Amazing Video!!!

Friday, August 31, 2007

To watch the amazing video just click here.

Thanks Te-Erika for sharing!

- rk
Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

From Ghana to Zimbabwe to Rome to Paris...and now Atlanta!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Check out a few of the pictures from the engagement session below!

- rk




Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

For your viewing pleasure...

Monday, August 27, 2007

If you check out the past two months of posts you will notice that the pictures are much larger. I haven't done a great deal of computer programming since Georgia Tech, but thanks to reading online and my friend Chris, you can now view my blog images at a larger pixel width!!!

If you don't remember what the old blog looked like, check out the examples below.

I hope you enjoy!

- rk

BEFORE

AFTER



BEFORE

AFTER

Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Happy Birthday Shaundra!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Another birthday celebration full of action. This night was all about the Lady of the Hour (Shaundra) and the music. Yes it was raining but that did not stop the party. Even Mr. Frank Ski (V103 DJ and Morning Show Host - CBS Infinity Radio) himself blessed the party with his skills on the 1's and 2's. All of the night's birthday events were coordinated by Shaundra's boyfriend David (Business Brokers of America).

Check out a few of the pics and how much fun Shaundra had!!! Although it was dark at the party I made sure to brighten things up with the help of a little flash and Shaundra's smile!

- rk











Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Happy Birthday Terry!

Terry celebrated his 30th Birthday with friends and family at Chocolate Pink. Here are a few pictures from the grand event!!

Terry and his fiance, Bernadette, will marry in Las Vegas early next year! Can't wait!!!












Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Metro Atlanta Arts Fund

Monday, August 20, 2007

On May 10, 2007 the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund held its annual luncheon to announce its 2007 grants and honor the recipients. The luncheon celebrated 15 years of grants by the Arts Fund, showcasing over 30 grant recipients from over the years. Over 700 of Atlanta's arts, business, and civic leaders officials gathered in downtown Atlanta for the event.

It was amazing for me to cover this event and to learn more about the true artists of the great City of Atlanta!

To view the event and the Metro Atlanta Arts website - click here.
Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

An Amazing Story - South Africa

My friend, A. Hope Smith, sent me an amazing story today. It truly blessed me and made me even more excited about my upcoming trip and first book that I will start next year. I will spend the entire month of November 2008 traveling throughout South Africa to photograph traditional weddings and religious practices! I am still praying for the funds on this one.

To read a little about my book - click here

To view the Amazing South African story - click here

- rk
Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Family Ties

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

At the end of June I had the pleasure of shooting a family down in Florida. I have known these folks since I was a youngster myself. We have all types of family ties. The grandfather (not pictured here) of the young ones was my Sunday School teacher growing up. He used to make me read the entire lesson plan at least twice before we even started class!

This family has a special place in my heart. I admire their strength, courage, and relationship with one another. And the fact that the three boys gave me enough exercise in one day to last a month. Truly, I can only hope to achieve this type of bond with my future family - the little KNIGHTs!

Eric, Tracy, Eric Jr., Ethan, Elijah - thanks for allowing me to play around with you for a while. I had a blast! Be encouraged!

- rk





Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Morning Stretch - thought for last week and this week too...

"Morning Stretch" - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

(it may be hard to tell from the size of the picture but this man was about 70 years old, seconds after I took this picture he finished stretching and took off running down the beach...the dog went running with him...i was caught off guard staring at the beautiful scenery and another man running in the distance who was picking up trash with a spear in his hand...i could not keep up while wielding my camera - lucky composition and lighting - with the mountains and clouds in the background and the morning sun creating natural highlights on the main subject and casting shadows of both subjects to the right - definitely adds interest!)

What can we learn from this picture (what did I learn) - even in a perfect situation, if you are not ready to be proactive and are only reactive - your next opportunity may just pass you by!?

Don't get so caught in the moment that you miss your next blessing.

- rk



Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Close-minded...my random thoughts...and my pet peeve

During an interview last month, I was asked - What is the most important lesson life has taught me and what advice do I have for others trying to achieve their fantasy?

