Perseverance

It's just a grimey, ugly, to-the-bone cold day in N.E. Pa.  Hurricane Sandy made it's way through just 2 days ago and by now there really aren't any leaves left on the trees.  As I was driving to the studio this morning my eye was caught by this bright colored tree. It wow'd me, at the thought that it looked like it was trying hard to hang on to those leaves. I drove another 1/2 mile or so and decided that there was some metaphor in that tree.  It seemed to stand for great perseverance. How that tree hung on to its leaves through the storm! It stood it's ground, refused to give in to the forces around it and came out the other side standing beautiful among all the other trees around it. What is different about that particular tree that there isn't a single one around it like it? I'm not eloquent with this kind of thing but I have thought about that tree all day. It made me think how each of us needs to also stand strong, and hang on to our family/dreams/beliefs/goals (you can fill any word in there) and if we have that, we can weather any storm and will come out of it better and more beautiful. I'm sure you see my point (again, I'm not as eloquent as I'd like to be but I'm sure you understand). But it really makes you think doesn't it?

Sweet 16

Bill and I were excited...our friends Tom and Kathy, who we have known forever, were coming out from NJ to their summer house for a weekend and we were going to join them for dinner. We do this as often as possible (which is actually never as often as we would like). So we arrived and sat chatting for a few minutes and Kathy handed us what looked like a polaroid photo or something - the two of them grinning ear to ear. When we looked closer - we realized it was a sonogram!!!  I don't know how long they were married at this point, my guess was maybe 9 or 10 years or so but this was a humongous cause to celebrate!!!  Megan came into the world 9 months later.

So let's fast foward to this September. Kathy calls me randomly in the middle of the day. Hmm, interesting, something must be up. We talked for quite a while because we definately don't see each other much   anymore - it's probably been 2 years (the guys see each other more often).  So the next question she has floors me.  "Can we make an appointment to come out to have Megan's portraits done? She just had her Sweet 16 party and we want to have portraits done of her and us as a family." (I should mention that Tommy joined their family several years after Megan to make their family of 4). It was my honor. They came a week or so ago and we spent the afternoon and evening making portraits and going to dininer.

Finally the point....Of course the point of my rambling little story is ....wasn't it just last summer that they showed us the sonogram?  I haven't seen Megan in several years either so in such instances time should have stood still right? Wrong.  It was such an honor and so much fun doing her portraits and getting to know her again, now as a beautiful an d mature teenager. We did very formal poses and we did some sassy fun poses and we even went out in the middle of the road for some with an urban flavor.

It was a blast....It's a good thing we don't get any older, only the kids do!

Stunning....

Emma came to model for me today for my new line of classic oil painted portraits. These images are right out of the camera - no retouching or anything at all, I was so excited at the results I couldn't wait to post them.  The hardest part will be going through all the images and deciding which one becomes a painting!! Thank you Emma for being such a great model and letting me "play" for 2 hours!!

 This was Emma's idea for a pose - LOVE IT!!

Not your ordinary day

It was a fantastic day. Not like any other! First, Dante came for his birthday portraits. We made our way around downtown where he did a great job looking tough, smiling nicely, looking cool and brandishing his pirate sword as he clung to a lamp post in the park. Then we spotted Chief Brennan and the fire truck watering the planters in the park. Well I found out that Dante wants to be a fireman. So with Chief's permission I showed him around the truck a bit, opening compartment doors, explaining about the ladder and how the air packs go on etc. But he wouldn't take the nozzle to water the planters. He wouldn't go over to the firehouse either. But finally as we decided to head back to the studio Dante decided he wanted to hold the nozzle.  So here he is helping to water the planters in Memorial Park in Carbondale. Thanks Chief!!

Then the Black family came for portraits.  Addison is 6 months and we decided to do portraits outdoors in our courtyard. From out of now where, this rather young cat appears. Now, she has been around before and more than friendly. Always wants to come into the studio. It also appears she recently had kittens. So anyway, we are photographing Addison and this cat takes notice of her and then won't leaver her alone. This cat actually became part of their family pose because I couldn't keep her away!! I've never seen anything like it before, she knew that Addison was a baby and wouldn't stay away...

Nope, not your average day - it was Awesome!

Determination

We had to laugh. After an entire garden and our patio flower boxes were removed to put in sewers we noticed this sprout. It's a crab apple tree that was part of the garden. The funny part is, we have tried several times to cut it down so it would just go away. Finally we just let one of the sucker shoots grow. Well when the sewer came in we thought "finally" this thing is fine gone for good. But the tree is determined to regrow! It is becoming something reminiscent of the movie "Christine". It is meeting with a saw and shovel in an hour. Let's see who is more determined!

Oil Painting

I'm absolutely thrilled! Ya know how sometimes you have something on your mind you want to do but either don't know where to start or how to do it? Well after seeing a webinar on digital oil painting, and knowing the photoshop 5 has the capabilities. I spent some time this afternoon practicing and have created my first digital oil painting. What a blast, I'm hooked. Now, once I am satisfied with my technique, I will have an artist add a layer of actual oil paint on the canvas to finish it. Now to find some of my favorite landscapes to work on!

Spring at the studio

Wow, where does the time go. I seem to go through phases of blogging well and then thinking I didn't have anything interesting and retreat into a shell of sorts. But with the sunshine (and apparently the heat) I have found some new-found inspirations. These are some views taken last Thursday right here in the studio courtyard. What a great time to have outdoor portraits made - but these flowers don't last long. New plantings are coming soon and we usually have flowers all summer long.

