Gary Gionet

I'm a great-uncle for the seventh time! Robert & Amber had their little miracle this morning at about 7:30 AM, weighing in at 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 19 inches long. Meet: Xavier, Zachary, Evan, Joshua, Caleb, Philip, Darin, Derek, Nathaniel, Gabriel the fourth! As you can see, the parents are still deciding on a name, but since this is their fourth child, his temporary name is "Quatro." Congratulations Robert & Amber! Love, UG (GUG) & AK (GAK) XOXOXO :)) CLICK HERE for the album of photos

Just a snapshot of a very nice afternoon with granddaughter Isabelle at a park near our home.

Stephanie & Isabelle resting a bit before heading back home.

Today was the annual Eco Fair at Anaheim's Oak Canyon Nature Center. Our camera club set up a display of photographs for the event. Of course, while at the Nature Center, there was time to explore the event and the facility for photographic opportunities, and there were plenty! If you find time next year be sure to check out this FREE event.

There was a good assortment of reptiles on display, and these very large critters made great photo subjects.

One of the wild reptiles enjoying lunch.

Lots of flying critters to photograph! CLICK HERE to see the gallery of images from Oak Canyon Eco Day.

My niece stopped by on the way to the hospital to have her maternity photos done. Nothing like waiting until the last minute Amber! God bless as you wait for your little miracle, and the 4th addition to your own basketball team! Love, ug

Another great-nephew is on the way!

In Huntington Beach today, I visited the annual Civil War reenactment. I spent a few hours wandering through the different camps. The participants were very accomodating and welcomed photographs of their period costumes and props. There was a good deal to see with many outstanding displays of historic memorabilia. If you ever have a chance to visit one of these events, I highly recommend it. It is like a living history lesson. There is obviously a lot of effort and time that goes into planning and executing an event like this. Thank you to the Huntington Beach Historical Society for offering this FREE event to the community.

Preparation for battle! The commander musters the troops for a last minute inspection, then he marches them off to the battle field.

The colorful dress of the day. This group of young ladies made their way to the Union encampment, probably to wish their men a farewell to battle.

The "Gatling Gun" saw only limited use in the Civil War. This 58 caliber gun used six barrels rotating around a center shaft. The gun was capable of 600 rounds per minute (100 rounds per barrel), but at a cost of $1,000 each, the gun was impractical for the armies. I would not want to be staring down the barrel(s) of this gun. It was known to cut men in half, literally! CLICK HERE for a link to more information about this weapon.

Even "Honest Abe" was there! CLICK HERE for the complete album of todays images.

A *new* poster made from Alisyn's first session. This weekend we will attempt a sports look for a new poster. My goal is to build a good variety of these posters targeting teens and offering them on my web site.

Today was our camera club outting to the Rodeo in San Juan Capistrano. The weather was perfect, the crowds were manageable, and the show was great! It has been at least 10 years since my last rodeo, so this was a nice treat, and a great photo opportunity. Enjoy the photos. CLICK HERE for all of the photos from the Rodeo.

Sometimes the cowboy wins...

HOLD ON BUCKAROO!

...and sometimes the animal WINS!

Alisyn has started putting together her modeling portfolio and today was her first session in the studio. She is a great model who takes direction well. We have a lot more shooting to complete her book, but we will take it one weekend at a time. Her focus is on catalog modeling, and I think this is a good choice for her. Thanks Ali for being so patient and fun to work with! Love, UG & AK