Lifestyle Photojournalist David Duncan Photography

Today was a great day, I was able to step away from my computer and email at Liberty University and shoot baseball. It was sunny, a tad windy and I was able to shoot baseball with a Canon 400mm f2.8 with a Canon 7D that we just got in. This was the first time for me to shoot with a 400mm 2.8. I want one!





Below is the link to today's game.

http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm?PID=10869&NewsID=8647

Some current projects that I have been working on during the past month or so. Right before Thanksgiving I was able to get the new iPhone 4s through Sprint. My goal was not only to have a cool phone but one that could take large photographs and video with. I downloaded the Instagram app and the blurb app before heading to NC for Thanksgiving. My goal was not to pick up my digital camera but to be creative during the week off with my iPhone.

Below is what three quick stories I created, the images and projects were picked up by PDNonline.com a national photography magazine as well.

Here are links to all three stories.

Stephenson Flotilla Cookout

Benvenue Grill

NC

9/11 A Look Back is a mini video documentary revisiting my ten year old multimedia documentary project called Innocence Lost Lynchburg 9/11 that was later renamed David Duncan September 11th Collection after it was accepted into the Library of Congress American Folklife Center in 2003. My goal for this project was to try to track down the different subjects that I photographed ten years ago and shoot video interviews with them at my studio.

We will be displaying them each week through out the month of September here on my blog. Each person has different memories and thoughts about 9/11, sometime these memories are raw as to be expected after living through an attack like we did ten years ago.

This video is of Steve Bozeman sharing his thoughts and memories from that day and reflecting on how it has changed not only him but also Lynchburg and America.

The video was film, edited and produced by David Duncan Photography and Live Dream Share





This video is of Tyler Duerson who was in 2nd grade when I first interviewed her and her class at James River Day School here in Lynchburg, VA. Tyler is the girl in the middle of the group in the black & white picture once the video starts. Tyler came in our studio during the summer to share her memories and thoughts about 9/11 ten years later.

10 years has past since 9/11 but it feels like yesterday for some of us. For the past two months, I have been working on shooting a mini video documentary of interviews for a follow-up project about 9/11. I have also been interviewed and sharing my own story from that day and months that followed. For me, my emotions that were buried are coming up to the surface now, back when I was a photojournalist and covering the events, I had to focus on the job of documenting other people’s stories. Even when I was shooting my personal multimedia documentary 10 years ago, I was in autopilot, not wanting to think about how it affected me. So now ten years later, I am at it again, tracking down subjects, letting them share their stories and memories and reliving it again with them.

Below is a scaled down version of my first multimedia documentary called ‘Innocence Lost Lynchburg 9/11’ that was later renamed 'David Duncan September 11 Collection' after it was accepted into the Library of Congress, American Folklife Center in 2003. Years ago I created this scaled down version for my blog.

This Sunday will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and mark the start of my new mini video documentary called, ‘A Look Back’ where I tracked down different subject from 10 years ago and record video interview with them in my studio. Each week we will display a new video during the month of September. This way it is not just another date here and gone.



To view the multimedia slideshow please visit this link.

To read about the new documentary project please check out this story that PDN Online wrote.

To listen to the whole audio documentary that was apart of the multimedia project ten years ago please listen below,



To listen to my WLNI 105.9 FM radio interview about the project please listen below

In 2003 I interviewed Calvin Falwell for a baseball multimedia documentary project I was producing called, Peanuts, Popcorn, Cold-Beer-Here, sights & sounds of historic City Stadium. Calvin was one of many people that I interviewed for the project. Calvin loved to talk and share stories, I remember him talking for over an hour that day.

He share with me how he and his first cousin, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell would make up a team and shag fly’s ball, he talked about how baseball was started in Lynchburg when the trains would leave Florida and make their way up to Lynchburg and then onto New York, he talked about the first game that was played in 1939. He talked about the racial tension in 1962 in Savannah, GA and how the president of the Southern League moved their Double A team up to Lynchburg, VA to finish off their season. In 1966 he formed a new corporation and brought in the White Soxs and in 1976 he had the Mets here in Lynchburg. He even talked about having a competitive team and winning the World Series Championships when the Mets won. He said that 30 of the players came through the Lynchburg club.

