Reflections

Wow! I was working on some images today of a cute toddler I photographed last week. He's been in the studio every 3 months of his first year and given me quite a few great images. Big blues eyes, great smiles and last week, a new little look that I hadn't seen before. Kids are great and I get to see them change over time and EVolve!

As the session went on, I heard that intuitive voice that said "try the mirror" and see what happens. The "What if" part of my brain was in high gear! I did as I was told and did he give me some looks to record! He had a blast with his reflection and he and his mom loved the show. Wait till she sees all of them!

Moral of this story: ALWAYS obey the "what if" voice that whispers in your ear.

Time in a Bottle

Summer's coming and I'm heading back to McCarthy, Alaska! It's an old, historic town tucked into the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. McCarthy supported the copper ore mining town of Kennecott and was known for it's social life for the miners and their families. A visit to McCarthy reveals a town with one and half feet deeply stuck in the glacier silt from the earlier days of the previous century. Old horseshoes, trucks that quit and were "buried" in the same spot, weathered moose antlers hanging on buildings and bottles.

My eye caught these bottles one day when the sky was talking rain. Gotta love those days, as they bring out the colors of most everything you lay your eyes on. These bottles have taken up residence alongside one of the first cabins in McCarthy. It's owner started the town.

But what caught my eye was the tea kettle! It had that feeling that if I just picked it up and rubbed it a bit with my gloved hand that perhaps a McCarthy genie would appear and I'd get three wishes. "What would I wish for," I thought. More days in McCarthy! Keep wishing.

RECREATion

I don't know about you but I sure need some down time to open up my brain to the creative thoughts that spontaneously erupt. They knock on my inner cranium when I'm in the shower, walking the dogs or driving to and fro, but it's not a convenient time to write them down. But when I'm on vacation photographing out in nature, catching some melonoma-producing rays on the beach, or exercising without two leashes attached to my left, upper limb, I find the ideas flowing like traffic in SW Florida! It also gives me time to have fun with my family! Of course, the camera comes out to capture these quickly, growing lives and the moments that present themselves. Without this re-creating time to open up to spontaneity, my life might take on the dull end of a well used pencil.

Good things in Small packages

Has anybody else been fighting the colds that are making the rounds this time of year? I thought I'd make it trough this winter unscathed but no, it struck this past weekend. Sore throat, stuffy nose. . .

So after a day of reaching for the tissue box and feeling dragged out, I opened my mail tonight and found a wonderful surprise! A recent client sent me a nice note about how comfortable she felt and how much fun she had during her creative photo session. She and her cat, Murray, were awesome! Lots of laughs and great interaction. Time just breezed by.

Well, tucked in the card she sent me was a packet of Clean & Clear sheets that "instantly removes excess oil and won't smudge makeup." Wow - what any photographer would love to have during a session! What a great client! Thanks!

Murray the cat

Just completed a GREAT creative session with a woman and her cat Murray. She was nothing short of wonderful to work with - lots of spunk, totally herself in front of the camera and easy to direct. But Murray, he was a cool cat! He struted his stuff around the studio, checking it out while talking to us. He really stole the show with his green eyes! A little ham, he was. Not bothered by the strobes going off, he too gave me his best. I just loaded up the images and I can't wait to get to the editing - soooo many good ones!

A Hole

Once and a while something happens that leaves you feeling sad. Today that was saying goodbye to a 99 year old neighbor that's going to live with his daughter. Yes, the move is necessary, as he's been failing over the last few years, but I will miss him! As a survivor of the days of Hitler, Erwin was a grand storyteller of life in Germany in the last 1930's. He is a man that laces every visit with a compliment and a wink. When my intuition called about 5 years ago, I made some lasting portraits of him. The wrinkles, the smile, the twinkle in his eye - all on film. Thanks for your presence Erwin, I'll miss you and pray for a marvelous journey!

Inspirational Tune-up

After hitting the National PPA conference in late Jan. it was off to the Wisconsin PPA conference this weekend for another cup of insipration! Besides the speakers, who always fill you with ideas, there was the chance to kick back and have some fun with some friends. Wow - how photography has changed!

One speaker said that he felt that 2 things have changed our world over time; modern medicine and photography. I absolutely agree! We are a visual society. Where stories used to be handed down verbally through storytelling, photography has become the modern storytelling language. You can't turn around without seeing an image or 2 or 3. . .

From photojournalistic weddings, to fashion, to travel, to nature, to sports, and portrait photography - photographers are the storytellers of the world. I'm sooo glad I do this as my job! Interact with people, see them smile (sometimes cry) and love what you do for them. It doesn't get any better than being a visual storyteller!

New Tricks

Had to go find some snow and Vermont fit the bill! Cross-country, downhill and some snowshoeing to boot. When's the last time you've tried something new? Walked the edges of life a little? Taken a dare? I was a diehard X-country kind of gal but after a couple of lesson on the "bunnyhill", I was cutting turns with zero face plants! Feeling like I was 10 again and nothing could touch me! Learning new tricks and taking risks does wonders for getting my creatvity flowing! Now I'm applying those "new trick" lessons to creating some amazing new distinctive products for my clients. Learning new software - I don't have to worry about falling when sitting in the chair!). Letting those creative juices flow. Stay tuned - but in the meantime, get out there and take some creative risks. Try something new, and oh, watch out for those face plants.