As if I haven't given you enough to read for this week...this was my response:

Life has has taught me patience and I am still learning. Patience and having the maturity to recognize "your time" is of the utmost importance. Many times I have struggled with decisions with fear of not knowing the outcome. I know that life comes and life goes. Some obstacles cannot be avoided but I want to make sure that I live my life to the fullest until my time ends.

The world does not consist of only you and your community. There are over 6.5 billion people living today. It is inappropriate to be close-minded to other cultures and what effects you and your words have on society. With this said, be humble, be earnest, and do not burn bridges with anyone that you meet. You never know when someone is watching you that can take you to the next level and will be part of your ultimate success. Whatever faith you are a part of, stay true to yourself and seek guidance in meditation. Sometimes if you separate yourself from the reality of your present situation or discourse, you will find there is peace and hope in your dreams. Follow those dreams until you dream no more. Hopefully by then, we will all be living in eternal bliss.

- rk


Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Travel Gallery is now up!

To view the gallery:

Go to www.rossoscarknight.com

Click "Experience KNIGHT"

Click "lifestyle"

The "travel" gallery is the last gallery after "think..."

What is common about all of our lifestyles? We sit, walk, laugh, think, and "travel!"

Enjoy the pics below and check out the others in the gallery!

More to come soon...

-rk

Corcovado Mountain, Brazil

The Aqueducts - Queretaro, Mexico

Cave Restaurant - Teotihuacan, Mexico (near Mayan pyramids)

Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

My Blessing!

I received a huge blessing yesterday that I have been praying about for at least two months. I know some of you were praying with me. I will tell you this, when you give unselfishly and cheerfully to others and expect nothing in return....it is amazing how God rewards your obedience. I can tell you first hand!!! I'm just really happy and had to share the good news! Hopefully this posts will help someone out there reading. If you are looking for an answer or a breakthrough...just give and rejoice that your miracle is on its way!

Having problems counting your blessings? Click here.

- rk

Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

The Early Days...

Ask any photographer...well, ask me...and you will find out that one's photography interests typically come and go in waves. This has happened to me a few times. Next year, I am taking on less wedding assignments so that I can focus more on my photojournalism interests, expanding the company, and my first book.

During my earlier days of photography, I took a break from "people photography" to shoot landscape for about a year. When I started shooting people again I was scared...yes..scared!

Below are a few images from when I bounced back. I was really out of wack, with both shooting and editing.

For beginning photographers
: I decided not to re-edit the images below. You should notice a few issues with the images - incorrect gray scale values, over saturation, and incorrect exposure.

I'll explore more of this info during our workshop next year. For those of you who have already signed up, you will be receiving your confirmations shortly. We are finalizing some last minute details concerning location. The first workshop will most likely be in late March. Thanks to an overwhelming response we are thinking of adding three to four more classes of 30!

Enjoy viewing some of my early work or cry with me as I reminisce on "what in the world" I was doing!

- rk




Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Finally Back

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I've been out of pocket for a while with the excitement of the engagement and shooting assignments. I've been waiting to put out the next five posts for a while so here you go!

I'm back!!

- rk
Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Ross Knight featured in Brilliant Minds article!

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Recently, I was interviewed by Te-Erika Patterson for her column Share My Dream: Brilliant Minds. You can read below or by clicking here.


Ross Oscar Knight: I Am A World Renowned Photographer

“I once read a saying: ‘What would you accomplish today if you knew that failure was not an option tomorrow?’" 28-year-old Ross Oscar Knight remembers. “I believe that everyone has a purpose in life and some people settle because of circumstances while others do not dare to step out on faith.”

For Ross, stepping out on faith meant making the transition from his job as an Engineer at Georgia Power to becoming a full-time wedding and event photographer. It meant walking away from a guaranteed paycheck standing firmly on the belief that his talent would lead the way to supply all of his needs.

This act of faith led to establishing Ross Oscar Knight Photography, a business that has seen tremendous growth since it’s inception in 2003 with a clientele that has expanded both nationally and internationally. His most popular clients to date are the Atlanta couple Robert Gray, Jr. And Keisha Williams, whose engagement photographs that he shot and presented in a slide show, has circled the world more than 150 million times.

