Look back

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It’s almost been a year since we lost Sharon.

She was a wonderful mother, daughter, wife, friend and fabulous sister.

Words can not express the loss I feel on a daily basis.  And I can only imagine how her kids and husband and mother and friends all feel. The loss is palatable.

I hear her in my head and my heart. She was always my biggest cheerleader and she would not want us to not move forward and work at making our dreams come true. So I listen to her.

Just the other evening I attended a meeting where we got to see our top 10 favorite photos projected on a wall. My guess is that they were approximately 15 x 25′ tall.  It took my breath away to see my work that large. It was fun!

So, in not any particular order… my favorite of the year 2011

Sharon’s grand daughter

Laddy

Gateway Fountain

An Evening in Seattle

Artful endeavor

My favorite colors

Early Spring Snow – Can’t beat Utah’s beauty

Falling in leaves

Emma

Dear Dear Friend

Looking back is not something I do too often… but it’s been a hard year but I know I am moving in the right direction and I will continue to find the beauty in life and keep listening to my sister.

Hugs!

January 13, 2012 at 9:50 pm | Photography | 16 comments

A Portrait is not a piece of paper

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Like the link I am about to share… there will be no photo attached with today’s post.

This is REAL and so true.

There will be no portrait photos in this post.  This letter wasn’t mailed – it was at my doorstep when I got home a couple months ago.  I read it, I cried, and read it again – probably a hundred times by now.  It wasn’t easy to read – and honestly, as much as it validates what I do for a living – I wasn’t sure I was going to share it either – Until today, when a past client said that my print prices were too expensive.  If you choose to read through the letter, you will know why I’ve finally chosen to share it.

July 2nd, 2011

Jeanine -

Today I am writing for a couple of reasons.  I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind.  I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.

You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby.  I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family.  After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you..  Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.

That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.

On Sunday I called and cancelled our session.  Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip.  This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things.  My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor.  It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly.  I will be leaving my husband, my 6 year old girl and my now 2 year old – not by choice.  It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.

I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat.

Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me.  The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them.  Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it.  If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth.  I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.

My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos.  I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.

Karen L.

 

Click here to read all the comments and original –

Happy New Year

Claudia

January 3, 2012 at 7:16 pm | Photography | 3 comments

Night lights

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I have become fascinated by light.  Light of all kinds, whether in the middle of the day (ugggh bad bad light for faces and shadows) or early morning, soft misty  light; or night lights.

There’s always a story to tell it seems when an image is taken in the dark. Something left untold.

Even a quiet whisper to it.

The lines and colors all seem to change in the dim light.

 

 

Moods change in the dark.

 

 

Leaves one to think…and think some more.

Find the beauty around you.

Hugs!

 

November 30, 2011 at 11:42 am | Photography | 15 comments

Love and Passion

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Last night I watched a short interview by Brian Williams with Annie Leibovitz  and then later with David Letterman. Both interviews were WAYYY too short for me. On my bucket “to do list” is to attend a workshop where she would be talking or TEACHING (better yet)! My guess would be that people like me would’ve really enjoyed listening about her life’s craft.

With her gruff voice and kindness to her interviewer, she resembled any ordinary woman who is passionate and loves what she does. She explained that when she reflected on particular images she realized that her photographs held power and told a story beyond what she initially felt.

 

I know it sounds cliche` to want to capture moments in time, but from the very deepest creative squiggly parts of me, that’s how I feel.  In particular the last 5 years, I have set myself on a path to thoughtfully be in the moment and really soak in the beauty of the day (or night– see above photo); examine the ordinary and realize it was extraordinary or celebrate the imperfect. Night images have an eerie feel to them don’t they?

When bad bad things have come into my life I try to asking myself what am I suppose to be learning or paying attention to?  Photographing people, animals or nature helps me review that far too fleeting moment and say “ooooh that’s what I saw.”  Revisiting an image shows something entirely new I might not have seen in the beginning.  And best of all, photography allows me to revisit special moments again and again.

 

Like most photographers, we are not comfortable in front of the camera. I joke how my children probably didn’t really know what I looked like without a camera in front of my face. Even Annie Leibovitz was uncomfortable when David Letterman wanted to take her photo.

My wonderful photography friends that I “play” with weekly (Prompt Addicts), encouraged us this past week to break out of our comfort zone and get in the photo.  I was horrified!  Really… I moaned and groaned out loud.  Then I grabbed my camera and took way too many photos of the floor, ceiling or parts of my head or hands, trying to get a “selfie”. I finally settled on one and posted it in our group.

This was a big step for me.

After reuniting with my camera 5 years ago, I realized there have been many BIG steps for me.  And while I am still on my journey pursuing the “Happy Accident– called Serendipity”. That’s joy rising!

(thanks to Jason Eiting for this photo) Yes, that is moi in that silly purple rain coat. *sigh*

During the past couple of weeks I have been on a “heavenly” photographic  adventure.  Seattle changed my life.

 2 days flew by in warp speed. I could not slow it down, no matter how hard I tried.  Our time was spent with people who have the same passion as mine.  They love searching for beauty. They love their art.  They inspired and taught me. Words fall very flat when I try to express how we connected and blessed I felt; their hearts spoke to mine. I look forward to more time with them soon! But in the mean time I am thankful for a new connection with them via a small thing called the internet

Be sure and find the beauty in your every day life.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!”  Wayne Dyer

Hugs!

November 15, 2011 at 6:19 pm | Photography | 20 comments

Illusive

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For FOREVER I have wanted to photograph a Humming Bird.

Try as I might, they always proved illusive  UNTIL last evening.

I spotted one out of the corner of my eye and because it was farther away than I wanted,  I hurriedly changed to my telephoto lens — even then it must have heard me trying to sneak up on it, or maybe it heard me GASP at the thrill, but this was the only shot I got off successfully.

Humming Birds amaze me.

 

This summer has been HOT but especially windy.

Several gardeners have been heart sick at the toll the wind has taken on their summer blooms.

However, visiting one of my favorite local gardens, they have managed to keep much of the color and splendor.

.

 

Tucked inside a grove of Evergreens, this field of Hollyhocks and Sunflowers took my breath away.

I hope your summer days are taking your breath away.

Hugs!

PS– Visit Beverly at Pink Saturday

July 29, 2011 at 12:50 pm | Photography | 20 comments

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