If you ever had the chance to meet him I am sure he had a story ready to share. Calvin Falwell at age 90 died on August 20th, 2011 while on the way to a Hillcats baseball game where he later passed away while at Lynchburg General Hospital with his family by his side. Below is the audio interview. It is 17 minutes long both worth every minute of it.













Here are some links, this one is of his Obituary and here is a link of him in the Hall of Fame for the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society. Here is a link from Minor League Baseball

























Here is Calvin Falwell and his grandson checking out the multimedia documentary project that was showcased in the CJMW Architects Gallery in 2004.

We wanted to share a service we offer year round. Most of you know we produce multimedia, audio and video stories for corporate, editorial and non-profit clients. But most do not know we offer similar services to the general public. Memories in Motion was first created as a service I have set up in Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory but this Service is also great for people who are still thriving and have memories to share.


Memories In Motion, A multimedia Memorial Production by David Duncan Photography.

Preservation of your memories is the most important thing for family and friends. This service can be used for anybody for any personal story. This is a great service for veterans, oral history of families, friendship, growing up, stories of what life was like in Lynchburg or whatever town you lived in, struggles, love, religion...

David Duncan Photography works with clients to preserve memories of their loved ones as an heirloom for generations to come. It is said that a picture says a thousand words. We believe that, while photographs tell a lot, there is nothing like coupling them with a personal testimony. With memories in Motion, we capture your loved ones in a multimedia presentation (photos, mementos and audio mixed) that you can treasure for a lifetime and pass on to future generations.

These DVD’s can be displayed on a TV, Computer, at Parties, visitation as part of a memorial service as well. We also offer online display as well for social networking or to be displayed on a blog.

Memories in motion will come to you (in Lynchburg or out of town/state) to record session and photograph your snapshots and mementos on site or you are welcome to visit our studio. We can record between 1-4 people at a time, we offer different package with different options. Time length runs between 6-8 finished minutes to 10-20 finished minutes. Please give us a call we would love to record your story.

Below is a sample of the what video will look and sound like (please give it a couple of seconds to load). We use pro studio mics, audio recorders and cameras to capture your story. We also offer other products as well as add-on's .

If you have any questions please contact us at David Duncan Photography

Living In The Moment - Skip Tharp from David Duncan on Vimeo.

A great photo shoot today shooting cool designer bridal dresses called Fancy New York, they design bridal dresses that are designed with a 1950's style. The YWCA Church Street Bridal just got a huge shipment in. This is an outtake image I thought was cool and different. The headpiece is not a headpiece it goes over the shoulders but I thought it looked cool over the head. More images and a new video to come when they launch the new Church Street Bridal blog. Thanks to everyone who took part in todays shoot! Enjoy, David

It has been some time since I have updated my blog here, you can find me putting up my Photo of the day on my facebook page at facebook.com/davidduncanphoto or posting updates on twitter.com/davidduncanfoto most every day. But here are some needed updates.

I just recently shot a cool assignment for Wired Magazine for their July Issue. I will post a link once the issue is published. We picked up a cool regional non-profit as a client and produced a video for them using some of their footage with new interviews we shot. I created new low thirds and applied some AE work that meet their needs and edited the project into a 6 minute video.

The Wedding season has started for us, check out our wedding work at davidduncanphoto.com or visit us in our studio located downtown. We shot edited and produced a cool video for the YWCA for their annual Purse & Passion fundraiser that raised over 21k. The song for the video was written by friends Tim Elliott and Michael Esser and Michael Web in Nashville, TN at 16 Ton Studios.

We visited Michelle's parents in GA and also had a Duncan family reunion and while down there. I shot a quick video of Michelle's dad playing his fiddle, it turned out so nice that I posted it. I teach one class a semester at Randolph College as an Adjunct Professor teaching Intro to Video or filmmaking, this years final project I picked a non-profit that I felt needed video services that could not afford it. The students produced 2- five minute films for the Lynchburg Life Saving Crew. The third oldest in the country.

Also Michelle has taken over as the estimating/billing/communication part of our business in complete. This will free me to be completely creative, which is what I am best at! We have been blessed over this past couple of months with new work rolling in.

