Howie - What a great compliment! It sure makes me very happy when other artists "get me". The personal satisfaction and joy I get from capturing each moment in time builds year after year. There is no end to the beauty in this world - I need another entire lifetime to get it all in! :)

Jal - thanks so much! It is a pleasure to be here - finally. Where have you all been hiding??? :)

My girlfriend wanted a tasteful and demure photo of her one daughter pregnant with the only child she had been able to carry to term. Both of them were thrilled with the result and she wants to buy the oil painting I'm now working on taken from the original photo. God says we are all wonderfully made... I have to agree - His handiwork is exquisite!

Thank you Jal! :) I appreciate the compliment - although I can't really take any credit for either one. It still puzzles me how I know what to do when I paint or create art. I thank God for the talent and my parents for how I look outside :)

For some reason, when I shot my oil painting of this kitten / Rembrandt styled - the glare didn't happen... ? I'm not complaining - just an observation.


A bad Kodak photo - but this oil painting has been sold for many years and I have no idea where it is now or I would get another photo of it.


I took this photo of a Jamacian reggie artist - manipulated it in JASC Paintshop Pro and then produced a CD cover for his new work.


I shot this with my very first profession camera - a Minolta SLR - black & white film and developed the film myself using the burning and dodging at certain places like the glass top of the center coffee pot - and then I printed it as well in college - Mrs. Nancy Jean Rose was my professor as well as my advisor. She was thorough and made the subject interesting - opened a whole new world of possiblities for me. I LOVE that woman!


Another photo with my Minolta in college - then I hand-tinted the glass objects green to enhance the overall composition.


Another college photo- but this one I hand-tinted with soft pink.


A macro photo I took with my Minolta - but since I didn't have a macro lens - I used a jewelers loop - I loved the results just the same.


Oil in my driveway on a rainy afternoon - taken with my Nikon D90.


Another Minolta photo while I was in college - one Spring day - I took my young sons and we went to Moraine State Park and went hiking through the woods. We came upon this beautiful mossy spring that just shown like a jewel in the sunshine! This photo captured that moment perfectly!


lolol - this photo was taken through a jeweler's loop and then I put the black and white in the center using JASC Paintshop Pro to make it look like an eye. Just something different...


I LOVE this old barn and have passed it over and over - never having my camera at the right time of day or had no time to stop and shoot it. FINALLY - one day everything was perfect and got quite a few shot from different angles. I also shot a huge trees that was up the road from it that I'll post next. This was taken with my Nikon D90.






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I shot this in college with my Minolta specifically for my Mom - I always remembered that one of her favorite things where the new tree buds every spring. I shot this for her - then hand-tinted the tips of the branches with a soft pink. For Mother's Day that year - I matted it and gave it to her as a gift. Dad gave it back to me when my Mom died back in 2004. It never fails to choke me up when I come to it in my collection - never was a shot taken with such intent and love as this one I took for her... I was truly blessed to have had her in my life and I wanted her to know that.

rocco_7155 - thank you! I just found this site tonight while I was checking out YouTube videos on photography techniques. I'm glad to be here!

This was another painting - a self-portrait I painted after I modeled for William Penberthy of Zelienople, PA. We worked so well together since as an artist, I already understood "light" and knew what he was trying to achieve in each shot. I still communicate with him and keep up on on his new work. I think this was taken with the Kodak too.

I shoot alot of artist / musicians at different venues which are used for promo kits, advertisments, CD's and flyers. I've done model portfolios, weddings, portraits and occasion shots and know I have so much more to learn and produce :)

I took this photo of one of my oil paintings - a 30"x40" canvas - for my portfolio.


This is the oil painting I'm working on of the photo I took of Rachel Martin posted earlier (face and hand are not done yet) I've had trouble with the flash glare on parts of the paint. If anyone has any suggestions how to eliminate that blue haze and get a more accurate reproduction of a painting - I would appreciate any suggestions.


This a photo I took of one of my earlier oil paintings. I think it was just a Kodak Instant camera photo.


Another Kodak photo of my oil painting - you can see the glare on the oil paint on this one too.


Another Kodak photo of my oil painting - you can see that it isn't as crisp as the original peice of art. Lou Zona, CPA, Beaver Falls bought this from me years ago so I"m going to ask him if I can take another shot at it with my Nikon.

Photosbyhenry - I can't wait to explore this site!

Lovethewarmsun - thank you so much! I was so into getting good composition and clarity with what I had at the moment I didn't wait for someone to model for me - lol This is my first time in front of the camera for years. I was 29 when I quit modeling. Its been so uplifting since I found the other end of the lens that I don't miss it at all. That was taken a few months ago.

Peggy Monteleone's dry sink in her kitchen


Peggy Monteleone's back porch


My son has stomach cancer and rarely lets me get photos of him but I NEED them... no matter what the future holds - I need them! I got this one laid-back evening we were hanging out listening to LOTUS and talking. Those two are great buddies and I think this shot captures that.

Sinatraman - I also have chronic depression / PTSD and my God-given artistic talent has kept me here several times - reminding me that it isn't mine to snuff out. I am truly happy and at peace when I'm either painting or shooting. It helps me celebrate life around me and appreciate it all! I'm glad you find peace here as well... :)

Thank you! I can't wait to start looking through everyone's work.

From the time I was in grade school - I've painted. I started with oil painting then tried acrylic for certain projects when I was about 19. I had success in that field and spend hours producing art with that medium. Things changed when I went to college finally at age 43 - and took a photography class and discovered the gradification of capturing beauty instantly. It was the beginning of an ongoing love affair with my camera. Then following a car accident in December 2000 - I found that I was in so much pain in any position I tried to paint in - I turned full time to my camera as my creative outlet and never looked back. I still paint but have to stop so often to ease the pain that it takes alot longer to complete a piece. With photography - I can stop at any point in the process and it doesn't effect the outcome. I'm hooked and currently using a Nikon D90 and enjoying each click of the shutter.

Self Portrait - Messing around with my new remote shutter one evening


CD Cover for Hip Hop Artist in PA


Jackie Kastelic / Senior Photo Shoot


Jackie Kastelic / Senior Photo Shoot


Jackie Kastelic / Senior Photo Shoot


Rachel Kastelic / Senior Photo Shoot


Rachel Kastelic / Senior Photo Shoot