Tis the Season

Deck the Hall with boughs of holly......and crystal reindeer, and Santas, and lights and you have the most wonderful time of the year with the folks at the Arlington Senior Center.

Once again, I had the privilege of photographing the Christmas Gala and once again, I was impressed.

(Click here to view photos)

Jolly {Little} Elf

 ".....a right jolly old Elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself." As if this baby boy wasn't cute enough the day we shot his Christmas pics, looking back at the photos has brought a merry and bright spot of Christmas into a rainy December day. 

This little guy was unbelievably happy the entire time we were playing Christmas.  I was surprised - after all, my children wouldn't have tolerated all this at this age. (Actually, now that I think about it, they don't tolerate it at their current ages of 26 and 23!)

A Truly Good Thing

Good thing I'm a gadget-girl.  Ask my husband.  He'll tell you that it's hard for me to walk away from a good gadget.  I also love color.  Especially bright pink.  That's a good thing, too, since these little plastic gadgets will likely be part of my life from now on.

Do you recognize them?  Two months ago I wouldn't have had a clue.

Perfectly Framed

I always appreciate the thoughtfulness of the folks I get to work with, and this was certainly no exception.  The project was brought to me by this gentleman's great-great-(great?)-granddaughter-in-law. She is a librarian, so  it shouldn't have been a surprise that she is  attentive to historical details.  But let's just say, I was impressed!

Flay Day 2012

To celebrate Flag Day (and just for fun), Sarah and I worked together to create some truly fun, vintage-inspired images.

I had borrowed my dad's Army uniform from my sister who has legal, full-time custody.  I had this idea about having my son, David, wear the uniform for a kind of rite-of-passage kind of photo shoot.  David simply wasn't "feelin' it", so I mentioned the idea to Sarah. 

Sweet Expressions

The feelings your baby creates in you is something you have to experience before you can fully appreciate it.  I will always remember my husband, Tim, after the birth of our first child, Sarah.  It was magical to watch him as he held her and looked at her little face.

And this little guy.....oh my, I saw the same look in his parents' eyes as I saw in Tim's all those years ago.

A Little Light Please

Yes, it's been forever since I've posted. Tomorrow I'll begin sharing pictures that illustrate the reason for the long silence, but today I'll reveal the cause:  There was mold in them there Hills' (house).  

Fortunately, it wasn't the dreaded black mold. Nevertheless, anything and everything it touched had to go.  And that has meant a rather intensive and unplanned remodel of  my office and our master bathroom and bedroom.

Every now and then,  however, there was a fun by-product of the remodel.  Since the office was affected (more information on this later) and as an upcycled bookcase began to take shape, I realized I needed a new lamp.

Fabulously, Personally Vintage

 I love vintage styled photo shoots.  However, I see so many these days in which the subject is dressed totally in the photographer's props.  In some cases, the props become the focal part of the photo.  While I still love the look,  I prefer that each element in my photographs have personal meaning to my subject.

It's About Time

It's about time I got a handle on off camera lighting.  And this vintage clock was a very patient subject for today's practice shots.  The first goal was to create an image that shows the detail in the clock face.   Second, I wanted  to have a dramatic sky  in the background.   The third goal was to utilize minimal adjustments in Photoshop.

Mission accomplished....

Once Upon a Time in Canada

Once Upon a Time, in the faraway land of Canada, this baby boy and his family went camping.  His father comes from a long line of hearty camping folk.  His mother - not so much - as in "not ever before".

In Canada, they said, even in July, there would be cool temperatures, clear water in the lake, and great fishing.....

Just in Time

These pictures were truly taken just in time.  On a recent afternoon, we met for a quick session of "capture the belly" - nearly 2 weeks before her due date. Within 5 minutes of leaving Town Square, the heavens opened with thunder, lightning and a drenching rain.  Exactly 7 days later, this tummy was replaced by an amazingly beautiful baby girl. (who happens to look just exactly like her big sister!).

Glimpse of Glory

There is a wonderful park close to my house.  It includes a wetland filled with cypress trees which causes my imagination to run wild, expecting at any time to see Hobbits trekking through the woods.

A dear friend of mine asked if I could help her with an image for her blog for Habitat for Hope.  She's planning to name the blog "Glimpse of Glory". 

Hinged Book {Tutorial}

If you have never tried book binding, I would encourage you to do so. Handmade books give you the opportunity to choose the perfect size, colors, papers.  You can make a notebook, a photo album, a sketch book all using variations of the same techniques.

As promised, here are some photographs that illustrate how to make a simple book with a hinged cover.   I used 4 sheets of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper, grosgrain ribbon, acid free book board (from Hobby Lobby), glue, a bone folder, my favorite craft knife and a metal ruler.

Love Is...

It was 1933 and he was 24 when they got married.  That is young by today's standards when marriages are delayed until we graduate from college, begin our careers, and check a variety of things off our to-do-before-we-have-children lists.

Fabric Box {Toot}

In good conscience, I can't really call this a tutorial, since so many details are missing.  That's why I titled this, "Fabric Box {Toot}".  Get it?  It's almost a "tutorial"!  Details are missing, not because I want them to be a secret, but because I didn't create this project with the intent of also providing instructions. 

Gala, Indeed

It truly was a Gala in every sense of the word.  And, as always, I learned a great deal by photographing the people that make an event just that - an event.   This one was sponsored by the City of Arlington's Senior Center.  And what an event it was!

The Year of Light

 I've dubbed 2012 as The Year of Light and this photograph is as good place as any to begin.

The afternoon of New Year's Eve, Tim made a fresh pot of coffee, poured a cup, and set it on the kitchen counter as we talked. Unfortunately for quality conversation, the bright sunlight coming through the window and the steam from the coffee were irresistibly distracting.