The mystery of boys

There’s a mystery surrounding boys.  Or maybe it’s the obvious that is mystifying.  The bend toward destruction, frogs and the general “mischief” are never far from their minds.  It’s as if they come out of the womb ready for danger and destruction.  Don’t get me wrong, I love this mystery.  It’s just a reality that baffles me.  Growing  up with a sister, I found I played mind games more than planning physical torture.  And Laura, if you are reading this, I’m sorry I made you believe I was an alien.

I say this because a shoot with a little girl is different than that with a little boy.  The girls from about 6 months old on know how to work the camera.  Boys know how to evade it.  Both are beautiful to me. 

Here’s a little guy that knows how to conquer every leaf and stick in the park.  By the time we were done, the squirrels and birds knew who was the king of the forest.  Jackson artfully conquered each hill and tree, and the grass was laid low at his bidding.  He is a boy.  There is no doubt about it.  And he was a joy to follow around.  Although there was no cooing at the camera, Jackson gave us some great things to work with.  The adventure of being a boy.

The Wedding

I wasn’t one of those girls who sat and dreamed about her wedding day.  Honestly, I hadn’t given it any thought until sometime after Mike and I were engaged.  I’ve got to tell you though, after photographing weddings, you better believe I’m thinking about what I would do now.  Kristina’s dress is one of the things that makes me think of my Big Day, if I were to do it again (not that I have any plans of the kind…maybe a 10 year reenactment or something, like they do for the Civil War).  Anyway…I absolutely LOVE her dress. 

And she looked glorious in it

And her bridegroom was equally handsome

Half the fun of weddings is also that all your friends are there…

Ah, the love of young children trying to out hug (or render unconscious) their peers

Thank you Adam and Kristina for allowing us to be apart of your memories.  We loved every minute of it!

Adam & Kristina: A Preview

There will be more to come, but I wanted to put up a quick blog from this weekend.  Friday was Adam and Kristina’s wedding, and it was an absolute joy for Mike and I to be apart of.  Here’s a picture of the two love birds, and I’ll put up more soon.

A formal introduction

I’ve wondered what it would be like to sit, waiting to meet the one that would change your life.  What are the feelings that rush through you as your mind races with memories you’re going to make?  I’ve heard countless people say the moment you hold your baby for the first time, it’s like you yourself have just been born.  The dark womb of this world releases you into the radiance of parenthood.  Your first kiss on her forehead, your first breath.

I see this love and joy in Kennedi’s parents.  Their faces shining with love.  And how could they not?  Take a look at this beauty, Kennedi’s introduction.

And a couple of her nursery (it was so cute I couldn’t leave it out!)

Yes, I still know how to blog

So, I’ve been asked in person, in texts, in emails, and possibly moris code (was that the random banging I heard last night?) if I am still alive and could I update my blog?  My friends, I have heard your pleadful cries.  I will be absent no longer (at least for today).

Meet Adam and Kristina.  He’s from the Northwest, she’s from Texas.  Proof that love is cross cultural (I kid, I kid).  You only need to spend five minutes with these two to know they love each other.  That’s how it should be.  And it’s beautiful.  One of my most favorite things in a picture is capturing joy, and I never struggled to catch that in our engagement shoot.  Their love pours over with smiles, laughter and depth. 

Congratulations you two!  I cannot wait for your wedding!

My morning

The crackle of the radio alarm breaks it’s way into my dream.  “Is Brad Pitt really my cousin?  Did I baby sit his kids all night?  No this must be a dream…or is it?”  (Later I confirm with my husband, just to make sure I’m not going nuts.)  I groan to myself, wishing that my wake up call could feel more natural.  I stumble to the shower and wonder if the world would miss me if I stayed in there an hour or so.  And although I hate getting up, the mornings are usually the most valued part of the day to me.  It’s when I feel God closer in the room.  Granted, He’s always there, but I don’t always acknowledge Him so well.  I turn the water off in the shower and wonder if I should make coffee or tea to kick this Brad Pitt dream hang over.  That’s when I open the window and see the Mountain (or The Volcano as we call it in our house).  People feel closer to God in many different ways, but for me it’s nature.  Knowing that God took the time to make this world beautiful for His glory and our pleasure is phenomenal to me.  Brad Pitt’s children are the last thing on my mind.  The anxiety of the day dissappears.  It’s just God and me.  The rest of the day is pounding on the door, but for these precious minuets  it’s just me and my Creator.

