We were anticipating nothing but sunshine, but we arrived to rain.  Here, the island of Lanai is surrounded by rain clouds.

On Christmas Eve, my birthday gift to myself was to wake up early and drive around the western part of the island photographing the scenery.

This is my favorite image from the trip!

We later visited the blow hole.  It’s a natural formation where a hole has worn in the lava near the coast.  When high tide comes around, the waves crashing into the coast send geysers of water 50+ feet in the air.

In my opinion, the stunning landscape can only truly be appreciated from the air.  Here, clouds cover the western volcano of Mauna Kahalawai.

We decided to attend a luau one evening.

On the grounds of the luau, flamingos and ducks roamed everywhere.  The seemed pretty uninterested in our presence.

The ladies who performed were all extremely graceful and laid back.

The men on the other hand…  This guy brought the intensity level up a few bars!

One of Maui’s most famous drives, the road to Hana takes you through some of the island’s most scenic locales.

There were plenty of waterfalls to be seen.  Many of them were right beside the road.

In addition to being unique, the black sand beaches were absolutely stunning!

The black sand on this particular beach was actually small bits of lava.  The righthand image shows a lava tube that emptied at the ocean.

We finished our Road to Hana trip with a hike to the Venus Pools.  Some pools were large enough to allow cliff jumping…

…while others were so tranquil that is was difficult to determine where land ended and water began.

Our final evening, we ventured up the eastern volcano, Haleakala.  This enormous mountain stretches 10,023 feet above sea level.  At the very tip, there is a massive observatory nicknamed Science City.

It’s not everyday that you get to witness a sunset from above the clouds!

As the last bits of light faded from the sky, Science City opened up a 13+ foot telescope…the largest of its kind in the world!  I was definitely jealous!

As darkness arrived, the sliver of a new crescent moon looks down on Science City.  On the left, the white dot between the moon and the observatory is not dust on your screen; it’s actually Venus.  On the right, a quick lens change brought the moon a bit closer.

With the sun now below the horizon, millions upon millions of stars appeared overhead.  The Milky Way Galaxy was easily visible, and the image on the left shows it above the cities in the valley.  If you look closely to the left of the Milky Way, you’ll notice another galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy (cropped and circled on the right).

Here’s that same galaxy through my telescope in an image I took last year.  (And that is how you seamlessly…and shamelessly…promote your own astrophotography in a normal blog post!)

I was having to push my camera gear pretty hard to bring out the Milky Way, and this was introducing some noise and streaky stars (two things that I hate).  Therefore, I brought the settings back to a more normal level for my final image of the trip.  This was my second favorite; I LOVE how the lights of the cities make the clouds appear to be on fire.

Last night we continued the tradition & had such a great time. Of course I had my camera in hand & I found myself overjoyed at how richly I am blessed as I photographed the ones I love the most. This is my life!

My boys, the Sock Monkeys! Could they be any cuter?! And what about my Molly… that girl has my heart! She was a teddy bear, or as I called her ‘Molly-bear.’ Here she is with my dad.

These tough guys are my nephews, Hunter (L) & Chase (R). Their costumes were legendary!
My little man Knox. It’s funny how serious he is about life yet has the most wonderful sense of humor & keeps our whole family entertained.
One of my favorite shots ever… Brennan was unwilling to jump & said he’d rather watch (I think he’s a 70 year old man trapped in a 3 year old body).
Yes… look at that genuine excitement!
I don’t believe I’d be the guy to mess with this dude.
My little man, Brennan. He has become such a responsible guy. I love watching & helping him mature; he is such a gift from God.
My dad brought his old lasso rope to complete Hunter’s costume. Dad showed him how to use it & a few minutes later Hunter had it down pat… lookin’ good buddy.
I don’t even know what to say about this… may be the future A-Team.
Maybe he’s not too tough for a smile!
And we fed the goats & baby pigs. The boys really love animals as it reminds them of Joy’s parents’ home (pics from their farm Day 1 & Day 2.) By the way, I’m still trying to convince Joy to let me get a llama for our back yard… who’s with me?! I heart llamas!
Touchdown! (or something… not sure what she’s doing).
Wow… I love my crew & want to thank them for making my life truly wonderful!

