Sohail Khwaja Photography: Blog http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog en-us (C) Sohail Khwaja Photography sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:45:00 GMT Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:45:00 GMT http://sohailkhwaja.com/img/s8/v14/u435176610-o699221823-50.jpg Sohail Khwaja Photography: Blog http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog 93 120 Anniversary of a Tragedy http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/9/-a-n-n-i-v-e-r-s-a-r-y---o-f---t-r-a-g-e-d-y
We are defined by our strength of character, our resolve and our ability to hold on to our principles through hard times. On this tenth anniversary of a great tragedy, let's get back to the ideals that made this country great. Let's honor the fallen by being better friends, neighbors and citizens.
 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/9/-a-n-n-i-v-e-r-s-a-r-y---o-f---t-r-a-g-e-d-y Sun, 11 Sep 2011 07:52:00 GMT Senator Casey Comes to Dinner http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/8/-s-e-n-a-t-o-r---c-a-s-e-y---c-o-m-e-s---t-o---d-i-n-n-e-r
Those of us from Pennsylvania know of Freshman Senator Robert P. Casey, one of the two Senators representing the Keystone State on Capitol Hill. He has been a champion of all the right causes, backing measures that have a positive impact not only on his constituents, but also America as a whole. As a freshman Senator, he has taken on key leadership roles in Congress. He is a member of the Comittee on Foreign Relations - chairing the Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs. He is also a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry - chairing the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Food and Agricultural Research. In addition to those responsibilities, he sits on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Special Committee on Aging; and the Joint Economic Committee. We here in Western Pennsylvania hold him in high regard as one of the good guys.

Few of us have had the opportunity to meet and spend time with the Senator in a small gathering. Those of us who have had this pleasure can attest to his warm and genuine nature. He truly listens to people's concerns and responds with more than the usual rote speaking points. So it was a great pleasure and honor this past Monday when Senator Casey joined us for Iftar at the Muslim Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh (MCCGP) in Monroeville, PA.
 
It was a short visit in which the Senator partook in the traditional snack to break the fast, observed the evening prayers and then participated in the dinner that followed. All of this was followed by a welcome address by the President of MCCGP and a short presentation by a member of the MCCGP youth group who described the meaning of Ramadan and the purpose behind fasting; the key tenets being patience, tolerance and mercy.
 
The Senator spoke about the need for and importance of tolerance and mercy in today's world. He then jokingly invited the young presenter to Washington DC to give the same presentation to members of Congress. After his brief talk, the Senator hosted some questions from the community. To the issue of regulating gas drilling, he stated that he has introduced legislation to create a set of guidelines at a national level. While he does not have the votes to get the measure passed, he is working on it.
 
At the end of his visit, Senator Casey was presented with a copy of the Qur'an as a token of appreciation for his visit. This copy contains both the Arabic script and an English translation. The Senator graciously accepted the gift.
 
So all in all, it was a nice visit with a remarkable man. Following are some pictures from that evening. Enjoy.










 
 

You can catch the whole set Here.

Thank you for reading!

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) Casey Senator dinner iftar mccgp robert http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/8/-s-e-n-a-t-o-r---c-a-s-e-y---c-o-m-e-s---t-o---d-i-n-n-e-r Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:17:00 GMT The Great White North and a wedding http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/8/-g-r-e-a-t---w-h-i-t-e---n-o-r-t-h---a-n-d---w-e-d-d-i-n-g
 
True to form, I am about a month behind in posting to the blog. Early July we went to Mississauga, Ontario to attend the wedding of my cousin's daughter. I was not the official photographer, but I took my equipment nonetheless.....I feel naked without it :) Some of the pictures I took of the bride are at the end of this post. The complete set can be seen at my website.

We drove up the day before and stopped in Niagara Falls to fuel up and to eat lunch. We picked a local "tourist trap" restaurant over Denny's, because Denny's minimal parking lot was full. The food was okay and even the gulls were being picky about scraps they scarfed up. I guess that's why there were open parking spaces. Their menu touted a Buffalo-specific (town, not animal) sandwich which my brother and I opted to get. Unfortunately, it was nothing like the original according to my brother who went to UB. So, on to Mississauga.