The upper back yard at the studio

Beautiful iris at stone wall and steps

The saturation on the rose bush is beautiful!

Cheryl Kaiser earns Blue Ribbon

Cheryl Kaiser earns Blue Ribbon

You just have to love a baby!

Most of our moms use headbands and tutus when it's their style, but this little cutie pie was like a model for the new strawberry hat and a couple headbands that were just too cute for mom to pass up! Baby portraits that really touch the heart.

A Bolt of Lightning

Have you ever had something move your thoughts to a point that it feels like you were hit by a bolt of lightning? It causes you to reflect back over time, trying to make sense of it all, and realize that there have been several signs for you that you just haven't acted on? It really makes you realize perhaps a direction for your career or your life or maybe for some element of your day. This is exactly what happened to me last week. An employee from The Fold, a teen Christian outreach school in Vermont spoke at church. Emily had attended our church and was back for a visit and talk about the school.

My mind was flooded immediately with how can I use what I do for a living to help make a difference in these kids' lives? Then I thought back over the last couple years. Various people who have come into my life for different reasons, programs and projects I've been excited to help with or support, and conversations I've had. I realized that all these different things came together to show me how yes, I do have an impact on people's lives, especially teens and now it's time for me to move foward. So after a brief conversation with Emily after the service, and again the other day on the telephone, I will be putting together a program for The Fold's students. It will encompass not just taking photographs but to help the students see and appreciate God's beauty in nature, themselves and in each other.

I'm so excited about this because I have a feeling it will take on a life of it's own. It's the overwhelming feeling that I must use the talent I've been blessed with to help others that is driving me. Over the next several weeks I will be working on the content of the program and then will be taking it to Vermont. I also forsee this program being something I will offer closer to home too.

While this whole concept is in its infancy, I'm very excited about it and all that it promises! I'm open to ideas and thoughts and of course, prayers.  Thank you for reading this...it's something from my heart.

More about The Fold
http://www.thefoldfamily.com/

Family Heirlooms

Im thrilled to be part of the March issue of Happenings magazine. The feature article is about our restorations and new Hand Tinting services!

See the whole magazine here http://happeningsmagazinepa.com/currentmagfiles.html

Palms

This blog has been kind of quiet the last week or so. I just returned from a vacation in Puerto Plata. It was beautiful there. Unlike many other vacations, I took some better camera equipment and decided to take time for myself to just play. I walked all over taking different angles of anything that captured my eye. I did what I also recommend to anyone who says they love to take pictures - I would take several images from different angles or levels of the same subject. It was wonderful. I tend to see the patterns and textures in nature, almost moreso than the traditional tourist things. In those cases I see an image and know that I'm going to finish it one way or another. Black and white is my favorite, always has been. So here are a couple images I've finished and thought I'd share. Enjoy

Time off

Folks, Im taking a little time off. I will be posting again next week. Stay tuned for some good stories and Photographs!

Pure Joy

This little girl was so comfortable once we got rolling during her photo session that she was just posing and posing and was a joy to watch and laugh with! Makes you wish that as adults we can be so uninhibited.

Baby Giggles

When baby Kali came in today with Mom to pick up her 1 year portrait order, she was so cute and giggly. As I talked to Mom about things Kali just started to laugh and giggle. Of course how can you help but turn your attention away from whatever the discussion was and toward the bright-eyed giggling. The giggles continued as we tickled her tummy and talked to her. Mom said she woke up on the "right side of the bed" from her nap and was taking full advantage of that! She is so sweet.

Just playing

Every once in a while, ok, fairly often, I'm easily distracted and find myself playing. I found this image from our trip to Rochester, NY and then found myself seeing what I can do with it. I always seem to find myself creating abstracts and graphic photographs from parts of scenes and buildings I come across.

This morning, as I do every morning, I spend some quiet time enjoying my coffee, my two cats and some reading. Anyway, this morning as I was reading a little bit from one paticular book, I had an "ah-ha" moment (I just love those!).  I realized that my new tagline "Legacy Portraits of the Heart" that came to me to use, was no coincidence. This phrase which came to MY heart, really speaks volumes. I just reaized this morning that I strive to know each client so the art I produce from MY heart will speak to and have a place in THEIR heart as well as the hearts of their future generations. I want to provide them a Legacy to pass down.

This may sound so simple or maybe too deep, I don't know, but it caused me to just stop in my tracks and dwell on while I finished my coffee. It suddently took on a life meaning for me and seemed to help me define what I have done until now and add some clarity to the things I want to do.  For starters, I think this blog should not just be a theme of inspiration but thoughts and other things OF THE HEART. From there - we will see where my heart leads me! How about you?

Inspiration in a Christening

Meet Sophia Ann Estelle and her mom. My husband and I were asked to be part of their family today for this very special occasion. This is the only photograph I was allowed to take. It was a nice service and dinner. As a photographer it doesn't get any better than being part of a family like this. Sophia's older brother has come for portraits since he too was a newborn. What a blessing.

Just a thought

"As the blossom can't tell what becomes of its fragrance, we can't tell what becomes of our influence."

A different inspiration.

This time of year many of us suffer from winter blues. For me this is the hardest part of the winter. Snow or no snow, just the dreary days can cause mood swings. I found this link and hope it helps! http://www.wikihow.com/Fight-Winter-Blues