I apologize for the delay... I've been sitting on something for some time, and i didn't think i could write anything without mentioning it. For the past week, everything i experienced was filtered through that. And not that i love suspense, but, you'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out.

On to what i can tell you...

I've decided its time for me to start reading. After not being challenged intellectually for the past 8 months, Im afraid that if i fail to stimulate my brain, its going to turn to mush and i'll only discuss facebook, twitter, or reality television.

I just started and finished CS Lewis' The Great Divorce. I loved the way Lewis presented his theology in an easy to read conversation. Most of the theology i've heard in the past 4 years has felt like its had a southern conservative spin (propaganda). In that same 4 years, i would describe my soul as undergoing some sort of reawakening... I would latch on to what i could affirm and that which troubled me I would assign to being "grey area." So, this read was refreshingly different. At every point his ideology challenged my own, i had no way of demeaning or belittling his logic (He's from a different time and space). All i could do is let it settle and resolve within me. Which is good. Because while my ideas on faith are wide, im not very open-minded.

willknowles.com is all new and stuff.

Do you ever have those moments where you feel like everything around you is so much greater than you? And then, you wonder... how in the world to i get to where i want to be? Not that where i want to get is greatness... its just that i feel that small. For these reasons, I feel like i've been stuck in neutral for the past few days. Its a pretty hard feeling to shake. There are moments where i can dodge it, but today's just been one of those days.

On to things more exciting... One thing i hate most about my humanity is the need for a hair cut. Its not so much that i hate the physical act; its more the pre-cut stress and post-cut dismay. Inevitably, something goes wrong with most hair cuts. I got my hair cut Sunday, and it wasn't all that bad. I had the lady at Great Clips make my hair shorter all around and then when i got home i cut the top/front how i like it. I woke up Monday and noticed something i didnt like. I grabbed my shavers and made it look perfect. Just as i pulled my shavers away, my arm had some sort of knee jerk reaction and i'm left with a bald spot in the side of my head.

The last thing i'll leave you are pictures of Kat Whiting and Brett Johnson. They got engaged about two weeks ago and i had the pleasure of stealing them from their party to document their love.

Its really the little things in life that make me happy...

I would say that im light-years behind most photographers in photoshop. Last night and today I had a little victory in photoshop. If one were to be watching me, they might question my technique, but who really cares. Its the end product that matters, right?

Thanks to my friend, Maria Petty, I had the pleasure of photographing Kiros, a christian rock band. Along with meeting some cool people and creating friendships, i got some cool photos. At one point in the day, i had some trouble with my strobes slaving. I just worked through it hoping destiny would take over. Come to find out, destiny was somewhere else doing something for someone else. Alas, I had a cool set up, but I wasn't getting the light i wanted. For a few days, i gave up on this particular set of images. Then, last night i had the crazy idea of trying to photoshop what i needed. And... it looks great!

And then, just to challenge myself, i decided to make that rim light colored.

I'm pleased...

While this past week has been pretty crazy, I really don't have much to report.

I had the pleasure of having the mrs home for a good portion of these past several days due to the most snow and ice i've ever seen in my 13 years of living in the southeast.

The city was on lock-down from Friday morning to Tuesday. On Saturday morning we decided to brave the winter wonderland. We went to Wal-Mart for some last minute non-necessities for our house warming party... only we came back with a little more than foil. We had a little money leftover in our January grocery budget, so we made as many impulsive purchases as we could.

The other impulse buy made was this. Before you shame me, we had been planning on buying a new computer for some time... Only i wasn't planning on getting one with such a large screen. My wonderful wife talked me into getting the biggest computer Mac offers.

On Liz's first day back from the 5 day weekend, her principal had a little present her and one of her teacher friends. He gave them two tickets each to the Nashville Preds. When Liz told me about it I instantly thought about how bad the seats must be. I was dang wrong. We were 30 feet from the ice.

The final picture i leave you with was from yesterday. Its a candid moment from our Men's Luncheon. Patrick was telling a very funny story.

