Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Reservoir


It has been several weeks since my last post and the reason is not because I fell out of love with photography or writing. The honest truth is – I was frustrated. I am sure every beginning photographer has had MANY of these moments, but, for me this was the first hurtle – it suddenly hit me that I was not going to be a perfect photographer overnight. To those that know me personally, they understand that I am a quick learner and I get upset when I set out to do something and the goal isn’t quickly obtained. I now understand fully why photographers take YEARS to hone their skills. I was not naïve, I knew there was actual science and physics behind this skill, but, wow – it truly is a well-crafted phenomenon with a brazen surface.  So, I went rogue and put down the camera and hit the books. I went back to learning the basics and trying to understand the science behind the art.



Then I received a phone call. In school girl like fashion, I was giddy to have a fellow mother wanting to have memories made of her daughter and son other than the typical sports team shots. I remember being in her shoes making the same phone call to a fellow photographer nearly a year ago. The moments are so fleeting and the days so busy; we are desperate to capture the times when our children still somewhat love us. And to mothers, our children have the most beautiful faces - no contest. I happily embraced the opportunity to practice again. I felt rejuvenated. 


With the help of a friend, I found a great reservoir near my own home. I am not sure the family of four knew what to expect at the reservoir, but, they were troopers! They did not bat an eye when I asked them to climb down some quite dilapidated rock and balance on concrete beams that would release you to the lake water with one misstep. They had faith that I kinda sorta maybe knew what I was doing. Even after an hour in the cold, runny noses and hungry bellies they were happy to have spent an evening as my practice subjects. There were a lot of firsts that evening for me – first brother/sister sibling shoot, first couple shoot, and the first family of four shoot! For now, you can enjoy the kids; the rest will be coming soon.



















Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Small Town Treasures



I will be the first to admit that I still harbor many stereotypes of small town life. Despite being 7 years removed from city life, it is slightly difficult to completely purge my thoughts. I might get frustrated when my children need prescriptions filled at 3:00 AM and there is no 24-Hour Pharmacy in existence out here in the “boonies." I miss the Chicken Shawarma from a good city-style Greek Restaurant. I miss Target. And their modern-chic goodies.




But, you know what? NEVER in the city would a person run out of gas on a major intersection (and by “major” in country standards, I mean the one by the biggest grain mills and a few cornfields) only to find a pick-up truck drive up to you and offer up an entire gas can within seconds. No questions asked, no money exchanged. Just honest to goodness compassion. NEVER in the city would a burly man brazened with skull tattoos and gripping a Bud Light frantically drop his beer and scramble to the pavement to rescue a young boy’s goldfish flopping for life after the bag busted during the hometown fair. That man has a place in my heart as Pet Fish Wolfie's Savior. 

The goodness that is the country filled my heart again this week when we went on a "Scouting Mission" for quaint spots that may put my camera to work. My girlfriend is a local to the area and she willingly tossed me, my kid and my camera into her truck to look around town. It was intended I would practice different shots at all the different locations in which we traveled, but, my subjects fell fast asleep after filling their bellies with nuggets and chocolate milk. Though the actual camera usage time was truncated, I was filled with excitement as we poured over local history, scoured neat architecture and searched graveyards for local legends. Truly, there is beauty to be captured no matter where you live. Sometimes you have to push negative notions aside to see it. 























Wednesday, October 2, 2013

My Superheroes


At the start of every fall season, my boys jubilantly jump around in the middle of Wal-Mart when they see the hues of blacks, oranges and purples that indicate the beginning of the Halloween buying season. I laugh out loud even as I write this because you know only children would be ecstatic at the prospect of shopping at Wal-Mart. Most bodies that file into the horribly fluorescent lit hovel of a store carry a jaded scowl on their face. 

Not my boys. 
They. 
Love. 
Life. 

Every inch of it. 

And I bask in their excitement in these moments; my heart fills and pains at the amount of love in which it carries. 

The truth about my new love of photograpy begins here - these moments when nothing else in the world matters except the happiness of our children - are the moments I want to capture and remember always. Adorning masks and running around as superheroes in our backyard fills them with a contagious excitement. I will always remember how complete I feel when I watch them enjoy their super powers given to them by a few measly scraps of bright colored fabric. 





Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Barefoot Imagination



Taydem is always enthusiastic and willing to adorn a pair of fake pearls and black patent leather pumps when I ask her to be my model. Her model strut emphasizes her exuberance as she exclaims, "I AM BEAUTIFUL!" She has been laughing in front of my camera since my first practices with my old Nikon. 

Many pine for Taydem's outlook on life; she would play for hours with a wooden spoon and a bowl. Her imagination allows the spoon to become a blonde princess holding on to her last desperate breaths while being threatened by the terrifying fire-breathing dragon in which the bowl has transformed. She does not know yet that realism is an unfortunate cost of adulthood. I know that even when life gets her down, Taydem’s view on life will not change. It is to be enjoyed and every moment should be seized. Taydem’s lessons are a precious reminder to enjoy it all because there sure is a heck of a lot of goodness around us. Don’t be afraid to smile a little and go hunting for Sparkly Dragons in the Trees.