This was a short trip because it was a short event. Everything took place on one day. Those of you who have attended weddings that span multiple days may be surprised to learn that it doesn't have to! The proceedings were very nice and elegant and nothing was over the top. We had a wonderful time while we were there and the weather cooperated very nicely. I took pictures of the bride while trying not to interfere with the official photog. We actually got along nicely. He was new to the business and a little shy about posing people during the formal portraits, so I helped out by being the "director" :)

One of the nice things about Mississauga was the quality of the roads, and the cleanliness of the surrounds. It really seemed like the city took care of the infrastructure, while the residents took care not to litter (are yinz listening Pittsburghers?).

The border exchange in both directions was too serious. I remember driving to Canada before 2001 and the Canadian official was very jolly, friendly and welcoming. On this trip he was pleasant, but serious. I miss the old Canadian welcome. By the way, the US official was pretty much the same as before 2001. What does that say about our border welcome to our neighbors?

So, thanks for reading and enjoy the pictures :)

The gorgeous bride
The flip side with flash

 
 
Spotlight on the bride
Ethereal
 
 
 
Looking at the "real" photographer

 
Under a harsh spotlight she shines
Have we met?
A fun pose that turned into a great shot

Waiting
Hanging out
A moment of reflection
End of the evening
 
 
 Now go see the complete set Here.
 

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) bride canada mississauga ontario party wedding http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/8/-g-r-e-a-t---w-h-i-t-e---n-o-r-t-h---a-n-d---w-e-d-d-i-n-g Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:25:00 GMT Under The Arch http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/7/-u-n-d-e-r---a-r-c-h
During the weekend preceding July 4th, my wife and I took a road trip to St. Louis, Missouri. That weekend the Association of Physicians of Pakistani descent of North America (APPNA) held its 34th Annual Summer Conference. The purpose of this trip was two-fold; first was to showcase my wife's clothing collection  and the second was photography related. I covered King Edward Medical University's banquet and Senator Casey's  meetings with various committees working on issues related to Pakistan.

Safar Couture, my wife's boutique held it's first national level exhibition. The response was better than we expected with very positive feedback. Mainly the young and young-at-heart were the buyers and told us that Safar Couture outfits were unlike the mass merchandise everyone else was selling. We've had several requests to have exhibitions in different cities, so depending on how soon we can get fresh outfits made we may be traveling again. One of the exciting moments was when we attended the banquet on the final night. The young lady who belted out a stirring Star Spangled Banner, wore a Safar Couture outfit she had bought the day before. This came as a total surprise and thrilled my wife to no end.

It was good to see the Senator again. He had a very busy day, with a schedule chock full of meetings. His dedication to Pakistani-American relations is commendable as he gave full attention to the issues on people's minds. Saturday night the Senator spoke at the banquet and was well received.

Speaking of the banquet, there was a musical performance that night. The group got the young crowd jumping and singing along. They performed well into the night, with their final number around 2am. This made 8am come around a bit too early, as that was the time we needed to be at her booth for the final day of the expo.

The drive back was more tiring because of the long weekend. The very next morning we headed up to Mississauga, Ontario for a wedding. Details in the next posting.

So here are some random shots from the concert. Enjoy.




















 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) APPNA Casey Couture Safar Senator band concert music performance http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/7/-u-n-d-e-r---a-r-c-h Sun, 17 Jul 2011 09:29:00 GMT A Fun Wedding http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/7/-f-u-n---w-e-d-d-i-n-g
 
So it's been over a month since I shot the wedding in Youngstown Ohio and I have been so busy with other events that I have been delinquent . It was a great experience and working with Jaci was fun. Mark and Maria were fantastic. A lovely couple, Mark and Maria were radiant on their special day. I am sure you've heard of "Bridezillas;" Maria was the polar opposite of that personality and Mark was warm and genuine. Both families were all excited as the proud and beaming parents played their respective roles on this magical day.