Molly Claire Finch was born a few short days ago on August 4, 2011, weighing 7.1 lbs at 19.5 inches long (here’s my recap). She has already stolen the hearts of the whole family. Our boys think she is the most wonderful gift. Sometimes in the middle of playing, they’ll suddenly stop, yell, “Baby Molly!!!” They’ll throw down their toys, run into her room, climb up on the bed, give her a few kisses & hugs, & sprint back to resume playing. On numerous occasions, they’ve decorated her bouncy seat with their artwork. I’m so proud of the way they have welcomed her!

And Joy. Wow, she has done an incredible job adjusting to 3 kids ages 3 & under. She has been very patient & kind, lovingly showing care to each of the children. I applaud her. And we’re both thankful to our families for stepping in & caring for us all.

Here are some pics from Molly’s first session with Daddy; isn’t she beautiful!

Look at those lips!
“Hey Daddy! You taking my picture?”
I can’t even believe how beautiful she is. Show her love… leave her some welcoming comments below!

Yesterday was a long & glorious day. We were scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 7:30 am to be induced to labor. After a quiet morning & afternoon, the pace began to change around 4pm. Before we knew it, Molly was ready to come; around 6:15pm we had our little girl. We’re blessed to announce her arrival. Everyone… meet Molly Claire Finch, born August 4, 2011, weighing 7.1 lbs. & 19.5 inches long.

Here are a some special moments I captured within the last 24-hours.
Look at that face; love those little “pouty” lips.
Joy’s parents were able to visit & were eager to see their little granddaughter. We’re very thankful to them for keeping Brennan & Knox this past week in order to give Joy & I some rest before Molly’s coming.
They brought Brennan & Knox to see their little sister. It was great to see Brennan respond so well to Miss Molly. He loves her & has been eager to give her hugs & kisses.
Knox was excited to see Molly too but is a bit too energetic to sit around for long. Also, I’m thankful my sister, Amy, & her family were here too!
Us!
My dad & mom, holding the first granddaughter on my side of the family. With our two boys & my sister’s two boys, Molly is certain to be well taken of.
Look at all this hair & those puffy little lips. She’s beautiful!

The newest Finch (a girl at last!) is due to arrive any minute now.  Jenn and I were honored to take some maternity/family shots before Molly Claire’s arrival.  To add some spice to the evening, we had to cut the shoot a little short.  Apparently the heat, combined with all the walking around, almost made for an early debut for Miss Molly.  Sorry Joy!  After some rest and ice cream, all was well again, and Molly decided to stay comfortable where she was for a few more days.

When people notice that Joy is pregnant, they often ask her and Ben if this is their first child.  Presumably, this is because Joy still looks like she is 18…and that is a compliment!  They will laugh and say, “No, we have two other boys.  One 3 and one almost 2.”  Inevitably their next question is, “Did you plan this?”  Politely, Ben and Joy will say no, but behind closed doors they will joke, “Who would plan this?!?”  The answer, of course, is that God has planned this.  He already knows what a beautiful girl Molly will be.  He also knows that she will grow up in a home full of love with two big brothers to always take care of her.  Finally, He knows that she already has two wonderful parents who will guide her and love her each step of the way.  Thank you both for letting us capture these pictures; we can’t wait to meet Molly!

Check out Knox’s defensive stance in the image on the right; he’s a natural basketball player if you ask me.

My favorites!  I love family hug time!

Brennan is a natural with the camera and appears ready to join the family business!

We arrived before many of larger animals decided to venture outside; it looked like the Chimpanzees could use a cup of coffee.

My hair looks quite similar when I wake up.
I almost didn’t post the picture of the Cobra Snake but decided to pair it with the hawk, imagining that the hawk was about to swoop down & snatch it up. Take that cobra!
There’s a striking resemblance between our dog, Bailey, & this raccoon. That might explain some things. On another note, when I was younger I wanted a pet monkey. Now, unless it can get a job, I’ll pass.
This pic was taken just prior to the boys escaping their stroller; it was like a wild goose chase from then on. The boys had a great time, although they didn’t quite understand why they couldn’t pet all the animals.
I like camels almost as much as I like llamas… that’s saying a lot because I LOVE llamas! If we let him alone for a second, we caught Knox trying to climb into the cages.
Brennan is a bit more reserved, choosing rather to stick only his arm inside. Thankfully, the goats weren’t too enticed by the rocks he was trying to feed them.
The peacock was strutting his stuff; he followed me around for several minutes. Reminds me of my mother-in-law’s stories of growing up with a pet peacock. Apparently, she had one as a little girl & it would follow her around like a dog. Sounds like fun to me! Can you imagine having friends over for dinner… “And this is our pet peacock!”
Lazy cat… aren’t they all!
Can’t you just hear him?! “Daddy… OUT!!!”
Probably my favorite of all the animals at the zoo; it’s a bit unnerving to see it lock it’s eyes on you.
Whoa!
We ended the morning with a family picnic at Renaissance Park. It was a great day indeed! What are your favorite things to do as a family? Where are some places we should visit?

