The Men of Bound4LIFE

I was going through some old photo sessions to find a classy, yet hopeful and inspirational photo of my good friend Ian Kelly for his blogger bio on moraloutcry.com. I stumbled upon a series of photos I took of Matt, Ian, and Craig in downtown Charlotte, NC. These are the men of Bound4LIFE.

Someone Else's Camera

This was shot at The Norva while Over the Ocean was playing on Sept. 11, 2009. As I'm walking from one side of the crowd to the other, I see some bloke raising his camera in the air to get a shot of Jesse, and I snipe his shot. Ha ha sucker. It's my photo now. Totally mine.

And yours too. I'm sharing it with you here.

Nate At The Norva

My friends are in a band. That band is called Over The Ocean. They are brilliant.

This is a photo of Nate Crawford slaying people with his rock at the Norva in Norfolk, VA on September 11, 2009.

I had one hot-shoe Nikon SB-28 flash mounted on the balcony camera-right, and had my shutter speed somewhere around 1/30th. I used the 15mm Sigma fisheye lens that I bought specifically for Africa, and waited until the lighting guy gave me some really heavy back-light.

Pepsi Vs. Coke

Ready? Fight.

This was snapped in Clemmons, NC at an old mechanic's shop. If there are any Winston-Salem artists or musicians who want their portrait done, let me know. I'll come down there just to shoot at this location.

Right Before The Lions Got Him

This was taken on the Masai Mara in Southern Kenya. I snapped this photo seconds before the lions pounced and ruined our trip.

Just kidding.

It didn't ruin our trip.

I'm now offering 8x10 prints from my trip to Africa, as well as from various other photographic experiences at prints.levibethune.com but you can purchase limited edition prints straight from this blog.

Wearing a Kenya Hat

I was just telling my good friend Craig that I never posed anyone while I was in Africa earlier this year. I always had my cameras on and around my neck, so I would grab whatever photo I could, whenever I could. Because I was pulling double-duty by recording video and still images, I had my mind going in two different directions at all times. The subject matter made it easy to always get a good shot. It's a target-rich environment in third-world countries, you can basically just close your eyes, lift the camera, and snap away.

This woman had just returned from the field where she was either herding the goats or hunting. She was my favorite woman in the village we were at during the day because of her glasses. Plus, you can't beat that knit cap in the middle of an African Summer.

Songs of Water in the Park

This is an odd angle for me. I'm not usually a big fan of dutch tilt. In fact, if you really know me, you know that I have developed a rather strong distaste for it in most situations. However, the moment was too good to pass up, so in this case, I let it past my filter and to the public eye. Emotion trumps technicalities.

The photo you're viewing was taken while I was visiting Winston-Salem, NC on business.

This One is For Lindsay

When I was in Africa this past February, Lindsay asked specifically for pictures of trees. She was on the team as a hygiene training instructor, and she has such a loving heart for the people of Africa.

Why does the sun seem so much bigger in Africa?

East Africa, Old West

This is a photo I took while in Africa last February. I never really noticed it before, but while sorting through photos to get printed, I realized how "old west" it looks. I could totally see that building in Arizona somewhere. Instead, it's in Kenya.

NC State Inspection

I've been staying the past week in Clemmons, NC doing a contract job for a client here, and in the late afternoon and into the evening on Thursday I hit the town with nothing but natural light and a 24mm lens.

As I was looking for the freeway in order to drive into downtown Winston-Salem, I noticed this mechanic on the side of the road. His little shop is surrounded by crisp, clean, new construction and a strip-mall. For some reason, he still holds claim to a beat-up square of parking lot where he runs his little inspection station.

I love that there is nothing 2009 about this photo.

Inside The Senate Building 8

This photo is the final image of a series from one hour in the Hart Senate Building in Washington DC.

Inside The Senate Building 7

This photo is part of a series from one hour in the Hart Senate Building in Washington DC.

Inside The Senate Building 6

This photo is part of a series from one hour in the Hart Senate Building in Washington DC.

Inside The Senate Building 5

This photo is part of a series from one hour in the Hart Senate Building in Washington DC.

Bound4LIFE Wants You

This is a shot I can file away with other happy mistakes.

I was on assignment for Bound4LIFE, taking shots of them praying in front of the Supreme Court in DC during a 40-day intensive last year, and snagged this shot of my very good friend Ian Kelly. Ian is a gentleman of high standards and deep convictions in whom I put a generous amount of trust. His character, candor, charm, and wit make him a brilliant speaker, writer, and thought-provoker. Follow him on twitter.

I highly encourage you to check out the Bound4LIFE blog, and all the exciting stuff that is going on this year.

Right now, I'm working a lot with Bound4LIFE and JHOPDC while I'm in Northern Virginia. I love these people, and especially what they stand for and fight so hard to see accomplished. Tomorrow I'm going to their headquarters on Capitol Hill to shoot some lifestyle photos of the internship there and of the weekly prayer "rumble" they host in the basement of a condo just blocks from the capitol building.

Inside The Senate Building 4

I really appreciate when an architect doesn't just design for necessity, but for art. When style compliments function, it is the best of both worlds.

Taken inside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington DC. Part of a personal black & white series.

Inside The Senate Building 3

Along with the first two photos in this series, this was taken inside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington DC. I'm going to be taking some more time to work on my personal editorial spreads in the near future, but this was a healthy warmup for me.

Inside The Senate Building 2

I know this picture has been done before, and I know it's been done more dramatically. However, the man you are looking at, with his head hung, and documents in hand, entered this building through a door, above which is inscribed: “A man of incorruptible integrity and personal courage strengthened by inner grace and outer gentleness…. He advanced the cause of human justice, promoted the welfare of the common man and improved the quality of life…. His humility and ethics earned him his place as the conscience of the Senate.” That is a description of Senator Philip Hart, a Michigan Democrat for whom the building was named.

I wonder how many senators and staff have read that quote. I wonder how many senators and staff would like to be remembered as such. I wonder how many senators and staff will be described in the same way.

Senator Hart died in 1976 and was one of only three senators to be honored by having a building named after them while they were still alive.

Inside The Senate Building 1

I spent the morning with friends of mine in our nation's capital, and part of that allowed me to visit the Hart Building. A lot of important things happen in this building every day. The confirmation hearing of the next Supreme Court Justice is just one of them.

Branches And Sky

One of the rare "clear skies" day in Africa. This was taken toward the end of the day, hence the long shadows, right before we got to the safari park in the Masai Mara.