Both Mark and Maria were happy with my work that day and that means a lot. This was truly a great experience Following are a few of my pictures from that day.

Mark and his proud dad
Three generations
It's the shoes!
The Gorgeous view from the Altar
Flowers for the Groom
First view of the bride
A glimpse through the portal
Vows
Celebrating the groom
The Grand Room Kiss
Glamor Descent

Thank You card pose
The veil was even more gorgeous in the sunlight.
 
 
They are very happy, aren't they?!
The love is so obvious
Father Daughter Dance
Mother Son Dance. Mark's mom was very emotional
Maria's grandmother won the anniversary dance. She has been married 63 years
 
 

Enjoy.

Sohail

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) church dance maria mark ohio party portrait wedding youngstown http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/7/-f-u-n---w-e-d-d-i-n-g Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:46:00 GMT Weddings, Relays and Traveling...Oh My http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/5/-w-e-d-d-i-n-g-s---r-e-l-a-y-s---a-n-d---t-r-a-v-e-l-i-n-g-o-h---m-y
This coming Saturday, May 21st, I will be the second camera for Jaci Clark at a wedding in Youngstown, Ohio. Really excited as this will be my first "official" wedding event. In the past I have shot quite a few wedding related events, but not as the official wedding photographer. So this will not only be a great experience (because I will be working with the awesome Jaci Clark) but also a chance for my work to be part of the formal portfolio.

Now the sad part is I will be missing the Franklin Regional HS Relay For Life, which is 9am Saturday to 9am Sunday. My niece is part of the organizing committee and I wish I could be there to capture the activities. Since non-participants are not allowed in late night (which is when I will get back from Ohio), I may still try to get there bright and early Sunday around dawn to see if I can find something interesting to capture in the morning light.

Speaking of which, have you donated to Relay For Life this year? It's a great cause and it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Well maybe just the first part, but you get the idea :) The best part is you can make a one time donation or set up monthly donations in any amount, which you can also cancel at any time. So much flexibility!

So, a short post, but after this weekend I will update this blog with my experiences. Hopefully I have good things to write about. My goal is to never post about negative experiences (unless they are educational), so if you see nothing from me, chances are I had nothing positively interesting to report :)

Till next time...Thanks for reading!

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) Relay travel wedding http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/5/-w-e-d-d-i-n-g-s---r-e-l-a-y-s---a-n-d---t-r-a-v-e-l-i-n-g-o-h---m-y Mon, 16 May 2011 09:27:00 GMT 6th Annual King Edward Medical College Retreat http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/5/-6-t-h---a-n-n-u-a-l---k-i-n-g---e-d-w-a-r-d---m-e-d-i-c-a-l---c-o-l-l-e-g-e
This past weekend (April 29-May 1) I had the pleasure of covering the 6th annual retreat/convention of the King Edward Medical College Alumni Association of North America (KEMCAANA). The location was Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York City. 


Besides always being the hub of activity, this weekend was also the taping of TLC's Royal Wedding fashion show and the EIF Revlon Run/Walk NY. Fortunately my hotel room on the 19th floor overlooked Times Square so I could see the start of each of these events, but unfortunately since I was there to cover the convention, I could not go out to photograph either of these events.


Friday night was the Harbor Cruise. A fairly windy night, coupled with a chilly temperature made for a brisk on deck experience. Luckily dinner and music was inside the comfort of the main cabin so the evening was enjoyable overall. 


Since the boat stayed more toward the center of the channel, photography was a bit challenging. Keeping light on the subjects while also keeping visible the distant shore lights was difficult. I will experiment with a portable constant light solution to see if that works better in such situations.


Below is a slideshow of the pictures from the cruise.





