Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Sweetest of a Sweetie

I'm so lucky to have been asked by my niece to photograph her pre-Homecoming Dance festivities. Any student photographer should be so doggone lucky. What a fun way to practice the craft.

As one would imagine I've got a whole folder of favorites from the afternoon, but I figured for my Sweet Shot Tuesday, I'd challenge myself to choose a very favorite. Not easy, but here it is:



As always, light trumps everything else, and the light in this photo is just amazing. Fits perfectly with her classic beauty.




Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley

Monday, September 17, 2012

P52/Week 37: "Places and Spaces"

I've committed myself to participating in a photography project called Project 52, where each week there's a challenge to take a photo with a particular theme and enter it on the group Flickr site.

I've been searching for a certain setting for some of my imagined photos for quite a while. Jt can chime in here and confirm, I've been a tad obsessive about the idea. As we drive past farm steads and rolling hills and even nooks between highway interchanges, I look for places where the land meets the sky. Seems silly, but here in western PA, it's rare to see them together without trees, buildings, trees, rows of corn, trees, power lines and mostly trees. I love me my trees, but, I just can't get above the tree line. 

I even put a call out on Facebook to those in my area, asking if anyone knew of such a place nearby. Apparently my definition of 'nearby' is different than other people's because the closest suggestion was no less than 60 miles away.

Well.

This week, the boys and I went to tour Ft. Ligonier, built by General Forbes during the French and Indian War, which happens to be in the Laurel Highlands, which happens to be in the mountains, which happen to be above the treeline. Yay! (Which also happens to be in the same area as my Facebook friend had recommended.)  So there I was, and there was my space.
P52/Week 37: "Places and Spaces"

 
As predicted and as I said over and over to Jt as I looked for this setting: once I found it I wasn't at all prepared to do the shots I wanted, either in terms of time or the boys' outfits or even mentally. But, I was happy with the "top o' the world" feeling that I was able to get here.

P52/Week 36: "Favorite Things"

I've committed myself to participating in a photography project called Project 52, where each week there's a challenge to take a photo with a particular theme and enter it on the group Flickr site.

Posting this here a bit late, but it did go up on the Flickr site in time.
The theme last week was "Favorite Things." Here's what I wrote:

Lots of favorites in this shot. Seeing my family grow with great additions is top. My nephew got married this weekend and his new wife is just a doll. So happy for them. Catching the perfect moment with my camera is another of my favorite things. Love the look of excitement and love on his face when the moment he's waited so long for has come.



P52/Week 36: "Favorite Things"

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hawks - Sweet Shot Tuesday

Ok, I'm apparently the only one who still thinks it's Monday. But, whatever. I guess I'll celebrate a short week like everyone else with a Sweet Shot Tuesday post.

Each day at about 4:30 there's a group of hawks (?) wait... a gaggle (?) 'flock of hawks' doesn't seem right. Oh, google to the rescue... a CAST of hawks that surveils the park across the street for their dinner. I enjoy watching them and noticing their routine. I've tried a few times to get them to pose for me, but well, you know how hawks are. Right?

I've tried shooting from behind my window and also by heading outdoors, but, seriously they are camera shy.

Today I seem to have managed stealth from my office window and captured them three in the frame:


Best part is a storm was coming to add a dramatic backdrop. Maybe they wanted to get dinner in before the rain and weren't worried about the likes of me.

So here's my Sweet Shot


Sweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Favorite from August - I Clicked It Up A Notch

I don't think I have any reason to publicly lament the end of August. I know there's a general and popular consensus that it came too fast. So, I'll just look back on it lovingly as we dive head first into September and all of it's apple-producing, cooling-relief, sharpened-pencil goodness.

So, here's my loving look:


Nico wanted me to take photos of him in this costume. He's writing a novel that takes place during the French and Indian war and wanted to act out and get a feel for his characters. I love his method, especially when I get to play, too.

When we looked over the shots, we found that we had different favorites. He liked the poses where he hid behind the woodpile and loaded his musket the most.  He doesn't like this one because his very modern shorts are too prominent. I reminded him that our motives are different. While he wants authentic character portrayal, I want to show how magical it is to see a boy's imagination take form and flight.

Sharing at Click It Up a Notch as my August favorite..


Click It Up A Notch