Second, I’m hopeful for personal growth. It seems the Lord uses Spring to remind me of His work in my life, to plant new dreams in my soul, & to again inspire me to pursue the things of God. I’m encouraged!

Third, I anticipate new adventures, new challenges, new work. Over the past year I’ve been privileged to shoot on behalf of some outstanding clients & friends. I love my job! Just last week I was on assignment in Chattanooga for a 4-day shoot & had a fantastic time photographing that incredible city. We were focused on downtown for most of the week & I was reminded at how much I’m drawn to downtown living. I’m deeply inspired by the city life & Chattanooga boasts one of the best I’ve seen. I’m quite certain that if they had an Ikea, the population would increase 10%… who’s with me?

But most of all, I anticipate the birth of our 3rd child. I can’t tell you how excited I am to welcome another little Finch. As I can’t imagine life without either of our boys, I know I’ll feel the same about our next. And as of around 1:20pm today, I found out that I better start getting used to little sundresses, painted toenails, tea-parties & more… we’re having a girl!!! I can only imagine how this is going to change our lives; I can’t wait for the days ahead. She already has my heart!!

Saturday night marked another milestone for me personally & professionally. To be proud of the work you produce is a worthy goal in itself & is only trumped when a thrilled client raves about your service or product. Yet to be recognized by peers & those more seasoned, inspires confidence & excitement. This year I was privileged to receive 4 Silver & 2 Bronze Addys for both photography & design work. I was grateful to have my beautiful wife, Joy, by my side. Below is a highlight of those projects.

The University of Mobile Website Design & Development {Silver Addy}
Credits: Ben Finch, Creative & Design Lead, Photographer; David Poindexter, Project Manager & Lead Developer, Nvisionative; Ansel Brown, Designer & Marketing Consultant, Nvisionative; Lesa Moore, Director of Marketing, University of Mobile; Brian Boyle, Vice President for Development, University of Mobile.

The University of Mobile Photography {Silver Addy}
Credits: Ben Finch, Photographer

Ben Finch Photography Self-Promo Collateral {Silver Addy}
Credits: Ben Finch, Photographer & Designer

Athens Area Council for the Arts: 2010-11 Arts Guide {Silver & Bronze Addy}
Credits: Ben Finch, Creative & Design Lead; Ellen Kimball, AACA Executive Director; Pat Armstrong, AACA Program Director

At Home TN Magazine Photography {Bronze Addy}
Credits: Ben Finch, Photographer; Nikki Aviotti Hodum, Creative Director; Lindsey Phillips, Managing Director; Adrienne Z. King, Interior Designer
As you can see, it was a wonderful evening. I’m thankful for the honors received & left inspired by the work that was showcased. Further, I’d like to congratulate a few friends for their incredible work. Our dear friends at Hornsby Brand Design had a hat-trick of Gold Addys as well as a Silver Addy for their work for KAT (Knoxville Area Transit). And the Pyxl crew won several Addys (1 Gold, 4 silver, & 5 bronze) as they keep “upping the ante” with their expertise in online marketing campaigns. Susie Norris of Orange Apple Branding Boutique received the 2011 President’s Award plus 2 Silver & 2 Bronze Addys. Additionally, Brian Potter, Clay Prewitt, Amanda Lewis & the many others at The Tombras Group who lead our region with outstanding creative excellence (they won too many awards to count!). And, congrats to Donna Hundley of UT School of Music for a Silver & Bronze Addy. Last, special thanks to my friend Meg Prewitt for organizing Ben Finch Photography as a Door Prize Sponsor. There are many others Agencies & Businesses whose work I thoroughly enjoyed… congrats to you & I hope to meet soon!

Here is the link to the red-carpet pics: http://bopp.tennesseepics.com/Q/Proofs.aspx?GroupID=15888

Here is the Knox Sentinels write-up of the night: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/feb/27/tombras-group-wins-big-at-addy-awards/

That’s right friends. Apparently, the Lord is blessing us with another little Finch. We will officially transition from man-to-man defense to zone coverage. What can I say? There’s always room for one more! Now… ya’ll go ahead & let us know when you’ll babysit!