 
Saturday night was the formal banquet and people were more dressed up. While I tried to do as much posed photography as possible, most people were not aware they could ask for their pictures to be taken. After the fact people came up to me and expressed regret at not knowing. One couple did ask me to do an impromptu sitting and you will see multiple sequential shots of them in the slideshow below. Hopefully if I am invited next year people will have advance knowledge and grab me to get snapped. Regardless I think I captured some nice moments.

 
 
 
The musical program was great and lasted past midnight, but I did not stay till the end as I had been up since 6am and midnight was my limit. I heard from the president's wife that they were looking for me to have pictures taken with the artists, so I regret that missed opportunity.
 
All in all this was a good experience and something I'd like to do again. However, next time I cover such an event, I will have to pace it better so I don't exhaust myself.
 
Thank you for reading!
 

 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) Alumni King Edward banquet conference convention cruise http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/5/-6-t-h---a-n-n-u-a-l---k-i-n-g---e-d-w-a-r-d---m-e-d-i-c-a-l---c-o-l-l-e-g-e Wed, 04 May 2011 09:40:00 GMT Spider Holster Review http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/4/-s-p-i-d-e-r---h-o-l-s-t-e-r---r-e-v-i-e-w

Recently I began a search for a more comfortable way to carry camera equipment around on walks and shoots.  Since I have two Nikon D700 bodies and prefer to minimize lens changes in the field, I end up carrying both bodies, one on a strap and the other in a sling bag. Carrying a D700 with even a mid sized lens for the better part of a day was putting a strain on my neck and I was looking for something to make life easier.

After much careful deliberation and research I decided on the Spider Pro Dual Camera Holster System. This is a belt based system that allows the camera(s) to hang off the hip(s). This not only lowers the center of gravity but leaves the upper body completely free of any weight.

You can read the details about the system on their website so this review will focus on my experience.

The Single Camera System has an integrated pad on the right side and comes installed with the required hardware. The Dual Camera System is basically a Single Camera System with a separate pad and hardware that needs to be installed on the left side. It took me a bit longer than necessary because I did not look up the online instructions (none were included). I basically figured it out through trial and error but it should not have been that difficult.

Once everything was in place I tried it on and with both cameras hanging off the belt it seemed very comfortable, providing complete range of motion. I tried a few placements but the most useful for me was on the outside of the hips. All that was left was a field trial.

That opportunity came this past weekend when I went to the Pittsburgh Comicon. So as not to appear overzealous, I only took one camera body with a flash and an extra lens in a messenger bag. With the camera hanging off my right hip I walked around the convention center without a worry. When I needed to use the camera it was a simple one-two and I was ready to shoot. Replacing the camera in the holster was a simple one-handed slide and click. During or after the few hours I spent there, I felt no fatigue or stress on my upper body.

At the end of the visit, the only hitch I found was I could not sit in the car with the holster in place (even without the camera) due to the length of the pads. But it was only a matter of taking the holster off and I was good to go.

So if you are in the market for a new way to carry your camera(s) I highly recommend this device.

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) camera holster review http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/4/-s-p-i-d-e-r---h-o-l-s-t-e-r---r-e-v-i-e-w Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:43:00 GMT Pittsburgh Comicon http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/4/-p-i-t-t-s-b-u-r-g-h---c-o-m-i-c-o-n
 
Went to the Pittsburgh Comicon today to check out all the awesome art work and of course the characters. Got there just in time for the costume contest. The contestants were grouped into kids, teenagers, adults and groups. There were some really great outfits and some of the contestants even role played on stage. All in all it was a lot of fun and the participants seemed to really enjoy it.


Some pictures of the character contestants:


The Kids' winner with some other contestants
Science Fiction Winner
Anime Winner
Teen Winner


 
 
Group Winners
Overall 2011 Pittsburgh Comicon Costume Winner
True Love
All the contestants

Till next year...







 
 

]]> sohail@sohailkhwaja.com (Sohail Khwaja Photography) comicon contest convention pennsylvania pittsburgh http://sohailkhwaja.com/blog/2011/4/-p-i-t-t-s-b-u-r-g-h---c-o-m-i-c-o-n Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:55:00 GMT