So I’m not a Techy

Fine.  I’ll admit it.  I”m not a techy.  I haven’t blogged now for what, 4 weeks and I have bearly glanced at Facebook.  I’m trying hard to be cool, I am.  I’m just not that cool.  Thanks to those of you who haven’t given up on stopping by.

So, if you’re wondering what I’ve been up to, the answer is moving.  We packed up our lives and moved 10 min down the road.  Now I have a beautiful “whispering blue” kitchen and an amazing view of Mt. Rainer.  I can’t wait to put up a picture of our “backyard”.  We need to actually set up our desktop and get some pictures together, we just need to find the box that it’s in!

Austin, and I don’t mean Texas

With rock star looks and a readiness to live, Austin is ready to take on the world.  Just a few short months and High School will be a thing of the past.  But before the memories are cemented into the walls of Time, I was given the awesome privilege of capturing Austin’s Senior Pictures.  Here’s a few from the shoot…

Austin, it was great to get to know you and your fam a bit this weekend.  Congratulations on your graduation!  Whether it’s cars or guitars, I know you’ll do excellent!

All my Children

Sunday’s shoot wasn’t just a celebration of Baby Grace, it was a celebration of family.  Grandma and Grandpa, Aunts and Uncles, Brothers and Sisters and one beautiful Granddaughter.  And the sense of family, not just the word, abounded between and within them.

And her’s the lil’ lady that brought us all together that day-Grace.

You can’t have Grandbabies without Grandparents-and what good looking Grandparents!

Now we can’t forget Aunts and Uncles!  Grace has got some great genes!

Thanks to all of you for a wonderful day!  You are a beautiful family inside and out and I love working with you!

Chicago with a point and shoot – Nikon’s Coolpix P6000

Although it seems like a lifetime ago, I shall fulfill my promise of putting up pictures taken with the Nikon Coolpix P6000.  Better late than never, or something like that…

I think I had mentioned that we had the opportunity to go and visit Mike’s parents in Chi-town.  We had a great time just hanging out, watching movies, playing games and eating lots of food!  Below is a picture taken in low light at a close range.  Using the counter to steady my hand, I got a pretty clear shot.  Not too bad for a point and shoot! 

Another low light shot taken at Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church.  The pew helped to steady my hand, but again, pretty clear for a little camera.

Okay, slight detour.  There are a few things that I get giddy about in life.  Wine and cheese are some of them.  My in-laws took us to an awesome fondue place in Lincoln Park called Geja’s.  Because of my love affair with cheese and wine, I had to throw in a couple of pictures.

(This was the chocolate dessert fondue which comes flambe.  Not the best picture, but I thought the flame was pretty cool)

Okay, back to the camera.  This picture is taken at midday, so fairly good light.  I’m also handholding the camera.  I feel that this is a sharp picture, and the camera did well for what my needs were.  Not a shot to blow up and use in a gallery, but for a vacation shot it’s good.

Here’s another architecture picture taken at the Cultural Center.  Gotta love the Tiffany ceiling’s, right?  Again, I feel that the camera did well with the detail and gave a sharp image.

Overall, I feel the the P6000 did a good job.  Some of the pictures required a flash, which I am not a fan of, but at the same time, it’s not an SLR.  I liked being able to control the ISO, apeture and shutter speed, which you don’t get on a ton of little cameras.  So if you are in the market for a point and shoot, I think the Nikon P6000 is a good choice.