To check out more of our work please visit davidduncan.com livedreamshare.com davidduncanphoto.com

This is a video portrait of Billy Flint that we at Live Dream Share shot as a test case video for Flint Property Group here in Lynchburg, VA. This video is a great insight into who Billy is as a person and as a business owner. This was shot, edited and produced by David Duncan Photography / Live Dream Share livedreamshare.com a multimedia video production studio in Lynchburg, VA.

Video Portrait of Billy Flint from David Duncan on Vimeo.

Tim Elliott and I hooked up in his studio near his house to record and shoot a rough cut of his new song, Creepin And A Crawlin. It is amazing! This was a "fly by the seat of your pants" type of day. The session was going to be filmed in our studio but we changed it to his at the last minute. I packed up my gear. I was shooting HD video with my Canon 7D and was recording dual sound with a my Tascam DR-100. I was also recording sound with my Sony PCM-D50 as backup. We recorded the making of the song with the Sennheiser G2 Wireless lav system that I love, one of the best investments I made early on in my multimedia career. The natural light that flows in is crazy cool! I popped a LED in a CN 160 LED video light as a fill. For the money this is the best light I have used.

For a side note, I teach as an Adjunct Professor at Randolph College. The class is Intro to Digital Filmmaking and we have two of the Litepanels Micro Pro's and they eat through batteries and I would rather have a couple of the CN 160's any day. Now if someone was to say here try out my Lite Panels 1x1, I would say sure, thanks! The best part about shooting video with a HD-SLR camera is that I can shoot "on the fly" video and shoot stills with the same system. My foot print is small and mobile because of this.




The song is about 4 minutes long but then Tim gives us some more amazing riffs to enjoy that he is working on. The total play time is 11 minutes.





The music video/interview is coming soon. This was a still photo that I shot during interview part as Tim was playing the acoustic guitar. The audio recording of the song was played with his old Gretsch Guitar that had an amazing sound. If I new how to play a guitar, this is what I would play with. Tim will be heading to Nashville, TN to record at 16 Ton Recording Studios soon. These guys are wizards at bringing in the right people and creating true art. I can't wait to hear the B3 organ play in the background with this song.

Enjoy,

David

Saturday has been a long day here in Central Virginia, David Duncan Photography took part in the annual Prom Dress Super Sale at the YWCA of Central Virginia where they were also having a bridal sale. We were set up as a vendor with a booth. Next to us was Hill City Bride as well. The YWCA has three bridal shops, Church Street Bridal, Church Street Bridal, Too and Church Street Couture. Today I must have talked with 300+ people about either prom, senior portraits or wedding photography, we handed out a tone of information. Last year the YWCA had around 400 people attend the sale and they raised around $10,000 dollars for their programs for women and children. We were honored to help out and attend this great event.

Another cool bit of news, David Duncan Photography, our corporate and wedding side and our multimedia side called Live Dream Share shoots all of their corporate, documentary photography, we produced all their video and shoot fashion images for their prom and bridal shops that are used in their marketing. We again were happy to supply the fashion image for their new billboards that will be located in Lynchburg, VA off of Rt. 221 and the 460 Bypass.

Here is the design of the billboard below.

I received a call from a friend, Jeff Sykes, in Reidsville, NC asking me if I would help him out. He said he meet this guy in the local coffee shop, Hunter Pegram, who was planting a new church in his area and asked if I could spruce up the video that they wanted to display on Facebook and You tube. After viewing the three different videos, I did a search on several online sites that offered after effects intros. I found one that fit his message, I uploaded it to my After Effects CS4 software and made some changes and added his logo. This fit his style and the message to the 20 and 30 year olds that would join this church, I feel. I then created a lower third for his title and a quick after effects title for Acts 1:8. This was a fun project. I have more ideas for shooting the next batch of video with my Canon 7D. I think we can build upon this series. Below are the videos. Enjoy!

video 1

Revolution Church - 1 from David Duncan on Vimeo.

Video 2

Revolution Church - 2 from David Duncan on Vimeo.

Video 3

Revolution church - 3 from David Duncan on Vimeo.

For most of my life and most of my time as a photographer I have been on a Journey. I remember dawning on the alter boy robes preparing to serve in worship as a child, attending a Baptist bible camp when I was ten in rural Texas and telling my Catholic parents that I have been saved Jesus Christ and then I remember pushing away religion and faith during my college days. I was raised by wonderful parents but for some reason there was a disconnect after high school and into college.