Its real. No joke.

Its been a week and a day. Each day that passed since my last post, i kept telling myself, you've got to sit down and write. But here's something for you: maybe the key to a blog is writing when you have a story, not because its been so many days...

I've got some stories.

The last picture i showed you really inspired me to start taking some awesome photos. The majority of Wednesday - Friday, I played up in my office. I pulled things from all over the house and tried to capture them. I ended up with some really cool photos. Look out for a website update in a week or two. I don't want to make any promises about what its going to be like, but if i learn some things between now and then, it might be unlike any I've had to date.

(My setup for the new work. And Liz's dress in the background... We can't find a place for it)

This past weekend Liz and I went to my house in Chattanooga. We visited family and had a wedding reception planned for us. As much fun as the trip proved to be, we were most excited about sleeping together under my parents roof. It just felt dirty.


While we were there i got to carry out a project that i had been mulling over since we started our wedding plans. We had bought some wood from the Habitat Home Store to construct rough tables for the reception. I happened to notice that some of the wood we grabbed was really nice. I spent the better part of Sunday in the garage building the new addition to our living room. The only thing that diverted my attention was our garage flooding from all the rain.


Along with the excitement of having built the entertainment center, we left with the realization that we had a house warming party in just six days (and a completely unwarmed home). We had no furniture, no organization, no art, no feel. While that can be stressful, its really been a lot of fun. I've been playing Trading Spaces for the past 4 days. In a conversation with Liz i noted that I'm finally getting to the chance to carry out my crazy ideas i've held close since high school. Its been an amazing time exercising my creativity in this facet.

Here are some of the new additions to the place:

(This is about 4'x 2.5'. Im really stoked with how it turned out.)

(From left to right: Our new IKEA Expedit bookcase via ModerNash; New Vase from West Elm with a cool wall hanging I made over Christmas vacation; My Great-Grandmother's old Lamp with a new look! Its looking for a new shade.)

Ps. Im still loving the new camera. Its really changed my game.

So, this is the new year. And... im about to make a resolution. However, don't categorize this as a new year's resolution. I endeavor to maintain said resolution.

My goal is to keep you up to date on everything Will Knowles (professional, social, spiritual, emotional, etc). I've tried and failed... and chalk it up to not having much to say/me not leading a terribly exciting life. But i think that with combining all aspects of my life and interests, i can hopefully carry out a semi-succesful web-log.

If the first few weeks are an insight into what the rest of the year will look like, I'd say that there is a lot of good in store. On January 2nd, I got married to the love of my life, Liz Fitzsimons (now Knowles). As soon as my friend and mentor, David Molnar, releases some photos of the day, i intend on making those photos public to you, the reader. (EDIT: During the writing of this, Dave put a slideshow up of the pics!) Another exciting part of these first few weeks is that Liz and I are settling into our home. We're spending Bed, Bath, and Beyond gift cards like there's no tomorrow. We've also made several large purchases... A big red comfy couch and the 5D Mark II. Im slightly more excited about the camera. Its the first of purchases this year of which im hoping will provide the backbone of my photo career. Now, don't get me wrong, gear wont make me get there, but it certainly wont hurt!

I've been doing a lot of dreaming about this next year, I can't tell you how excited I am about what it will bring professionally. This is the year I put myself in a position to be a full-time professional photographer in 2011 or not. Now don't get me wrong, thats my title for 2010, but i just need the projects to sustain the title. I've got a few months before I'll be super busy with weddings. As daunting as week after week of weddings sounds, i'm really excited. I've found some new inspiration in the work of Tec Petaja and Jose Villa. I just love their discerning eye. You could say I'm jealous...

You might be wondering what a full-time photographer does without projects. Well, me too. I feel more like a stay-at-home-dad-minus-kids/photographer. While my wife teaches, I clean, work on finances, and hone my craft. Today has given me this. The prototype to what i want my product photography to feel like.