded table, shouldering his way into its mist. He despised these men, and yet here he was a part of them, a part of The Ring and thus detestable by association.



The gunman crossed the plank sidewalk and stood close to Cross, trying to stare him down. It was the last mistake he would ever get to make. With the speed that was nearly imperceptible, Cross rammed the blade deep into the man's belly. The gunman's eyes flew open wide. He gripped the hand holding the knife, but Cross yanked the blade up, tearing open the man's abdomen. The gunman screamed, and with the scream came a steady stream of blood, bubbling from his mouth. Cross put his shoulder to the man's chest and shoved him off the walk into the alley beside the saloon. The gunman made no sound as he fell facedown into the dirt. He was dead. Cross nudged the toe of his boot under the man and rolled him over. Without finesse, he pulled the blade out and wiped it on the dead man's clothes. 'Nobody tells me what to do,' he said.



"I may be a woman, Brody. But I’m a strong woman and I don’t need to be protected. I wont take being lied to, so please don’t do it. Not now, not ever.” Sarah spoke gently but firmly. This was a hard land and it bred hard people. She’d watched her father die and never knew, not until the very end, that his body was racked with cancer. He too had protected her from the truth and she’d been left scared, confused, and alone. The truth was a powerful thing and one she needed no protection from. “I’ll not be protected anymore.” She told him. “Ignorance only breeds fools.”





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Win This!

In honor of my book finally going into production, we are raffling off a limited edition photo of your choice. If you win the raffle you can choose from any of the six prints pictured here. The prints have been valued by an art consultant at $150-$400.

The photos are all 13"x19" prints mounted to 1/4 inch gator board and ready for framing, with the exception of the black and white purple chair print which is 12"x36". Photos are all copyright 2012 by yours truly and may not be reproduced without express written consent.

Raffle runs for one week only, today through next Thursday May 16. Raffle tickets are $10 and can be paid through Paypal here:

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