catching light / catching dreams

L - Nikon / T - Canon

"Be open to changing circumstances and remain flexible."

- 54 precious keys to happiness

I've missed my visits with you all but I've just been away on a fantastic trip to Arizona. Such a great place for inspiration, and a photographer's paradise. I came away with a few photos I really love but I have to say it wasn't without some frustration. I found I had a difficult time with the correct exposures. If you haven't seen some of my photos on flickr you might not realize where I have been. I visited the Grand Canyon, came within just feet of beautiful deer and elk, snowshoed deep in a birch tree forest, 4-wheeled in the desert at sunset, relaxed on the green lawn at Fountain Hills - home of the 4th largest water fountain in the world, and hiked the McDowell Sonoran Preserve without getting cactus burrs in my legs.

While I was in Arizona Taylor sent me this photo of her dream catcher and her camera pendant that hang in her rearview mirror - seemed fitting for what I was experiencing right there where dream catchers are made by the Navajo women. (the one she has was bought on our trip to Niagara Falls last August).

One thing that I was really looking forward to was a hot air balloon ride. It was scheduled for Thursday afternoon and the day was beautiful, warm and clear. The van filled with about 12 people drove to a large field, miles away from where we met, and then the balloon pilots sent small helium balloons up into the air to watch it's flight pattern and test the winds. We watched as the little white balloon went higher and higher and disappeared in the sky hoping that it was going to give them a positive reading. What they look for are winds no greater than 10mph, but they were at least 14 and gusting to 18mph - the flight had to be canceled. I was SO disappointed. I was so hoping for that ride in the sky across the desert at sunset. I tried hard not to pout like a baby. But... I found beauty regardless, walking on foot at the perfect time of evening I caught this wonderful light - and got my ultimate desert photo. I smiled with delight.

if you're interested in a few of the highlights of my trip you can see them here

unexpected

words by L, photo by T

The other day T had told me about her first photo assignment and some of her ideas to carry them through. She had a series of 5 images to take. And because it's fun to act like a student again, I brainstormed my own ideas, but felt like my ideas were a pretty conventional and ordinary. I was so anxious to see what she would come up with. She showed me all of them except the one for "landscape" and I knew she was running out of time, even daylight. In my mind I was a little bit frustrated that she waited so late to complete them all. She told me she might go over to the abandoned house. My first thought was "no, that's not what the assignment is" but I kept my thoughts to myself.
here was her assignment:
make 5 color pictures using a digital camera from each of the following topics. you must shoot at least five images per topic, but turn in only one image per topic for critique. you will also have to turn in a digital contact sheet.
1. never again: make a photograph of something fleeting, something temporary. try to photograph an image that can never be photographed again. attention to light and time.
2. monochromatic color: make a photograph containing variations of only one color.
3. landscape: make a photograph that relays the emotional connection you do or do not feel with the environment
4. light and texture: use the ability of light to enhance a subject. make the ordinary extraordinary by allowing us to see something peculiar, obstructed, or intensified.
5. documentary: document a person, a moment, an event, or a place. pay attention to environment and detail. the information recorded should say something about the place, time, or emotional experience of the chosen subject.

When I pulled this image up late that night, I immediately smiled, clapped my hands in excitement, and said to myself, "oh Taylor!". I smiled to think, "why did I doubt her ability, even for a second". I expected her to do well, but it was unexpected just how. I have to say she amazes me – that's a mother talking. But apparently her teacher was astounded as well, and told the other students to take note of how T used light in all 5 of her assigned photos. I also doubt that the teacher expected such conceptual thought.

he / me

solo post - T

he took pictures of me, i of him, i of myself, we of it, he of we... you get the picture?

he was unfamiliar with a camera where you have to change the f-stop and shutter speed, i was eager to teach the wonders of film photography. we had a great time at sope creek, soaking up the sun and summer fun.

