Accordion Books

Check out the latest offering on my "Products" page. These sweet little photographic accordion books are so versatile - use them to highlight people, events, vacations, the school play, or even vintage images. They are a perfect "Brag Book" size - 3x3. I'm really excited about these little books. Can't wait to create one for you!

Vintage Beauty

I thoroughly enjoy working with vintage photographs. However, I also enjoy having my camera in hand, capturing images of today. Both require conscientious effort to produce images that communicate the feeling of the moment and that can be shared with future generations.

Isn't this a wonderful photograph? In addition to the broken frame, there was mold and mildew on the photo, along with the obvious discoloration. It's exciting for me to see the original image come back to life. Oh, and check out the youngest child. When I removed the discoloration, I immediately noticed that this little squirt was very busy pulling up his (yes, his!) stockings!

Here's a take away for all of us: Looking perfect in our photographs really isn't very important. This one wouldn't have had nearly so much personality if this young child had been sitting there perfectly straight and still. As it is, it captures his personality.

Before

During

Completed

BTW: Have you watched "Who Do You Think You Are" on NBC on Friday night? Not a bad way to spend an hour and may just help you re-think keeping all those photos on your computer. Sitting in front of a computer monitor simply doesn't compare to turning pages in a 100 year-old-book,or holding vintage photographs with names written on the back by your great-grandmother. The computer is a fantastic tool, but let's not neglect print.

(The reminder is for me as well. With digital cameras, it's altogether too easy to upload and then add more and more and more without ever creating any printed photographs. "Easy" does not aways equal "Good".)

Baby Emily.....Edited

Baby Emily edits are well underway....



I'll continue to add photos to this album. so check back on Monday
(have a restoration job to complete tomorrow)

Anniversary Album

Thank you for allowing me to share in this wonderful celebration!
For information about prints, books, or albums, please email me at elizadhill@gmail.com.

Then and Now

The original photograph is the only picture they had from when they got married, March 1940. The original is about 2.5 x 4.5" and had some mildew, creases, and one large crack running nearly the length of the image.




For their 70th wedding anniversary, their family wanted it enlarged to display. Unfortunately, I didn't have time before the event to scan and restore it.

With the reception starting in less than one hour, all I could do is take the original to an instant-print-kiosk, scan, use the machine's editing features, and print. (Gasp and Cringe! the crack also enlarged to a huge white streak!)




I brought it home with me to "fix" it. It is now cleaned up and re-sized as an 8 x 10 - crack gone. Mildew gone. Detail returned (check out her really cool hat and purse).



And to have the honor of both restoring a wedding picture AND photographing their 70th anniversary - priceless!

I Love Granny

Restoring a photograph can mean repairing damage resulting from physical issues like creases, tears, mold, or mildew. But it can also mean bringing back some of the original tone, contrast, and color.



In this case, the orange color cast was removed while improving tone and contrast. I also softened the background color transitions, making it less distracting. Now we can see that this sweet little 1 year old loves her Granny :-)

His First Buck

Just before these two went deer hunting, they paused for a photograph. On the first shot (with my camera, that is) they grinned. Then I asked them to "look serious" - hunting is serious business, after all.

Then they were off for their own kind of shooting.....


Later in the day, a phone call from an excited young man brought the news that he had shot (with a gun, not a camera) his first buck! I wasn't around for the return of the hunters from the field, so I have no photographs of their conquest. (Just as well, I can be a bit squeamish).

This image illustrates that solemn expressions can truly capture who we are and the feeling of a particular moment in time.

CONGRATULATIONS, HAYDEN!

My Grand-friend, Emily

Oh my! If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this one is worth about a million! Had a most marvelous afternoon with my friend, Ari and grand-friend, Emily. These pictures are straight out of the camera - no editing. I just couldn't wait to share them with my sweet, sweet friends.

Miss Emily, thank you so much for being such a trooper through all the wardrobe changes and camera talk. You just kept smiling, squealing, and delighting both your mom and me. What a treasure you are!

Celebrating Seventy Years

Eighty-nine and ninety-four. That's how old they will be on their next birthday. But this day was not a birthday celebration. It was a marvelous celebration of their 70th Wedding Anniversary! SEVENTY YEARS!

In today's world, seems that just getting to SEVEN years of marriage to the same person is a cause for celebration, but SEVENTY is absolutely amazing. These two are such an inspiration to everyone who knows them. They are dearly loved, admired, and respected by their family and friends alike.

Beautiful cake...

Beautiful silver....

Beautiful music....

This was a wonderful day.....
Note: Sometimes even Baptists dance! :-)

Congratulations Mr and Mrs. Mac!!! You are the best!!!