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My name is Greg Aiken. For the second consecutive year I have provided professional services to the "LA Lights" international rhythmic gymnastic competition, hosted by LA School of Gymnastics.
I volunteer my professional services as a professional sports massage therapist to the athletes during the competition to help them feel and perform at their peak.
Between massage sessions, I also photographed the athletes. I photographed routines selectively during the recent 3-day competition. I also offered quality onsite studio photography to any athlete who chose to work with me.
I took over 4,000 photos at "LA Lights 2007" with my new digital camera. This was the first time that I created that many images with a digital camera. The mere task of organizing, rotating, resizing, watermarking, manipulating and annotating 4,000 images was something that I was not originally prepared to handle efficiently. It took me approximately a month of "on-and-off" free time to process these images so that you all may now enjoy them.
(Note: This task was made more difficult for me, as during this very same period of time, I also moved with my family, began a new job, acted as a design consultant to upgrade a commercial massage studio by designing and installing a unique overhead bar system to allow practitioneers to massage clients with their feet, and I had to re-familiarize myself with both HTML and Perl programming languages, after not using either of these languages for three years - so that I could create this site. As well this entire time, trying to recover from this flu that chose to take hold of me this winter season. All that to say that it's been a very busy recent period for me.)
To those of you who have been waiting to see these photos I apologize that it took me this long to properly prepare and present these images to you in a professional manner. I hope you all feel that it was worth the wait. You may review the images by clicking on each of the three links at the bottom of this page. The images have been grouped into three pages - one page for each day of the competition.
To say publically and in a formal way, that I personally feel honored to work with such an amazingly talented group of athletes and performing artists. Rhythmic gymnasts is, for me, one of the most beautiful human endeavors that the world has ever seen. I am proud and honored to be able to play a role in helping those who make this sport be as magical as I see it to be.
I thank everyone for making me feel a part of your group. I thank Alla Svirsky, Tanya Garber and LA School of Gymnastics for our ongoing professional alliance.
I also send a very special thank you to those handful of you out there, who not only worked with me professionally as colleagues, but who took the extra time and made the extra effort, to personally engage with me:
Lisa Wang - Thanks not only for your talent, but for your kind, enthusiastic and gracious way. Your parents have done an amazing job with you. The world is going to be your pearl. Thank you also for your endorsement of me both as your photographer and as your massage therapist. I'm honored to have you both as a colleague and as a friend.
Michele Kletz - I am more than flattered that you one day want to write a book about me. But truthfully, the book should be written about you. I see you as a grown up locked up in a child's body. Thanks for always putting smiles on my face and for sharing fun and enlightening conversations. Send greetings to your mom and dad from me. Tell your dad, that "Yes, you were right... I had zero idea just how much effort it would take to coordinate all of these photographs for the world to see." :-)
Gina Rettig - Thanks for not loosing your totally fun personality and your unique way of seeing things. Please keep up with your writing and your poetry. I also hope you had luck with your "adopt a pet" campaign. Sorry I could not offer more help to you in that area, but we already have a dog, three chickens (and lots of chicken eggs...) and a hermit crab. That's more than enough connection to the animal kingdom for me. :-)
Oleksandra Hatnyanska - Thanks so much honey for being my photo assistant when I most needed one. :-)
The Scarnechia family - Thanks for the great conversation during the opening night dinner and for the opportunity to work with you in the studio. I hope much that you all enjoy the pictures.
Olga Generolava - I apologize that I could not photograph all four of your gym's athletes as they competed four-at-a-time. But I do promise that I will coordinate with you soon to bring my photo studio to your gym and shoot any interested gymnasts.
Tom Theobald - Thanks for sharing the information, which helped me to better prepare for this presentation.
Sean and the front desk crew - Thanks for your support, for directing people and for keeping an eye on my laptop.
If I have forgotton anyone, this is a mere oversight, as it has been about five weeks since the event.
Sincerely yours,
Greg Aiken
Certified Massage Therapist
Professional Photographer
MakeUp Artist / Stylist
Web Designer / Graphic Artist
Information Technology Analyst (all images on this website were automatically converted by a custom program that I designed and wrote)
gregaiken@hotmail.com
Note 1: If anyone wishes to contact me to obtain images - please email me ASAP, as I am allocating the month of March to this task.
Note 2: I am also available to book private professional photo sessions. I shoot portraits, dance, gymnastics, model portfolios, fashion, audition and studio photography. I am able to bring all of my studio equipment and work at your home. In addition, I am available to set up my portable studio and photograph your gym's athletes. My rates are competitive and my work is excellent. I am also a makeup artist and a stylist. My photography has been featured on magazine covers and has sold commercially internationally in the form of calendars, postcards and fine art posters.
Note 3: To the competitors that I worked with during the 3-day "LA Lights" competition... If you happen to be on "Myspace" and you would like to send a testimonial for the work I did with you, then please feel free to send one in the form of a Myspace "Comment". My page is used for professional networking purposes and it may be seen at www.myspace.com/gregaiken
Note 4: Also for "LA Lights 2007" competitors who are Myspace users... I give you full permission to save to your computer any of the images you see at this website that I took of you at the event. Just "Right-Click" on the picture of you that you want to save. "Click" on "Save image as". Your web browser will ask you which folder on your computer you want to save the picture in. Select the folder (I would suggest your "My Pictures" folder). Finally, "Click" the "Save" button. And the picture will be saved to your personal computer for you to use. If you publish the photo on your Myspace page, please just give me a credit for taking the photo and add me as your friend. Thanks.
All that being said, I hope you enjoy the photos! You may access them below. One link for each day of the competition.
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