jot it down / take note

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

Another fun-filled weekend. Friday after work and it was off to a good start. Taylor joined me at a party that one of my workmates was having (an open house). I was so pleased that she would choose to do that with me on a Friday night. Afterwards, we went out to eat and dined outdoors – actually needing our sweaters to stay warm – such a pleasant evening. Saturday we were up bright and early for boot camp. This was the first of the summer session. I was so pleased that Taylor decided to join me in the pain. Of course she out performed me by far. The rest of the day was relaxed – reading in the hammock, a little of this and that. Sunday was the highlight of the weekend. Taylor and I attended a photography workshop from 9am - 5pm and really felt like we came home with some good information. The instructor was very easy to understand and had a pleasant personality. The exciting part of the day was having a live model shoot with a choice of 4 different model "stations". We had a belly dancer, an exotic sword dancer, a prom date, a basketball player, an urban teen, a superfly, a woman in a traditional sari, an Egyptian lady, etc. I After comparing images I found that hers were far better composed and exposed than mine – no surprise really. Maybe I'll show a few on my autumnsun blog if she doesn't mind. From there we went to the Virgina Highlands Artfest were see listened to a favorite band and I view amazing art.
I haven't neglect your blogs on purpose - in fact I've missed them very much. I hope you all had wonderful weekends as well.

once was

solo post - T

not satisfied with our exploration of the abandoned house, my friend Zach and I went back. the man across the street warned us that the house was haunted. we were ridiculously creeped out by that news, but still determined, so we entered the house. what once was someones room for entertainment or family dining now was a space void of anything except a single light bulb hanging from a cord, the light had been shut out by the curtains that were safety pinned closed in the middle. the house was completely empty - it was truly desolate. as we went around the house, we kept taking note of how creepy the lack of light was. the only room with any day light in it had literally six different types of wallpaper patchworking the walls and contained the door that we had tried to get in from the back - it was locked in three places. in the kitchen there was a calendar from february (same month we entered - creepy) of 1985, indicating that it had been abandoned for twenty-four years. after we had finished looking around, we closed the door and left the house - hopefully we didn't disturb the ghosts.

to me there's something fascinating about abandoned homes - there's mystery and intrigue about the people who lived there. when I look through these houses to find a great shot, i find myself thinking what kind of people lived in this house, what were their lives like? did children live here? at one time, this was someone’s home, and now it just sits, being neglected and exposed to the elements of nature - it's sad.

i had to borrow a camera - mom has had mine since Nov. : (

outdoors in / indoors out

The other day when I was working on a set of "love" notecards for the I.C.E. show I was using these tiny little redbud leaves. They were laying there on my desk and I knew then that it would be my "Love Thursday" photo. The redbud tree has always been one of my favorites. To me it is simple and graceful. It's delicate purple clusters signal that winter is coming to a close. In addition to the bloom, I love the rich black color of the bark and the zig zag shape of the limbs and of course, the lovely heart shaped leaf.
/ Because Taylor is still out of commission with her posts, I pulled from something she took at this same time last November (i've done this before in a pinch). There's a story about this shoot, and I had it posted, but I took it off because it's not what this blog is about. Hopefully she will get back in the swing of sending photos for this blog of ours. Until then...

we got in

I'm excited but somewhat anxious - Taylor and I were accepted in to the I.C.E festival and will be sharing a booth. Taylor's the one who has the experience in festival shows, but this year I decided to join her. We better get busy - the show is in one month. I'm anxious for this show because I just opened an etsy site and have had little, to no, response to it. Will my work sell? All I can do is try - and I'm excited about that. / i'm worried that i won't have time to prepare for this

Never forget /

Shutter Sisters posed this question today, "Do you have a photo that captures a conversation that you or the subject want to never forget?" All the post were sweet and tender but it immediately made me think of this photo on the left. Every time I look at this photo I smile, even laugh out loud again. My daughter was completing her senior focus project for photography and did a series on Alice Wonderland interpretations. Here we were having a "Mad Tea Party" and I was the Mad Hatter (haha, because I'm short and have crazy hair). This set up was in our backyard and we were just shooting away (she had a timer on the camera). We looked and noticed that there were some people up there, we just starting dying laughing for what they must think of their crazy neighbors. It all paid off because she got a fantastic final photo (the one on the right) and a 100 on her project.
So this wasn't really a conversation that I never want to forget but an occasion that represents the many times we've had fun shooting photos together. I am always overjoyed to be a part of her activities and shooting is a time we tend to bond so well - our creative minds work together and feed off each other - we're a good team... mother and daughter.