My Journey led me to Griffin, GA after graduation for Savannah College of Art & Design in 1995 where I was working as a photojournalist and where I also meet my wonderful wife, Michelle, who was working in a camera shop processing and printing color film. During this short time in Griffin, before we got married in 1997, her family knew the Roman Catholic monks at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit http://www.trappist.net/



It was while I was doing a project there that I was reminded of my faith again. I arrived at the visitor center with about 30 rolls of Tmax 3200 speed black and white film. I was granted permission to photograph behind the scenes of the Monastery. I was schedule to be there for the weekend, but during the day I shot about 20 rolls of film. I went back to my room and laid down to rest, sometime later I woke up saying The Lord’s Prayer, a prayer I had not used for years. I quickly grabbed my stuff and checked out of the room. I guess that was a wake up call. To this day this is what I remember, this is when my Journey came to a curve in the road.

As a photographer and working as a photojournalist in a small southern town I was able to photograph in different church’s, I always was drawn to Southern Black Baptist Church’s; it always seemed that God was more present in their worship then in the white church’s that I was used to attending.



After we were married my journey lead me to work with the United States Marine Corps at Quantico where I worked on a government contract photographing Marines training for war. It was here that I met a great man of faith, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Dennis J. Rocheford, who was a chaplain. I photographed him in the field during “live fire” exercises and with the men and women praying in the barracks. Today as I write this I found out that he took his own life in 2009 after battling depression. My eyes have tears for his memory and what he gave to me. My faith became stronger because I was inspired by his walk with the Lord. http://www.frdennisrocheford.org/



Now fast forward to Lynchburg, VA. For 8 yrs I worked as a photojournalist for the News & Advance where I had access to any church I wanted to photograph in or could grab the assignment that was about religion if I wanted to cover it. During our time here we, (Michelle and I) could not find a connection with any of the Catholic Church’s. I kept comparing Chaplin Rocheford to the priest here.



During this time I was working on a personal documentary story about praying and then the events of 9/11 happened and I volunteered to cover the gatherings at Liberty University. It was here that I was surrounded by 5,000 people on their knees praying for our country and the men and women who died hours before. As I photographed them and recorded audio I was overcome by emotion.



At the end of 2005 I left the paper to run my own corporate photography, multimedia and video studio with my wife. My brother-in-law moved to Lynchburg and invited us to a non-denominational service at Brentwood Church. From the first time I went to church there I was “hooked”. Since then we have been attending church almost every Sunday.






My dad’s family was Baptist and my mom’s family was Catholic. When my parents married, my dad converted to Catholicism, I always joked that we were now at the “bottom of the totem poll” in the family tree because of this, but what it taught me was that one does not have to be tied to one religion or denomination. We all believe in the same God and read the same bible. It is your faith and your walk with God that matters. I found the spiritual fulfillment I needed this relationship here at Brentwood www.brentwoodchurch.org



A couple years ago my grandmother died during the service there was a great message that I learned that I started to really take to heart. It does not matter what your birth or death date is, what matters is the dash between these dates; it is what you do in between the date and how you serve God.




So my Journey is now beginning again. I have signed up to attend Journey, a three-week course offered by Brentwood for people wanting to take the next steps, and be baptized. I was baptized as a baby but I now know I need to choose to be baptized as an adult.

Born of Water and Spirit from David Duncan on Vimeo.

Hope all is well, wanted to let you know that I am posting a Photo of the Day off my facebook page, facebook.com/davidduncanphoto . Check out our work, it is a large range of what we do.

Tim Elliott with Tim Elliott and The Wheels sat down to talk about the making of his song, Boomerang while at our studio. This video has several different elements in it. Video that we shot as he played, our interviews with him, his video shot while recording his new album in the studio and video clips and time lapse that I have shot over several years for different projects that fit the song. We also have the master track in this video as well. This is a cool look at what the artist, Tim Elliott, thoughts were when writing the song.

Hey we wanted to share a cool Baby Baby session that we, David Duncan Photography, shot of Kelly & Charles last Sunday. Due to the heat outside, we started the shoot around 6:30pm shooting in the house first and then moving outside. Kelly & Charles were sports when I suggested the boat idea. These images turn out great. Below is a slideshow with music of that day. Click on the play button, let it load and enjoy, David