Ross, who was never formally trained as a photographer, developed his unique vision for photographs by gaining inspiration from photography greats Gordon Parks and James VanDerZee.

In spite of his recent and imminent success, he admits that he didn’t always recognize his purpose. His love for photography blossomed naturally as he took note of other interests.

“I never knew as a child that I would actually be a photographer,” Ross says. “However, I did know that I would do or be something creative. As a child I always felt that I saw events differently than others. I was very observant in any environment that I was a part of. After an outing, I used to ask my family and friends if they recognized or remembered certain colors, scents, people, individuals, music, buildings and they would sometimes look at me like I was crazy. I found it hard to articulate my senses sometimes. Instead, one day I picked up a camera and realized that I could capture the ambiance of a situation or an event and then recreate it as a photo story.”

The art of telling one’s story through photography, which Ross calls Lifestyle Photojournalism, requires a strong sense of visual creativity and a natural story telling ability.

“Story telling is always something that I have loved to do. Maybe it was really just talking too much. My father is a pastor and a great story-teller. I used to sit and admire the stories he would tell during his sermons. Everyone in the church would be completely captivated [while I] I would imagine the pictures that went along with his words,” Ross says.

”When I started dating in middle and high school, I always enjoyed writing fiction and other prose for my girlfriends,” he remembers. “I would take pictures of them and us and put books together that told stories of our relationships. As I matured, these books changed to memoirs of relationships and how they would begin and end. I always wanted to take something away from the relationship to grow for the next and remind me not to go in reverse.”

Backtracking is not an option for the young professional photographer. His life is a testament of forward movement as he embraces his role as a visionary, accepting the fact that sacrifice and willpower are necessary to achieve greatness.

“I think some people let their dreams falter because society places stereotypes on dreamers and even visionaries, as if appropriate fantasies cannot be manifested. The opposite is true,” Ross says. “The major difference between those who live out their fantasies and those who don't is a direct matter of willpower. What is one willing to sacrifice to succeed? Comfort? Stability? Food? Sleep? Criticism? It is those that persevere through adversity with the mind set that failure is not an option who find the keys to self-fulfillment. Even in failure, true perseverance will prevail as a stepping stone to one's impending success.”

The obstacles that Ross had to overcome in order to achieve his dream presented themselves as a combination of finances, support, and obedience.

“I thought it impossible to become a full-time photographer 8 years ago when I was still in college,” Ross remembers. “The money just wasn't there to achieve my dream of purchasing equipment and supporting myself through art. To not lose hope, I found comfort in visiting galleries, painting at home, and still learning progressively about my art. I sought ways to be artistic for free!”

“Many people, like myself, hold on to baggage in the form of friends, family, and peers,” Ross offers. “I had to let go of my unhealthy baggage in order to be enlightened that prosperity was at my fingertips. Paraphrasing someone from my past, 'You really can pick your friends, family is a different story.' Consequently, having healthy relationships with supporters of your dream is the best way to overcome hard times. Last, being obedient to my conscience and prayers was a major road block for me. I struggle with consistent obedience and patience. I even wonder why because whenever I have the both in line, I am blessed beyond measure. Truly, I accomplished my dream to be a photographer by adhering to my faith.”




Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

The Future Mrs. KNIGHT and our "Raindrops from Heaven!"

Monday, August 6, 2007

All of my clients have two of the same questions: Since you are a photographer, how will you propose and who will shoot your wedding?

On August 5, 2007 I proposed to the love of my life (and my photographer assistant), Brandi.


The story goes like this:

I set up a fake photo shoot. Since Brandi attends so many of my photo shoots this was something that was not out of the ordinary for her. I told her I needed some head shots for a new magazine article. I enlisted the help of Tempest Bleu to coordinate the afternoon.

The day started with us going to church as usual. After church we usually go to brunch but I asked Brandi to give me some time to work on a client's project. That's when I enacted "Project GNIR," the secret title for the proposal I used with all of the vendors. "GNIR" is RING spelled backwards. Little did Brandi know, in about 2 hours she was in for the surprise of her life!

