Final composite of three frames from the firework display in Briar Hill neighborhood in Oldham County.

This photo  contains the firework burst that compelled me.

This photo has the subjects in the foreground illuminated to give scale to the 50 foot United States flag that was suspended between two trees.

This is the final photo used for the composite with the red glow from the firework to give that “…dawn’s early light” look.

Mike, left, and Kristen graciously oblidge the photographers for a portrait shoot at dusk with the castle in the distance.

The twenty-first century can make anything possible. Ten years ago if you told me people would be getting married in a castle in Kentucky I would have laughed. Yesterday I witnessed one, actually photographed it.

Amid the rolling hills of Kentucky’s horse country a stone fortress emerges from an acropolis off Pisgah Pike. The castle that sits off the road near the Woodford/Fayette county border is a bit of an enigma. Construction started more than 30 years ago but was never finished. In 2003 Tom Post bought the castle as a vacation home for his family. Renovations were almost complete when it was destroyed by a fire in 2004, now it is home to lavish parties and exquisite weddings, like the one yesterday.

The ceremony was held in a tent adjacent to the castle.

Laura, left, Kristen and Mike leave the grand ballroom after dancing into the night.

To see more wedding photos click here.

My friend and colleague at The Decatur Daily Emily was married down in Georgia a few weekends ago. It was great to get to see a lot of the folks we used to work with and spend time away from the day to day back in the ville.

Luster poses at the 2004 U.S. Senate primary in Frankfort

There are a great many story within the 5′4 mountain of a man most just call “Luster.” He walks onto an assignment and either performs a “surgical strike” or recently on an assignment for Time for Kids, “We busted it, Palmer!” Whether photographing a Career Fair or the Kentucky State Fair, Bill always tries to find the most interesting photo to tell the story — a trait most admirable to young creative photojournalists. So it comes as no surprise that the National Press Photographers Association bestowed upon him the organization’s highest award this year: the 2010 Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award.

Established in 1949, the Sprague Award recognizes individuals who advance and elevate photojournalism by their conduct, initiative, leadership, and skill, or for unusual service or achievement beneficial to photojournalism and technological advances. It honors Joseph A. Sprague, a press technical representative for the Graflex Corporation, who is credited with designing the Big Bertha, Magic Eye, and Combat Camera for the company as well as dozens of improvements and refinements to the original Graflex Speed Graphic 4×5 camera, once the press industry standard.

Read story from NPPA here.

Since moving back to Kentucky in late 2008 I began making a point to spend one day a month with Bill.  Our days usually consist of a lunch and then to an assignment where I act as the Voice Activated Light Stand, navigator or something of an assistant. Our days together have been some of my most cathartic since leaving my staff position at The Decatur Daily. There is something about photographing editorial assignments on a regular basis that I was used to and missed once my wife and I came back to the Bluegrass State.

Luster hangs out at a local coffee shop and transmits photos to the newspaper on a regular basis.

Courier-Journal photographer Kylene Lloyd, left, talks with Luster during the 2010 U.S. Senate Primary in Louisville.

Some of the best times we have is during the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Every morning at dawn we gather our “tools of ignorance” and attempt to employ the Timing Light Composition standard to photos on the backside of Churchill Downs. The dedication Bill shows to making good photos of a subject he has photographed for over 45 years is very inspiring. I am very proud of my friend and mentor’s accomplishment and hope photographers who have crossed his path have benefited from his insight as much as I have.

Way to go Lusty!

Luster poses with 2009-’10 winner of the Kentucky Derby Calvin Borel during a portrait shoot in 2009.

So a guy in an Astro Van pulls up to my sister the other day at a stop light, her kids in tow. Windows down and attentive ears listening, ole dude busts out a “Cutie Pie” serenade (girl let me holla) for my sister. Later that day I was hanging with the kiddos and before Jackie left to attend a church function, she had Addyson sing me a version of what she had heard earlier that day. Drum roll please…

My colleague David recently allowed me to make him a website with photos from the 2010 SEC Men’s Basketball Championship. We spend 4 days in Nashville photographing 11 games. Doesn’t sound like a lot for a Kentucky photographer but it was a pretty big production since we were working for the SEC.

At halftime and after each game I was in charge of downloading all the compact flash cards and editing content for SECsports.com and for our site. By the end of each game I generally had about 20 photos uploaded to photoshelter with captions and a thumbnail of the game linking from http://www.teamcoyle.com/2010_sec.html on David’s site. In years past the content we produce doesn’t get used until the next year so having an outlet so soon after the images were made was kinda cool. So check out teamcoyle.com often for more contents and updates to the SEC Tournament photos.

The College Gameday crew breaks  out into a rendition of “Do The Shizz” aka (The John Wall Dance) for the crowd.

24,000 came out to watch 4 guys talk about basketball. Calipari says “You guys are crazy” , but he meant it in a good way.

The eruption zone was filled with exitable fans.

Dickie V is always a fan favorite.

UK’s Demarcus Cousins and UT’s J.P. Prince collide with me and the ESPN camera dude. His camera was wrecked I came through unscathed.