Look Around

See my new website

2010-08-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

www.tjhamiltonphoto.com

Spring!

2010-04-30T14:19:00.001-07:00

The robins are busy in my backyard, one has found a prickly holly bush to protect her clutch of eggs.

Looking at the Moon

2010-04-20T19:40:00.001-07:00

The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

I shot this photo of the moon through a telescope Monday night, and was amazed by the clarity of the lava plains with the craters littered across the surface. Many thanks to Javier Estrada, GVSU professor of Physics and Astronomy, who let me peer through his looking glass.

Story: HS backboard shattering

2010-03-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/one_backboard-shattering_dunk.html

Look out below!

2010-03-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

High School player shatters backboard with slam dunk

Grand Haven's Nate VanArendonk looks in disbelief after shattering the glass backboard after a dunk in the second half of their game regional final game against Rockford on Wednesday night at Grandville High School. Rockford's Justin Klein watches in awe in the background. The game was moved to Jenison High School because there wasn't a replacement backboard at Grandville. (T.J. Hamilton | The Grand Rapids Press)

3d building

2010-03-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

Shot this cool bridge under construction downtown, the windows give a cool 3d effect with the late day sun in the background.

Want to be a cowboy

2009-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

I was at the Professional Championship Bullriders Tour at the Van Andel Arena, waiting for the show to start and suddenly the arena went dark, preparing for the dramatic introductions of the Bullriders. Instead of waiting the theatrical staged shots, I noticed these two cowboys sitting on a railing backstage, silhouetted by some outdoor parking lights through the arena tunnel. It seemed fitting that these guys weren't looking for the spotlight, instead waiting in the dark gathering some courage to face the bulls.

Spare some change?

2009-10-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Saw this gentleman at hanging outside a local bar, gave him some beer money.

Here Kitty Kitty

2009-07-24T17:48:00.001-07:00

Went to John Ball Zoo and watched in awe as a lion yawned just on the other side of the window...cool teeth!

Juggling

2009-06-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

I went to Festival last week, and since I'm fond of juggling myself- I couldn't resist hanging out with this guy.

Memorial Day Flag Planting

2009-05-22T08:18:00.001-07:00

After shooting stills for 25 years, I've begun shooting video in the last 3 months. This is a video where I feel I'm finally getting it, on how to shoot, gather sound and produce videos. I hope you like it.

Lazy afternoon

2009-05-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

I spent the afternoon last weekend in a tent with my son, taking a little time to relax while camping and was transfixed by the shadows playing across the tent fabric.

What the duck?

2009-02-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

Ducks sit near some unusual cracks developing in the melting ice on Ambrose Pond in Northeast Grand Rapids.

Stare down

2009-02-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

Saw this bird on a Safari in the Disney Animal kingdom...I blinked first.

Icy bones

2009-02-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

We dined at the TRex restaurant in Downtown Disney, Florida and saw this cool sculpture of a Trex imbedded in the wall, I loved the color of the rear projected wall...it was a chilling site!

Safari

2009-02-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

We went to Disney's Animal Kingdom last week and saw these two giraffe, fun safari!

Into the fire

2009-01-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

A Grand Rapids Firefighter climbs a ladder in the red glow of the emergency lights from a fire truck while at a house fire Tuesday night at 1012 Lincoln NW.

Trying to warm the homeless

2009-01-19T18:26:00.001-08:00

During the coldest night of the year so far, when the temps hovered around -15 degree windchill, I spent the evening with two gentlemen who's ministry was to check on the homeless in Grand Rapids. Most have nothing but what they can scrounge around for, wearing layers of clothing to keep them warm. This night however, was different. They were encouraged to find some kind of shelter. Then we went into Mel Trotter Ministries, to see how the ones who did make it in were faring for the evening. They received a hot meal, some ministry and a warm bed for the night.

Cool shadow

2008-12-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

I tromped around a ski resort, while waiting for my subject to ski down the hill I saw the ski lift shadow constantly changing, making unusual shapes as the lift went by.

Blue + Moon

2008-12-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

I dig the moon, especially when there is a wispy haze of clouds moving past it.

Stairway from heaven

2008-12-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

An usher makes his way downt a spiral staircase at St. Andrews Cathedral during a recent service.

New view

2008-11-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

Robert Kronberg, age 10, looks back at a mask he was working on during a craft therapy as part of a new children's grief support group at Gilda's club. It is an expansion of Gilda's programs that includes kids who have lost someone not only to cancer, but from other causes.