Before the photo shoot I asked Brandi to wear a dress I bought her recently so we could get a few shots of us if time permitted. I also told her we would take the photographers to dinner afterwards. The dress so happened to coordinate with what I was wearing perfectly (ok I planned it). We all met at the King Plow Arts Center and the shoot began..with just me. A few minutes into the shoot the photographers asked her to join me. After a number of candids (well, a few poses mixed with some improv), the shoot was supposed to end. I asked everyone if they had ever seen the art gallery (usually closed on Sundays) that was located down the hallway. We all "snuck" into the gallery and the photographers continued to shoot as we looked at the artwork. As we were getting ready to leave the gallery I asked her to look at one particular piece of artwork to see if we had heard of the artist before. When we walked away from viewing the painting I took her hand and led her to the middle of the gallery (perfect lighting!!). When I got down on bended knee she thought it was a joke and tried to get on the floor with me?! She figured I wanted the photographers to do more pictures. But instead I popped the big question. She said, Yes! Thank goodness or I was going to have to go home with a bunch of pictures and a rock in my pocket...

After a few tears, we continued shooting with the photographers outside in a court yard. That is when I presented her with a t-shirt "The future Mrs. KNIGHT." We took a few pictures near a swing that I had seen a month earlier while visiting the site with one of the photographers. Next we walked through an alley leading to an event facility one of my friend's, Chris Ruffin, owns (The VIEW at King Plow). I asked the group if they would like to see the facility since I "saw" his car there.

Once we entered the facility we went up the stairs to his office directed by his assistant, Shannon. As we reached the top of the stairs, we were greeted by a personal chef, waitress, and the music of John Coltrane ("In a Sentimental Mood"). We continued on outside to the deck where we had a foot washing ceremony and then a dance over looking Midtown, Buckhead, and Downtown Atlanta. We came inside to enjoy the four course meal prepared by Chef Suzanne and spoken word by artist Adam Beane. After dinner, we watched a dvd (thanks Julian) that I prepared which featured the Love Story of our lives - "Her Temperate Spirit", words by Te-Erika Patterson. The dvd was full of pictures, starting with the first time that I ever met Brandi on Morehouse College Campus (she went to Spelman) up until we officially started dating in 2004 (5 years later!). We enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries and discussing our future lives together. In the end, we were blessed with a rain shower outside...in the words of Te-Erika Patterson - "Raindrops from Heaven."

I will tell you that I can't express enough thanks to God for allowing this wonderful occasion to come to life and blessing me with such a beautiful woman who will now be my queen!!!

Thanks and gratitude to the people involved with bringing this momentous time together:

The Extraordinary Event Planners - Michele and Venetia of Tempest Bleu

The staff of King Plow Arts Gallery and Catering - Stacy Zeigler and Laurie Smith (who lit like 120 candles hanging from the ceiling in like 15 min. before we walked in!)

The best VIEW in Atlanta - The VIEW at King Plow Arts Center - owner and good friend of mine - Chris Ruffin - also thanks to Shannon for coordinating

Food fit for a King and Queen - Personal Chef Suzanne and waitress Conner (who did a great job shooting additional candid pictures after our photographers left)

Spoken Word Artist (a surprise from Tempest Bleu and fellow Morehouse Brother) - Adam Beane


The Physics Class Where I first met Brandi - Morehouse College

My Life's Savings on her Finger!

An End to a Perfect Evening and the Beginning of Our Lives Together


- rk

Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Jeff and Keonna - The City of Five Flags

Thursday, August 2, 2007

My hometown Pensacola, FL is a very special place. Full of beautiful architecture, wonderful scenery, and of course the awesome beaches with white sand. I shot Jeff and Keonna's wedding there this weekend and I had a great time. Especially with the artistic shots! We started with windy shots near the pier that turned out to be a bit challenging for everyone involved, however, in the end...I improvised and came up with the shots you see below.

Congratulations to Jeff and Keonna!!! By the remarks Jeff made at the end of the wedding, I am sure they will not see these pictures for a few more days!

- rk















Share/Bookmark
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!