Veteran's Day parade, Grand Rapids 11-11-08

2008-11-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

walked around sculpture exhibit

2008-11-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

We went to Meijer Gardens to check out the Jaume Plensa sculptures, very cool....

happy pilot

2008-11-01T08:09:00.001-07:00

My son Tanner wanted to be a space shuttle for halloween, so after scouring the web for ideas, I came up with this...white foam core + black duct tape + hot glue + 8 hours of cutting, glueing and printing sticker photos = happy astronaut!

BRAINS!

2008-10-31T18:48:00.001-07:00

We had a world record breaking zombie walk last night here in Grand Rapids. Here's a few that I met. Thankfully my brains are still intact.

Farm landscape

2008-10-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Farm I saw on a hay ride last weekend

You aint nothin but a...

2008-10-28T18:17:00.001-07:00

I went to Kentucky last weekend, and while on a hay ride with family I saw a genuine blue tick hound dog, he looked alot like the one's I used to raise when I was a kid there.

bug eye

2008-10-20T11:22:00.001-07:00

Rockford vs. Muskegon 10-17-08

2008-10-18T06:24:00.001-07:00

Zoom blur

2008-10-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

A little pick up game

2008-10-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

game of the week 10-11-2008

2008-10-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ironworker

2008-10-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

I've always been attracted to the look of graphic beams at construction sites, this one downtown on Medical Mile.

Sunset Boat Ride

2008-10-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

Went on a boat ride tonite on a 20 yr old Grand Craft, a wooden passenger boat that gives out free cruises for restaurant patrons.

FHC vs. Kenowa Hills

2008-10-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

Moon Crowd

2008-10-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone else was watching the game, but I was distracted by luna.

2008-09-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Friday night lights

2008-09-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Its that time of year again!

Who needs gps?

2008-09-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

I was traveling up in Sutton's Bay, Michigan yesterday and came across this cool marker. I had to illegally pull off the road, just to stand here and contemplate my spot on the planet.
Then.... I got hungry.

Making lemonade

2008-09-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of those situations where I'm thinking I'm screwed, everyone is waving signs, standing, etc. and I'm bumming that I'm missing a shot because I'm blocked, and yet there are fractions of time where I can just see them. Somehow, it still works.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

Celebration on the Grand

2008-09-15T20:02:00.001-07:00

A couple frames from the end of summer city celebration. I usually wouldn't post a fireworks photo, but I like the 'war of the world's ' quality to this, kinda looks like alien legs walking down the river.

Traveling wall

2008-09-15T19:58:00.001-07:00

The traveling Vietnam wall came to a local community, which I documented. This is one photo that stuck with me, I like how the wall fades out, because of the reflections of the sky and the shallow depth of field.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

House fire

2008-09-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

My 15 minutes!

2008-09-10T06:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.mlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2008/09/the_steam_experiment_makes_for.html

Gull

2008-09-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Saw this gull hanging out on the Grand River today, kinda odd seeing a lake gull in this setting.

Bridge to home

2008-08-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is the cool new bridge I cross every time I go to Kentucky to visit my folks, called the William H. Natcher (US 231) Bridge. My 7 year old son reconstructs it in my living room using chairs or legos or whatever he can find to build it. He just loves it. I like showing this photo in Black and White, as a nod to Ansel Adams who also shot highways and bridges, as well as the Yosemite nature stuff we all are familiar with.

Night Truckers

2008-08-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

I shot this on the way back to Michigan, on 1-69 just North of Ft. Wayne Indiana. The sky was amazing so I had to capture it.

I'm watching you

2008-08-20T18:50:00.001-07:00

Y2K an african grey congo parrot, was keeping his eye on me as I was shooting a classic car at a car show. My lens was only about 6 inches from his beak, and he wanted to jump on my camera if I got any closer.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

Sunset cast

2008-08-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

Went to the beach today, poked around and saw this family fishing on the pier in Grand Haven about 30 minutes before sunset.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

Cool Veggie

2008-08-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today I had a cooking assignment with a scientist who is from China. He was preparing 'traditional chinese food', the type that you can't order from a chinese restaurant here in the states, but what is typical over there. He was hosting some friends to watch the olympics opening ceremony and I hung out with him and our food editor as he cooked. It was an amazing meal and this Bok Choy was one of the dishes he was preparing.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

Lilies are in bloom

2008-07-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

I know, this is starting to look like a flower-photo blog, but it's what I'm doing this next couple weeks at work. I'm working on a slideshow for our website, so here's one of my favorites, a rubrum lily. I've got a few in my garden as well.(Photo © Grand Rapids Press)

2008-07-25T06:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, so here's two more sunflower pics, I thought since I posted one already, I kept thinking about other one's I shot so I thought I'd share them too. Now I can proceed with other things now that I've got these out of my brain.(Photos © Grand Rapids Press)

2008-07-25T06:38:00.001-07:00

flower power

2008-07-24T19:28:00.000-07:00